| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| Self-Publishing | 10/9/2009 |
Q: I am wanting to self publish; however, I want to publish under a name that I have created for my ...
A: To start a publishing company, you need to establish a fictitious business name under the ...
|
| John Harricharan | 10/4/2009 |
Q: Recently I came across the Authors University of John Harricharan. He asks ca. 400 dollar for am ...
A: Joost -- I think it's more sensible to get all the basic information about publishing that you can ...
|
| John Harricharan | 10/4/2009 |
Q: Recently I came across the Authors University of John Harricharan. He asks ca. 400 dollar for am ...
A: Harricharan is not a familiar name to me. Amazon lists two of his books, both dated to the ...
|
| Agents/Copyright Issues | 9/29/2009 |
Q: I frequently create quotes that I would love to see on tees, bumper stickers, etc. I would like to ...
A: Kay -- A clothing line or any other major company is likely to have an advertising agency who ...
|
| Agents/Copyright Issues | 9/29/2009 |
Q: I frequently create quotes that I would love to see on tees, bumper stickers, etc. I would like to ...
A: Literary agents do not represent quotes or other short pieces, with the occasional exception of ...
|
| PDF/x-1a:2001 | 9/22/2009 |
Q: P., In my having decided, after MUCH consideration, to go the POD route,I intend to submit to ...
A: I'm afraid this inquiry ranges beyond my technical expertise. I use Adobe Acrobat Professional for ...
|
| question about self-publishing | 9/15/2009 |
Q: Can you give me an example of what would be a typical deal when someone chooses to use a ...
A: Danielle -- As a rule of thumb, major publishers pay royalties of 7-12 percent of a book's cover ...
|
| Getting Published | 8/23/2009 |
Q: Mr. Miller, I am a young aspiring writer who is just finishing a novel. My question is what next? ...
A: See my publishing guide at http://www.fearlessbooks.com/PublishingGuide.html This should answer ...
|
| Modern Publishing | 6/16/2009 |
Q: After reading a few blogs and Newsvine, I have a few questions on modern publishing: Is it true ...
A: There's no one trend that's completely true about publishing. Traditional publishing is under ...
|
| publishing | 6/15/2009 |
Q: My father is a writer of poems and has written a few books with short collections of poetry. He now ...
A: Michael -- For print-on-demand, I recommend Booksurge at www.booksurge.com because that is Amazon's ...
|
| My Writing, can I/should get it published? | 6/10/2009 |
Q: I've been writing poetry for years now and have a massive collection of my work (boxes of paper!) I ...
A: Richard -- There is not much of a commercial market for poetry; the problem is not saturation so ...
|
| Duration of copyright | 5/27/2009 |
Q: How long would a copyright last for a book published in 1962? I have an independent print-on-demand ...
A: David -- I doubt it. See this rundown of copyright terms: ...
|
| editor's liability | 5/15/2009 |
Q: I'm about to undertake the editing of a memoir that's to be self-published. The author had some ...
A: This is really a publishing law question and I'm no expert in that field, but I don't think you have ...
|
| copyrighting | 5/7/2009 |
Q: My first question is in regards to copyrighting. I would like to copyright the name of my unfinished ...
A: Actually you can give a book the same title as another book, and it's not that uncommon. When ...
|
| how to get published by a major publisher | 4/22/2009 |
Q: I am already a published author but have recently started working on another project. Currently I ...
A: A marketing survey, including projected audience, is part of any sound proposal. The information is ...
|
| how to get published by a major publisher | 4/21/2009 |
Q: I am already a published author but have recently started working on another project. Currently I ...
A: Mary Ellen -- Your publicity sounds like it's on a good track. A proposal doesn't usually need 3 ...
|
| Self_publishing | 1/31/2009 |
Q: I've written a novel and have sent it out for some months now to agents and publishers and to a ...
A: It is technically possible to turn a Word format into a printable PDF document, but I wouldn't ...
|
| book editors | 12/27/2008 |
Q: Do book editors at publishing companies read entire manuscripts all of the time, or do they just ...
A: The answer to your question depends on whether a book is being represented by an agent or sent ...
|
| writing | 12/6/2008 |
Q: Do you know of anyone who has sold many books written under a fictitious name and not promoted it ...
A: No author of recent times comes to mind, although there have been prominent authors in the past who ...
|
| Publishing | 12/5/2008 |
Q: I have penned a few books and am not really sure how to proceed to publishing, where to send it and ...
A: For a basic introduction to the chief routes to publication, see my free online guide at ...
|
| non-fiction Book | 11/24/2008 |
Q: I'm not sure where to start with finishing my book and get it on the shelves at the book stores. ...
A: Mike -- You're very unlikely to find a writer who will work on spec, especially in this economy. To ...
|
| non-fiction Book | 11/21/2008 |
Q: I'm not sure where to start with finishing my book and get it on the shelves at the book stores. ...
A: Mike -- You can get an overview of the available routes to publishing in my free online guide at ...
|
| publicity tours | 10/27/2008 |
Q: Can you tell me if all authors do publicity tours when they have a book published, or is that just ...
A: Danielle -- Publishers consider a first book successful if they earn back their investment. Authors ...
|
| publicity tours | 10/26/2008 |
Q: Can you tell me if all authors do publicity tours when they have a book published, or is that just ...
A: Danielle -- Publishers are increasingly reluctant to send all but the most famous authors on tour, ...
|
| getting published | 10/11/2008 |
Q: Can you tell me how expensive it is to self publish a book? What is the process? Are people ...
A: Danielle -- If you print books by the conventional manner, you usually need a press run of 2000 ...
|
| editing | 10/1/2008 |
Q: Can you tell me how much time editors are usually given to read manuscripts? Thanks
A: Danielle -- It's not a matter of how much time they are given, but how much time they have, which is ...
|
| literary agent | 9/11/2008 |
Q: I have been creatively writing for several years after a long hiatus. Most of my work has been in ...
