Five Australian Publishing Experts Share Tips on Getting Your Book Published

Five Australian literary experts—Kate Cuthbert, Tim Coronel, Per Henningsgaard, Penni Russon, and Sally Breen—offer advice on book publishing. Cuthbert warns against writing for trends, advising authors to write the book they want to read. Coronel emphasizes joining the writing community through writers' groups, festivals, and submitting to journals like Voiceworks. Henningsgaard suggests following publishers on social media to learn about submission windows and editors' interests, citing Pan Macmillan Australia's Instagram posts. Russon recommends reading acknowledgements pages to identify agents and publishers who handle books similar to one's own, then mentioning those books in query letters. Breen advises entering writing prizes, noting her 2009 Varuna Harper Collins Manuscript Prize win led to publication of 'The Casuals'; she cautions to check prize legitimacy and avoid competitions with high reading fees and no cash prizes.