Looking into publishing my book?

Question

I am only fourteen years old and am looking into getting my book into stores. I already got it published online through Lulu but am attempting to have it placed into book shops such as Borders, Amazon, etc.
So far I am looking into AuthorHouse, but am trying to expand my offers. I can work with self publishing, however I'd much prefer to get my works noticed by an actual company like Scholastic, or perhaps Little Browns and Company. Of course I know most of you won't take me seriously due to my age but I'd appreciate it if you tried to be opened minded. How exactly should I proceed?

http://www.lulu.com/content/1758271
http://www.lulu.com/content/1758158

Answer 1

You cannot get a Lulu book placed in bookshops unless you go into them and beg them to take it. You would have to purchase a batch of your own books to give away to buyers so they can read it and consider it. And if you have no ISBN number, it cannot be sold on Borders, Amazon (same thing) or Barnes and Noble.com.

Author House is regularly ranked the 2nd worst publisher behind Publish America. Check your sources, my dear. You will find them listed at Preditors and Editors and Absolute Write Water Cooler Bewares and Background Checks as one of the worst publishers in the business.

Scholastic and Little Brown are among the so called Big Ten Publishers and they do not accept queries from authors - they deal strictly with A List Agents.

Now that your book is published online, it is open to anyone who wants to plagiarize it and NO legit publisher will touch it. No publisher is going to put their legal dept to work at great expense proving original ownership for a first time author.

There really is no way for you to proceed. Consider this book a lost cause and write another. You have made major mistakes with this book that really are not correctable.
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They're, Their, There - Three Different Words.

Careful or you may wind up in my next novel.

Pax - C

Answer 2

There are no reputable publishers who will read a half finished book by a new author of any age. Finish your book first and then start looking for an agent and/or publisher. And there are no "teenage friendly" publishers. Your work will be judged alongside everyone else's.

Answer 3

You shouldn't have gone into self-publishing, it is a financial rut. You have to go to a store and supply them with your books. AuthorHouse, stay away. Go to Predators and Editors, they have over 56,000 complaints!

All right, first step, make sure your book is completely edited for errors in puncuation, grammer, syntax, etc. A real advantage would to have an agent, so if you want one(some publishers take manuscripts unsolicted, meaning no agent is an option), send out a query with the guidelines the agnecy specifies. If they want to see your work, normally 3 chapters would work. If you're accepted, great, you have an advantage.

Your agent's job is to ship around your movel for a prospective buyer. Still, if you want to send out a manuscript to a publisher, send a query(usually) with their guidelines. If they want to see more, send off the manuscript modified due to guidelines. If they accept, congratulations! The editor will go over it and suggest some changes(not just punctuation, they'll go over structure, pacing, POV, etc). Your book could hit the shelves within 6 months to a year.

But expect rejection. Rejection is part of the writing world. Just eat it for breakfast and move on.

Answer 4

I think it's great that at your age, you've gone ahead and published your book! Advertising your self-published work takes dedication and hard work. Also enlist the help of those around you to promote your book by word of mouth. Do your research online to find an agent that is tailored towards your category of writing. You then have the task of selling yourself and your book. I hope you've copyrighted your book?

Answer 5

Go to a bookstore or your library and get something like the Writer's Market 2008 guidebook or one of the handbooks for young writers, they'll have lots of info to point you in the right direction.

Good luck!

Answer 6

This answers a lot of questions about getting your book on Amazon.com http://www.fonerbooks.com/cornered.htm