A: Bruce -- Not many agents handle both screenplays and books, as they are products of different ...
|
| book editors | 9/7/2008 |
Q: I'm not sure if you can answer this, but can you tell me if book editors make the final decision on ...
A: Yes, meaning that the editor will generally give the art director some image concepts that would be ...
|
| best major | 9/7/2008 |
Q: Can you tell me which of the following majors is best for someone who wishes to become a writer one ...
A: Danielle -- It all depends upon what kind of writer you want to be; novelsist, reporter, poet, etc. ...
|
| book editors | 9/7/2008 |
Q: I'm not sure if you can answer this, but can you tell me if book editors make the final decision on ...
A: Danielle -- At both magazine and book publishers, editors work along with the art departments on ...
|
| author's pay | 9/4/2008 |
Q: Can you tell me how authors get paid? I assume that when they make a deal with a publisher they ...
A: Danielle -- I thought I answered this follow-up days ago, but it is still showing up in my list of ...
|
| author's pay | 9/3/2008 |
Q: Can you tell me how authors get paid? I assume that when they make a deal with a publisher they ...
A: yes, the conventional way authors get paid is by an "advance against royalties." Royalties can vary ...
|
| self vs other publishing | 8/8/2008 |
Q: i've written all my life, though it's hard to say (for me) if it's Good particularly. recently ...
A: Leslie -- For an overview of publishing options, see my online guide at ...
|
| A COURSE IN MIRACLES | 6/5/2008 |
Q: I'm looking for a publisher for a book I have written with the title: AN UPGRADER'S GUIDE : HOW TO ...
A: Hugh -- See my online publishing guide at www.fearlessbooks.com/PublishingGuide.html This will ...
|
| rights | 5/16/2008 |
Q: What does it mean when publishers say they buy first world rights?
A: Jim -- It means they are buying the initial rights to publish a book (or article, in the case of ...
|
| your expertise | 5/13/2008 |
Q: Could you suggest some resources where I could learn about all the questions you mention in your ...
A: Ronda -- For an overview of the publishing scene, including mainstream and alternative approaches, ...
|
| getting published with no money | 4/21/2008 |
Q: First, I would like to know if it's possible to get published with absolutely no money, and ...
A: Jack -- That depends on what you mean by publication. There are a number of websites that accept ...
|
| Line spacing before selected headings. | 4/10/2008 |
Q: I have made a documented that is uploaded to http://www.truechristianity.com/papers/leadingu3.pub . ...
A: Richard -- Assuming that you're working in Word, I think the function you need is Spacing, Before ...
|
| Copy Editing | 3/3/2008 |
Q: It's been a few months since I last asked you a question and at that time you mentioned that you ...
A: Rico -- Twelve cents per word sounds a little high, and certainly that overall estimate is high. At ...
|
| About getting a movie script turned into a movie and a couple other questions. | 2/6/2008 |
Q: I have a few questions, 1. When I'm finished writing my movie script where do I send it to get ...
A: Alexis -- I'm not in the movie or singing business; I help people write and publish books. At your ...
|
| Typesetting Software | 1/30/2008 |
Q: What is the best and easiest typesetting software to learn to set up a book for BookStore ...
A: Angela -- I haven't tried these products so I can't issue a definitive opinion. I use Quark, which ...
|
| What defines being published? | 1/15/2008 |
Q: I am studying English at Uni and would love to eventually carve a career for myself as a writer. I'm ...
A: Kate -- Sure, writing for an online medium constitutes being published; the term is no longer ...
|
| How? | 1/8/2008 |
Q: my name is Andria and I'm having some trouble understanding how to write a manuscrpit. I'm 14 years ...
A: Believe it or not, many professional writers feel the way you do every time they start a new ...
|
| Forewords and more | 1/5/2008 |
Q: I'm not sure you can answer this, but how would someone ask someone else to write a foreward for ...
A: Leah -- A typical copyright page includes the date of publication, copyright notice, Library of ...
|
| Manuscript format and graphics | 12/14/2007 |
Q: , In my short story there is one graphic, which is a pie chart accompanied by some text. How ...
A: By "short story" I presume you mean a short piece of fiction. If so, footnotes would be a most ...
|
| Idea Protection | 11/3/2007 |
Q: Good Day Mr. Miller, I'm currently working on a non-fiction reference book. I plan on querying ...
A: Susan -- Ideas are not copyrightable and in fact there is nothing you can do to prevent an idea from ...
|
| getting published | 8/30/2007 |
Q: I have written a children's book that I am interested in getting published, however, since I don't ...
A: Kim -- First, see my online publishing guide at http://www.fearlessbooks.com/PublishingGuide.html ...
|
| self-published | 8/24/2007 |
Q: i wrote a book about caring for someone with Alzheimer - something i did for my poor old mum for 4 ...
A: Marion -- You need a foreign rights agent, which would not cost you anything if someone is ...
|
| 2 authors, 50/50 split? | 8/11/2007 |
Q: .My friend and I are writing a book together. (I am a publisher author already)...Anyway, if we get ...
A: Angie -- There are no specific answers to any of these questions; they would all have to be ...
|
| how do i get published? | 7/17/2007 |
Q: The title pretty much speaks for itself. I would like to start writing for magazines and newspapers. ...
A: Guy -- The New Yorker submission guidelines are at ...
|
| POD and retail price | 7/10/2007 |
Q: I'm about to publish my first book at Xlibris since they seem to be professional but they won't put ...
A: Michael, Not being familiar with XLibris contracts, it's hard for me to address this question. Most ...
|
| Producing ebook editions | 7/5/2007 |
Q: What do I do in order to produce an ebook edition of a previously published book? What are the ...
A: This is a very general question that's difficult to answer without specific information -- for ...
|
| Publishing my father's life story | 6/28/2007 |
Q: A few years ago I convinced my dad to write about his life. He isn't into computers so he did it ...
