 The scene: A book industry party
Present: New authors, multi-published authors, agents, editors, publishers, guests, even spouses
A first conversation:
Sensible and friendly author to agent: “Don’t worry, I’m not pitching because my book isn’t ready yet.”
Sensible and savvy agent: “If I was worried about people pitching to me I wouldn’t come to a party like this.”
Both smile and carry on chatting.
A second conversation:
Desperate and determined author to agent: “My book’s about XYZ and I know it’s going to be a great success. It starts at the end of the First World War and the heroine is called Daisy and she had a daughter who’s called Peggy and she has twins called Maggie and Edith and….
[Ten minutes later] Agent (with rictus on face and desperate for a drink) to author: “Why don’t you send in three chapters? You’ll find all the details on our website.”
Author: “….and then great aunt Getrude comes back from India with a new husband and…”
Agent: “Send it in, then. If you’ll excuse me, I must get on.” (Turns round and flees.)
Industry professionals are human. Some of them attend parties because writers’ associations throw brilliant social bashes. They can meet colleagues and clients on neutral ground and informally. But it would be naive not to think that most agents and editors are there to meet writers, possibly spot new talent and, ultimately, to be pitched to.
But there’s a way to do it:
- Wait for the previous conversation to finish.
- Don’t be over pushy or rude.
- Don’t pitch for more than 2 to 3 minutes. Let the agent/editor respond.
- When an editor or agent asks an encouraging question, they mean it. Go for it by a short answer like, “Rom-com with a twist,” inviting the response, “What sort of twist?” If the response is, “I hope it’s going well,” with a glazed look, it’s probably not going to work.
- Watch for the signs that the agent/publisher wishes to finish the conversation and move on gracefully.
You don’t want to gain the reputation of being a pest, because a pest at a party is probably going to be a pest to work with. Editors and agents gossip amongst hemselves. You don’t want to be the one referred to as, “Oh, her! She trapped me in a corner at a do and tried to tell me the whole plot of her book. I had to spill my drink down myself to escape.”
After your short pitch, a professional follow-up letter within the week with your submission package mentioning meeting the agent/editor at the party and thanking them for their time is the best next step.
Although literary parties give you an opportunity to meet new people and network with those you already know, they are a place where good manners and restraint matter most.
That is, if you want to get published.
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 The shocking news that the icon of Rome’s foundation, a life-size bronze statue of a she-wolf with two human infants suckling her, is about 1,700 years younger than its city hit the headlines this summer.
Scholars had long established that the bronze figures of Romulus and Remus feeding from their adopted wolf mother were added in the Renaissance. But the main sculpture’s link to antiquity, traditionally to the Etruscan period 5th century BC, wasn’t seriously questioned until the 1997 restoration.
The she-wolf was found to have been cast as a single unit, a technique typically used in the Middle Ages.
Ancient bronzes were cast in separate parts and then soldered together. First used by the Greeks and then adopted by Etruscan and Roman artists, the technique basically consisted of brazing the separate joints using bronze as welding material.
After much discussion, Rome’s officials decided to carry more in-depth tests to clear any doubt. Radio carbon testing has given the new dating range between 1021 and 1153 AD.
Oops!
So what about the wolf and Rome? The wolf – lupa – is a strong theme throughout the Roman period. Lupercalia was a very ancient, possibly pre-Roman (pre-753 BC) fairly raunchy pastoral festival, held in February to avert evil spirits, purify the city and promote health and fertility. But it was an excuse for a lot of rampant youth to run through the streets whipping women with wolfskin thongs – more here. By the 5th century AD, when the public performance of pagan rites had been outlawed, a nominally Christian Roman populace still clung to the Lupercalia in the time of Pope Gelasius I (494–96). So over a thousand years of the wolf.
Lupa was also a slang Latin word for prostitute, hence the famous lupercal in Pompeii. Is there a meretricious element here, both in the wolf and the festival?
The moral of the story? Whatever the historic background – and a thousand plus years is considerable background – never take history for granted and look out for the medieval wolf in Etruscan clothing.
Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers – INCEPTIO, CARINA (novella), PERFIDITAS, SUCCESSIO, AURELIA, NEXUS (novella), INSURRECTIO and RETALIO, and ROMA NOVA EXTRA, a collection of short stories. Audiobooks are available for four of the series. Double Identity, a contemporary conspiracy, starts a new series of thrillers. Double Pursuit, the sequel, is now out!
