Book Publishing and Copyrighting

I haven't completed my book yet, but I'm going to try LuLu.com. It sounds like that may be the one that you have found. It's a very popular site, so maybe it works.

Congrats on completing a book! It's best to find an agent or publisher, of course, and that may be far more doable than you realize. Not sure that I'm allowed to post links here, but feel free to E-mail me.

First, you already own the copyright on any book that you wrote. If you want to register that copyright yourself, you can do so, for a fee. It is best to wait, however. Agents and publishers are likely to suggest changes. Once all the changes are made, then *they* will register your copyright, free of charge. They will also get you an ISBN, free of charge.

I would suggest that you try to find a good agent. If your books are Middle Grade (imagine readers aged 9-11) or Young adult (primarily teens), this won't be too difficult. If your book is for very small children, finding an agent can be a real challenge. NEVER PAY MONEY TO AN AGENT.

The next step, if you can't find an agent, is to find a publisher. NEVER PAY A PUBLISHER. Research the publisher. Make sure that you are going to get a decent royalty (at least 15% net/ 5% gross)and that the publisher is reputable, even if they are small. Look into what PR budget the publisher has, if any.

If you can't find an agent or a publisher who are interested in your work, and you really want to see your work in print, there is at least one self-publisher that will print your book WITHOUT CHARGE. The way it works is simple: you upload your book. You set the book's price. The minimum price for the book is the amount that it costs the publisher to actually produce one copy of said book. Then you can order your book, and pay only the production costs for that one book. The book is also available on the publisher's website, if you choose to have it there. If you take this route, simply put (C)*your name* *current year* All Rights Reserved. You won't be bluffing. On the other hand, if it isn't officially registered, it can be a little harder to prove in court. But honestly, that VERY rarely comes up. Almost never.

So congrats again, and good luck!

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I've seen the other responses now, and they posted links, so I suppose I can, too.

Try www.AgentQuery.com and www.QueryTracker.net for agents. Of course, this assumes you know how to write a query. I know I didn't, when I was just starting out! I'd suggest you join the forums over at Absolute Write... www.absolutewrite.com/forums
They can teach you a lot about writing, queries, and agents/publishers. Check their Bewares before signing with anyone!

The links provided below are all great, and Lulu was the self-publisher that I was mentioning. They are one of the better print-on-demands. AVOID Publish America. Their contract is terrible, and they often fail to pay their authors the correct amount.

Again, good luck!

Hi A.,

Check out the North Texas Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators. They meet in Arlington once a month and can really get you plugged in. You can get your work critiqued and find out how to get connected to agents and publishers. I have a friend who is pretty involved with it and I know that quite a few published authors have come out of this group. Below is the website. Good luck!

http://www.northtexasscbwi.org/

Honestly, you really need to get an agent. I work in the public Library and have spoken to enough authors to know that if you are truly serious about getting published the first step in an agent. Most publishers won't even look at unsolicited work. If you have an agent, the publisher is more likely to acept your book to be looked at. Well, that's my advice. Good luck to you!

Spend some time doing your homework. There are two different types of non-traditional publishers, POD or print on demand, and vanity publishers. POD is a great modern alternative because of the significantly reduced printing cost, but they do not have the marketing clout of a traditional publisher. You will have to do all your own marketing and selling of the book.

Read over the contract very carefully. Make sure you watch for hidden fees, and check out any publishers you are thinking of using at Preditors and Editors (http://anotherealm.com/prededitors/) and Writer Beware (http://www.sfwa.org/beware/).

Your best bet would be to hook up with your local SCBWI group for constructive criticism and feedback. At a bare minimum use the market guide another person mentioned. Self-publishing has its own rewards and pitfalls.

Margot Finke also maintains a great resources for children's writers section on her website at http://www.margotfinke.com/.

Good luck!

A.,

Go to the library and get "Writer's Market 2007". You can get a later year if they don't yet have the 2007, but, 2008 is out, and it would be even better!
If I remember right, they even have a "Writer's Market" specifically for children's books. Or, go to Border's and ask where the writing books are. There is a ton of books out there that will help you get your book in print - the right way.

I've been helping my son to copyright a cartoon he has created... I found this on line just last night doing our own homework.

http://www.copyright.gov/register/literary.html

There are some companies out there are that "self publishers" where you pay them a portion up front and then you take and sell.. will see if I can find them for you.

I am having the same issue trying to find a "legit" publisher for children's books/stories. I am anxious to see if anyone has any advice as well.

This is the book that I used when trying to get published...
http://www.amazon.com/Writers-Illustrators-Childrens-Publ...

I sent off about 30 copies of my manuscript (illustrated by my mother) and a cover letter to different publishers.

Good Luck!!

I have been looking for the same information myself. If you find anything out, would you please share the info with me at ____@____.com? I would also be interested in the website you found. Thank you very much.