You've written a novel! Now what?
Congratulations! You should be proud of yourself. Writing a book is hard work and there are a lot of people who never make it through their first draft. Now that you have passed this milestone, unfortunately the easy part is over. If you want your book published, there is still much work to be done, but what comes next? I have heard on plenty occasions to put the manuscript away and not look at it for a few weeks. If I ever have the self-control and patience to accomplish this I will let you know how it goes, but today we are skipping that step.
Step 1: Editing
Self-editing is detrimental regardless of publishing choice. The first draft is really just to get the story on the paper and let your ideas run free. Now it’s time to mold and shape it into what you really want it to be. You will find inconsistencies in the story, odd dialogue, misspelling and much more. This is a long process and not just a run through or two. You must over your manuscript so many times you literally cannot think of a single other thing to fix. Once it is cleaned up to the best of your ability, you are prepared to move on.
Step 2: Beta Readers
A beta reader is not an editor, they are simply a reader test driving your story. They will give you their thoughts and feedback on what they read. Friends and family are a great start, but understand they may not be able to be one hundred percent objective. You can pay someone for this service, but there are people out there that do it for free. There are Facebook and Goodreads pages dedicated to hooking up betas and authors. Just know that people have busy lives and may not be able to get back to you as quickly as you would like (unless you are paying them that that’s a different story). Whatever feedback you get should be shown appreciation. If you get negative feedback, be grateful because they are trying to help make your story the best it can be.
Step 3: Build an Author Platform
The more followers and social media accounts you have the better. If you have a large following before the book is published, you will incre
ase your chances of success exponentially. Follow other authors that write in your genre, along with book blogs, writing blogs, and publishers. Consider starting your own blog and website. Having a website will be a way for people on every platform to find and contact you. It will help you make connections and build relationships with people in the industry as well as help you improve your writing.
Step 4: Decide on a publishing route
Decide which avenue will be the best for you and go for it! Do you want complete control of your project? Maybe you can’t afford to self-publish (See blog post: How much does it really cost to self-publish? Here) and don’t want all the responsibilities of being your own publishing company. Do your own research and find which path best serves your needs.
Traditional Publishing
Step 5: Agent
If you have your heart set on trying to get published through a large publisher, you must get an agent. It can get to the point you need an agent for an agent, but if you want you manuscript to have a chance of getting looked at, this is mandatory. Smaller publishing houses will take unsolicited manuscripts so if that is the direction you are going, you can forgo this step.
Step 6: Query Letter
Every publisher requires a query letter and once you find the publisher(s) you want to submit to, be sure to read the details of their guidelines. This is a short and sweet letter letting the publisher know why they should consider your book. It contains information about you, the reason you chose that publisher, any awards or credentials you have to boast of, and a brief blurb of your book. I would suggest doing research on what is unacceptable and what is preferred in a Query. Each publisher will have different requirements, so make sure you aren’t just copying and pasting the same letter to multiple publishers. Also be aware some places will not let you send out submissions to other publishers while they are reviewing. Read the fine print
.
Step 7: Synopsis
A synopsis is an overview of your story. This is not the place to be secretive. Put in the major plot points, but be careful to not be data dumpy about it. It is not an easy task putting a 50k+ word novel into 200 or less words. It should be a clear overview of your story, but still interesting enough to make the reader to still want to read your book. Think of this as an interview for an interview. If your Synopsis is dry or has a lot of errors, then that is not a good impression of your book. Be sure to read the guidelines of each publisher to make sure your synopsis isn’t too short or too long.
Step 8: Sample Chapter
Some publishers may ask for sample chapter(s). Make sure your novel is polished to the best of your ability in case they ask for this upon submission. Most do not want you to send your manuscript until they decide if they are impressed by your query and synopsis.
Step 9: Wait
This is going to be a challenge, but you don’t have a choice. By harassing a publishing agent, you may ruin your chances at them ever seeing your manuscript. There are hundreds of submissions sent out every day so allow some time before you start getting nervous. Unfortunately, if they do not want to proceed with your book, most will only respond with silence. It will be tough to not know why, but if you don’t hear back after the suggested wait time, pick yourself up and move on to the next. Remember major authors like Stephen King and J.K. Rowling were both rejected many times before landing a publishing deal. If you do get the call that they want to read your manuscript, then congratulations! It’s time to move on to the next step.
Step 10: Send Manuscript
Be sure this is the absolute best version of your book that it can possibly be, fixing as many typos as possible and making sure it if formatted in the required format. Again, read guidelines in detail.
Step 11: Wait
Here you are again, but that’s good! You’ve made it this far and your chances of being published have increased. It may take a few months for your manuscript to be read and discussed. If they decide your book is not for them, at this stage they are much more likely to send you a rejection letter stating why they chose to pass on your book. Keep in mind, they liked your idea enough to read your book, so maybe that publisher just wasn’t the best fit. Keeping trying and don’t give up. If they decide your book is one they would like to publish, then you have accomplished your goal and are on your way to being a published author living your dream! From this point, production and marketing will be controlled by the publisher
Self-Publishing
Step 5: Editor
When self-publishing, every aspect of production is up to you. You are your own publisher. Once you have your manuscript as polished and self-edited as much as possible, you must hire an editor to edit your work. Finding an editor to professionally clean and polish your manuscript is dire when you decide to self-publish. There are many forms of editing, but poorly edited novels will not sell well. Since the financial burden is on your shoulders, you will likely lose money in the long run by forgoing this step.
Step 6: Author Photo
Get a picture taken that you want to be in the back of your book and to use as a profile picture on your various social media accounts. Make sure it is tasteful and professional.
Step 7: ISBN Number
Purchase your ISBN number(s) for the sale of your book. Be aware of “free” ISBN numbers. Your safest option is www.isbn.org/buy_ISBNs.
Step 8: Formatting
Formatting assures that the inside of your book looks beautiful, whether it’s being sold in paperback or e-book. You don’t want chapter titles at the bottom of a page or pages that are blank. By hiring someone to format your book, you are ensuring that it will look professional and organized.
Step 9: Book Cover
Hiring a professional to design the cover of your novel is a very important step. It’s the first thing people see and helps the reader form an immediate opinion. Unless you have the knowledge and experience creating book covers, leave this one to the professionals or will show.
Step 10: Marketing
In some ways, this is more important than anything you do. You may have written one of the greatest novels in existence, but if it isn’t marketed correctly, nobody will read it. I have heard so much hype over books that are actually pretty horrible and heard nothing over books I thought were phenomenal. It’s finding a balance and finding the right people to market to. There is no point in advertising your erotica novel to sci-fi fans. Find your “tribe” as they say.
Step 11: Print
If you are selling your novel in e-book format only, it’s really just a matter of uploading your completed novel to whatever site you are using. If you are printing paperback, most places use print on demand now, so books are only printed when one is ordered. And now you are a published author!
*This is a generalization, but hopefully gives you an idea of the process and the work that will go into it, but keep in mind, that is why not everyone who attempts is successful. Good luck on accomplishing your dreams! Any Questions or comments? I’d love to hear from you!
-Charity B.
