Three "Must-Have" Books for Writers Seeking Publication

Original title: "Beeline to Publication"

Copyright © 2005 by Jim Mahood. All rights reserved.

One of the first things many folks do in retirement is write a book and try to get it published. If you are one of them, you might reduce heartbreak and time lost by using three basic books: Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Writer’s Market, and The Elements of Style.

These three books can help writers of all twists get their work published, but as you ponder what to write about keep in mind that 85 percent of everything that gets published is nonfiction. If you decide to write a novel or the story of your life (an autobiography or memoir), the odds are definitely against you unless you’re famous—or infamous.

Poets fare a bit better. Getting poems published is the subject of another book review entitled "Poets and Poetry Outlets Burgeon"; you can find it by scrolling down to the titles listed at right under "Previous Posts."

Unknown nonfiction writers who research what they write constitute the 85 percent category and thus have the best chance of getting published. The three books discussed in this review are the minimal library for these industrious writers.

Webster’s Collegiate is the best all-around dictionary because editors who buy and publish manuscripts seem to prefer it to any other dictionary. If you use it, you and your would-be editor are likely to land on the same page in such matters as the best way to spell and use many words.

Writer’s Market provides concise instructions on how to get published. It stresses a point that might seem counterintuitive: Unknown writers should NOT write a manuscript BEFORE they find a publisher. The reason why is simple: Editors are not going to read the manuscripts of unknown writers, nor will they talk to unknowns on the telephone. There are way too many unknown writers to do that; editors don’t have the time.

Many folks claim the best way to find a publisher is to get an agent to find one for you. Sounds great, but these days it’s just as hard to find a good agent as it is to find a willing publisher, so forget about agents. Go directly to a publisher. If you find one, publish something, and your work sells, agents will find you.

After you come up with a hot idea for an article or book, you will need to research publishers for one interested in the same idea. Writer’s Market was invented for this purpose. It lists thousands of publishers, discusses the kinds of manuscripts they want right now, and is revised and updated every year, so borrow or invest in only a current copy.

After you select the likeliest publisher(s) for your work, you will need to write the all-important Query Letter. Virtually everything that gets published starts as a query letter from writer to editor and then evolves collaboratively into a manuscript.

A query letter is a one-page business letter (or e-mail) to the publisher(s) you hope will publish your work. In the letter, you summarize your fantastic idea and how you will research the information needed to develop it into an article or book. You show how your treatment of this subject surpasses all other recent published treatments of the same subject, which implies you’ve already done some homework. And you list your qualifications, if any, to write the particular work you’re proposing. If you’ve ever published anything before, say so in your query letter.

The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White is the third volume in our minimal library. The book can help ensure error-free query letters in such matters as grammar and punctuation. Strunk’s tiny masterpiece, revered throughout the publishing community above any competitor, supplements Webster’s Dictionary in this important aspect of the publishing process.

If a writer finds a publisher before completing the manuscript, he or she can discuss the plan for the article or book with the publisher’s editor and then go on to deliver exactly the kind of manuscript the publisher wants to publish. If a publishing company accepts YOUR book or article, get on this blog immediately and brag about it! Your posting may inspire other writers seeking professional publication.