Download ‘Welcome to Alison Morton’s Thriller Worlds’, a FREE eBook, as a thank you gift when you sign up to Alison’s monthly email newsletter. You’ll also be among the first to know about news and book progress before everybody else, and take part in giveaways.
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 Publishing services have come a long way since the old vanity publishers. In fact, the best of the providers aren’t even on the same ruler, let alone somewhere along the scale. Simply put, it’s effectively a cross between traditional publishing and self-publishing.
Worth noting – publishing services providers (PSPs) should not be confused with subsidy publishing. For the most part, subsidy publishers will take anything as long as you are willing to pay and after the basic design, production, print and submission to online booksellers, anything more is an additional paid add-on. Subsidy publishers only differ from vanity publishers in that they are usually upfront about what they are offering.
There are good PSPs and there are bad PSPs. The good ones act like traditional publishers in that they won’t accept every author who comes to them waving a manuscript. As a filter, many PSPs stipulate a manuscript assessment before providing a quotation. How to find a good company? Ask other authors and search reputable forums. I heartily recommend consulting The Independent Publishing Magazine which scrutinises and scores all types of self and independent publishing support. But talk to other writers and research the books published by these providers: what is the quality of the paper, is the print inside readable? Is the text tiny or squashed on to the page with no margins? Is the cover chucked together or properly designed? Can you read the back cover blurb? Are the fonts on the cover easy on the eye, but clear?
How does it work with a publishing services provider?
The company publishes the book, just like a traditional publisher does. But instead of paying the author for the rights to his work the author retains all his/her rights and pays the publisher to publish the book. Effectively, the author shares the cost with the publisher. And a sign of a good provider is that they highlight the author as the copyright holder. This is extremely important. On no account should you cede any rights. You are granting the publisher a non-exclusive licence to publish your book. Anything else compromises your position.
A good PSP will expect you to have your book professionally edited. A better one will offer it alongside their publishing package which should include book design – typesetting, interior layout, cover – CIP registration, legal deposits, proofing, that all important ISBN number with barcode without which you cannot get your books into a bookstore, Nielsen Bookdata entry, and these days, ebook conversion. Most importantly, a good PSP will have a well-designed website featuring its books on the front page and an online shop. It should set up warehousing and distribution so that bookshop orders are fulfilled via major wholesalers. The two main book distributors in the US are Ingram and Baker & Taylor, and Gardeners, Bertrams in the UK. Make sure your chosen company uses at least one.
There are some disadvantages with PSPs. You, the author, are paying and often quite a hefty amount. It’s an investment in yourself and your work. So it’s up to you to scrutinise any contract or agreement to check exactly what you are getting. It’s worth joining the Society of Authors for their contract vetting service alone!
Even though your books are distributed it can be difficult to get the major bookstores to carry them. This is something to investigate with your chosen PSP; some have accounts with the major stores plus position their books across a wide range of online outlets. For bricks and mortar shops, you may have better luck with independent booksellers. Amazon, however, is the great equaliser. But as with a traditional publication deal, it’s ultimately up to you, the author, to market and promote your book.
Although you have control over decisions – you’re paying for the services – it’s comforting to get advice and moral support from an experienced team who are equally invested in your project.
Every author has to make the decision that feels right for them and their situation. If we’ve learned anything from the explosion of self-publishing, it’s that there isn’t just one way to do things anymore. That’s what makes this such an exciting time in publishing.
Updated 2020:
Alison Morton is the author of Roma Nova thrillers – INCEPTIO, PERFIDITAS, SUCCESSIO, AURELIA, INSURRECTIO and RETALIO. CARINA, a novella, and ROMA NOVA EXTRA, a collection of short stories, are now available. Audiobooks are available for four of the series. NEXUS, an Aurelia Mitela novella, is now out.
Download ‘Welcome to Roma Nova’, a FREE eBook, as a thank you gift when you sign up to Alison’s monthly email newsletter. You’ll also be first to know about Roma Nova news and book progress before everybody else, and take part in giveaways.
If you enjoyed this post, do share it with your friends!
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The scene: A book industry party
