Dear O'Abby: Has the YA market disappeared?

 Dear O'Abby,

I don't know if I'm right about this, but it seems like it's become more difficult to get interest for YA books from both agents and publishers.  I've been writing YA for a long time, and about 15 years ago I found that I had a much better request rate from queries than I'm getting for my latest book. Has the YA market slowed down?  Or are agents and publishers just looking for different things now?

If you know anything I should be taking into account, I'd love to hear it.  I won't bore you with the whole story, but basically I'm hunting for an agent for the first time in a few years,, and it seems like I'm querying in a whole new landscape.

Sincerely,

Stranger in a strange land

Dear Stranger,

You're right.  The YA landscape has changed in the last 15-20 years, so if you're just jumping back in, you are seeing a difference.

You see, 15 years ago, YA was kind of a new thing.  Not entirely, of course, but as a category, it was still pretty fresh.  When I was growing up, there was  YA section at the library, but it was tiny - a few books by S E Hinton, Robert Cormier, Paul Zindel and Gordon Korman.  I basically moved from the kids' section of the library to Stephen King and Virginia Andrews because YA as we know it today didn't really exist. 

Today the YA section is my local library is a full section with multiple shelves plus a couple of big displays for the librarians' choices and a theme that changes monthly.

And that's why you're seeing a change to acquisitions.  There is a whole lot of amazing YA literature that already exists, a whole back catalogue of those books that were acquired and published over the last 20 years.  15 years ago when you were querying, agents and publishers were hungry for YA because it was proving popular with readers and there wasn't enough out there to satisfy demand.  Writers obviously take longer to write books than it takes for readers to devour them, so there was kind of a frenzy of acquisition at this time.

Now that there is so much YA available, agents and publishers are more focused on filling gaps in the market, especially around broadening representation.  So the kinds of YA book that were getting snapped up in 2010 are not receiving the same level of interest now. 

Hopefully that answers your question.  It's tough out there, I know, but don't give up.  

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: What are my odds for getting published?

 Dear O'Abby,

I'm a first-time author trying to get my novel published and it has been tough.  Lots of rejection from both agents and publishers which is disheartening.  So, I'm wondering, do you know what the stats are for first novels getting published?  And is there anything I can do to improve my chances?

Thanks so much,

Unpubbed

Dear Unpubbed,

Unfortunately, the news I have for you is not good.  Only about 2% of authors get commercial publishing contracts.  Stats say that about 95% of manuscripts are not up to the standard a commercial publisher would consider.  And even those that are up to the required standard might get passed on because the publisher already has something similar on their list, the subject matter doesn't align with their current priorities or they feel it may be too hard to sell.

It is a tough road...  In terms of upping your chances of being in that tiny percentage, the best thing you can do is to write an amazing book and make sure you've had several rounds of critique and editing before sending it out anywhere.  With so few books reaching a publishable standard, the best way to get a leg up to to ensure yours is among the 5% that are.

And of course, commercial publishing is not the only option for you.  Small presses often specialise in specific genres and styles that mainstream publishing companies may not be interested in, so if your book is in a more niche genre, you may be better off submitting to a small press. And of course, there is also the option of self-publishing which is a good option if you are someone who likes to be in control of things, or if you write quickly - commercial publishing generally works at glacial speed..

At the end of the day, while there are things you can control - like the quality of your book - a lot of it is luck.  If your book falls into the right hands at the right moment, it could be the thing that gets you published.  But for most of us, that doesn't happen and we need to look at other publishing options.  

I'm sure this isn't the news you were hoping for, but I always feel like it's better to be prepared and have all the facts before you go too far down any path.  

Best of luck with your publishing journey, whichever direction you choose to take.

X O'Abby

Suzanna's Writing and Reading Goals for 2024: February Update

 

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The second month was successful with my reading goals. I made great progress on the publishing course, though I still have quite a bit to go. It has been lovely to think of how I want to reach my writing and publishing goals.

Here are my writing goals for 2024:

1. Write 50,000 words in 30 days as part of a NaNo project (Camp in April, Camp in July, or NaNo in November).
2. Write at least one children's book.
3. Write at least one new short story.
4. Edit at least one short story from my undergrad days.
5. Write at least twelve poems.
6. Put together a poetry collection.
7. Work on the draft of the graphic novel.
8. Take a course on publishing. (in progress)

