Publishing

[blackcee]

For book writters, what is the best way to go about publishing your work?
Also, what are the nessesary steps you should take (i.e publistist, agent etc.)?

[Kyle22]

Building a little bit of a resume or something will help you get a professional agent to accept you as a client. Then, the agent will find a publisher who wants to pay you to have you write your book.

[lichtentunes]

How would a new writer, who has nothing published yet, build a resume?
Also if the writer already had something published to put on the resume, he/she wouldn't need the agent or the resume because he/she would already be published. It is a conundrum.

[the tiger fights]

Almost all the publishing houses will not accept an unsolicited manuscript, but most will accept a query letter that is a combination of megadata (-- title, author, genre, page count, number of words, etc.) and a brief pitch or synopsis, along with your reason for writing the book and a bit about your background. The same procedure goes for an agent, however, they are much more open to queries. Both publishers and agents may also have particular submission requirements, usually posted on their web site. They often request a writing sample by asking for the first chapter or two. Writing samples must be formatted according to requirements ( margin size, double spacing, paragraph indents, font, size, etc.) These requirements are commonly listed on the submission guidelines page. If anyone is interested in your work, they may request additional chapters or a full submission, otherwise, you'll receive a standard thank you and rejection notice. Most of all this can be done via e-mail with the writing sample included as part of the e-mail body. They traditionally will not download attachments. It can be a bit of a wait to hear back from the solicited parties, but be patient . . . you never know what will come your way. You can easily find publishers and agents by doing a simple Internet search. Finally, be careful of shysters . . . preying on your hopes and dreams.

[cheesehead]

Im wondering just like you about which way to go.

[the tiger fights]

If you're not in a hurry, try recruiting an agent. A good online source is Query Tracker. They list agents, the genre they serve, their requirements, and contact information. They also have a record keeping system for keeping track of your efforts. Good Luck !

[cherrera]

To build a resume you also might want to start with local markets and build up to larger national ones. Editors of local news outlets are always looking for dependable stringers and it's something to add to the resume. If you can write features, even better. Also, get the Writer's Market. It's invaluable.

[thefirsttime23]

I will have to explain the skeletal frame of my dilemma so bare with me. I am almost in the verge of completing my novel, and as it turns out I have more tales than I can fit in one book and I may have to extend it out in follow up sequel books. I am not a full time writer and am currently thinking of quitting my 9 to 5 job to pursue it full time as I cannot find enough time and energy to invest in both spheres. I feel that the people of my country are in dire need of some self introspection, and I want to finish my books as soon as I can so that it can reach them and even if it opens a single mind, I would feel my work is done.

Coming back to the question I had, this book will span out to a minimum of four parts which i would like to divide accordingly, and hence not planning to forward it to the editor all at a go, is there some way I can get a contract, in which I will be paid as I put forward my finished work part by part?

[KingOfTheAce]

I will have to explain the skeletal frame of my dilemma so bare with me. I am almost in the verge of completing my novel, and as it turns out I have more tales than I can fit in one book and I may have to extend it out in follow up sequel books. I am not a full time writer and am currently thinking of quitting my 9 to 5 job to pursue it full time as I cannot find enough time and energy to invest in both spheres. I feel that the people of my country are in dire need of some self introspection, and I want to finish my books as soon as I can so that it can reach them and even if it opens a single mind, I would feel my work is done.

Coming back to the question I had, this book will span out to a minimum of four parts which i would like to divide accordingly, and hence not planning to forward it to the editor all at a go, is there some way I can get a contract, in which I will be paid as I put forward my finished work part by part?

Im a down to earth kind-of-guy, so I would like to give you this advise: If you quit your job and the book fails, you will be left with no job, and probably a lot of bills. If you quit your job and the book is a best-seller, you can persue your dreams. Is there a chance that the book will fail or not? Think about this carefuly.

Outside that to awnser your question: If I understand correctly you have a novel that will be split in four, so effectively you are writing a quadrilogy/tetralogy. If this is the case then you can probably find an interested editor who will publish the books. If you write one novel in four parts however, I think you will be hard-pressed to find an editor who will pay you to finnish the entire book. You can always try to publish the book youself as an eBook, after the novel has been proofread. These are my two cents.

-- 17 Apr 2015, 13:37 --

For book writters, what is the best way to go about publishing your work?
Also, what are the nessesary steps you should take (i.e publistist, agent etc.)?

-Proof your book. Make sure that it is complete, well-edited, and thoroughly proofread. You might give a manuscript out to a few trusted friends who will give you valuable feedback, and talk with you about facts, or motivations for the characters, or other minutiae about your book.

-Hire an editor. Hire a good one that will give you the best feedback and improve your work relative to how much they cost. Decide on whether you need developmental editing or copyediting. Developmental editing is where large swaths of the book are changed, new themes are introduced, and characters are smoothed out, in addition to humdrum mistake-finding. Copyediting is largely the humdrum mistake-finding; is more about toying with what's already there instead of creating something entirely new.

-Get a designer to do a professional cover design. Unless you are an artist and can do it yourself, hire a professional. They will be quick, and will help your book have visual appeal.

-Publish online.