1) HOW CAN I BECOME A BETTER WRITER? (the question no one asks)

• Practice every day -- just as you practice sports or any other skill.

• Read the work of writers you love.

• Read good books on writing such as: Anne Lamott (Bird by Bird), Natalie Goldberg (Wild Mind, Writing Down the Bones), William Zinsser (On Writing Well), Theodore Cheney (Writing Creative Nonfiction), Brenda Ueland (If You Want to Write), plus grammar and style books.

• Take classes or join writers’ groups. These will provide you with an audience, deadlines, and, if you’re lucky, useful feedback.

• Join a professional writers’ organization -- such as the Washington (D.C) Independent Writers (202/347-4973).

• Use what I call the hokey-pokey method: Put your whole self in (the writing part), then take your whole self out (the editing part).

• Affirm: “I am a writer.”

• Spend more time writing than talking about writing.

2) WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO WRITE A BOOK?

Original ideas or old ideas presented in a new way; a facility with the language; courage, persistence, fortitude, a tolerance for solitude, and lots of time. Unless you want to write the whole book first, then look for a publisher (and risk not finding one, or publish it yourself), it also requires a book proposal.

3) HOW DO I WRITE A BOOK PROPOSAL?

Read How to Write a Book Proposal (Michael Larsen) or The Shortest Distance Between You and a Published Book (Susan Page). Remember that a proposal is a demonstration of your writing skill as well as your ideas.

4) HOW CAN I FIND A LITERARY AGENT?

Read Literary Agents: How to Get and Work with the Right One for You (by Michael Larsen), Literary Agents: A Writer’s Guide (Debby Mayer), Literary Agents of North America, or Literary Market Place. Also, look in the acknowledgments section of books that are similar to the one you want to write, find the agent’s name, then find that agent through the author or the books above. Attend writing seminars and conferences where you can meet agents and learn more about them.

5) DO I NEED TO HAVE AN AGENT TO GET A PUBLISHER?

Depends on the publisher. Most major publishing houses will not look at manuscripts or proposals unless they are submitted by an agent. However, self-publishing no longer carries the "vanity press" stigma it once did, and is a viable option if you have a market for the book and can distribute it to that market. There are many books and websites about self-publishing; start with Dan Poynter's site: parapublishing.com.

6) WHAT DO AGENTS CHARGE?

The standard agent’s fee is 15 percent of all proceeds from the work that agent represents. An agent should not charge to read your proposal.

7) WHAT IF A PUBLISHING COMPANY OFFERS ME A CONTRACT DIRECTLY?

If you sell a manuscript or proposal without an agent, have a lawyer or agent review the contract (for a flat fee). Publishing contracts (drafted with the publisher’s interests in mind, not yours) can include 50 pages of legalese, and a professional will make changes (with your permission) on your behalf. All contracts are negotiable, but only before you sign them!

8) WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT AGENTS?

If an agent expresses interest, ask for some references from other authors with whom that person has worked. As with any professional relationship, trust, rapport, and contracts are all important. Don’t work with an agent who evades your questions, who does not return calls, who does not seem to understand your subject matter, or who refuses to put the agreement in writing. Agents are flooded with submissions. Whether in writing or on the phone, be respectful of an agent’s time, and don’t expect him or her to teach you about the business.

A final word of advice: Be patient and persistent and disciplined!

“A work of art is first of all work.” -- Paul Engle