How can I find a publisher for my nonfiction book?

By Bobbie Christmas

 

Q: How can I find a publisher for my nonfiction book?

A: Whew, a simple question, but a tall order! Writing a powerful, complete book proposal comes first. Read and follow a reference book such as How to Write a Book Proposal by Michael Larsen. Next, research is key, and after that, follow-through is essential.

Originally, I wrote a book proposal and three sample chapters of my book on creative writing. I landed a New York agent based on that proposal, and I felt smug that she would find a publisher. After she took my book proposal to three major publishers where she had contacts, she dropped me.

I picked myself up, dusted myself off, set out on my own, and I succeeded. I sold my book to a well-established New York publisher with the right contacts and distribution, and I’m pleased with the way I’ve been treated.

How did I find a publisher? I followed these steps:

1. I wrote a killer book proposal, complete with facts and figures gleaned from reliable sources. I used the Internet for my research on the size of the market for my book. I did not use vague words, such as “huge.” Instead I gave the exact percentage of Americans who like to write creatively outside of work. The National Endowment for the Arts gladly supplied the figures.
2. I went to two large bookstores to see what books were available in the same category as mine. This essential step also ensured that no books exactly like mine were on the shelves, but enough were in my category to indicate a strong market for my book. I wrote down the title, author and publisher of each book in my category (reference/writing). I also wrote down the selling price of the book, on the chance that I might later decide to self-publish.
3. I subscribed to WritersMarket.com for $2.99 a month. Yes, other sources list similar information (Literary Market Place and Writers Market, for example), but the online service is updated more regularly than a printed book and is infinitely more user friendly.
4. I looked up all the book publishers interested in my category and printed them all out, including the guidelines. If guidelines were not listed on the WritersMarket.com site, I went to the publisher’s Websites to get the information.
5. I selected the book publishers whose books I had found in the bookstores and approached them first, following their guidelines, provided they accepted submissions without an agent. I set aside those that required an agent or that did not accept multiple submissions.
6. I prepared the appropriate packages, carefully following each publisher’s guidelines. Some publishers wanted a full book proposal and sample chapters. Some wanted only an outline and cover letter. Some wanted the table of contents and my bio. One wanted only an e-mail query. I made sure to follow each publisher’s guidelines to a T and always enclosed that vital SASE, out of courtesy, whenever I mailed anything by snail mail.
7. I individualized each cover letter. If I did not know which acquisitions editor handled books in my category, I called to find out, before addressing the cover letter. In the cover letter I listed the books and authors that publisher had released in my category, which showed I had done my homework.
8. I stored the information and listings on the publishers that did not accept multiple submissions, figuring I would approach them one at a time if I received negative responses from all of the first line of publishers.
9. I also kept the information and listings of the publishers that accepted submissions only through an agent, figuring my former agent or another one could use that information, should I try to go the agency route again.
10. I tracked the dates I sent out each query and when I heard a response. Interestingly, three or four never responded at all.

My approach worked. I received several nibbles, e-mails and phone calls from interested publishers. I chose the best publisher of the lot, in my opinion, and we negotiated an arrangement that made both my publisher and me happy. Negotiation is another matter entirely, perhaps worthy of a future column. Meanwhile, watch for my book, Write In Style, to be released in June by Union Square Publishing, an imprint of Cardoza Publishing of New York.

I did my research, followed guidelines, and found a publisher. If your book is worthy, you can do it, too.

 

 

Bobbie Christmas, author of the valuable resource, Purge Your Prose of Problems and of Write In Style, and owner of Zebra Communications in metro Atlanta, edits and doctors books for publishing houses and individuals.

Do you have questions for Book Doctor Bobbie Christmas? E-mail them to Bobbie@zebraeditor.com or check her Web site at www.zebraeditor.com.