The Writer’s Relief
Goodday ladies and gentlemen, it is a great honour to have distinguished writers of the National Association of Australian Book Writers seated to observe its first quarter meeting for the year 2012. Drawn from all works of the literary industry and seated in our midst are publishes, editors, literary agents and other concerned professionals. I want to use this medium to express my heartfelt gratitude to you all. You have made me glad, indeed!
Without much ado, I would like to talk about the theme: Book Writing and Publishing in Australia-The Plight of Aspiring Authors in 2012. For the newbie in the literary industry who really do not know me, I go by the names, Floyd James Brown, Professor of Creative Writing, University of Canberra, Editor of Cedarwood Publishing House, Canberra and author of the bestselling book, ‘Writing a Bestselling Book’.
It has come to the notice of the NAABW that a number of editors, literary agents and publishers are fond of rejecting manuscripts by aspiring authors for no concrete reason. About three weeks ago, as I was about leaving my office to take my students on Writing and Society in the school where I presently lecture, I saw an envelope on my doorpost. When I got to the door to get it, it read ‘To You, Sir!’ As I opened it, it was a dictated short letter that aroused my concern and formed the very essence of today’s talk. To prove its authenticity, I have with me the paper written by a student of mine whose name is Alicia Townsend. It reads:I’ve been studious since my first year of Creative Writing. All through my years of study, I have followed your instructions on writing. The publications of my articles on various social media, blogs, newspapers and magazines have shown that I have what it takes to write. However, I’d been looking forward to a period in my life when I’ll have several book writing credits in my name.
Prof, you taught me the very fundamentals of writing fiction and non-fiction books. With research and constant practice, you’ve always commended me for being excellent at what I love most-writing. You gave your ‘pass-mark’ when I wrote two fiction manuscripts; ‘The Lost Island’ and ‘Mama Never Gave up on me’. With you positively commenting on them after review, I thought I’d be published.
I got your recommendation to send my manuscripts to L and L Book Publishers. In your words, ‘they’ll readily accept it!’ With this motivation, I had fuelled all my mental energies towards the success of the works. The works were ready to go, met the required submission guidelines of the company and were thought not to be in its rejection pile.
After three weeks of patiently waiting for the complete review of the works, I got the greatest shocker of my life:
Dear Alicia,
‘After careful study and thorough feasibility studies of your works, ‘The Lost Island’ and ‘Mama Never Gave up on me’, we are sorry they did not make it for publicationWe wish you the best in your writing endeavours.’
Sir, I was not only discouraged about book writing, its rejection dramas but also faulted your competence in teaching and questioned why your work is actually a bestseller. To make matters worse, I have also submitted them to over twenty publishers for review. And what did I get in return? All rejections!!!
Prof, at this point, I have decided to call it quits with writing. I am leaving your class, never to return again! I wish you all the very best in teaching this course.
Your Ex-Student,
Alicia Townsend.
To be candid, I became utterly disappointed not because of her, but because of the response of L and L Publishers. I have known them for over decade. They’ve been known for accepting quality and published some of my articles being read over the world. L and L Published have been reputed to accept works based on merit and not sentiment. But I was surprised when I read this! I had to ask them why since the editor in charge was my very good friend. Alas, he had nothing concrete to say!
From then on, I started developing some equivocations on the ‘professionalism’ of many publishing companies, especially the reputed traditional companies. Listening to stories from writers over the world through the internet and from my students who are aspiring authors, I have been made to understand two things:
1) The publishing industry is really sentimental when it comes to manuscript acceptance. The word ‘selective’ is seldom use in place of ‘sentimental’ and2) As the years pass, aspiring authors face uphill task to get climb all through to the top of the literary ladder of publishing.
Sadly, literary agents have not been helping matters at all. Most of them, if not all, are ONLY interested in working with established authors, sidelining aspiring authors. Three of my nieces had their manuscripts rejected by over ten literary agencies in Sydney and Brisbane because they were not established writers.
Although many publishers reject manuscripts on grounds of financial incompetence and other internal problems while literary agents represent a few authors who are established because of what they stand to gain, it’s sad to say that their actions have undoubtedly led to many aspiring authors like Alice had called it ‘quits’ with writing.
