Hi,
I would like to know what is the best way to find a publisher for a book that has been published already outside the UK (in Hungary). Does the translation counts as unsolicited manuscript?
Thanks
Reka
Hi,
I would like to know what is the best way to find a publisher for a book that has been published already outside the UK (in Hungary). Does the translation counts as unsolicited manuscript?
Thanks
Reka
ALL of what I just spent minutes typing out just got erased!!! Begin again.
"Unsolicited" doesn't mean published or not published. It means "[We] didn't ask you for it". Some publishers will ONLY consider books that they have commissioned themselves... or those recommended by literary agents whom they trust to know what quality is... or books by authors with whom they already have had success.
As to your 1st question: Are you sure that your Hungarian publishers didn't buy the rights to foreign translations? This is the normal practice. If not (if YOU retain the right to sell translations), it depends whether your book sold WELL in Hungary. A publisher (or literary agent) is much more likely to pay attention to your book if they know that you have bought a castle and 3 yachts with your royalties.
If your book didn't sell well, it might be a good idea not to mention that it has already been published abroad. Who will want to waste their time reading a translation of a book that is now sold at 20% of the original price in bargain bookstores? (Or is being used to wrap fish with?)
You will also need to make sure that the translation is EXCELLENT. I have had trouble translating my OWN books. Get a LITERATE, EXPERIENCED English-speaker to check it for mistakes (and what aren't actually mistakes but just "sound funny").
It wouldn't happen to be a book for children, would it? In which case, I [underlined, boldfaced] might be interested... even if you HAVEN'T bought a castle with the proceeds. (See http://la-granota.com). La Gr@not@ is more interested in quality and originality than in formula-best-sellers.