How to Write a Publishable Book: 5 Criteria for Traditional Publishing
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Nearly every single day, a writer writes to me asking this question:
“Hey Alyssa — how do I know if my book actually has potential to be traditionally published? Is it worth trying to get a literary agent or publisher, or should I just give up now and work on something else?”
I totally understand why so many authors are asking this. After all, you've poured your heart and soul into writing your book, but then you read online about how difficult it is to get traditionally published, so now you worry that it's just going to be a big waste of your time and energy to pursue traditional publishing. Before deciding to embark on that long and arduous process, you want to know if your book even has a realistic shot.
That all makes sense, but there's an inherent problem with asking the question if your book is publishable or not. So, today, I'm going to reveal why this question is so difficult to answer and offer a framework for how to write a publishable book, which you can use to determine if your book has potential for publishing. This is all based on my personal experience as a former fiction editor at Penguin Random House.
The Problem with Asking, “Will My Book Get Published?”
The problem with this question is simple: storytelling and reading are ultimately subjective experiences. What some readers love, others hate.
Consider the countless stories of authors who went on to publish bestselling books who were rejected by literary agents or publishers who didn't think their story was strong enough. There are extremely talented authors sitting on incredible books right now who haven't yet found a literary agent or a publisher.
On the other hand, there are plenty of books that are very well-selling right now that plenty of people don't like for whatever reason. I can say from my personal experience that there were books that we published that, frankly, I didn't think were that great, and there were books that I thought were incredible that we didn't publish.
So, considering all of this, do you see why it's ultimately impossible to give a straightforward answer to the question of whether your book is publishable or not? That's why I personally never tell an author that their book is unpublishable. Plus, as a developmental editor, I understand that even if the story isn't necessarily ready right now, that doesn't mean it can never be published down the line — especially if the author goes through revisions and makes the story even stronger.
I know it can be incredibly frustrating to not know if your book is ready or will ever be ready to be traditionally published. Trust me, I wish there were a straightforward answer to all of this. It would make it so much easier. But art is not straightforward, and that's what makes it so beautiful and powerful.
What I can do is outline some things you will want to check for to give yourself the best possible chances of traditionally publishing your book. While there are no guarantees in publishing, and some amount of your publishing success comes down to sheer luck, if I had to create a checklist for what constitutes a publishable book based on my experience at a literary agency and Penguin Random House, this is what I would include. If your book checks all of these boxes, that could indicate that it has potential.
1. It Has an Intriguing Premise
With the book market getting more and more crowded every single day, agents and editors at publishing houses are looking for fresh stories, so it's especially important that your book brings something new to the table.
This might be reimagining a familiar story line, blending or bending genres in a unique way, experimenting with structure, or crafting an attention-grabbing character, plot element or setting. Remember that publishing is a business, at the end of the day, and your goal is to present agents and editors a book that sounds irresistible — something that makes a reader go, “Oh my gosh, I have to read that right now!”
If your story has a strong hook that can be summarized in a one-sentence elevator pitch, it's probably going to be more likely to catch an agent or editor's attention. This is what we call a high-concept book, and they tend to be highly marketable due to their broad appeal — which, of course, is what publishers are looking for because they want to sell as many books as possible.
Maybe you have an inherent intriguing premise, but the way you're presenting it in your query letter is, frankly, boring. For instance, a boring way to pitch Gone Girl would be:
“A married couple lies to each other.”
An intriguing way to pitch it would be:
“When a woman disappears, her husband becomes the prime suspect, then discovers she's not who he thought he married.”
The book could be exactly the same, but the latter one is more likely to catch an agent or editor's attention.
Ultimately, if you don't have an intriguing premise, it's unlikely an agent editor or reader is going to even make it into your pages. That's how important it is.
2. It Meets Industry Expectations
The next criteria for determining if your book is publishable is if it meets industry expectations. Remember, we're talking specifically about pursuing traditional publishing here. In this case, you're going to have to make sure that your book is meeting certain traditional publishing industry expectations and standards to give yourself the best shot:
Genre
This includes genre — and I'm not saying you have to write in only specific trending genres, but agents and publishers will need to understand where they could place your book at a bookstore. Your book can certainly blend or bend genres, which is becoming increasingly popular in mainstream fiction, but you still need to have a clear target audience for your book.
This is where comparable titles can help a lot. Think about other books that your target reader would also enjoy. Where would your book sit on a bookshelf? What would be the two books right next to yours? If you can demonstrate to an agent or publisher that there is appetite for books like yours in the market right now, that's going to make your book feel more publishable.
Length
Another industry expectation is length. If your book is wildly above or wildly below the length expectation for your specific age category and genre, it is going to be harder to get traditionally published because the length impacts production costs.