A: See my publishing guide at http://www.fearlessbooks.com/PublishingGuide.html especially the ...
|
| writing | 6/28/2007 |
Q: I write a lot of poety and I thought it would be really great if i could put all my poems together ...
A: See my online publishing guide at http://www.fearlessbooks.com/PublishingGuide.html especially ...
|
| Seeking representation | 6/19/2007 |
Q: As a writer, at what point should I seek an agent to represent me? When I complete a novel, when I'm ...
A: It's best to have a completed manuscript in which you have total confidence. Most writers go through ...
|
| comic pub | 6/6/2007 |
Q: I have a comic I'd like to get into the mainstream one day. How should I go about getting it ...
A: I'm sorry, but comics publishing is a specialized field I don't know much about. You may find some ...
|
| A book | 5/27/2007 |
Q: Miller, I am trying to find an agent for my book (non-fiction, about employee-to employer ...
A: I provide professional critiques of proposals. For information see this page: ...
|
| Agents. | 4/26/2007 |
Q: Miller, I wrote to you a short while ago concerning my series of Young Adult novels. Well, I'm ...
A: Robert -- It's not possible for me to troubleshoot query letters in this format. It is an important ...
|
| Publishing a novel | 4/22/2007 |
Q: Miller, Suppose you write something that appears on a bestseller list and it is your very first ...
A: Royalties for books published by large houses range from 7 to 12 percent, rising as more books are ...
|
| what to do about my novel | 4/21/2007 |
Q: Miller. Yesterday I finished my first Young Adult novel. I have a problem, though: it's the first ...
A: yes, most agents will request a query letter (same as a cover letter) first. But there's no harm in ...
|
| Getting Published | 4/18/2007 |
Q: I've written several short stories and poetry. I would like to get published, but I don't have any ...
A: You don't have to be rich to have a book published, but you do have to find a publisher who wants ...
|
| Publishing | 4/8/2007 |
Q: I have written a novel and would like to publish it but I can't find a publisher and I don't know ...
A: I would start with these websites that specialize in teen writing: www.teenwriters.net ...
|
| Publishing My Story | 4/4/2007 |
Q: My name is Arnold, eversince I got into high school, I have seen so much drama. So I decided to ...
A: I would start with these websites that specialize in teen writing: www.teenwriters.net ...
|
| A "Weird Tale".... | 4/3/2007 |
Q: Miller, I've recently received a rejection letter from Weird Tales. I am having a bit of trouble ...
A: Victor -- I'm sorry, it's impossible for me to troubleshoot someone else's critique of material I ...
|
| getting an ISBN | 3/29/2007 |
Q: Greetings: I am interested in an offer of a single ISBN for $55. But, how can that be? There ...
A: your assessment of the situation is sound. I think it would be good to know two things: who the ...
|
| getting an ISBN | 3/28/2007 |
Q: Greetings: I am interested in an offer of a single ISBN for $55. But, how can that be? There ...
A: Jon -- Farther along in the ISBN Q&A you've quoted is this information: If you are a new publisher, ...
|
| publishing | 3/21/2007 |
Q: I have been writing for twenty-five years,I have a large collection of poetry all original and am ...
A: It's virtually impossible to find a conventional publisher for poetry. The few poets who do sell ...
|
| non-fiction publishing | 3/7/2007 |
Q: I am interested in writing a "how to guide" which supports my criminal justice background. I ...
A: Rob -- I'm not specifically familiar with college textbook publishing, but you may glean some ...
|
| using fonts | 2/28/2007 |
Q: In self-publishing a work, do I have to stick to public domain fonts? (I'm assuming Arial or New ...
A: Any font you can easily access without having to purchase it is in the public domain. Any font ...
|
| Manuscript preparation | 2/13/2007 |
Q: What kind of preparation is expected in a manuscript when submitting to a publisher. In other words, ...
A: One of the better guides to manuscript formatting is here: ...
|
| Do I need ISBN for Self Produced Book? | 1/31/2007 |
Q: I am in the process of creating my own line of art books. I'm doing the printing and bookbinding ...
A: Nelson -- This is not a cut-and-dried question; it depends in part on how many copies you're making ...
|
| Publishers | 1/9/2007 |
Q: I am new looking to publish a book related to computing. How can I market the book to reach the ...
A: Andy -- When publishers take on a book, they will generally buy "world rights," meaning they will ...
|
| To pic or not to pic..? | 1/4/2007 |
Q: My name is Dana, and I am fairly new to the world of publishing. I would like to ask you this: ...
A: No, a picture is irrelevant at the stage of submitting a manuscript. If an agent expresses interest ...
|
| Publishers | 12/27/2006 |
Q: What are good fiction publishers that you know of? Do you have any publishing advice for me?
A: There are many good fiction publishers, both mainstream and alternative. A good way to start ...
|
| Finding a publishing agent | 12/26/2006 |
Q: Sorry for being boring, but I have two more questions. 1. Should I protect my book from ...
A: The short answer to the first question is No. Anything you write with your name on it is copyrighted ...
|
| Finding an agent and publishing a book | 12/26/2006 |
Q: I wrote a book on relations of employers and their employees, and have been looking for an agent. ...
A: The bulk of the publishing business is in nonfiction, and business books represent a significant ...
|
| getting started | 12/11/2006 |
Q: I'm still not sure of the kind of publishing deals writers get. Do they get a certain percentage per ...
A: Danielle -- If a writer gets a $100,000 advance (pretty high for these days) then she will likely ...
|
| getting started | 12/10/2006 |
Q: How do writers avoid running out of ideas and inspiration for books?Hi. I was wondering what advice ...
A: Danielle -- People who want to write generally don't have a problem with finding enough ideas and ...
|
| getting started | 12/9/2006 |
Q: I was wondering what advice you have for writers who are just getting started? How do new writers go ...
A: Danielle -- For the basic answers to your questions, see my online publishing guide at ...
|
| Poetry translations | 12/5/2006 |
Q: I recently submitted poetry translations to a journal. I was asked to make sure I have permission ...
A: I'm sorry if you haven't received an answer to this yet; I wrote one soon after the question came in ...
|
| Unsolicited Work | 12/2/2006 |
Q: You say you're an Independent publisher. Are you looking for short stories? Could you please provide ...
A: Sorry, I'm no longer publishing. My business is now editing and consultation, as described on my ...
|
| Unsolicited Work | 12/2/2006 |
Q: What does unsolicited material mean? What does it mean when an AGENT says they do not want ...
A: David -- "Unsolicited" means that no one has asked you to send material. When agents say they are ...
|
| Publishing question | 11/26/2006 |
Q: I recently came across a creative side which I never knew I had. About a year ago, I started ...
A: Bob -- Short story collections are difficult to get published, and virtually impossible without some ...
|
| Self-Publishing & Promotion | 11/2/2006 |
Q: I am a novelist with an agent who's been in the business for over 30 years. After an energetic and ...
A: POD publishers do have something of a stigma, but you're already underway so don't worry about it. ...
|
| book | 11/1/2006 |
Q: i'm currently planning to engage in a letter writing project to various esteemed people around the ...
A: I can't refer to Canadian law because I don't know it, but you would be asking for all kinds of ...
|
| standard book size? | 10/11/2006 |
Q: I have been in debate as to what size to print my book it. I know different publisher have their own ...
A: Yvonne -- If you don't have professional design experience, I would strongly advise that you hire a ...
|
| the 3 choices in decison making | 10/4/2006 |
Q: . Since my last e-mail to you regarding self publishing or go to the big houses, I have done a lot ...
A: Yvonne -- Most major publishing houses deal only with literary agents, not directly with authors. An ...
|
| Short novels? | 10/2/2006 |
Q: Miller, Hello, my name is Robert Fox. Currently I am a staff writer for Yellow Magazine/XND Radio ...
A: The short answer is that form and format do not matter; talent and marketability do. Publishing ...
|
| is there such a person as a book promoter? | 9/30/2006 |
Q: I meant to also ask you if I can get my book "printed by my local commercial printer", then how do I ...
A: I would advise that you read one of the leading guides to self-publishing. There are many different ...
|
| Biographers and publishers | 9/8/2006 |
Q: I am currently seeking a biographer to work with me on telling my story. However, I'm not sure how ...
A: There's no need to worry about publishers or agents until you have a manuscript or at least a ...
|
| Independent Bookstores | 8/27/2006 |
Q: Miller, What is the best way to have Independent retailers take a look at my book, aside from ...
A: Brian -- This is a very broad question that touches on the areas of distribution, publicity, and ...
|
| Author Bio | 8/22/2006 |
Q: D. Patrick Miller, A publishing company wants me to send my manuscript along with an author bio. ...
A: Your bio should be kept to one page of three or four single-spaced paragraphs, around 200-300 words. ...
|
| Saving on publishing | 8/8/2006 |
Q: For writers with no publishing experience, what is the best way to save money if they want to try ...
A: Your best bet is probably to start with a co-op or print-on-demand publisher, in which you pay a fee ...
|
| Length of time for publication | 7/20/2006 |
Q: Mr. Miller. If you recall, I've asked you two questions before and you've been very helpful in both ...
A: First, an agent must accept the work for representation. It can take weeks, months, or forever to ...
|
| Major submissions. | 7/16/2006 |
Q: Miller. Thanks for your earlier answer, it was very informative. I have one last thing to ask ...
A: Rob -- If the submission guidelines of magazines are not available online or in the print editions, ...
|
| getting books published | 7/13/2006 |
Q: I have written three childrens books and I want to know how to get them published without paying ...
A: See my online publishing guide at www.fearlessbooks.com/PubishingGuide.html for general ...
|
| Agents | 7/11/2006 |
Q: Miller, My name is Robert Fox. I am twenty-six and have recently finished my short story ...
A: Yes, you should proceed with writing query letters and canvassing as many agents as possible. It's a ...
|
| Book Marketers | 7/8/2006 |
Q: What is your opinion on book marketers? They say they have contacts. What does that count for? ...
A: I had responded once and thought it went through, but apparently not. It's difficult for me to ...
|
| how does one write a book? | 7/4/2006 |
Q: I am curious how I regular non famous person can get a book out and get decent sales? Of course you ...
A: Alex -- How one writes a book is a different question than how one gets it published or makes money. ...
|
| Novel or novella? | 7/4/2006 |
Q: my name is Raymond Pace, and I have sought your advice in the past-- roughly a month ago. If you ...
A: Raymond -- The short answer to this question is No; format is not the deciding factor in most ...
|
| a | 6/9/2006 |
Q: My friend write a and would like to publish an a magazine. Her writing is top ...
A: Mike -- I work in book publishing and have written for magazines, but never tried to start anything ...
|
| Finding an agent in the horror genre | 5/31/2006 |
Q: I'm nearing completion of my second novel, a book in the genre of what I like to call "moral ...
A: Angela -- Sorry about getting back to you slowly; I just got a notice from AllExperts about an ...
|
| Education necessary for major publication | 5/26/2006 |
Q: my name is Raymond Pace, and I would like to start by thanking you for taking your time to read and ...
A: A few years ago there was a fantasy novel entitled ERAGON which became a bestseller; the author was ...
|
| WRITING A BOOK INCOGNITO | 5/25/2006 |
Q: My friend and I are writing a book for the first time, and based on the subject matter, we wish to ...
A: Writing a nonfiction book anonymously presents a number of problems, not the least of which is ...
|
| Poetry publishing | 5/9/2006 |
Q: How do I discern whether an agent or publisher is genuine? I have received offer of a contract with ...
A: Legitimate agents make a living by taking a 15% share of the properties they sell, not by charging ...
|
| Publication | 4/21/2006 |
Q: I've written a novel based upon my blog at devonboy.blogspot.com. Some literary agents have ...
A: K -- I would advise contacting as many agents as possible, regardless of location, and there are ...
|
| Getting Published | 3/31/2006 |
Q: I'm a young writer of 21. I love to write and have since I can remember. I write short stories and ...
A: Short stories and poems are published by literary magazines, and in some places on the web. The best ...
|
| When to start querying | 1/19/2006 |
Q: I've heard conflicting advice on when to start sending sending queries / looking for an agent. I'm ...
A: Rick -- Fiction is nearly always presented to publishers as a finished manuscript. You can approach ...
|
| Literary Agent | 1/16/2006 |
Q: I contacted an agent over xmas with a manuscript (based on my fictional silliness at ...
A: Tom -- Most literary agents are chronically swamped with submissions, and it is not uncommon for ...
|
| Rhyming Poetry | 11/15/2005 |
Q: I enjoy writing simple poetry, including rhymes with a message. I've heard poetry is a dead genre, ...
A: David -- Lots of poets are looked down on in literary circles. The conventional route to publication ...
|
| poet wants to publish | 10/21/2005 |
Q: Hey CSP! I am a vivacious poet who's been writing poems since 8 years old, now 17. I have written a ...
A: Jake -- Without a track record of being previously published in established literary magazines, ...
|
| how do I get my book published? | 10/19/2005 |
Q: I have written a children's book, had a relative do the artwork, and have copyrighted my story. What ...
A: First, see my online guide to getting published for a general overview of the industry: ...
|
| Self publishing | 10/7/2005 |
Q: On the back for a fairly successful website, www.enmore.org I hope to have published a book of ...
A: David -- Sorry for the delay in answering; it's been a hectic week and this question got lost in the ...
|
| Publishing my work | 9/29/2005 |
Q: i have articles that i want to publish. is there any magazine that can publish my articles and also ...
A: You need to start studying the magazine market in order to determine which magazines may be most ...
|
| about offering rights | 9/28/2005 |
Q: This concerns the publishing of artwork in a magazine. The guidelines request I let the editor know ...
A: Jim -- I don't sell artwork to magazines so I may not be the best person to answer this, and also ...
|
| Getting Published? | 9/1/2005 |
Q: D. Patrick Miller, I'm only seventeen years old and I've started to write a Teen Fiction Novel. ...
A: Kathryn -- You'll find lots of information in my online guide at ...
|
| Getting Published | 8/26/2005 |
Q: Miller, I am interested in getting a book I wrote (a graphic novel) published. Although I am ...
A: Steve -- To approach major publishers, it's usually necessary to be represented by an established ...
|
| getting published | 8/11/2005 |
Q: I've finished my first novel. Now what? Do I need an agent? Do I need to hire an editor? Is it ...
A: Sally -- Well, it ain't easy, but it happens. For an overview of the publishing process, including ...
|
| Help with decision making | 8/7/2005 |
Q: Ever since I first ventured onto the internet in 1994, I've kept a journal of my travels. Last ...
A: First, check my online publishing guide at http://www.fearlessbooks.com/PublishingGuide.html This ...
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| publishing, misc. | 8/2/2005 |
Q: I have some questions that I'm not sure if are in your field of expertise or not, but I thought I'd ...
A: The first part of your question depends on specifics. If you're writing a book on gardening and ...
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| Self-publishing | 8/2/2005 |
Q: Weird question, perhaps, but when is a book a book? What I mean by this question is, by what ...
A: I don't know that there are any technical specs that define a book, and of course many things are ...
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| Chiclet or chicklet | 7/31/2005 |
Q: While watching an Editor and publisher on CSpan's Book TV, at various times each referred to, ...
A: Bubble gum novels. No, just kidding. The actual term is "chick lit," meaning light romance or comic ...
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| POD v.s Subsidary | 7/14/2005 |
Q: I need help finding a reputable puplisher. My intent is to self publish either via POD - not my ...
A: You should survey as many as you can, however, and compare their offers and contracts in light of ...
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| publishing | 6/22/2005 |
Q: Miller: The term, "year of publication" sounds so obvious as to when a book is published. However, ...
A: Sometimes a copyright date will be earlier than a book's publication date, if the manuscript or a ...
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| POD publishing of fiction | 6/19/2005 |
Q: I'm 80 and love to write,yet I cannot find an agent or a publisher. I believe my novels have ...
A: It's increasingly hard to sell fiction, even for major publishers; the reading public is declining, ...
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| Reputable agent | 6/14/2005 |
Q: On your website, one of your links led me to www.christianliterary.com.They have proposed ...
A: Peter -- It is not standard practice for agents to charge a reading fee, and it is discouraged by ...
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| FOLLOW UP TO "GETTING STARTED" | 6/4/2005 |
Q: MILLER, I WOULD LOVE TO SUBMIT TO THE UPCOMING PUBLICATION YOU SUGGESTED. I HAVE SO MANY I'M HAVING ...
A: Teda -- Anything you write with your name on it is effectively copyrighted, according to US law. You ...
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| GETTING STARTED | 6/3/2005 |
Q: MILLER: FIRST OF ALL THANK YOU FOR BEING A VOLUNTEER. I HAVE BEEN WRITING SINCE I COULD HOLD A ...
A: Teda -- First you have to decide what you want to write -- fiction, nonfiction, or both -- and whom ...
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| critiques | 6/2/2005 |
Q: At a local library, I saw a notice posted on their bulletin board giving out a number to call for ...
A: Augusto -- As with any professional service, you should not engage someone to critique a manuscript ...
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| what to do? | 5/25/2005 |
Q: miller, i do not know what to do next about a book that my father has been writing since 1990. it ...
A: Jon -- You can find writers and editors for hire from the American Society of Journalists and ...
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| Query letters | 5/25/2005 |
Q: I have three books published by a POD firm. I'd like to send each to major publishers with an ...
