The whole publishing idea still confuses me terribly and although I have been searching for hours about it I just dont understand it which makes this terribly hard for I do want to get my name out there someday. If someone could inform me that would be awesome
Suppose for a moment that the heart has two heads, that the heart has been chained and dunked in a glass booth filled with river water. The heart is monologuing about hesitation and fulfillment while behind the red brocade the heart is drowning. - R.S
What confuses you, specifically? Maybe I can help.
Ubi caritas est vera, Deus ibi est.
"The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls the butterfly." ~ Richard Bach
I didn't get publishing when I finished writing my first novel either. I just pretty much wrote out everything I know about agents and publishing here.
I really think that to get the MOST information about publishers, literary agents, and all that jazz, go to your local library.
Don't have a library card?
Go to a bookstore.
Don't worry about the money issue. If your local bookstore is a Borders or Barnes & Nobles, they'll most like have a little cafe section right?
All you have to do is look or ask for a Novel Writing Guide or book (a major name bookstore should have a huge selection
-Borders Writer's section is usually by the Language and Translation books
Pick up an interesting book and read it in the cafe or other seating around borders.
It's not stealing as long as the book stays in the store. And nobody will bother you because nobody is going to come up and ask for a reciept and all that to see if you've purchased the book yet.
My knowledge..
1. It may take YEARS for you to get a publisher who likes your story
2. It may take YEARS for you to get a publisher who likes your story and wants to publish it
3. Literary agents are awesome. They will be your best friend in your novel publishing journey. They will help you find a publisher who will give you the best royalties they can get for you AND best of all, your agent won't get paid until YOU do.
4. Don't just search online for publisher info.. not everything you read on the internet is true, which I'm sure you know :]
Look at books, go to Writer's Convensions, ANYTHING. Book publishers could actually be ANYWHERE.
I met my first book publisher representative at an art show that my friend was in.
You're probably thinking, "A book publisher at an art show? What??"
Well I introduced myself and we actually talked about publishing my book (It wasn't a promise but it was a start)
You don't want to get the first publisher that will accept you. It's your book and you'll want the best for it right?
I mean our stories are like our babies ;]
-Jassie
P.S. There is WAY too much knowledge about publishers etc that I could tell you about in my simple post... so I suggest finding a good book about it- but get ready to READ and READ and READ.. you DON'T want to go into this publishing jungle without as much knowledge as possible :]
xD Telling us what you're confused about will help us a good deal.
But! It's not too much a confusing process, really. You finished your novel; you're one step in the process.
After completion, comes editing. A novel should be edited at least three times, to ensure that there are no mistakes. A single mistake can turn your dreams around.
Sometimes it's better to hire an editor. While their fees are expensive sometimes, it's worth it, because they know what will get you published and what won't. So, it's a tricky situation to edit yourself/have peers do it verse having an editor do it.
Then! There's querying. You have to write a summary of your novel, or synopsis, depending on the agent. Similar thing, pretty much. Querying usually consists of reasons you'd like to be published, your biography, so on such forth. It varies by agent.
Once you've successfully acquired an agent, you won't have much more trouble! If the agent is good, he/she will appeal to publishers and not only have your book printed, but he/she will also market your book and promote it.
In the end, it's worth it. Basically, these are just reasons why vanity publishing or self publishing is a no-go.
SO! Dream, ask away! We'll try to help you out. ^^
June
"I'd steal somebody's purse if I could google it and then download it." -- Firestarter
I am currently publishing my novel, and here is my four step plan to greatness. All of these steps you can google to find out more.
1- Write the thing and edit until you think you'll die. Fix every conceivable problem. Polish that book. Find a English majoring college student to read and edit your novel for cheap.
2- Write a query letter and send it to a list of agents. A good query letter is found on Query Shark, the Romance Writers of America, Science Fiction Writers Group, or AAR. They'll help you out
3- Send Query and wait until you think you might die. You'll either get a rejection letter or a letter to go ahead and send more
4- Send whatever your agent wants.
5- They will do the rest.
See how cool that is. Totally simple.
"All my life I've had this strange feeling that there's something big and sinister going on in the world. "
"No, that's perfectly normal paranoia. Everyone in the universe gets that."
You could always do what I did to "get known," and that was self-publishing. It's a good start, but you best study it first before doing POD (Print On Demand.) My first book was published by none other than, myself. Check it out here: http://www.bugboyandy.com/theafterlifephenomenon.htm
If you need help, contact me, because I am also the founder of my book publishing service: Bug Boy Books.
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