I request some assistance in my search...

[Rasun]

In looking for possible publishers for my story Princess Of The Damned (http://www.mangapunk.com/forum/comicking/writing/princess_of_the_damned) I came across the subgenre for science-fiction and fantasy called Apocalyptic Fiction. Which after doing my research is the perfect genre for my story seeing as how it deals with a young demon girl who's destined to bring about Armageddon, but seeks that which Lucifer lost instead. I'm specifically search for a publisher of Religious and supernatural apocalypse (Eschatological fiction). So if anyone can aid me in this endeavor I'd greatly appreciate it.

[ChaosTitan]

Hi and welcome!

Two of the best places to search for publishers of SF fic here:

http://duotrope.com/
http://www.ralan.com/

And make sure you check out Writer Beware:

http://www.sfwa.org/beware/

There is also a Science Fiction/Fantasy subforum filled with all sorts of useful tips:

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=39

[Gillhoughly]

Go to a bookstore.

Look for books that are remotely similar to yours.

Copy the names of those writers and those publishing houses.

Check the writer websites to (very politely) ask for their agents' names. (Dear __, I'm an aspiring writer looking for an agent and am hoping you might share the name of yours.) (Do not divulge or offer to divulge your story idea. If you've read their books, you can say something nice.)

Check the publisher websites for their submission guidelines.

You might want the read Stephen Brust's To Reign In Hell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Reign_in_Hell) (1984) and see if it's still in print and who published it. It has concepts similar to yours and is a rattling good read.

Stay away from ANY publisher/agent that a) wants money from you; b) is called Publish America; c) does not pay advances.

Hit the 808 section of the library and read the how-to-get-published books. Writing is a business as well as a creation thing. You have to learn the 101 on the business side so you don't get ripped off by the sharks.

What the others said about Preditors & Editors. Go there. Learn.

Good luck.

[windyrdg]

Gillhoughyl is spot on. Follow the advice given and spend a lot of time perusing the pages of AW. Try reading some of Goals and Accomplishments and Rejection and Dejection to get a feel for the battle. Stephen King, John Grisham and Dean Koontz, along with every other published writer, were once in your shoes.

Welcome and Good Luck

[Memnon624]

Go to a bookstore.

Look for books that are remotely similar to yours.

Copy the names of those writers and those publishing houses.

Check the writer websites to (very politely) ask for their agents' names. (Dear __, I'm an aspiring writer looking for an agent and am hoping you might share the name of yours.) (Do not divulge or offer to divulge your story idea. If you've read their books, you can say something nice.)

Check the publisher websites for their submission guidelines.

You might want the read Stephen Brust's To Reign In Hell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Reign_in_Hell) (1984) and see if it's still in print and who published it. It has concepts similar to yours and is a rattling good read.

Stay away from ANY publisher/agent that a) wants money from you; b) is called Publish America; c) does not pay advances.

Hit the 808 section of the library and read the how-to-get-published books. Writing is a business as well as a creation thing. You have to learn the 101 on the business side so you don't get ripped off by the sharks.

What the others said about Preditors & Editors. Go there. Learn.

Good luck.

That needs to be stickied and automatically sent out to every new or aspiring writer, with orders to print it out and paste it to their computer monitors.

Bravo, Gillhoughly!

Best,

Scott

[Gillhoughly]

:goes all blushy: :e2paperba

[Rasun]

Hi and welcome!

Two of the best places to search for publishers of SF fic here:

http://duotrope.com/
http://www.ralan.com/

And make sure you check out Writer Beware:

http://www.sfwa.org/beware/

There is also a Science Fiction/Fantasy subforum filled with all sorts of useful tips:

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=39

Thanks, you're the second message boarder to remind me about those underhanded publishers... But this story is more of a gothic/fantasy/psychic/supernatural/action/adventure type than Sci-fi...



Go to a bookstore.

Look for books that are remotely similar to yours.

Copy the names of those writers and those publishing houses.

