Book Publishing Process- An Overview of the Publishing Process - Part 1

Line Editing or Developmental Editing
Any of several types of editors could suggest revisions. Publishers use a mystifying array of terms for their editorial staff; the terms vary from one area of the publishing industry to another and even from one company to another. But at this stage, most editors are concerned with the larger picture--that is, with aspects of your manuscript like organization, readability, and accuracy--rather than with smaller details like grammar and spelling.

For example, the acquisitions or acquiring editor could recommend revisions; in the case of scholarly books, these may be based on suggestions from peer reviewers. Or if you've written a trade book, the (line) editor, content editor, or substantive editor handling the book may suggest improvements. Textbooks are sometimes sent to a developmental editor, who will recommend organizational, stylistic, and other changes that can make a book more competitive with similar books.

After you've made the necessary changes, the manuscript goes into production. That process involves further editing, typesetting, and other work that will turn your manuscript into a printed book.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_C._Judd

Formatting Your Manuscript Is Important

Author: Thomas Ajava

You’ve done it! You’ve written the next great American novel. It took years to do it, but now it is ready to go. You just need to find a publishing house. You start sending the manuscript off, but just get form letter rejections back. What’s the problem? It might not be the content of your manuscript, but the formatting that is the problem.

We are a superficial society. Oh, come on. Admit it! We go for looks just about every time. There is a reason a Ferrari sells for hundreds of thousands of dollars and a Camry sells for slightly less. Image is everything and that also applies to the publishing industry. The reason, however, is not so much visual seduction as it is practical.

What does an editor spend the vast majority of their time doing? They read. Then they read some more. After that, they spend a few hours reading. As you can imagine, this can grow old very quickly. While they might receive a quality manuscript every so often, the vast majority of submissions are not so hot.

To keep from going insane, editors have built in filters that they use to eliminate the obviously weak copy being submitted. One of those filters is the formatting of the manuscript. There is a process that must be followed in formatting your work. If you fail to follow it, the work will not only be rejected – it will not be read! This is true if you are Bob Smith or Stephen King. Okay, it probably isn’t true for Stephen King, but you get the drift.

What are the formatting requirements? Well, each publisher is going to have slightly different ones. What does this mean? It means you need to go research them. You’ve spent considerable time and effort writing you novel. Don’t blow getting published by being lazy now! Still, there are some basic formatting guidelines used across the publishing industry. Let’s take a closer look.

The overriding goal is to make your manuscript as reader friendly as possible. Nobody likes to read even the best writing if the print is size 8. The first rule is to use white 8.5 x 11 paper. You want to use one inch margins all the top, bottom and sides of each page as well. Use black print, 14 size and double spacing so the editor doesn’t go blind trying to read the pages. Courier is the accepted font across the industry, but Times is also okay and I personally prefer it. Make sure to put a brief version of the title and the page number on each page. You don’t want the editor to mix the manuscript up with something else and not be able to find your contact information!

There are a few extra steps you need to follow as well. The front page should have your contact information in the upper left corner. The title of the manuscript should be in the middle of the page. The title should be in all CAPS and you should include any alternative pen name you might want to use.

Finally, add a cover letter to the top of your manuscript. Put it all in a box and send it off. Do not bind it. Do not clip it together. Just leave it as a stack and the editor will at least be willing to read the cover letter and first few pages. Many times, that is half the battle to getting published!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/writing-articles/formatting-your-manuscript-is-important-1442956.html

About the Author

Thomas Ajava writes for NomadJournals.com - where you can buy blank journals to keep your writing notes wherever you are.

Do You Really Need Peer Reviews of Your Book Manuscript?

Author: Barbara G. McNichol

You've noodled through your book concept, created an outline to make your ideas flow, and filled in your outline with detail. You've accomplished a lot. Pat yourself on the back and dance the snoopy dance! But don't rest on your laurels just yet. You won't be ready to launch your project until you've allowed others with a more objective eye to give you the thumbs up.

Put your magnum opus aside for a few days and rest. Then give the manuscript one more critical look. Are you sure you've said everything you want to say? Once you're satisfied, you're ready for the next crucial step to making your manuscript the best it can be-a peer review.

