How to get your book published
A Newbie's Guide
Smashwords Edition
Version 1.0
Written by Joe Novella
2011
Ebook produced and formatted by Joe Novella at
Words and
Webs
Copyright © 2011 Joe Novella
All rights reserved
For
more info on the author
www.joenovella.com
www.wordsandwebs.com.au
About
the author
Introduction
1.
Reality check
2.
So what does it mean to be a writer?
3.
Buff and polish
4.
I want to be a published writer
5.
Why do so many writers seek agents and publishers?
6.
What writers don't realise about traditional publishing
7.
Resetting expectations and goals
8.
The many paths to publication
9.
Traditional book publishing
10.
Landing an agent and publisher
11.
Partnership publishing
12.
Self-publishing in print, it's not that hard
13.
Self-publishing - Print on demand
14.
The Ebook revolution
15.
What's involved in getting an Ebook published?
16.
You can publish your own Ebook
17.
DIY Marketing and promotion
18.
The best way to get your book published
19.
Step-by-step, how this Ebook was made and published
20.
You can do it
Appendix
- Essential webs, blogs and freebies
Joe is the author of two books: Pepe and Poppy - a humorous, heartwarming love story that tells of the lives of two young people from different cultural backgrounds, and The Ultimate Self-Help Guide for Men - a hilarious spoof on the self-help genre. And there are many more on the way.
Both of Joe's publications are selling all around the world in bookstores such as Barnes and Noble and on the Internet via retailers like Amazon and Apple. His titles are available on every platform imaginable: in print, on laptops, PC's, tablets, Ereaders and smartphones.
His latest work - The Ultimate Self-Help Guide for Men - has even made it to Hollywood with the producers of American Reunion, the fourth movie in the American Pie franchise, asking permission for the book to appear on set.
And all of the above was achieved without the participation of an agent or major publishing house in the production, marketing or distribution of any of Joe's work.
Hey guys, thanks for purchasing the Ebook, and if you didn't then shame on you. I remember when I first started out on my journey to becoming a 'writer that is read' - note the differentiation from the term 'published writer' - I had dreams and hopes but no real idea on how to go about getting my stories out there.
It took me many years to find my way and along the way I learned a lot about the book industry, and what I learned more than anything else was that there's a hell of a lot of BS floating around.
And so, I've written this Ebook in the hope I can help writers starting out on their writing journey to avoid all the traps and pitfalls and ultimately succeed in getting their finished work out into the marketplace.
My aim is to give newbies a general idea of what goes on in the book industry so they can speak the language and not get bamboozled by BS. And, to point them in the right directions so they can find the resources that will help them make the right choices - choices that are right for their specific circumstances as well as their expectations.
But before you read any further, it is important to be aware of some undeniable truths about the book industry:
- As bad as you want to be a writer, you may not have the talent to do so.
- Writing is a craft like any other; it requires dedication and a will to continuously self-improve as well as move/evolve alongside changing methodologies and tools.
- To achieve sales of any level you must be able to craft words that consumers are willing to purchase or have a public profile significant enough to attract purchasers.
- The book industry is built on dreams. It contains operators that are genuinely concerned with helping a writer achieve their dreams and others that will take advantage of those dreams to line their own pockets.
- Writers that make a living from selling books are rare.
- Questions are the only way to find the truths that are often hidden behind industry jargon.
- The traditional publishing route is still the most effective route for launching the career of a new writer but it is not the only route that can achieve that end.
To all of you seeking to get your stories out there and read, I wish you good fortune and sincerely hope you find this guide helpful.
Let me know how you go.
Joe Novella.
www.joenovella.com
Myth # 1 - This writing thingy is easy peasy.
Ummm. No. That would be W-R-O-N-G!!!
So you're thinking about scratching that itch and writing that book you've always had in you. Congrats, you've just bought yourself a ticket on the world's biggest and scariest rollercoaster. And I hope you're thinking about it first and foremost because you enjoy writing and not because your friends tell you how entertaining your Facebook status updates are, or your spirit guides have told you to do it, or perhaps it's because you could do with some extra cash.
Writing a book is a painstaking process requiring skill, talent and determination. It is a solitudinal pursuit that can send folks nuts if their motivations for undertaking such a project are dodgy. And writing is the easy bit, trying to get it published is where all the fun and games really start.
The sad fact for writers seeking to publish their stories in a traditional manner (writer to agent to publisher to marketplace) for the first time is that most will not complete their work. Those that do will most likely be rejected by literary agents and publishers.
Yep, it certainly ain't easy out there. I'm guessing, but confident, that there would be far more unfinished or rejected manuscripts resting in peace at the bottom of desk drawers all around the world in any given year then there are published works.
Have I put you off this writing-caper-thingy yet? No? Not yet?
