The Book Business: Terms You Need to Know
The publishing world is complex and confusing. New authors especially, and even experienced ones, often struggle to understand and properly navigate the protocols. Below are some terms and tips to help you succeed, whether you aim to find a publisher or self-publish.
Literary Agents
Some traditional publishers only accept submissions or queries from literary agents. Literary agents get paid on commission or take a cut of your advance (they do NOT get paid upfront). You can search for literary agents online, or hire a book broker to find one for you (book brokers DO get paid upfront). Make sure any literary agent you query is actively accepting clients, and that they work in the genre your book is in. Be prepared to send them a book proposal (more on that next).
You don’t always need an agent. Some publishers accept unsolicited submissions (meaning you can submit your manuscript without an agent). Publishers often request a book proposal instead of a manuscript, though some allow you to send the whole manuscript. Be sure to read submission guidelines carefully, as each publisher’s guidelines are different. Also make sure the publisher (or imprint) you query publishes the type (genre) of book you’re writing and is actively accepting submissions.
Book Proposal
A book proposal is like an advertising brochure for your book when pitching to agents or publishers. AJ Harper explains that a book proposal generally includes:
An overview of your idea, why readers need it, and why you are the perfect person to write it; a deep dive into your target market (Ideal Reader + stats about that audience); a bio about you tailored to your book; a competitive title analysis; your marketing/launch plan; an outline with chapter descriptions; and one to two sample chapters. (Write a Must-Read, p. 270)
Every publisher has slightly different guidelines for what they want in a book proposal. Write a good one, then tweak it for each publisher (or agent) you pitch. There are many resources on writing a good book proposal. (Or you can hire a book coach or ghostwriter like me to write a book proposal for you.)
Query Letter
A query letter is often required when pitching to agents and publishers. This is what you write in your email, with the book proposal attached as a Word document. Harper says, “the query letter is a very short email that includes one paragraph about your book and your market and one paragraph about you.” Again, there are many resources to help you. Don’t sound desperate (even if you are), and don’t expect to hear back from them. If they like your idea, they’ll let you know. If not, keep pitching.
Imprint
An imprint is a subsidiary of a large publisher that focuses on one or more genres. For instance, Simon & Schuster has around fifty imprints (and they’re the smallest of the Big Five!) including: 37 INK, focused on African American and diverse voices; Beyond Words Publishing for mind-body-spirit titles; Simon 451 for speculative fiction/fantasy; and Mercury Ink just for Glenn Beck (say what?!). Each imprint has their own submission guidelines.
Manuscript
A manuscript is the book industry’s word for an unpublished book draft—it’s not a “book” until it’s published. Once published, a book is often referred to as a “title” or “property.” (Every industry has its lingo.)
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word is what’s used in the industry. Yes, a PDF looks fancier and Pages is easier to use, but Word is the standard when submitting to an agent, publisher, or self-publishing company. Preferably written in Times New Roman 12-point font, double spaced, with one-inch-wide margins all around.
Plagiarism
In school you just had to cite your sources. In adult life when writing a book, it’s not that simple. If it’s not a news article, scientific study, or a short quote that is easily found online by someone famous, then you must cite it AND ask for the copyright holder’s express permission. Every person mentioned and/or quoted in your book must be contacted, given a chance to read and edit what you wrote, and either approve it or ask you to remove it. (When ghostwriting, I make a spreadsheet for my authors listing each quote or person mentioned, the chapter it’s in, and who to contact so the author can easily ensure they get all the permissions they need.) This is your job as the author; publishers do not help with this. You don’t want to get sued, alienate yourself from a fellow writer, or hurt your reputation. When in doubt, take it out.
Platform
A platform is the book industry’s term for a following. The strength of your platform is more than just the number of social media followers you have. It can also be your public or professional influence, attendees to talks or conferences you give, podcast listeners, YouTube viewers, and/or a combination of those and more.
Book distribution
Book distribution is how books get from publisher to reader. Distributors sometimes buy books in bulk at a discount and work with publishers, retailers, and wholesalers. The bigger and/or more traditional a publisher, usually the better distribution you’ll have. But if you’re self-publishing, don’t worry. With a little research, you too can have your book in Barnes & Noble, provided you do your homework and implement a good marketing plan. To learn more, I suggest this article by Jane Friedman.
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