Marketing 101-Is chance of getting non fiction book published good if ..?

...please excuse length... it appears needed...

1.) It's rare to be the "first" to write about nearly everything. You must take into account newspaper and magazine articles written over the span of many years.

2.) If you truly believe you're the first to write about your subject, suggest you initially write it briefly for a magazine or another release to be the "first" on your topic.

2a.) It's easier (for a new author) to place an article or essay with magazines, newspapers and anthologies - am thinking of outlets specific to your subject - am also of thinking digital publication... take it further wherever you see it can be done.

3. If the topic can only be book-length, you should find out "How To Publish" in "The Writer's Market" - first section. But... also use this information for articles and essays. It includes how to write queries, synopses and proposals. Do your best with them.

ADD: The average number of attempts to publish a book for a new writer mentioned above is correct, but shouldn't deter you. It isn't "arduous" if done correctly. End ADD

3a.) You'll learn copyright... to never send unsolicited material anywhere... and more.

3b.) Read this entire section and know it well before attempting publication.

3c.) If you do everything online, this book is too: Safe link... http://www.writersmarket.com/ Look at "About Us" and "FAQs" first.

ADD: Checked link. It's from "The Writer's Digest" - not expected. Okay: Have now many checked Google links and this is best. "The Writer's Digest" as a source is not shabby at all. They're a good publication now helping another one. End ADD

3d.) The link above isn't free to read. It can cost per month. Look and you'll see that.

3e.) The monthly fee is low, and you can always opt out once you find all you need.

4.) The book is also free at the reference desk of most libraries: To study, make notes, and use their free copier there regarding any information needed. Do your best.

4a.) It's essential to know how to correctly submit anything to a publication or agent. "How To Publish" explains the process involved, including tips by writers, editors, agents, publishers and more... including more great and safe links.

5.) On your next question: Yes, it will be a "hurdle" for an unknown writer.

5b.) This is the reason you should try to publish this as an article or essay first...

...to gain name recognition and further your cause to publish a proper book.

Best of luck. Check it out.

ADD: For a person to write well, one should know punctuation goes inside an end-quotation mark; to spell things as correctly as possible; to use correct punctuation and to know "firsts" are by far from over in the '80s, nor unheard of since. End ADD

Know your competition and make sure you are actually the first. It annoys literary agents when a writer say something along the lines of "there's nothing else like it on the market" and then the agent can name several books off the top of his head that covers that topic/idea. This just confirms to them that you don't read much and you have no idea who your competition is. It's very important in non-fiction to know who your competition is. I'd find it hard to believe that you're the first to write on any particular subject, unless you have insider knowledge that most people don't have, like the person who wrote the John Edwards' tell-all.

If in fact, you do have such undiscovered info, then you stand a pretty good chance of getting a book deal if your information is marketable and the publisher feels that the book can sell well. If you have this info, but no one is interested in reading or or cares about the topic then no one can buy it. The only thing you can do is write the book and hope for the best. Non-fiction can be sold on a proposal alone, so you don't even have to write the book, just present an outline of what you plan to have in the book. BUT, since you're an unknown writer then it's best to have at least 3 sample chapters written and prepared to send to the agent or publisher to increase your chances. Keep in mind that it's very hard to publish, so while you're out buying marketing books you should also buy some how to write non-fiction books, also, pick up some different non-fiction books that are similar to what you want to write and see how the author writes theirs. There are different ways you can write non-fiction and you need to do it well if you want to be published. Good luck.

Also, very few people in this world will be first at anything, but they can be better than their predecessors, and that's what matters most, IMO, and I have a marketing degree.

I'll work from your examples.

The crooked politics of Louisiana: A book like this requires a person to be credentialed, it is a serious historical subject and most presses that print historical books don't take just anyone. Peer review is the norm. Something like, The History of Geauga County Covered Bridges wouldn't require such credentials, as that is a hobby topic, rather than serious scholarship. Such unique hobby topics are often published on local history.

Grape growing of California. OK, Despite there being degree programs for this, amateurs could easily write such a book, as long as they had the chops. The guy who writes wine column still has a better chance of getting published, but without competition, a book has a good chance if the market is there.

Being first works, if you produce a decent product. Otherwise your minor success would just encourage someone with talent to wash you off the face of the earth.

In publishing being first could simply mean that the market isn't there. That the 'first' actually crashed and burned somewhere back in 1980 and no one has heard of it since. There could be several books on the subject somewhere by much more recognizable names but only lets say in the areas of 'economics' as the crooked Politics of Louisiana caused for some sort of bailout by large tobacco companies. In other words confirm that you are the first then, make sure you have a market. Make sure you write well enough that if the 'subject' isn't all that flashy that the manuscript has other redeeming qualities such as being well written, engaging, and useful as something other than recycled goods.

Cath and L have great advice. Take it and run with it.

While you may have slightly less competition in the field of this book's selling, it is still going to be difficult to sell a first book. In order to find an agent and publishing company, the average number of attempts with different ones accepting your submissions is between 20 and thirty times. It is likely a local library or bookstore can give you some names of these types of people to help you begin your arduous search. It will likely be long and tedious, but you should have a publisher in the end if the material itself is sound. Good Luck =)

There are different ways to promote your book. Whether you opt for a cost-efficient or high end ways to market your book, a marketing plan is a must. Marketing is perhaps the toughest part of publishing a book and not having the right marketing plan is just as good as not having published at all. By setting achievable goals, you can be able to do what works best for your book.

For more information on how to market your book:

http://marketyourbook.wordpress.com/

all you can do is send copies of your manuscript to publishers in the hope they will accept it, no doubt if it's yoru first work you will get a lot of rejection slips, dont worry keep on trying, whatever you do, don't answer the advertisements in papers saying they are looking for unpublished authors to publish their works, these are what is known in the trade as vanity publishers, and they charge you to publish and print so many copies of the book, all you can do then is say "well at least i had a book published" sadly very few people will get to read it, and you would end up giving them away to friends. To sum up then, all you can do is work hard, and tread the mill seeking out reputable publishers. you'll be able to get their addresses easily enough, simply look in books of the same genre as yours and the publishers name and address will be on one of the flyleafs.

I'd start with going to the library or bookstore and finding out who in the Writer's Market you can send your book to. Or rather, a book proposal. You can also find books on writing a proposal.

Good luck.

I'm afraid that for books, rule #1 isn't "be first" it's "write well". How much writing practice have you done? You're not going to magically write at a publishable level just because you've had a good idea.