1. Read 12 literary magazines. (0/12)
2. Read 12 novels. (24/12)
1. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (read by Andy Serkis)
2. The Wolf of Oren-Yaro
3. The House in the Cerulean Sea by T. J. Klune
4. Green Rider by Kristen Britain
5. The Atlas Complex by Olivie Blake
6. Rival Demons by Sarra Cannon
7. Demons Forever by Sarra Cannon
8. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
9. Emerald Darkness by Sarra Cannon
3. Read 12 short story collections. (0/12)
4. Read 12 poetry collections. (0/12)
5. Read 12 graphic novels. (7/12)
1. Heartstopper Volume 4 by Alice Oseman
2. A Guest in the House by Emily Carroll
3. The Dark Matter of Mona Starr by Laura Lee Gulledge
4. Everything is Teeth by Evie Wyld
5. Fables: Book Six by Bill Willingham
6. Read 12 children's books. (6/12)
1. The Adventures of Chad and the feelings of Glad, Mad and Sad by Dustin Wright
2. We're Different, We're the Same by Bobbi Jane Kates
3. Mulla Husayn: The Story of the Declaration of the Bab for Young Children by Alhan Rahimi
4. Naw-Ruz in My Family by Alhan Rahimi
5. Garden of Ridvan by Alhan Rahimi
7. Read lots of books (nonfiction, fiber, etc). (9/12)
1. Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers by Robert M. Sapolsky
2. Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher
8. Participate in every Kindle Reading Challenge this year and get at least 90% of the badges. 
1. On target to finish all of the badges!

What are some of your writing and reading goals for 2024? How was February for you?

From the Archives - Dear O'Abby: Can I writer reviews if I'm an aspiring author?

 Dear O’Abby, 

I’ve been getting conflicting advice about whether or not to review books as an aspiring author. Some people tell me I shouldn’t do it because if I give a bad review to a book represented by a publisher or agent I might wish to query, they may have already put a black mark by my name. Others say I should write reviews because it helps to identify things wrong with stories and writing that I can then apply to my own work. 

Do you have an opinion on this? 

Best, 

Confused 


Dear Confused, 

I’ve heard that story about why writers shouldn’t write reviews too, but I’ve never taken it too seriously. Agents and publishers should be mature enough to understand that not every book is going to appeal to every reader and that well-written reviews can be valuable to the author even if they aren’t 100% positive. 

As a writer, it’s important to read critically and reviewing books is one way to force yourself to do so. If you like a book, reviewing it will help you figure out why you enjoyed it. Was it the story? The characters? The way the words are strung together? 

And if you didn’t like the book, what was it you didn’t like? Did you feel the characters acted inconsistently? Was the writing pedestrian? Did the plot fall flat? 

By identifying what you do and don’t like about the books you read, you will find yourself growing more critical of your own writing and you may save yourself a lot of grief by fixing issues long before you send the manuscript off to agents or publishers. 

If being blacklisted by agents or publishers for writing negative reviews is a real concern, there are a number of ways you can get around it. 

Firstly, only publish reviews of things you like. Write the negative ones because they’re often more helpful to you as a writer than the positive ones, but don’t publish them. I did this for a while, calling the review section on my blog ‘books I’ve loved’ and only reviewing things I really liked. I ended up stopping this though, because there just weren’t enough books I loved to write a positive review every week. 

Another way to get around it is to review under a pseudonym or write under a pen name so your reviews aren’t linked to your author name. 

The key thing to remember when writing reviews is to be constructive. Don’t just pile on with a negative rant. Nothing is 100% bad, so even a negative review can mention a few positives to balance out the negativity. Personally, I like to start with something I liked and finish with another thing I liked with all the critique in the middle. Always read what you have written before you publish and think about how it would make you feel if this review was for your own book. 

I would also suggest you don’t tag the author when you publish the review. Not all writers like to read their reviews and if they accidentally click onto a link in a tweet or something and find themselves confronted with a negative review, it could be very upsetting for them. 

So that’s my opinion on whether writers should write reviews. I know other people have different opinions, but if you want to write reviews and if you find the process helps your own writing, why not? 

If you want more information about this topic, Operation Awesome's J Lenni  Dorner has written a very helpful book, Writing Book Reviews As An Author which gives much more in-depth guidance about how to effectively review books as an author. Some of the advice in there may contradict my own, but it's still a valuable resource, even if you are not a writer and want to write reviews.

Happy reviewing!

X O’Abby

Suzanna's Writing and Reading Goals for 2024: January Update

 

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It's time to reflect on the first month of 2024! How did I do?

Here are my writing goals for 2024:

1. Write 50,000 words in 30 days as part of a NaNo project (Camp in April, Camp in July, or NaNo in November).
2. Write at least one children's book.
3. Write at least one new short story.
4. Edit at least one short story from my undergrad days.
5. Write at least twelve poems.
6. Put together a poetry collection.
7. Work on the draft of the graphic novel.
8. Take a course on publishing.
1. The 6 week course starts in February, and it will be exciting to think about writing and publishing in a new way. I am looking forward to learning so much.

