Publishing Resources
How do you find someone to publish your work? Many big name publishers only work with literary agents, but there are many smaller publishers who accept unsolicited manuscripts. The trick is to identify these publishers, especially those within your genre of writing!
Writer's MarketWriter's Market is the best known and most widely recommended directory of publishers. Writer's Market is available in book format, which is updated yearly, as well as a website, writersmarket.com. The website has a fee which can be paid monthly, annually, or bi-annually.
Within Writer's Market you'll find a list of publishers, what genres and types of writing they publish, and the correct procedure of submitting your work to them. There are several versions of Writer's Market that narrow publishers down to the type of work they accept. You may want to consult Poet's Market, Children's Writer and Illustrator Market, and Novel and Short Story Market in addition to Writer's Market. Buying the deluxe version of Writer's Market gives you a year long subscription to the website, which contains the information from all Writer's Market Publications. Joining the website gives you features such as tools for organizing your lists of publishers, reminders of deadlines, and articles with information to help you meet you goals. Poets & WritersPoets & Writers is a nonprofit literary organization. Their website includes tools for finding appropriate publishers (including magazines, small presses) as well as chances for networking with a directory of writers and a writing forum.
A couple of useful features of the website are Poets & Writers job listings page and their "classified ads" that include manuscript calls for publishers looking for new content, contests, and workshops. The website has free registration, but users are encouraged to become "friends" of Poets & Writers with a small donation to keep the site going. Poets & Writers also puts out a bimonthly magazine. The magazine includes reviews, interviews with authors, and literary articles as well as information about grants, jobs, and events. You can subscribe on the website through the subscription page or by becoming a friend of Poets and Writers. |
Writer's DigestWriter's Digest is a website created to help authors get published. The website requires a small registration fee. Once registered, you will gain access to articles on writing, publisher and agent listings, information on contests and competitions, and as community resources such as forums.
The Writer's Digest website also includes a shop where you can buy books related to publishing your work or pay for critiquing and editing services. This shop is separate from the sister site, Writer'sStore, where additional resources such as DVDs, software, and apparel related to writing and film making. Writer's Digest has several other sister sites. Writer's Digest University is another sister site which offers workshops, webinars, tutorials, and editing services that will help to improve your writing. Abbott Press is a resource you can use to self-publish your book while having support for distribution and marketing. Genre Fiction Resources |
Create and Publish doesn't focus on finding literary agents, but if you are serious about seeking publication with major book publishers, the following resources on agents may be helpful: PoetsandWriters.com offers a database of literary agents, here. In addition, check out the handbook, Poets & Writers Guide to Literary Agents.