Writing a book?

Question

I'm writing a book. I've been working on it for four years and now that I quit a completely overwhelming job and got a less stressfull and less time consuming position, my book is really coming along.

My question is this:

What steps should I follow to get this book published or atleast attempt to? What does a person with little to no money do about this?

I'm very proud of it and I think it would do well, but I really don't know where to start.

Any sites or information would be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

No publisher or agent should charge you any money up front! That is the sign of a scam! They make money by selling your book. Agents work on a commission (generally 15% of the amount of money the publishers pay you).

There are two types of publishing, traditional and self-publishing. If you choose to go with self-pubbing, I would recommend http://www.lulu.com as a great site. They don't pretend to be anything they are not, and have excellent service. All the decisions will be in your hands. However, going with a company like this is a difficult road and it is not considered a publishing credential if you look to go traditional down the road. Here is some other information about the downside of self-publishers (also known as vanity presses):
http://www.sfwa.org/beware/vanitypublishers.html

As far as novels go, different publishers specialize in different things, and fiction is a broad world. You have to try and sell your material to companies that produce similar works (ie, don't try and sell a fantasy novel to a romance publisher). So do your homework. Take a look at the most recent "Writer's Market"... or even better, try the "Guide to Literary Agents".

I absolutely suggest getting an agent instead of approaching publishers directly. I'm assuming you are not a contract attorney, so you will need someone to look over any offers and to guide you through the publishing world.

Make sure that you follow their exact submission specifications. You will not be sending your novel unsolicited-- you will begin with a query letter. If you send the whole novel, it will be dumped in the recycling bin without being read.

Here are some websites that can help. Read them thoroughly and research, research, research!
http://www.absolutewrite.com
http://www.publishersmarketplace.com
http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/
http://www.agentquery.com/

And be warned of the people on this list:
http://www.sfwa.org/beware/twentyworst.html

Good luck!

Answer 2

There is a book in the library called Writers Market that lists something like 3,000 publishers and outlines their precise requirements. Read it, and find a suitable publisher to approach, then write a query letter.
Be VERY careful at this point that you don't run into the scammers. Reputable publishers don't charge reading fees. They don't try to sell you writing courses. They are just as interested in finding a good manuscript as you are interested in having them publish it.
If you want to go the agent route, again, look for an agent who does not charge reading fees. A good agent can help you find a matchup with a publisher.
Don't go the vanity press route. Yes, they can publish your book for you, but they can't market it and with vanity presses you end up giving all your relatives a copy of your book for Christmas and the over 994 copies sit in boxes in your basement. You need a 'real' publisher.
good luck to you

Answer 3

Getting Published

Non-fiction is easier to get published, but by no means is it easy. Other than having a certain newspaper editorial page or a magazine suited to the short story or article, an author should:

1. Visit the library, check out the "Writer's Market" book, and search for a publishing house that best suits the manuscript.

2. Write the best query letter you can wherein the first paragraph is better than the opening line on your manuscript. Follow all query letter and manuscript guidelines as set forth by the publisher and the writers' guide.

3. Always include a self-addressed, stamped envelope in the submission.

4. If the author is not fortunate in getting a response from the publishing house, repeat the above steps in seeking agent representation.

5. Your manuscript is automatically copyrighted once it is in a tangible form, but you can still submit it to the Library of Congress on a TX Form at a cost of $35. In approximately eight months, the registration for the work should be received. For details in copyright submissions, log on to the Library of Congress website.

Unless an author is at the right place, the right time, and with the right publisher or agent, the prospects of getting something published is extremely difficult. A fiction novel is even more difficult unless you are already established as a published author.

There is much more to this topic on getting published that takes months, even years, to work through. Everything submitted must be perfectly formatted, no spelling errors, and certainly, is perfect in grammar.

It is wise to have the manuscript edited several times even before its first submission. An author must never expect the agent or the publisher to edit the manuscript if it is already messy. Such an attitude only results in the manuscript getting thrown in the trashcan.

