Publishing a book can be more difficult than writing it. To publish a book, you must make sure it is in the best condition before taking it to an agent or publisher. Publishing a book will take a lot of research, perseverance, and patience, but it's all worth it when you see your work in print. If you want to know how to publish a book, just follow these easy steps.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Preparing Your Book for Publication
Step 1. Know whether you should prepare a manuscript or a proposal
Fiction writers must prepare a complete manuscript, while non-fiction writers must write a convincing book proposal. Knowing what it takes to write will save you time and will make you look more professional when submitting your work for people to read.
- Many fiction writers try to publish their books before finishing the script -- to no avail. If you are an experienced writer working with a literary agency, then a few chapters or even a proposal alone can land you a contract, but for most people starting out in the fiction business, books need to be 100% complete before they move forward to the publication stage.
- If you are writing a non-fiction book, then you must first have a completed book proposal. If you're writing a fitness book or a cookbook, then focus on the proposal. If your work is leaning more towards non-fiction literature, then work on a few other sample chapters or even the full text, in some cases.
- If you've determined that you only need proposals for the type of non-fiction written, then skip to step 6 and decide whether you want to hire a literary agent or go straight to the publishing house.
- If you're writing an academic book, read directly to the last section and learn how to publish a book by contacting the publisher directly.
Step 2. Revise Your Book
Revising your book can be even more difficult than finishing it. After you've written a complete draft of your book, whether it's a historical novel or a thriller, you should revise it so that it's in the best condition before you take it to an agent or publisher. Here are some things to do when revising a book:
- Make sure your book looks as good as possible. While not every book is a spy novel or an interesting one, make sure your readers are hooked from the start, and they always have an excuse to keep turning the pages.
- Get rid of any verbose or redundant words. Many agents say that they rarely accept a novelist's book debut if the novel is more than 100,000 words.
- Make sure your point is clear. Whether you're writing a romance novel or science fiction, you have to reach your goal and communicate your message at the end of the book.
- Make sure your thoughts are as clear as possible. Your ideas may be obvious to you, but will they confuse the average reader? Of course, your book may be targeted towards a specific audience, but members of that readership (such as students or nurses) must be able to clearly follow your thoughts.
Step 3. Get feedback on your book
Once you think you're really done, it's important to get feedback on your book to see if it's ready for publication. You may feel that the book is absolutely perfect, but there is almost always room for improvement. It's better to get feedback from a fellow writer or a trusted professional than to be rejected by an agent or publisher. If you ask for feedback too early in the drafting process, you may feel stuck, so make sure you feel like your book is really ready before asking for help. Here are a few ways to get feedback on your book:
- Ask fellow writers. A friend who knows how to write will have some insight into what works and what doesn't work in a book.
- Ask someone who loves to read. Someone who reads a lot will be able to tell you if your book is an interesting one, or if he fell asleep after the first chapter.
- Ask someone who knows your subject. If you're writing non-fiction about something in a field like business, science, or cooking, ask someone who is an expert in these fields to see if you really know what you're writing about.
- Submit your book to a writing workshop. Whether you have an informal writer's workshop with friends in your area or attend a writing conference, submitting a chapter of your work to a workshop can give you insight into multiple perspectives at once.
- If you are in an M. A or M. F. A program in creative writing, you will have many sources of feedback, both classmates and faculty.
- Find a reputable editor and request a manuscript evaluation. This can be very expensive, but asking the right people can help you see if your book is ready.
- Remember to accept your response with skepticism. Not everyone will fall in love with your book, and that's okay. It's important to get constructive feedback from people you trust, but admit that you won't benefit from every opinion. Getting a good response means knowing who to ask.
Step 4. Revise your book further if necessary
Revise your book based on the feedback received. You won't regret it. Take some time to absorb the responses you receive, and then get to work.
- While those revisions will point you in the right direction, ask for more feedback to ensure you make the draft stronger.
- When you have revised your manuscript again, keep it for a few weeks or even a month. Then take it out and read it with fresh eyes to see if your script is in the best shape possible.
- Finally, copy and edit your book. Once all the larger points are taken care of, make sure your manuscript is free of grammatical and punctuation errors. These mistakes will make your work look unprofessional and will make your readers not appreciate your hard work.
Step 5. Prepare your script
Once you feel that your manuscript is completely ready, you should check the format so that it meets the requirements of the agency or publisher you are looking for. There are a few rules of thumb to follow, but you should also check publishers' websites or agents' guidelines to ensure that your manuscript meets their standards. Here are some things you can do:
- Always double-space your script.
- Give a one-inch border on the left and right sides of the manuscript.
- Don't use fancy fonts. Times New Roman is the best font to use. Courier, or a typewriter-looking font, usually stands out more, but TNR alone should suffice.
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Give your page number. Number the page of your manuscript on the top right, along with your last name and title before the page number.
