In some of my previous blog posts, we looked at the advantages and disadvantages of having an agent for your book, as well as how to pitch to an agent. In this one, we will instead be looking at how to pitch directly to a publisher if you don’t have an agent. We will start by considering why you might not be using an agent, then think about what is needed to sell your book to a publisher. This blog post will focus on preparing for the pitch, with another to follow on the pitch itself.
You might decide not to have an agent if your book is from a particular niche where not having an agent is common, for example, areas of non-fiction. Alternatively, you might want to avoid the risks of having an agent and the possibility of longer waiting times, as well as the cost of the commission an agent charges. Whatever the reason, you will still need to create a great pitch for your book.
What Should You Do to Prepare?
There are a number of things to deal with before you even start to pitch to publishers. First and most important is to make sure you have finished the book. No-one is going to be interested in a book that isn’t written yet. This doesn’t mean that it has to be perfect, edited and ready for publication, but all of the story (or structure for a non-fiction book) should be complete. If nothing else, you need to prove that you have the commitment to actually finish a book.
The next step is to think about your book and what should go in your pitch. One very important thing to consider is exactly what genre it falls into. This should be more specific than simply “fantasy”, as this covers a huge range of books, so there’s nothing to make yours stand out.
Instead, narrow the genre down as much as you can. Is it a historical fantasy? Does it crossover with sci-fi? Is it fast-paced or a more thoughtful read? All of these questions and their answers are things that you should keep in the forefront of your mind while planning your pitch. The more specific you can be, the more publishers know about your book to make an informed decision about whether they want to take it on. They won’t want to risk accepting a book that they don’t know much about.
You can also clarify the genre by comparing your book to other, similar ones. If you do this, don’t just say it is like one particular book, choose a range that shows you have done your research and are aware of the background to your genre. If you do list similar books, make sure you explain what you mean by this. Don’t just say it because you think it improves your pitch! You must be able to show why it is similar and it should be an accurate representation of your book.
One caveat: ensure your book also shines in its own right. Explaining similarities is great for showing off your book’s strengths and helping to illustrate its genre, but this is not enough for most publishers. Your book also needs to have some things that make it different, not just a copy of others. Highlight these in your pitch as well to give a balanced view of your manuscript.
Your pitch should also explain which topics are covered if it is a non-fiction book, or what the conflicts and issues are if it is fiction. You don’t need to explicitly state this, but it should be clear from this opening pitch what your book is about and how it will keep the reader interested. For fiction books, think about what the main conflict is and how to make this intriguing to someone hearing your pitch. In this way it is almost like a blurb, trying to engage the reader.
Researching Publishers
Now that you have a good pitch prepared, it is time to take it to the publishers! However, there are still a few things to consider first, such as which publishers you will be targeting. It is no good pitching your romance novel to a publisher which specialises in crime, for example. Of course, there is a little bit more to it than this, as many publishers deal with more than one genre and your book may itself be a mix. We will look at some of these points to consider now.
You may prefer to pitch to a publisher that is focused on your particular sub-genre, especially if this is a niche area. Alternatively, you may pitch to a publisher that focuses on a few areas, including yours, if your book spans multiple genres or is in a very specific niche. If a publisher only covers a small area, you might need to check that it is still reputable and getting sales.
In addition, make sure you check publisher policies before you pitch your book. Some will only accept manuscripts from agents. Read their guidelines carefully, and, if you’re still unsure, try to get in contact to ask if they will take a manuscript directly from you.
Wrapping Up
I hope that this helps you to pitch your manuscript to publishers without an agent. Next time we will look at how to build your pitch, so come back in two weeks for that!
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