Attempting to have a manuscript published may prove to be one of the most grueling tasks you have ever undertaken. But it is worthwhile, if you do it right.
I learned the following during my personal experience trying to figure out what to do and how to do it. The initial advice came from a relative of a friend of one of my adult children, who happend to be a commercially successful author. The rest I discovered while slogging through many, many books borrowed from the local library.
Ready! Get set! Go!
1) Prior to even thinking about being published, make sure that you have created something worthy of publication. This requires a lot of time and effort dedicated to reading, writing, rewriting, evaluating, polishing, re-evaluating, and rewriting again.
No matter how original or entertaining your concept may be, if the final product is rife with misspellings, poor grammar, improper punctuation and syntax, no mainline publisher will accept it. The job of a copy editor is to discover and correct the occasional error, not salvage a disaster.
2) Don't waste your valuable time or that of others. Narrow down your potential choices by finding out which publishers specialize in which genres.
3) Eliminate publishers in name only. There are books and trade publications that provide lists of mainline publishers who can help you achieve your goal and other lists of those that claim they will, but don't.
4) Eliminate the internet as a search tool for evaluating publishers. 97% of all submissions are rejected. Some people do not take rejection well. They tend to seek revenge by spending hours on Google, websites and/or blogs defaming publishers who had the audacity to reject their masterpiece. 95% of their claims are false. The remaining 5% are grossly exaggerated.
A mainline publisher directly employs or subcontracts personnel who specialize in acquisition, copy/conceptual editing, layout/graphic design, printing, distribution, marketing, and publicity. Some also include recording technicians and professional narrators. The publisher will provide the names of their personnel, contact information, and sometimes even their picture. They also have an actual physical location and will provide an address along with directions.
5) Never send a publisher an unsolicited manuscript. Most, if not all, end up in the trash bin. Send a one-page query letter expressing your desire and a succinct, yet enticing, overview of your book. You will receive either a rejection letter or a request for a copy of the manuscript.
6) If your manuscript is rejected, your search continues. If it is accepted, you will be offered a contract. Have your attorney look it over before signing. Once you have returned the signed original, the real work begins, but that is another subject entirely.
Whether or not you choose to heed this advice is your prerogative. There may be better options. Seek them out. I hope to read your book someday.
I learned the following during my personal experience trying to figure out what to do and how to do it. The initial advice came from a relative of a friend of one of my adult children, who happend to be a commercially successful author. The rest I discovered while slogging through many, many books borrowed from the local library.
Ready! Get set! Go!
1) Prior to even thinking about being published, make sure that you have created something worthy of publication. This requires a lot of time and effort dedicated to reading, writing, rewriting, evaluating, polishing, re-evaluating, and rewriting again.
No matter how original or entertaining your concept may be, if the final product is rife with misspellings, poor grammar, improper punctuation and syntax, no mainline publisher will accept it. The job of a copy editor is to discover and correct the occasional error, not salvage a disaster.
2) Don't waste your valuable time or that of others. Narrow down your potential choices by finding out which publishers specialize in which genres.
3) Eliminate publishers in name only. There are books and trade publications that provide lists of mainline publishers who can help you achieve your goal and other lists of those that claim they will, but don't.
4) Eliminate the internet as a search tool for evaluating publishers. 97% of all submissions are rejected. Some people do not take rejection well. They tend to seek revenge by spending hours on Google, websites and/or blogs defaming publishers who had the audacity to reject their masterpiece. 95% of their claims are false. The remaining 5% are grossly exaggerated.
A mainline publisher directly employs or subcontracts personnel who specialize in acquisition, copy/conceptual editing, layout/graphic design, printing, distribution, marketing, and publicity. Some also include recording technicians and professional narrators. The publisher will provide the names of their personnel, contact information, and sometimes even their picture. They also have an actual physical location and will provide an address along with directions.
5) Never send a publisher an unsolicited manuscript. Most, if not all, end up in the trash bin. Send a one-page query letter expressing your desire and a succinct, yet enticing, overview of your book. You will receive either a rejection letter or a request for a copy of the manuscript.
6) If your manuscript is rejected, your search continues. If it is accepted, you will be offered a contract. Have your attorney look it over before signing. Once you have returned the signed original, the real work begins, but that is another subject entirely.
Whether or not you choose to heed this advice is your prerogative. There may be better options. Seek them out. I hope to read your book someday.