Publishing Notes

Publishing Research/Facts

I teach a writing class, and I mention statistics, web sites, blogs, etc., about publishing. Here are some links to get you going to find information about agents, editing, publishing, and writing. If the link no longer works, the article or post may be removed. Send me an email (jaye@jayellwilson.com) and I'll see if I can find it for you.

My class notes are here

Writing Essentials

Publish, Don't Perish

Writing tips (print these on label sheets then laminate them. They're handy to have near your computer).

More Tips culled from Sue Grafton (mystery/romance writer)

My Rules of Thumb

A good list of books about writing

Articles are here

Statistics: information about sell-through, contracts, and other publishing stats. Not the most current, but still useful.

What is a best-seller? This article might tell you some interesting facts about that well-used term.

Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing: Ten key points to consider as you craft a story from Elmore Leonard, a master of crime novels.

Show Me The Money! Information about advances, earn-outs, etc. Note that this is self-reported (the information is voluntarily given).

Publishers Marketplace: a one-stop place for insider info about publishing.

Book Publishing Glossary: here's a good explanation about what those terms mean.

Here's another glossary version.

Pulping of Books: A blog by an editorial assistant who talks about how 40% of the books you see in a bookstore will be pulped (not recycled -- tossed in the trash heap). Read on to find out why.

The 12 Stages of Publication: not all roads to publication follow this path, but it gives you an idea of what it takes to get published and stay published.

The Romance Writer's Connection, an online community of writers. This is a good place to start your online foray into writing.

Information about self-publishing and some myths...busted.

J.A. Konrath's foray into Kindle sales and some interesting statistics.

A story about James Patterson, who is no longer considered 'just an author' -- he's a corporation.

Don't quit your day job: an explanation of what's left after agents and others take their piece of your pie.

Romance/Writing Sites

• Kiss Of Death: RWA's "Mystery" arm
• Writer Beware--Index Page: caveats about agents for any writer
• RWA: Romance Writers of America home page
• From The Heart: another online chapter from RWA
• Midwest Fiction Writers: home page for the local Minnesota RWA group