A Necessary "Evil"?

A peer review involves sending your manuscript to fellow writers, other experts in your field or genre, and readers in your target audience for their feedback. As those who've been through the process know, a peer review can be frustrating and nerve-wracking. The reviewers' role is to help you "see" what you've written, and you may get feedback you don't want to hear. But you also garner valuable information to make your book better.

Reviewers point out what's working in the text or storyline and what isn't. They may nitpick on the wrong things and take you on tangents, offering suggestions that don't advance your ideas. Still, feedback from reviewers is essential because they bring a variety of perspectives to the book-as your buyers will. Be prepared for ideas that could be so far off you wish you could take back your manuscript and say "never mind." But also be ready for dynamic and brilliant suggestions.

Keep Reviewers on Track

To ensure reviewers' comments are valuable as opposed to distracting, guide the process the best you can. How? Consider these suggestions:

• Be specific about what you want peer reviewers to look for.

• Ask them if the content seems complete or if you've overlooked something important.

• Also ask them to forgive typos, punctuation glitches, and the like, as those issues are addressed in the editing process. You want them to focus on content.

Be Grateful for Valuable Feedback

Resist the temptation to skip the peer review. Reviewers' questions often reveal muddy spots that need to be cleared up. Thank them! It's easy to get your nose too pressed to the computer screen to see the overall picture. Peers may notice places where you need to expand on your message or where you haven't used words correctly. These problems you can fix with a little more thought and a good word or language reference. But don't rely on reviewers for nitty gritty editorial glitches, or you could receive a confusing patchwork of opinions. Best to let your editor ensure consistency and precision when it comes to details. You can't expect that from peer reviewers.

When you instigate this review process, you'll find that people appreciate being asked. What's more, you'll have ambassadors out there when your book finally launches.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/writing-articles/do-you-really-need-peer-reviews-of-your-book-manuscript-860117.html

About the Author
Barbara McNichol helps nonfiction authors through expert editing and her searchable e-guide, Word Trippers: The Ultimate Source for Choosing the Perfect Word When It Really Matters, available at http://www.BarbaraMcNichol.com.

Using an Outline vs. Manuscript for your talk or speech

Author: Terry Jetmore

Why do I need an Outline instead of a Manuscript?
An outline is preferable for a few reasons. You will soon develop your own natural rhythm of speaking if you are not tied to your notes. Your audience contact improves and your ability to reach others with your message is enhanced.

Why is this important?
Preparing an outline helps you to organize your thoughts. Using it for delivery makes it easier for you to be conversational and to speak from the heart.  Now that makes all the difference in the world for your listeners.

Speaking from an outline may scare the living day lights out of most people. A speaker may think "What if I forget what I'm supposed to say?"  They may feel more secure if everything they are going to say is down on paper or memorized.

Think about this....ever notice that in every day life we all speak without a manuscript and that never makes us nervous. We do it in conversation with family and friends and even people we have just met for the first time.

When you deliver a talk, training or presentation, does it make a difference whether you use a manuscript or an outline?

Absolutely!  If you read from a prepared script it can definitely help to ensure accuracy and the use of a particular choice wording. But, if you are tied to your notes, after reading a few sentences you will notice that you will usually adopt a pace and a pattern of inflection that is completely different from your spontaneous conversational style. People notice if your attention is focused more on your notes than on them. Human nature being what it is, we want it to be about ourselves! Ever seen an audience just tuned out because a speaker is ranting on about themselves or has not connected with the listener? Don't let that happen to you.

For a truly motivating talk, extemporaneous delivery is always the best.

With preparation, you will find that an outline, either mental or written, is usually just enough to remind you of the main thoughts that you want to discuss. But how can you develop the confidence needed to work from one?

Organize Your Thoughts
In order to use an outline when speaking, you need to organize your thoughts. This does not mean selecting the words that you plan to use. It simply means thinking before you speak.  Mind mapping is a very helpful tool.  If you haven't tried it before, give it a try.

You've heard the old adage "Think before you speak". We've all experienced a time when we blurted out things that we later wished we had not said. Another pattnern of speech may be to speak aimlessly, wandering from one idea to another. Both of these tendencies can be dealt with simply by pausing to formulate a simple mental outline before beginning to speak. First get your objective in mind, next select the steps that you need to take in order to achieve it, and then start to talk.

