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Getting Published or E-published/Questions Answered by Expert Cathy Clamp
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Querying literary agents via e-mail | 9/30/2011 |
| Q: Greetings! I have a question regarding querying prospective literary agents via e-mail. The advice ... A: Jameson! I don't know I've heard any agents speak on HTML versus text in email samples. But I ... | |
| formatting | 9/16/2011 |
| Q: when submitting a manuscript to an agent, does it have to be in Standard Manuscript Format (i.e. ... A: again, Keith! Definitely double space the text. 12 pt. font is preferred and most editors are ... | |
| Publishing basics | 9/16/2011 |
| Q: I'm a young writer who for ten years has been writing my own fantasy/thriller/sci fi/romance novels. ... A: again, Louise! Generally speaking, the goal of editors at the publisher is to make the book the ... | |
| Getting published by a Foriegn Publishing House? | 9/15/2011 |
| Q: I am an aspiring writer and had just finished my first manuscript. The story is a Science Fiction, ... A: Austen! The nice thing about the internet is that it's opened up the publishing world. Few ... | |
| Publishing basics | 9/2/2011 |
| Q: I'm a young writer who for ten years has been writing my own fantasy/thriller/sci fi/romance novels. ... A: Louise! A lot depends on whether you want to work with a publisher who will pay YOU to publish the ... | |
| co-author agreement | 7/14/2011 |
| Q: I have a book idea and met someone on linked in that would like to collaborate with me. She has the ... A: Marjorie, A lot of this is going to depend on the publisher she has contacts with. If it's a ... | |
| 1st book published....? | 7/2/2011 |
| Q: I have also been one of the volunteers on this site in the past! I have been working with a ... A: Kristen! The best publishers to look at are those already in the stores. Drop by the poetry section ... | |
| Book Collaberation Agreement | 7/2/2011 |
| Q: Cathy, Could you send me a sample book collaboration agreement and partnership agreement which you ... A: Alex! Sure. Just send a private follow-up with your email address in the following format: [Your ... | |
| 1st book published....? | 6/24/2011 |
| Q: I have also been one of the volunteers on this site in the past! I have been working with a ... A: Kristen! You probably want to move from Chipmunka anyway. They have a pretty bad reputation in the ... | |
| question | 5/27/2011 |
| Q: Do you know of any magazines that would be good to submit a query to for homeowner articles (like ... A: P. A how-to feature like this would find a home in general interest magazines geared to either men ... | |
| Publishing. | 3/25/2011 |
| Q: Recently, I have finished the sixth draft of my novel, and I believe that it is finally ready to be ... A: The first thing you need to do is to make sure that the publishers in your area have the capability ... | |
| book | 2/21/2011 |
| Q: I'm working on writing my first Novel as a young writer. I'm aiming for it to be about 250 pages ... A: Megan, 40,000 would be a pretty short book. It would only be 150-160 pages, not 250. That's not to ... | |
| book | 2/18/2011 |
| Q: I'm working on writing my first Novel as a young writer. I'm aiming for it to be about 250 pages ... A: There are two classifications of "teen". One is Young Adult (or YA) for the 14-20 set and the other ... | |
| book | 2/4/2011 |
| Q: I'm working on writing my first Novel as a young writer. I'm aiming for it to be about 250 pages ... A: Meg! It's hard to answer that question without knowing what genre of novel you're writing. The ... | |
| Independent Publishers | 1/27/2011 |
| Q: Suppose I'm looking for an independent publisher of science fiction who I can query without an ... A: David! Several major advance-paying SF/F publishers accept unagented manuscripts. My own company, ... | |
| paranormal romance and urban fantasy | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: I'm trying to understand the differences between paranormal romance and urban fantasy. I've already ... A: Ally, Without going into the hundreds of terrific pararom and UF authors out there, pick up one of ... | |
| getting published | 8/19/2010 |
| Q: My name is Julianna and I have a question about getting published. Is there any possibility for a ... A: again! This is a tricky question, because I don't know where you are. But in the United States, you ... | |
| getting published | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: My name is Julianna and I have a question about getting published. Is there any possibility for a ... A: As a non-American, you shouldn't have a problem getting published--provided you have an American or ... | |
| Query letter | 7/27/2010 |