Ok. Well, think about this. Publishers are in it to make money. "No" I hear you say as you gasp in shock horror. 'Fraid so. It's true. Times are tough and publishers are less and less likely to take a risk on a first-timer. Why? Because the writer has no track record in sales and hence there is no evidence said publisher will recoup their investment. Kinda like betting on a horse that's never raced before to win a Kentucky Derby.
Yep. Traditional publishers are profit-hungry and risk-averse. That's the reason why bookshelves are filled with the latest works by well-known and celebrity-head authors. Why? - because these titles sell.
The common trait amongst the aforementioned is not talent, it is profile - profiles that are bankable for agents and publishers. Most newbies seeking publication for the first time have no profile and that's why they have the odds stacked against them.
In case you haven't noticed, I'm trying to make it clear that the book industry is a business, a marketplace that operates on the market principles of supply and demand. First-time writers are not in high demand and therefore the market does not pay them much attention.
I am continually amazed at the amount of first-timers who ignore, or even more catastrophically, don't realise the simple fact that publishing is a business and that publishers are there to make money.
So if you're a writer seeking publication for the first time and you hope to get a publishing contract and make a squillion bucks then think again. In fact, if you count time as money then the chances are you'll be losing heaps of both.
Example: You may spend 1-2 years to complete your manuscript. Say you spent 7 hours per week on the project, this equates to approximately 364 to 728 hours of your life. Because of the market for first-time writers, you could end up with NOTHING after all that time and effort.
My point is, make sure you understand what you're getting yourself in for when you decide to scratch that book-writing itch. Now check out the following: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/mar/25/fiction.features7 and read the Kate Kellaway article cos it's an eye-opener. If you're still with me after that then you're either a glutton for punishment or you really do want to be a writer.
2. So what does it mean to be a writer?
Myth #2 - You have to be published by a big publishing house to be considered a writer.
Not true.
So what exactly is a writer then?
Good question.
It's amazing how easy it is to complicate this simple term. Most of
the complication comes from those who want to add layers to the term
so as to distinguish themselves: professional writer, published
writer, self-published, amateur, yaddah, yaddah, yaddah.
At the end of the day, a writer is exactly that - someone who writes. Unfortunately, the book world is full of pretentious wankers and fame seekers who only ascribe worth and value to the notion of being a 'published writer'. Let me illustrate this further with the following conversation that many of you may have experienced at writers' festivals, writing courses and the like:
So you're a writer?
Yes.
What have you had published
lately?
Nothing. I keep a diary and I've written a few pieces on
my blog.
Oh… you're one of those writers.
Yes, many people in the book industry treat unpublished and unagented writers like the great unwashed. The prevailing thought in the minds of these folks being that writers should not be treated as 'talented' or 'serious' unless they've won a prestigious literary prize or been published in the traditional manner.
Hogwash! Rubbish! Load of crap! I say.
What about the blogger or tweeter whose entries are syndicated all over the world as part of rss feeds? I would argue this form of writer is very serious and may even outperform so-called 'published' writers in commercial terms. After all, people do pay big bucks to advertise on a successful blogger's site.
In addition to the snobbery displayed towards unpublished writers, there are many who also turn their noses up at self-published writers considering them to be impatient types whose work lacks the necessary craft and talent to standout in the slushpile of manuscripts that form on agents and publisher's desks the world over.
The practice of self-publishing is commonly referred to as 'Vanity' publishing by book-trade professionals (agents, editors, retailers, reviewers), the inference being folks undertake the exercise of self-publishing for reasons of vanity because they don't have the talent to attract a publisher.
WRONG!
There is nothing wrong with self-publishing your book project to get it to the marketplace, and there are clear advantages in doing so. The Celestine Prophecy was originally self-published with the author selling copies out of the boot of his car.
And while I'm at it, there's nothing wrong with writing just because you enjoy it - a diary, a book for your kids, a gift for your friends. These are all valid forms of writing expression and are not the lesser simply because they are not commercial in nature. Mind you, more than a few writing heavyweights started out with these types of motivations including the likes of J.R.R Tolkien with The Hobbit.
Writing, in all its forms, has the ability to influence and impact both positively and negatively. A simple letter can be as powerful as a best-selling novel in impacting on the mind of its reader.
Do not get sucked into thinking that your validation as a writer only arrives when you have landed yourself a publishing contract with a major publishing house.
Phew! Now that I've got that off of my chest and everyone recognises there's a ton of writing forms and that each form deserves respect, I'm going to zero in on book writing and more specifically, how to give your book project the best chance of making it to the marketplace and being read.
So you've decided, amongst the many forms of writing available, that fiction writing is what you're really into, so much so, you've spent the last few years working on your ms (writer speak for manuscript) and it's finally done.
Oh yeah? You sure, buddy?
Myth #3 - I got my friends to read my manuscript and they all think it's great. I also have a friend who reads heaps and is really good at crosswords and she's checked my ms and says it's good to go, so I'm ready to submit.
