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Get A Book Deal Now!

By on September 7, 2016
Get A Book Deal Now! - Writer's Life.org

Many writers struggle for years to get a book deal, and some don’t manage it at all.

While this may sound pretty bleak, it is important to remember that there is plenty we can do which will significantly increase our chances of this happening.

So often we are told how difficult it is to get a book publisher or agent interested in our work. This may be true - there is no denying it is a hugely competitive market, but, at the same time, there are many authors who aren’t getting book deals because they simply aren’t doing the right things.

But can you really improve your chances of being published and speed the whole process up while improving your writing on the way?

The good news is you can - and here’s how:

Finish your entire book before sending it off

Most publishers require the whole manuscript before they will even consider it, and while this is not true in all cases, it is so much better to have your entire book finished and edited before you start looking for a publisher.

The last thing you want is to secure a publishing deal only to find you can’t meet their deadlines or struggle to finish it at all and end up panic writing the remaining chapters of your book.

Get a professional editor

A good editor will whip your book into shape in no time. Not only will they correct grammar and spelling errors, but they will also point out inconsistencies and suggest how to tighten up your prose. A professional editor can make all the difference when it comes to selling your work.

Write an essay clip

While this works best for non-fiction, you can use this technique for works of fiction too. Editors and agents are always on the lookout for promising work, so if you can get an essay or extract of your book published somewhere prominent you have a good chance of being noticed. Then the editors will be coming to you instead of the other way around - wouldn’t that be something?!

Blog, blog, blog

If you write a blog that get’s noticed, you are halfway there. Sites such as Tumblr are ideal for sharing your work, and if you get lots of hits you may well attract attention from editors and agents which can lead to great things!
Learn to pitch like a megastar

Your pitch needs to be confident, smart and stand out from the crowd. Come up with an eye-catching title, explain your story or idea in a succinct, clear and engaging way and make it obvious why people need to listen to what you have got to say. If you can get them excited about your concepts they will be motivated to act.
Gather testimonials

The more people raving about your work, the better. If you can find influential people to spread the word, or write something positive about your writing, then this can be very useful when it comes to trying to get published.

If you can send in glowing blurbs about your work from people that count (so not your mum, sorry), then this could make all the difference.
Now, while we can’t guarantee that by doing all these things, you will land yourself a fantastic book deal, the good news is that the majority of them will help you regardless. If you go down the self-publishing route, editing your work to a high standard, and marketing it well will help increase its sales potential.

What is for certain is if you do follow these tips you are increasing your chances of being noticed and eventually landing a publishing deal - and for that alone they are definitely worth trying!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

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