Of course as a writer, I also need to read. I read 25 books in January. Only 225 to hit my goal, which is about 4.5 books a week.

1. Read 12 literary magazines. (0/12)
1. (selected one but haven't finished)
2. Read 12 novels. (15/12)
1. Inner Demons by Sarra Cannon
2. Popcorn and Poltergeists by Nancy Warren
3. Bitter Demons by Sarra Cannon
4. Shadow Demons by Sarra Cannon
5. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
6. Golden Son by Pierce Brown
7. Garters and Gargoyles by Nancy Warren
8. Morning Star by Pierce Brown
9. Diamonds and Daggers by Nancy Warren
10. Ribbing and Runes by Nancy Warren
11. Herringbones and Hexes by Nancy Warren
12. Mosaics and Magic by Nancy Warren
13. Tangles and Treason by Nancy Warren
14. Iron Gold by Pierce Brown
15. Cat's Paws and Curses by Nancy Warren
3. Read 12 short story collections. (0/12)
1. (selected one but haven't finished)
4. Read 12 poetry collections. (0/12)
1. (selected one but haven't finished)
5. Read 12 graphic novels. (2/12)
1. Heartstopper: Volume Two by Alice Oseman
2. Heartstopper: Volume Three by Alice Oseman
6. Read 12 children's books. (1/12)
1. The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken
7. Read lots of books (nonfiction, fiber, etc). (7/12)
1. Weaving Big on a Little Loom by Fiona Daly
2. A Handbook of Weaves by Gustaf Hermann Oelsner
3. Pattern Weaving by Rabbit Goody
4. Polysecure by Jessica Fern
5. The Art of War by Sun Tzu
6. The Gift by Edith Eger
7. The Polysecure Workbook by Jessica Fern
8. Participate in every Kindle Reading Challenge this year and get at least 90% of the badges.
1. I am on target with 8 achievements so far.  

What are some of your writing and reading goals for 2024? How did January go for you?

Dear O'Abby: Am I being ghosted?

 Dear O'Abby,

My agent has had my book out on submission and it's been a while now.  We got a couple of pretty swift rejections, which kind of sucked, but at least I knew where I stood with those editors.  A couple of others have told my agent that they're behind on their reading and they will be getting to it soon.  So at least I know that I haven't been forgotten.

The last couple of editors have been eerily silent.  My agent has followed up with them a couple of times, but has received no response.  Do editors sometimes just not respond?  Ever?  Am I freaking out for no good reason here?

Sincerely,

Ghosted

Dear Ghosted,

Unfortunately, this does occasionally happen.  It may not be malicious or intentional, but sometimes editors get so behind on their reading, it becomes embarrassing for them to admit.  Or some major life event may have derailed things and they're struggling to get back on track.

Whatever the reason, if this lack of response becomes a regular thing, agents will notice and stop sending stuff to that editor.  This is the kind of inside knowledge an agent has that you don't have if you're subbing to publishers on your own.  Obviously, if your agent subbed to these editors, she thinks your book is a good fit with them and she has a good relationship with them.  Have you raised your concerns about the length of time it is taking with her?

Maybe she knows these editors are often slow to respond, but she's willing to wait because she believes they are the best fit for your book.  Or maybe they have always been responsive in the past, and this behaviour is out of character.  Whatever the situation, be certain your agent is taking note and, while I know it doesn't help you, if they are serial non-responders, agents will stop subbing to them.

I hope this helps.

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: What does publishing look like in 2024?

 Dear O'Abby,

I'm a published author whose been out of the publishing arena for a few years (I had kids, had to get a day job, got out of the habit of writing....) and am hoping to dive back in this year with a new novel I've been working on for a few years. 

I know the world changed a lot through COVID and I'm just wondering what publishing actually looks like in 2024. Do you have any insight into trends or anything that might be useful to know as an author heading back into publishing after a period of time away?

Kind regards, 

Old Hat

Dear Old Hat,

I'm not sure how long you've been away or what kind of book you've written, or even if you're looking at traditional or self-publishing, so my answers may not be what you're looking for.  Feel free to check back in with me if you need to know anything specific!

Political books are popular.  Some of the biggest sellers in the past few years were books by political figures (Barak Obama, Bill Clinton) or about them (Donald Trump, Joe Biden).

In kidlit (children's and YA books) diversity is a must. Since publishing realised there was a distinct lack of diversity in books for young people, publishers have actively been seeking out books featuring people of colour, those living with disabilities, those from the LGBTQIA+ community and others who have historically been underrepresented in fiction. 