| Q: I've written my second book. The first one was published as non fiction in 2006 and the second one ... A: Stephanie! Some of the best query letters I've seen are over on AgentQuery.com. They not only give ... | |
| Me again, with copyright question :) | 7/18/2010 |
| Q: Close to being able to self-publish my book, but hit a snag. I have two quotes I need permission to ... A: Well, I know the UK doesn't have the same rules about copyright as the U.S. does, but I'm not ... | |
| book | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: If I write and publish my own little book (maybe 20-30 pages) and sell them for under $5.00 do I ... A: al! I saw your question in the pool and thought I'd try to help. If you publish the book, you're a ... | |
| CO AUTHOR CONTRACT | 7/4/2010 |
| Q: .....Can you refer me to someone who knows about co-authors in book deals. I have a few book deals ... A: Opening this again so you can see the answer. :) Cathy Hi, Angie! What you actually need is a ... | |
| self publishing and selling rights | 6/18/2010 |
| Q: I'm planning on self publishing my first fiction book, and I'm curious about a few things I've been ... A: Liz! It's hit or miss on whether Amazon will accept a Lulu book. They've been cutting back on a TON ... | |
| selling rights | 6/18/2010 |
| Q: I'm planning on self publishing my first novel, and I was just wondering what exactly it means when ... A: Liz! The "rights" people talk about when discussing books are contract rights. It's the right to ... | |
| self publishing and selling rights | 6/4/2010 |
| Q: I'm planning on self publishing my first fiction book, and I'm curious about a few things I've been ... A: Liz! Sorry for the delay in responding, but I've been doing a little research to be able to answer ... | |
| what does "buy all rights" mean? | 5/18/2010 |
| Q: I have a couple questions for you. First, I sent a poem to a children's magazine, and found out ... A: Tracy! When a publisher/magazine buys "all rights" it means they're buying the poem like they might ... | |
| Writing A Book | 4/23/2010 |
| Q: Is the decline in workforce morale and how to boost morale a good idea for a book? A: April! That depends entirely on your take on the subject and your writing abilty. Motivational ... | |
| novellas? | 4/12/2010 |
| Q: I saw your response to someone who is writing a novella. What I'd like to know is who buys novellas ... A: They were. But the point was that they were proposed as BOOKS, rather than novellas and the ... | |
| Copyright for nonfiction anecdotes | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: Do I run into copyright trouble if I use anecdotes from co-workers? Should I stick to stories that ... A: Stephanie! It's not copyright problems you can run into with this scenario. The trouble with using ... | |
| novellas? | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: I saw your response to someone who is writing a novella. What I'd like to know is who buys novellas ... A: Novellas are usually part of anthologies created by a publisher, or proposed by an author. A ... | |
| publishing and book tours | 2/20/2010 |
| Q: I would just like to know if, when you have self published your book and later you give a publisher ... A: lisa, Publishers don't often arrange for book tours. They're hugely expensive to arrange. For ... | |
| hi. | 1/9/2010 |
| Q: I'm a thirteen year old girl, just turned thirteen in September, and I live in the UK. I've been ... A: Shannon! You've got quite a few questions/issues in here. Let me think a little about this and get ... | |
| novella | 11/13/2009 |
| Q: I've recently finished novella of around 17,600 words. It's a thriller. My question is: How do I get ... A: Kelly Sorry for the delay in responding. 17K is a hard length to sell, unfortunately. It's too long ... | |
| Book Colaaboration Agreement | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: I saw that you had earlier offered to share a sample book collaboration agreementin response to a ... A: I don't mind letting you look at it, but it's based on United States law. I don't think it will be ... | |
| copyright | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: There is a photo that I would like to use ... A: Tzipporah! Sorry for the delay in responding, but I had to do a little research on the issue. ... | |
| RE: Writing a New Book | 8/23/2009 |
| Q: I am writing a children's book and I would like to get it published. What do I do once I finish ... A: I'd say you should probably contact publishers directly. Picture and EC books don't really make much ... | |
| RE: Writing a New Book | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: I am writing a children's book and I would like to get it published. What do I do once I finish ... A: Florence! Sorry for the delay in responding. The notification wound up in my bulk folder. What sort ... | |
