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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Published, 4th Edition (Complete Idiot's Guide to) By Sheree BykofskyJennifer Basye Sander ( Alpha )
Release Date: 2006-08-01
Average Customer Rating:
List Price: $19.95
Price: $13.57
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Product Description
Expert advice for new writers. Publishing companies have consolidated, there are fewer editors, and literary agents are more selective. The result is that it’s tougher than ever to get published. Now, a successful literary agent and author and a best-selling nonfiction author and literary consultant provide even more of the practical advice every writer needs to get published. In this new edition, readers will find:
• An updated overview of changes in the publishing industry
• Practical tips about pitch letters, negotiations, contracts, and industry trends
• Includes CD-ROM with sample pitch letters, proposal templates, a comprehensive list of literary agents, links to fantastic author websites, and more
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 The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Published ( consultco5 )
This is the most helpful book I've read on getting published. Bykofsky is obviously an expert in the book publishing world, and the CD she has included in the book has a wealth of information not only on formats, but also includes a list of agents she knows. This list alone is worth the price of the book in these days of horror stories about authors that have been cheated by unscrupulous and incompetent agents. In addition to the list, this book gives a lot of good advice on how to choose an agent.
There is also a wealth of information on how to write a query, selling your book directly to a publisher, working with an agent, contracts, developing contacts, sales and promotion techniques, and more. The book is written in an easy-to-read style.
If this sounds like I'm enthusiastic about "The Complete Idiot's Guide...," it rings true. I am a new author nearing the completion of my first novel. I've read about a dozen books on fiction writing, and getting published. This is the most helpful book of the lot. After floundering around in the dark, bumping into walls, trying to figure out how to get published without getting screwed, I found this book and it turned on the lights. Thank you Ms. Bykofsky.
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Finally Found the Answers!
"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Published" has accompanied me to the dentist, the dining table, my hairdresser, while waiting for a late-arrival friend, etc. It has become an appendage that friends tease me about.
It is informative, inspirational, gives good advice, holds back no punches, and still entertaining. If I had read this first, would never have bothered with another "how-to-get-published" book.
Thank you Sheree & Jennifer for inspiring me to join you and "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Published" as a "team" to help get my book published.
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 Insultingly bad and mis-titled ( eulogy1 )
This book starts out with several chapters on what to write a book about.... Huh? It's supposed to be about getting published, meaning you already wrote a book!! I knew something was already wrong here.... So I skipped to the part about actually trying to get published, i.e. contacting publishing companies. Want to know their advice to you? When sending a letter to potential publishers, don't send a letter that smells like cigarette smoke and don't misspell someone's name in the letter. Are you kidding me? This book is filled with insultingly obvious gems like those two. There's GOT to be a better book out there that doesn't waste the reader's time with needless information.....
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 Are you writing non-fiction or fiction? ( jsg16 )
If you're writing non-fiction, this book will probably be very helpful. But if you're interested in publishing a novel, you'll probably be left wanting. This is not to say the authors don't cover publishing fiction, just that it's neither their expertise nor their focus. It's like a restaurant meal where the mashed potatoes were great, but the meat just wasn't very flavorful - it's just not satisfying.
The authors, both who've worked as editors, one who seems to have published a number of books on miscellaneous and sundry topics and the other who has worked as an agent, give lots of good advice on how the publishing business works and who the various people are that you might deal with. They tell you what it's like to be an editor and how you should treat them, and ways to improve your chances of being published. They suggest methods for doing market research and coming up with topics that might fill a book. Also covered are the benefits of using an agent and ways to publicize your book. They even include a CD in the latest edition with sample proposals and query letters which follow the generally accepted formats in the business.
And yes, they try to work fiction and its nuances into the text, but it almost always feels like an afterthought and often seems a bit confusing. Most of the examples given apply mainly to non-fiction, such as establishing yourself as an expert in your field beforehand by giving interviews or writing for your local paper. At first it wasn't that big of a deal, but by the end of the book I felt pretty disappointed. There is some really helpful information here, but it's just not targeted at publishing fiction.
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Informative, Great Format, and Very Encouraging
This is not the first book I've ever bought about how to get published but it is by far the best. First of all, don't be thrown off by the title. Complete idiots as well as the rest of us will be pleasantly surprised that the material is explained clearly but in no way "dumbed down." Moreover, the information is presented in bite-sized segments which I found made for easy digestion. Also, I really liked how there are relevant hints and tips interpersed throughout the text. As if that in itself wasn't enough reason to recommend this particular title, there is a CD included which has not only a list of agents but also examples of actual proposals and other documents which I think is exceptionally helpful. But probably my biggest praise goes to the overall encouraging style that permeates the book throughout. It's as though Sheree Bykofsky and Jennifer Basye Sander really truly want me to get successfully published! And that, for me, is worth way more than the (quite reasonable) price of the book.
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