5 answers
Courtney
Student
Perryville, Arkansas
1
Question
Asked
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How do I begin the publishing process after writing a novel?
I am an aspiring fiction writer with no ties to the industry. If I were to complete a novel, I do not know how I would get it out there.
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5 answers
jose pimienta
comics and storyboarding
16
Answers
Burbank, California
Updated
jose’s Answer
Echoing the previous answers: You can either go with traditional publishing, which means you'd have to find a literary agent, for which you'd have to send query letters to literary agents you'd think you'd be a good match with. That way, they pick up the book for you and they pitch it to editors for publishers. OR you can self-publish, which means you hire a freelance copyeditor and a proofreader to make sure your book is ready for publication and then you look for a printer and when you find one, send them your PDF and boom! your book is published. There's a lot more to it and both routes are a lot of work, but each path has it s pros and cons. You can also reach out to other writers and ask for their suggestions/recommendations. A lot of self-published authors have great advice of what printers to use, what pricing looks like, what methods to self-publishing have worked for them, and so on, and so forth. Traditional publishing can be a bit exhausting because things more slow. Sometimes it takes months before hearing back from a potential literary agent and that can be a deterrent for a lot of authors. But once you find an agent, things get a little easier, but they still take time.
Juanita Joubert
I am a writer, financial accountant, social media manager, and publisher
22
Answers
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Updated
Juanita’s Answer
I agree with Mike. You now have two options when it comes to publishing - self publishing or traditional publishing. But one thing you need to know about traditional publishing is that you don't necessarily need an agent to go that route. There are various publishers who allow you to submit your manuscript to them yourself and they will consider it and get back to you regarding your submission. When you decide to go the traditional publishing route, I would suggest that you enlist the help of a professional editor to help you iron out any spelling, grammer, punctuation, and flow issues. They will also give you valuable advice on how you can improve your story so the chances of you getting declined by publishers is minimal.
When it comes to self-publishing, you need to learn how to use the various platforms and how you can promote the links to your target readers. You can also use Draft2Digital who will publish your manuscript on your behalf to all the major self-publishing sites, you would just need to publish your book on your own on Amazon because they don't work with Draft2Digital. Then comes the marketing of your book. You would need to spend at least 3 to 4 hours a day marketing and creating content for your book so it can be appealing to your audience. I personally follow Sarah Mae Sutton on Youtube, she is an indie (self-published) author, and she has successfully published 11 books and is currently busy with her 12th.
The next tip I have is to follow as many self-published authors on YouTube and TikTok as possible so you can learn from their strategies and experiences. This will help you see what you can do to improve your own marketing strategy so your books can get in front of your readers. There are 100s of great influencers out there and don't just go on the niche they are writing about because their marketing can still help you.
Finally, keep going. Remember that it's your first book and you should never allow negative comments affect you. It can go one of two ways, it's brilliant and people will love it, or people will tear it apart. It's all about persistence in the author world and you need to take any feedback you get as positive so you can continue to live out your dreams. You will become a best-selling author in no time.
Find an editor who can help you refine your manuscript.
Look at the pros and cons of self publishing and traditional publishing.
Find a platform that will work for you and what your goals are.
Go ahead and publish your book and start your marketing strategy.
Never let anything get you down.
When it comes to self-publishing, you need to learn how to use the various platforms and how you can promote the links to your target readers. You can also use Draft2Digital who will publish your manuscript on your behalf to all the major self-publishing sites, you would just need to publish your book on your own on Amazon because they don't work with Draft2Digital. Then comes the marketing of your book. You would need to spend at least 3 to 4 hours a day marketing and creating content for your book so it can be appealing to your audience. I personally follow Sarah Mae Sutton on Youtube, she is an indie (self-published) author, and she has successfully published 11 books and is currently busy with her 12th.
The next tip I have is to follow as many self-published authors on YouTube and TikTok as possible so you can learn from their strategies and experiences. This will help you see what you can do to improve your own marketing strategy so your books can get in front of your readers. There are 100s of great influencers out there and don't just go on the niche they are writing about because their marketing can still help you.