A: Gene -- In the case of an already published book, a query letter needs to include sales report ...
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| Literary Agent | 5/10/2005 |
Q: Miller, I have been approached by a Literary agency-Hill and Hill Literary agency(web site: ...
A: Peter -- I don't know of this agency personally, but a Web posting here: ...
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| Book publishing | 5/6/2005 |
Q: I have published one book with publishamerica entitled "The Tahitian Fig Tree"(It was released in ...
A: Peter -- The best online guide to Christian-oriented agents I've seen is here: ...
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| Republishing a public domain work | 5/3/2005 |
Q: Miller There is a book that exists in the public domain by a high court ruling, which means ...
A: This is a fairly complicated situation that's a little outside my purview, but here's as much as I ...
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| getting published | 4/28/2005 |
Q: I have a total of 30 short stories that I am working on, I have about 10 of them finished. I would ...
A: The usual market for short stories is regional and academic literary magazines. You can survey the ...
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| Query letters to agents | 4/27/2005 |
Q: I know about query letters, how they are to be short and to the point. However, I wondering if you ...
A: Query letters alone don't sell fiction; in fact they're less important than they are for nonfiction. ...
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| A couple publishing questions | 4/20/2005 |
Q: First, if I want an agent, should I hire them before or after being accepted for publishing. Also, ...
A: In most cases, it is an agent who gets you accepted for publishing. An agent represents your work to ...
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| Getting started | 4/19/2005 |
Q: Patrick, I have recently discovered and proven a job satisfaction relationship that every employer ...
A: Rob -- You are in a better position than I to know who your audience is; you're an expert in the ...
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| Finding a literary Agent and getting published | 4/18/2005 |
Q: Miller: My wife, who has been a professional librarian for the past 24 yrs, is in the process of ...
A: Michael -- See my online publishing guide at http://www.fearlessbooks.com/PublishingGuide.html ...
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| never going back to a house again | 3/29/2005 |
Q: 1. an experts on this site told me if the first 8 pages don't impress a house, you will never go ...
A: In fact many editors never get past a cover letter or synopsis, much less the first 8 pages of a ...
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| What's next | 2/23/2005 |
Q: I am a carpenter by trade. Over the past decade, I have encountered all sorts of weird little ...
A: Damon -- It's hard to say what kind of competition there is for this kind of book; I'm not familiar ...
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| pusblishing | 2/14/2005 |
Q: How do i go about sumbitting a query on my unfinished manuscript to a publisher without a literary ...
A: Benjamin -- Most major publishers deal only with agents, and agency representation is your best bet ...
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| have one question, please help! | 2/14/2005 |
Q: I have one simple question that I will deeply appreciate if you answer for me. I am not a ...
A: Aden -- A business plan is not the same as a book proposal; a proposal needs to show writing samples ...
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| Brochures for Practice | 1/24/2005 |
Q: Miller, I am a licensed acupuncturist having also completed my iridology certification. I should ...
A: Mike -- How you proceed largely depends on your budget and how long you want these brochures to be ...
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| Sending a query letter to literary agents | 1/18/2005 |
Q: When sending a letter of interest to an agent to address who you are, what you're book is about and ...
A: In most cases it's okay to send five pages or so of a sample. What agents don't like is complete ...
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| One question about literary agents | 1/14/2005 |
Q: My name is Raymond Pace. I am a young writer who lives in Philadelphia, PA, and, at the moment, I am ...
A: Raymond -- The only advantage to having an agent nearby is that it's easier to meet to discuss your ...
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| Publication | 1/9/2005 |
Q: This question is so common it's on the verge of cliche, but here it comes anyway.... I am a ...
A: Julian -- In this format I can only give general advice, summarized in my online guide at ...
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| trying to publish a book | 1/7/2005 |
Q: D. Patrick Miller, Thank you for your quick reply. In reponse to your comment: "The best way to ...
A: Brendon -- This looks like a tough marketing challenge, unless you can tap into educational markets. ...
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| trying to publish a book | 1/5/2005 |
Q: D. Patrick Miller. Thank you for reading this message. I just recently self-published a book on ...
A: Brendon, Yes, you would need to spend at least a few hundred dollars just to publish through a ...
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| How should I go about getting my work published? | 1/3/2005 |
Q: but I also have another question that I forgot to ask. Once a literary is hired, what are all of ...
A: You don't "hire" an agent in the usual sense; you submit your work to a number of agents, and if you ...
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| How should I go about getting my work published? | 1/2/2005 |
Q: I am a young fiction writer (16 years, to be exact), and I am need of information regarding getting ...
A: You don't pay for a literary agent; they represent you in exchange for 15% of what a publisher pays ...
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| Published | 1/2/2005 |
Q: Can you describe to me the process and costs of getting published.
A: There are many ways of getting published these days, some of which cost you money and some of which ...
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| publishing | 12/29/2004 |
Q: my names Donneisha im a 12 yr old girl who write poetry but its not published even though the ...
A: Yes, they're pretty good! And you should get them published on the web. Try these places: Kids' ...
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| royalty dues | 12/29/2004 |
Q: what percentage of the cover price should the author ask for from a self publishing proprietory ...
A: Most firms offering a co-op publishing arrangement will offer a standard royalty rate, and those ...
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| Hi, I have been recently writing... | 12/28/2004 |
Q: I have been recently writing some of my own poetry, and I was wondering if you could tell me the way ...
A: Jenna -- Most poets begin publishing in literary magazines, which do not charge for publication. You ...
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| My first novel... | 12/26/2004 |
Q: Could you read the frist three chapters of my novel and give me some idea if it would be a good ...
A: Sorry, this format is for brief answers to specific questions. A manuscript critique is a ...
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| Publishing | 12/15/2004 |
Q: I've written a number of childrens books - not exactly Harry Potter. 1. How do I approach ...
A: Anything you write down and put your name to is effectively copyrighted by law (in the US). You can ...
