You Wrote A Book, Now What?

So you wrote a book. Now what? Now what, indeed. The Fort Lee Public Library’s second installment of their “Meet the Author” series featured acclaimed literary agent Jan Kardys was a huge hit last Wednesday, September 14. The nearly two hour presentation took place in the library’s meeting room downstairs, with a turn out of a dozen or so hopeful writers. Kardys gave a detailed, highly informative presentation on how to get oneself published, touching on all the necessary topics within like query letters, finding agents, and self promotion.

Kardys, president of Black Hawk Literary Agency LLC, presented those who attend with a generous packet full of helpful handouts, checklists, and links to informative websites.

Some of the topics covered:

• Finding an agent, and what to expect from them. Kardys explained that literary agents often won’t tell you what’s wrong with your manuscript; they simply don’t have the time. It’s up to the writer to perfect their book before presenting it.
• Query letters. Kardys provided a handout on how to write a well-crafted query letter, complete with an outline of important aspects that should be included. “If you keep sending out query letters and an agent doesn’t ask to see your material, you’re doing something wrong,” Kardys said.
• The importance of copyright and manuscript formatting
• Self publishing, and how it’s not so “bad” despite being more work than it’s made out to be. “If you’ve had bad feelings about that, throw it out the door,” Kardys assured listeners.
• Your online presence, and why it’s absolutely essential to new authors. Kardys stressed how free sites like Blogger and Facebook can make all the difference when it comes to self promoting your work. “No agent is going to send out your book unless you have a presence on the web,” she said.

Kardys supplied a variety of fantastic handouts, from an outline detailing how to find a literary agent to a “self publishing checklist.” Kardys also gave attendees a brochure for her self-created Unicorn Writers’ Conference.

Jan Kardys has over thirty years publishing experience and has worked with a number of notable publishing companies, from Warner Books/Little, Brown & Company, Macmillan Publishing, Prentice Hall/Simon & Schuster, and more. She has worked as a Director of Contracts, literary agent, and specialized in sales and subsidiary rights of authors.

Overall, her presentation was realistic at worst, which is what all budding writers need in their early careers. Kardys remained encouraging,even while delivering more sobering facts: for example, 90% of most query letters are automatic rejects. 

“[You] cannot lose your passion, never give up,” she said.

Up-and-coming writers should absolutely check out the next installment of the Meet the Author series at the Fort Lee library on October 6, 2011, with author Jacqueline Seewald: “We Can All Be Writers” at 7:00pm.