Should I research prospective publishers while I'm writing my novel?

Sean D. Schaffer · Feb 18, 2007

This might seem like a strange question, but should I research prospective publishers while I'm working on my book, or should I wait until after I'm done?

The reason I ask is, I've always sought information on publishers and/or agents after I finished my works. But the thought came to me tonight that I could perhaps get a jump on what agents or editors might need while I'm working on my book (you know, in my free time) and then have the information ready when it comes time to submit.

But on the other hand, I worry such research might entice me to submit before the work is truly finished.

So that's why I'm asking this question. I want to know if what I thought of tonight is a good idea or not.

Thanks in advance, everyone, for your answers.

scarletpeaches · Feb 18, 2007

I lean towards writing the book you would want to read and THEN researching agents and publishers. There's no point tailoring your book to other people's tastes as those tastes and market trends could change by the time you're finished.

Writing with an agent or publisher in mind smacks of literary prostitution, to me, anyway.

James D. Macdonald · Feb 18, 2007

No reason you can't research publishers and agents while you're writing, as long as you don't take time away from your writing to do it.

Don't ever submit anything before it's ready.

expatbrat · Feb 18, 2007

I agree with Scarletpeaches.

I made the mistake of talking with people about my WIP and actually had people ask me to send what I had... which was in no way ready for sending to anyone. I run my own business and don't write full-time (I tried that and got really bored) and I didn't want the pressure of having to get something ready on someone elses timeline. YMMV

scarletpeaches · Feb 18, 2007

You'll have to write to a deadline when you're a rich and famous novelist though!

Jamesaritchie · Feb 18, 2007

Publishers

Assuming it isn't going to take you five years to write your novel, researching agents and publishers during the writing can save a lot of time and trouble later on.

Such research can take a lot of time, and there's no point having a completed, polished manuscript sitting around gathering dust while you do research.

Researching doesn't mean changing the way you write the book, it means finding agents and publishers who want the kind of book you're already writing.

kristin724 · Feb 18, 2007

When I'm breaking from the actual writing or cruising online, I do check out prospective publishers websites. You can't get too involved, because yes then it may influence your wip. I usually see if the publisher is accepting what I may already have, then bookmark it for future reference.

I think turning your down time into something useful is good, but it isn't much of a break if you get obsessed and change your work for what you find.

K

Sage · Feb 18, 2007

I have just discovered blogs of some of my top agents. So along with playing on AW, I have those to check out every day when I'm online. But then again, as soon as I get my apartment situation figured out (i.e. know if I have to move, & if so have an address), I'm going to be querying my last ms, so researching agents is useful information for my current needs, as well as the future of my WIP.

PeeDee · Feb 18, 2007

I usually have a publisher in mind, when it comes to writing a book. I usually have them in mind while writing it. But as has been already said, don't let it take away from your writing.

And...don't let it influence your writing either. Just write.

expatbrat · Feb 18, 2007

scarletpeaches said:
You'll have to write to a deadline when you're a rich and famous novelist though!

Dan Brown doesn't seem to be in any kind of rush to get his next novel finished and out there. (You said rich and famous, not highly respected among the AW crew).

CheshireCat · Feb 18, 2007

expatbrat said:
Dan Brown doesn't seem to be in any kind of rush to get his next novel finished and out there. (You said rich and famous, not highly respected among the AW crew).

Dan Brown's experience is so far out of the norm that nobody should use him as a yardstick. For anything.

The rest of us have deadlines.

scarletpeaches · Feb 18, 2007

Oh god. Someone mentioned Dan Brown - and this was pootling along as such a loving, respectable thread, too.

Why, for the love of God, man, WHY???

blacbird · Feb 18, 2007

Better, methinks, to spend time at the bookstore researching what kinds of books are commercially viable that fit the kind of thing you're writing. Unless you're working on something highly specialized, chances are there are numerous publishers putting out similar books.

Secondly, might be better to research agents who represent the kind of book you are writing. Such an agent will know a good deal more about what publisher would be right than you'll likely discover through your own research.

caw

Linda Adams · Feb 19, 2007

I'd wait until you're confident you're close to finishing it. I tried researching the agents much earlier, and I'll tell you, it's wasted effort. Too many changes to make this useful. Potential agents I saw stopped taking fiction, stopped taking my genre, or stopped taking submissions altogether. Another agency closed its doors, and then there's the agent who moved to a new agency ...

What I would suggest is to focus on reading books in your book's genre or ones that have similar elements (the latter is what I ended up having to do). Then, when you start the agent hunt, you can do a fast scan down the books they've sold for names you recognize. That'll give some research to focus on in your query letter.

You might also want to work on your query letter's summary as you go along, nibbling at the edges of it when you think of something. That'll influence your thinking on the book, which is always a good thing.

jpsorrow · Feb 19, 2007

I see no reason to wait to do the research until you're finished. Start getting a list of potential buyers now, so when it is finished you have someone to send it to right away.

The only disadvantage that I can see--and this required some thought to come up with--is that you might "accidentally" or purposely begin to tailor your novel to what you think a potential editor or agent might want. And you certainly don't want to do that. You shouldn't be worrying about what they're looking for at the moment anyway, because what they want now isn't what they're going to want 6 months from now. You should be looking for editors and agents that like the same STYLE of your writing, not content.

sfecphory · Feb 19, 2007

Sean D. Schaffer said:
.... But the thought came to me tonight that I could perhaps get a jump on what agents or editors might need while I'm working on my book (you know, in my free time) and then have the information ready when it comes time to submit.
...

You might have a harder time writing to the agents and editors needs than you imagine. Publishing moves at the speed of stillness. Right now agents are submitting books to publishers that won't come out until late 2008/early 2009. Interests and tastes may change, and your attempt to write to current trends may lead you into a dead zone by the time you're ready to submit. For this reason I suggest you write the book you want to write, rather than writing the book you think they'll need. At the end, at least you have a book that is yours, rather than your attempt to please someone else.

Sean D. Schaffer · Feb 19, 2007

I see there are a lot of mixed opinions on this. They definitely give me some serious things to think about.

And think about them, I most certainly will.

Thanks everyone!

Should I research prospective publishers while I'm writing my novel?

Sean D. Schaffer

scarletpeaches

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

expatbrat

Look what we made:

scarletpeaches

Jamesaritchie

kristin724

Sage

Our Lady of Parentheticals

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

expatbrat

Look what we made:

CheshireCat

Mostly purring. Mostly.

scarletpeaches

blacbird

Linda Adams

Soldier, Storyteller

jpsorrow

sfecphory

Sean D. Schaffer