Keep Your Talk Outline Simple
Is your outline meant for use when giving a discourse? How much should it include?

Remember that an outline is meant to help you recall ideas. You may feel that it would be great to write out a few sentences for use as an introduction. But after that, focus on ideas, not words. If you put those ideas down in the form of sentences, keep it short. The few main points that you plan to develop should stand out clearly in your outline. Try writing them in different colors or capital letter. Make note of illustrations or stories that you want to use. You may also have some significant secular quotation that is appropriate. Make your notes extensive enough to have specific facts to present. The outline will be easier to use if it is neat.

Some use outlines that are very basic. An outline may consist of a few key words, maybe a thought that conveys a story or experience you will relate or a pictures that help him recall ideas. With these simple notes, a speaker is able to present his material in a logical order and a conversational manner.

How to Use the Outline
The first step in using your outline is preparation for delivery. Look at the theme, read each of the main points, and either in your head or out loud, state the connection that each points has to the theme. Pay attention to how much time you have to develop each point. Review the arguments, illustrations, and examples that you plan to use to develop that point. Then practice repeatedly until you have the points clear in mind. 

Think about what you can omit in order to keep within your allotted time.  Remember to focus on the ideas and not the words.  You don't want to memorize the talk.

Using an outline will allow you to maintain good visual contact with your audience. Speak from the heart, and you will reach the hearts of those who listen to you.

How will you know you have mastered the art of public speaking? When you can speak extemporaneously from your outline.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/presentation-articles/using-an-outline-vs-manuscript-for-your-talk-or-speech-912849.html

About the Author

Terry is co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of www.SpeakCorp.com. She has had over 25 years experience in public speaking. She has also been the managing director of a Consulting Business that specializes in Regulatory Training for the medical industry for over ten years. Her goal is to provide insight and value for improving your public speaking ability and to help promote speakers, trainers and consultants professionally through http://www.speakcorp.com

How to Prepare Your Manuscript For Publication

Author: Amanda Clark

The best way to prepare your manuscript for publication is to keep it extremely organized throughout the entire writing and editing process.  This will make all of the other necessary steps go quickly and smoothly and will provide you with a polished final product.

As you write, keep your work and any notes you may take pertaining to it organized and easily accessible.  Having all of your ideas within reach will help you be more efficient with what you are trying to say.  Keeping a clean, well arranged workspace will help keep your mind clear, which will in turn make the writing process easier and more productive.

After you have finished writing the manuscript and are ready to enter into the editing stage, it is highly suggest that you hire a professional editor.  This is important because a fresh set of eyes can pick up on a lot of things that you may miss.  Because you are used to reading your work and you know what you mean by what you have written, another person's perspective may pick up on things you didn't notice.  These things may need to be taken out, or may offer an exciting new spin on what you have written.  Professional editors are also very knowledgeable about grammar and will fix any grammatical errors in your manuscript.    

Another advantage of a professional editor is that he or she will not be emotionally attached to the manuscript.  This detachment will allow them to see the story as it is, rather than as you have envisioned it to be.  The help of an emotionally detached, well trained, professional eye is an invaluable resource to every writer.

After your editor has gone through your manuscript, read over his or her comments.  While you do not have to make the changes to the story that are suggested, you should take them into consideration.  After the first edit and first rewrite, the manuscript should be grammatically correct and the storyline should be fully developed.  You will want to have your editor go over the manuscript again, to check the rewritten segments.  This process should be repeated until the story is complete and ready for print.

When you send your query letters out to all of the different publishing houses, you should include in them that you have a professionally edited manuscript and are prepared to send them a sample.  This will show that you are serious about your attempt to get your work into print. 

So remember, when preparing your manuscript for publication, always remain organized and hire a good editor.  These two things will not get you a golden ticket into the world of publishing, but without them you won't get anywhere. 

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/publishing-articles/how-to-prepare-your-manuscript-for-publication-2652596.html

About the Author

Put Your Best Foot Forward When Submitting Your Manuscript

Author: Marvin Cloud

Every week, editors and book agents, receive many first-time authors' manuscripts for review purposes. Some authors want them to read their manuscript and give them a complete written report while others simply want them to look at their manuscript and see if the possibility exists that they can help them to publish it as a book.

