Finding a Publisher is Like Finding a New Pair of Jeans!
By Marian L. Thomas
There I was, walking into a clothing store with high hopes as I headed toward the jeans department of a major retail store. As I reached the department, it occurred to me that I didn’t know what type of jeans I was looking for. Did I want a pair that sat below the waist, bootcut jeans, flare jeans or low-riders that are also bootcut? I almost went back home.
So, it goes for many aspiring authors. There are so many publishers out there in the big world of all things literary; they simply aren't sure where or how to start the process. How did I resolve my jeans dilemma? I did some research. True story. Right there, in the department store. I read the various tags found on different pairs of jeans until I found a description for a pair that sounded like me. Then I tried each of them on until I was able to walk out of the store with a pair of jeans that felt as if they were meant for me — after I've lost a few pounds, of course.
Going back to the journey for aspiring authors and their quest to find the perfect publisher; I would tell you to do one very important thing—RESEARCH. It's a waste of your time to blindly send out query letters to every single publisher out there. Understand what genre your book falls into, and then research publishing companies who publish that genre. Once you've found your list, look to see who
The editor is that handles that genre. This is important. You want to be sure that you address your query letter to the right editor.
Now, before you send out that query letter, I need you to do something else quite important. More research—on writing a "winning" query letter. I want you to try out a few that you find, the same way you would try on jeans. How? Find samples of two or three that fit your writing style and your book. Many well-known authors have published their winning query letters. I have always believed that you don't always have to re-invent the wheel. It's okay to use what is out there if it has proven to work.
Here is a website I used
Now I know it's tempting to want to send your entire manuscript with your query letter. Fight the urge. Please. Keep in mind that most publishing companies only request the first three chapters of your work.
Here is the last thing you want to do before you submit your query letter and the first three chapters of your manuscript to that publishing company that is going to fit your book like a pair of perfectly-fitting jeans: Have everything edited. Not by your cousin, friend or Mother (unless they're professional editors in their current secular lives). Remember, just like you want your jeans to "make a flattering and modest impression," so goes your query letter.
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Meet Marian
Award-Winning Author and Speaker, Marian L. Thomas, has penned five women's fiction novels to date. Her books have been seen on national television stations such as the Oprah Winfrey Network, Ovation, and the A&E Network. She has been featured in print magazines, newspapers and a guest on local, national and online radio stations. For her book, I Believe In Butterflies, Marian ranked among the top 100 Most Popular Authors in Literary Fiction on Amazon. She spent most of her teen years in Oak Park, Illinois, but now resides in a suburb of Atlanta with her husband. She enjoys a good bag of popcorn, a plate full of pasta, and a grape pop.
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About the Book
The Caged Butterfly by author Marian L. Thomas is the heartrending story of the Mayfield/Taylor family spanning four generations ranging from the 1930s-1990s. While the character-driven plot touches on relevant social issues such as child abuse, racism, skin bleaching, and suicide, ultimately it is a story of love and forgiveness.
The book begins with Addie Mayfield's loving letter to her unborn child which plays a central theme throughout the plot. As the story unfolds, the reader is introduced to Addie's mother, son, and granddaughter: Millie, Timmy, and Nina. Alternating between the cities of Georgia, Chicago, and New York, and told through first-person narratives by each character, the plot follows the family's history, relationships, triumphs, and sorrows. The book emphasizes self-acceptance, forgiveness, and redemption regardless of life's hardships.
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Audio sample
Click here to listen to a reading from The Caged Butterfly
ISBN-10: 1732488002
ISBN-13: 978-1732488007
Genre: Women Fiction
Tour hosted by Write Now Literary Book Tours
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