Honest advice, practical insight, and a clearer understanding of how publishing works today.
To get your book published, you need to think like a publisher. Publishers care a lot about audience and readership, because that’s how they assess the value of a book – so it’s worth spending time thinking about who will read your book and why. It’s a good idea to get to know the UK bestseller lists (available in Sunday Times Culture and Bookseller.com), reading book blogs and/or media reviews (whether online or in print), browsing Amazon charts, and visiting bookshops, to get to know the current market and work out where your book sits within it. Which section of a bookshop would you like to find it in? What subchart should it appear in on Amazon? Will it sell best in ebook, hardback, paperback or audiobook? Is it aimed at a national market (eg British/American), or at a global readership? Who are your influences? What books do you like to read? Can you put on your publisher hat and figure out your comps? This will all help you to work out what kind of readers will buy your book.
Once you know who your readers are, think about where they shop, what other books they read, what newspapers, blogs, magazines and video games they consume. Think about whether they are active on social media, and where in the country they are most likely to live. If you can show that you know your audience, and that this book is exactly what they want to buy, then you will be in a great position to answer the three important questions that all publishers ask their authors (and each other!) all the time:
Besides Pellerin Books, these publishers include Boldwood Books, Bookouture, Joffe Books, One More Chapter, Storm Books, Vinci Books. Additionally, Avon, Canelo, Embla, Hera, and HQ Digital have submission windows that they open periodically.
Competition is fierce, so it’s worth honing your pitch using the tools and tips below, and making sure you have an awareness of how these publishers market and sell their books, as well as what they are looking for from their writers. For example, some publishers require writers to write multiple books a year; some pay advances; some prioritise publicity while others prioritise marketing; some insist on world rights; some prefer debut writers; others prefer experienced authors… Make sure you’re aware of what you are looking for from your publisher, and do your research accordingly.
Note that no respectable literary agent or publisher will ever charge a reading fee.
Literary agents come in all shapes and sizes – you could be represented by a big global agency, a small independent, or a sole trader. When you are considering what you want from an agent, think about what kind of relationship you would like to have, and research accordingly. Some agents behave like supportive friends, while others are more commercially focused business partners. They could variously be your creative muse; an excellent editor; a marketing-obsessive; your sometime-therapist; a long-term career strategist.
You can research agents in a number of ways:
Most literary agents request three chapters of the book, a synopsis including ending/spoilers, and a cover letter (also known as a Pitch Letter or Query Letter.) They will call in your full MS if they like what they read - which means your full MS must be completed before you submit. Most publishers ask for the same, but want the full manuscript upfront, instead of the three chapters. Publishers will also be more interested in your sales figures and publication history, if you have one.
There are lots of resources online to help writers create a good cover letter that is concise but does the book justice. The most foolproof one we have come across is from Jericho Writers (free if you subscribe to their newsletter), which provides a template clearly outlining how much time you should spend on each element of the letter and in what order you should place them.
Whether you use that template or not, make sure that the letter keeps to one page, and has at least one or two lines that are tailored to the relevant agent or publisher. Namecheck authors on their list, and be clear about why your book is a good fit with them, and the current book market. Try to refer back to those “why this / why me / why now” questions you asked yourself in step 1. You must also make sure that your first three chapters are the very, very best they can be. Agents and publishers will not expect the entire manuscript to be perfect (that’s what editors are for!) but those first three chapters are crucial, as they showcase what you can do at your best.
There are lots of submission tips to be found online, or by following literary agents on social media, but it’s hard to cut through the noise. Jonny Geller’s Instagram is clear, sober and helpful.
Unfortunately, more and more literary agencies have adopted a policy of non-response, where if you haven’t heard back from them within 12 weeks, it's a no. If you’ve included literary agents in your search, you might decide it’s not worth the long wait between batches, and just send everything out in one go. That’s pretty normal and is what most people do these days.
