Can we sell our tapas novels to publishers?

[JeffBaker]

Hey everyone! It's been a while since I've posted here. I've written a full length middle grade novel that I've been sending out to agents, but I'm having trouble getting any interest. I think it's really good, and the people who have read it think it's really good, so I'm wondering if I build a big following for it online if it will be more appealing to publishers because it has a built in audience. Is this allowed? Or does Tapas have rules against publishing works that were first posted on their site? If anyone has any insight I would very much appreciate it. cheers.

Jack

[Kelheor]

Tapas Media does not claim ownership rights of your Content.

Terms of Service

I think it's really good, and the people who have read it think it's really good, so I'm wondering if I build a big following for it online if it will be more appealing to publishers because it has a built in audience.

I don't know how actual publishing works, but this sounds doubtful... Well, and you still need to build this big following on Tapas first, which could take years =) If you only wrote one novel and that's it, maybe you just need to write more.

[GabiWolf]

Yes, whatever you share on tapas is solely your creative property to do with what you please.
I have seen a lot of online creators move from online publishing to traditional publishing. Now a days a lot of publishers will also ask for your social media links, because if you do have a large following you can take up the slack of advertising. Basically it save them money that way.
Either way following or not they also like to se “previously published work”. So try submitting to journals or short story collections, because online publishing doesn’t count as previously published work, no matter how big of a following.

Good luck in your journey!

[doriantorres112]

well, you are a safer bet to a lot of publishers if you already have an audience online, although it depends on the size. there's been a lot of novels, even comics, that were previously posted in the internet being published traditionally because of it. however, there's also some type of dislike towards those types of works. there are various reasons, from the plot, to the writing style or how it was written, and etc. (and also the stereotype that comes along from a book being posted online before getting picked up by a publisher)

i really don't have a lot to say about this topic, sorry, but there is a forum on wattpad that talks about the publishing industry, publishers, editors and all the related discussion when it comes to publishing a book. there's also literary agents that comes by from time to time, doing q and a and etc.

you could also try to self-publish your work.

[Penni]

If you don't have a contract with Tapas then they can't stop you from selling it.

However, if you've posted it online, that is considered self-publishing, a lot of agents won't be interested in it because they don't have the first right/debut shininess to work with. So if you plan to traditionally publish,pull it from where it's posted/keep it off line and don't advertise that it's been on line. Publishers interested in self-published work unless it gets mega huge.

Here's a video from a former literary agent that might give you more insight

[JeffBaker]

I've written more than this, this is just the first 50k+ word novel I've written. The feedback I'm getting is that the agents really like it they just don't know how to market it. It's a bit niche.

[JeffBaker]

thanks! this is helpful

[Pan]

Try finding critique partners who write for your age range that also want to traditionally publish! They can give you feedback on your query letter and manuscript that can be invaluable for securing agents