20k word book?

Lenny Jennison · Feb 11, 2012

OK, here is my problem:

I have written a companion book to my autobiography, but the book is only 19,025 words.

This is a little light I know, but can it still be sold? I have no formula for figuring out how many pages this would result in, but it is in a niche market.

Does this help the book?

Where do i post on here for beta readers? I have not found that section, but have been told to look for at least one beta reader.

Help! Thanks for your time.

escritora · Feb 11, 2012

Here's the Beta forum: http://absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=30

You can self-publish. I'm not sure how marketable the book will be to a publisher.

NDoyle · Feb 11, 2012

A "companion book to [your] autobiography"? This simultaneously puzzles and intrigues me, though sadly not enough to prompt me to volunteer as a beta reader.

Could you incorporate those 20,000 words into the autobiography itself?

Lenny Jennison · Feb 11, 2012

NDoyle said:
Could you incorporate those 20,000 words into the autobiography itself?

I tried but the editor thought that this was enough for a separate book. She is not a professional editor, just someone that has made a living writing /editing manuals for the government. The price was right

I need someone who knows about foster care or just someone to review the work. I need to know where i need to expand on for the average person. Someone who doesn't work in this field, but yet still has an interest.

Old Hack · Feb 12, 2012

Lenny Jennison said:
She is not a professional editor, just someone that has made a living writing /editing manuals for the government. The price was right

Well, I am a professional editor and I make my living writing books and editing other ones for trade publishers--which is where you hope to place this book, I think.

20k is not long enough for a reputable publisher. You might find publishers which will accept 40k, but 60k is a better bet. However, I think there might be other issues here which will also count against you when it comes to finding a publisher for this book.

I see you've started a thread in our beta-readers forum now, asking for someone to take a look at your 20k foster-care manual. With all due respect, I'm not sure you have the platform required to sell a book on this subject. What are your qualifications in foster care? What experience do you have in working in the field? What reputation do you have in the field, and how many people who might buy your book are you already in contact with, via public speaking engagements, a website, or any other route?

These are all things that a publisher is going to consider when reading your proposal. You're going to be just one person out of many trying to get a book about this published: what makes you a better bet for the publisher than all those other people writing about foster care?

Delvianna01 · Feb 17, 2012

Already banned... geeze lol

20k word book?

Lenny Jennison

escritora

.

NDoyle

Writer, Editor, Photographer

Lenny Jennison

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

Delvianna01