Writers often spend years perfecting their first novel--then hit a dead end when it comes to getting it published. Learning to market your novel will make it stand out from the thousands of other books clamoring for the attention of an ever shrinking number of publishers.

In this book, Elizabeth Lyon offers the wisdom of more than twenty years of experience as an author, book editor, writing instructor, and marketing consultant. Step-by-step, she details what editors want, what questions to ask them, and how to develop a marketing strategy. You will learn:

- How to categorize your novel, and the sixteen ways of describing it

- Nine ways of selling your novel

- Descriptions of the jobs of literary agent, editor, and writer

- Examples of actual story synopses, and successful query letters--in all the genres

- How to prepare sample chapters

- Thirty questions a writer needs to ask a prospective agent