We all know the old Catch 22: in order to get published you have to have an agent; in order to get an agent you have to have been published. Sounds like an impossible dilemma, but there is hope for aspiring writers.
First of all, I don’t believe the first statement is entirely true. I believe that writers can get published without agent representation, and not just at the little publishing houses but at the big publishing giants as well. So what’s the secret? The secret is two-fold.
First, you must write terrific stuff. You must have an excellent, sellable product that sparkles in the slush pile like diamonds in dirt. Most editors slogging through the slush pile know by the end of the first chapter or even the first couple of pages whether your writing is up to snuff. So learn your craft; polish your manuscript with the help of an experienced critique group and don’t send it out until you know it’s ready. You’ll only have one chance with a publisher so don’t send less than your best.
Second, and here’s where even excellent writers can fall flat on their faces, study the publishing market. Know precisely which publishers are publishing the kind of book you write. How? Believe it or not, amazon.com is a good place to study the market. Start searching for books like yours. Each relevant book page will list the publisher. Continue your search in the “advanced search” section where you can narrow the search parameters to a particular publisher, to the most recent years, and so on. Make a chart of likely publishers. Then go to each publisher’s website and study their submission guidelines. If they require an agent, well, NEXT! Develop a “top five” list according to the parameters that are important to you (such as big or small publisher, response times, quality of books produced, simultaneous submissions, and so on), then submit while adhering to each publisher’s guidelines. If and when you receive a rejection, shed a few tears, rant if you must, then straighten your backbone and send your manuscript to the next publisher on your list, preferably by the following day.
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