Example: "Smith / WHITE SKY / 1"
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Give a cover page. The cover page should include the following:
- Your name, email address, phone number and address will appear on the left side of the page.
- The title of your novel should be capitalized and centered on the page, along with your last name. Example: "WHITE SKY" on one line and "John Smith's novel" written directly below it.
- Your word count should be centered at the bottom of the page. You can round up to the nearest 5,000 words. You can write, "about 75,000" words.
Step 6. Decide whether you want to seek help from a literary agent or directly to the publisher
While signing with a literary agency is challenging, contacting a publisher directly to try to get your book published is even more difficult.
- The benefit of working directly with a publisher is that you don't have to use (or pay) an agent as an intermediary. The downside is that publishers generally trust agents to screen submissions, so if you don't have an agent, publishers will likely consider you.
- You can also try a literary agency first and go to a publisher if it doesn't work. However, if it is rejected by many literary agencies, chances are your work will be rejected by the publisher as well.
Method 2 of 4: Publishing Books with the Help of Literature Agencies
Step 1. Do market research
Once you feel ready to take your book to an agency, it is necessary to do some market research to find your field. Look for books in your field or genre or to see where you fit in, and how well they are selling and who are the big names in your field. If your book doesn't fit into one genre, research several types of books that are similar to yours.
After doing market research, you should be able to find a way to best describe your book. Is it science fiction, literature, or history? What are science fiction and historical novels? Is it literature, or is it more of a youth novel? Knowing the type of book you have will help you contact the right agent
Step 2. Do literary agent research
Now that you know which agency you work with, it's time to find the right agent to represent you. The ideal agent will be connected to your material, enthusiastic about your work, and will work with you to revise your book and sell it to publishers. Make sure your agent sells books in your stream, or you'll be wasting your time. Here's how to find the right agent for you:
- Read the leading guide to literary agents. This book will tell you more about the thousands of literary agents and will also tell you the streams they take, how many new clients they take each year, and how many sales they have recently made.
- Check the Publisher Market. While you'll have to pay IDR 250,000 per month for full access to the site, you'll get insight into which agents made sales recently, the types of books they sell, and who sells the most books.
- Check Query Tracker. This site will help you see which agents respond to requests quickly, and which rarely respond or take months to respond. The statistics on this site are reported by other authors, so the data set is not exhaustive, but it can give you a good indication of how receptive some agents are. The site can also tell you which agents specialize in a particular genre.
- Check different agent sites. When you find an agent that seems suitable, check out their site for more information on their shipping and flow policies and the clients they represent.
- Make sure the agent accepts unsolicited submissions. Unless you have a connection, you must submit to the agent in this way.
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Beware of fraudulent agents.
No reputable agency has ever charged a reading fee to view your manuscript. The agent only earns money if he can sell your book. Check out predictors & editors to make sure the agency has good judgment.
Step 3. Write a request letter
Once you've found your dream agency - or better yet, multiple dream agents - it's time to prepare your letter of request. The letter is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the agent, to get the agent hooked on your book, and to provide a brief synopsis of the book. It can take a while to hear back from agents, so call multiple agents at a time (provided they allow concurrent shipping) and sit back and wait. The request letter must follow the following format:
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Paragraph one:
introduction of the book and your interest in the agency. Here are the things to write in the first paragraph:
- Start with a sentence or two that gives the agent a "description" about your book. The sentence should be specific, original, and gripping.
- Then, tell the agent what genre your book is in, whether it's multicultural, youth, or historical. This method can be divided into several categories. You should mention the word count in the first paragraph as well.
- Tell the agent why you chose him. Does he represent many of the books in your genre, or does he represent several authors whose work is similar to yours? Do you have a personal relationship with the agent? If so, mention it immediately.
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Paragraph two:
synopsis of your book. Here is what to write in the synopsis:
- Describe what happened in your book and what themes were highlighted. Make the description as accurate and gripping as possible.
- Show who the main characters are, what the stakes are, and why the book is important.
- You can do this in a paragraph or two at most.
- paragraph three: some brief information about yourself. Tell the agent if you have won any awards and how the book personally relates to your life.
- Paragraph four: notify the agent that a full script or sample chapter (if you are writing non-fiction) is available upon request and provide your contact information. Thank the agent for taking the time to consider your work.
- Follow the instructions carefully. If the agent also asks for an outline or sample chapter, include that as well.
Step 4. If you get an offer with an agent, sign the contract - if it feels right
If the agent likes your request letter, he or she will ask you to send in some sample chapters or even the entire manuscript. If the agent then likes your work, you'll receive what you've been dreaming of: an offer of representation! But before you work with an agent, you have to make sure he or she really is the dream agent you've been looking for.
- Talk to an agent over the phone. If you can, meet the agent in person. If you live near Manhattan, this will be easier, since many literary agencies are based in New York City. Get a sense of this person's character and how enthusiastic he or she is about your book.