Firstly, congratulations, it's a serious feat to craft a story and for that alone you should feel proud as punch. But before you go celebrating, ask yourself: have I developed this ms as far as I possibly can? Is it market-worthy?
What is a market-worthy manuscript? I hear you ask.
A market-worthy manuscript is one where the standard in both content and style is comparable to other successful books in the genre already on the market. Market worthiness can only be achieved through practice, critique, constant review, and mentoring by skilled writers and then more practice and more review and more mentoring. And market-worthy does not equal market success, it just means the product is good enough to be given a shot.
So I ask you again, have you done all you can to get your ms market-worthy?
Even if you have finished your manuscript, I seriously recommend enrolling in a writing course that covers narration and its many forms: 1st person, 3rd person, god-like and so on. Understanding narrative voices and devices may help you see a more original and fresh angle for your ms, and originality is a big success factor in a cluttered market.
Other recommendations to make sure your ms is as polished as it can be:
- Join an online critique group. Type 'online critique group for writers' into your search engine of choice or check out this great article by Emma Larkins - http://www.squidoo.com/onlinewritersgroupsreview. By far the best online crit group I have come across belongs to Authoress at http://misssnarksfirstvictim.blogspot.com/
- If you have the funds, hire an editor. Many people will tell you that this step is not needed as the ms will be edited down the track by the publisher when/if you land a publishing contract. In my opinion, whatever you can do to improve your ms before submitting it to agents, publishers or the marketplace, is worth every cent spent and hour invested.
If you are considering hiring an editor, make sure you understand the different forms of editing as most editors charge different prices depending on what needs to be done. Here is a great article I found by Lillie Ammann on the different kinds of editing: http://lillieammann.com/2008/01/23/editing-part-2-what-are-the-different-kinds-of-editing/
Note: When I say editing I don't mean manuscript assessment services. In my opinion manuscript assessment is more a money-making machine than a service to help writers fine-tune their work. Many manuscript assessment services do not divulge the identities of their assessors, probably because the credentials of said assessors are dubious to say the least. Given a sum of money to spend on an industry professional to help improve my manuscript, I would go for a well-credentialed editor over a manuscript assessor. DYOR - do your own research.
- Track down a mentor. Many writers who have been writing for years offer up their time to help writers who are just starting out. Some do it for free and others charge. If your country, state or county has a writers' association or writers' centre, then that's where I'd start my search - here is an example from my local writers' centre http://vwc.org.au/services/mentorships/mentoring-services otherwise type the following terms into your search engine: 'writing mentorships'.
Ok. You've buffed and polished your ms to the point where you need sunnies to read it. Now, you just want it published. You want to be a published writer.
Well if that's the way you feel, then proceed to the next chapter please.
4. I want to be a published writer
Ok. I hear ya. Here ya go. Knock yourself out.
1. Grab that ms you've been buffing and polishing.
2. Print it out and then hand copies to randoms on the street OR
3. Attach it to an Email and send it to everyone on your distribution list.
Voila - you're done. You're a published writer. Congrats!
Myth # 4 - Publication is a complex process involving many steps taken over a significant amount of time.
Yep, all BS aside, publishing in its simplest form means to make available to the public. And that can be achieved immediately.
Hang on, you say. Doesn't publication mean I get money for my work?
No, not necessarily, but if it's important to you then take your ms, save it in Pdf or Microsoft (ms) word form, attach it to an Email along with a price and payment instructions and Email it to all your friends.
Heck, if you really want to get fancy you could always upload your ms in Pdf or ms word format to your website or blog, or even your Facebook account, along with a request for payment. Someone will pay for it, even if it's just to make you feel good cos that's what friends do. And whammo, now you're a published writer, and you're making some coin as well.
HANG ON! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I hear you scream. I WANT TO SELL MY BOOKS TO REAL CUSTOMERS.
Aha. Ok. In that case, take that manuscript you've been trying to flog off to your long-suffering friends, and as long as it's in ms word or Pdf format, you'll be able to upload it to Amazon.com and make it available for purchase all around the world. Amazon does not require anything else other than the right format to add your work to its list of titles.
And there you have it. Now you're a published writer selling to real customers and if one of your friends buys your book online - cos that's what friends do - then you're a published writer making some coin with an online presence. Woohoo! You've made it. Break out the Champers; it's time to partay.
NO. NO. NO! That’s not what I want.
What exactly do you want then?
I want to have an agent represent me and a publisher producing real printed books to real bricks 'n mortar bookstores because that's what it means to be published.
Yep. That's just what I suspected you meant.
For many writers hoping to get their book published for the first time, being published means a hell of a lot more than just simply making stuff available for Mr and Mrs Joe Public to read. It means working for years to produce a work considered worthy by literary agents and publishers. Worthy enough for said agents and publishers to produce the book for sale to the marketplace and in doing so invest their money and reputation on the writer's work.
Why do so many first-timers think this way? Read on.