As well as perfecting the content and format of your submission package, it’s worth thinking, too, about the timing of your submission. The publishing industry shuts down completely over Christmas, and is very slow-moving in August, so you should avoid these times unless you’ve deduced (eg from an agent’s social media feed) that they enjoy reading subs during the holidays. Agents and publishers tend to be very busy in the weeks preceding London Book Fair (c.10th-15th March) and Frankfurt Book Fair (c.16th-20th October) so this is best avoided too. Many agents and publishers use Friday as a reading day, so sending a submission on a Thursday might mean your book is fresh in their mind for the weekend. Don't be discouraged by a slow response – publishing moves at its own pace, and silence is not the same as rejection (unless the agent's website explicitly says otherwise.)
The whole thing can feel long – often because it is! But if it's the right book for the market right now, and you are prepared to put in the work, you will very likely find an agent or a publisher.
They will think strategically: not just asking “who is right for this book”, but asking who is the right publisher for this point in your career. If you get a deal, they will then negotiate a contract, which might be for one, two or more books. The contract might be ‘royalty-only’ in which case you should expect a higher cut of the profits, but will get a £0 advance. Or it might be ‘advance-against-royalties’ where you are paid an advance against future earnings (the levels for this vary wildly these days - sometimes authors are paid as little as £500, sometimes as much as £250,000). It's also worth asking whether your publisher commits to a specific marketing investment, and whether that commitment is written into the contract. This can make a significant difference to your book's long-term performance.
If you secure a publisher by submitting directly, you’ll skip the first stage, and will be offered a contract directly by your publisher. If this happens, do some research online or in writers forums to check that the terms you are being offered are standard. Most publishers are honourable, but it doesn’t hurt to check. If you want professional advice, you can join the Society of Authors as an associate member, and they will give your contract a free clause-by-clause check.
If you don’t secure an agent or publisher, move to step 7…
It's unusual for first novels to be perfect, and, even if they are, it's still unusual for them to be snapped up right away (see Harry Potter).
If you still want to be a writer you have several good options open to you:
All of these are completely valid options, and if you’re serious about being a published author, you’ll doubtless find a way to do it – even if it isn’t the path you envisaged at first.
Oh, and a final tip. Whatever you do, keep reading!
The more widely you read, the better you’ll understand both your craft and your audience.
To get your book published, you need to think like a publisher. Publishers care a lot about audience and readership, because that’s how they assess the value of a book – so it’s worth spending time thinking about who will read your book and why. It’s a good idea to get to know the UK bestseller lists (available in Sunday Times Culture and Bookseller.com), reading book blogs and/or media reviews (whether online or in print), browsing Amazon charts, and visiting bookshops, to get to know the current market and work out where your book sits within it. Which section of a bookshop would you like to find it in? What subchart should it appear in on Amazon? Will it sell best in ebook, hardback, paperback or audiobook? Is it aimed at a national market (eg British/American), or at a global readership? Who are your influences? What books do you like to read? Can you put on your publisher hat and figure out your comps? This will all help you to work out what kind of readers will buy your book.
Once you know who your readers are, think about where they shop, what other books they read, what newspapers, blogs, magazines and video games they consume. Think about whether they are active on social media, and where in the country they are most likely to live. If you can show that you know your audience, and that this book is exactly what they want to buy, then you will be in a great position to answer the three important questions that all publishers ask their authors (and each other!) all the time:
Besides Pellerin Books, these publishers include Boldwood Books, Bookouture, Joffe Books, One More Chapter, Storm Books, Vinci Books. Additionally, Avon, Canelo, Embla, Hera, and HQ Digital have submission windows that they open periodically.
Competition is fierce, so it’s worth honing your pitch using the tools and tips below, and making sure you have an awareness of how these publishers market and sell their books, as well as what they are looking for from their writers. For example, some publishers require writers to write multiple books a year; some pay advances; some prioritise publicity while others prioritise marketing; some insist on world rights; some prefer debut writers; others prefer experienced authors… Make sure you’re aware of what you are looking for from your publisher, and do your research accordingly.
Note that no respectable literary agent or publisher will ever charge a reading fee.
Literary agents come in all shapes and sizes – you could be represented by a big global agency, a small independent, or a sole trader. When you are considering what you want from an agent, think about what kind of relationship you would like to have, and research accordingly. Some agents behave like supportive friends, while others are more commercially focused business partners. They could variously be your creative muse; an excellent editor; a marketing-obsessive; your sometime-therapist; a long-term career strategist.