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| getting published or e-published | 12/11/2004 |
Q: first, i am very new to this, but think i have great writing talents and have been told so. i would ...
A: Since I don't know whether you're talking about poetry, short stories, novels, nonfiction work, or ...
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| short story | 12/9/2004 |
Q: My friend wrote a very short story that I think is good about a guy who almost commits suicide. She ...
A: Renata -- Short stories are published almost entirely by literary magazines. I would check the ...
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| Banned Books | 12/7/2004 |
Q: I am trying to find a list of books that are "banned" in America.
A: Books tend to get banned in limited regions, like school districts, rather than across the nation as ...
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| How Should I Best self publish?..) | 12/2/2004 |
Q: Its like an endless question through time..and there are so many answers. I have a 75 page book, a ...
A: Steve -- If you intend to do only one book, you don't really want to go through the hassle of ...
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| Short Story Publishing | 11/30/2004 |
Q: Miller, I am an aspiring young writer that enjoys short stories. I have written a few that I (and ...
A: Most short stories are published in literary magazines. You need to start studying the markets to ...
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| e-pub?? | 11/18/2004 |
Q: Aloha, Can you really make a decent living writing e-books? mahalo, Raym
A: Raym -- I doubt it, but miracles happen sometimes. E-books are best suited to the quick, automatic ...
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| Children's stories | 11/7/2004 |
Q: Good day Mr. Miller, With respect to your time I will try to be concise in my words to you. I like ...
A: Renee -- Children's book publishing is a fairly limited market itself, so a project intended for a ...
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| Re: article submission | 11/6/2004 |
Q: Good day, Have a few questions: Recently started my own market research firm. I am quite ...
A: I do not know much about market research so I'm afraid I don't have any specific contacts or leads ...
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| tv cartoons | 10/18/2004 |
Q: i have a childrens book but i dont want it to be just that, i want it to blow up like spongebob - ...
A: Annie -- The first step is to get a good agent; pursuing subsidiary sales will be one of her jobs. ...
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| About publshing my novel | 10/3/2004 |
Q: Respected D. Patrick Miller, I am Dr. Abidi from Karachi, Pakistan. Although, by profession I am a ...
A: Dr. Abidi -- I am so far from your market that I may be of limited usefulness to you. It would be ...
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| novel publication | 9/30/2004 |
Q: What are the odds of a first time novelist getting published by a major New York Publishing house? ...
A: John -- You'll have to ask a bookie -- I don't know how to figure odds! The odd thing is that a ...
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| Children's Books | 9/25/2004 |
Q: Any help w/ Publishing or getting an agent would be great. I've written a children's book & its been ...
A: It's impossible for me to assess a project or recommend a specific connection in this format. ...
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| Publishing | 9/12/2004 |
Q: I am trying to publish my own reference bible, as well as modify the King James text. I beleive that ...
A: Joel -- I have to say that Biblical copyright is a field about which I know nothing; I would only ...
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| getting back into writing | 9/7/2004 |
Q: I was looking through some old files and found some old poems and half writen scripts I have come up ...
A: Joseph -- In a nutshell, your "problem" is that you don't want to write all that much. That's ...
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| Comedy Publishing | 9/7/2004 |
Q: I have been writing comedic and satirical pieces for some time, and recently, several college ...
A: Dan -- This is hard to answer because I don't know what market you're interested in. Writing for ...
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| Writing | 9/7/2004 |
Q: My name is Shelby. I am 13 and in the 8th grade. I have an assignment to research a career that I ...
A: Shelby -- You can find out a lot about publishing in my online guide at ...
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| Using portions of photographs | 9/2/2004 |
Q: I am gathering photographs of political figures to be used in a "satirical-type" of book. I only ...
A: Yes, the sources need to be acknowledged and permissions acquired from the media and/or ...
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| Self-publishing | 8/30/2004 |
Q: 1.Is there anything like self-publishing? 2.Do I need to pay money to get published under the ...
A: 1. These days, there are several different kinds of self-publishing, from starting your own company, ...
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| Armenian art books | 8/28/2004 |
Q: How can I find a literary agent? I want to publish Armenian art books by famous Armenian scolars, ...
A: Tamara -- For information about literary agents, see my online guide at ...
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| Publishing | 8/10/2004 |
Q: Miller I live in India. Many American books that I see on TV and magazines do not reach our shores. ...
A: Daniel -- To reprint American titles, you would need to be a publisher who could purchase the ...
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| Self publishing | 8/5/2004 |
Q: If you don't wish to use a service like XLibris, but want to self-publish, how do you find an ...
A: Marion -- Self-publishing means starting your own publishing company and doing everything yourself. ...
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| Getting Published | 7/30/2004 |
Q: my name is Kraig Reiber and I was wondering how I would go about getting poetry published, both ...
A: The chief venue for poetry is literary magazines, most of which can be found in directories like ...
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| Publishing a non-fiction manuscript /China | 7/28/2004 |
Q: I would like to know the best route to take on publishing and distribution of a "reference guide and ...
A: I doubt you will find agents for such specialized material, as the advance for such a specialized ...
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| Do I need a distributor | 7/23/2004 |
Q: I'm planning to self-publish a collection of celebrity anecdotes (eg. below) & have a distributor ...
A: Jay -- I thought I had answered this question already, but perhaps it didn't get through the system. ...
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| subject index | 7/4/2004 |
Q: my question is really about computer software for writers rather than literary, but I need to create ...
A: Mark -- Indexing is harder than it looks, and while there are some programs that help, it absolutely ...
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| Review Request | 6/19/2004 |
Q: I have written since I could srite but have only recently dallied with the idea of making a living ...
A: Benn -- I'm sorry, but the AllExperts forum is provided to answer brief, specific questions, in my ...
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| Publishing & Copy Rights | 6/10/2004 |
Q: I want to write a book on Movie Special Effects which will feature a lot of photos from major ...
