How to Get Published is a comprehensive four-week course that combines instructor lectures with hands-on query letter writing assignments, designed for beginners and anyone seeking a refresher in the publishing process. A detailed syllabus is available below.
You have invested countless hours perfecting your manuscript, and now you are ready to capture the attention of literary agents and publishing houses. Or perhaps you are currently writing and want to understand the publishing landscape ahead. The challenge is clear: how do you get a book published?
This course teaches you to navigate the complexities of the publishing industry while developing and refining your most critical selling tool, the query letter. An established literary agent will guide you through every step of the process.
You will not hear that success is impossible, nor that it is easy. Instead, you will gain a realistic, practical understanding of how the publishing process actually works and concrete strategies to maximize your chances of success.
Course Information:
- This course addresses all book types: novels, children's literature, and nonfiction across all categories. If your focus is nonfiction, you may want to explore the Nonfiction Book Proposal course first.
- While self-publishing is briefly discussed, the primary focus remains on traditional publishing with established publishing houses.
This course demystifies the publishing process and helps you craft a query letter that captures agent and publisher attention. You will engage with these key components:
- Expert lectures on the publishing industry and best practices
- Writing, submitting, and receiving feedback on your query letter twice throughout the course
Course Syllabus:
- Week 1: Understanding Your Book as a Marketable Product covers book definitions and categorization across fiction, nonfiction, and children's literature; identifying compelling hooks and angles; crafting effective titles; understanding nonfiction book proposals; preparing physical manuscripts and proposals; introducing query letters; and writing novel synopses (samples provided for all major formats)
- Week 2: The Publishing World explores publishing houses, editors, and agents; how readers are reached and engaged; the author's role in modern book promotion; and alternative self-publishing routes
- Week 3: Strategic Submission Approach addresses whether to approach agents or editors first; evaluation criteria for selecting agents and editors; determining how many targets to pursue; effective research methods; and understanding what materials to send and how to submit them properly
- Week 4: Managing Responses and Moving Forward covers the realities of the slush pile, interpreting agent and editor feedback, tracking submission progress, handling rejection constructively, understanding acceptance offers, navigating contracts, preparing for publication, engaging with the writing community, pursuing additional writing opportunities, and developing your craft and mindset
Course content may vary among individual sections.
About Our Online Program:
- Our online classes bring together students from around the world to connect with Gotham, New York City's most renowned writing school
- Classes operate asynchronously, not in real time, allowing you to participate whenever it suits your schedule, day or night. However, classes progress on a weekly basis, and certain milestones should be accomplished within each week
- You can join an online writing class from anywhere with an internet connection. While most online students are based in the U.S., we welcome participants from nearly every country globally
- Technical support is available to ensure your success
- You will maintain a complete record of all class materials, which you can print and save for future reference. All materials are in text and image format, not video