Self-publishing is booming. With the popularity of e-books skyrocketing during the COVID years, the number of authors choosing to take control of their own work and career is growing. And with readers increasingly using social media platforms to access information about what's good, authors are becoming more digital savvy in the ways they market to them.  There's a reason people are talking about "Book Tok" and "Bookstagrammers".  If you're going to sell books in 2024, you'd better be good at social media if you want to stand out!

While the publishing giants keep trying to consolidate and become one giant publishing machine, some small presses are seeing significant growth.  Some of these presses are very niche, but they are also more likely to take risks on unknown authors or books that don't fit neatly into a specific genre.

Audiobooks continue to grow in popularity.  And as self publishing tools make creating audiobooks simpler, we are likely to see even more growth in this area.  

I don't think we can talk about publishing in 2024 without mentioning AI.  As far as I can tell, AI hasn't managed to write a good novel yet, but as its use becomes more and more normalised across other types of writing (marketing, PR, articles etc) and the machine consumes vast quantities of other peoples' writing to "learn" how to write, I  suspect it is only a matter of time.  Personally, I don't think this is a good thing as writing is an art and good art is created in response to human experiences and emotions. But I don't think the people who stand to profit from more use of AI give much creedence to what I think.  There are already AI-written novels out there, I'm sure, even if they are not brandishing that fact on the cover (which is probably also AI generated).

And that's just a few of the things I'm seeing in publishing.  Just let me know if there is anything else you would like to know.

X O'Abby

Suzanna's Writing and Reading Goals for 2024

 

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Wow, I can't believe that January is halfway over already! I decided to do something a little different this year. In December 2023, I took the Heart Breathings HB90 Bootcamp by Sarra Cannon to break the year into quarters by making goals and planning projects each quarter. I've been trying for years (and years) to develop tools from others and discover my preferences with planners, tracking progress, making goals, and completing goals.

And with all those years of experimenting, I have had little success with follow through. I make all of these wonderful goals at the beginning of the year. I start off great, but then the Suzanna Train loses steam and screeches off the track. Sure, I've reached some of my goals, but I have been anything but consistent, except during NaNo. Somehow, I can do NaNo. I even made it to 100 K with my double NaNo goal in 2023. YAY!

While I am still experimenting with my planner system, I'm thrilled that I took the HB90 Bootcamp course. I can already feel a difference with the progress I've made so far on my goals. 

• I'm not beating myself up when I fail to meet my daily or weekly to do list.
• Each day is a fresh start. Today is a good day to have a good day.
• It is really hard to make habits, but progress is progress.
• Life will throw curveballs no matter how much I plan. Gotta get up.

So, I want to continue writing, reading, and making progress on my personal goals. Here goes the start of a new quarter.

Here are my writing goals for 2024:

1. Write 50,000 words in 30 days as part of a NaNo project (Camp in April, Camp in July, or NaNo in November).
2. Write at least one children's book.
3. Write at least one new short story.
4. Edit at least one short story from my undergrad days.
5. Write at least twelve poems.
6. Put together a poetry collection.
7. Work on the draft of the graphic novel.
8. Take a course on publishing.

Of course as a writer, I also need to read. Can I make it to 250 this year? I made it to 247 last year.

1. Read 12 literary magazines.
2. Read 12 novels.
3. Read 12 short story collections.
4. Read 12 poetry collections.
5. Read 12 graphic novels.
6. Read 12 children's books.
7. Participate in every Kindle Reading Challenge this year and get at least 90% of the badges. 

What are some of your writing and reading goals for 2024?

Dear O'Abby: What's going on?

 Dear O'Abby,

I saw some stuff online earlier this week about an author who was in trouble for something she'd done on Goodreads?  I never caught the author's name or got the full story about what they did wrong, so I'm wondering what that was all about.  

Do you know?

Kind regards,

Curious

Dear Curious,

Yes, there was a big blow up on social media earlier in the week when it was discovered that an author had set up a bunch of fake Goodreads accounts and used them to boost her own book.  But even worse, she used these accounts to also trash other people's books, authors she saw as her competition.

Don't do this.

I know there are a lot of books out there and only a finite number of readers, but being dishonest and actively sabotaging other authors is not the way to get seen. Other authors are not the enemy.  Other authors are your community and for the most part, they've got your back.  I've found that the writing community is very welcoming, extremely generous with their time, and very willing to share the things they've learned along the way.

Don't repay this by stabbing the people who helped you in the back.

This particular author has apologised, but to me it feels too late.  She only did it after she got caught.  And after she set up another fake account to try and blame the whole mess on an "acquaintance".  And sure, more people know her name now, but I don't think that's going to help her book or her writing career.

