How to Get a Manuscript Ready for Publication
Decide what kind of book you want to write., Research the business side of publishing., Know which publishers to prepare your manuscript for., Obtain writer's guidelines.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Decide what kind of book you want to write.
While you need to know what kinds of books sell, you also have to know yourself well enough to know what kind of book you're capable of writing.
Read books similar to the one you plan to write so you know what the other authors did and what you can do better. -
Step 2: Research the business side of publishing.
When you submit your manuscript, you'll be exposed to the business side of publishing.
Learning about the business side lets you approach it with your eyes open.
Read up on how the publishing industry works so you know something about the functions of the people who work at the publishing houses you plan to submit to.
It will also give you some perspective on the number of manuscripts those publishers receive and why they aren't getting to your submission right away.
Read about publishing law so you have a rudimentary understanding of publishing contracts and can evaluate one quickly if offered one. , You can learn this information from resources such as "Literary Marketplace," "Writer's Market" and related publications that cover your particular writing specialty.
These publications list publishers by genre, who to contact and the format for submissions. , While some of this information is covered in the above publications, you can also obtain more detailed and more current information from the publisher's Web site or by writing and requesting a written copy of the submission guidelines. -
Step 3: Know which publishers to prepare your manuscript for.
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Step 4: Obtain writer's guidelines.
Detailed Guide
While you need to know what kinds of books sell, you also have to know yourself well enough to know what kind of book you're capable of writing.
Read books similar to the one you plan to write so you know what the other authors did and what you can do better.
When you submit your manuscript, you'll be exposed to the business side of publishing.
Learning about the business side lets you approach it with your eyes open.
Read up on how the publishing industry works so you know something about the functions of the people who work at the publishing houses you plan to submit to.
It will also give you some perspective on the number of manuscripts those publishers receive and why they aren't getting to your submission right away.
Read about publishing law so you have a rudimentary understanding of publishing contracts and can evaluate one quickly if offered one. , You can learn this information from resources such as "Literary Marketplace," "Writer's Market" and related publications that cover your particular writing specialty.
These publications list publishers by genre, who to contact and the format for submissions. , While some of this information is covered in the above publications, you can also obtain more detailed and more current information from the publisher's Web site or by writing and requesting a written copy of the submission guidelines.
About the Author
Richard Sanders
Specializes in breaking down complex lifestyle topics into simple steps.
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