- Trust in your courage. If something tells you that the agent sounds too busy, too eager to stay away from the phone, or is very uninspired about your work, don't work with him. It's better to continue the search for your agent than to put your book in the wrong hands.
- Ask if you can speak to some of the agency's clients. A good agent will be happy to name some of his clients, so you can chat with them and get a better sense of whether or not the agent is a good fit.
- Double-check your research results. Make sure the agent has made a sale and has a convincing client list before proceeding with your work.
- Read the contract carefully. Once you see that the contract is pretty standard, and that the agent gets about 15% of your domestic sales and 20% of your overseas sales, and you feel good about working with the agent, then sign your contract, put it in the mailbox, and celebrate the job. well done.
Step 5. Make revisions with the agent
Even if your agent is fascinated by your book, you will almost always have to revise the book once, twice, or even three times before it is ready for release. You'll have to do things like cut the word count, make your narrator more enjoyable, and answer all of your agent's questions.
Remember that this book is still yours and you don't have to completely modify it to meet the needs of the agent. Just make changes that make you comfortable
Step 6. Bring your book to market
Once your agent is happy with your manuscript, and you've prepared a package for your book, he or she will take it to the publisher. This is mostly a concern because the fate of your book is beyond your control. Your agent will pitch your book to the list of trusted editors at various publishers, and if you're lucky, you'll land a deal with an editor at a publication.
Sign a contract that includes you, your agent, and the publishing house
Step 7. Work with the editor
Now that your book has been sold, you will work with a publisher and will continue to revise the book with the editor there. You will work until the writing is correct, and then other aspects of publishing will be decided, such as when and how the book will be released, and what the cover will look like.
But you can't just sit back and wait for the publication date. There is a lot of work to be done
Step 8. Market your book
After knowing that your forthcoming book has sunk, you need to work hard to market your book, whether through journalists, your website, your Facebook, informal reading, and word of mouth. Do what must be done to promote your book out there so that your sales are high when the book is published.
Never stop advertising your book - especially not after it's published. You can relax for a while, but remember that promoting your book is just as important as writing it
Method 3 of 4: Publishing Your Book by Contacting the Publisher Directly
Step 1. Find a publisher
Check the different publisher sites to see if they accept letter requests or if they only accept requests from agents. Many publishers only accept work that has been brought to them through an agent.
Look for a publisher that not only accepts submissions without going through an agent, but who specializes in the type of book you're writing
Step 2. Write a letter of request to the appropriate publisher
The method for writing a request letter for a publisher is the same as contacting an agent. You should introduce your book and yourself and provide a brief synopsis of the work.
If the publishing house is impressed with your letter, you will be asked to submit part or all of the manuscript
Step 3. If your book is accepted, sign a contract with a reputable publisher
If the publisher is impressed with your work, you will be offered an offer. Look at your contract carefully and sign if it meets your demands.
Step 4. Make revisions with the editor
Work with the editor to revise your book until it is ready for publication.
Step 5. Market Your Book
While you wait for the book to be released, market the book to everyone you know and don't know. Once your book is published, continue to advertise your book. You can enjoy your publications, but remember that marketing shouldn't stop.
- Promote your book through blogging, interviews, and reading from your book.
- Develop a Facebook fan page and website to advertise your book.
Method 4 of 4: Publishing Your Own Book
Step 1. Find your own publishing company
Step 2. Create an account with a company that works for you
Step 3. Write your book in Microsoft Word or another similar program
Most self-publishing companies will ask you to upload your book's Microsoft Word file.
Step 4. Choose the size and type of book you want (light cover vs. heavy cover)
Step 5. After completing the steps required to self-publish your book, make it available for people to buy
Be sure to give your choice of payment method so you can receive the money you earn for each book sold
Step 6. Advertise your book
Start by telling friends and family. This will increase your chances of owning the book someone else bought. Use social media and online advertising to further make your book known.
Tips
- As a new writer, you will get a lot of rejection. Don't let this discourage you. Many great writers are rejected before they are accepted. Few authors achieve the success of publishing their first book. A true writer will continue to write, whether the book is published or not.
- If you don't have the luck to bring in an agency or publication, you should consider self-publishing.
- Try to publish excerpts from your book before taking it to an agency or publisher. This will help you build credibility as a writer and will show that your book has a popular appeal.
- Always do business with a trusted professional book publisher. The literary agency that charges you to read your book is not credible.
- Beware of any book publishing company that charges you. This publisher is usually a casual print media.
- Don't have an agent? Check out TOR Publisher at Macmillan. Go to the guide delivery section and send them your subscription following their guidance. Other publishers may have the same system.
- If you want to connect with a literary agency, apply for a writing conference where you can meet and approach the agency to launch your book. Make sure you do it when it's acceptable.