Writing isn't a competition and there isn't a winner.  I know it sometimes feels that way, especially with publishing houses often doing little to no publicity and leaving all the work of getting readers' attention to the author.  But this isn't the kind of attention you want.  Make sure people are talking about you and your book because it's a great story, well written, not because of your appalling online behaviour.

So that's what happened.  Make sure you learn from her mistake.

X O'Abby

 

Dear O'Abby: Is there a time of year that's best for self-publishing a book?

Dear O'Abby,

I'm curious... Is there like a peak season for book publishing?  Is there a particular month or season where self-pubbed books do better?  Or is book publishing kind of a year-round thing?

Sincerly,

Out of Time

Dear Out of Time,

What a good question!  While book publishing is a year-round enterprise, there are certain types of book that do better at different times of the year, so you may want to take that into consideration.

For example, self-help books tend to do well toward the beginning of the year when people are making New Year's resolutions and trying to start the new year off in a different way.  This is also a bad time for kid's books because parents and grandparents have just splurged on their kids for Christmas.

A good time for children's books is before the summer holidays because parents will be looking for things to occupy their little darling while they're out of school (and possibly going on long trips).  This is also a good time for those"beach reads" - thrillers and romances and things that people can consume quickly. 

Halloween is good for horror, obviously, 

And then heading toward the Christmas period, self-help pops up again, as does kid-lit, but this time of year is also good for coffee-table books and other gorgeous-looking volumes that people can be impressed with when they unwrap them.  Cookbooks are good at this time of year too.

I hope that was helpful!

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: Do I need to mention my age when I query?

 Dear O'Abby,

I've written my first book and I'm  excited to start querying it to agents and publishers.  I've done a bunch of research online, and I feel pretty well prepared, but the one thing I can't find out is if I need to disclose my age in a query.  I'm 14, and I feel like that's something unique about me that I should share in my query - I mean, how many 14-year-olds write novels?

So, is this something I should share?  Or should I wait until further down the track to let that little tidbit out of the bag?

Truly,

Younger

Dear Younger,

Firstly, let me congratulate you on finishing a book!  That's quite an achievement at any age.

From my point of view, I'd keep your age out of it at this early stage.  When you're querying, all the agent is really looking at is the quality of your work and whether you've written something compelling that they can sell.  I feel like mentioning your age at this point could skew the way they read your work and potentially bias them one way or another before they even start.

Obviously you will need to disclose your age eventually - at 14 you're not old enough to sign a legally binding contract, so will need a parent or guardian to do this for you - but I'd leave it until you've got something concrete on the table in terms of an offer or "the call".

That's the point where your age could be advantageous as it offers the agent a different marketing angle.  I mean, you're not the only young writer out there, but there aren't so many teenage authors that it's not a talking point.  So use it!

Hope that helps!

And good luck with the querying.  It can be hard, but don't get discouraged or let rejections destroy your love of writing and storytelling.  You have plenty of time to be published.

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: How do I publish poetry?

 Dear O'Abby,

I've been writing poetry for a number of years now, and I have enough poems I consider good now that I feel  like I'm ready to put them together into a collection.  I've been researching agents, but I haven't had much like finding any that represent poetry.  Is there a different process for publishing poetry than there is for novels and non-fiction books?

Yours truly,

Confused Poetess

Dear Confused Poetess,

Agents very rarely represent poets, and if they do, they're usually big name poets who have won major awards, or they're novelists who just happen to write poetry on the side.  So the process for getting your poems published is going to be quite different.

The first thing I'd suggest is submitting your poems to literary journals and other publications.  This is where poetry gets seen and read and where you can build an audience for your work.  You can also share your poems on social media or on a blog, but just be aware that this can, in some cases, be considered publication,  and some journals won't accept previously published work.

You can also enter competitions which is another way to get your work in front of people.  Some contests offer publication as the ultimate prize, either for individual poems as part of an anthology, or the publication of a collection.

Self-publishing is a good option for poets too, especially if you have local bookstores that carry poetry books.  Make sure you invest in a good cover and you may be able to get your local bookstores to carry the book.  Alternatively, there are some small presses that specialise in poetry and have good distribution across known poetry markets.

I hope that helps!

X  O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: What does a foreign rights agent do?

Dear O'Abby,

I've seen the term "foreign rights agent" bandied about recently, and I actually don't know what this means.  Can you explain the difference between a regular agent and a foreign rights agent?  And do I need to query both?

Sincerely,

Bamboozled

Dear Bamboozled,

Firstly, no.  You do not have query a foreign rights agent. 

