finding a Publisher

[Jgrasso]

Hello everyone,

I am new to the blog scene and am also new to the Book writing. I recently wrote a book and have been searching for a publisher. I was wondering if you all out there could give me a hand? I want to get my book published but I know I am not suppose to pay for it. I need a list of Publishers, Christian or non that are willing to accept freelance manuscripts and are willing to promote the book as well! Looking forward to some help, I will appreciate it.

thanks:hi:

[Gravity]

If it's an ABA (secular) book, check out Writers Market Guide (updated each year). If it's CBA (Christian), check out Christian Writers Market Guide (ditto on the yearly update). Any bigger bookstore or library should carry them.

A caveat: Just because a publisher is listed in one of these, doesn't mean it's a good one. As with anything, trust but verify.

[Jgrasso]

Thanks that sounds good to me. The book is a story of how I lost 170lbs and also how our bodies our Gods Temples and how we should take care of them.

thanks for the advice:D

[ResearchGuy]

. . . I need a list of Publishers, Christian or non that are willing to accept freelance manuscripts and are willing to promote the book as well! . . .
A few comments.

--Spend serious time browsing in good, big bookstores (including specialized Christian bookstores), and take notes on publishers that publish books generally comparable to yours. Get guidelines from those publishers and pay attention to them.

--Study not only Writer's Market, but also Jeff Herman's Guide, and if you can find it in a library, Literary Marketplace, as well as the latest Guide to Literary Agents.

--Learn what "platform" means. Publishers expect authors--especially nonfiction authors--to have a platform, a ready-made audience and a way of reaching it, and to play their part in promotion.

--If you want legitimate, commercial publication, do not pay anything to anybody (publisher or agent) for publishing. (However, on your own, you might want to consider hiring a professional editor to at least critique your manuscript. If so, get references and find someone with relevant experience.)

--Avoid PublishAmerica. It is a deceptive vanity publisher.

--Be aware that few publishers accept unsolicited manuscripts. Some might look at a query and ask for you to follow up with a book proposal. Learn how to write a query. And learn how to write a book proposal. There are books about writing queries and proposals, and sections in Writer's Market and in Jeff Herman's Guide.

--The recent Writer's Digest Press book How I got Published is worth reading. Most of the authors featured in it write fiction, but the principles are still pertinent. The most frequently cited is persistence.

You have your work cut out for you. Good luck.

--Ken

[Jgrasso]

Ken,

I will look into those books you suggested. I actually was on my way to get published with PA but I looked into it before I signed the Contract, and the information on found on this site about them led me to not sign. I like your idea about searching the book stores and finding which publishers have published health books. Again great ideas and help,

Thank-you

[ResearchGuy]

Ken,

I will look into those books you suggested. I actually was on my way to get published with PA but I looked into it before I signed the Contract, and the information on found on this site about them led me to not sign. I like your idea about searching the book stores and finding which publishers have published health books. Again great ideas and help,

Thank-you
Happy to be of assistance. Best wishes for success.

--Ken

[Inspiewriter]

All great advice! Good luck with your project and congrats on losing 170 pounds!

[Jgrasso]

Thank-you. I could not have done it without Gods Help. I didnt do any fad diets or join a gym, I just worked hard and ate right and by Gods grace I lost the weight!

[BrookieCookie777]

If you are looking for an agent you can go to www.agentquery.com (http://www.agentquery.com) and preditors and editors is a perfect one to research agents. You can find it by googling that name.

[Roger J Carlson]

I would also advise checking any names against our own Bewares and Background Check (http://absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=22)board. Check the Index (http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=792)first, and if there's nothing there, start a thread.

It's an unfortunate thing, but many scam/clueless agents and publishers label themselves "Christian".

[Jgrasso]

Thanks guys. I can tell this is going to be a longer process than I first thought. I almost got scammed with PA but I am glad I didn't go with them.