Where can you find editors, agents, and publishing companies?

I'm currently writing a book, yet have no idea as to how to get it on its way to the published stage. Can anyone tell me how to find reliable people to do this when the time comes?Where can you find editors, agents, and publishing companies?
Christine,



Finding an agent to represent your work is far from easy. You can search through Writer's Market for the current year and write more query letters than you care to imagine, and still not land an agent who will represent your work. It all depends on how well your synopsis catches the eye.



I would suggest buying a copy rather than getting it from the library. If you buy your copy you can use (yellow marker) to mark the pages that interest you. Many agents allow an author to use email to query them.



Get yourself a finishing nail and put it in the wall right near where you're going to write. This is your reject nail. No, it's not to deter you from writing, but, like Stephen King said, it's to show you how hard you worked to get where you are.



Here鈥檚 a guide for those who want to seriously write for publication. It seems like a long list, but it can be done if you stick to it. This is the best way to get your foot into the door of a literary agent.



This guide is simply cut and pasted from my documents. It鈥檚 appeared on YA more times than I can count, but it鈥檚 what I鈥檝e learned from books and 鈥榯he hard way鈥?over my writing years.



Read on:



Writing a book takes more than just sitting down and putting your idea into words. There are a lot of things that you have to consider.



Keep an eye out for spelling and grammar errors. When typing fast with fresh ideas in our heads, we tend to forget ourselves. Check and recheck your work. Editors are very expensive these days.



You鈥檒l need to know how to write an effective 鈥榪uery letter鈥?to a literary agent. The letter will also include a synopsis that will hold the interest of the agent, and want to make him or her ask for the first three chapters of your work. Never send a manuscript to a publisher or literary agent without querying first. The exceptions to this rule are that a few publishers will allow full-unsolicited manuscripts to be sent to them. Literary agents will only accept query letters first. Don鈥檛 send cute little stamps either. There are agents and Publishers out there that find this amateurish and na茂ve. Use Liberty Bell, Flags (of your country) the Statue of Liberty (U.S. of course). Foreign countries should use famous icons of their country. I saw this on several of the books I have on writing and publishing, so, I鈥檓 only the messenger on that part.



You鈥檒l need to know how to format your manuscript. This includes the fonts (size and type) that most agents, editors, and publishers want. These are usually Courier New and Times New Roman (12 pt). Short stories and novels are formatted differently. You will need to follow submission guidelines just as they are laid down for your submissions. Anything less will result in your manuscript sent back or destroyed unread.



You will need to know what Point of View (POV) is. Know how to write in First Person Point of View. You鈥檒l need to know the can and can not of each.



Do you know how to write dialogue? How to format dialogue? This is very important and allows the author and his/her characters to communicate with the reader. Remember dialect as well. Dialect is how a person speaks. Your characters may be highly educated or dumber than dishwater. 鈥楢in鈥檛 got none鈥?is highly acceptable when used properly by a character who is even less than street smart.



It鈥檚 a good idea to know some of the publishing laws. The use of names and places.



These include

o Delivery Of Satisfactory Copy

o Permission for Copyrighted Material

o Grant Of Rights

o Proofreading and Author's Corrections

o Advances and Royalties

o Author's Warranties and Indemnities

o Copies to Author

o Option Clause



Learn how to get a 鈥榳ord count of your work. Some novels have a prologue and an epilogue. You鈥檒l need to know how to write them and why they鈥檙e used.



Know what the word 鈥榞enre鈥?means. Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction; These are all genres.



One of the most important issues in manuscript submitting is the proper 鈥榩age set up鈥?for your work. This includes margins, indents, and paragraphs. Most editors will want to see your manuscript double-spaced. This allows the editor to use his/her proofreaders marks between the lines. Most margins will be one inch all around with a ragged right margin and an even left.



Are you prepared to do a lot of 鈥榬esearch鈥?involving your work? Remember that many professionals such as, doctors, lawyers, nurses, public accountants, judges, architects, bricklayers, engineers, and police officers read, too.



Do you know what a sub-plot is? This is a plot that comes 鈥榰nder鈥?the main plot. The hero may be after the vampire, but the mob may be after the hero as well. This is a sub-plot.



Can you take rejection and constructive criticism? If you鈥檙e easily hurt in the feelings department, then writing may not be your forte. Critics will tear you apart or build you up. The best writers in the world 鈥淜ing, Patterson, Koontz, J.K. Rowling, and many Where can you find editors, agents, and publishing companies?
I suggest you look at Writer's Market. It will tell you how to submit a book to a publisher. Most public libraries have it. Look at it first, then you might decide to buy your own copy and even subscribe to their monthly updates.Where can you find editors, agents, and publishing companies?
Finding an agent is the easy part, considering the long journey you are about to embark on, you can just do a google search for book agents and find one that works with the genre you are writing. beware though of any agent that asks you for an upfront fee before helping you out, do not pay them anything upfront. Many agents who find you a publisher etc... make typically 15% of your GROSS earnings from every check you receive. An agent is a great asset, but just don't go with the first one that comes your way, shop around. Also to get an agent they should have instructions on how you should send your manuscript, and personal info and do it accordingly. You can also bypass the agent stage and send your manuscript directly to the publisher and your book will be put in line with thousands of other manuscripts that are waiting to be read, that's why getting an agent will help get your book published quicker and make the process a little easier. An editor should come with the publishing company, but if you want your manuscript edited before you send it in, then you can also find them on google, and again shop around some can rip you off, just like many other things in this world. I hope this helps
There is this modern miracle called the Internet. Enough said.