Writing Quality
Publishers also have a certain standard for writing quality. While you can and will continue to polish and refine your manuscript throughout the editorial part of the book publishing process, agents and publishers will be looking for writers who have a strong grip on their craft already.
On a technical level, your manuscript should be as polished and error-free as possible. A few typos here or there will not be a deal breaker, but if the technical issues in your prose are getting in the way of the readers experience and are interrupting the flow of the story, then it's going to be harder to get traditionally published.
Voice
Finally, you will see agents and editors talk a lot about voice. Voice can be something that's hard to conceptualize; it is something, though, that you will continue to develop as you work on your writing craft. Essentially, they'll be looking for writing that really draws them in from the very first page and has a powerful presence. They'll be looking for an intentionality and authority to the storytelling.
Keep in mind that if the industry expectations, especially surrounding genre and length, don't align with this particular story you're trying to tell, there are certainly other options other than traditional publishing (especially Big Five publishing) that you can and should consider, so it doesn't mean it is game over for you in terms of publishing. For example, small or indie presses are often more open to experimental or non-traditional narrative forms.
3. It’s Engaging from Beginning to End
The next way to tell if your book is publishable is if it's engaging from beginning to end. Agents and publishers are looking for stories that they simply can't put down because it keeps their attention all the way to the final page. So, how do you ensure that your story maintains their attention and has this propulsive quality?
As a book editor, I like to boil down the story to its two fundamental elements: character and plot.
Well-developed, authentic-feeling, flawed, layered characters are key to any successful story. If your readers can't get invested in the people who populate your story — especially the protagonist — then it's unlikely you are going to keep their attention throughout the entire book.
Make sure you give your characters a specific goal to pursue, and then put obstacles in their way of them achieving that goal. That's what's going to create tension and make us intrigued to continue reading.
Character is one half of the storytelling equation, and plot is the other. Even if you have compelling characters, a publisher likely isn't going to take on your story if the plot is boring, full of plot holes or overly predictable.
That isn't to say that every story needs to have an action-packed, twist-filled plot. Certainly, you can have a quieter story that is more character-driven, and those can be just as compelling. But there does need to be a foundation of plot, and it should be intentionally crafted.
There should be some kind of central conflict and something at stake for the protagonist. There should be tension that escalates to a climactic moment, and then some kind of resolution by the end of the story. If your plot is well thought-out, complete and sound, then it's more likely you will pique an editor or agent’s interest.
4. It’s Emotionally Moving
The next element that sets a publishable book apart is if it's emotionally moving. Think about your favorite book for a second. What makes these books so powerful? What makes them stick in our minds long after we finish the final page? It's because they move us emotionally.
The most effective stories illuminate some kind of universal truth about the human condition. We can connect with what those characters are going through, and that's why some stories are simply unforgettable and stick with us throughout our entire lives.
Make sure your story is also rooted in some kind of emotional truth, and make sure that you're showing enough of the protagonist's interiority on the page; we should understand how the events of the story are emotionally affecting them. If we can't, then they're going to feel distant from us, and you're not going to have that emotional connection that you need.
If you can convey their emotions authentically and get that across to the reader, we're going to become so much more invested in the story. Think about what you want the reader to feel or think when they finish your book, and then ask yourself or your trusted readers if that's coming through. If so, that's a good sign that your story is resonating emotionally and has publishing potential.
5. It’s Garnered Positive Feedback
The final criteria to check if your book is publishable is if it has garnered positive feedback. You might feel like your premise is intriguing, you're hitting all of the industry standards, your narrative is engaging and your story is emotionally moving, and yet you're still getting rejected by agents and publishers.
It could be that you're not seeing where your story is falling flat because you're just too close to it. It can be nearly impossible to see our own work objectively, which is why I strongly recommend getting external editorial feedback on your book before seeking publication. Feedback is critical to understanding how your story is resonating with readers and if you're achieving your vision for the book. Your readers can also offer invaluable feedback on how to strengthen the story and make it even more effective.
If you've worked with high-quality beta readers, critique partners or professional editors, and they've given you positive feedback that your story is heading in the right direction, that's a great sign that you could be ready to publish.
Note that getting positive feedback from friends or family members is not likely going to be the most helpful, because more often than not, they'll give you positive feedback because they don't want to hurt your feelings. They might hold back what they actually feel. So, really be thoughtful about who you solicit feedback from because your feedback is only as good as the source.
So, there you have it — that's the basic framework that I use to determine if a book has publishing potential. But remember that what matters more than any of these criteria I just talked about is your own passion and commitment to this story. If you feel called to write this story, then don't let anyone tell you it's not worth pursuing. And, even if it doesn't end up working out with traditional publishing, there are always other publishing paths and avenues available to you.
Thank you so much for reading, and happy writing!