im writing a book

hi im thinking of writing a book i have the basic idea of what it is going to be but i know nothing about publishing etc anybody got any advice?

The best bit of advice I can give regarding getting your first book published is this: put it in your desk and leave it until you write at least one more book. This is advice I have been given from a number of published authors and I think it is sound advice.

When you complete your first book, you are understandably excited. You foresee getting it published and living off the sales for the rest of your life. However, when a publisher receives a book, they are looking for a number of things: is the book marketable? Is the genre popular at the moment?

Although you may think that a manuscript is completed, to compete with the thousands of others publishers receive every day, it must be truly polished. Therefore, finish your book, put it aside and write another one. When you come back to it, you will wonder how you ever thought it was ready to submit, believe me.

But, if you're determined to get it published now, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

* Most publishers will not accept unsolicited manuscripts. They require either that you contact them through an agent or that your manuscript be evaluated by a professional and reputable Editorial Consultant or Manuscript Appraisal company. These companies will assess your manuscript in terms of pacing, structure and other things that a publisher will look for. To find either one of these, simply look in your phone book or don't be afraid to ring a publishing house and ask them to recommend a service.

* Get hold of a list of publishing companies that publish works of the same kind as your novel (sci-fi, fantasy, historical, etc). Get your agent (or do it yourself after you have your manuscript professionally evaluated) to send them a letter outlining your interest in having your book published. Ask if they want to see a treatment (a small run-down of what your novel is about) or a full manuscript.

* Don't give up. It takes most professional writers many years of tears and knock-backs and unemployment cheques before they do get published. Take rejection well and keep trying. If your story is good, it WILL be published eventually.

Feel free to ask me any more questions you might have. I know a little bit about writing and I'd be happy to look over your story for you, for what that's worth.

Good luck.


[edit on 9/8/05 by Jeremiah25]

Get something like this book:

www.amazon.co.uk...

My mom is an aspiring writer, and has one of these, although hers is several years old. It lists hundreds of agents and publishers and the genres they deal in. It has examples of authors that they handle, so you can send your work to people who are already marketing similar books to yours. It tells you how to write letters to publishers/agents/editors so that they will take you more seriously. Get this book or something similar to it (they are probably available at a library, too).

Oh, and actually finish the book This might sound stupid, but let me explain myself. I've tried a bit of writing, just for fun, but I seldom finish anything. I get distracted by life, or I decide the story isn't working, or I run out of ideas, or I get a new idea I simply must work with first.