[About] Submit Suggestions for FAQ Topics and Resources thread

AW Admin

Administrator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
18,772
Reaction score
6,283
Please watch out for good resources (books as well as online sources) about publishing and the more practical aspects of being a writer and send them to me, either via email or via PM on Absolute Write.

Feel free to suggest FAQ topics or categories, as well as links to posts and threads on AW itself.

You can post questions or suggestions here in this thread or PM them to me or MacAllister or CaoPaux or Old Hack, or evilrooster.

Please only PM ONE of us. You don't want us cross-posting over each other; it could bring down the entire Internet.

Thanks--
 
Last edited:

HapiSofi

Hagiographically Advantaged
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 16, 2005
Messages
2,093
Reaction score
676
Feel free to use any or all of my not-a-FAQ. Or not use it; it's entirely up to you.
 

Deleted member 42

Feel free to use any or all of my not-a-FAQ. Or not use it; it's entirely up to you.

I just repped you (Rep Comments) but I will take you up on that with alacrity ma'am. And thanks much.
 

Miss Plum

Sockpuppet
Banned
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
1,570
Reaction score
187
I'd like to see a full description of the publishing process from acceptance to backlisting. All the players at every point, what they do. I saw this on an agent's website once and THOUGHT I bookmarked it, but didn't!
 

kaitie

With great power comes
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Messages
10,966
Reaction score
2,473
Stacia had a great post in another thread about how the editing process is supposed to work. I think it'd be awesome to have that (or something like it) linked somewhere.
 

Theo81

Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 11, 2010
Messages
1,288
Reaction score
376
Website
www.atrivialblogforseriouspeople.blogspot.com
I'd like to see an FAQ on the differences between publishing/submitting in the UK and the US (and any other markets we can find information on). Stuff like - what's the difference between a query and a covering letter? This agent is recommending I use an editing service like Cornerstones, are they trying to scam me?
 

merrihiatt

Writing! Writing! Writing!
Absolute Sage
Requiescat In Pace
Registered
Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Messages
4,001
Reaction score
477
Location
Pacific Northwest, Washington
Website
merrihiatt.com
I haven't looked for this yet, so it may already exist, but do we have any kind of commonly used terms with definitions? Especially in self-publishing, I've seen indie, self-published, direct-to-reader all used interchangeably. Also, traditional publisher and trade publisher and book formats (e-book, paperback, etc.). Many times there is confusion when someone is referring to self-publishing when what they have written is e-publishing. That one really sparks a quick response. I don't know if it would help to have a list of definitions, but it seems when threads get derailed due to wording issues, it would be nice to be able to simply direct someone to the common words/definition page rather than having a back-and-forth exchange time and time again.

ETA: I see there is one, but I think I'm talking about something a bit different in that I didn't see any of the terms I mentioned above in Janet Reid's article. Most of her references seemed to be geared toward trade publishing terms (although certainly not all of the words were specifically for trade publishing only).
 

WriteMinded

Derailed
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 16, 2010
Messages
6,208
Reaction score
774
Location
Paradise Lost
I'd like to see a full description of the publishing process from acceptance to backlisting. All the players at every point, what they do. I saw this on an agent's website once and THOUGHT I bookmarked it, but didn't!
This.

BUT first I'd like a map or step-by-step outline of the publishing process from the time a WIP is completed to the time it's accepted. I THINK it goes like this: 1. Finished MS. 2. Synposis 3. Query Letter (Hell) 4. Agent/Publisher research 5. Submission

BUT I could be wrong. And under Submission would come subheadings . . . I think . . . maybe? :Shrug:
 

wonderactivist

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 14, 2010
Messages
2,739
Reaction score
519
Location
Great Plains
Website
luciesmoker.wordpress.com
I just wanted to suggest a very good resource on contracts. Kristen Nelson's Agenting 101 blog posts lead you from deal points when you get an offer through specific clauses and language in the contract--more clearly than anything else I have read online. She points out specific terms for rights, royalties, payouts, etc. I recommend this resource more than anything else listed. Wish I had seen this before getting my first offer.

Here's the first post:
http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2006/06/agenting-101-part-one.html
(the listing of Agenting 101 posts is in the lower right column.)

Also, I am unable to open the 101 document on the Science Fiction Writers site. Are they now limiting access to their members?
 

Miss Plum

Sockpuppet
Banned
Joined
Mar 2, 2009
Messages
1,570
Reaction score
187
This.