A: Daniel -- You would have to find out who owns the particular photos you're interested in for each ...
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| 2 down, but how many to go? | 5/29/2004 |
Q: I'm a Masters who has written two books. I never really think they're revised enough, but I need ...
A: Evan -- Editing is not just a matter of polishing a work in terms of syntax, style, and so forth, ...
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| publishing | 5/26/2004 |
Q: i have a childrens book that is very unique. i live on si. do you know any childrens' literary ...
A: Annie -- First, see my online guide to getting published for a general overview of the industry: ...
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| Where can I find self-confidence? | 5/17/2004 |
Q: Miller: First of all, let me start out by saying this is WONDERFUL what you do. Thank you so much ...
A: Just who is "that one person" who hates your work? All authors would like to know if it's the same ...
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| The Novel's almost finished. Now what? | 5/9/2004 |
Q: Miller, I am at last completing my first novel. I expect to do so in the next week or two, and ...
A: An agent is unnecessary if you self-publish; agents make their living from a 15% interest in the ...
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| Children's Books | 4/15/2004 |
Q: I was very impressed with your experience and hope you'll answer this for me. I have a very unusual, ...
A: Annie -- First, do not send your materials to agents and publishers at the same time. If an agent ...
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| agent | 4/12/2004 |
Q: I want to know about finding a literary agent. How are they are paid? I also want to know the best ...
A: Anne -- See my online publishing guide at http://www.fearlessbooks.com/PublishingGuide.html There ...
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| A question about being self-published | 4/8/2004 |
Q: I am a first time author and have a sci-fi story about a cute, mystical monkey. I would like to ...
A: Mark -- I provide phone consultations on a professional (paying) basis, but you may be able to find ...
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| How good a publisher | 3/26/2004 |
Q: I am writing a book in spanish in the area of personal enrichement. What do you thing of 1stBook as ...
A: I've never published a book with a POD company, so I can't make comparisons on their contracts or ...
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| publishing rights | 3/20/2004 |
Q: AnotherIf I decide to contract with a publisher, am I *selling* my book, or *leasing* limited rights ...
A: Connie -- Yes, you are selling your rights for an indeterminate period. In fact, now that low print ...
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| getting published | 3/17/2004 |
Q: I have had 1 how-to craft book published by an international craft corporation, and I have ...
A: Connie -- I'm afraid this question is too general to answer in a specific way. The royalties you may ...
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| Aspiring writer needs to know where to start | 3/8/2004 |
Q: I am a 26 year old mother to be who has aspired to be a professional writer since I first put pencil ...
A: Michelle -- First, see my online guide to getting published for a general overview of the industry: ...
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| Pvblishers from abroad | 3/3/2004 |
Q: My sister writes children's books . We are from Greece and the market is small .She is considering ...
A: Not many publishers accept projects or queries by e-mail, so this is not the first approach I would ...
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| Instructional Computer Book | 2/15/2004 |
Q: Miller, I have written an instuctional software book that teaches MS-Access using a unique ...
A: Jeff -- You can get a general overview of routes to publication in my online guide at ...
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| Query Letter With Promotional Plan | 2/2/2004 |
Q: I am a published writer but an unpublished author who has just finished writing and editing a humor ...
A: Kevin -- What the authors of the marketing book are referring to is the fact that major publishers ...
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| sales figures | 12/28/2003 |
Q: Good day, not sure if the following question falls within your area of expertise but... Would you ...
A: Derek -- If a book is well-known, you may find a general record of its sales in the public press. ...
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| question on publishing my child's novel | 12/24/2003 |
Q: My 12 year old daughter just finished her first novel of 43 pages 8 x 11. My question is: how do I ...
A: Herman -- sorry if you didn't get this answer earlier; I sent it before Christmas but just received ...
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| Books in other languages | 12/1/2003 |
Q: Is there any way to find out whether a book had been published in certain language(s)? I would like ...
A: Tony -- The best (and probably only) way to research this kind of question is to call the ...
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| How do I start? | 11/30/2003 |
Q: I have quite a few ideas (and have actually started some notes)for some children's stories. I am ...
A: Joan -- Since you're still putting your ideas together, you may benefit from some books or ...
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| Publishing question | 11/11/2003 |
Q: Patrick Miller: I have a degree in Fine Art and over 25 years of experience as a working, ...
A: Carol -- I can't give you a definite yes or no on this kind of situation; I'm too far removed. The ...
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| Distributors/Wholesellers | 10/23/2003 |
Q: I am looking to buy some books for resale in bulk at wholesale prices. (100 copies of the same ...
A: John -- I'm not in the distribution end of publishing, but I think you should contact each publisher ...
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| How to start | 10/7/2003 |
Q: Our family is an arts family with much education in the areas. My husband is a dramatist and a ...
A: Donna -- I provide a basic overview of the chief routes to publication, mainstream as well as ...
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| Hello! | 9/29/2003 |
Q: Miller I have so many questions for you! I hope that we can correspond frequently as I will not ...
A: Sonia -- As a rule I don't recommend poetry.com. In my online publishing guide you can find some of ...
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| lists | 8/16/2003 |
Q: I wonder if you know where I can find lists of bestselling fiction books (top ten would be fine) for ...
A: Gary -- The handiest list I know of goes from 1900-1998; that's online at ...
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| reprints | 8/11/2003 |
Q: Miller, I'm getting a short story published in a UK magazine. Here's myIf my story is published in ...
A: I would say not. Even magazines that accept reprints like to be informed of prior publication; it's ...
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| Story publishing | 8/2/2003 |
Q: What is "print on demand" publishing? and does one copyright a submission before any editing is ...
A: "Print on demand" (POD) refers to a method of printing and publishing books that involves high-speed ...
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| Finding an agent | 7/9/2003 |
Q: I am looking for a literary agent. I have had 4 NY agents request a partial and then turn it down. ...
A: Laura -- It's a very tough market out there and agents as well as everyone else are having a rough ...
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