Still others, while acknowledging the rough draft form of their manuscript, only want professional thoughts of what they believe to be a bestseller. Most editors believe everyone possesses a story inside of them; although they know that people also encompass varying degrees of gifts and level of skills.

Some even maintain the uncanny ability to "look beyond the faults" of most new authors and can see their story or book idea - regardless of their ability to write it. So while many of their manuscripts come to them, apologetically, many do not expect most of them to write on the order of a Rick Warren.

These manuscripts come in all manner of formats, including being written by hand on yellow legal pads or typed on an old-school styled typewriter. Regardless of the format, and although some editors still consider it an honor to receive their interest, the lack of reasonable care that some people employ takes most of them aback.

In the self-publishing arena, author services companies get their share of clients who can pay in full for their publishing projects. Yet, many common, everyday men and women whose dreams of being published may be stymied by financial resources.

But there is an old saying which circulated in the inner-city streets of Houston, Texas, by proud, working mothers, "You may not be rich, but you don't have to be dirty."

Can you imagine what happens when some of the manuscripts are sent to major publishing concerns or agents for possible representation - in the same shape?

Every author owes it to his or herself to learn the generally accepted manuscript formatting style and should at least use the spell-check function in their word processor. Author and writing coach Jessica Morrell, allowed me to reprint her report, "The Top Ten Reasons A Manuscript Is Rejected," in a book for writers.

I often refer others to it regardless of whether they want to pursue a major publishing contract or self-publish a few copies for their family members. The majority of the top ten reasons pertain to fiction books, however the first three applies to everyone - even if your book falls into the non-fiction category.

1. The manuscript format is inappropriate or contains errors. There are no exceptions to the guidelines for manuscript submission. Margins, line spacing, formats must be adhered to or your manuscript will be ignored.
Note: Do not send it to the wrong person or place. An editor or agent wants to know that you have chosen him or her for a specific reason. Submission requires meticulous research and care. Whenever possible, make contacts in the industry and in general, send brief inquiries before sending any manuscript pages.

2. The writing style is sloppy, flowery, cluttered with modifiers. Overuse of modifiers is one of the most obvious indicators of an unsophisticated or sloppy writer at work. The simple solution is to limit your use of modifiers and use them only when they contain information that a noun or verb cannot.

3. Mechanical errors such as spelling mistakes, grammar slip-ups, poorly constructed sentences, or punctuation problems. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, these errors will knock you out of the running. Editors and agents are only interested in professional, polished and error-free writing.

I'll save you the horror stories, but suffice it to say that the preceding three points underscores by far the state of the manuscripts received by book publishing executives. The saying still rings true: "You may not be rich, but you don't have to be dirty."

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/put-your-best-foot-forward-when-submitting-your-manuscript-40538.html

About the Author
Marvin D. Cloud provides a self-publishing alternative at mybestseller.com. For a free writers' workbook and online marketing tips, go to http://mybestseller.com/html/marketing_tips.

The Print-on-demand Contract

Author: Linda A Lavid

Self publishing contracts are not created equal. When deciding on a POD company to publish your book, consider the following:

Royalties. This is the percentage that an author is paid after a book is sold. Royalties can be based on the gross sale (cover price) or the net sale (after trade discount, printing, tax, shipping, handling, or whatever charges are specified in the contract). Some publishers rave about royalties that are 20% of net. They claim this generous royalty is over three times higher than a royalty paid out by a traditional publisher, which is around 6%. But they are comparing apples and trucks. A traditional publisher pays 6% royalties because they are paying for everything else, i.e., printing, editing, marketing and advances. Now what is a subsidy publisher paying? Zero. Royalty payments can be paid quarterly or monthly. To illustrate, here are a few computations. All books are the same price with the same number of pages. Taxes, shipping and handling charges are not included.

On Gross Sales

Company 1. Offers a 10% royalty on the gross sales of a .00 book. .00 x .10 = .50 royalty.

