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Question: After you write your story, isn't your part done!?
Finding a literary agent that is willing to buy your book to find its publisher; is that hard!? I mean I did my research and if you follow submission guidelines and send your manuscripts to many agents, someone's bound to take your writing, and YOU don't try to find a publisher for your own book; the literary agents do!. So when you get a publisher, all you have to do is sign that piece of paper and it gets out in stores, right!?
I don't understand why people say that writing's a 'job and a half'!? It seems so easy to me!. Am I not understanding this process so well!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
You've over simplified the process in a serious way!. The first major fallacy you have is that "someone's bound" to choose to represent you!. No they aren't!. Unless you fall for a scam, but legitimate agents aren't bound to accept you, they are bound to reject you!. Somewhere along the lines the script got flipped!. See, agents and publishers theoretically work for the author, but in reality the author is put in the position of working for the agent and publisher!. It's really messed up to be honest, but that's how it works!. So it goes!.
Second, you are included in the hunt for the publisher!. The agent does most of the leg work but you actually have a modicum of 'say-so' in the process!. And it probably won't be an immediate hunt either!. There will be lots of priming work done before your agent even begins to seriously push your book to his/her contacts!.
Third, throughout this whole process you aren't getting any money from anybody!. You shouldn't be getting charged, but you definitely aren't getting paid!. Hence, you are probably working a regular job and doing all this book stuff!.
Fourth, when the publisher agrees to print your work you generally have another year to two years before you are done!. You'll have to work with various editors, perhaps add or condense material, etc!. It really never stops!.
You'll also be wanting to work on your next book during all this!.
So, it really is a job and half!. In the most literal sense that's because you need to have another job in addition to writing!.
Don't over simplify stuff, and never assume that at some point your part in the process is over!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Well I think you got to watch what the publishers do!. You know you never know what they might do to set you off!. And finding someone to buy your books is hard work!. I don't care what you say!. It's hard work!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Hahahahahahahaha!.!.!.!.!.
OMG, it's not like that AT ALL!.
Even if you have written a really good book, it is not as simple as sending out to a few literary agents with the guarantee of getting one!. Someone is NOT bound to take your writing!.
You have to research them!. You have to find one that takes what you write, that's accepting submissions, come up with a damn good submissions package that makes them want to see your whole manuscript!. Then they have to like the whole manuscipt to put money on it, because they don't get paid until you do!.
They get thousands of submissions a year!. Out of that, they might take on only a handful!. Then they have to look for a publisher for you; the publishers are in the same position, they only publish so many books a year, and yet get loads of submissions from agents alone!. Then once you do sign that contract, you're the one that has to do the most to get it selling!. Yes, your agent and the publishing company will publicise you, but if you're a first time writer, they're hardly going to go all out; they might send out a few press releases, but you still have to do your bit!.
Sound simple now!?Www@QuestionHome@Com