Teen trying to publish first book! Can somebody help me?

Question

I am trying to publish my first book. I want to do it cheaply, but make it a great book. Does anybody know any great publishers that I can contact? Does anybody have any tips to help me publish my book?

Answer 1

First of all, avoid the self publishers or vanity presses that charge you to publish. They will only sell you a box of poorly printed books with your name on them. Your books will never hit bookstores and you might as well go door to door trying to sell them. If your books are not in bookstores, they will not sell. The average self published book sells less than 100 copies.

Your book must also be edited. For that you need to hire a professional editor to take your manuscript and hone it so it is in marketable shape. That means far more than just checking your punctuation and spell checking. It means making margin notes with regards to things like the pacing of your story, the style, description, character study etc. Unfortunately most of the novice writers who come to this forum feel they have no need for editors. They think they can spell check themselves and that they write well enough to forego a professional edit. That is a HUGE mistake. There has only been one author in history who wrote without the use of an editor and that was O Henry. So unless you are turning out work the quality of The Gift of the Magi (and I assure you none of us are!) you NEED an editor. Confidence in your abilities is good - overconfidence is professional suicide. Those who choose to skip over the editor part will learn that lesson the hard way -- when the rejection letters start rolling in and just don't stop. Their loss. Have your work edited.

Then, you can either use Writers Market (which you can buy for 30 dollars) or Literary Marketplace (use it at the library's reference section - it costs 300 a year.) and seek out agents or small publishers who are seeking works in your genre. Note - You cannot get through to large A List Publishers directly. Only A List agents can. They do not accept unsolicited submissions.

When you have found a couple that interest you - research them! Google the hell out of the name. Start with Preditors and Editors site and Absolute Write Water Cooler Bewares and Background Checks forum for any information on the publisher/agent. There are a lot of fakes, frauds and companies on the brink of bankruptcy out there. When writers have been hassled by a publisher/agent, we write about it! You will find information in these forums involving other writers issues with the publisher/agent. If so, find others and steer yourself away from problems.

What you send first is a query letter and synopsis. Each agent and publisher has their own set of submission guidelines and they must be followed to the letter. You will get rejected if you do not submit properly.

You have to learn to have a hide as tough as a herd of elephants because you will get rejections. It's the nature of the beast. Gone with the Wind got 50. Just send out another letter to another agent or publisher and try again.

Eventually when you get a "bite", they will ask to see either a full or partial manuscript and a book proposal. That is a very specific document. You can get books on how to write one.

This is one of the ways using a professional editor comes in handy. They will also be able to work with you on your book proposal. That is the document your agent will use to sell your book to a publisher. An editor knows how to prepare and sell a book. They know what sells. They cost money, but it costs money to make money. But it's extremely worth it. It will take a good book and turn it into a GREAT book. Very few of the overconfident wanna-be authors here even know what a book proposal even looks like let alone how to write one.

Then you wait again. There is a lot of waiting involved. While you wait, you keep writing and working on a new book. If you wind up not getting any bites on your first novel, try another one. Very often, an author has one or two books they never sold. Consider them practice novels.

You can also go to Resolved Questions and search keywords publisher and publishing. There are a lot of answers here - some good some not so good. But they are good to print out and study. You have to learn to advocate for yourself. The more you learn, the better off you are. Also since you are a minor and your parents will have to legally sign contracts for you, it's good to get them involved too. They need to help you make responsible decisions.
Good luck. Pax - C

Answer 2

If it's your first publication, your major hurtle is going to be getting past the slush pile. THis is where all the newbie authors send their manuscripts, and staff editors read them and determine whether or not they're good enough to pass up the chain to the editors. Several different types of editors will look at your book. Until you are an established writer and have an editor of your own, that's how it works. In order to get past the pile of hundreds of manuscripts that these editors read each week, you've got to A) have a very compelling first chapter, and B) keep trying! Expect about fifty no's for every yes.

You would do better to submit a first chapter and remaining chapter outline to an editor rather than the whole manuscript. let them tell you if they want to see more.

And, of course, the best way to get into the publishing market is to network. Make contacts. If someone knows you or your friend, your stuff is far more likely to get read.

Good luck!

Answer 3

New York City is where most of the literary agents and big name publishers are located. If I were you I would try a small publishing house. Go to the local library reference desk and ask for the annual writer's market book. You have names and addressed in there. Good luck. I hope you have enough talent to make it.

Answer 4

Unlike the previous person I think the best way is to start the writing then when you get to something you think someone will enjoy then send that part of the manuscript in. Publishing companies don't want the whole thing because they simply don't have the time to read it all. Also have friends look at it read parts and help you edit. That way you get your name out there for people to know have them give you feedback then if they enjoy a specific section send that bit in. Companies look to see if the story is interesting, enjoyable, well written, and able to tell the story.

Answer 5

First-time authors like you may want to try the self-publishing route, if only to test the waters and eventually get their books noticed by the bigger publishing companies. Unfortunately, whether you go to traditional publishing or to self-publishing, you still have to shell out money.
For self-publishing, I would recommend Xlibris. The quality of their books is good, and they have several packages to choose from that could fit right into your budget. Why don't you click on this link and see for yourself?
http://www2.xlibris.com/requestkit/index.asp?src=aop&key=gg

Answer 6

You may visit http://self-publishing-guide.blogspot.com - Your one stop site to Self-Publishing. What, Why and How to self publish your work? How to Self Publish your novels, poetry, etc or maybe finding out Self-Publishing Companies.