What’s the next step after you write your book? by Marian Lanouette

New: each week I’m going to post what I’m reading. I ask that you leave a comment which starts with what you’re reading.

What I’m reading now? Hell on Wheels by Julie Ann Walker, Next up, is Hedy’s Folly by Richard Rhodes.

Today’s post covers your next step after you type the end on your revised/edited manuscript. At this point, you must decide if you are going to query agents/publishers with your work or self-publish.

Either way, your next step should encompass several actions. First, and I can’t stress this enough, make sure you manuscript is agents/publishers ready. If self-publishing, then reader ready. You only get one chance to make a first impression. There are no take backs once you hit the send key.

Second, research the agents/publishers you want to send you manuscript to for review. There are several sites to check the reputations of these professionals. Writers Beware is one, another is Predator & Editors.com. I’m sure there are many more sites. Always check your facts, sites might not be updated. Also, make sure the agents/publishers you send your manuscript to represent your type of work. If you write romance, find agents/publishers who represent romance fiction. I would also check to see who their clients are. This more than anything will tell you what genre they represent.

Third, once your research is complete, you’re ready to send out your work. I like to send mine out with a return receipt. This lets me know when the email is opened. I then mark my calendar to do a follow-up in sixty days. I know that sound like a long time, but in the publishing industry, that’s a nanosecond.

I’ve been told not do follow-ups, but you know what? I almost missed an important opportunity. I never saw the offer or contract in my email. The business person in me kept nagging me to a follow-up and I’m so glad I listened. I now have two books coming out; the first in September 2012 and the second in the series in January 2013. You need to do what feels right to you. I would ask the agents/publishers up front when you’d expect to hear back from them, then contact them after that date.

If you get a rejection, don’t give up. And I can’t stress this enough, don’t contact the agent/publisher to ask why. Move on. There are plenty of agents/publishers out there to query. Stephen King once said, he had a thousand rejections before he was accepted by an agent. What did he do with all those rejections? The story goes, he wallpapered his walls with them. Now look at him today. He is the Best Selling King! Remember, always be polite and don’t burn bridges behind you. The publishing industry is a small community.

Good luck with your writing.

Next week, I’m posting the Pre-edited word list. These are words you should remove or use sparingly in your work. The list comes directly from my publisher. I now incorporate them into my editing process.

Photograph supplied by Apieling Pictures LLC

Filed under: romance