Foreign rights agents work with books that have already been published (or are about to be published) and arrange for those books to be made available in territories outside the original publisher's home.  For example, a book that was published in New Zealand may not immediately be available in the US because the rights to the US territory have not been sold.  A foreign rights agent would broker that deal.

Foreign rights agents may also deal with translators to ensure a book written in English can be accessed by readers in France or Germany or Brazil in those readers' native language.  And that books written in languages other than English are translated and made available to English-speaking readers.

Foreign rights agents have specialised skills and knowledge of the markets in which they represent titles.  And not all foreign rights agents will have this insight into all international territories.  Agents tend to specialise in particular markets and rely on co-agents who have inside knowledge of other markets for sales outside their key territories.  

Markets can be fickle and change often, so a foreign rights agent will be in frequent contact with international publishers to ensure they find the right home for the books they are representing.  Foreign rights agents are also likely to attend international book fairs to check out what kinds of books are being published in different territories.

So, in a nutshell, a foreign rights agent is the middleman between your domestic publisher, and a publisher in another territory.  Some authors prefer to retain their foreign rights so they can engage their own foreign rights agent and work with them directly, while others will assign these rights to their publisher who will then commission a foreign rights agent to represent their collection of titles.

I hope that helps!

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: How can I give up my day job?

 Dear O'Abby,

I've been writing for over ten years now, and the sum total of my writing income has been...  well... let's just say it's not much.  When I started this, I was certain that by this point in my career I'd be a full time writer.  But I'm still working over 40 hours a week at my day job on top of all the time I spend writing and marketing my books.

What do I need to do to get to the point I can sustain myself and my family as a writer?

Yours,

Baffled

Dear Baffled, 

I think you'd be surprised to know how few writers are able to live comfortably off their writing income.  Just look at the bios of authors in the back of the majority of books you read and you'll find that most of them do something else as well as write.  

And there really isn't a lot you can do about it.  The best thing you can do is to keep writing, keep publishing and keep your fingers crossed that something you write resonates with enough people that it sells a lot of copies. And that people who read that book might be interested enough and passionate enough to go back and seek out that back catalogue you've been building up all these years.

Having a body of work certainly helps.  Even if you don't make a fortune off any one book, having a catalogue of titles means you're not relying on one thing to earn your living.  But even that isn't a guarantee of success.  There are a lot of writers out there and a lot of books for readers to discover.  The best thing you can do is to learn everything you can and become the best writer you can be.  

I wish there was a magic formula or recipe we could follow to become successful, but if there is, I haven't found it yet.  Let me know if you do.

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: What is hybrid publishing?

 Dear O'Abby,

I've completed a novel I'm pretty happy with.  My readers seem to like it and I feel like it's in a pretty good place to begin the publishing journey.  I've written other books in the past, queried them (unsuccessfully) and even ventured into self-publishing.  

Since I was last considering publication, there seems to be a new thing called "hybrid" publishing around and I'm not entirely sure what this is.  Can you illuminate me? Is this just a new name for vanity publishing? 

Thanks so much!

Truly,

OldSkool

Dear OldSkool,

Good question!  Hybrid publishing is a relatively recent model which sits somewhere between self-publishing and traditional publishing.  

Under this model the author will still cover the majority of costs for the publication of the book, much like self-publishing.  The advantages are that a hybrid publisher will have distribution networks a self-published author probably doesn't have and will be able to get the book into bookstores.

The publisher will likely have their own imprints and your book would be published under one of these and receive its ISBN from the publisher.  

To offset the investment you put into the publishing of your book, royalty rates with hybrid publishers tend to be higher than traditional publishing.  But the publisher will still take a cut that would not be taken out if you self-published.

Be aware that even though you may be willing to pay a hybrid publisher, they may not accept your book.  Like all businesses, hybrid publishers need to focus on books that will make money and enhance their reputation, so they are likely to focus their time and energy on authors whose work is likely to sell. 

Just like with small presses, I suggest you do through research before submitting to a hybrid publisher.  If they don't have access to better distribution tools than you would have as a self-published author, there is little point. There may be some editorial work done on your book, but as a self-publisher you probably already have an editor you work with, or could find one whose fees fit your budget.

You also need to consider if you can afford to pay for the print run.  As a hybrid author your books will likely be sent to bookstores on consignment, and if they don't sell, you may be saddled with a print run that costs thousands of dollars that doesn't return much to you.  You may also lose control of some decision making about your book like pricing, where it is sold and even editorial matters.

At the end of the day, the decision is yours.  While it may be exciting to have your book accepted by a publisher and to have your name next to theirs on the cover, you will still be paying to produce the book.  Unless the publisher has a strong track record of success in publishing and distributing its books, the value of giving up a percentage of royalties may be limited.

