What's the best way to go about getting a novel published?

Question

I've been writing for many, many years, and have had articles and interviews published in magazines, and a poem published in a poetry anthology. Those were submissions to contests/requests, so there really wasn't much involved. I'd like to try and get a novel published, but I'm at a loss as to where to start. Obviously I have to finish the story, but what's the next step? Are there any guidelines that need to be followed?

Answer 1

ONce you have a book that is polished, edited and ready to go, you need to start with a copy of Writers Market. But Writers Market is a mere drop in the bucket compared to Literary Marketplace - the industry standard. It costs 300 dollars, but most libraries have it as a reference book so bring along a notebook and take plenty of notes. Search for publishers and agents currently reading work in your particular genre. Remember you cannot get through to the major publishers directly. They only deal with agents.

Then you need to learn how to write an extremely compelling query letter and synopsis. They are essential because that is the first thing any publisher or agent wants to see. If they are interested, they will request a partial or complete manuscript and a book proposal. You need to learn how to write a great proposal. There are many books out there. It is your #1 selling tool.

But before you send anything to anyone - you need to do your research. Check the publisher or agent out through Preditors and Editors, Absolute Write Water Cooler's Bewares and Background Forum, Writers Wall, Writers Weekly and Anne Crispin's website to start with. If there are complaints against the publisher or agent, pass them by. You will find many.

Beyond that, grow a hide thicker than an elephant's because you will need to learn to deal with rejection and criticism. The nature of the beast.

You will find on my profile I have starred many great Q and A regarding the publishing business and writing in general. Print some of them out to read and study. I add new ones every time they come up. Many have signed me on as a fan and are making notebooks of the starred pages as a reference book for themselves. It is easier than weeding through Resolved Questions.

Good luck. If you have any other questions, please ask so we can get answers and share them with the many other novice authors here. Pax - C

Answer 2

The biggie is to have a completed novel that's been rewritten and polished until nothing can improve it. Ideally, it should go to some very fussy beta readers for their critique, too, and get one last rewrite.

Then the "fun" of marketing your work begins. Not every legitimate sale requires an agent. Many small publishers still deal directly with the author. Once you have a completed, polished manuscript, you can figure out if you should seek a big "name brand" publisher, in which case you need an agent, or if a small publisher will do just fine.

You can find publishers in the most recent edition of Writer’s Market (US) or Writers and Artists Yearbook (UK). Each listing will indicate “agented submissions only” or not.

Remember, reputable agents charge the author NOTHING up-front. Some agents may deduct the costs of doing business (copies, mail, phone) from your first check, but nobody legitimate needs that in order to get started.

You can determine whether an agent is reputable at sites like Preditors and Editors (http://www.invirtuo.cc/prededitors/) and the AAR (http://www.aar-online.org/mc/page.do). Besides being a real agent and not a scammer preying on writers’ dreams, you also want to research an agent’s recent sales of books in your genre before sending a query letter.

Researching whether a publisher is the real deal is easier. Go to a bookstore. See any of their books? Good. No? If it’s a small press, it might still be legitimate. The biggie is that no publisher needs money from the author. None at all. Any publisher who does is cause to run the other way.

Publishers and agents have writers guideline on their websites. They'll tell you what kind of work they're seeking and how it should be presented.

Answer 3

Other answers are playing heavily on the agent angle. Although this is good advice, it is, at the least, placing one of the horses in front of the cart.

First, you need to find an editor to make sure your story is the best it can be (much will depend on the editor's qualifications) before you begin shopping around for an agent. Agents are as picky as publishers, some are more picky that others, and the more picky they are, the better.

Publishers, for the most part, are NOT receptive to material that comes in over the transom. If you decide your material is good enough or an editor has given his/her approval and you want to toss your stuff over the transom (unsolicited submissions), good luck.

Picking the right agent and/or publisher is the next big hurdle. Make certain you have your ms formatted exactly as the agent/publisher requires and that you have done all of the other things the agent/publisher wants precisely as they want it. Be certain that the fiction you have written is right for that particular agent/publisher -- read some of the books published through that house or that have been handled by that agent -- and that it is not a random shot in the dark. You'll also need to learn to write great cover letters (letters of introduction to pitch your story). Then proceed.

J.

http://www.jrichardjacobs.net

"The speed of the brain is inversely proportional to the speed of the mouth squared."

Answer 4

This is how you do it. Go to a book that is the same genera as the one you want published and look for the address on the page where it says the copy write.
Then write a query letter saying your name, your inspiration for the book, and what it is about. Also enclose the first few pages of your manuscript, and a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) put it all in an envelope and send to publishers. DO NOT SEND TO JUST ONE! If the publisher likes it they will send a letter in your SASE, requesting your whole manuscript. It usually is not worth it to pay for a company to publish your novel.

Good luck on your story!

Answer 5

I worked in publishing for about four years (nonfiction publishing but publishing nonetheless). Your best bet is to hook up with an agent. Most publishers, large or small, don't take unsolicited manuscripts. So find a good agent who takes regular meetings with publishers. He or she will be able to pitch your book when the publishers are looking for your kind of fiction.

Answer 6

not really.
u sound like a good writer though
the 1st piece of advice would be to get an agent.