From the course: Sell Your Novel to a Major Publisher

What to expect from this course

From the course: Sell Your Novel to a Major Publisher

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What to expect from this course

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(gentle music) - Before we get into the meat of the course, I'd like to take a quick moment to mention that most of the examples and resources I use in this course, apply to the North American publishing marketplace. Although other publishing markets, such as the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, work similarly, because I'm not as familiar with them, I stick to what I know. If you're trying to get published outside of the U.S. and Canada, I'm certain you will still find the information presented in this course useful. But the specific examples and list of resources that I provide won't always apply to you. I should also note that this course is designed for selling a fiction novel. Nonfiction is an entirely different market, and although the selling processes have their similarities, don't assume you can apply everything you learn here to a nonfiction book. There are several very important differences. The advice provided here is specific to selling novels. So let's talk about what's contained in this course. In addition to explaining the process of selling your novel to a publisher, I've also included exercises and links to resources to help you along your journey. In the next lecture, I'll provide a quick overview of the entire publishing process. Then I'll break down each section in detail. Within each section, I've also included several tools, references, examples, recommended reading lists, and other helpful materials. Like every industry, the publishing industry has its own set of terminology and buzz words. If there's ever a word or term that I use throughout the course that you don't understand, you can consult the glossary I've included in the resources section of this lecture. Throughout the course, you will probably want to take some notes. I recommend keeping your notes in a separate notebook or in Evernote, my favorite note taking app. Evernote stores your notes securely in the cloud so that they're always available, searchable, and in sync on your computers, phone, and tablets. It's a great way to stay organized and it's free. Of course, pen and paper will work just fine, too. Just try to keep everything in one place and stay organized. Okay, before we continue, I have one very big disclaimer that I must articulate here. There are a thousand ways to go about selling a book. And there is no one right way to do it. This course is based on my experiences and the experiences of other authors that I've interviewed. Some of the things that worked for me may not be right for you. There are also many factors and variables that go into getting an agent and a publisher. I cannot guarantee that your book will be published and/or represented by an agent by following the steps outlined in this course. But I can, however, guarantee that these lectures provide valuable insight and information about the publishing industry that is well worth your time. After you've finished this course, you will be familiar with the entire process of publishing a novel, from writing your first query letter to autographing the first printed copy of your book. I have to say, selling a novel is a very difficult thing to do, but not an impossible one. I'm living proof of that. But like any career path, knowing how to go about it is the first step, so consider this course your study guide for the big exam. I can't guarantee that you'll earn a passing grade at the end, but I can give you the tools to do so. The rest is up to you. Experts say the quickest way to succeed at anything is to model your action plan after someone who has already done it. Well, here I am handing you my action plan on a silver platter. So let's get started.

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