Publishing Confidential: The Insider's Guide to What It Really Takes to Land a Nonfiction Book Deal - Softcover

Brown, Paul B.; Britton Payne; John A. Byrne

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0814472265 ISBN 13: 9780814472262

Publisher: Amacom Books, 2004

Synopsis

Any number of books explain ""how to write a book,"" but getting a book published is the hard part. Aside from talent, writers need a strategy for distinguishing their efforts from countless others. (No, don’t use pink paper.) Paul B. Brown has been an author on a dozen books with sales totaling more than 2 million copies. So you could say he knows what it takes. In Getting Published, Brown offers a straightforward approach to test-marketing book ideas, creating strong proposals, reaching the right editors and agent, and more. Equally important, he provides inside tips for how to become an integral part of the publisher’s marketing and sales efforts. The book also gives pointers on nontraditional arrangements such as self- and subsidy-based publishing. The book’s many valuable tools include sample contract language, a fully annotated book proposal, and exercises to help authors identify what they may be doing right and wrong. With abundant humor and unparalleled insight, Brown debunks the myths and misconceptions in favor of trustworthy and effective advice.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

Anyone can write a book. What you need is a strategy to get it published. Here it is.

In Publishing Confidential, best-selling author Paul B. Brown guides you step by step through the otherwise difficult process of getting a publisher to say "Yes." He does it with real-life examples, including a fully annotated sample proposal so you know what to include (and what to leave out), and practical advice about reaching the right editors and agents. Plus, you’ll learn valuable lessons about contract language and negotiations, and how to become an integral part of your publisher’s marketing efforts.

You’ll be hearing firsthand from someone who has discovered—often the hard way—exactly what works and what doesn’t, and who explains it all with a sense of humor. Don’t take our word for it; listen to what the industry insiders have to say about Publishing Confidential:

"Brown tells writers how to land a publishing deal, and he knows intimately whereof he speaks—he’s made a career of doing the impossible, and doing it with aplomb. If you are thinking of writing a nonfiction book, you can’t afford to be without this in your library." —Roger Scholl, Editorial Director, Doubleday/Currency Books, Senior Vice President, Doubleday

"I have always said the phrase ‘publishing business’ is an oxymoron. Finally someone makes sense of this crazy yet wonderful world for all authors—prospective or prolific. It definitely will be required reading for all my clients."

—Gail Ross, The Gail Ross Literary Agency

"Publishing Confidential is destined to become a classic. If there's anybody around who can give you the inside scoop on everything you need to know to write and publish a best-selling business book, it's Paul B. Brown. He's managed to write and publish some of the best—and best-selling—business books anywhere. Now he shares his secrets. This book is clever, street-smart, practical, wise, and funny as hell." —Professor George M. Gendron, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Clark University, former Editor-in-Chief of Inc. magazine

" You're better off not knowing what goes on inside a fine restaurant's kitchen—or a publisher's office. But if you must peer into the pressure-filled, overheated world of books (and remember that there are no health inspectors here), you'll find no better guide than Paul B. Brown. He knows how the sausages are made." —Marion K. Maneker, publishing columnist for New York Magazine

"A funny, realistic view of the publishing process and a must-read for anyone who thinks he has a book in him. I wish all my clients would read this!" —Debra Kass Orenstein, literary property attorney

About the Author:

Paul B. Brown (Duxbury, MA, and Glen Rock, NJ) is an author of Customers for Life, Lessons from the Top, and many others. He is a former reporter and editor for BusinessWeek, Forbes, Financial World, and . magazines.

About this edition

• Publisher: Amacom Books
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0814472265
• ISBN 13: 9780814472262
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192