Geez... Guess what I found on Wikipedia...

[Marcel]

Originally Posted by Maestro

Thanks, but it's not Marcel, it's Maestro.

He meant that as a compliment

[Haztoys]

Maestro... Sorry I came across as knowing anything about the publishing world ...

I'm trying to get my art out to the world .. I have a new style of art ...Big statement I know ...But I know how you feel ... Will know this Friday if I get into a real good gallery ... But in the art world like we are in... Theres so many scams... I've been digging and trying hard core for two years ...I get some place that wants to hang my work ..But I do not feel good about them ... Or they want me to pay to hang my stuff and they still get 50% of the money..

Lots of people praying on ones dreams ...If its to good to be true ..It is...

Erich does this publishing book thing right...Can he help...I googled "us book publishing" ...And came up with some stuff that looked like I would look into if I were trying to publish a book..Be careful theres lots of scams out there.. The gallery I'm trying to get into is a "coopertive gallery" were the artists own it and its not about the gallery making money ..Its more of the artist making money.. Is there anything in the book world like that..??

Keep trying and do your home work on whos good or bad..

[RabidAlien]

Best thing I can say for choosing a publisher....go to the local bookstore (big bookstore, preferably) and look in the section with your genre. Start looking at the publishers listed there. That way you'll know they have a way to get your book onto some good shelves, and I'd recommend sending your manuscript to the publisher with the most titles out there. Also, most of them won't look at one unless it comes from an agent, so check around (especially if you know successful authors already) and find what agents work with what publishers. Do a LOT of research....and if anyone wants you to pay a fee up-front, then run for the door as fast as you can. Publishers/agents will pay YOU for a good manuscript, not the other way 'round.

You might want to start small, too....write some short pieces, and check with magazines or newspapers. This will get your name out there, and give you "credentials" and the ability to tell an agent/publisher "yeah, I'm already an established author, with publications in ______ titles..."

[Maestro]

Originally Posted by RabidAlien

Best thing I can say for choosing a publisher....go to the local bookstore (big bookstore, preferably) and look in the section with your genre. Start looking at the publishers listed there. That way you'll know they have a way to get your book onto some good shelves, and I'd recommend sending your manuscript to the publisher with the most titles out there. Also, most of them won't look at one unless it comes from an agent, so check around (especially if you know successful authors already) and find what agents work with what publishers. Do a LOT of research....and if anyone wants you to pay a fee up-front, then run for the door as fast as you can. Publishers/agents will pay YOU for a good manuscript, not the other way 'round.

Thanks for the tip but I already knew that... The problem with living in a French sh*thole as I do is the fact that books in English are rather rare. However, I was able to find several well-known English publishers back in the day... Thanks to my father's collection of books from Reader's Digest ! Every stories published within that collection (like Denys Rayner's "The Enemy Below", as an example) had the mention "originally published by :" with the name of the publisher.

I remember visiting the website of some of them... They all had the same line on them : "If it doesn't come from an agent, we won't even look at it."... Well, it was said in a more polite way...

Now the real problem, when someone is as "out of it" as I am, is to find that God damned agent ! For me, a good agent is as hard to find as a virgin 18-year-old girl in the middle of Las Vegas.

But thanks for the tip anyway.

[evangilder]

Sound advice on that, RabidAlien. There are a number of "Vanity Press" type publishers that will do print on demand and it doesn't cost you anything up front. There are good and bad reasons to do it.

I have been publishing photos and articles now for a little over a year. By the time I approach a big publisher, I plan on having a portfolio of published works to show them. Obviously, it's a little easier for non-fiction than for historical fiction.

The other piece of advice is never, EVER give up.

[RabidAlien]

Heh. No kiddin there, EG.....John Grisham went to somewhere around 30 publishers before giving up. His wife dug his first manuscript out of the closet and sent it to a friend who knew a guy at a small publishing house that Grisham hadn't tried. They decided to run with it, and look where he's at now! *g*

Anyhow...that's how the legend goes.

[Njaco]

Maestro, I'm gonna check on a publisher in Gettysburg, PA that is from my hometown that prints nothing but Military books. The local paper did a story on him recently and he appears to be a good guy. I'm gonna search and get his info if you're interested.

[Maestro]

Originally Posted by Njaco

Maestro, I'm gonna check on a publisher in Gettysburg, PA that is from my hometown that prints nothing but Military books. The local paper did a story on him recently and he appears to be a good guy. I'm gonna search and get his info if you're interested.

Hey, it would be nice... Unfortunately it's too late for my first book... It is still linked to PublishAmerica until May 30th 2013 (date that my publishing contract will end). But it would certainly be a great thing for my upcoming work.

Does he have a website ? Would he be interrested to deal directly with the author ?

[Njaco]

I'll try to find more. I saw a news article on him because he was from my hometown and doing good, clipped it and now lost it. I'm gonna search around or call the paper. Some people there I know.

[Maestro]

Well, thanks in advance Njaco.