THE ICE PICK

Writer’s Market FAQs: Fast Answers about Getting Published and the Business of Writing, by Peter Rubie. Cincinnati, Writer’s Digest Books, 2002. 271 p. $18.99. Includes: sample letter of agreement between agent and client, glossary, and index. ISBN: 1-58297-071-8.

Peter Rubie, of the Peter Rubie Literary Agency in New York City, and professor of "the only university-level course in the country on how to become a literary agent" has, by now, probably heard all of the Frequently Asked Questions. As an author, he has probably asked quite a few of them himself.

Arranged in a question-and-answer format, the book provides answers to questions like: "Should I start my . . . career publishing short stories rather than a novel?" "Why do I keep getting rejected?" "Can I make more money keeping rights and selling them myself? Or should I let a publisher take a share and sell the rights?" The answers given are not merely brief retorts, but are fully developed discussions. For example, there are explicit instructions on what should be included in a fiction proposal, including information such as: "if the book is part of a series, include a half-page or one-page description of a few more titles in the series, as well as a brief series overview."

"The Basics" includes such questions as: "How do I get started?" "How do I know if my manuscript is ready to be published?" "Is keeping a journal a good idea?" "Should I go to school or take lessons or something?" "Why does it sometimes feel like everyone in publishing is conspiring to stop me from getting published?" and are writers’ conferences worthwhile?

The second chapter explains genres and cross-genres, tells about meeting "the reader’s expectations," and why it might make sense to use different names if you write in different genres.

"Agents, Editors and Other Publishing People" answers questions like: "How do I approach editors or publishers?" "Why has publishing become so hard-nosed these days?" "Why is it so hard to get hold of an agent between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.?" "What do I do if I’m able to actually speak with an editor?" "How do I protect my idea?" "How do I register my copyright?" "How do I get permission to use somebody else’s work?" "What should I know about an agent before I approach one?" "How do I attract the attention of a good agent?" "What should I ask a potential agent?" "Why should I bother with a literary agent?" and how do I "submit to an editor without an agent"? The Code of Ethics for the Association of Authors’ Representatives is reprinted and explained paragraph by paragraph in plain English.

The chapter on marketing explains how to "define" or "target" your audience, that is, the people who might buy your book. And it discusses what publishers do to distribute and promote ("not much") your book after it is published, and some things you can do to help. Questions include: "How do I write a letter to a ‘famous’ person asking for an endorsement?" "Should I hire a publicist?" "How can I get myself on TV?" and "What do I do if my editor and imprint are swallowed up in a merger?" A list of Web sites you can "go to for help with marketing and publicity" is provided.

Chapter five, "Developing Ideas and Creating Book Proposals," covers everything from "What should I write about?" to "How do I create a fiction proposal?" Other questions and answers include things like: "How long should I wait before I contact the editor or agent to see whether they have read my material?" and "What is meant by a ‘narrative hook’?" There is also a list of organizations and useful web sites for writers.

"Cultivate a reputation for being a sweetheart to deal with," advises Rubie in the chapter on the process of "How Your Manuscript Becomes a Book." That process and "Reading Your Contract" make up the next two chapters. A sample contract is given with each clause explained and warnings included.

"Subrights and Royalties" are detailed in chapter eight, and the advantages and disadvantages of "E-publishing and Other Routes" are discussed in chapter nine.

The last chapter is on "Writing and Editing Tips" and includes things like: "How do I get started writing a book?" "How do I go about tackling rewriting?" "I write description well, but my characters are weak. How can I get over this?" "How can I improve my writing style?" and "What do people mean when they talk about structure in writing?"

This fascinating book is written in clear, easily understood language. It has a wealth of information that can help you become a better writer and help you sell what you write, and I recommend it very highly.

{Published in SF and Fantasy Workshop Newsletter, June 2003.}