Now What? How (Sometimes Unexpected) Resources Can Help You Publish Your Novel

You wrote a novel! Now what? NaNoWriMo’s “Now What?” Months are here—this February, we’ll be helping you guide your novel through the publishing process. Today, author Jeannie Zokan  shares a few of the resources that helped her along the path to becoming published:

I found NaNoWriMo in Barnes & Noble one cold and rainy night. I didn’t even know what I was looking for, but when I read the first page of Chris Baty’s No Plot? No Problem! I knew it would guide me to write the novel that kept eluding me. The Existence of Pity was my third go-round with NaNoWriMo, and I wouldn’t be on the published side of the manuscript without a lot of help.

My best resource was NaNoWriMo itself. The website is full of connections, ideas, and support. It’s also where I learned of the Book Doctors. The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published is an excellent comprehensive manual, and working with Arielle Eckstut and David H. Sterry over the phone proved to be a turning point for my writing.

Another resource has been my local group of writers. My publisher thought I had my manuscript professionally edited, which is a testament to the thorough and thoughtful editing provided by the critique groups in the West Florida Literary Federation. Local writing groups are filled with writers and readers who love stories and who provide assistance and support, usually in the form of a well-chosen word–or a slash through a redundant one.

“Truly our best resources are our readers, who remind us why we write, and encourage us to keep going.”

Writer’s Digest and QueryTracker.net were my main resources when it came time to search for agents and publishers. I sent out three waves of query letters, and at first was met with rejection–and dead silence. Something told me my manuscript could still be improved, so I went through it chapter by chapter with a beta reader: my daughter. I wish I could share this goldmine of a resource with you, but she’s busy being a teenager. Truly our best resources are our readers, who remind us why we write, and encourage us to keep going. I recommend getting beta readers to write notes about what they love about your work. Then read those words every day!

In September of 2015, I sent out queries to a specific group. Query Tracker has a “Query Methods,” column describing how each agent and publisher accepts queries: snail mail, email, and/or an online form. I went through hundreds of names and only queried those with an online form. I had been concerned about the formatting of my emailed query letters, so using their form meant they were receiving my work in a readable and professional format, with no carets down the side, no gaps between paragraphs, and no sentences that scrolled too far to the right.

Once that last set of queries was sent out, I knew I’d gone as far as I could go with The Existence of Pity. If it didn’t get picked up, maybe it was time to try a different manuscript. After all, I’d written seven other November novels.

Six weeks later, I got a call from a publisher. I was in the car with my husband and I only answered my phone because I thought it might be family. Instead, Lynn McNamee from Red Adept Publishing was on the line. We spoke for about forty minutes as Chris and I sat in front of a Walgreens, staring at a blue Tastee Freez shop across the street, taking turns holding the phone between us. The realization that my book was finally going to be published dawned on me over and over again, more amazing each time, and I have a multitude of people, and resources, to thank for my success.

Jeannie Zokan grew up in Colombia, South America. Her love of books led her to study Library Science at Baylor University, then at The George Washington University. She now lives along Florida’s Gulf Coast with her husband and two teenage daughters. Her debut novel, The Existence of Pity,  tells the story of Josie, 16, who feels torn between the beliefs of her parents and the need to choose for herself, especially when she realizes a web of lies threatens to destroy her family. Follow Jeannie’s blog, A Writer’s Cup, or find her on Facebook.

Top photo by Flickr user Matthew.