Getting Your Novel Published

You’ve spent weeks, months, possibly years writing your novel and dreaming about getting it published, but what do you do when you’ve written the last words of your last page and want to start turning that dream into a reality? Once you’ve finished your book, where do you start?

First of all, editing and proofreading cannot be underestimated. Even if you’ve gone through your manuscript a million times, getting someone else to look over it is vital; paying for a professional like Adam Croft to edit your novel could be the best money you ever spend on your book. An expert editor will not only be able to point out simple mistakes you may have missed, but they’ll also be able to tell you what needs improving and reworking with regards to plot, dialogue, structure, characters and anything else relevant to your story. This should all be done before you go anywhere near a publisher – your manuscript won’t even be looked at if it contains errors or if it looks unfinished. Simply put, make sure you produce the best possible version of your novel before sending it off; first impressions are everything. Chances are, if you get accepted by a publisher, you will need to revise your draft again before it’s ready for printing and distribution, but your publishers will tell you what they want after accepting your manuscript.

Once your manuscript it completely finished, you need to decide on the path you want to take to the publishing world. There are several options available: find an agent to sell your novel to the publishers, go directly to the publishers yourself, or even self-publish.

Deciding on whether or not to get an agent is the first thing you need to do. A literary agent can be extremely valuable for authors, but not everyone will be able to sign up to one straight away. Some agents, for example, only work with previously published authors, and if you are a new writer trying to sell your very first novel, it can be extremely difficult to find an agent who will take you on. There will be some, however, who are open to working with fresh talent, so search for those agents specifically if you’re new to the industry.

If you want to go straight to publishers, you’ll need to do your research first. Find out which publishing houses accept which genres, and make sure you’re aware of the guidelines for submissions. You’ll need to check you have the right name (spelled correctly) of the staff member you’re writing to, have formatted your manuscript to their requirements, and be sure to include an engaging and appealing query letter.

The other option open to writers these days is to self-publish your work online. There are several websites that make this easy to do (such as Amazon, CreateSpace and Smashwords), and you get the benefit of your novel being available almost instantly. You will also be in charge of all aspects of your book – including your own promotion and marketing – something that could be seen as both an advantage and a disadvantage.

It is an unfortunate reality that getting your foot in the door of the traditional publishing industry can be an extremely challenging thing to do, but if you follow the above tips, you’ll be giving yourself the best possible shot at getting your novel published.