Oh, and a new title for Tor’s book: VIKING SPITFIRE. 🙂

😀

As for Grub Street, no offense or negativity meant coming from my side. As things went quicker than I anticipated there was just no need to contact. I have them on my Twitter feed as well.

And I got Andys book “Finding the few” which is top notch, but we all knew that. 😀

With regards to the comment about Grub Street and their long response time, I do understand. I was always taught from my first day in commissioning that it can take an editor up to three months to reply to a pitch/proposal. It’s pretty much an industry standard, especially in large publishers.

I do not.

I try to reply with immediate effect and establish a relationship with all my writers in producing great books on aviation. After all, it is in our best interests as we love the topic.

As I often say: ‘Seize the day’!

Jay

The approach is working quite well Jay!

Good to see Jay taking part in this thread, which is turning out to be quite fascinating, and very helpful for those who like to spend time writing about historic aviation.

Grub Street?

http://www.grubstreet.co.uk/

I haven’t approached them yet, as their website informs of a very long waiting time for feedback. I much more prefer Mr. Slaters approach which is extremely fast and to the point! 😀

That is indeed a normal reaction from a publisher. But then, they would say that, wouldn’t they? After all they might have to offer a competitive deal, rather than the author being grateful they are bothering to notice him (or her).

Given that publishers can take forever to look at a pitch* (and even lose manuscripts) and I really can’t see why the author isn’t entitled to do some comparison shopping among the peers, however much the publisher/s might not like it.

Yes, I’m a publisher – but unlike many publishers I’ve worked upstream and down from this role, as well.

Good luck whatever route works. The other think I’d say is be persistent**, too.

Regards,

* / ** And those looking hard at me about such delays, indeed, sorry. 😮

That is, indeed, what I thought when I first read it, but as a first time goer, I decided not to push it! I have however decided to go for English written books as the market in Norway for ANY type of books are so small. Just imagine trying to sell aviation books to a mere 5 million population. Do the numbers 😀

Thanks.

A bit different from what I am used to, but the book I did in my country was not done the normal “route”. Funny you should say you need to have a few pitches out there as I’ve sent out another book to a publishing company here, and they all stated clearly it was rude to send it out to several of them at the same time! So, in my naivety perhaps, I didn’t do it!

I’ll get in touch JDK

Some advice.

Get hold of a copy of The Writers & Artist’s Yearbook (A&C Black, published annually) and follow the advice therein regarding pitching. Most UK public libraries have a reference copy, I’m not sure if your local library would!

Check anyone you approach actually publishes individual pilot biographies – otherwise you are wasting your, and their time. Likewise, if they do, that your format will match theirs. Some publishers have very rigid series parameters, don’t bother if you can see it isn’t a ‘fit’.

The History Press suggestion looks a good one.

Have a one-page pitch prepared, including a content summary and why the book should be taken on and sell. Some will ask for a section / chapter. Present professionally.

Yes, you can contact my publishing business and we might be interested, but don’t feel you have to! (Link via my autosig.)

Whatever you do, it’s worth having two or three pitches out together. If you are lucky enough to get interest from more than one publisher, you can see which offer is better (that’s in the round, not just best cash – and it won’t be great).

Watch out for Vanity Presses. Poison.

HTH!