You will hear people claim they've "been published." Ask how it was done and they might reply either by “Print on Demand" publishing or subsidy publishing, which takes the author’s money up front before anything is put into printing. These methods of publishing are a good way to go provided funds are available to support the enterprise. Nevertheless, having a book published in this manner does not guarantee sales marketing of the book. That is why reputable publishers and agents are so selective; they can’t spend time and money marketing a book that they feel will not project sales.

It is not a walk in the park nowadays. (That is a trite expression to always avoid). Agents and publishing houses are deluged with manuscripts everyday. And sadly, they trash more of them than you'll ever know. Only a very small percentage gets to the printing press. Many writers view that only celebrities and well known political figures and authors will see their manuscript published without delay.


* * *

There are two other options to getting your work published--other than the standard agent representation or direct publishing through a publishing house.

1. Subsiding Publishing: There are several reputable companies who will take your novel and provide an attractive cover, binding, and printed form on either hardbound or paperback.

Some companies will offer terms and a payment plan and the cost to you ranges from $6,000 to $20,000., depending on word count and size.

2. Print on Demand: These companies will take your novel, provide hardbound or paperback options, and for a price, print as many copies as you desire. An initial cost could be from $300 to $1,500. It could be more. Payment options may also be in the equation here. With this option, the writer must do all the legwork in publicity, book signings, and distribution.

Some publishing agents and firms want you to have your manuscript edited through one of their subsidiaries, all at a cost to you. The more reputable agents and publishing houses will not expect this of you; they will edit the manuscript once they've taken it on.

Unless you are a Hollywood celebrity or a high profile political figure, expect to work hard at the grind for publishing your material.

Agent representation, for many, is the best way to go. Agencies know what publishers want what to print. They know the best contacts to submit your manuscript, and they look out for your best interests and theirs because it's all economics to them. If they can't sell your book, they don't make money; that's about as plain as it gets.

Many potential best-sellers are trashed by agents and publishers alike because of the monumental submissions they receive. If a manuscript contains flaws in spelling, grammar, and contrived clichés, it will head to the trash can before the second page is ever read.

Answer 4

You could try to find an agent that is open to unpublished writers. If he or she agrees to look over your MS, just send a couple of chapters and an outline of the book, not the whole thing.
You could query publishers that will look at unsolicited MSs, and sent them two or three samples and precis of the book
(plot, main characters, the theme).
You can save money by sending only to the publisher who agree to look at your book, and not having to mail a few hundred pages.
There must be hundreds of agents, but you could start with the ones in your city or region. Try university publishers--they are more open to new authors.

Answer 5

The people who do National Novel Writing Month also have a website called National Novel Publishing Year, where they give advice and tips on how to get your book published.

http://nanopubye.org/

Answer 6

I decide a stable e book, merely like i could decide a stable action picture. My variety one rule is, if it makes me cry, that's handed my try. i like books that make me experience as though the characters and their situations are actual. i want to forget that i'm even examining. a stable e book is one that keeps you up into the early hours of the morning. you finally end up crying, shaking in concern or exhilaration. those are the books that are "epidermis breaking" in my opinion. So some human beings could love Twilight, different's hate it. as long because it made somebody, someplace get those chills and goosebumps, that's considered a stable e book in my head. nicely-written would not neccessarily advise it has to have extensive vocab and many info you do not even understand what's taking place, to me it merely ability that the author knows what he or she is doing with their tale. Oh nicely, i'm rambling, so i'm going to provide up. yet actual, a stable e book has to snatch you thru the hair and throw you right into a international you on no account knew existed and go away you awe-struck and puzzled whilst that's over.

Answer 7

If it is fiction, you have to finish it first, then send query letters to literary agents. If it is non-fiction, you can query first, then finish it after an agent agrees to represent you.

There are a couple of really good websites to help you find a literary agent. One is agentquery.com, the other is QueryTracker.net.

agentquery.com is a list of literary agents.
QueryTracker.net is the one I recommend. It has a list of literary agents just like agentquery, but it also has tools to help you keep track of who you already queried and who you haven't, plus more.

Both sites make an effort to keep scammers off their lists, but it is a good idea to still double check yourself. A good reference for scammers is the Absolutewrite.com forum.