When you are thinking of publishing a book, there are certain things that you should definitely keep in mind before submitting your manuscript. The things you should think about are time, money and percentages. I have to be honest here, there are many fantasy publications that do not pay very much at all. Some of them even take a long time to respond to whether they like your manuscript or not. I look at it this way: You only have one life to live. So finding a publisher that would pay you a decent advance, and at least a standard royalty, and respond in a few weeks is better than no advance, a rotten royalty and waiting for three months or more to find out if they like your book. Here are some tips when looking for other publishers.
#1. Always find publishers who are offering advances Maybe you have a job, and are not in a hurry to leave it, but if you are considering making writing a full-time career you will need an advance. The advance money is what you are going to live on until the royalties start coming in, and most likely, your very next book.
#2. Choose publishers that give you a royalty You’d be surprised at how many publications/publishing companies want you to write for free. Professionals do not write for free. If you like writing as a hobby and it is not something you want to make a living doing, then, go ahead and write for free. Serious writers, musicians, artists do not work for free. There must be some monetary payment involved or it is not worth it.
#3 .Don’t Wait A Long Time To Hear About Your Manuscript I would say a fair time to hear someone about your manuscript is 4-6 weeks, any longer than that is truly a waste of your time. I try to find places that answer back in 1 to 3 weeks. Sometimes, it is unavoidable, but if you can, the shorter the wait, the better.
#4. Send Your Manuscript to The Right Place If you are writing fantasy, send it to places that publish only fantasy, if you can. If, you have no luck there, then try other places that publish fantasy along with other genres.
#5. Persevere Sometimes you won’t get published. When no one will publish you, that is the time to resort to doing it yourself. You hear stories about so many famous authors who were rejected 89 times, and what not. Getting signed to a publisher is easier, but the waiting is the hardest part. Your book may be bought, but it won’t be published until two years later. So if it comes to the point where you sent your fabulous story many places, and it’s not that it’s bad, but they just don’t like it for some strange reason, keep going and publish it yourself. It’s easier now to do that now than ever before. In another article, I will be telling you how to do just that.
The Markets I have found some fantasy pubis hers and periodicals that are the best places to submit to. For more, you can subscribe to Writer’s Digest Magazine. They give a new listing of markets every month of various genres. You can also go to the SF Site for fantasy publishers.
Magazines Omni Magazine www.omnimag.com Contemporary fantasy Contact: Ellen Datlow, Fiction Editor
Send a complete manuscript with a SASE. She will try to answer back within six weeks. Payment: $1,250-$2,500 plus three copies of the magazine Terms: Pays on acceptance for first North American serial rights, exclusive worldwide English language serial rights, and nonexclusive anthology rights Address: 277 Park Ave. 4th Floor New York, NY 10172-0003
Fantastic Stories Of The Imagination
Fantasy and Science Fiction
Contact: Ed McFadden, Editor Address: P.O. Box 329 Brightwaters, NY 11718-0329
2000-15,000 words, average 4,000-5000 words Payment: 1 to 5 cents per word for first North American serial rights
One to two months response
Realms Of Fantasy
Traditional fantasy, High Fantasy, Dark Fantasy
Contact: Send complete manuscript of 10,000 words to:
Shawna McCarthy, Editor
P.O. Box 527 Rumson, NJ 07760, include a SASE
Responds in four to six weeks Payment: 4 to 8 cents per word Terms: Pays on acceptance for first North American serial rights
Publishers St. Martin’s Press
Dark Fantasy, Traditional Fantasy Contact: Gordon van Gelder, Editor, 175 Fifth Ave. New York, NY 10010
Send a complete manuscript with a cover letter, or a one-page query
Response time less than 3 months, less than 1 month on a query
Payment: Royalties with a competitive advance Phone: (212) 674-5151
Harmony Books-Crown Publishers, Inc.
Fantasy
Contact: 201 E. 50 St. New York, NY 10022 Phone:(212)751-2600 Fax: (212) 572-6192
Send a short proposal of a summary and one chapter, they will respond back in one month
They accept simultaneous submissions, send a SASE for guidelines Payment: A variable advance against royalties, 25 copies of the book, and additional copies at 40% discount
Del Rey
Dark Fantasy, High Fantasy, Traditional Fantasy
Contact: Jill Benjamin, Del Rey Books
201 E. 50 St. New York, NY 10022
Send in a detailed outline, or synopsis and query letter. Responds in 2 weeks on queries 2 to10 months on manuscripts Payment: Royalties with a competitive advance Phone: (212) 572-2677 Email: [email protected]
www.randomhouse.com/delrey/
