Name-dropping might be frowned upon in some circles, but an endorsement from the right person can work wonders in publishing. Such endorsements don't have to be lengthy. Even a one-sentence note of praise from a celebrity, expert, or published author can convince an agent or editor to take a good look at your material.

Cold-calling celebrities or high-profile experts and asking them to endorse your book proposal most likely will result in depressing failure. Instead, look for an “in” among your acquaintances, or seek out lesser-known people who have similar expertise in the field your book covers.

Networking Opportunities

So where do you find these celebrities, experts, and published authors? First, take stock of your own circle of family, friends, and colleagues. Do your parents, siblings, or other relatives work with someone who might be a qualified endorser? Do you have a friend who works with (or is related to) an expert in the field covered by your book? Is there someone in your church or Rotary Club who might be willing to help you, either personally or through her own contacts? Publishing is in essence a networking business, and you can get valuable experience in networking by starting on a small scale.

Colleges and Universities

Community colleges, four-year colleges, and universities are treasure troves of potential endorsements, as well as resources to improve your writing and research skills. College professors who teach writing courses probably have to publish a certain number of articles or books as a condition of their tenure, and they may have impressive writing credentials. For example, Jane Smiley, who won the 1992 fiction Pulitzer Prize for her novel A Thousand Acres, taught creative writing at Iowa State University for several years.

There are two potential benefits to taking college writing courses, no matter what age you are. The first benefit is obvious — you get to practice your craft and hone your skills. But there's also a second benefit — your professor might be willing to review your book proposal or manuscript and give you valuable feedback, or even a brief recommendation that you can cite in your query letter. Be sure to get your professor's permission before you use his name in soliciting agents and editors; this kind of request from students is quite common, and some professors have policies against issuing such endorsements.

Colleges and universities also have experts in many other fields, one of which might be suitable for your project. Again, tread carefully and politely when seeking a review or endorsement from a professor or researcher, and learn to accept whatever answer you get with grace. If they turn you down, you're not any worse off than you were before.

School districts and community colleges often have community education programs where adults can take classes on a broad spectrum of subjects. Look for writing classes or seminars that are taught by published authors; this may turn out to be an opportunity for getting an endorsement.

Many first-time authors get discouraged as they begin to market their book proposals or manuscripts, feeling trapped on the I-can't-get-published-until-I-get-published merry-go-round. But agents and editors always are on the alert for new, talented writers. With a little effort and a little creativity, you can mold your bio into a tool that will help convince an agent or editor to give you that all-important first publishing contract.