How do i go about

T

TheFarrier

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jamesthefarrier.co.uk
Publishing a book? Im trying searhing the net etc but it seems a bit of a mine field and every second website tells you agents are scoundrels and the others say that no publishing houses accept unsolicited work.

Any advice?
 
It is being written, it has chapter outlines and roughly four of the ten are written in rough but need working on, i am hoping to tidy one or two up and send with the outline and a detailed description as the rest of the book becomes more work and i think i would rather know there is interest before i devote all that time too it. I think its worth it but i may be the only one. I also have a lot of photographs for the book and intend on taking more.

how does this make a difference?

thank you
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Is this a book about shoeing? If so, how about contacting a specialist horsey publisher, like J A Allen. I have a friend who is a publisher (does scientific stuff) and I understand it's quite specific so probably a book on farriery would be a niche thing too?

Alternatively, if it's a bodice ripper ....
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thanks Rowreach... its definitely not a bodice ripper although you never know what people get off/up too these days
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I will try the J A Allen thanks, do you know if they take unsolicited manuscripts?
 
My OH says you are not doing the job right then lol
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I shall have to have words with him ...

When Mr Allen was alive you could more or less call in and hand him your MS, but I don't know what company policy is nowadays. They do some great horsey books though, so I can't see why they wouldn't be interested. I am, I think it's about time someone wrote a sensible book about farriery
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My OH says you are not doing the job right then lol
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I shall have to have words with him ...

When Mr Allen was alive you could more or less call in and hand him your MS, but I don't know what company policy is nowadays. They do some great horsey books though, so I can't see why they wouldn't be interested. I am, I think it's about time someone wrote a sensible book about farriery
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dont tell my wife
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she may agree or something
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well i hope so, im working on it but in the cheacking they do take them but they also already have this book... NOT written by a farrier... http://www.halebooks.com/display.asp?K=9...;m=11&dc=20

I take it you will have a signed copy then
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in all honesty judging by some of the questions on here that there is not enough information out there and if it is its certainly not being marketed well enough
 
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It is being written, it has chapter outlines and roughly four of the ten are written in rough but need working on, i am hoping to tidy one or two up and send with the outline and a detailed description as the rest of the book becomes more work and i think i would rather know there is interest before i devote all that time too it. I think its worth it but i may be the only one. I also have a lot of photographs for the book and intend on taking more.

how does this make a difference?

thank you
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Just wondering how science/research based it was...Blackwell is a very well known acedemic publisher for books but if you are writing some groundbreaking stuff then it might be worth trying it as a short communication in a journal just to test the water?? Depends what kind of stuff you are writing tho
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its definitely more interpretation thast scientific and about making the scientific more understandable and available
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Probably not what blackwell covers.

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Kenilworth Press might be another one to try?
 
Glad to hear it!!!
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My Gramps is an author and he sends his manuscripts out to various publishers but it's fiction he writes - I do proof read his work tho and he finds this a help having someone else proof reading. Good luck!!
 
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I take it you will have a signed copy then
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in all honesty judging by some of the questions on here that there is not enough information out there and if it is its certainly not being marketed well enough

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I'd def have a copy - and I know a few more who would! My farrier is ace at explaining things to us, but I also have a physiology/nutrition/bio-science background so he can use bigger words and I don't go all blank and lose interest!!

But, I have a friend whose horse was so badly shod by her then farrier that the horse was hopping lame. it took me and then the vet to convince her to change farrier and give the horse some time to recover. 8 weeks barefoot, my phys/anat notes, my nutrition notes and a lot of hard work (on the new farriers part) the mare is now sound and happy. My friends verdict..... " if only i'd known all that in plain english before!"

Good luck, sounds like you're onto a good thing! I have a friend who works for a publisher that does mostly kids books and popular science, but she might know who else to contact. Blackwell might be interested - worth a try.
 
Contact David & Charles publishers. They're based in Newton Abbot, Devon & do a wide range of equestrian books.

They may be interested in taking a look.
 
We had a a farrier come to Hartpury in 2008 with his publisher when I was an EDS lecturer there. I cannot remember her name but he had just had his book published and he did a guest lecture on it
 
Well, you know I want a copy, evem if it's not published!!

'That' thread is still going isn't it?
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Also Quiller Press and Crowood Press:
http://www.countrybooksdirect.com/section.php?xSec=19
http://www.crowoodpress.co.uk/2007/category.asp?ClassID=17
I'm a copy-editor by trade - if you'd like another eye over it (foc) or if I can help in any other way PM me!
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Unsolicited manuscripts can be unpopular but easier for you to start with a proposal and synopsis first - then you don't have to brush up your text until someone shows an interest.

You can also self-publish if you have some spare cash
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and really want to get it out there but can't find a publisher whose list it fits.

HTH!
 
Who is the book aimed at? Is this a training/educational book for trainee fariers, or will it appeal to a wider public? Depending on the answers to these questions, which publishers specialise in these kinds of books?

What are the main competitor titles? Who has published those?

Has a publisher got a series of similar books that you see your book fitting in as part of a series?

Make a list of all possible publishers (usually you will need to approach more than one before a book gets accepted), then look up the commissioning editor for the series you are interested in. It is perfectly acceptable to e-mail him/her out of the blue to pitch an idea, but make sure your e-mail is really well targeted and will appeal to that publisher. If they are interested they will ask you to fill in a book proposal form, contents, chapter outlines and one chapter. If that looks promising, it will all be sent to one or two referees who will write a report. The commissioning editor then makes a decision based on the reports.

Other general random points: how long is the book? This will significantly affect the cost of publication. Will it include charts, images, etc.? This also seriously bumps up the cost of publication. Also, do you have copyright for these images, etc, the publisher will expect you to pay for this. Are you aiming for a straight-to-paperback general market or hardback for sale mainly to libraries market? The price difference for the final book is enormous!

Good luck!!
 
the book is aimed soley at horse owners and will contain many pictures all taken by me. It is at least ten chapters and the only other books i have seen similar are done in a different style (not aimed at owners or too technical) im going for a more KISS styled book and hoepfully trainee farriers will find it useful for customer relations.

Hopefully it will empower horse owners and substandard farriery will dissapear since owners will know what they are looking at and what to expect from their farriers and how to treat them in turn

how would i copy right my pictures?

Thank you all for the help!

Donklet of course you may
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hopefully it will be published
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and yes there were a few extra bits added to that thread
 
You need to look at a copy of this years' "Artists and Writers Yearbook" - an annual pubication that tells you all you need to know including how to approach agents and publshers. It lists agents too. There will probably be one in your library but are sold in most major bookshops
 
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