How to break into the book business

Susan Aldridge offers some advice.

Part One

Nailing that book contract

I can't tell you how to become the next Stephen Hawking or Dava Sobel, but I can share some of the tips I've picked up over six years of authorship (seven books, working on an eighth). The main thing I've learned is that writing the book itself is the easy part (yes, even if you're having to push out up to 10,000 words a week of intensively-researched prose to meet your deadline).

In fact you don't even start writing the manuscript until you have a signed contract from a publisher in your possession. Although it's probably a good idea to get the research and planning side underway while negotiations between you, your agent (more later) and the potential publisher are going on. Having said this, I have heard of writers submitting a complete non-fiction manuscript to a publisher. Big mistake. As bad as sending an unsolicited article to a magazine or newspaper.

The only way to get published is to start with an idea - then develop, hone and polish it into a book proposal that will catch the attention of a publisher. I can't tell you where to get your book idea from, but here are some suggestions.

• The subject matter of an article you've written can sometimes be deepened and broadened to create a book. For instance, a piece of investigative journalism where you've acquired good contacts and far more research than you could use could well form the starting point for a book
  
  
• If you've already written one book, there should be four or five spin-off book ideas contained in your research materials (well, that's how my last three books came about...)
  
  
• A trip, a conference or your own research, if you're an academic, might be the basis for a popular science book
  
  
• Your cuttings files, conversations with researchers, anything really ...the world is full of book ideas.
  
  

Now you need to start developing a proposal. There are no hard and fast rules for the format of a book proposal, but you'll be expected to produce around 10 to 15 pages selling your idea (a couple of paras won't do at all) covering the following points:

• A brief introduction to your book - what it's about, why you're writing it now, who'll read it. This should be self-contained, preferably on one page
  
  
• An analysis of the market and the competition for your book. Strange as it may seem, this is your job - not the publisher's. Researching the market should be an ongoing process anyway, if you're at all serious about book writing. Those of us who review have an advantage - we get to see the major science books in advance. But it's not nearly enough. Keep checking major bookshops and Amazon to see if you can spot the upcoming trends. A subscription to the Bookseller (www.theBookseller.com) is invaluable, because it contains news of all the books which will be published in the next few months. In your proposal, you must list all the books that compete or overlap with yours and explain carefully why yours will be different. You also need to say something about the groups of readers who will buy your book ('the intelligent general reader' is not enough - be more specific and say 'physics teachers', for instance). You also need to try to give your book an international appeal - much of your royalty money could come from US and other foreign sales, but only if your publisher can sell the rights.
  
  
• A chapter list and a couple of paragraphs on each one, saying what it will cover
  
  
• An biographical note saying why you are the best —  and indeed, only — possible author for this book. It might be a good idea to attach an up-to-date CV.

Once it's complete the proposal should be submitted, with a covering letter either direct to a publisher or to an agent. I strongly recommend you try to get yourself an agent. Although I managed to publish six books without the help of an agent, I think I was lucky. Having said that, it can be as hard to get an agent's attention as it can a publisher's. Ask around for an introduction from a writing colleague who already has one or try the Writers and Artists Yearbook lists.

Although agents take a percentage of your advances and royalties, they know the complex and fast-moving world of publishing far better than you ever could (although the Bookseller is an excellent source of news and trends). He or she will know which publishers to approach with your proposal, what terms you should look for in the contract, and will generally look after you and your book before, during, and after its publication.

Part 2

From contract to publication

Your contract should include a reasonable advance against royalties. You're not Martin Amis, so don't expect anything in the six figure bracket. But it should be enough to justify your spending the time it'll take to write the book, when you may have to put other projects and regular commitments on hold (think about six months income as a starter). Some publishers have a shocking habit of paying academic authors no advance at all - an issue which the Society of Authors is taking up on their behalf (if this has been your experience, do contact the Society and let them know).

Now get the book written. As I said, that's the easy part - so no advice given here, except take it seriously and don't even think about missing your deadline (if, for any unavoidable reason, you are going to be late delivering you absolutely must tell your publisher well in advance. Late delivery causes them all manner of problems and will get you a very bad reputation).

Meanwhile, start to plan your publicity campaign. Yes, your publisher will have a huge publicity machine, but they're unlikely to do much for you - too many other books to handle (some of which will be from high profile authors who will take the lion's share of their attention). And, let's face it, no-one (not even your agent) is going to be as interested in your book as you are. Here are some ideas:

• Compile a list of potential reviewers and push this with your publicist. Sadly, it's necessary - once the book's published - to ring the reviewers and check they actually received the book
  
  
• Try to get a face-to-face meeting with your publicist
  
  
• Suggest ideas like readings in your local bookshop, appearances at Festivals, local radio interviews and so on. If your publicist is unenthusiastic, go ahead and arrange events yourself
  
  
• Set up your own website - publish an extract and scan in the cover
  
  
• Ask the publisher to provide you with a flyer for the book. It doesn't cost them much and then you always have publicity material to hand
  
  
• Use Amazon and other on-line bookstores to give yourself free publicity (check the authors' guidelines)

Once your book is published, you should see foreign rights deals coming in over the following year or so — this will generate extra income for you. And don't forget to register for PLR and for copyright fees (more details from the Society of Authors), which can bring in a useful extra couple of hundred or so pounds a year.

To make a useful supplementary (or even sole) income from writing books, you really need to be producing one every year or so. So the most important thing you can do, once your book is published, is to get going on the next one.