I recently completed a novel and, being my first book, was wondering where should I try to have it published?

Question

The book is a young adult's, adventure novel, three hundred+ pages in length. I have worked on it for the past year and a half, recently finishing the rewriting. Now I want to try to get it published, but have no clue yet where I should try or who I should contact, so I'm hoping I can get some advice on here from the experts. Everyone's help is very much appreciated.

Answer 1

There's lots of research and legwork involved. You'll more than likely need to find an agent because most publishing houses don't take unsolicited manuscripts these days. It also helps if you have previous writing achievements - a resume or CV of nationally published material or award winning pieces.

An introduction package to an agent usually includes a query letter, a synopsis, and the first 3-5 chapters or 50 pages. So you'll want to learn the art of the query and synopsis.

(This is a cut and paste from another question below.)
Here's the link to the WritingWorld advice on agents: http://www.writing-world.com/publish/ind...

I've actually been doing some research on publishing and agents while I've been working on my book, as well. Here's some of the information I have found. One thing is certain - a reputable agent never gets paid up front. Their pay comes when they've done the work for you and found the publisher. So if any agent is asking for fees up front - it's more than likely that they're shady.

I found this excerpt from "Finding an Agent" by Judith Bowen on absolutewrite.com.
-Check out books in the library that list literary agents. [Like “A Guide to Literary Agents” published by Writer's Market] See if they are members of reputable professional organizations. Go to writers' conferences. Talk to other published authors. Gradually put together your own short list and send out query letters describing your manuscript--the fact that yours is completed is a plus-- starting with the first agent on your list and working your way down. Chances
are, none of them will take you on.

Don't give up. Get out there and sell your manuscript to a publisher. Contrary to what you might have imagined - that it's the agent's job to sell your book - the truth is, your book is going to have to sell itself, whether you send it out or an agent does. Then, when you're offered that contract, contact your short list of agents again, starting at the top, and mention you've got a contract to negotiate and you'll be pretty pleased to find that the response will be quite different. Maybe your first choice or your second still won't be interested, but your third or fourth will. If you've done your research, he or she will still be a fine agent with a good reputation. -

Here are "Seven Essential Points on Literary Agents":
http://www.book-editing.com/nagle1.htm...

Another good idea for looking for an agent is to read books similar to the ones you want to publish. See if there's any way you can find out who their agent was. It's best to know who else the agent has represented, especially when querying. It lets them know you've done your research. (Authors will often mention their agent's name in the Acknowledgement section of their book.)

Once you've done that research, check out if the agent is listed here at Preditors and Editors: http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/p...
It’s a link to a list of literary agents, but it's alphabetical, not by genre - but this is from a reputable group that looks out for a writer's best interest. Don’t query the ones with the red “Not recommended” notes.

Best wishes!

Answer 2

A famous publisher of fiction/adventure books is Random House.

Random House, Inc.
1745 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
[phone]

Try the number and see what they would like you to do with your manuscript or ask if there is anyone else you should contact.

I wish you the very best of luck.

Answer 3

Sorry even yet it incredibly is extremely no longer that user-friendly. As an unpublished author, you is surely no longer waiting to physique of strategies a writer quickly as maximum of them thee days will purely settle for cloth that has been submitted by using a literary agent. Getting an agent could take you years. the traditional company gets approximately 3 hundred submissions a week from human beings merely such as you yet they'll purely address one or 2 writers a year. the contest is absurdly fierce - your e book could desire to stick out from hundreds of thousands of others. do no longer hassle attempting to physique of strategies an agent till you have finished, edited and polished your e book. they are actually not searching for uncooked, incomplete products of artwork, they are searching for something that's as good because of the fact the author can likely make it. in case you do have the flexibility to safeguard an agent, they'll pitch your e book on your behalf to publishers and attempt and negotiate you a deal.

Answer 4

If your novel is more or less formulaic (conforming to common patterns and all that), you could try major publishing companies like Random House.

Answer 5

http://www.lulu.com

Lulu is a book-publishing website that does it for free. you can sell it on the website. just check lulu out.