| Getting Published | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: Clamp. My name is Amanda and I'm a teenager looking to get published. I love to write and I've been ... A: Amanda, Your genre would either be "horror" (which is where Poe is) or "speculative fiction." Here ... | |
| Getting Published | 7/25/2009 |
| Q: Clamp. My name is Amanda and I'm a teenager looking to get published. I love to write and I've been ... A: Amanda! First, congratulations on starting writing! It's never too early, and you're never too ... | |
| self-publish good or bad? | 6/29/2009 |
| Q: I am a beginner in the midst of writing a few books and was told that self-publishing is bad if you ... A: Chris! I wouldn't say self-publishing is BAD, per se. But "published" is published. If you ... | |
| Edited Manuscript needing a Publisher | 4/14/2009 |
| Q: I have written my first manuscript. It is Science Fiction. This manuscript has been edited and I ... A: John! Sorry for the delay in responding, but my ISP was down for a few days. I'm afraid I don't ... | |
| Publishing in the humour sector | 3/27/2009 |
| Q: A friend and I have just completed writing and illustrating a humour book. It's the kind of book ... A: Leah! I can see two sides to this. On one hand, it's sort of hard to get an agent for an ... | |
| Legal help? | 3/15/2009 |
| Q: This is a bit of a mix between getting published and legal stuff too, but I really need some help. ... A: Jessica! When Nintendo said they "couldn't grant permission" it wasn't because they weren't ABLE ... | |
| Can I get a book published at my age? | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: I'm Shannon (Shan) and I live in the UK. I've been wanting to get my books published since I was a ... A: Shannon! Sorry for the delay in responding. I'm on book deadline and forgot to set my profile to ... | |
| small self published chapbooks | 2/25/2009 |
| Q: I have self published two small chapbooks of poems and had one full length book of stories and poems ... A: Samantha! You've got two things going on here, so let's address them one at a time. 1. You've ... | |
| When to submit query letter to an agent | 2/21/2009 |
| Q: I have started writing an urban fantasy novel based on vampires with a heavy dose of erotica thrown ... A: Stephanie! Sorry for the delay in responding. For some reason the original message didn't reach me. ... | |
| Publishing a book written by deceased | 2/17/2009 |
| Q: my best friend passed away a few years ago from luekemia at the age of 24. She wrote an ... A: Shawna! Well, for the physical manuscript, it would be the executor of her estate who would have ... | |
| I finished the manuscript now what do I do? | 2/16/2009 |
| Q: I have just completed the manuscript of a children's book. I would like to publish through a ... A: Taneka! No, you don't need to copyright the book. It's copyrighted from the moment you put pen to ... | |
| Ghostwriting contract | 2/12/2009 |
| Q: I am ghostwriting a book for 2 people and am looking for a contract templates or samples of such ... A: You know, I really don't. Most of the contracts are offered by the publisher to professional ... | |
| contracts | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: What are the laws on underage writers signing agent/publisher contracts? Do you need a co-signer? A: Ceelay! It depends on the state/country where you live, but generally speaking, anyone under the ... | |
| Publishing a childrens books and a book for military families | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: Good Morning: I am interested in publishing two stories and would like some great illustrations. ... A: Neicy, Well, if you're approaching commercial publishers who will produce it on your behalf and put ... | |
| Manuscripts | 12/14/2008 |
| Q: So I'm applying for an award offered by a specific publishing company and I need some serious help ... A: Alyssa! Well, it's difficult to say without knowing what the contest is, but in general terms, a ... | |
| Getting published | 12/11/2008 |
| Q: there is so much information out there regarding getting published, I am kind of awe struck. I have ... A: April! I understand it can be really confusing and frustrating to find out good, legitimate ... | |
| writing | 12/9/2008 |
| Q: Do you know of anyone who has sold many books written under a fictitious name and not promoted it ... A: again, AL! I'm afraid that "lucrative career" and "writing" tend to be mutually exclusive for the ... | |
| 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: AL! Sure. Lots of them. Not every author has the desire to appear in public. Take Lemony Snicket, ... | |
| agent? | 12/5/2008 |
