A Publisher's Conversation with Authors: How Publishers Decide Whether a Book Is a Good Fit
It is Tuesday. Monday's madness is over, and Wednesday will take us over the hump, so Tuesday it is--for some serious discussion with authors. Tuesday talks mean to address authors in waiting and self-published authors who would like to go a more traditional route or who would at least like to take their steps with a publisher by their side. This week's conversation addresses the question how publishers decide whether a book is a fit for its publishing program. Some answers should be obvious; others not so. In short, there are two "fits" that are needed: book fit and author fit. Book Fit All too often, an author submits a book that should be evident will not be a fit. Often, this is because the author does not learn more about the publisher, check out publications by the author, read the description of the publisher in Writers' Market and other such sources, and/or fails to read the website of the author carefully. Here are some non-fits: The book is not among th