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ELAINE'S MARKETING SUGGESTIONS FOR WRITERS


Thanks for your recent inquiry into the services of Writers Information Network (WIN). Whether you inquired as to how to get your book published or how to find out more about writing and selling your books and articles, we hope that we can help you get on the right track.

You cannot hope to be a published author unless you know how the industry works. You must learn the buzz words. You must know how to approach editors and publishers and what is expected in author/editor relationships. Enclosed are sheets detailing how to become a member of Writers Information Network, the Professional Association for Christian Writers, and the services available through our office.

If you want to publish a book, we suggest you take the following steps:

1. Visit your local Christian or general bookstore. Observe carefully the section of the bookstore these books are similar to or different than yours. Make sure that you understand WHY your where your book would be shelved. Look for the names of publishers who publish books similar to yours and therefore might be a possible market for your book. Survey your competition. Note how book needs to be published. Try to figure out WHO would be the best publisher for you.

2. Either purchase at the bookstore or use at the library: The Christian Writer's Book ..A Practical Guide to Writing, Writers Market, The Writers Handbook, The Literary Marketplace, or Christian Writers Market Guide. Look up the names and addresses of the publishers whose names you found that might be suitable for your book. Compile a list of at least 12 publishers to whom you could submit a query letter or book proposal.

The Christian Writer's Book, Aycock & Goss, Bridge-Logos, North Brunswick, NJ

Christian Writers' Market Guide, Sally E. Stuart, Harold Shaw Publishers, Wheaton, IL

The Writer's Handbook, ad. by Sylvia K. Burack, The Writer Inc., Boston, MA

1999 Writer's Market, Mark Garvey, Editor, Writers Digest Books, Cincinnati, OH

3. Write to each of the publishers you have identified as a potential market and request a current Catalog and their Writer's Guidelines for whatever type of book you want to submit: children's, academic, fiction, nonfiction, etc. Some publishers have separate writer's guidelines for each category, others just have one guidelines sheet. This information will tell you who to submit your manuscript to, whether you must first submit a query letter, a book proposal (and what they want in the proposals they look at, plus how many pages they will read for their consideration of your manuscript), or if they will look at complete manuscripts and illustrations.

4. When your manuscript is typed (at least 1-inch margins all around), double-spaced (not stapled, clipped or bound in any way), you may submit it to WIN for any of the services you desire. Be sure to enclose a cover letter stating your needs and a check to cover the initial reading fees, $150.00. We are happy to recommend deserving manuscripts to appropriate publishers and thus get you out of the slush pile. [We do have WIN members to recommend with available computer typing services, if you need help preparing your manuscript.)

5. To first check your own manuscript for grammar problems and style, be advised that all articles and short stories are critiqued according to the rules of: The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual, Addison Wesley. Book manuscripts are edited according to: The Chicago Manual of Style, The University of Chicago Press. Biblical quotations, references and other nuances are judged by A Christian Writer's Manual of Style by Hudson & Townsend, Zondervan, or the style chapter in The Christian Writers Book.

We look forward to being of further service to you.

Yours for quality Christian writing, Elaine Wright Colvin

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