shade Chronicler Companion of the Mind's Eye member is offline
You really think you're in control?
Joined: Jul 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 1,098 Location: Saskatoon, SK
Publishing questions « Thread Started on Aug 5, 2008, 1:44pm »
I got some publishing questions as the years before APR is submitted grow closer that older and more experienced members of the forum should be able to answer. Some of ones that I'm personally interested in and others are just ones I thought about.
1. If your book is part of a series, do you tell the publisher that?
2. A lot of fantasy novels have a map at the start. If your book is going to include a map at the ending, if published, should you include a map with the manscript or is that a no-no? And does the same imply to a list of characters or a glossary?
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,701 Location: Calgary, Alberta
Re: Publishing questions « Reply #1 on Aug 6, 2008, 12:23am »
Publishers like the idea of a series, but only if it sells. Most of the advice I've heard from those wiser than I is pretty consistent:
Make your first book a standalone. Tie up major plot points; don't wait until the second to do so. The best series are usually thought to be those in which all the books are interrelated, but it's not essential to read one in order to understand the others.
Mention that the book is part of a series but realize that if the first one tanks, the rest are not going to be bought. Many publishers or agents like to hear a mention that you're working on another book while shopping the first one around. They'd like a long-term relationship rather than a one-hit wonder.
Things like maps, glossaries... anything, in fact, but the actual book I'd leave until a sale was made, then mention that they're available. Authors often find them more interesting than the readers do. Your story has to stand on its own.
Not that any of the writers on this forum have to worry about that too much - you've all mastered most of the art. I've had no problem following the politics, backgrounds and things like magic systems in your work.
Get it ready, get it polished like the gem it is and send it off into the world to delight the masses.
![[Home]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/menu/home.gif)
![[Help]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/menu/help.gif)
![[Search]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/menu/search.gif)
![[Login]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/menu/login.gif)
![[Register]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/menu/register.gif)
![[Search This Thread]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/search2.gif)
![[Send Topic To Friend]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/buttons/sendtopic.gif)
![[Print]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/buttons/print.gif)
Author
![[avatar]](http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee219/thewill27/last_standdw.jpg)
Logged![[avatar]](http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i165/PattyJean78/forBard1.gif)
![[homepage]](http://s1.images.proboards.com/buttons/www_sm.gif)