| Q: How does one know to hire an agent or not? If hiring one, how do you go about finding one? I ... A: Beth! Generally speaking, if you have a book that has nationwide, commercial appeal (that it would ... | |
| writing | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: I have written a Romantic novel and have sent out the first three chapters to various agents. One ... A: again, Annie! Sure! You're welcome to send to US agents, but I wouldn't expect the waiting time to ... | |
| writing | 12/2/2008 |
| Q: I have written a Romantic novel and have sent out the first three chapters to various agents. One ... A: Annie! Well, you don't say how short it is, so that might be my first question. The average romance ... | |
| co-author contract template | 11/26/2008 |
| Q: I am writing a book proposal for an individual who is on TV and is president of a business. Should ... A: Gini! The agreement you're looking for is a "Book Collaboration Agreement." I don't know of one on ... | |
| Manusript etc.. | 11/18/2008 |
| Q: I've been working on a children book for quite sometime< and wanting to know how to writ a ... A: Paz! Well, a lot depends on what sort of children's book you're writing. Children's books are ... | |
| self-publishing | 11/17/2008 |
| Q: i am only 14 years old, young i know, but i have a publisher who is willing to work with me and a ... A: Melissa! It's good you're thinking seriously about this, because it's a serious business. I'm ... | |
| manuscript format | 11/9/2008 |
| Q: I'm trying to format my manuscript and there a few issues where I'm finding contradictory ... A: Jason! Generally speaking, if you're planning on submitting this to an agent or publisher, the ... | |
| Guess who? :) | 11/7/2008 |
| Q: Okay, suppose one actually manages to write a synopsis. Whew. Should the query letter still ... A: Amber! Oh sure. You definitely still want your query to be a query, PROVIDED that you're still at ... | |
| Rights | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: Clamp, Can you tell me about an author's copyrights granted to a publisher of articles? Some of my ... A: Good morning, Ms. Cooper! I'd be happy to. There are two different forms of "rights" as they ... | |
| Me again :) | 10/20/2008 |
| Q: Can you tell me, if you know, how often an agent will want a synopsis of a nonfiction book? I'm ... A: Oh, my yes! For a synopsis on fiction, I'm afraid you're stuck doing it. We all have to, and we all ... | |
| Me again :) | 10/17/2008 |
| Q: Can you tell me, if you know, how often an agent will want a synopsis of a nonfiction book? I'm ... A: Amber! For a NF book, an agent isn't going to want a "synopsis" as they exist for fiction. They'll ... | |
| Copyright for books | 10/5/2008 |
| Q: Apologies if this is not your area of speciality, but could you point me in the right direction to ... A: Dale! This is a good question to ask. Grand Cayman and the Cayman Islands are self-ruling British ... | |
| Bookseller's Commission | 10/2/2008 |
| Q: What percentage of the list price does a retail bookseller earn? How about a bookseller selling on ... A: again, Art! "Should" there be a time limit on returns? Sure. But is there? Nope . . . at least not ... | |
| Bookseller's Commission | 9/29/2008 |
| Q: What percentage of the list price does a retail bookseller earn? How about a bookseller selling on ... A: Art! Generally speaking, a bookseller requires a 35-40% discount (depending on the chain or store) ... | |
| writ | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: Throughout my schooling I usually got the best grade in my class in writing essays or book reports. ... A: Al, I guess I'm a little confused about your marketing plan for this book. If you're planning it ... | |
| Me yet again | 9/19/2008 |
| Q: I've been giving some thought to dividing my too-long novel into two or three parts, even though I'm ... A: Amber! Hmm... that's a tough question to answer. If you'd queried agents and they read the entire ... | |
| Publishers for childrens books, ones to stay away from. | 9/11/2008 |
| Q: I just finished the outline of a children's story book. I plan on doing a series of books on the ... A: Lisa! I can indeed and it's good you're asking up front before you start the process. A TERRIFIC ... | |
| Poetry books: hard to get published? | 9/4/2008 |
| Q: I was wondering...is it fairly difficult to get a poetry book published? And also, how would I go ... A: Shelby! Yes, it can be difficult for a debut author to get a book of poetry published. Most of the ... | |
| question about authors | 9/3/2008 |
| Q: Can you tell me how authors make money? I assume they receive an advance, but what about after that? ... A: Danielle! Sorry for the delay in responding. I had issues with my ISP doing "upgrades." sigh... In ... | |
| starting out | 8/24/2008 |
