New authors published?

There's really no estimate available because the number of books isn't a constant. Some years/seasons a given imprint might publish list consisting heavily of existing authors. Then they could debut 3 new authors the next. In any given season, you'll have heavily pushed debuts and those with quieter launches, but they're still books by first-time authors.

If you're wondering whether or not the bigger houses routinely purchase and publish books from unknown authors, then the answer is "Yes, definitely." It's often easier for an agent to sell a book by a new author than it is to sell a second book by an author with mediocre sales, so being a debut can help you.

I often wonder where this idea that debut authors find it harder to get agents/publishers/book deals comes from because there's really nothing in the actual industry to support that. It's more almost a default setting, like when we first start researching how to go about getting published, we just assume it'd be harder. Maybe because we automatically relate book publishing to other careers where experience does matter?

But yeah, I think the only thing that holds back most 'new' writers from landing agents or deals isn't their lack of experience or publishing credits - its that their writing just isn't where it needs to be yet.

Justin SR said:

Thanks for the info. I think I just get intimidated when I read about the thousands of queries that agents and publishers get all the time, and how many published authors are around, even on these forums.

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You are not alone.

Justin SR said:

It is kind of a nice idea that I am not starting out behind every published author. I probably just need to reinforce the idea that the writing is what really matters.

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Yeah. We hear this all the time.That is, of course, why every agent asks about previous publication history.

caw

Here's something else you might want to consider, that will make you likely feel awesome .

Debut authors are a hot commodity, because no one knows their work yet, they can be advertised as cool and fresh and new, they have no negative track record. Publishers LOVE debut authors. Now publishers love bestsellers as well, but there aren't as many of those out there.

What they don't love as much is midlist authors. Authors who have been published a few times, have done decently but aren't bestsellers and not earning the big bucks. It's way harder to convince bookstores it's worth giving an author of mediocre book sales a fifth chance than it is to convince a bookstore to give an up and coming brand new author who could maybe be the next big thing a chance.

It's actually EASIER to get published as a debut author than it is if you've already published but not done brilliantly well.

So, yeah, you're in a very good position indeed .


FYI - ignore blacbird, btw. Almost every agented author I know (including myself) had absolute NO credits to his/her name before he/she got signed.

Toothpaste said:

Almost every agented author I know (including myself) had absolute NO credits to his/her name before he/she got signed.

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Yep. Like me. I mean, new authors have to come from SOMEWHERE, and the vast majority of us had no credits before signing with our agents and/or editors.

Agents and publishers are interested in writers' track records because that information might well provide a useful marketing hook; and because it might also provide background information which could be either positive or negative, depending on what they find. But such a history is very unlikely to be so good that it means that they'd take on a lacklustre book.

In other words, ignore blacbird. He seems to be feeling extra-grumpy today.

Justin SR said:

I was just wondering if anybody might know about how many new authors without previously published books a major publishing house might take on in a year? Just an informed estimate would be cool.

Thanks

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No numbers, but I know that NYC publishing houses send agents to writing conferences, even regional ones, to scout talent.

I think agents and editors go to conferences with the hope of helping writers become more knowledgeable about writing and publishing, because when writers know what they're doing the slush piles get a little bit smaller and a little bit better. If those agents and editors happen to find a writer who they think they might be able to publish then that's a very rare bonus, but it's not the main reason they attend.

Count me in as another author who had no writing/publishing credits before finding an agent. It really does happen!

dangerousbill said:

No numbers, but I know that NYC publishing houses send agents to writing conferences, even regional ones, to scout talent.

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Editors often attend writing conferences, but they are generally invited by the conference organizers.

Agents (literary agents) also attend writing conferences, also usually by invitation.

Old Hack said:

In other words, ignore blacbird. He seems to be feeling extra-grumpy today.

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Working on a query will do that. I admire people who can rip off good queries with the facility Albert Pujols hits hanging curveballs. For me, I might as well be writing in Minoan. The entire process just baffles me, and it doesn't help that I have nothing admirable to offer in the query, other than the manuscript, which may or may not be admirable.

caw

BethS said:

Editors often attend writing conferences, but they are generally invited by the conference organizers.

Agents (literary agents) also attend writing conferences, also usually by invitation.

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Always by invitation, at least at the conference I attend yearly. About thirty or so attendees have 30 minute face-to-face with one of the three or four agents, who have already been sent queries in advance. I had lunch with one who said he'd already asked for several fulls.

Justin SR said:

I was just wondering if anybody might know about how many new authors without previously published books a major publishing house might take on in a year? Just an informed estimate would be cool.

Thanks

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As many as they can find who have written books the publishers believe will make money.

I had no industry connections or credits to my name when I got my agent and my book deal (for three novels in the same series).

It happens. Don't worry about it. Write the best novel you can, and then the best query, and keep educating yourself (read industry articles and blogs) so you can keep refining and improving.

Best of luck to you.