On Net Sales,

Company 2. Offers a 20% royalty on net sales. .00 (book) - .25 (55% trade discount) - .90 (printing cost) = .85 (net) x 20% = $.57 royalty.

Company 3. Offers an 80% royalty on net sales. .00 (book) - .25 (55% trade discount)- .90 (printing cost) = .85 (net) x 80% = .28 royalty.

The computations show the difference in royalty rates. A 10% royalty on a gross sale (.50) is less than an 80% royalty on a net sale (.28). And the worst deal is a 20% royalty on a net sale ($.57).

In contract speak, understand that gross may be written as retail or cover, and net may be written as what the publisher actually receives from which the trade discount, shipping/handling, printing and returns costs are deducted. Royalties can also be computed from wholesale (after trade discount) or from invoice (after shipping and handling).

When evaluating a contract ask: Are royalties paid on gross, wholesale, invoice or net sales? What are the specific deductions? What percentage rate does the author receive? How often are royalty payments paid?

Author Copies. This is the cost of a book when an author orders it. Author copies are used for marketing purposes, to send out for review and for resale. The cost of author copies can be figured down from the cover price or up from the printing expense. It is more advantageous to purchase author copies that are priced up from the printing cost. This is similar to going into a car dealership and negotiating up from the dealer cost rather than down from the inflated sticker price. This is a difference that matters. The cost of author copies is very important since selling books directly to the reader has the best return rate.

Publication Format. Delineates who’s responsible for the appearance, price, production and manufacturing of the book. After you’ve written the darn thing, these aspects may be of little interest to you, but take the extra time to consider them. These facets make a huge difference. Here are four areas to evaluate.

First, check out their books. Go to Amazon and search the publishing company. Click on Books and type the company’s name into the Search field. Review them. How do they look, both inside and out? What are the cover prices? If the books appear lackluster or are overpriced, don’t give this subsidy publisher your business. Also, if you can’t find any of their books on Amazon, this may spell trouble. You’ll need to check further to see how their books are distributed.

Second, do you have input into the interior layout and size of the book? Besides text, a book’s layout – chapter headings, margins, line spacing, font size, overall measurement – determines the number of pages in a book. If author copies are based on printing costs, fewer pages equals lower printing charges, and lower printing charges increase the profit margin. Also, POD books, to stay competitive, should not be more than 300 pages. This can be problematic if you have a manuscript over 100K words. However, if you have input into the book’s formatting, layout adjustments can be made to accommodate more text.

Third, do you have a say in the pricing of the book? The price of the book is important for two reasons. Cover price affects the marketability of a book and, depending on the contract, determines the cost of author copies. The cover price is best set by the author. Subsidy publishers often overprice books so that they can overprice author copies. When a subsidy publisher refuses to tell you the cover price of your book before you sign the contract, don’t sign. Some publishers will not be so obvious, and instead say that it depends on the number of pages. Again, don’t settle for a non-answer. They’re in the publishing industry and should be able to look at a manuscript and come up with the number of pages with a fair amount of accuracy. To be competitive, a cover price must be comparable with traditionally published books.

Lastly, it is important to find out who distributes the book (i.e., Ingram Book Group, Baker & Taylor), and how much of a trade discount the subsidy publisher is offering. A discount of 55% off the cover price is generous and is an incentive for retailers to sell books. A hefty trade discount is one reason why some books on Amazon sell for less than retail. Again, when you review books on Amazon, check the cover prices. If they are discounted, you may sell more books.

Rights. Rights are ownership of your work. There are different kinds of rights – to name a few: print, electronic, foreign, movie – that can be passed from author to publisher. Nonexclusive rights are rights that remain with the author and are not given to the publisher. Exclusive rights are granted by the author to the publisher. It’s important to read the entire contract. Rights may be granted in more than one area of the contract. An advantage of self-publishing is that you maintain all rights, at all times.

Cancellation. Also known as Termination. Cancellation can be requested by either party. Read carefully for stipulations that may extend beyond the cancellation period.

Yearly Fee. Also called a maintenance fee. This fee, according to one contract, is based on the current information displayed, at the time of the charge, on the publisher’s web site. In other words the fee is in payment for the book space provided on the subsidy publisher’s web site. This is a fee that pays for their marketing. Avoid this charge.

