Friday 2 December 2011

Countdown to Christmas: Editor Simon Mason of David Fickling Books

Simon Mason is an editor at David Fickling Books as well as the Guardian prize nominated author of Moon Pie and the children's series, The Quigleys. Simon's Christmas offering to Slushpilers who have already written their books are five tips on how to get published.



Moon Pie by Simon Mason
1 Get an agent. You massively increase you chances of a publisher taking a serious look at your book. If it arrives from an agent your book is an 'agented submission'. If it arrives direct from you it is 'slush'. Take a look at the current Writers and Artists Yearbook or equivalent to see which sorts of agents handle which sorts of book.

2 Get good at talking about your book. When you meet an agent and/or publisher you'll have an opportunity to introduce your book. Don't waste it. This is your chance to deliver a snappy description of what you have written to entice and interest them. It will help if you can talk their language - which means relating your book to similar sorts of books, market trends, etc.

3 Know your publishers. Even if you are being represented by an agent, it helps to have some basic knowledge and preferences about which publishers would - and wouldn't suit your book.

4 Know - realistically - what you want from a publisher. What are your priorities? Are you looking for commercial marketing, sympathetic editing, great jacket design, good review coverage, etc. (Don't say all of them.)

5 Be prepared to rewrite - or even to begin again. Once a publisher makes an offer for your book, the work doesn't stop. Usually, the publisher wants some changes - sometimes some really significant changes.

15 comments :

  1. I am loving this series of blogs so much! And plenty more days to come!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Slushpilers, this is such a great series of blog posts! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This made me smile so much - neat, succinct advice - if you hadn't said Simon was an editor I think we could have guessed!

    ReplyDelete
  4. And isn't David Fickling Books the amazing publisher of one Candy Gourlay? (they must have very good taste)

    ReplyDelete
  5. oh, and here are their submission guidelines: http://davidficklingbooks.co.uk/davidficklingbooks_submissionsguidelines.asp

    ReplyDelete
  6. To think i was all sad cause no one had brought me a chocolate advent calender, but your blogs are so much better, and less fattening!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Another great post - thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love 4 - 'don't say all of them'! Which would you choose?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Janet, that is a very good question! (I was wondering the same thing)

    ReplyDelete
  10. I think my response to Number Four would be - nurturing my career.

    ReplyDelete
  11. My response to Number 4 would be a great editor - all the rest shall surely follow...

    ReplyDelete
  12. My response to Number 4 - I was going to add to the list!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Clear, simple, and useful advice - what could be better? Apart from an editor who moonlights as a fairy godmother, that is.

    ReplyDelete
  14. This is such a brilliant idea. Clear and concise points that make so much sense.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are the heart and soul of the Slushpile community, thank you! We may periodically turn on comments approval when trolls appear.

Share buttons bottom

POPULAR!