How Do I Get A Book Published?

Question

For a few years I have been writting off and on and have a few finished books that I have always wanted to see if I could get published.

I dont have an agent, I wouldn't know how to get one. I do no want to publish it myself. I have looked online and most of the things I find are for publishing it yourself. Or you pay them to print it and sell it. I want a publishing company to pay me, no me them.

What do I do and how do I find out it the/a publishing company is a good one and not a scam.?

I have mostly written romance novels. I have one short story about a girl that travels back in time and meets Jesus.

Answer 1

Cathy,
Please ignore any advice telling you to self-publish. It's not only a waste of time and money, it's a waste of credibility. After you do it, you'll have none. Do not attempt to contact a publisher. These days, publishers work almost exclusively with agents.

You need to find an agent. I'm enclosing a website for you. This website has several pages of agents. many of whom accept online queries. Whatever you have written, you need to write a killer query letter to snag an agent. I don't know if you've written fiction or non-fiction, but if you want to attract an agent you must have an angle as to why your book is different/engaging/unique that will peak the curiosity of someone who gets hundreds of queries like yours every day. You have to be short, organized, and pithy. You must stand out from the crowd.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Hard Question. First of all I would need the type of book you have written but if like me you already have copyright over something you have written you are half way there. Unfortunately I believe you may have to pay for that. Aways go with the famous ones, as you are in the knowledge that you wont get ripped off. I believe that Bloomsbury takes on lots of 'new' authors. Send a sample in and they may want to publish it with good odds. DO NOT TAKE LESS THAN 3%. Anyway if all fails, I recommend going to a print and getting a few copies done yourself, sell on Internet and try to introduce yourself locally. Even if no money is made, you can show the publisher's people that people have bought your books and hence they may strick a good bargain with you. Email me if you wish and tell me what type of book it is. I am no writer myself but I have got a few published works out there, including 'Stalked' a mellow dramatic recreation of Life in England.

Answer 3

The best way to get noticed by publishers is to show you've been published before. Get some experience by publishing short novels or articles in magazines. Some of them even pay but most don't. At least you'll have what publishers expect, an experienced writer!

Answer 4

I would suggest self-publishing one of your books first. A lot of people are doing that these days. That way, when you are shopping around for a publisher and/or agent, they'll take you seriously because you've already published something.

As to how to get an agent or a publishing company interested in you and your work? I would assume that you will need to send out what are refferred to as "Query letters." Buy a book called "Getting Your Book Published For Dummies." It should explain it all to you.

Good luck :)

Answer 5

To find reputable publishers, get a copy of:
"Writer's Market" - the 2007 edition is out now I think

Its' an exhaustive list of publishers and their query requirements.
Good luck!