Return Policy. Accepting returns are offered by some subsidy publishers. Not having a return policy is one reason why many retail outlets do not stock POD books. Return policy, if offered, should be clear.

Submission Cost. In the excitement of getting published, you may throw all caution to the wind and spend more money than is necessary. Assuming you keep start-up costs reasonable and select a company that has an author friendly contract, breaking even is doable, especially when you sell directly to readers. However, if your main selling outlet is retail, you’ll have to sell a lot of books. To figure out how many books you’ll have to sell to break even, take your royalty per book then divide this into the amount you’re spending to publish. Let’s say you publish for 00 and your royalty is .57 (20% of net shown earlier on a .00 book). To recoup you’d have to sell more than 1754 books (1000/.57). And that’s a lot of books.

Related Fees. Unspecified related fees located anywhere in the contract need to spelled out. Galley edits, those changes done after the book is laid out, may be a type of related fee.

In summary, the ideal contract will allow you to: set the cover price, have a royalty rate of 80% or better on net sales, keep all rights (nonexclusive), have input into the size of book and number of pages, cancel at any time with no stipulations, have your book distributed and available to retail stores with a trade discount of 50% or more, purchase author copies that are priced from printing costs, not incur any yearly maintenance fees, and accept returns.

Beyond the ideal contract, there’s one more thing: the ideal subsidy publisher. This company will answer your questions, work with you, be available and give proper counsel. A writer should ask for no less.

Linda's Website

Linda is the author of Composition: A Fiction Writer's Guide for the 21st Century  Download for .75

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/self-publishing-articles/the-printondemand-contract-325101.html

About the Author

What Not To Do When Submitting Your Manuscript To A Publisher

Author: Jordana Ryan

Once your manuscript is complete you are ready to begin your search for the publisher that will best meet your needs. Research your genre to find publishers who accept what you have written. Look at books that they have already published and determine where your story will fit in.

Once you have found a publisher who catches your eye, make sure that you take the time to carefully read their submission guidelines. You may have written the most wonderful story in the world, but if you do not follow the publishers specifications, you may find that your manuscript will lie untouched at the bottom of a pile of submissions from authors who did follow the rules.

Once you have read the guidelines, you are ready to work on preparing your submission. You might need to go back and fix your spacing and indentations to the specifications of whatever publisher you are submitting to. You need to now write a query letter that introduces you as an author, your novel and your level of experience in writing. This should include a brief biography and a list of publishing credits. In the query letter, let the publisher know why your story is different, who will be your target audience and how do you plan to market your novel.

The synopsis should be a 2-4 page summary of the story including the ending. It should be well thought out and follow your plot line from beginning to end. Often this is the first sample of writing that a publisher looks at. A publisher knows if it was thrown together at the last minute. You should take as much time and care with your synopsis as you would with any scene of your novel.

Having a plan of action should your novel get published is an important tool of preparation for you. Let your potential publisher know how you plan to get your name out there. Will you do book signings, contests, chats, online signings, book club readings or placement into independent bookstores. Do you have a website? Do you have any special groups that you know would be interested in this type of novel. This is called a promotional plan and some publisher require it. Whether it is required or not, this is a good tool to develop prior to submission.

There are also a number of things that you should not do when submitting a manuscript. First is to send a manuscript with no query letter or synopsis. Publishers like to get an idea of what the story is about before plunging into a novel.

Second, make sure that the guidelines are followed. If the publisher specifies that all submissions should be double spaced in times new roman font, saved as an RTF file. Do not send something that is single spaced in a gothic font saved as a PDF.

Third, do not tell the publisher how wonderful your work is, or how much you think he or she will enjoy it. Stick strictly to the facts.

Fourth, do not write the publisher over and over again asking if they have yet read your manuscript. Most publishers will list an average response time. Only after that time has passed should you contact the publisher for an update.

Finally, when your Manuscript, make sure that your document is appropriately labeled with your name, pen name, title of the book, word count and email address. When manuscripts are sent by email, your document is often saved in another location. This manuscript could quite possibly be passed to various staff within the company in order to find the line that best fits your title. If there is not identifying information on the Manuscript itself, a publisher can not respond to you.

