This is a collection of the best advice Jane and other experts have offered on getting published. Looking for the resource list? Scroll to the bottom of this page.

<aside> 💡 This guide is not downloadable but will be indefinitely available.

</aside>

Cornerstones

• Jane’s Query Letter Guide
• Key Book Publishing Paths
• How to Get Traditionally Published
• How to Write a Book Proposal + Proposal Template
• How to Find a Literary Agent
• How to Find Publishers & Agents
• Researching the Right Literary Agents for You

Assessing Publishers

• How to Evaluate Small Publishers
• Questions to Ask Your Publisher Before You Sign the Contract
• Negotiating Editorial Control
• Why You Should Consider a University Press
• Submitting to University Presses: Q&A with Publishers
• Agents Advise on Small Presses
• A Nuanced Look at Hybrid Publishers

Nonfiction Books and Book Proposals

• One agent’s advice on how to approach the bio statement
• The secret to coming up with ideas that editors (and people) will get excited about by Big Five editor Eric Nelson
• 6 questions to answer before you write your book proposal by Big Five editor Eric Nelson
• The right and wrong reasons to write a book by Big Five editor Eric Nelson
• How to Define and Describe Your Readership [for nonfiction]
• Agent Ted Weinstein’s guidance on book proposals
• Common Reasons Nonfiction Books Don’t Sell (by Jane)
• How to Turn an Essay Into a Book Deal by Catherine Baab-Muguira
• How My Newsletter Helped Me Land an Agent and a Big Five Book Deal by Nancy Reddy

The Industry

• How Do Books Become Bestsellers?
• How to Get a Six-Figure Book Deal
• How Important Is Genre: Agent Q&A
• Agents and Editors Aren’t Always Right About Market Potential
• How Long Should You Keep Trying?
• The Book P&L: How Publishers Make Decisions
• No One Will Sign Your NDA

Freelance Editors

• Comprehensive Guide to Finding, Hiring, and Working with an Editor
• Before You Hire a Developmental Editor
• Your Manuscript Has Been Edited By Top Professionals—But You Still Get Rejected. What Gives? by Allison K Williams

Query & Synopsis Considerations

• How to Write a Novel or Memoir Synopsis
• How Writing Your Synopsis Can Fix Your Book
• Choose the Perfect Title for Your Novel or Memoir
• What I Learned from 90 Queries

Adjacent Issues

• Landing an Agent for Self-Pub Work
• Land an Agent for a Graphic Novel
• What Is Upmarket Fiction?
• How to Write a Hybrid Memoir
• Definition of Author Platform
• Basic Components of Author Websites
• Worried About Idea Theft?
• Avoiding Legal Issues in Your Memoir
• How Are Books Adapted for the Screen? Agent Q&A