You can research agents in a number of ways:
All literary agencies and publishers have submission guidelines on their website, and, frustratingly, all will be slightly different, though usually the general requirements are the same.
Most literary agents request three chapters of the book, a synopsis including ending/spoilers, and a cover letter (also known as a Pitch Letter or Query Letter.) They will call in your full MS if they like what they read - which means your full MS must be completed before you submit. Most publishers ask for the same, but want the full manuscript upfront, instead of the three chapters. Publishers will also be more interested in your sales figures and publication history, if you have one.
There are lots of resources online to help writers create a good cover letter that is concise but does the book justice. The most foolproof one we have come across is from Jericho Writers (free if you subscribe to their newsletter), which provides a template clearly outlining how much time you should spend on each element of the letter and in what order you should place them.
Whether you use that template or not, make sure that the letter keeps to one page, and has at least one or two lines that are tailored to the relevant agent or publisher. Namecheck authors on their list, and be clear about why your book is a good fit with them, and the current book market. Try to refer back to those “why this / why me / why now” questions you asked yourself in step 1. You must also make sure that your first three chapters are the very, very best they can be. Agents and publishers will not expect the entire manuscript to be perfect (that’s what editors are for!) but those first three chapters are crucial, as they showcase what you can do at your best.
There are lots of submission tips to be found online, or by following literary agents on social media, but it’s hard to cut through the noise. Jonny Geller’s Instagram is clear, sober and helpful.
Unfortunately, more and more literary agencies have adopted a policy of non-response, where if you haven’t heard back from them within 12 weeks, it's a no. If you’ve included literary agents in your search, you might decide it’s not worth the long wait between batches, and just send everything out in one go. That’s pretty normal and is what most people do these days.
As well as perfecting the content and format of your submission package, it’s worth thinking, too, about the timing of your submission. The publishing industry shuts down completely over Christmas, and is very slow-moving in August, so you should avoid these times unless you’ve deduced (eg from an agent’s social media feed) that they enjoy reading subs during the holidays. Agents and publishers tend to be very busy in the weeks preceding London Book Fair (c.10th-15th March) and Frankfurt Book Fair (c.16th-20th October) so this is best avoided too. Many agents and publishers use Friday as a reading day, so sending a submission on a Thursday might mean your book is fresh in their mind for the weekend. Don't be discouraged by a slow response – publishing moves at its own pace, and silence is not the same as rejection (unless the agent's website explicitly says otherwise.)
The whole thing can feel long – often because it is! But if it's the right book for the market right now, and you are prepared to put in the work, you will very likely find an agent or a publisher.
They will think strategically: not just asking “who is right for this book”, but asking who is the right publisher for this point in your career. If you get a deal, they will then negotiate a contract, which might be for one, two or more books. The contract might be ‘royalty-only’ in which case you should expect a higher cut of the profits, but will get a £0 advance. Or it might be ‘advance-against-royalties’ where you are paid an advance against future earnings (the levels for this vary wildly these days - sometimes authors are paid as little as £500, sometimes as much as £250,000). It's also worth asking whether your publisher commits to a specific marketing investment, and whether that commitment is written into the contract. This can make a significant difference to your book's long-term performance.
If you secure a publisher by submitting directly, you’ll skip the first stage, and will be offered a contract directly by your publisher. If this happens, do some research online or in writers forums to check that the terms you are being offered are standard. Most publishers are honourable, but it doesn’t hurt to check. If you want professional advice, you can join the Society of Authors as an associate member, and they will give your contract a free clause-by-clause check.
If you don’t secure an agent or publisher, move to step 7…
It's unusual for first novels to be perfect, and, even if they are, it's still unusual for them to be snapped up right away (see Harry Potter).
If you still want to be a writer you have several good options open to you:
All of these are completely valid options, and if you’re serious about being a published author, you’ll doubtless find a way to do it – even if it isn’t the path you envisaged at first.
Oh, and a final tip. Whatever you do, keep reading!
The more widely you read, the better you’ll understand both your craft and your audience.
If you think Pellerin Books might be the right fit for your work, you can find more information about submitting to us here.
