Publishing a book

[Synthetix]

I've got a great idea for a book, I have a good feeling about this... So how do I get it published? What do I do? Where do I go? what's the process?

 

[Minuend]

Maybe you should write it first

 

[Synthetix]

Planning ahead, besides, it's pretty much complete, if I gather all the writings from all the clutter around my room and piece them together.

 

[duke of new york]

With e-books these days, there is always the option of digital self-publishing. You can do that without any investment and without needing anyone to OK your book. Getting a publishing company to actually print your book would require sending out manuscripts to a lot of publishing houses and getting a lot of rejections. I've never done it, so I'm not sure about the details, but if I were you, I would write the book first, then get online and find contact information for as many relevant publishers as you can, and send them copies of your manuscript. If nobody wants it and you get tired of waiting, get on Amazon.com and self-publish a Kindle e-book. I've never done that either, but I think it's easy enough that anyone can do it (judging by some of the amateur shit you can find on there). Then it's up to you to market your book; buy some ad space on popular websites relevant to your book, maybe make a website to market it.

Good luck! Any hints on what your great idea is, or are you going to be secretive about it?
​

 

[EditorOne]

"I've never done it"

I have. Trying to find a publisher in the old-fashioned way is a loser's game unless you are already famous. That's why Snooky or whatever her name is from "Jersey Shore" got a book contract: People buy the book because her name is on it, not because of what's in it. It sucks. Your chance of finding an agent (first step) and then a publisher are worse than the odds of winning a major lottery.

However, as noted, alternatives exist, and please do not get suckered into signing up with some of the "self publishing" companies out there. You can set up an ebook for just about nothing. You can, if you know some fairly common software like InDesign or anything else capable of producing high qualify pdfs, set up your book and simply hire an on-demand printer, in which you buy books as you need them for the printing cost, then sell them for whatever you sell them for. Again, you can get set up, even with ISBN numbers and whatnot, for a couple of hundred bucks.

If you want to pursue any of these, let me know -- after your book is done and assembled and available as digital text and images. At that point I'd be glad to walk you through any of the processes. I have books in all of them. You can click on "my books" down below to get a sampling of how it's set up, if I remembered to pay my domain fees.

Once the book is up and available, especially in electronic formats, it takes care of itself and you just get checks. Print on demand involves a little more, but not much.

Don't expect to get rich. You might, but don't expect it. :-)

 

[Melkor]

*Is in the middle of typing up the third chapter his novel*

I have. Trying to find a publisher in the old-fashioned way is a loser's game unless you are already famous.

What!? I certainly hope not! Surely if I just approach a hundred publishers, one of them will be dull enough to approve my novel. D:

Your chance of finding an agent (first step) and then a publisher are worse than the odds of winning a major lottery.

Great. Just great.

*Stops typing*

Not sure If I should bother anymore. 0-0

 

[~~~]

iBooks Author?

 

[Cognisant]

Well if anyone needs an agent.

Spoiler

You will need to sign this contract in which is stated that I am entitled to 10% of any profits you make from your creative endeavours.

 

[Minuend]

Don't be a sissy, Melkor! Roll up some sleeves and be prepared to work for what you want to accomplish!

 

[Melkor]

Well if anyone needs an agent.

Spoiler

You will need to sign this contract in which is stated that I am entitled to 10% of any profits you make from your creative endeavours.

Ten percent is pretty fair for a guy that can break walls with his fists and dodge bullets after they've been fired. 0-0

@Minuend

The last time I took your advice I spent four months in prison! No thanks!

 

[NoID10ts]

Attempting to write a novel has been the most soul crushingly difficult thing I've ever done. I currently want to slit my wrists because of it. I should have given up on it a long time ago, but I can't.

Anyway, It's my understanding that your chances of publishing fiction are much better than non-fiction. The book has to be great, not good, great (to someone who has an eye for these things, at least (very subjective, of course)). My advice: cast dreams of publishing aside, forget about it and lose yourself in the writing. Read, too. A lot. Books on the craft, books in your genre, books from the masters. And be open to critique, obtain the critiques and adjust accordingly. When you're ready, seek an agent. Most big publishing houses won't even consider an unagented author. Reputable agents don't ask for money up front, they get paid when you succeed.

Getting published is very, very hard, but not impossible. The Stephen Kings of the world won't be around forever and every publishing house in the world is looking for the next big name.

 

[Cognisant]

Repudiable agents don't ask for money up front, they get paid when you succeed.

Heh, I'm repudiable, LAMO

Ah I haven't laughed that hard since I was a little girl.

Attempting to write a novel has been the most soul crushingly difficult thing I've ever done. I currently want to slit my wrists because of it. I should have given up on it a long time ago, but I can't.

If it's any consolation you have exactly one billion percent greater chance at becoming a successful writer than me, I still haven't made any progress at all following up on my ideas.

 

[Minuend]

Attempting to write a novel has been the most soul crushingly difficult thing I've ever done. I currently want to slit my wrists because of it. I should have given up on it a long time ago, but I can't.

