Publishing Guides

Do not expect your publisher to advertise your book. Or furnish intelligible royalty statements. Or send the check on time. Or fix the typos in the first edition. Or spell your name right on the jacket.   —Howard Ogden

With the above quote in mind, we created a list of reliable and enduringly popular publishing guides to help you along the way.

2009 Writer's Market by Robert Brewer
Writers Digest Books; 87 edition (June 29, 2008); ISBN-10: 1582975418

For 88 years, Writer's Market has given fiction and nonfiction writers the information they need to sell their work--from completely up-to-date listings to exclusive interviews with successful writers. The 2009 edition provides all this and more with over 3,500 listings for book publishers, magazines and literary agents, in addition to a completely updated freelance rate chart. In addition to the thousands of market listings, writers will find up-to-date information on becoming a successful freelancer covering everything from writing query letters to launching a freelance business, and more.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK  / Powell's Books

2009 Writer's Market Deluxe (Writer's Market Online)
by Robert Brewer
Writers Digest Books; 8 edition (June 29, 2008);ISBN-10: 1582975426

Writer’s Market has been the tool writers have trusted for 88 years, with completely up-to-date listings, industry information, exclusive interviews with successful writers and more. The Deluxe edition makes this must-have writing resource even more robust with online access to more than 6,000 market listings and daily updates. WritersMarket.com offers submission tracking tools, daily publishing news, and an archive of more than 100 helpful articles for freelance writers. Every writer's best friend keeps getting even better.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK  / Powell's Books

2009 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market
by Rachel Mcdonald
Writers Digest Books; 27 edition (July 29, 2008); ISBN-10: 1582975434

For 28 years, Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market has been the only resource of its kind exclusively for fiction writers. Covering all genres from romance to mystery to horror and more, this resource helps writers prepare their submissions and sell their work. This must-have guide includes listings for over 1,300 book publishers, magazines, literary agents, writing contests and conferences, each containing current contact information, editorial needs, schedules and guidelines that save writers time and take the guesswork out of the submission process.

With more than 100 pages of listings for literary journals alone and another 100 pages of book publishers, plus special sections dedicated to the genres of romance, mystery/thriller, speculative fiction, and comics/graphic novels, the 2009 edition for this essential resource is every writer's key to successfully selling their fiction.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK  / Powell's Books

2009 Guide To Literary Agents
by Chuck Sambuchino
Writers Digest Books; 17 edition (July 29, 2008); ISBN-10: 1582975485

Now, more than ever, in a market glutted with aspiring writers and a shrinking number of publishing houses, writers need someone familiar with the publishing scene to shepherd their manuscript to the right person. Completely updated annually, Guide to Literary Agents provides names and specialties for more than 800 individual agents around the United States and the world. The 2009 edition includes more than 85 pages of original articles on everything writers need to know including how to submit to agents, how to avoid scams and what an agent can do for their clients.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK  / Powell's Books

Plug Your Book! Online Book Marketing for Authors, Book Publicity through Social Networking
by Steve Weber
Weber Books (February 1, 2007); ISBN-10: 0977240614

Weber, a former newspaperman and now an online bookseller, has written this guide for self-published and professionally published authors. He mentions Amazon, MySpace, and other sites and also covers how to set up a website and what to include, and the benefits of blogging.

Weber reminds over-zealous self-promoters of the ethics that should be followed. While the web information may change, the basic advice is sound.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK  / Powell's Books

1001 Ways to Market Your Books, Sixth Edition, by John Kremer
Open Horizons; 6 edition (May 25, 2006); ISBN-10: 091241149X

John Kremer's home might be nestled in Iowa cornfields, but his advice on book marketing comes straight from publishing's epicenter. 1001 Ways to Market Your Books is a tome of biblical proportion, a 700-page "organized potpourri" of useful ideas, examples, tips, and suggestions. You name it, Kremer covers it: publication scheduling, series and directory writing, attaining bestsellerdom, direct mail, cover design, offbeat advertising, online sales, alternative markets, and much much more.

He includes addresses and phone numbers, Web site addresses, and hundreds of marketing stories from authors and publishers. It is these stories that inspire one to think outside the box. One Canadian author changed his last name from Zimmerman to Cimmerman purely for bookstore-placement purposes. And Greg Godek, author of 1001 Ways to Be Romantic, performs a reverse shoplift. He sneaks copies of his books onto stores' shelves, figuring that if a copy sells, the store will order more.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK  / Powell's Books

How to Write a Book Proposal by Michael Larsen
Writer's Digest Books; 3 edition (February 2004); ISBN-10: 1582972516

This newly revised edition of the Writer’s Digest classic is the definitive resource for crafting effective book proposals. Michael Larsen details every step clearly and concisely. Readers will learn how to:
* Test market the potential of a book idea and effectively communicate that potentail in a proposal
* Choose the best editors and publishers for a particular proposal
* Create a professional-looking proposal package
* Predispose a publisher to make their best offer

Larsen also provides insights into recent changes in the publishing industry, updated trend information, new sample proposals, expanded instructions for creating outlines, plus guidelines for becoming an effective self promoter.
Available at: Amazon.com  / Amazon UK  / Powell's Books

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