Book Publishing Overview

If you have interest in book publishing and have never had anything published, it is a longer process than you might think. Writing alone is a long, time consuming process and publishing doubles that time frame. There are several things to consider before you attempt any kind of publishing. Are you writing fiction or non-fiction? Do you want to self-publish or use the traditional publishing method? There is a different process, though similar, for each of these options. Choose the one that is best for you.

Fiction

If you are writing a fiction novel, there's one thing you should do before anything else. Finish the novel! Once the first draft is finished; revise. Once the second draft is finished; revise again. Keep polishing this work until you are satisfied. Try to get published in a magazine or e-zine. This can be a short story or a chapter excerpt from your novel. Get published in something that pays. This will make you look better when you try to get your novel published. The next step is to search for a literary agent that represents novels in your genre.

Non-Fiction

You can get away with not having a finished non-fiction book, but you still need all the details figured out. Make sure you have all the chapters and sections outlined in detail. There should be a paragraph or two describing each chapter. Try and have at least two or three sample chapters written. The next step is to get one of those samples or some other paper published in a scholarly journal or another peer reviewed publisher. Then, just like fiction writing, you want to search for a literary agent that represents your genre of non-fiction.

Traditional Publishing

The traditional publishing method can take a long time. Once you have found an agent, do not send them your manuscript right away. Start with a query letter. Keep it short, pitch your novel, mention any publishing credits, and ask for a follow up. If you get no response, try another agent. If they do respond, they will ask for a book proposal or your manuscript. A book proposal is like a business plan for your novel. If they like the proposal, they will ask for the manuscript. If they reject your novel after all that, try another agent. Do not give up.

Self-Publishing

Self-publishing is faster than the traditional method but requires more work. You have to handle the book formatting, editing, cover design, marketing, etc… You can pay others to perform these tasks, but this can get expensive. I recommend writing a book proposal for self-publishing too because it makes you research your target market of potential customers and ways to market and sell your book. Decide if you want to use Print-On-Demand, eBooks, or both. I recommend both, but formatting is different for each option. Finally, avoid vanity presses. If a publisher wants you to pay them to publish your book, do not do it; it is not worth the money and you will not make that money back.

Word Counts

Here is some helpful information about lengths of works based on word count.

* Micro-fiction - 100 words or less

* Flash Fiction - 100-1,000 words

* Short Story - 1,000-7,500 words

* Novelette - 7,500-20,000 words

* Novella - 20,000-50,000 words

* Novel - 50,000-110,000 words

* First-time authors novel length usually 75,000-80,000 words

For more detailed information about searching for agents, query letters, book proposals, or general publishing information, you can contact [e-mail]. Remember that you should write because you love it and not to get rich quick. Royalties from book sales can help supplement income but will not be enough to live off so do not quit your day job. Publishing is not an easy business so be prepared for rejection. Above all; do not stop writing.