First you have to finish and start editting the book. No publisher will look at a rough draft, especially if it is still incomplete.
There are two types of publishing: Traditional and Self-Publishing. You will first need to decide which of these methods you want to pursue. Each has advantages and disadvantages that need to be researched. For instance, traditional publishing can be a very long road, littered with MANY rejections. Self-publishing will guarantee you a printed copy of your book, however you will not see it in a brick-and-mortar bookstore.
http://www.lulu.com is, in my opinion, the best self-publisher around. You can set up your book on their website, for free, and they will print copies as they are purchased. They do not edit your book, so you will need to take care of that on your own. This will also NOT get your book in a traditional bookstore, although you can purchase a very affordable package that would allow sale of your book through online bookstores like Amazon.
"Writer's Market", along with "The Guide to Literary Agents" are my two suggestions for diving into the traditional publishing market. I suggest looking for an agent first because they are the best step through the publishing door, plus they will negotiate your contract for you. You will create a submission package that matches the agents preferences (some, for instance, just want a query letter and synopsis in your first contact with them while others want more). Once you find an agent that is willing to represent you, they will market your book to publishers. Remember, in traditional publishing you should not be paying for anything! They get paid when you get paid!
Also keep in mind that this can be a long process. You will probably not get a lot of positive responses right away, and the rejection can be disheartening. But keep it up and you will find a home for your story!
The publisher and agent you'll use does not have to be located in the same state you live in (in fact, most authors do not live near theirs). So don't let distance be a worry!
You do not need to copyright your book before you query agents. The publisher who prints your story will take care of the official paperwork, but the copyright is already yours the moment you put the words on the page. Don't waste your time or money copyrighting something which you will most likely have to edit and rewrite repeatedly after you get an agent and publisher.
Here are five websites that can help. Read them thoroughly (especially Miss Snark-- love her!) and research, research, research! These can help you determine if the agent is legit or not:
http://misssnark.blogspot.com/
http://www.agentquery.com/
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/
http://www.publishersmarketplace.com
http://www.duotrope.com
And don't think about taking an agent from this list, they are SCAMS:
http://www.sfwa.org/beware/twentyworst.html
Good luck, and happy writing!
2007-05-01 02:42:25
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answer #1
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answered by Obi_San 6
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Get Writers Market and see if you can submit it to a publisher that is interested.
Self Publishing can be very expensive.
2007-05-01 00:19:09
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answer #2
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answered by redunicorn 7
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