So many writers think they have what it takes to become a published author and win their place in the spotlight, but sadly most of them don’t ever make it that far. Most often the problem isn’t a lack of talent or writing skill, but a lack of knowledge about how and where to go to get their book published. It’s disappointing that so many potentially great books are sitting around never to be read because the author couldn’t get it published. In an attempt to stop this literary tragedy, we’ve explained below some of the key components of getting your book published. Pay attention, because we don’t want to lose anymore great books that just haven’t gotten published!
The very first thing you need to do, although pretty obvious, is write your entire book. Publishers are looking for someone they know can complete an entire book, so it’s necessary to finish the whole thing before sending it in. This is most important for first-time authors who haven’t been published before, because you need to create a sense of trust and responsibility. If you turn in half of a manuscript, publishers will doubt your ability to finish an entire book, and it will all be for nothing!
Once you’ve finished your whole book, you must decide if you want to go through an agent or go directly to the publisher. There are benefits and drawbacks to each, and every author has a different priority. It’s up to you to do the research and become fully confident in your decision.
Whether you decide to go through an agent or directly to the publisher, you need to find the one that specializes in your genre/style of book. You wouldn’t want to bring your historical fiction book to a publisher who’s only interested in science fiction! Again, it’s necessary for you to do your own research here about publishers or agents near you, which ones suit you, etc. Once you’ve found “the one,” send in a query letter. In this you need to introduce yourself, your book, and write a brief summary of the book. Make sure this has no grammatical or spelling errors! Everything depends on whether the agent or publisher is impressed by your query letter, so it must be in tip-top shape. If they are impressed, they’ll ask you to send in your manuscript, and then they’ll make their final decision of whether or not to publish it (or take you on as a client if you’re sending it to an agent). Make sure everything you send in is proofread and edited by family or friends, that way you send in the best quality possible. If your book is accepted, you’re well on your way to a successful career as an author, and getting your books published will just get easier every time!