| Q: I have began writing my first book it is a fictional western and I have absolutely no idea where to ... A: Matt! Well, let's work first on the order: Sell to a publisher Secure the rights Get published ... | |
| Query letter and copyright | 8/16/2008 |
| Q: I'm having an extremely hard time with my query letter for some reason. I have written my first ... A: Ashley! Good questions! So let's answer them one at a time: 1. You're not alone. EVERY author has ... | |
| Small booklet. | 8/8/2008 |
| Q: I am thinking of writing like small book,booklet about the life experience that could help other ... A: again, Brad! Okay, the XP platform will work fine, but you're probably going to have to upgrade to ... | |
| Small booklet. | 8/6/2008 |
| Q: I am thinking of writing like small book,booklet about the life experience that could help other ... A: Brad! Well, if all you're interested in is a booklet of a few pages, that can be done right on ... | |
| Me, yet again | 6/19/2008 |
| Q: I know that, when querying an agent, you're supposed to tell them you enjoyed a book they previously ... A: Then you need to start reading it, even if only for a while. See, reading your genre lets you know ... | |
| Me, yet again | 6/16/2008 |
| Q: I know that, when querying an agent, you're supposed to tell them you enjoyed a book they previously ... A: Amber! I guess I'm confused, because if you honestly don't like anything on their list, why would ... | |
| publishing criteria | 6/12/2008 |
| Q: I hope someone can clear up a very unclear criteria regarding what is considered a "published work" ... A: Chrissy! I fully understand why you're confused. There are so many "definitions" out there in ... | |
| Publishing poetry | 6/4/2008 |
| Q: I have a lot of poetry over the years. I've always been told that its very very good. It seems usual ... A: Spencer! The trick with poetry is that it's really hard to find a publisher for an unknown with no ... | |
| eBooks and eBook Marketing | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: I guess I have a two-parter. First, what do you recommend as the best tool to create an eBook - PDF ... A: again! Hmmm... Boy, I know there ARE some methods to do what you're talking about, but I'm not sure ... | |
| eBooks and eBook Marketing | 5/29/2008 |
| Q: I guess I have a two-parter. First, what do you recommend as the best tool to create an eBook - PDF ... A: Jason! I guess my personal preference is PDF Software (so Adobe) since more people presently have ... | |
| to be published or to e-publish | 5/29/2008 |
| Q: I am a 50 year old injured worker on disability for seven years now with no money,that has written a ... A: Okay, so probably in the memoir section. I'd suggest contacting your local bookseller to ask for ... | |
| to be published or to e-publish | 5/29/2008 |
| Q: I am a 50 year old injured worker on disability for seven years now with no money,that has written a ... A: Jack! Sorry to hear about your injuries and struggles. But you'll be happy to know that if you seek ... | |
| Formatting | 5/17/2008 |
| Q: I've read several opinions, but are there definitive rules of formatting? Do I use a header? If so, ... A: John! I get this question a lot, so I fully understand what you mean about "several opinions." To ... | |
| Getting published | 5/5/2008 |
| Q: I have written a 120,000 word paranormal romance novel and am having a frustrating time finding an ... A: Yeah, probably paranormal romance, but you should make certain before you submit the full ms. that ... | |
| Good enough to publish? | 5/4/2008 |
| Q: im working on a book, not really expecting it to be published. my sister read it and said she ... A: Kitty! There's really no age requirement to publish a book. I've heard of authors as young as 12 ... | |
| help needed | 5/3/2008 |
| Q: i have wrtten a biography, although it is in very rough stage at the moment, i was wondering if you ... A: Nikki! Biographies are tricky things for publishers, because they have to vet (verify) the ... | |
| can I get a book published at my age, and if yes how? | 5/3/2008 |
| Q: I am an 11 year old pupil. I am doing my sats in three weeks, and so far for our practice sats, I ... A: Shannon! Sure, I don't see why not. It all depends on the quality of the book. I know of other ... | |
| Getting published | 5/1/2008 |
| Q: I have written a 120,000 word paranormal romance novel and am having a frustrating time finding an ... A: Durian! Well, something you say here concerns me, so it ALSO might be concerning agents enough to ... | |
| Legal Issues for Anthology | 4/30/2008 |
| Q: I was looking through this site looking for an intellectual property expert and came across your ... A: Willow! Actually, I DO know of a place where you can find a sample of an interview release. It's in ... | |
| Magazine/newspaper submissions | 4/29/2008 |