BUT first I'd like a map or step-by-step outline of the publishing process from the time a WIP is completed to the time it's accepted. I THINK it goes like this: 1. Finished MS. 2. Synposis 3. Query Letter (Hell) 4. Agent/Publisher research 5. Submission

BUT I could be wrong. And under Submission would come subheadings . . . I think . . . maybe? :Shrug:
Thing is, that process isn't always the same. Some agents want one thing, some another. For instance, there might be a synopsis and there might not. There's really no need to research publishers until you are actually offered a deal. It would still be a good subject for a sticky, but in the meantime you could ask about that at the Ask the Agent forum.

For what it's worth, the usual AW process seems to be:

  1. Finish the MS.
  2. Write a query letter (Hell).
  3. Research agents.
  4. Submit per their requirements -- query only, query + synopsis, query + first ten pages, whatever.
  5. Assess any offers of rep according to various considerations that you can ask about in Ask the Agent.
That is a bare-bones checklist that could use a paragraph of expansion on each point. Anyone, please amend as needed!


http://absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=58
 

shadowwalker

empty-nester!
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
5,601
Reaction score
598
Location
SE Minnesota
Finding resources

I'm sticking this here because I think it's most relevant - but not sure. And maybe it's been covered but I couldn't think of the right search terms. Anyway...

Every time I see someone post a link to an article about writing, publishing, agents, etc, I wonder - how do they find these things? I've done some googling for blogs but there are thousands - so how do I know which ones to choose to follow (I've been running about 50/50 worthwhile versus junk so far)? And which publications are actually knowledgeable versus just attention-grabbing (I guess "news" type versus "this is my opinion" type)?

I'd like to be able to keep up with the latest discussions/articles/whatever, but I don't want to spend all my time on the 'net either, so I guess I'm wondering if there's a recommended list somewhere here (or if one could be developed) so we could keep up with things in a time-well-spent manner?
 

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
13,948
Reaction score
1,728
Location
Coastal Desert
Since no one else is willing to share their secrets .... :hat: For the most part, I start with someone/thing I trust (i.e., Writer Beware Blogs!), and take note of who/what they link to, with further note of who/what they to, etc. Keeping within, say, three degrees of separation gives me a core list of the major who/what/where/why without becoming overwhelming.
 

AW Admin

Administrator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
18,772
Reaction score
6,283
I follow a bunch of blogs/sites from people I know, or from people in areas I'm interested in via subscribing to them in Google Reader.

I choose who/what to follow based on whether I know them personally, i.e. in life or from AW, for instance, or if they're a reputable site/publication.

I also follow a bunch of people on Twitter, organized into lists. Lots of them re-tweet smart stuff, as well as post their own links.
 

Siri Kirpal

Swan in Process
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 20, 2011
Messages
8,943
Reaction score
3,151
Location
In God I dwell, especially in Eugene OR
Sat Nam! (literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

There doesn't seem to be a single thread stickied anywhere here about how to write a nonfiction book proposal. We could use one in both the nonfiction and memoir forums, as well as here.

If you can't find a better expert, I'll give write it up, if you like.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal
 

kingsley

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Messages
67
Reaction score
2
Location
Philadelphia
eCub

I hope someone "in charge" reads this.

I would like to see eCub added to the list of useful publishing software. I use it for creating mobi and ePub files from HTML source, and i think it is the best available software for the DIY power user. It's also cross platform so it works on Mac, Windows, etc.

Just trying to give back some to the community!
 

Dennis E. Taylor

Get it off! It burns!
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 1, 2014
Messages
2,602
Reaction score
365
Location
Beautiful downtown Mordor
I think we may need a meta-FAQ, or a FAQ that tells you where to find FAQs on given subjects - a FAQ-FAQ (that sounds like I'm angry. Oh, wait...)

It's become very fractured -- the problem isn't insufficient information, it's too much data.
 

Deleted member 42

I think we may need a meta-FAQ, or a FAQ that tells you where to find FAQs on given subjects - a FAQ-FAQ (that sounds like I'm angry. Oh, wait...)

It's become very fractured -- the problem isn't insufficient information, it's too much data.

A dead giveaway is looking for subforums and threads with FAQ in their title.
 

Evelyn_Alexie

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 7, 2014
Messages
190
Reaction score
21
Location
Pacific Northwest
Sometimes it must be a terrible temptation to throw up your hands and say "FAQ it all!"

That said, a FAQ TOC might help the clueless newbies such as moi.
 

joanforder

Registered
Joined
Aug 28, 2015
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Location
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
I'm really new to this topic and I keep hearing words like 'traditional', 'self-published', and 'hybrid' used. Could someone post a description or comparison between these publishing models?