I decided I want to write a book--what exactly do I need to do to get a book published?

Question

I decided I want to write a book. What steps do you have to go through from initially writing it, to trying to get it published etc..? I mean, do you need to be a known author? Do you need to FIRST find a publisher? Do you need to write it in any standard format? WHo do I send it to? What costs are there? What is EVERYTHING i need to know????

Answer 1

How To Publish Your Book



Advice for writers interested in publishing their work.



The very biggest publishers won't look at much of a manuscript unless you have an agent, but even they will have a quick glance at non-fiction work. And most of the medium sized to small publishers (which often are much better choices for a first-time author) are happy to look at manuscripts "cold." So don't think you need to shop for an agent just yet. (On the other hand, you might want one, since an agent would do for you all of the arduous work I am about to describe - for a fee, of course.)



Without an agent, you first need to do research on presses. You then prepare a package to submit (about which more later) and then make follow-up calls. After that, it's a question of the book's merit and luck.



Oh! Buy a notebook and keep records of all your interactions (what days you send a package to whom, who you talk to, etc. If you submit to 30 publishers and have four interactions with each, you're not going to remember when so and so's secretary asks when you sent this, that or the next thing.



A. Finding Appropriate Publishers

I'm afraid I can't shorten your work for your by suggesting the obvious publishers for your book. But here's how to go about finding probable publishers:



Visit a good bookstore and a very commercial bookstore (I'd go to Borders and to Atlantic) and scour the section that shelves books the most like yours. You should find as many as you can that are comparable to the book you're writing/written. Look on the spine for the name of the publisher. These, obviously, are the publishers most likely to be interested in your work, since they know the market to whom they can sell it. These publishers should form part of the list of publishers you will contact. You can get their addresses and phone numbers by...



Visit a library (any university library) and look through both of the following reference books, in their most current editions.



First, Writers Market, which lists all the publishers in the country and the sorts of books they put out, as well as gives advice about how to submit. It gives phone numbers and addresses. It's divided into topics, so you can go right to the sections you thinks your book fits (Women's? Health?) and skip over **** like Agriculture.



The second book is Literary Market Place (LMP), which is more or less the same thing, but a little less user-friendly, since it's organized from the publisher's rather than the writer's point of view.



From these two sources you should be able to compile a fairly good list of publishers likely to be interested in their work.



B: Finding Out Who to Send To

Call each of the presses on this list and speak to the secretary in order to get the name of the appropriate acquisitions editor (even if it's listed in the LMP or the Writer's Market, you should call again. Ask if there are any special protocols for a submission from an unpublished author (sometimes there are weird things, like only send to this PO Box, or only mail by UPS, or only proposals, no finished manuscripts, or something else. Usually not, but if so, the receptionist will surely tell you). Ask, as well, how they like to handle follow up inquiries.



C. What to Send

Obviously, if anyone gives you explicit instructions or advice, you should follow it. Otherwise, a package should include:

A cover letter or proposal, describing the book, what you think is good about it, what strengths it has and so on.

A good sample chapter/section or the entire manuscript if it's in good shape.



If you want materials returned, you should include postage etc. It's a little tacky, however, so unless you're sending really expensive photographs or something, you should be prepared to lose the materials you submit.



D. Send a Package to Everyone on the List



E. Follow Up

The point of a follow up call is simple: to make sure that the editor who will decide on your book, or pass it along to the person who decides, takes a look at it and gives it some consideration. You cannot persuade someone to publish your book if they don't like it, or don't think it fits in with their line; the follow up call is not, in that sense, a sales call. But you should find out if they've looked at the manuscript. If no, you describe the book (make it sound interesting, but be succinct) and convinces them to take a look. If yes, you can, maybe, ask why they decided to pass. And you may get some valuable feedback this way.

Follow up even if the secretary told you when you called that you shouldn't follow up. You have nothing to lose, so long as you're polite.



Here is a book that is listed as a good resource:



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0793106206/002-0222746-0544022?v=glance&n=283155

Answer 2

First write your manuscript. You don't need to worry about finding a publisher now because by the time you've finished your book, which could be years down the road, the publishing house you've decided on might not be accepting that type of story anymore, the public's interest changes constantly.

You don't need to be a known author to be published. There are lots of publishing companies that like to publish first-time authors.

Go to your local library or Barnes and Noble and buy some guide books to getting published. They will answer all your questions and more. I suggest picking up a copy of the "Writer's Digest", which is a magazine, and the "2006 Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market" by Alice Pope, a book listing thousands of Publishing houses.

I use those two all the time.

Since I don't know what type of book you've decided on writing all I can suggest is going to the library and Barnes and Noble and looking for the best book that can guide you on your writing journey.

The monetary cost of writing your novel is very low. All you need to pay for are the stamps you will use sending them your Query Letter and your manuscript. But some Houses will accept your manuscript on a floppy disk, or whatever they're called.

Lots of luck to you, and let us know when your book is published!:)

Answer 3

Okay, the stages to reaching a publisher: 1) But the book away for a month or so, then take it out and carry out "relentless" editing where you are harsh on yourself. 2) Look for an agent. Don't use Google, unless you want to be scammed. Use a legit source. Buy the Writers Handbook 2011 or Writers Market 2011 and look for a suitable agent (Yep, agent. I'm afraid these days not many publishers will accept manuscripts directly off new writers). 3) Format your manuscript. Size 12 Times New Roman, printed on one side of the page, double line spacing, 2-inch margin with a header with your book title and page number on. Do not permanently fix your pages (E.g with staples) use elastic bands or something similar instead. Age doesn't matter, someone could publish at 10 years old if they are good enough! It's all about the talent.

Answer 4

As others above me have stated - First, you must write the book. Dorothy Parker once said, "Writing is simply the practice of applying one's *** to the seat." Meaning: there's nothing to it but to do it.



You must write because you have a story that is burning to get out. NOT because you "want to be a writer". It's not like American Idol, nor should it be.



Many authors go into self-publishing, otherwise called "Vanity Publishing" rather than endure the thousands of rejection letters that they will probably recieve before a publisher takes an interest.

Whether or not you choose vanity publishing is a matter of whether or not you are willing to do the work to promote/sell your own book and whether you have the money to afford the printing costs.



BEWARE: Some publishers will agree to print your book and distribute it for you for a large fee. Sometimes, these books will just collect dust in a wharehouse because the publisher does not give it their all. The wharehouse will eventually need the space that your book is taking up and "damage it out" which means that they will tear the cover off of the book and write it off.



Another question that you may want to ask of yourself is "How well does my book read as compared to other authors of my genre? Francis Ford Coppola & Co. started a great online workshop for writers and film makers to discuss their work and offer helpful suggestions. The link to that site is below.



One way to gain some headway in a publisher's eyes is to have some short stories and poetry printed in a magazine or an online site. This will attract "professional eyes" to your work alot faster than blindly submitting an unheard of novel. Many publishers will not read manuscripts that they did not request.

Answer 5

I read the Getting Published for Dummies and it was a great resource. The answers to your questions really depend on what kind of book you are writing, technical, fiction, non-fiction, etc. It was an incredibly helpful book and I am in the process of having my manuscript read by an agent. Good luck to you!

Answer 6

Thats a good question that I can try to guess at...... I would think yo uwrite it first and then search for publishers that would publish your story. The internet has many useful resources to take advantage of this. Anyways, good luck! Hope this helped any.

Answer 7

First you need to write the book.

Answer 8

If You Dont No Than Maybe You Shouldnt Right A Book.