I do not want to whip the publishers and literary agents alone. Aspiring authors have a role to play in getting their works registered on the desk of literary acceptance. I have had stories of aspiring authors whose works were accepted days after submission by known agencies for representation and publishers for publication in this country. To aspiring authors, I would admonish you to keep polishing your writing skills and engage ‘a pair of professional eyes’ to review your work before considering an agent and or a publisher for representation and or publication respectively. Above all, ensure that you do not give up on your pursuit. In my view, the year 2012 has in stock for all members of NABBW great waves of literary acceptability provided you are willing to follow my adviceI hope this meeting will not only bring relief to my aspiring authors but ensure that the literary gates and representation and publications are wide open to you. I sincerely do hope that you publishers and literary agents have your hands all open to receive the literary newness of our emerging writers. And for you, the established writers, please, ensure that you mentor them so that they can become proud writers of tomorrow!
Thanks for your audience. Do have a great weekend ahead!
Prof. Whitehead, host of the event, takes his leave from the Writer’s Hall at the University of Canberra to his office where the annual NAABW meeting took place. The Charles and Martins were present at the event.
Charles and Martins have been writing for over ten years. As aspiring authors, they have searched through the nooks and crannies of Melbourne for publishers and literary agents but didn’t get one. In fact, they have been rejected more than fifty times! Martins decided not to call it quits with writing but Charles had had the enormity of being a frustrated author up to his neck. Giving up was the very next option available to him.
Leaving together as flat-mates in Berth, Charles came to do what Martins was doing- listening to the recorded message tape of the NAABW meeting. After listening to the message, Charles asked Martins: “Are you really convinced about his message?”
Martins replied reluctantly: “You mean Prof. Whitehead’s? Not really. It’s just that Prof is a household name in Australia’s literary industry. I wanted to use that platform to exchange contacts with many publishers and literary agents. I was able to achieve this aim!”
Charles, looking a little discouraged, said: “Well, as for me, I attended the meeting because I am a member, thanks to your influence! But I wasn’t particularly satisfied with his talk. He didn’t properly address the issues affecting aspiring authors. All he did was to cruise through the surface without exploring the depths of our struggles! To me, the meeting was nothing but NOTHING itself! If not for you I wouldn’t have anything to do with writing!
“Why are you dampening my spirit, Charles?!”
Martins questioned, looking at Charles with disdain. “Don’t you think we need to move on and never give up? It appears you want to throw in the towel, right? As for me, I’ve decided to give it my best because I know this is my very major breakthrough! Charles, whether you like it or not, I’ll go the length to ensure that I become the established author that I want to be! Yes, Prof. Whitehead’s talk was not necessarily satisfying. But that doesn’t disturb me from knowing them myself!”
“Okay, let’s see how this would be!” Charles wondered. “As for me, I’m done with writing! I’m going to dust my certificates and scout for a decent banking job. Perhaps, I’ll leave you here to acquire a house of my taste. Mr. Writer, I am going out to the Feel Da Groove club house. This is 9.00PM! In the next thirty minutesyou’ll have the whole house to yourself!
“Time will tell, Charles!” Martins assured, as he edged closer to his internet connection system. “I’ll take the whole night to research on the best of literary articles and success stories while you rock all night with your energies al wasted. You’d see the difference by and by!”
“I don’t want to engage in too many words with you! Let me enjoy tonight’s fun and get back to you tomorrow!” Charles decided. When he saw Martins getting his internet connection all set up for the night, Charles observed: “I can now see that you’re ready for business. Let me go ahead and prepare for my business this night!” Charles went to take his shower and at exactly 9.30PM, he left the house for Martins.
On the internet, Martins used the search engine ‘google.com’ to enter the words, “Manuscript Rejections, “Find the Right Agent”, “Who Decides for the Literary Industry?” and “Author’s and Publisher’s Views about Partnership.”After the answers given by the search engine, he decided to read the following findings:
1) Why Was My Manuscript Rejected
2) Partnership Publishing: the author’s and publisher’s stand-point
3) Finding a Good Agent) Who Determines the Literary Market; Readers, Authors or Publishers?
To Martins, he selected the articles for read because I believed the author had what he was looking for. He told himself: “After reading the articles, I’ll find out who this author is.” After printing them out, Martins began reading them to himself. He started with the article:
“Why Was My Manuscript Rejected”
You’ve just finished writing a good manuscript. With serious editing and polishing of your work-piece, you feel it’s time to get your work showcased. Then, your search began… After an intense search, you were able to send your manuscripts to various agencies and publishers either via email or post mail. You were replied in weeks to come, you will receive a response regarding the decision on whether or not to move forward with your manuscript. Thinking that your work meets with the requirements of the literary agencies you sent your manuscripts to, you thought your work would gain acceptance by one of them, at least. To your very surprise, however, all of the agencies, at different time spaces, declined to move forward with your manuscript. Now, you ask yourself the question: ‘why was my manuscript rejected’?
