Finding a Publisher ~ Part II

Finding a Book Publisher ~ Part II

Hi everyone and welcome back! To recap from Monday’s post, we looked at he first 5 steps that need to be completed in order to find a publisher, which were as follows:

1. WRITE THE BOOK

2. DEFINE YOUR AUDIENCE

3. RESEARCH THE MARKET

4. DO YOUR HOMEWORK

5. PREPARE YOUR MANUSCRIPT

6. SUBMIT YOUR BOOK PACKAGE – only send the editor exactly what is requested. If you are mailing a large manuscript, use a box for this purpose (available at stationary or office supply stores). Address it to the editor by name and make sure your package is sealed securely but don’t use a half a roll of tape.

7. INCLUDE A STAMPED, SELF-ADDRESED ENVELOPE – make sure you send a large enough return envelope (depending on if you want your manuscript back or not) and sufficient postage.

8. PREPARE TO WAIT – it can take two months or longer to receive a response to your query and can take up to six months or more to find out if the publisher is interested in your manuscript.

9. KEEP WORKING – don’t wait to find out if your book is being picked up or not, get started on your next book or begin building a network of followers for when your book does hit the shelves.

10. DON’T GIVE UP – it’s hard but you need to try not to take rejection personally as there could be numerous reasons as to why your book may not be a good fit for one publisher to the next. Move to the next publisher on your list and remember it take time, effort and usually many submissions to get published.

Two common questions asked are:

How do I copyright my work? Good news! It is not necessary to register your work with the Copyright Office to protect it. The fact that you’ve put your book on paper places it under your copyright. You can declare copyright ownership by typing the words “Copyright (year) by (your name)” on the first page of your manuscript.

Should I get an agent? Usually first-time authors look for an agent AFTER a publisher has expressed interest in publishing your work. You will want the agent to help negotiate your contract.

Best of luck to everyone!

Becky