Check the writer websites to (very politely) ask for their agents' names. (Dear __, I'm an aspiring writer looking for an agent and am hoping you might share the name of yours.) (Do not divulge or offer to divulge your story idea. If you've read their books, you can say something nice.)

Check the publisher websites for their submission guidelines.

I planned on doing that yesterday after applying for a job at a local comic book store yesterday, and saw their selection of literary novels. And as I've learned in looking up some authors, their publishers are listed on their sites.


You might want the read Stephen Brust's To Reign In Hell (1984) and see if it's still in print and who published it. It has concepts similar to yours and is a rattling good read.

Thanks alot, because up until now I figured that all the stories similar to this tale of mine were only comic books Like HellBoy( Which was one of the three big inspirations of this story) and Purgatori. And I'mma see if I can't find it.


Stay away from ANY publisher/agent that a) wants money from you; b) is called Publish America; c) does not pay advances.

Hit the 808 section of the library and read the how-to-get-published books. Writing is a business as well as a creation thing. You have to learn the 101 on the business side so you don't get ripped off by the sharks.

What the others said about Preditors & Editors. Go there. Learn.

Good luck.

That makes you the third to warn me about Bad- publishers... So now I'm going to look into that too.




Gillhoughyl is spot on. Follow the advice given and spend a lot of time perusing the pages of AW. Try reading some of Goals and Accomplishments and Rejection and Dejection to get a feel for the battle. Stephen King, John Grisham and Dean Koontz, along with every other published writer, were once in your shoes.

Welcome and Good Luck

Oh I've felt the sting of rejection many times, and not just with this story but some of my other works like Nether Tales (http://www.drunkduck.com/Nether_Tales/index.php?p=369650), and Dreamers Hearts. Also you just gave me names of two more authors I can look up, thanks.

[Polenth]

Thanks, you're the second message boarder to remind me about those underhanded publishers... But this story is more of a gothic/fantasy/psychic/supernatural/action/adventure type than Sci-fi...

The sites you were given cover all forms of speculative fiction, including fantasy and other paranormal things. They aren't just science fiction.

[Cato]

I'm a tad confused here. It is preferable to have an agent before a publisher, correct? Is it possible to skip the agent part?

[a_sharp]

I'm a tad confused here. It is preferable to have an agent before a publisher, correct? Is it possible to skip the agent part?

Can't skip the agent these days, expecially for a new writer. Publishing editors long ago relegated the filtering task to literary agents, who in turn have passed first reads to hired or contracted readers. That's just how the business works these days.

Not so true in children's lit, where smaller publishers often welcome direct queries.

[Rasun]

The sites you were given cover all forms of speculative fiction, including fantasy and other paranormal things. They aren't just science fiction.

Really? Neat... Now if you excuse me, I have to go kick myself... :p


I'm a tad confused here. It is preferable to have an agent before a publisher, correct? Is it possible to skip the agent part?

Well yes, but the only way I know how to publish a story without an agent is self-publishing, but I don't have the resources needed for that yet.

[Gillhoughly]

Just to confuse things more, there ARE publishers who accept unagented subs, but you have to look for them.

Writer's Market (http://www.amazon.com/2008-Writers-Market-Robert-Brewer/dp/1582974969) is where you start. Your library will have this year's copy in their 808 reference section. It's an expensive book, so using the library copy is best when starting out. Always cross-check its info against the publisher's website guidelines so you know what's current.

Most of the big houses--who pay the money, which you want--like an agent in between them and the slush pile.

You can be your own agent, but you have to learn the business side of the craft--there's a lot of it--and having industry contacts doesn't hurt, either. If you'd rather write than sell, shop for an agent.

Small presses often have a slush pile, but they do not pay the big money and, having a smaller operating margin, are much pickier on what they publish. A so-so book won't have a chance, but might be considered doable by a big operation.

[ChaosTitan]

Thanks, you're the second message boarder to remind me about those underhanded publishers... But this story is more of a gothic/fantasy/psychic/supernatural/action/adventure type than Sci-fi...