Many authors, more often than not, experience the set back of their manuscript being rejected by publishers and literary agents. Even at some point in their literary journey, established authors have once had their works rejected countless number of times by literary professionals their manuscripts got to. The same question they asked. In this article, we will look into three likely reasons thethe manuscripts of authors form the rejections piles in the offices of many publishing and literary houses.
To begin with, manuscripts are rejected on grounds that they are either unsolicited or not coming from established authors. A prevalent factor in many literary houses, literary agents, majority of them, prefer established authors as clients than aspiring authors. As a result, publishers (especially the traditional ones) don’t get to accepted un-agented or unsolicited manuscripts. If a literary agent can’t client an aspiring author, then, a publisher won’t accept any un-agented or unsolicited manuscript from such person.
Besides, in as much as many would-be authors reason that their works meet the publisher’s and or agent’s requirements, manuscripts are rejected because the literary bodies feel that they don’t fit the requirements. It’s interesting to note one thing: the way an agent or a publisher interprets the stated requirements is entirely different from how a typical aspiring author would interpret it. Sad to say, it’s true!
Furthermore, the final decision of the publishing or literary board is another reason manuscripts are rejected. A work-piece may fit into what the agency is looking for. Alas, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will be accepted. Due to lack of adequate financing and attention to other priorities, perhaps, on the part of the professionals, they are likely to reject the manuscript.
If you’re an aspiring author, don’t be discouraged. Never give up! Although good books don’t get published these days, be resilient and some day, you’ll have a home for your work(s).
The next article was: “Partnership Publishing: the author’s and publisher’s stand-point”. Martins sat on the sofa in living room to read:
In the literary circle, partnership publishing is fast becoming a household name. The current financial state of the world has undoubtedly ‘forced’ publishers into embracing this mechanism to dealing with accepted authors, despite the merit of their works. Most authors, on the other hand, are completely dissatisfied with this treatment because their stand-point does not concur with their business-minded publishers’. Partnership-publishing involves the author making some payments to run the initial cost of production while the publisher run the majority under a contractual agreement which is to be signed by the author.
The Authors’ Stand-point
Many authors, especially the aspiring ones, claim partnership publishing is a way publishers extort money from them. For instance, American Book Publisher, in its recent contract, would read that they author pay a returnable deposit of $880 for the commencement of the publication of accepted manuscript. It is only returnable only if the manuscript sells at least 950 copies within a year of its being in print. It is fascinating to know that American Book Publishing exempts established authors from this programme.
Without the money being paid to them, despite its acceptance, such manuscript will be left untreated. Olympia Publishers is another example. Provided you agree to pay a contributory contract, they offer you a non-obligatory contract where payments (as decided by the publishing board) would be made. This only happens if your manuscript is accepted. Dippers publishing charges varying fees to authors whose works are accepted; to be refunded only when their works make exceptional sales of at least a thousand copies, quarterly! Publish America, Zeus publishing and Anomalous Publishing are examples of partnership publishers who would charge the author in the name of contractual agreement, whose manuscript has been accepted (based on merit), despite the rigorous review and assessment processes money to move forward with the publication. Without the author paying a ‘fraction’ of the initial publication cost, the manuscript will be left unattended to.
The Publishers’ Stand-Point
Being business-minded, publishers see the need for this to avoid the risk of bearing all the losses, should there be a low turn-out of sales. For the fear of losing out completely, they and their clients (authors) will have to share the loss. It is uncertain, they reason, for an aspiring author to make anticipated sales. Therefore, inviting the author to this method of publishing is a way of sharing the loss burden. Who wants to lose out in the first place, knowing the predicament of the world’s financial state?
As an aspiring author, if you do not have the money to foot the payment, would you pass the contract and think of something else, despite your long struggles to get a publishing deal? Being a publisher, would you not proceed with the contract if author whom you accepted his manuscript for publication told you he or she can’t afford to pay the money you charged?
Immediately Martins was done reading the previous article, he took the Finding a Good Agent article and started reading on the same sofa as he did with all the previous ones (In his words, “these are the best set of literary articles I’ve ever came across!”).
These days, finding reliable literary agents is undoubtedly herculean. Authors, experience loads of set-backs in their search for agents who will accept their manuscripts. Most times, aspiring authors are the ones on the receiving end; they are rarely attended to. Why? Because many literary agents are fond dealing with established writers!
However, whether aspiring or established, you can still find a good literary agent for representation. However, before you go looking for that agent that will say a ‘yes’ to your query letter, there are certain assignments you must carry out.
1) Ensure you complete your manuscript: Your manuscripts should be completed. Be it in the fiction or non-fiction category; ensure that there is a completion of your work-piece. Then, you will have to properly edit and review it. After that, you need a pair of eyes or second review (preferably reviewed by an experienced writer or writing coach) for necessary corrections.
