Pitfalls of the Aspiring Author (II)
Continuing from the first post on the many pitfalls of the aspiring author, the following are common traps writers seeking publication often fall into.
Poorly written and unformatted manuscript
Ever heard of this one? Many new aspiring authors fall into this hole: not formatting their manuscript according to the publisher's requirements. Worst still are the cases of poorly written manuscripts that contain obvious spelling mistakes and lack of basic editing. Both are sure-fire ways to have a manuscript rejected. To avoid it, make sure you either have your manuscript edited by a book editor (recommended) or go through it with a fine tooth comb by printing it out, editing it on paper and then amending the typed form.
Shooting arrows in the dark
Yet another common mistake by the aspiring and often desperate author. Sending manuscripts to just any and every publisher is not only time-consuming, but also unwise, and will only make the author feel discouraged.
Narrow down the lists of possible publishers who may be interested in publishing your work, and monitor any responses received. Most publishers send a generic rejection letter, but some send a personalised letter detailing why manuscripts for the rejection. If points are raised in the letter, the advice should be paid attention to and even implemented, if possible.
Not knowing anything about marketing
Yes, another misnomer! When authors are asked what their marketing plan is for the book they wish to have published, most cower into a cave of confusion, as they become overwhelmed.
"Don't publishers do the publishing and marketing?" Yes, they do, but they only market books to a certain extent, the rest is actually up to the author. The overall success or failure of a book is down to how much marketing effort the author puts in. While the publisher ensures that a book reaches the correct distribution channels (bookshops, retailers etc.), how will people know that the book is out there if the author doesn't jump on a few soap boxes (and send out emails, do book-signings etc.)?
For Muslim writers who are seriously interested in having their book published and also want a little know-how about marketing, A Muslim's Guide to Publishing and Marketing is a fantastic place to start.
Not knowing the audience
"Pardon?" I hear you say..."audience?" That's right, audience!
When a writer writes a book, the audience should be clear from the onset. Is it a children's novel, or chic lit? Will it be for adults, or teens? Having a clear vision of who the audience of the book will be is a bonus point when selecting a publisher - vital, in fact. If you don't know who your audience is, who will the book be marketed to? Remember, no shooting arrows in the dark! It's a recipe of failure.
'Pitfalls of the Aspiring Author (II)' was posted on May 8, 2008 by Umm Junayd under Writer's Tips , and tagged with publishers, tip, writers
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