This document summarizes a workshop session on publishing options. It discusses both traditional publishing, which involves working with an agent and publisher, and self-publishing. For traditional publishing, the document outlines the submission and querying process. It provides tips for writing effective query letters and sample queries. For self-publishing, it discusses different self-publishing platforms and services authors can use to publish independently without an agent or publisher. The document concludes by listing additional resources on publishing, writing, and the industry.

1. Writing & Publishing
Workshop
Session 5 – Publishing
Options
Nicola McDonald, Program Facilitator

2. Ice Breaker (2 mins)
• Have you published before?
o Yes
o No
• Are you interested in
o self publishing
o Traditional publishing
o Both

3. Workshop Overview:
• Traditional publishing options & steps
o Agents
o Submission guidelines
• Self publishing options and steps
o Types of self publishing
o Self publishing sites
• Resources
o Books & Magazines
o Websites

4. Publishing Options
• Traditional Publishing verses Self Publishing
o Traditional Publishing – Being represented by a publishing house regarding
the production and dissemination of literature (music, info.) to make the
content available available to the general public
o Self Publishing – The act of representing oneself an using one’s funds to
produce and disseminate literature (music, info.) to make the content
available to the general public

5. Traditional Publishing
• Submit query letters to agents or publishers
accepting unsolicited works
• Wait for response (can range from a few weeks to
months)
• If interest is there, author’s work may be requested
• If no interest is there author received rejection letter
• Start process again

6. • Image from Google.com

7. Agent’s Purpose
• An agent’s job is to seek the best deal regarding
contracts on behalf of their clients.
• They deal with the nitty gritty of reviewing terms and
rights and legal matters to get the best deals
possible.
• They get a percentage of your payment (15-20%) of
the book deal once you’ve been contracted.

8. Query Dos
• Research the agent house and agents to find the right
match for your project
• Query only one agent within a house at a time
• Address agents by correct name and avoid misspellings
• Be specific about your target audience
• Show how you can help market yourself to reach your
audience
• Make it short and sweet
• Use the method of submission that agent requires
• Include specifically requested sample chapters and pay
attention to specific submission requirements
• Thank the agent for reviewing your work
• Include self addressed stamped envelop (SASE) if
submission is by post mail

9. Sample Query
David Anderson is a Reaper, a damned soul given one final chance to earn his
salvation by harvesting the souls of the recently departed. Sixty years on the job have
left him burned out and emotionally dead – that is, until he meets Sarah.
An analytical scientist, Sarah lives in constant fear of her own family history. Her late
mother was diagnosed schizophrenic while her grandmother still swears she can see
dead people. When Sarah witnesses David collecting a soul, she’s confronted with the
reality that her family doesn’t suffer from mental illness, but is actually gifted with a
connection to the spirit world.
While David helps Sarah adapt to her changing reality, Sarah breathes new life onto
the dying embers of David’s humanity, sparking a passion he never dreamed possible.
When he learns that Sarah is slated to die, he alters the fabric of destiny in order to
save her life. Fate, enraged with this blatant act of insubordination, gives David a
choice: deliver the soul of Sarah Griffith, or surrender his own.
GRAVE INTENTIONS is a completed 91,000 word paranormal romance that recently
placed second in the 2011 Touch of Magic Contest. With your interest in urban fantasy
and paranormal romance, I believe you and your agency would be ideal for
representing this project. I’m a member of the Romance Writers of America and the
Central Florida Romance Writers. Thank you for your time and consideration.
http://agentqueryconnect.com/index.php?/topic/11236-query-that-
got-six-partials-five-fulls-and-one-publisher/

10. Traditional Publishing
Submission
• kensington publishing -
http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/page.aspx/writers
• Harlequin -
http://www.harlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=1770&cha
pter=0
• Avon Romance - http://avonromance.com/shareyourbook
• Leee & Low Books - http://www.leeandlow.com/p/wguide.mhtml
• Workman -
http://www.workman.com/resources/submission_guidelines/
• Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC -
http://www.andrewsmcmeel.com/our-company/submissions
• Tanglewood Press -
http://www.tanglewoodbooks.com/submissions.html

11. Self Publishing
• Author decides to self publish/indie publish one’s
work
• Make decisions about submitting via a self
publishing company or doing the process oneself
o For instance you can pay self-publishers like Author House or iUniverse to
perform various tasks of the publishing process for you.
o Or you can go through a self-publisher like Lulu or Createspace that gives
you the option to do things yourself

12. Self Publisher’s Agenda
• Book Cover Design
• Book Interior layout
• Format Conversion
• Book Editing
• Book Marketing/Distribution
• Writing to continue a sequel/get other book finished

13. It’s like juggling
• Especially if you
don’t have some
of those skills.
• But it can be very
rewarding when
you succeed!
• Image from Google.com

14. Self Publishing Sites
• https://sites.google.com/site/creativtrendspublishing/
• Bookbaby
• Create Space
• Lightning Source
• Lulu
• Smashword
• http://www.archwaypublishing.com/

15. Resources:
• Books & Magazines:
o Writer’s Market
o Publisher’s Weekly
o Literary Market Place
o Writer’s digest
o Poets & Writers
o Jeff Herman's guide to book publishers, editors, & literary agents
o The Writer
o Guide to literary agents
o Breathing life into your characters : [how to give your characters emotional and
psychological depth] / Rachel Ballon.
o The complete idiot's guide to writing a novel / by Tom Monteleone
o How to write and sell your first novel / by Oscar Collier with Frances Spatz Leighton.
o The artful edit : on the practice of editing yourself / Susan Bell.
o Editing made easy : simple rules for effective writing / Bruce Kaplan.

16. More Resources:
• Websites:
o http://pinterest.com/nicolalm/publishing-industry/
o Writer’s Digest -http://www.writersdigest.com/competitions/writing-competitions
o Fan Story - http://www.fanstory.com/page/writing_contest/writing_contest.jsp
o WritersViews.com - http://writersviews.com/writing-contests.php
o Writercafe.org - http://www.writerscafe.org/
o Mibba - http://www.mibba.com/
o Freelance switch - http://freelanceswitch.com/freelance-writing/beginning-freelance-
writers/
o Great (Book) Expectations - http://novelexpectations.wordpress.com/2010/05/23/jackies-
recommended-resources-for-beginning-writers/
• Publishing Articles:
o http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/traditional-publishing
o http://www.theguardian.com/books/publishing

17. Thanks
• Thanks for attending this workshop.
• Please leave your email address if you would like
me to forward the resources to you!