SIX STEPS TO SUCCESS

in hitting the bookshelves

STEP 1: MAKE YOUR WRITING AS GOOD AS POSSIBLE

Most of writing is rewriting and, if you want to get published, you have a lot of that ahead. Jenny Nagle, chief executive of the NZ Society of Authors (NZSA) Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa, says: “Work constantly to improve your craft. Be prepared to write, edit, rewrite, re-edit many times.”

Writing doesn’t have to be a solitary endeavour — there are writing groups you can join, ranging from casual get-togethers to formal qualifications. Paula Morris (Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Whātua) runs the Masters in Creative Writing programme at the University of Auckland Te Whare Wānanga o Tāmaki Makaurau. She says: “The skills gained through writing classes, as well as the criticism and support through the revision of a manuscript, can help writers get their books to the point of submission [to publishers]. That’s the value in them — not a piece of paper, or a grade — and that value can be great.”

The NZSA offers writing programmes, mentorship, and legal advice, among other things. You don’t have to have published a pukapuka to join — associate membership is $130 per year plus a $10 joining fee. The Māori Literature Trust Te Waka Taki Kōrero is currently soliciting applications for Te Papa Tupu, a writing programme for whakatupu kaituhi (developing writers).

STEP 2: RESEARCH YOUR MARKET

Moving from writing to publishing means expanding your thinking: as well as an artistic exercise your work must now also be an attractive commercial proposition. Tony Murrow, publisher at Pasifika-focused whare perehi (publishing house) Little Island Press, says: “think about what exactly makes your work different and important.”

Morris says: “Write your book and know what it is. If you can’t articulate that, then it will be hard to describe to publishers, and hard to target the publishers most likely to publish it. Read contemporary literature widely, and understand the different currents in the river. Know what else is out there, and how high the standards are.” Booksellers and librarians are your friends here — they have a wealth of knowledge that they are usually happy to share.

STEP 3: HAVE YOUR MANUSCRIPT ASSESSED A manuscript assessor will read your work and tell you what you need to do to get it up to a publishable standard.

Anne Kennedy and Stephanie Johnson of Writing Works Aotearoa say: “Many writers will give drafts to friends to read but remember that a friend may not want to be completely honest out of concern for upsetting you. This is where an objective, professional opinion can be more constructive. We charge by the word for novels and prose. For example, a 70,000-word novel would cost $700 for an assessment. All assessments include a written report and a one-hour meeting.”

Choose an assessor who specialises in the kind of pukapuka you’re writing — consult the NZSA and the NZ Association of Manuscript Assessors.

STEP 4: DECIDE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING AND SELF-PUBLISHING

Once you’ve got your manuscript as good as you can make it, it’s time to choose whether you’re going to try and get someone else to publish it or make a go of it yourself.

Cassie Hart (Ngāi Tahu) is a kaituhi who does both. She says: “The big pro — and also the big con — with self-publishing is that you are the only person responsible for your success or failure. The traditional path is the harder one to break into, but the big benefit is that your name gets out to a broader spectrum of readers.”

Self-publishing doesn’t mean doing everything yourself — in fact it’s best to get professional help with as much of the process as possible, especially with your first pukapuka. At Mary Egan Publishing they offer a full suite of services, from editing and design to distribution and marketing.

Sophia Egan-reid says: “Depending on the word count, complexity and print specifications, it would cost approximately $10,000 — $15,000 for 500-1000 copies [of a trade paperback].” However, she warns: “Just because you can self-publish, it doesn’t mean you should.” There are some predatory companies who will take your money without giving you a commercial reality check, and you can end up with a garage full of unsaleable stock.

Egan-reid recommends doing your due diligence: “Search for reviews on multiple sites — not the company’s website. Contact the NZ Society of Authors and ask for their guidance. Get a contract and pass it by a lawyer.”

If you want to take a more hands-on approach that focuses on ebooks, Steff Green, one of Aotearoa’s most commercially successful self-publishers, has created an online course called How To Rock Self-publishing. This is free for kaituhi whaikaha (disabled writers) and kaituhi of colour.

Elizabeth Heritage’s tips for approaching publishers

STEP 5: CHOOSE WHETHER TO GET AN AGENT OR GO DIRECT TO A WHARE PEREHI

If you’ve decided that traditional publishing is the way forward, you can either submit your manuscript to a whare perehi or try to get an agent who will do it on your behalf.

Vicki Marsdon of High Spot Literary Agency says that agents can “search out the best publishers for your project and write appropriate pitches that should ensure your book gets read. Most international publishing houses don’t accept submissions other than through an agent. If a publisher makes an offer your agent will then do all the contract negotiations. Literary agents work on a commission-only basis so there are no up-front fees.”

Penguin Random House is the country’s largest publisher. Their head of publishing, Claire Murdoch, welcomes submissions directly from kaituhi: “Our team is actively seeking new books by new New Zealand authors, all the time. We are proud to publish New Zealand’s most celebrated writers of fiction, non-fiction, children’s and Māori books.” You can find full details of what kinds of manuscripts they are looking for and how to submit your work at penguin.co.nz.

There are also lots of local whare perehi specialising in all different kinds of pukapuka — for example, Huia Publishers are always looking for Māori and Pacific stories. Consult the directory on the Publishers Association of NZ Te Rau o Tākupu website to find where your manuscript might fit best.

STEP 6: FOLLOW THE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

All literary agencies and whare perehi have guidelines on their websites setting out what kinds of pitches they’re interested in receiving and in what format — make sure you follow them to the letter. Generally speaking, if you’re writing fiction it’s best to have the whole manuscript ready to go. If you’re writing nonfiction, start with a book proposal and only write the manuscript if that gets accepted.

Tara Black, whose first pukapuka recently came out from Victoria University Press, says “being published is a matter of chance, persistence and waiting.”

Maybe 2021 will be your year.