And for the love of an editor's sanity, don't call your book a gothic/fantasy/psychic/supernatural/action/adventure in the query. Pick one (maybe two, tops) and go with it. :)

[Rasun]

Just to confuse things more, there ARE publishers who accept unagented subs, but you have to look for them.

Writer's Market (http://www.amazon.com/2008-Writers-Market-Robert-Brewer/dp/1582974969) is where you start. Your library will have this year's copy in their 808 reference section. It's an expensive book, so using the library copy is best when starting out. Always cross-check its info against the publisher's website guidelines so you know what's current.

Most of the big houses--who pay the money, which you want--like an agent in between them and the slush pile.

You can be your own agent, but you have to learn the business side of the craft--there's a lot of it--and having industry contacts doesn't hurt, either. If you'd rather write than sell, shop for an agent.

Small presses often have a slush pile, but they do not pay the big money and, having a smaller operating margin, are much pickier on what they publish. A so-so book won't have a chance, but might be considered doable by a big operation.

Well that solves my self-publishing or finding an agent problem... But I'mma use the other methods that were suggested first.



And for the love of an editor's sanity, don't call your book a gothic/fantasy/psychic/supernatural/action/adventure in the query. Pick one (maybe two, tops) and go with it. :)

Well I've already chosen two, but the fact is there are so many elements I put into the story like action, romance, gothic psychic supernatural/ occult and most importantly Apocalyptic elements into the story. But ultimately it falls under one or two categories despite these elements... And I've chosen Apocalyptic Fiction as I mentioned at the beginning of this thread... Oh and to prevent further taunting of your curiosity Here's the manuscript. (http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2519785/1/Princess_Of_The_Damned_Chapter_1)

[Shweta]

Oh and to prevent further taunting of your curiosity Here's the manuscript. (http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2519785/1/Princess_Of_The_Damned_Chapter_1)

Oh dear.
If it's all, or largely, available online for free, and not even behind a password or anything, it may not be considered previously unpublished.

It might help if you take it down, but I am not sure.

Anyone?

[benbradley]

...
Oh and to prevent further taunting of your curiosity Here's the manuscript. (http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2519785/1/Princess_Of_The_Damned_Chapter_1)

(hitting the right-arrow and getting to Chapter 2...)

Is that the WHOLE THING? I suggest you take it down immediately, excep for perhaps one chapter. Putting the whole thing up on a website like that, and also giving a link here (this is a "public" forum, you don't have to sign up to absolutewrite.com to read it) could be considered publishing, and publishers want first publishing rights. This was covered in some threads around here in recent days (title was something like "should I put my unpublished novel on the Web?") .

[roseangel]

It's also pretty short as well, or is this an early draft and you've revised/expanded the story?

[Rasun]

Oh dear.
If it's all, or largely, available online for free, and not even behind a password or anything, it may not be considered previously unpublished.

It might help if you take it down, but I am not sure.

Anyone?

You have a point...



(hitting the right-arrow and getting to Chapter 2...)

Is that the WHOLE THING? I suggest you take it down immediately, excep for perhaps one chapter. Putting the whole thing up on a website like that, and also giving a link here (this is a "public" forum, you don't have to sign up to absolutewrite.com to read it) could be considered publishing, and publishers want first publishing rights. This was covered in some threads around here in recent days (title was something like "should I put my unpublished novel on the Web?") .

Now that makes alot of sense so I won't post the remaining 9 chapters there are 16 chapters in book one.

It's also pretty short as well, or is this an early draft and you've revised/expanded the story?

Yeah this is a rough, and though it's ultimately sixteen chapters long I still felt it was very short when I completed it, so I sought to make the sequel Her Infernal Majesty a lot longer.

Oh and before I leave for lunch....*Tackles ChaosTitan and hugs her* Thanks alot for the links earlier! XD I think I've found some to submit my story to.