i am writing a book. Does anyone know the steps to take after i am finished?

Question

or do you have any editing advice or anything to help with the creative flow. thanks in advance

Answer 1

1. Find the booklet, "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and Williams. It contains a wealth of information for novice and professional writers alike.

2. Follow the rules of punctuation and grammar. Use a good spell check and watch for words spelling differently, but pronounced the same way.

3. Trim and cut away the fat of the manuscript. Delete unnecessary words and phrases that only clutter the plot and the movement of the story. At first it hurts to cut away what you believe is superb writing, but fattened prose hurts the story.

4. Write realistic dialogue. Avoid exchanges about the weather and introductions of characters. They slow down the story. Each character has a different way of speaking; concentrate on the differences that your characters have and employ them in the dialogue.

5. Start your story with an action scene; i.e., blood on the floor, the parachute harness slipping away, the rifle's sights dead center on the victim--anything that creates instant tenseness.

6. Do not use a lot of backstory at the beginning of your story and shun the use of the words, remember, recall, noticed, such as "When I noticed her hair I remembered my first wife." Tell what is necessary.

7. Read a lot and study other authors' style in narrative and dialogue.

8. Edit your story continually and have disinterested people help you. Never trust a close friend or relative to give you the truth about your writing abilities.

9. Practice good penmanship everywhere: on this site, on the message boards, in your letters and e-mails. By writing well every time your fingers touch the keyboard it provides the avenue toward perfection.

These and more are simply part of what can get you going in the enjoyment and task of writing. When you suffer from writer's block--as we all do--take the time and edit what you've written.

Get a copy of the Writer's Market so you can learn to whom you should submit your manuscript and in what format.

Answer 2

Join some writers' message boards to get to know the process more. I would recommend writers.net and absolutewrite.com.

Do NOT copyright the book or put the word copyright anywhere. That marks you as an amateur.

You will need an agent. Here are the steps to take:

1) Finish the first draft of a manuscript. Let trusted friends read it. Revise.

2) Read these two books:
Noah Lukeman's THE FIRST FIVE PAGES
and
SELF-EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS by Rennie Browne
Then edit your manuscript again.

3) Once your manuscript is perfect, it's time for the query letter. You can google "sample query letters" to get a feel for how they're done. Make sure your query letter is perfect. Post it on writers.net or absolutewrite.com for critique.

4) Once your query is perfect, start to research agents. Look in books that are similar to yours in the acknowledgments--authors usually thank their agents there. You can use agentquery.com to find out what genres agents accept and whether they are looking for new clients. Also, sign up for the free newsletter from publishersmarketplace.com and you will read some deals in there. Pay attention to which agents are making deals for debut authors.

5) Most importantly, check Preditors & Editors before you query each agent and make sure the agent is ok! If the agent is not recommended, do not query them. Here is the link:
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/

The rule is... money flows to the writer. You should not pay a cent to get published. A real agent takes 15% of the sale and does not charge you unless he/she makes a sale. Do not pay anyone anything.

After you sign with an agent, they will submit the manuscript to publishers.

Good luck!

Answer 3

First of all join a good writer's group, now while you're writing.
Research the publisher and/or agent you want to do business with.
You must edit edit edit until your manuscript is the best it can be.
Then the publisher that accepts your MS (manuscript) will edit some more- you'll go through revisions until you and your publisher are happy.

As for creative flow, that's something you have to find that works for you. There are lots of writer's that could help you with any questions you have at Romance Divas. Joining the forum is free, but there's a wealth of information there

Answer 4

One word- Revise. Lots!
Even after you're accepted by a publishing company they will more than likely ask you to revise your work again and again.

If you're looking to have your book published, finding a literary agent is always a good start.
To submit your work to a publisher, remember not to use any fancy fonts. Times New Roman in 10 or 12 point font double spaced. Don't bind your work. Submit it in a clip with a title page. Also, number your pages and put your name and mailing address on each page. This makes it easier for the editors.
Do some research to help find the right editor, literary agent and publisher for your purposes.

Good luck!

Answer 5

I have found that I could get excellent editing at an effective cost at www.editavenue.com
Also, I am in a writers group at barnes and noble in reston, va and we discuss this topic frequently. Getting an agent is a really good first step. Wade [e-mail]

I have a short story published on amazon.com under amazon shorts. It is titled Who am I? A Converstation.

Answer 6

After you finish writing your book, it is automatically protected by the copyright laws of the U.S. You have to send them a copy of the book to the Library of Congress and they will send you a copyright.

You can put copyright pending on all work. You can then engage the services of an agent to represent you with a publisher.

Answer 7

There are magazines available at bookstores that have lists of publishers. Each publishing company is categorized by what they primarily publish.