Overall, when you are submitting your work, remember be professional, be kind, be respectful and be patient. The publisher is working hard to review works and put out the best quality pieces to our public. As an author, it is your job to follow some simple guidelines when submitting a manuscript in order to allow the process to go smoothly and your work to be accepted.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/writing-articles/what-not-to-do-when-submitting-your-manuscript-to-a-publisher-181674.html

About the Author
Jordana Ryan is the author of the new
romance novel, No Matter What (Amira Press).

Are you a Screenwriter? Submit your Screenplay

Author: Dutchess Xpress

Why is it that it is almost impossible to break into the Entertainment industry? Why do they make it so darn hard? In order to break into the Entertainment Industry, for the most part, you really must  know someone who knows that "someone" that will give you a chance, even if just to pitch your screenplay and give them a chance to say "thank you but no thanks".  Although, there are those very few screenwriters that somehow are lucky to get discovered by an Agent or someone who just happens to be looking for the kind of script they happened to have written.

If screenwriting is your full time job and you are a professional screenwriter, congratulations are in order as you've lived thru many query letters, pitches, and  "No's" before someone gave you a chance. However, if screenwriting is your full time job and you have not yet optioned, won a competition, or pitched your script to someone  then you must find a real day job and continue to pursue your screenwriting on the side. I know this sounds mean but it is the honest TRUTH. Do not give up though, as there are many avenues out there that you can venture and then who knows, you might get discovered.

If you have a short (2-45 pages long), you should check out InkTip. You can post your copyrighted screenplay shorts on their site free of charge. You just have to make sure you have a catchy, intriguing tagline to get people's attention.  Many Agents, producing companies and the like go to this site and review the screenplays posted. If the information you post catches their attention, the agent or producing  company may contact you and request that you submit the short to them.  InkTip offers a good variety of services such as: posting your full screenplay (80-120 pages) for a fee of course, listing in their Magazine, newsletter, leads, and so on. I have posted content on InkTip before, and it's worked out OK for me. If you are on a tight budget, you may want to try the exposure by submitting a short. What do you know, someone may contact you and you may even option out your script. InkTip asks that any material you submit has been properly copyrighted, as they will not be responsible for anything. They are only there to help screenwriters get the exposure they need.

Other avenues you can try too is submitting your screenplay to Scriptapalooza. They have different kinds of competitions, and their screenplay competition is held once a year. Their competition is already underway so you can try to submit your work in next year's competition. Scriptapalooza does charge a fee for the script submission. Another opportunity out there is Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting Competition, there is a fee and they also hold their competition once a year. I think in terms of competitions, theirs is very reliable (not that the others I've mentioned above are not). I say this because of their process and who reads the screenplays.

There are other competitions and websites out there, but take my advice and don't fall for them. Personally I have used InkTip , I've also enter Scriptapalooza‘s & the Nicholl Fellowships competitions three years ago. It was my first time trying it out, and I only did because a Professor in College told me I should submit a story of mine as a screenplay. I guess he thought it was that good. Anyway, I entered their competitions, posted my short on InkTip just to see what happened. From InkTip I received several requests to submit my short, then from Scriptapalooza I was a quarter-finalist (out 5000+ entries), now unfortunately I only received a Thank You letter from Nicholl Fellowships. The point I am trying to make is, it was my very first try (like I said, just for the heck of trying and seeing what happened). I didn't even try hard enough and I got all that. It makes me wonder, perhaps now if I try really hard then maybe, just maybe I'll sell one of my screenplays.

Overall, it is true the Entertainment Industry is tough but there are many ways you can break into it. You just have to be careful not to fall for any competition or whatever screenplay editing scams out there that just take your hard earned money. The key is PERSEVERANCE.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/screenplay-articles/are-you-a-screenwriter-submit-your-screenplay-3074123.html

About the Author

I'm a working mom. During the day I'm a Sr. Project Manager for a large corporation, and by night I try to be a mom and wife. Any free time I get away from work, kids and husband, I use for writing anything that comes to mind, and try out my Home Staging and Re-Designing talents. Yeah! I am also a professional home stager. But that is more a hobby than anything else.