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Guest James A. Mills Jr

This Email is respectively submitted to asked for your assistance in getting my book Sellout published. Sellout tells the story of three African American Student Athletes at predominantly white universities. The book also examines the unfair Student Athlete System. I'm passionate about this subject and believe our young men and women are being exploited for others profits. I honestly lack the resources and connections to bring this important issue to the public. This is my opportunity to provide the lifestyle I want for me and my family. Thanks in advance for your assistance. Email me james mills. Jr8@gmail. com.

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Take the time and pick up the Writer's Market http://amzn.to/1f4KUo1

You can use this book to look up books like Darwin's Athletes http://amzn.to/1DJbP4s and find out who the agent is and then submit a query to that agent. That is the traditional path to releasing a book. You can also ask people on this board about self publishing and then advertise with AALBC.com and attempt to get your work directly to readers. Whatever you do, don't just drive by and post this and then disappear. Ask questions and clarify your goal.

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Hi James, it is good you've posted your request here on our forum.  You've already gotten some good advise from another published author.

Your posting here also allows to me to reply to your inquiry (I saw your email), and potentially any other writers with the same requests, so I'm also more willing to respond here than I would via email.

AALBC.com does not publish books authors (at least not yet).  I've worked hard to make the services we do provide easy to find on our website.  Our Frequently Asked Questions or About Us page are the most obvious places to learn more about the services we provide and how to take advantage of the website.  

As a result, I generally ignore emails which make any variation of the request, "I just wrote a book and I'd like your help getting it published."  There are several reasons I ignore these emails, but the primary one is, if the person making the request did not take a couple of minutes to research our company and learn about the services we provide, then I don't feel obliged to take a few minutes to respond.  

That said, we do provide a variety of resources for authors, particularly authors interested in connecting with readers of African American literature.  This forum is one example, also check out our Writers Resources page for many more resources.  

The best advice I can give an author looking to get published by a publisher, or to self-publish, is to study both the craft and business of writing.

If you lack connections you can build them, over time, by networking; attend conferences, workshops, book events, and participate in on-online forums like this.  You'll meet like minded people, potentially folks who will help connect you with the right professionals to get your book published.

You wrote you lack "resources."  I'm not sure what that means exactly, but if you mean money.  Who better save or raise some money, if you want to self-publish your book.  

For example, if can not afford not to have your book edited or a professional design its cover--don't waste your time--you'll be competing against others you have taken these steps, and you will not fare well. These are just two areas self-published authors cut corners to save money and it is a mistake.  Also, not allocating money to promote your book is big mistake too.  No one will buy your book if they don't know it exists.  Getting the word out about your book will take money; advertising, travel, conference fees, marketing materials, etc.  Even if you are published by a major publishing house, you'll need money for promotion.

The subject of your book is topical; Rhoden's Forty Million Dollar Slaves immediately comes to mind, a fictionalized account might be a very interesting read.  Good luck with our work!

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi, Mr. Mills Jr. try the contest at this address...it's a feeless and for writers of color who don't have agents.

http://www.freelancewriting.com/freewritingcontests/FWC-new-visions-awards.php

If the book can be for 12 and 18 year olds maybe you can submit it to that contest...the prize is money. I don't know if it's fiction or not. You might also check out the other no fee contests at freelancewriting.com...check back for updates and other contests...If it's an essay type book, there are essay contests as well. Perhaps you can write and essay for the book. Some of the deadlines have past, so you might have to try next year. I think the one below is still open.

 

good luck.

 

Hi, Troy...maybe you can do something with this contest or publicize it more, if you haven't done so already. It's seem like a great opportunity for authors of children and young adult books. I'm sure you know about it. 

Lee & Low Books' New Visions Awards — No Entry Fee Prize: $1,000.00. Entry fee: $0.00. Deadline: 10-31-2015. WRITING CONTEST WEBSITE LEE & LOW BOOKS, a leading multicultural children's book publisher, is inviting entries to its annual New Visions Awards. Under the company's young adult and middle grade imprint called TU Books (est. 2010), the New Visions Award will be presented for the best MG or YA novel written by a writer of color. The first-place winner will receive a cash prize of $1,000, along with a basic publishing contract (with an advance and royalties). One honorable-mention will receive a cash prize of $500. New Visions Award is open to unagented writers of color who reside in the U.S. and who are unpublished MG or YA book authors. Writers whose written work have been published in other areas such as kids' magazines or picture books, or adult fiction or nonfiction, are qualified. The judges expect stories to engage in the concerns of kids and teens of color by presenting stories that readers can understand, relate to, and associate with their own experiences. The judges encourage themes concerning LGBTQ+ subjects or disabilities. Writers can submit their manuscripts in any fiction genre for children (ages 8-12) or young adults (ages 12-18). The judges enjoy fantasy and science fiction, but also embrace modern, historical, mystery, and suspense. Nonfiction is not accepted. Writers can submit up to two manuscripts per entry, along with a synopsis of the story plus the first five chapters.

Read more at: http://www.freelancewriting.com/freewritingcontests/FWC-new-visions-awards.php
Copyright © FreelanceWriting.com - All content on our website is copyrighted in the U.S. and internationally and may NOT be re-produced, or re-printed, online or offline.

LEE & LOW BOOKS' NEW VISIONS AWARDS (No Entry Fee) - CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST.htm

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WC. I'd encourage you to start an entirely new conversation and share the information directly. If you go the main page of the forums, http://aalbc.com/tc/ and click the link for entering press releases that would be the best place. 

I definitely use this site as a source for information to share in my eNewsletter, on the website and even by word of mouth. Readers use this site as a sources of information as well.

Indeed, I'm surprised more people do not take advantage of this...

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