2) Write a good query letter: One of the reasons literary agents reject manuscripts of many authors is that the query letter sent is not ‘catchy’ enough. With piles of manuscripts received every month, they are usually left with no choiceother than to decline the proposals. Writing a good query letter involves the inclusion of the literary genre of the manuscript, word count, synopsis, chapter samples and if need be, contact details of author. Search on the internet on ‘How To Write A Good Query Letter’
3) Begin your Search: With the use of the internet, the search for literary agents gets easier. It should be advised that you do not fall victim in the hands of literary ‘scammers’ (agents who charge reading fees). Please, ensure that when you get the literary agents searched for, read carefully the submissions guidelines (authors, sometimes, get it wrong at this point, when they do not read the instructions of agents searched for) before you submit. You should not be charged for any reading fee when you are submitting your manuscripts to agents. Take your time to submit your manuscript to as many agents as possible.aaronline.org is a search site for literary agents. You can also ‘google’ ’lists of literary agents’ on the internet.
4) Be prepared for rejections; At this point, it will not be out of place to let you know that the literary industry is subjective. Many literary steps and decisions are personal. Therefore, do not be surprised that despite your following strictly the submission guidelines of the literary agencies you submitted to, you work(s) were rejected. John Grisham’s ‘A Time To Kill’ and J.K Rowling’s ‘Harry Porter’ were rejected several times based on sentimental attachments, not necessarily based on merit.Today, their works are household names in the world.
5) Never give up on your search: keep searching and believe in yourself you will find one. As you do so, polish your already-completed manuscript.
When you eventually get that ‘yes, i will represent you’ agent, I need a job: to be a part of your success! Lol
The final article to be was
“Who Determines the Literary Market: Readers, Authors or Publishers.?"
At this point, Martins’ drew closer to where the internet connection would be closest so that he could switch it on for further inquiry about the author of the work.
If are you an author, a publisher or reader, how has your experience been? Have you asked yourself the question: ‘who determines the literary market-is it you, the reader, the author or publisher?’
Digress a bit, from our studies of economics; we are made to believe that there are four chains of production;
From the manufacturer to the wholesaler
From the wholesaler to the retailer
From the retailer to the final Consumer
In this order, the chains of production can be viewed as:
Manufacturer-Wholesaler-Retailer-Final Consumer. In fact, we are made to see that the process of production is not complete until it gets to the final consumer. We are also made to believe that the consumer determines the market. In fact, ‘customers’, the saying goes, ‘are always right’. However, who decides for the final consumer the quality of produced goods and services and at the long run decides the ‘actual’ market dynamics? The answers to these questions are analogous to the topic of interest.
Similarly, in the literary circle, the starting point of production of books begins with the author. Here, the author painstakingly conceptualizes certain strings of thoughts and ideas. Then, using a system of understood schematics, he arranges coherently the written out ideas in an accepted book format. He sends it to the publisher who rigorously reviews it. And if the author’s work gets accepted and a subsequent contract has been signed, the publication processes begin. An editorial team is assigned to develop the contents, correct observed grammatical blunders, delete and add, if necessary other materials towards a better quality. Other processes such as designing, letterings, barcodes, printing and lithographs are employed at the discretion of the publisher FOR the general or specific audience.
The promotion, distribution, advertisement, book launch and sales take place. The author is invited for book interviews, showcased in various billboards, publicized in different newspapers and magazines, principally participates launching of his book and goes on book tours. The publisher’s business acumen in spreading the publicity of the book through different on-line and off-line channels gives the giant book wholesalers (other international marketing agents) the push to make bulk purchases. Then, because of its popular demand ‘imposed’ on the general public, retail bookstores(on- and off-line) demand for it.The final consumer, also known as the reader, finally gets it.
In this format, we see that: The Author to The Publisher, The Publisher to The Giant Book Wholesalers and retail outlets, The Giant Book wholesalers to Retail outlets (on and offline channels), Retail Outlets to the final consumers.
To be realistic, it is up to you decide who really determines the literary market!
He was done reading through the articles. Because of the excitement, Martins hurriedly switched on the internet connection and searched for the author’s information. After some two minutes, he was able to get what he wanted: The Success Story of the Author, Mr. Ben-The Interview. WWW. Literarysuccessstories.com was the site where Martins would to pin his interest for the next two hours. The site page read the following:
On this interview by Karen Reid, we will be looking at an author whose motivation through the years inspired him to become one of the most sought-after authors internationally.
Up Close and Personal
My actual names are Ihekuna Chimezie Benedict. I was born July 12, 1984, in Lagos, Nigeria. In my family’s birthline, I am the first of four children; three boys (including me) and a girl. I am Christian by religion and single by marital status, though I’m ready to mingle.
Experience in Writing.
To be frank, the writing industry has been characterized by the good, bad and the ugly. There are a lot of writers who have been discouraged from pushing forward their careersbecause of the incessant rejections from publishers and literary agents. However, they are a few of them that, despite their works being rejected, still go ahead to defeat the literary ‘gate keepers’ to become the authors they want to be. Fortunately, I am one of them, despite being rejected by over a hundred literary agencies and fifty publishers for over seven years.
The Feeling of being the International Writer’s Prize Winner in the Fiction Category
At first, I never knew I’ll get this far. All I ever wanted was to see my name in print and make some income through it. But to my surprise, I realized that the prize is given to me. I want to say in pidgin, “Baba, I thank you for wetin you do for me!” This means: “Thank you God for what You have done for me!” I was stunned, surprised, amazed and what else? No word can describe the pinnacle of the excitement that took total control of my body, soul and spirit that day!
Writing Credits
I have written quite a number of books awaiting publication. Aside the bestselling work, “The Glory of Now and Tomorrow” already published by Latter Days Publishing House, Lagos, Nigeria; I have the following, all ready for publication:
1) Life’s Twists
2) “Wake Up, Dream Boy!”
3) Winds of Change
4) Stories of Life Significance…a compiled selection of bestselling stories
5) The Mirror of Tragic Marriage Life in Space
7) “I Love You Daddy!”
8) One Man’s Deep Words
The Non-fiction works include:
1) Who is Man?
2) The M-L.A.W Link…Man’s Contribution to Living Dynamics
3) Who Are Your Friends?
4) Come To Think Of It, Sex!
5) Sexually, Are You Worth Being Faithful To?
6) The Code-13 Principle
7) Seven Irrefutable Facts Associated With Business Success
8) 11 Major Deceptions You Must Guard Yourself Against…
9) What Must Be Considered for a Successful Marriage
10) The Beyond-physics Analogy of Newton’s Laws of Motion
11) My Kind of Man and My kind of woman
12) What you do not know about your man, What you do not know about your woman and many more.
You can visit www.literaryagentsandpublishers.wordpress.com for more information concerning the titles and more.
Agent and Contacts
I currently have an agent based in Maryland, USA. She is into entertainment, fashion and other things. Above all, she’s such a nice person who believes entirely in me. TracyTracy is her name! As for her contacts, anyone who is interested can contact me by following me on twitter. My twitter handle is ben4realla.
Writer’s Block
When I experience such, all I do is to unwind at the beach, have some fun and get back to work. Inspiration comes and that’s it. Writers block gets wiped out!
Lessons Learnt
Persistence, patience, determination, endurance, and quest for improvement are the tools needed to success in the literary world.
Ambitions in life
In future, I want to be a publisher and later, a top-notch investor.
Advice for Up and Coming Authors
Know that you’re in for competition with others
Be focused and determined
Build a bullet-proof mindset for rejections
Get ready to face harsh criticism and above all,
Keep writing and improving your skill.
Karen Reid: Thank you for granting us this interview.
Mr. Ben: You are welcome!
Martins was so inspired by Mr. Ben that he began sleepless nights writing his book. For the next two years, he would endure all kinds of insults and discouragements from his colleagues at his place of work, including Charles who was already a senior staff with the Brisbane Bank. To him, “Ihekuna Chimezie Benedict is someone from the third world nation as Nigeria who is surrounded by difficult living conditions. Yet, he has now become the ‘much talked aboutin the mouths of many! If he could succeed, despite having little, how much more me, Martins, who better condition to enjoy life? If he can do it, I’ll do better!”
Finally, Martins was able to publish his fiction-based bestselling work, “The Writers Relief” by Atlas Publishers International. It sold over a million copies in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Vanuatu, and Cook Island, British and America Samoa, Papua New Guinea and some parts of Asia, including India, China, Japan and Hong Kong. He was awarded the prize winner of Australia’s Best Fiction for 2013. By December 4, 2013 Martins was appointed the literary ambassador of Australia to the rest of the world, the first of its kind in the country, by the Australian government, for a period of four years.
Where is Charles? He got fired from work because of his professional lapses at the Brisbane Bank. He is being considered as a sales representative of Martins’ CornerstonePublishing House based in Melbourne, Australia.
“The winds of change in the world we live in make have become part of our life ordeals and plights or better yet, stories in collective terms, surrounded the entirety of our character and consequently determined our lifestyle”
Mr Ben