Hope that helps and good luck with your publishing journey!  

X O'Abby

P.S.  If you do decide to go with a hybrid publisher, perhaps you might like to share the experience with us.  I'm sure you're not the only one curious about this. 

Dear O'Abby: Is this real?

 Dear O'Abby,

I recently received an email from a major film studio saying they're interested in my book.  Obviously this is really exciting news, but something feels off about the email.  They're asking for some quite personal information and also for some money for a special kind of copyright.

So, before I reply, I just wanted to check if this kind of thing is normal?  And is it legit?

Best,

Suspicious

Dear Suspicious,

You are 100% correct in being cautious here.  This is not the way studios go about optioning books, and you should never expect to pay for the privilege.  They should be paying you!

This is a scam and one that has been ongoing for some time - the name of the production company changes from time to time, but the wording of the email and the basic premise remains the same.  Writer Beware has blogged about it a couple of times, here and here.

It is very unlikely that any legitimate publishing industry professional will contact you out of the blue for any reason, so any time you're contacted in this way, be suspicious.  Most editors and agents are far too busy with their existing and querying clients to be cold-calling authors they have no connection to, so it is unlikely that an offer that comes in like this is anything other than a scam.

So, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but better to know before you get scammed, right?

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: How do I transition from kids' books to books for adults?

 Dear O'Abby,

I am a kid-lit author with several published MG and picture books to my name.  I have also published a couple of YA  novels for younger YA readers.  I love writing for young people, but the new book I am working on is very different and will definitely be for adults.  

I'm wondering if you know anything about how to transition to this new audience without having to use a pseudonym.  With such an extensive publishing history, I don't want to lose the name recognition even though I'm targeting a different audience.

Yours truly,

Transitory

Dear Transitory,

Darn it!  You've already eliminated the most obvious answer here - to use a pseudonym.  But I understand your reasons for not doing this and respect them.

Firstly, I would ask if you currently have an agent representing your kidlit projects?  If so, do they also represent adult books?  If they do, they will be in a far better position to guide you through this transition than I.  But given you've asked here, I suspect you either don't have an agent or your agent does not represent adult books.

So...  If it's the latter, you need to talk to your current agent.  Let them know that your new book doesn't fit in the wheelhouse of your previous work. Depending on your working relationship, she may be willing to explore new avenues on your behalf.  Or there may be another agent at the agency who could represent your new project and the two agents could work together on your career.

If you don't already have an agent, or your current agent doesn't have any leads for you, you will probably want to query your new book when it is ready.  Research widely for agents best suited to your new work. Make sure that when you query you let the agents know that you have a body of work and (if it is the case) and agent already representing this facet of your career.  This will give you a leg up on authors that don't already have a track record of publishing and working with an agent.

Obviously the whole querying thing is a lot of work and if you feel like this book is a one-off and you probably won't write another adult book, you may not want to do this.  It may also be harder to get an agent for the project because agents tend to like working with writers' careers, rather than single books.  If this sounds like you, there is always self-publishing or even working with a small press that doesn't require an agent to submit.

There are so many variables!

Hopefully this is helpful.

Best of luck with finishing the new book.

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: Do I need an agent to get my poetry published?

 Dear O'Abby,

I've written hundreds, if not thousands, of poems over the last ten years.  I've had some published by literary journals and poetry magazines, but I would really like to publish a collection of poems loosely grouped by theme.  I've done some research, but I can't seem to find any agents who represent poetry collections.  Does this mean I don't need an agent to publish a book of poetry?

All the best,

Poetess

Dear Poetess,

You don't need an agent to publish a book of poetry. There are small presses that are dedicated to poetry and don't require agents.  You can also self-publish your poetry.  Many poets do this very successfully, selling more copies at live poetry readings than they do through more traditional bookselling channels.

There are agents who represent poets, but you may need to search for them.  Poetry collections do not tend to sell huge numbers of copies or generate large advances so an agent representing poetry works for less money, making representing poets less attractive.  If you publish a book of poetry yourself or with a small press, and it's successful, you are far more likely to be able to get an agent than if you are pitching your very first book.

That said, poetry is growing in popularity and some agents are beginning to take notice of this.  Novels in verse are also becoming more prevalent and there are some agents actively looking for more of this type of book.  So things might be slowly changing.

If you have plans to write something else, a novel or a memoir or even a non-fiction book, then you need an agent.  And if you pick the right one, they might choose to also represent your poetry.  But they also might not.  As I mentioned above, most poetry doesn't sell enough to be worth an agent's efforts so unless you have other work that might be of higher value, or you are the Poet Laureate, finding an agent for your poetry will be challenging.

