Position:Home>Books & Authors> Is it hard to publish a book?

Blackheart,

Yes, it's pretty time consuming and depressing at times!. If you self-publish your work you'll end up doing a lot of the work yourself!. I did this with my first novel and, although it was in bookstores, I had to do this all myself to get them there!. I used the self-publisher as a source of printing and binding the book, that was it!.

I had to put my work as ads in papers and magazines to sell them and it wasn't cheap!. The publisher simply put them on Amazon and Bordersw dot Com!.

Here’s everything you’ll need to know in order to get your foot into the door of a literary agent and give yourself a chance!. It’s not a guarantee, but it will help you in a lot of ways!.

This advice has been cut and pasted from My Documents and has appeared in YA more times than I can remember, but it’s the best way to get your best foot forward!.


Read on:

Writing a book takes more than just sitting down and putting your idea into words!. There are a lot of things that you have to consider!.

Keep an eye out for spelling and grammar errors!. When typing fast with fresh ideas in our heads, we tend to forget ourselves!. Check and recheck your work!. Editors are very expensive these days!. Never put too much trust into Spell Check if you’re using MS-Word or any other writing program!. Words can be spelled correctly but used in the wrong context!. Spell Check will not find those as being an error!.

You’ll need to know how to write an effective ‘query letter’ to a literary agent!. The letter will also include a synopsis that will hold the interest of the agent, and want to make him or her ask for the first three chapters of your work!. Never send a manuscript to a publisher or literary agent without querying first!.

You’ll need to know how to format your manuscript!. This includes the fonts (size and type) that most agents, editors, and publishers want!. These are usually Courier New and Times New Roman (12 pt)!. Short stories and novels are formatted differently!. You will need to follow submission guidelines just as they are laid down for your submissions!. Anything less will result in your manuscript sent back or destroyed unread!.

You will need to know what Point of View (POV) is!. Know how to write in First Person Point of View!. You’ll need to know the can and can not of each!.

Do you know how to write dialogue!? How to format dialogue!? This is very important and allows the author and his/her characters to communicate with the reader!. Remember dialect as well!. Dialect is how a person speaks!. Your characters may be highly educated or dumber than dishwater!. ‘Ain’t got none’ is highly acceptable when used properly by a character who is even less than street smart!.

It’s a good idea to know some of the publishing laws!. The use of names and places!.

These include
o Delivery Of Satisfactory Copy
o Permission for Copyrighted Material
o Grant Of Rights
o Proofreading and Author's Corrections
o Advances and Royalties
o Author's Warranties and Indemnities
o Copies to Author
o Option Clause

Learn how to get a ‘word count of your work!. Some novels have a prologue and an epilogue!. You’ll need to know how to write them and why they’re used!.

Know what the word ‘genre’ means!. Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction; These are all genres!.

One of the most important issues in manuscript submitting is the proper ‘page set up’ for your work!. This includes margins, indents, and paragraphs!. Most editors will want to see your manuscript double spaced!. This allows the editor to use his/her proofreaders marks between the lines!. Most margins will be one inch all around with a ragged right margin and an even left!.

Are you prepared to do a lot of ‘research’ involving your work!? Remember that many professionals such as, doctors, lawyers, nurses, public accountants, judges, architects, bricklayers, engineers, and police officers read, too!.

Do you know what a sub-plot is!? This is a plot that comes ‘under’ the main plot!. The hero may be after the vampire, but the mob may be after the hero as well!. This is a sub-plot!.

Can you take rejection and constructive criticism!? If you’re easily hurt in the feelings department, then writing may not be your forte!. Critics will tear you apart or build you up!. The best writers in the world “King, Patterson, Koontz, J!.K!. Rowling, and many others” have been torn up one side and down the other!. You can’t please everyone!.

If you decide to hire an editor, remember: Your manuscript will be double spaced, which means there will be twice as many pages!. A 600 page novel could cost you around $1800!.00, some even more depending on what the editor charges per page!. Then there’s the hourly rate that some charge!. Usually it’s within the range of $65!.00!. So, if they work on your book for 18 hours, that’s another $1170!.00 + $1800!.00 = $2970!.00

These are the things you must know to work at your craft!. Don’t let these things deter you from writing!. There are books in libraries and bWww@QuestionHome@Com

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Keep in mind that Book Publishing is a business like any other!. As an 11th grader can you go out and get a job!? Yes you can so you can work in publishing as well!. Can you publish a book!? Yes if you have a decent product to sell!. Ideally no one will hire you to be a secretary if you can't type and answer phones but you would do well perhaps as an assistant if you can organize a schedule and work well under pressure!.
If you have incredible work the yes it will be easier for you to acquire an agent or publisher!. That means a new fabulous idea, and perfectly written piece of work highly anticipated in a specific market!.
If you have mediocre work it may or may not find it's way to the light of day!. In some cases who you know helps as much as what you know and sometimes a piece of writing that isn't marketable today will be all the rage in a few months!.
So no I don't think 'anyone' can publish a book and yet 'anyone with talent, guts and know how' can do anything they work toward!.

J!.!.!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

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You wont ever be able to fully appreciate how much WORK goes into publishing!. There's plenty of instructions on places on the net, but yes!. It's hard!. Prepare yourself for some serious waiting, and some serious research and hard work!.
Obviously it's possible to do it, because other people have!. It just takes work, time, guts, and quite a bit of talent!. Something you should know is that the average author doesn't got paid much, either!. It's a $5,000 advance on average, I believe!. There's always miracles, but believe me, it's not a thing you can do offhandedly if you really, really want it!. You have to be the BEST in the publishing industry, and everyone's your competition!.
You're an 11th grader!? More power to you!. Tenth grader myself!. I'm preparing my novel for sending to agents, and it's a hard thing!. I recommend "On Writing Well" by Stephen King!. It helps!.

As far as the specifis go, this is basically how you do it!.
Write a Query!. Make it sparkle!. You can send it directly to publishers, who rarely have respect for manuscripts without agents, or you can send it to an agent, who will take a chunk of your money for "discovering" you and possibly get you a big company!. Either way, the odds don't look good!. If you believe in your work, though, do it!. You never know if you dont try, right!? Miracles do happen!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

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If you publish it yourself with a POD publisher like Booklocker, it is very easy!. I did that!. If you go with a traditional, royalty paying publisher, it is much tougher!. I did that, too!. Both books came out great!.

Keep writing, have people critique your work and let you know if it is publishable!. Honestly, as an author, I had so much fun doing the writing--that's the best part!Www@QuestionHome@Com

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basically its not what you know its who you know, several PhD friends of mine talk about the "business of publishing" and they say its a lot of politics that takes place for people to get things published Www@QuestionHome@Com

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If you use one of the self-publishing companies, anyone can publish!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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A better question - is it possible for anyone to write a quality manuscript!?

Less than ten percent of submitted manuscripts are good!. If 5000 books get printed this year, that means more than 45,000 were turned down!.

It is better to send to an agent for several reasons!. 1 - many publishers (especially the bigger houses) do NOT accept unsolicited manuscripts 2 - most authors are NOT qualified to negotiate contracts and rights and 3 - an agent has the expertise to help you improve your work, guide your career, knows which editors are likely to be interested, negotiate legal contracts and subsidy rights, as well as keep track of royalty payments!. They get paid 15% of what you get paid for their work, which is very fair, all things considered!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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