Non-fiction books

[danaeris]

On another note...

I have two-three ideas for some non-fiction, sex-related books. I already started on one of them.

I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about the process for getting such a book published. Also, if people could toss me the names of any sex-positive publishing houses (Circlet Press and Pink Triangle Press are the ones that come to mind...), and/or would be willing to put me in contact with any of them, that would be super awesome.

I think one of the benefits I would get out of going back to school is, if I got enough grant/scholarship money, the freedom to work on projects like this.

Comments

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

Greenery Press -- I think they do the Topping Book, the Bottoming Book, and others.

[jackspryte.livejournal.com]

I had a bunch of literature from the Word on the street festival that never got your way. Some of it was publishers looking for submissions (no pun intended) some was about self-publishing and others were guilds and writer's groups (of less use probably).

I will tear through some papers at home in the room and see if I can find them.

[jackspryte.livejournal.com]

Many were small presses howvever.

[90pointmetaphor.livejournal.com]

Arsenal Pulp Press also comes to mind

[kinvore.livejournal.com]

As an aspiring writer who's never been published I have no real advice, but I'm gonna give my two cents anyway. First of all you chances of getting published are greatly increased if you have an agent, although in this case it probably isn't necessary.

Writer's Market is a great book to get. Every year around September they come out with the latest edition, a fantastic source of publishers sorted by various categories. I recommend you wait until the book(s) are finished and ready for publication (be sure to have as many people as possible proofread and give constructive criticism).

Usually how it works is you find out which agents/publishers are accepting queries, then you write them a query asking them to read your book. It helps if you know their submission guidelines. You then send them the book (or sample chapters/outlines of that's what they prefer) and hope they will take you on. Most times they don't. I have many rejections to attest to this.

I work in a bookstore in Wisconsin (Harry W. Schwartz) and if you DO get published I could help you get your book sold at our stores. They love to support local authors. So I'm not completely useless.

The most important thing is to be persistent and to try to not get easily discouraged. It can be very hard to get published as you probably know.

[danaeris.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your very thoughtful response! A few comments in response...

-What you've written is my understanding of how things work with FICTION books. However, non-fiction normally works very differently, at least as I understand it. Normally, with non-fiction, you don't write the whole book and then submit it. You write a test chapter or two, and an outline, and submit that. I was hoping, however, that someone on the friends list might know a little more about that process.
-I'm a relatively well-published journalist, and since the books in question are all about sex-related topics, and I'm a regular freelancer for XTRA, Canada's national queer newspaper, I have some cred, which should make a difference. In fact, Pink Triangle Press owns XTRA, so I may already have an in with them; I'm just not sure how many non-fiction books they tend to publish. I also vaguely know ctan through many different avenues, and she is The Man, in terms of Circlet Press.
-I didn't end up moving to Wisconsin because the folks at Astronomy are fools (fools!) and chose not to hire me. So, I would not be considered a local author. I'm actually in Toronto.

Good luck getting published yourself... I do want to get back to writing fiction someday, and try to get a novel published. But right now I have other priorities. :/

[kinvore.livejournal.com]

Ah, okay, I did not know all this about you. I did not have all the facts, like Johnny Five I needed more input and stuff.

That's awesome that you've been published. I hope I can soon join the ranks, many thanks!

Good luck to you as well.