Creative Writing/Publication

Looking to get published? It can be a daunting task. But in the information age, this is both easy and difficult to do now that access to publishers is much easier.

First, you'll want to compile a list of the books similar to yours and research their publishers. If a majority of them come from the same publishing house, then your best bet is to start there. If not, find more books like yours and repeat.

Second, see the submission guidelines posted on the publisher's website. These need to be followed as carefully as possible, in order to show editors professionalism and seriousness in your intent. Get hold of a guide for information on how to write a cover letter, query, and format your manuscript. Keep in mind many publishers will not accept unsolicited manuscripts, especially novels. They may ask for a query instead, but in the case where publishers don't accept unsolicited queries either, you will need an agent to submit to that house. Unfortunately, finding an agent can be as tough as finding a publisher.

Third, wait. This step can be stressful to the author and the urge to submit to multiple publishing houses may arise, but pay attention to a publisher's policy on simultaneous and exclusive submissions. Not doing so can be harmful to your relations with a publishing house. Fortunately, publishers are becoming more accepting of simultaneous submissions it can potentially take six months or longer for them to respond to an author. Publishing houses that accept simultaneous submissions are a valuable asset to authors and should not be abused. Do not submit wherever it could be inappropriate to.

You will most likely get rejected. It happens all the time and is a part of being a writer. Having gotten a response is an accomplishment on its own, and should serve as an opportunity to refine your work. Most rejected submissions receive a form letter, and if an editor takes the time to comment specifically on your submission, that is a major accomplishment.

After that, repeat the process and don’t give up. In the event that you do, try another field of publishing.