Preface

Over the past thirty years, I have lectured to hundreds of writers at colleges and publishing workshops throughout the country. The topic of my lectures? How you can get your nonfiction book published. And I must say that I have always enjoyed the experience. Not only have I learned a great deal from the people who attended, but I have also gotten some great book leads. It’s not always easy to get your nonfiction book into publication. However, if you understand some of the basics of publishing and then use a solid system to apply what you’ve learned, you can definitely increase your odds of getting your work into print. Well, at least that’s the main thrust of my speech. In the question-and-answer session I hold after each lecture, at least one member of the audience has always asked, “So, how come you haven’t written a book yourself?” And my response has always been pat: “I am the publisher. You are the writers. Your job is to write, mine is to publish.” It was always that simple to get out of it. However, in May of 2000, when two of my editors posed the same question, I had a bit more trouble escaping—possibly because they had me cornered in my office. “If you know so much about publishing,” they said, “why not put it down in a book? That’s what you always tell other people who know a lot about a subject. Hey, we’ll even edit it for you.” Ten months later, with the help of these two skilled editors, Joanne Abrams and Marie Caratozzolo, the manuscript was completed. Of course, those ten months were not easy ones. From the beginning, I certainly felt that I knew my subject; after all, I’d been in the business long enough. And I’d not only published thousands of books, but I’d also guided many writers in getting their books published with other companies. Still, I was aware of the challenges involved in writing a book that really accomplishes what it sets out to do. The very first thing I did was to look at the books that were already out there on publishing. (As you’ll find out, it’s always wise to check out the competition.) What did I find? Well, there certainly are plenty of books out there on the subject, but oddly, very few of them focus on works on nonfiction. Instead, most of them talk about all kinds of publications, from works of fiction to magazine articles to short stories. The information that directly pertains to the nonfiction book is scattered and skimpy, at best. And then there are the few books that specifically address the nonfiction writer. Surprisingly, even these books typically have a host of drawbacks. For instance, most provide little information to help the author understand the category into which his or her book falls—a step that is critical if the writer is to target those publishers that might even consider looking at the project. Some of the categories mentioned in these books don’t even exist as a classification within publishing houses! Moreover, few books provide the author with an accurate picture of how the business of book publishing actually works. And none of the books presents clear, step-by-step instructions for writing an effective submission package; picking the best publishers to receive the package; sending the package out in the most efficient way possible; and tracking—and understanding—the results. My work was cut out for me. So, laptop computer in hand, I set out to create a truly useful book—a book that would provide you with the information you need about the book publishing business, and carefully guide you in applying that information to your particular work of nonfiction, whether it’s a trade book, a textbook, a scholarly work, or a reference work. I do this through eight chapters, each of which adds more pieces to the puzzle that is publishing, and guides you further along the steps involved in getting your book into publication. Since the first edition of this book, however, a great deal has changed in the world of book publishing—from the mergers and acquisitions of many larger mainstream houses to the impact of having every book ever published now available somewhere online; and, from the invention of the Espresso Book Machine, which allows bookstores’ the ability to have a single book printed while the customer waits, to giving every writer the option to self-publish and market his or her own work. Yes, things have changed greatly, so it was necessary to update this book and guide you through the many new opportunities that lie ahead as you evaluate your goals as an author.