Which Authors Can Get A Publisher?

 

I am often asked by writers how they can get a publisher and to handicap their chances of finding someone to turn their ideas and manuscripts into books. Well, here are my insights on what and who has a better chance of getting published:

1. Authors with great books do not always get a book publisher. Publishers make editorial misjudgments all of the time. However, if you contact enough publishers or literary agents, you will find at least one person who recognizes the genius of your work (if it really is very good).

2. Authors above age 60 find it a lot harder to get a publisher. If the publisher thinks that you don’t have many books left in you — or assume you lack a youthful energy to promote your books — they will tend to age-discriminate against you.

3. Though there is a Woke DEI craze sweeping militantly across liberal book publishers, these hypocrites hardly have any minorities or white men working at their companies. What they choose to publish is skewed by this. They seek to flood the market with all things black, women, and LGBTQ, but ignore great works by or for other types of people — and of all people.

4. Authors with a small or non-existent platform are often overlooked, even if they write better than Mark Twain. Not much of a social media footprint? Only have a small mailing list? No web site? Most publishers will not entertain you unless you offer something else to make up for your weak showing. You should at least have a decent web site as a writer.

5. When an author can guarantee some book sales or has an anchor of contacts to generate bulk sales, that impresses.  Maybe you have a large or dedicated network of connections who are likely to yield book sales? Or, maybe you bluntly commit to buying a thousand copies of your book because you expect to resell or give them away. Any of that can make an author look good to a publisher. The publisher wants to reduce or limit the guess-work, risks, and costs associated with bringing a book to market.

6. Your book sales track record can greatly influence a publishing decision. If you never had a book published, there will be no history to look at, but if you did, they will want to see how many sales you had. If it is not much, it is a strike against you, but if you can show 10,000 or more copies of a book were sold, you may be able to show that your work does sell.

7. Past news media exposure for you or prior positive book reviews can be a factor as well. If you have lots of media exposure, especially positive book reviews for prior books, this will show you are marketable and mediagenic.

8. If you won book awards or writing contests, that is a definite plus. Getting recognition or third-party validation is important.

9. Having thousands of sign-ups for free downloads or newsletter subscribers for related content might show proof of concept to publishers. There needs to be documentation that there could be lists of potential book buyers.

10. If your book has a realistic potential to be turned into a movie, television show, or play — or if you lend supportive evidence to show how your book would do well in other countries that speak English — or in places where translation rights could be sold — a publisher may get interested in your book.

11. Authors with a decent-sized following or a solid professional background/positional title have a better chance of landing a book deal.

12. If you are on the speaking circuit, and show that you have a built-in readership potential to tap into, this is a plus. You show that you can go out there and perform.

13. Lastly, authors who are represented by literary agents have a much better chance of getting a publisher — but they are harder to impress than a publishing acquisition editor. You may have a great book concept, exhibit great writing prowess, and write in a genre that is not overly saturated, but if that agent thinks you don’t have the ability to sell books, he or she will not want to represent you. Not only does it hurt their reputation, but they won’t earn much money from a joint venture with you. They make 15 percent of what you earn from your advance and royalty. If you only get $8000, they get $1200. No bueno.

 

Do You Need Book Marketing & PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over four million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors like you to promote your story, sell your book, and grow your brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over four million pageviews. With 5,000+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”  Copyright 2025.

 

For the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.

 

His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully).

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.

 

His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog.

 

You can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum