Alexander Gordon Smith is more than qualified to write this book. Aside from having published more than 300 books, short stories and articles he has run workshops and information classes for all ages, helping numerous people into print, and is the editor and co-author of the forthcoming Trade Secrets: Creative Writing series. He has also seen the industry from the Dark Side, as Managing Director of Egg Box Publishing, one of the country's most innovative independent publishing houses, and knows exactly what those obstinate buggers called publishers want to see in a manuscript.