Anyway, It's my understanding that your chances of publishing fiction are much better than non-fiction. The book has to be great, not good, great (to someone who has an eye for these things, at least (very subjective, of course)). My advice: cast dreams of publishing aside, forget about it and lose yourself in the writing. Read, too. Alot. Books on the craft, books in your genre, books from the masters. And be open to critique, obtain the critiques and adjust accordingly. When you're ready, seek an agent. Most big publishing houses won't even consider an unagented author. Repudible agents don't ask for money up front, they get paid when you succeed.

Getting published is very, very hard, but not impossible. The Stephen Kings of the world won't be around forever and every publishing house in the world is looking for the next big name.

Noddy you are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3 I am not drunk!

 

[NoID10ts]

I pop in every now and then. Writing has consumed me, it's mostly all I do with my free time.

 

[Minuend]

you should pop in more often, you bASTARD CHILD!

 

[EditorOne]

http://www.bksp.org/

Best site ever for aspiring writers. I do know two people on here who went from nothing to success within a few years ("Water for Elephants" ring a bell with anyone?)

It's not easy. It is partly a matter of networking. INTPs are not particularly adept at networking. But it will improve your odds to interact with these people, which include published writers, unpublished writers, self published writers, agents, and publisher house staff.

(For the record, my last novel was in line to be accepted by a minor publishing company but I didn't want to change the story as dramatically as they wanted, so I published it myself. It is selling Very modestly. However next week I get to go lecture on it, and on local history and the Civil War, in my hometown, where it is based (young adult historical fiction with a lot of very real history in it.) Bottom line: I will not get rich. I will get respect from people I grew up with and people who are fascinated by history. That's enough. )

 

[Melkor]

Bottom line: I will not get rich. I will get respect from people I grew up with and people who are fascinated by history. That's enough. )

Yup.
I think I'd be happy to be poor if I only had one or two fan letters a week. For me it's really about sharing a little piece of my brain with people who will appreciate it.

 

[Minuend]

You need to work hard, bitch melkor

 

[snafupants]

Maybe you should write it first

That's logical but perhaps misinformed advice.

There are book proposals and grants available.

 

[Amagi82]

Publishing companies are rapidly becoming completely obsolete, much like what's happening to record companies for musicians. The nice thing is, the rise of e-books is actually better for writers financially, and makes the field more even and egalitarian. Even if a publisher would take me, I'd probably boycott them anyway out of the principle of the thing.

My advice for you is to contact Amazon and do the e-book thing, while making a name for yourself (in a good way) on as many relevant and popular forums as possible. Plug your book here and there and try to spread interest.

 

[EditorOne]

^ Yeah.

 

[BigApplePi]

My wife IS an agent. Published many books. Send me a PM or msg here.

Later: Just about all the suggestions mentioned here are valid and good. Wife has had e-books published and I can ask her any Q's about that.

 

[travelnjones]

I have been working on something for a bit now. Generally the comments I have got are write a story and then revise it. Then keep revising it! Repeat. The sites I have looked seem to say "then worry about publishing."

I know how you feel though. When looking into things like self publishing I have wondered well is there a format I use to get the margins and pages correct? It I could just write my story in that format it would be a big help. I never really found an answer to that one. I guess its indesign as editorone mentioned.

I just ended up writing it in my blog. I guess i figured it was the one thing I could do while waiting for an answer.

I researching I found that most publishers do not accept blind submission and will only consider works from a literary agent. So Big Apple Pi's offer is a pretty huge help.

 

[Amagi82]

If you want to know what the file formats will end up looking like, download a program called Calibre e-book management. Drag and drop your book in there, and it will convert it to any format you wish. It will even convert and send it directly to your Kindle if you wish. Keep in mind most e-books don't do page numbers- the number of pages changes depending on the font size the reader uses.

 

[NoID10ts]

I have. Trying to find a publisher in the old-fashioned way is a loser's game unless you are already famous. That's why Snooky or whatever her name is from "Jersey Shore" got a book contract: People buy the book because her name is on it, not because of what's in it. It sucks. Your chance of finding an agent (first step) and then a publisher are worse than the odds of winning a major lottery.

@EditorOne

You were sooo right on this one. I've sent out 23 agent queries and I follow most of them on Twitter. It really is like winning the lottery. The absurdity of it is that the query letter becomes almost more important than the book itself. There are too many authors and too few agents and publishers to keep up. On Twitter, one agent said that she likes 99% of all manuscripts she sees, she just doesn't love them. It's a losing game.

I simply don't have the constitution to spend years groveling at the feet of these people. I'm on the cusp of self-publishing my first book. I still have eleven queries out there, but I'm also expecting to receive my self-published proof in the mail any day now. I haven't pulled the trigger on self-publishing, but the gun is cocked, loaded, and ready to go.

Of course, once I commit to one path the other is most likely closed forever.