| Q: Does a list exist of magazine/newspaper editors email address's? A: Liz! There are lists, but not specifically of email addresses. Not every magazine or newspaper ... | |
| Query letter | 4/10/2008 |
| Q: My friend and I are working on a book project and we're stuck on how to include both of our names in ... A: Kris! Well, a lot depends on whether you're planning to show both names on the cover of the book or ... | |
| Tradictional Publishing vrs E-Books | 4/9/2008 |
| Q: I have an almost 600 page, finished book ready for publishing. It took me almost two years to ... A: Terrence! I guess I first have a bit of a problem with the concept of a "reputable publishing ... | |
| Well, you did say you didn't mind questions :) | 4/6/2008 |
| Q: A quick one - when I do write a query letter, would it be okay if I only gave my address and email ... A: Sure, but you should probably state in your query that you don't HAVE a phone. Many agents prefer to ... | |
| Me yet again | 4/4/2008 |
| Q: hope you don't mind another one! I'm just about to start querying literary agents, and I've hit a ... A: again, Amber! Nah, ask as many questions as you like. 237K is pretty long, but a lot depends on the ... | |
| Poems | 3/28/2008 |
| Q: I was productive last year, and wrote roughly sixty poems. They would look swell on a printed page. ... A: Alan! You're right to ask the question because there have been plenty of occasions where writers ... | |
| Starting out | 3/22/2008 |
| Q: Cathy Any ideas you can offer on getting some of my ideas to the 'write' people would be ... A: Depends ENTIRELY on the magazine, Bud. You'll just have to read the guidelines. If they allow ... | |
| Starting out | 3/22/2008 |
| Q: Cathy Any ideas you can offer on getting some of my ideas to the 'write' people would be ... A: Bud! Well, you're right that you probably don't need a creative writing course if you feel you're ... | |
| Writing | 3/15/2008 |
| Q: I am 19 years old and have loved creative writing since I was little. I really am thinking I want ... A: misskitty! Well, "Children's Books" is a broad category, so you need to decide what you're writing ... | |
| who, what, where, when, why, & how,. | 3/5/2008 |
| Q: As I run the gamut of the traditional publishing arena, looking for both, an agent an a publisher, ... A: Dan! Sorry for the delay in answering. I apparently didn't get your first email. But the nice ... | |
| Me again | 2/28/2008 |
| Q: I'm not sure if you would know this, but maybe you could give me your opinion. I'm thinking about ... A: Amber! Don't worry at all that publishers will think you're a "freak." They won't. How you live ... | |
| Where to begin? | 2/20/2008 |
| Q: I've always wanted to write a book reflecting some of the experiences I've had in my life, in hopes ... A: Anita! Well, your best bet is to hit your local bookstore and look at some of the other books like ... | |
| co author contract | 2/18/2008 |
| Q: I'm looking for a contract that can be used between my friend and I. He has helped me write a book ... A: Yes, I understand, Jim. But the question is who is the agreement BETWEEN? Let's look at two examples ... | |
| co author contract | 2/18/2008 |
| Q: I'm looking for a contract that can be used between my friend and I. He has helped me write a book ... A: Jim! Well, there are two kinds of "self-publishing." One is where you hire a company that becomes ... | |
| Proper Article Source Citation | 2/17/2008 |
| Q: If I attach an article from a free internet article source on my website do I necessarily have to ... A: I'd say yes. Even a free article source is often tied by contract with the author to provide it ONLY ... | |
| literary agent | 2/2/2008 |
| Q: I quit the newspaper business and wrote my first book. I am searching for a literary agent in ... A: Russ! Well, I have to ask: Why is face-to-face important to you? Email and telephone have made it ... | |
| Typesetting Software | 1/30/2008 |
| Q: What is the best and easiest typesetting software to learn to set up a book for BookStore ... A: Here's a great article to get you started on understanding how desktop publishing works: ... | |
| Typesetting Software | 1/30/2008 |
| Q: What is the best and easiest typesetting software to learn to set up a book for BookStore ... A: Angie! I asked a publisher friend of mine this question. Here's his answer: ************* If the ... | |
| Young Writer from the Middle East | 1/29/2008 |
| Q: ), I am an aspiring 14 year old writer living in the Middle East. I just read your answer to ... A: Heba! No bother at all. I'm here to answer questions. :) 1. No, it's not true. Agents and ... | |
| Publishing question | 1/13/2008 |
| Q: I've got 6 or 7 short stories in second draft, and a couple in first draft still. I've also got a ... A: Trent! Well, you've got a couple of options with this arrangement. While it's quite difficult to ... | |
| hiring a literary agent | 1/8/2008 |
| Q: I have written and published five books, but they were all in the same field, non-fiction "how to" ... A: Check out this link: http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9223 Found two sales for ... | |
| Permissions | 1/8/2008 |
| Q: hope you don't mind another question! You gave me some good advice last time which I intend to ... A: again, Amber! Well, you're right to be cautious, because using quotes/poetry without permission can ... | |
| Forewords and more | 1/4/2008 |
| Q: I'm not sure you can answer this, but how would someone ask someone else to write a foreward for ... A: Leaha! Sorry for the delay in responding, but I was out of town for a couple of days. Generally, a ... | |
| Query letter? | 12/19/2007 |
| Q: Is a query letter requried to get published? And if so, how would I format one for my book? A: Tom! Generally speaking, yes--a query is required to get a publisher. Basically a query letter is a ... | |
| how do i submit a story i had written | 12/18/2007 |
| Q: i had written a short childrens story i am wanting to see if it will go anywhere far as getting ... A: Cindy! When you say you've written a short children's story, do you mean an actual STORY, like ... | |
| How to submit manuscript with graphics? | 12/14/2007 |
| Q: I'm getting ready to submit a short story for publication, and I'm having some trouble with standard ... A: R. My first question is--submit it to "who?" If you're seeking publication through a print magazine ... | |
| A copyright issue | 12/10/2007 |
| Q: I've written and am currently polishing a book that was partly inspired by a movie I loved when I ... A: Amber! Your best bet at this point is to go to the successor copyright holder---unless the movie is ... | |
| book contract with co-authors.. | 12/8/2007 |
| Q: ..many months ago you sent me a book contract for co-authors...I am going to have my lawyer alter it ... A: again, Angie! Well, this isn't much of a problem for my co-author and I, because I knew up front ... | |
| writing first novel | 12/4/2007 |
| Q: I am a non-fiction writer by trade, but have always had the passion to write fiction since I was a ... A: Lisa! Congrats on taking the plunge into fiction from the NF side. I did the same, so know that ... | |
| Column in Newspapers | 12/3/2007 |
| Q: I am a pastor and want to get a syndicated teaching column in newspapers in the Religious section. I ... A: Okay, here are the answers I got about the column query from some columnists I know. Some of the ... | |
| Publishing my sci fi manuscript | 11/15/2007 |
| Q: I have just recently completed writing the first of a three part sci fi novel. I really am ... A: Metz! I have to be honest---it's difficult to sell an entire science fiction trilogy as your first ... | |
| Article submissions | 11/3/2007 |
| Q: Kathy; I have written a number of articles that I feel would be of particular interest to specific ... A: Davis! Congratulations on finishing your articles. Submission to magazines depends a great deal on ... | |
| Getting Published | 10/28/2007 |
| Q: Cathy. I have been writing, on and off, for almost 10 years. I had an agent for the past 7 years, ... A: Kat! Well, first you need to determine what went wrong with your last agent. When you say he wasn't ... | |
| song titles used in a book | 10/28/2007 |
| Q: I have searched through books and the internet for an answer on this but cannot find a clear answer ... A: Jim! This is a very good question. Your best bet would be to go to the source. The U.S. Copyright ... | |
| I want to publish my writings. | 10/3/2007 |
| Q: I am Mirette, a 14-year-old girl from Egypt and I've been writing for a while. I really believe my ... A: again, Mirette! Okay, it looks like you have a variety of things you like to write about. What you ... | |
| I want to publish my writings. | 9/27/2007 |
| Q: I am Mirette, a 14-year-old girl from Egypt and I've been writing for a while. I really believe my ... A: Mirette! Congratulations on starting the writing process. You don't say what sort of writings ... | |
| I'd like to get a book published online | 9/14/2007 |
| Q: I would like to know some sites where I could get my book published. In paperback, and they're just ... A: Kelly! Well, there are a lot of different companies (known as either subsidy publishers or ... | |
| getting published from the Middle East | 9/12/2007 |
| Q: I have just about finished writing my first novel, a whodunit (I just need to do a little editing ... A: again, Kahira! Not a problem at all. Happy to help. :) "Registering" a copyright is very different ... | |
| getting published from the Middle East | 9/10/2007 |