Finally, keep going. Remember that it's your first book and you should never allow negative comments affect you. It can go one of two ways, it's brilliant and people will love it, or people will tear it apart. It's all about persistence in the author world and you need to take any feedback you get as positive so you can continue to live out your dreams. You will become a best-selling author in no time.
Juanita recommends the following next steps:
Sierra Burke
Author
6
Answers
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Updated
Sierra’s Answer
Courtney,
You have two options ahead of you. One, you can work with a publishing house which involves either an agent or a lot of foot work. The other option is to self publish with a resource like Ingram Spark. Either way you need to have a finished and polished work ready to go. I strongly recommend spending time with the resources on reedsy.com. Good information and source for community, editing and advice. More than anything, write, read your writing, and write some more. But keep it fun.
Write
Connect with reedsy.com
Read your own writing
Have others read your writing
Rewrite
You have two options ahead of you. One, you can work with a publishing house which involves either an agent or a lot of foot work. The other option is to self publish with a resource like Ingram Spark. Either way you need to have a finished and polished work ready to go. I strongly recommend spending time with the resources on reedsy.com. Good information and source for community, editing and advice. More than anything, write, read your writing, and write some more. But keep it fun.
Sierra recommends the following next steps:
Mike Doria
Strategic Communications
7
Answers
Henderson, Nevada
Updated
Mike’s Answer
You have two options. If you want to sell your book to publishers, you need a literary agent. They can connect you with publishers. Once your book is picked up, the agent will take a percentage of your earnings. This path is harder than self-publishing.
For self-publishing, get your book on all major platforms. You'll handle everything yourself, like formatting, cover design, and marketing. I recently wrote another novel and enjoyed the marketing part. If marketing isn't your thing, you can hire help on sites like Fiverr for tasks like cover design.
With self-publishing, you'll learn the ropes as you go. It might seem simple, but that's how I learned, and it kept me motivated.
Platforms to consider:
- Amazon KDP
- Smashwords
- Goodreads
For self-publishing, get your book on all major platforms. You'll handle everything yourself, like formatting, cover design, and marketing. I recently wrote another novel and enjoyed the marketing part. If marketing isn't your thing, you can hire help on sites like Fiverr for tasks like cover design.
With self-publishing, you'll learn the ropes as you go. It might seem simple, but that's how I learned, and it kept me motivated.
Platforms to consider:
- Amazon KDP
- Smashwords
- Goodreads
Lauren Bischoff
Author
1
Answer
Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania
Updated
Lauren’s Answer
Keep going! You have the power to make your writing better. Join writers' clubs to get helpful feedback, or use online platforms that protect your work automatically. Check out these sites:
- www.writerscafe.org
- www.inkitt.com
- www.bloggers.com (great for starting a blog)
- www.christianfaithpublishing.com (a real publisher that might help you find a literary agent)
Also, visit Writer's Digest for yearly competitions and contests at https://www.writersdigest.com.
If you love poetry, try https://www.poetrynation.com. That's where my poems got noticed and published. It's free to publish there, so no worries about fees unless you want to buy a book or a plaque with your poem. The plaque is about 10x13 inches and the site is proudly run by veterans. Keep writing and sharing your talent!
be sure to ask questions about the publisher to see if its a good fit for you
Never go for a publisher which is shady, follow your heart and intuition
Never give up on writing, always go back and edit before you publish
Do not allow the pains of the past, stop you from being a good author
Be sure to change nonfiction names, when you write fiction. Do not use a live persons real name.
- www.writerscafe.org
- www.inkitt.com
- www.bloggers.com (great for starting a blog)
- www.christianfaithpublishing.com (a real publisher that might help you find a literary agent)
Also, visit Writer's Digest for yearly competitions and contests at https://www.writersdigest.com.
If you love poetry, try https://www.poetrynation.com. That's where my poems got noticed and published. It's free to publish there, so no worries about fees unless you want to buy a book or a plaque with your poem. The plaque is about 10x13 inches and the site is proudly run by veterans. Keep writing and sharing your talent!
Lauren recommends the following next steps: