Trying to Get Published

As I have said before, publishing your book is a huge accomplishment. This signifies to you and the world that you have made it. Your book is done and you can be called an Author.

How you get there is the better question.

I have talked about how I went through the publishing process by way of self-publishing. There are several ways that you can self-publish, some free and some paid. If you are working towards becoming traditionally published, however, there are different steps to take. Let's break it down.

Steps to get a publisher:

1. Finish your novel: This is self-explanatory.

2. Find an Editor: This is very important. You can find editors through companies by just searching in Google or you can look for a freelance editor to try to save yourself some money.

   1. Type: 

      1. Editing Company- When finding an editing company, be sure to look at their rates, customer reviews, and testaments. These will help you to find the best fit for you. 

      2. Freelancer- When hiring a freelancer for editing be sure to do an interview with them and ask for samples of their work. This helps you to be sure that you are hiring a reliable editor.

   2. Services: 

      1. Grammatical Edit- One of the services that we all need is for someone to look over our grammar. Make sure that all your I’s are dotted and your writing makes sense. 

      2. Content Edit- Having someone look through your book to assess the plot, structure, and character motives.

3. Finding a Literary Agent: When finding a literary agent you need to do your research. You want to find a literary agent that specializes in your genre, you can find them through a simple Google Search or on websites like Query Tracker. Then you need to catch their attention and sell yourself through a Query letter. A query letter is where you will provide a summary of your book, talk about your social media presence and sell yourself to make them want to represent you.

Once you have done these steps and obtained a literary agent you are well on your way. Publishers require a literary agent to make sure your book is professionally represented and serious about moving forward.

To Self- Publish:

First and foremost, I want to tell you that despite what you may think, self-publishing can be just as great as traditional publishing. The truth is, it is hard work and persistence that will help you be successful at it.

1. Write the book.

2. Get it edited and have a round of beta readers read it.

3. Another round of editing.

4. Create a cover using Canva (a free site) or by hiring someone to create it for you (on fiver or another reputable site)

5. Build up awareness for your book. You can do this through social media by talking about it, posting excerpts, and doing interviews. Cover reveals go a long way too!

6. Choose the right path for you. You can hire an agency to help you self-publish like Amazon or B&N (can become pricey) or you can do it yourself. It isn't hard! Amazon, Smashwords, AppleBooks, and even Google Play Books have self-publishing DYI services that walk you through the steps. Formatting is usually the toughest part, however, they can also talk you through this too. (Reedsy can help you format for free by the way)

7. Release your book into the wild and keep promoting it (but not so much that people tune you out).

You can do this! Follow these steps and you will be well on your way to finding a publisher or becoming a published author another way.