Freelancewritingtips.com

Authors' advice: Should you pitch to an agent or publisher?

I'VE seen lots of discussion of this, with contradictory opinions expressed. I've also attended writers' groups and events where the same question arises. It's hard sometimes to know who to believe. 

So when I asked for challenges to address here, it was no surprise that this  was one of the first raised, from blogger and former production director CoffeeCurls. 

Is it a better idea to pitch your book idea to an agent or a publisher?

My experience

My view has always been that for fiction you should pitch an agent, while with non-fiction you may want to talk directly to a publisher. Guidance I latched on to was if you are an unknown writer, there may not be enough money to be made in non-fiction by an agent working on your behalf -- the publisher could offer a tiny advance and/or royalties. This is definitely the case with small presses responsible for many non-fiction titles.

Author Keris Stainton's tips for aspiring fiction writers

KERIS Stainton is one of the sweetest people you could ever meet.

This fabulous but unassuming writer is author of Della Says: OMG! Her wise words below were first contributed to mark the publication of her first novel, and she's now awaiting the second.

Della’s over the moon when she kisses her long-standing crush at a party – but then she discovers her diary has disappeared... When scans of embarrassing pages are sent to her mobile and appear on Facebook, Della’s distraught – how can she enjoy her first proper romance when someone, somewhere, knows all her deepest, darkest secrets?

Choose three words to describe yourself

Determined. Excitable. Short.

'Promotion is a dirty word to me,' Anthony James Barnett on his first book

ANTHONY James Barnett worked in various industries before having a string of magazine stories accepted 14 years ago. He says he's been been "lucky enough" to be published ever since.

Anthony's stories have been recorded by Talking Newspapers, have featured in anthologies, summer specials and international newspapers and have been broadcast on radio, as well as being published in writing competitions.

His first novel, Without Reproach, is out now.