So keep publishing in journals and look around at what other avenues are available to you. Self publishing is a very viable option, especially if you are a poet who does a lot of live readings.  People like to buy books from the person they just saw on stage.  I know the majority of poetry on my bookshelves comes from having bought them directly from the poet.

I hope that is helpful.  Best of luck with your poetry!

X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: From the Archive - Word Count

 O'Abby is on vacation the next two weeks, so posts will be from the archives.  This week, always a popular question: word count...

Dear O'Abby,

I was recently trying to find out what an acceptable word count might be for a middle grade novel.  I consulted the great Google, and on the first page found three completely contradictory answers to that question.

Why is something like word count, that should be pretty standard across the industry, just... not?

Yours,

Google-plexed

Dear Google-plexed,

I agree, word count is something that should be standardized. And it largely is within the publishing industry, but this is the internet and everyone has an opinion they want to share, regardless of whether it's right or wrong.  Or up-to-date.  And word count of books change as people's reading habits change.

Partly, I think the discrepancies online are historical. The more pages a book has, the more expensive it is to print and bind.  And to ship. Have you ever noticed that books tend to get longer the further you get into a series?  That's what happens for successful authors; they get more words to play with because the publisher already knows there is an audience hungry for the next title by that author.

But this doesn't really apply when a large number of people are reading books digitally and there is no cost for printing, binding and shipping.

Which probably has a lot to do with the way word count seems to be changing.

I did some research and it appears that in the current climate, any book, regardless of age-level that is over 100,000 words starts making agents and publishers nervous.  A fantasy novel or historical that requires a lot of world building might be able to edge up to 120,000, but any higher than that and you might be looking at an insta-rejection.

Middle grade novels tend to range between 20,000 and 60,000 words, depending on subject matter and whether it's aimed at the upper or lower range of MG.

YA novels tend to range between 45,000 and 100,000 words, with most sitting around the 60,000 to 75,000 word mark.  As a YA author, I'm constantly trying to fight to get my own books to that level because while I tend to write really lean first drafts, my finished books almost always wind up being closer to 85,000 than 60,000.  The one I've been editing the past few weeks is just over 90,000.  Luckily I have a very supportive publisher...

Adult books tend to be between 60,000 and 120,000 with the majority hitting somewhere around the 85,000 to 100,000 mark.

Life seems to be getting busier all the time and there are more and more things competing for our attention.  It will be interesting to see if, as attention spans get shorter, publishers start looking for shorter books.  Certainly there has been an explosion in the popularity and availability of novellas in recent years, particularly in the romance genre, which, at around 20,000 to 40,000 words indicates people are buying and reading shorter fiction.


X O'Abby

Dear O'Abby: Do I have to pay to play?

 Dear O'Abby,

I have written a considerable amount of short fiction and feel like I'm ready to start submitting it to competitions and journals in the hope of getting published.  I've been researching and have been surprised to discover that a lot of the contests and even publications I would like to submit to, charge for it.  Is that normal?  I always I thought I'd earn money as a writer (eventually), not have to pay for the privilege of submitting.

Can you give me some advice around this?

Best,

Cash-Strapped

Dear Cash-Strapped,

Unfortunately, this is a reality.  Some publications and a large number of contests do charge reading fees or entry fees.   For contests that offer a cash prize, these entry fees often go toward making up that prize. 

At the end of the day, it is up to you whether you are willing to pay to play.  Or if you can afford to do that for very long. Personally, I agree with you and believe I should be paid for my writing rather than paying for the privilege of submitting, so if I get to a point in the submission process where I am asked for payment, I terminate it.  I'll only pay to enter something I really, really want to be in. 

My suggestion would be that you send your work to places that don't charge a reading fee to begin with.  You can spend a lot of money very quickly and a lot of publications only give you a copy of the journal as payment for your work so you don't get a chance to make that money back.  Once you have a few publication credits under your belt, you might feel more confident to pay fees for selects contests or publications.

There are plenty of publications and contests that don't ask you to pay to play, and that will pay you if your story/poem is selected.  Often not a lot, but when you're starting out, even a token payment can feel great.  I still have the first cheque I ever received as payment for a short story - it was in USD and would have cost more than the cheque was for to process at my local bank - and will probably carry it around with me the rest of my life.

Hopefully that helps!  If you want to spend some money on your writing career, you might want to subscribe to Duotrope which is a great resource for finding publications to submit your work to.  I have to admit I haven't used it since it has been behind a pay wall, but when I was submitting short fiction regularly, I used it all the time to find publications best suited to my stories.

Best of luck with your submitting!

X O'Abby