Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance: Writing FAQ
Writing and Publishing Jobs
- Media Bistro
- This site requires membership (free for basic!), and it is an excellent resource for industry job listings.
- Journalism Jobs
- The job site for journalism professionals.
Publishing Information
- Poets & Writers
- This is an incredible resource for trade information, grants, submission calls, and industry trends.
- The Writer's Market
- This site has information about publishers and literary agents. It also demystifies the query and acquisitions process. MWPA highly recommends it!
- Everyone Who's Anyone
- This is a comprehensive list of industry professionals.
- Predators and Editors
- A comprehensive, rated listing of literary agents and other industry professionals.
Maine Book Publishers
- Islandport Press
- Down East Enterprises
- Tilbury House
- Alice James Books
- Moon Pie Press
- Just Write Books
Maine Magazine Publishers
Other Resources
- The Loft Literary Center
- Minnesota's (bigger) version of MWPA. Some very instructive links on their site!
- The Bethesda Writer's Center
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a literary agent?
- A literary agent represents you professionally, guides your writing career, shops your manuscripts to publishers, and negotiates your contracts. A literary agent could be the most important relationship you cultivate in your publishing journey.
- How do I get a literary agent to represent me? I don't know of any.
- The best advice is to familiarize yourself with existing titles comparable to the manuscript you are trying to market. Make a long list of as many as you can find. Note the acknowledgement section: is there a literary agent thanked? a particular editor? Not only are you identifying your book’s competition for your own editorial purposes, but many authors credit specific agents and editors in the acknowledgement section.
The Writer’s Market also produces an annual “Guide to Literary Agents” that lists hundreds of literary agents and their project interests.
And finally, before querying a literary agent, please familiarize yourself with their process. If an agent prefers email contact, do that. If an agent requests a 50-page sample, send only the 50-page sample. Value the agent’s time and process, and that agent will respect you for it. - Can MWPA get me a literary agent?
- No. MWPA is not a literary agency, nor do we recommend specific services of individuals.
MWPA can, however, recommend the annual "Guide to Literary Agents" publication by the Writer's Marketplace. - An agent contacted me, but she wants some money up front. Is this legit?
- Again, the annual "Guide to Literary Agents" details what is and is not standard practice, but most reputable literary agents do NOT charge reading fees.
A good rule is that if the offer feels a little shady, it probably IS a little shady. - I have had no luck finding a publisher, so I want to self-publish. My book really, really is that good.
- Think carefully about this. Self-publishing can work if you are very, very specific about your goals, but more often, MWPA hears stories from disappointed self-publishers. When self-publishing, the upside is that you have 100% control. The downside? You have 100% control.
Self-publishing is, essentially, a business. You are creating and marketing a product, so write up a marketing plan. A sales plan, too. Research the distribution process (for instance, most booksellers do not order from individual publishers, they order from a national distributor), and ask those distributors if they will carry self-published titles.
When making your marketing plan, consider that Maine has approximately 20 booksellers. If each of those stores buy 3 copies at 50%, and you plan to charge $10 retail, you’ve earned $300 if ALL of them sell. Weigh that best-case scenario against the printing cost.
Also, consider the shipping return process if those books do not sell.
The single biggest complaint MWPA hears from self-published authors is that they were so excited to get their book into print, they didn’t consider the follow-up process and now have six crates of books sitting in their living rooms.
Self-publishing can work well if the book is, say, a collection of family stories meant for family purchase, a recipe collection to sell at a church bazaar, or a specific business history designed to be sold at that business. It can also work if you have extensive connections in the publishing and retail sales industries. - I have an idea for a book! What next?
- Not to be too cynical, but get in line. You are in good company!
Many aspiring writers have good book ideas. In fact, there has never, ever, in the history of recorded time, EVER been a shortage of book ideas.
Your challenge, as a writer, is to bridge the thought-gap between "good book idea" to "makes sense from a publishing perspective." Therefore, it is crucial for new writers to learn as much about the publishing industry as possible.
First, research titles similar to the manuscript you are trying to sell. Note the publisher and dates.
When you have a list of, say, 20 titles, you will start to see trends. You will start to see that XYZ Publisher bought, say, 13 of those 20 titles. It makes sense then, that based on specific sales history, XYZ Publisher would be a good place to approach. Look up XYZ Publisher online and research the submission process. Follow that process exactly.
If this feels like work, that's because it is. Hard work. - How much can I expect to get paid for my manuscript?
- That depends. Many small, independent presses offer zero or small advances (less than $1,000). A medium-sized subsidiary press might offer $5,000-10,000 for a first-time author with no book publication history. That said, if your literary agent sells your manuscript to a large publishing house, you could make $25,000 or more (sometimes, much more).
Your advance depends on a combination of things: the market and projected sales for your book (this is why it is important to be very familiar with comparable titles), your recognition factor (did you just win the presidential nomination?), and the budget of the publisher.
Also, consider that royalties and foreign rights can also be significant. A good literary agent will navigate the best contract for you, as well as explain the intricasies.
Please note: There are far, far more published books than there are millionaire authors.
But, know that good writing gets found. Good writing gets found. - How can I volunteer at Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance?
- Since MWPA operates with a small staff, we LOVE volunteers! We love them so much, we have a history of hiring them! Call us or email us with your ideas!
AND, to minimize frustration, we've included examples of effective and less-effective volunteer requests.
Example of effective volunteer requests:
“Hey Shonna! I’d love to see a poetry writers support group at MWPA. I’d be happy to ask my local coffee shop to host it every Tuesday, but can you let my fellow MWPA members know that it’s happening? I can be the point of contact, too. Here are the specific dates.”
Or…
“Hey Mary! I’ve got an hour before my class on Tuesday mornings at 10 am. I’d be happy to help answer phones or distribute Maine in Print. Are you interested?”
Or…
“Hey Jessica! I have a few years experience in web design, and I’d be happy to offer some tips. My availability is Wednesdays after 2 pm. Can I help?”
Examples of less-effective methods:
“I can help volunteer. Call me.”
Or...
“Attached is my resume. I’m looking for a job in publishing, and I need your help. I expect a telephone call within the next 48 hours.”
Or...
“I am a Russian-speaking science fiction writer. You don’t have any Russian language science fiction writing groups, and you should.”
We look forward to hearing your volunteer ideas soon!