How can I get published?
Please remember that Scottish Book Trust is not a publishing house. We cannot review or comment on unpublished work nor can we help writers or illustrators get published.
Here are some general instructions about submitting work to publishers.
Do your research
Before you submit anything to a publisher, it's very important that you research very carefully what type of books that publisher already publishes. Consult the Writers and Artists Yearbook for comprehensive information on publishers and agents.
Investigate whether the publishers' booklist appears to favour a particular type of book. For example, if you have written a fantasy book, look out for a publisher that already publishes a lot of fantasy. It is more likely that they will be interested in your story.
It is also worth visiting a few bookshops and libraries and spending some time browsing the relevant subject section, making a list of the publishers who appear to publish the type of book you're writing.
Many publishers prefer approaches to be made through literary agents. Check all these details first and you will save time and money.
Submitting to a publisher
When submitting a manuscript/portfolio to a publisher, do ring and check that they look at submissions made in this way (called unsolicited submissions) before you send it. Some publishers may also have specific guidelines for submissions - for example they may only want to see a synopsis and sample chapters to begin with. Find this out before you send anything. It is also a good idea to try and find out the name of the person at the publishers you should send it to.
Send your submission with a short letter explaining who you are, what your background is and a brief description of your submission.
If you need them to return the manuscript/portfolio, make sure you include a self-addressed envelope with enough postage to cover the return postage. But always keep a copy of anything you send to publishers or agents.
Above all, be patient. It may take a long time for the publisher to get back to you.
Useful links
There are lots of great sources of advice for as yet unpublished writers and illustrators. Click the headings to visit the sites:
A & C Black publishes the Writers and Artists Yearbook, with comprehensive information on publishers, agents and much more.
Bloomsbury's 'Guide for unpublished writers' has some fantastic advice for new writers on it.
An excellent site for writers and all those involved in creating or supporting new writing and literature to find out about the wealth of training and professional development opportunities available in the UK. To keep up to date with what's new, subscribe to the free e-bulletin information service and mailing list.
This site has a myriad of links and information for first-time authors and illustrators and established authors and illustrators alike.
Lots of useful information and advice for writers.
If you are writing for children:
- A&C Black's Children's Writers' and Artists' Yearbook provides lots of information on different publishers of children's books and the type of books they publish.
- Visit Moira Munro's website for comprehensive advice for authors and illustrators just starting out, together with the intriguing tale of how her first picture book Hamish, the Bear Who Found his Child, was published.
- Society of Childrens' Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)An international organisation to support the practice of authors and illustrators for children. It has its own Scottish branch.
- Susan Price, a children's author based in England, also offers some useful and practical advice on getting published on her site. Click on ‘About Susan' and then choose ‘Advice on Getting Published'.
