Unfortunately, publishers don’t want that book you’re writing, or you have in your head to write. And even if you get it into print, it likely won’t sell, beyond a few family and friends who love you very much. Sorry to burst your bubble. Writing is full of rejections. It’s a hard truth.
Why don’t publishers want that book of yours? Because it’s not marketable, unique, and well written. If it were, you’d be on the best seller list.
Let’s go over those one by one, so you won’t waste your time writing things that won’t go anywhere.
1. MARKETABLE
Yes, it has to sell. Anyone can sell the first 100 books to their family and friends. But after that, if it’s not marketable, well written, and unique, it won’t sell.
If you’re famous, what you write will be marketable. If you have a good intriguing title, it’ll sell. If it’s pretty, or has a catchy picture on the cover, it’ll sell. If it impresses people, they’ll but it again. It has to be something people want to read about, en mass.
2. UNIQUE
It’s easy to read a bunch of books and think you could write something similar. A publisher doesn’t want just a ho hum average book like all the rest. They want something special, unique, that will stand a head above the rest. don’t want something like all the rest of the books out there. It has to be unique.
The 5 Love Languages has sold more copies every year ever since it first came out. It’s a unique book. It’s a unique idea! It’s also marketable and well written.
Mo Willems pigeon and elephant and piggie books are unique. They’re fun page turning books often dealing with emotions. They’re also marketable and well written.
Herve Tullet’s book Press Here was unique, because it was interactive! It was a new concept.
3. WELL WRITTEN
Your English teacher was right. You have to pay attention to Grammer. It needs to be well written. Sure, publishers edit, but it’s expensive and they don’t want to fix your blotched up thoughts on paper thrown at them half done. They want a finished copy, a polished one, something that’s pleasant for them to read. Send your work to some friends, lots of them, before you send it to a publisher. Also, consider an editing service. Your book has to be well written, not just grammatically, but all throughout. It has to flow, be readable, and feel like a finished work. It might be unique and marketable, but if it’s not well written, it’ll be a dropped book instead of a page turner.
Mr. Putter and Tabby books are well written, worded nicely, and flow well.
Little House on the Prairie books are well written, descriptive, exciting, and conclusive.
Unfortunately, I’ve spent way too much time sending publishers things they’re not interested in. I’m not a famous person or famous writer. Therefore, if I want to get published, I have to write not what I want, but something they want. I have to write what the public wants. I have to write what publishers want. And unless you’re famous, you do too.