| Q: I have just about finished writing my first novel, a whodunit (I just need to do a little editing ... A: Kahira! First, congratulations on finishing your book! You're ahead of the game right there. And, ... | |
| foreign contract | 8/25/2007 |
| Q: i wrote a book about caring for someone with Alzheimer - something i did for my poor old mum for 4 ... A: Marion! Congratulations on the success of your book. You're right to be wary of any contract you ... | |
| Release forms for contributing writers | 8/22/2007 |
| Q: ..Angie here again...I have another book going where people contribute true stories. Where is the ... A: Not a stock form that you can buy in an office supply store, no. You'll need to have one drafted by ... | |
| Release forms for contributing writers | 8/22/2007 |
| Q: ..Angie here again...I have another book going where people contribute true stories. Where is the ... A: Angie! Boy, you'd think this was a really simple question, huh? But you just raised up a whole host ... | |
| getting started | 8/22/2007 |
| Q: Well I started writing a book, based on suspense, I'm finished with the beginning and the end, and ... A: Sherry! Congratulations on getting started on your first book. It's a really exciting feeling to ... | |
| Childrens Books | 8/17/2007 |
| Q: I'm a retired police officer who went from writing tickets to writing short children stories. I've ... A: Leon! First, thanks for risking your life to make the rest of us safe for so long. :) Children's ... | |
| 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! Sorry for the delay in answering this but apparently I didn't get the first email. ... | |
| Manuscripts | 8/9/2007 |
| Q: Does a manuscript have to be complete before sending it to a publisher for review? A: Floyed! This is a very good question. You'll hear from a lot of people that it's NEVER a good idea ... | |
| First novella | 8/3/2007 |
| Q: I am currently writing a Detective novella- with a difference. I am utilising pollysyllabic verse ... A: Nilesh! Well, first I have to ask how you know it's going to be a novella when you're only a third ... | |
| poetry writing | 7/22/2007 |
| Q: i love poetry and i love writing poems. i think i write fairly well. i want more people to read my ... A: vineeth! It's terrific that you enjoy poetry and want to get it out to the public. I don't know ... | |
| freelance | 2/22/2007 |
| Q: if i have an article to submit do i just send it to various magazines which are relevant and hope it ... A: James! I just started as an expert in this category, and didn't realize there were some questions ... | |
| using existing phrase | 2/16/2007 |
| Q: I have a question about copyrights- I guess. I just found the perfect title for a book. Problem ... A: Meg! I just started as an expert in this category and didn't realize there were some questions ... | |
| When to look for an agent, etc. | 2/1/2007 |
| Q: Miller: I'm presently working on a novel, my first. I have just finished the first chapter. I'd ... A: Howard! I just started as an expert in this category, and noticed that your question had never been ... | |
Getting Published or E-published
Answers by Expert:
Cathy Clamp
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I'm happy to answer questions about any aspect of getting published through commercial publishers, ebook publishers and self-publishing I can help with writing a query letter and synopsis to an agent or editor. I can explain publishing terminology, acronyms and manuscript formatting. I can also assist with questions about verifying the credentials of agents/publishers and how to proceed once you've been accepted for publication.
Experience
I'm a USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy and paranormal romance for Tor/Forge Books. Along with a co-author, I've published fifteen since 2003, and have contracts for four more books through 2011. I've also published short stories in multiple anthologies as well as regional and national magazines.
Organizations
Romance Writers of America, Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Western Outdoor Writers, Horror Writers of America.
Publications
Books/Anthologies: Tor/Forge Books, Western Reflections Publishing, BenBella Books, Running Press, Wild Child Publishing. Many more. Magazines: Rocky Mountain Game & Fish, Guns & Ammo, Fur-Fish-Game, many others.
Education/Credentials
My educational background is limited to real life experience of publishing novels commercially for the past five years.
Awards and Honors
USA Today bestseller, Waldenbooks Mass Market Paperback Top 20 bestseller, Nielsen BookScan Top 20 bestseller, Book Buyers Best Award for Paranormal, 2007, Romantic Times Best Werewolf Novel, 2006, Write Touch Readers Award, EVVY Best Historical Chronicle Award, The Lories Best Paranormal. Many others.
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