How to publish a book for real

[taekwondave]

Alright guys, I have a question for you all. I figure SOMEBODY on here has to know SOMETHING about this. Google hasn't actually been much help.

How do you get a book read by a publisher? A couple summers ago I took a trip across half the world starting with no money. I didn't hitchhike, I didn't freeload, the rules were I had to earn my way across the country and across the ocean until I reached Rome, Italy, and then I had to earn my way back home as well. The whole trip lasted four months and I documented every day. I've got the whole thing saved on my computer and I used to have it posted on my facebook page for people to read and I had quite a few people who got quite addicted to it and demanded that I turn it into a book. I don't know that it could be profitable or not, but it seems worth a shot. It is a pretty interesting read at times. The thing is that it's in a very raw state. It's basically just four months worth of journal entries. I've gone back through them and cleaned them up for the readers' sakes, but it could still use a lot of work.

When I look up publishers on google, someone always comes up that will "publish" my book for me, for a fee, but they aren't like marketing it or trying to put it in bookstores or anything. How does this work? It seems like with some professional help this could be a workable thing and people might actually enjoy this story if I could put the right spin on it, the right title, etc. Anybody?

[pellegrino]

you need a literary agent.

[Babs]

Alright guys, I have a question for you all. I figure SOMEBODY on here has to know SOMETHING about this. Google hasn't actually been much help.

How do you get a book read by a publisher? A couple summers ago I took a trip across half the world starting with no money. I didn't hitchhike, I didn't freeload, the rules were I had to earn my way across the country and across the ocean until I reached Rome, Italy, and then I had to earn my way back home as well. The whole trip lasted four months and I documented every day. I've got the whole thing saved on my computer and I used to have it posted on my facebook page for people to read and I had quite a few people who got quite addicted to it and demanded that I turn it into a book. I don't know that it could be profitable or not, but it seems worth a shot. It is a pretty interesting read at times. The thing is that it's in a very raw state. It's basically just four months worth of journal entries. I've gone back through them and cleaned them up for the readers' sakes, but it could still use a lot of work.

When I look up publishers on google, someone always comes up that will "publish" my book for me, for a fee, but they aren't like marketing it or trying to put it in bookstores or anything. How does this work? It seems like with some professional help this could be a workable thing and people might actually enjoy this story if I could put the right spin on it, the right title, etc. Anybody?

It sounds like first you need to write your book, and then you need an editor. Or perhaps you're looking for an editor to help you write your book. Either way, you don't have enough now to be looking for publishers.

You should P.M. Seattle. He's been working with professionals on his novel for awhile now. He can tell you how to get started.

[taekwondave]

It sounds like first you need to write your book, and then you need an editor. Or perhaps you're looking for an editor to help you write your book. Either way, you don't have enough now to be looking for publishers.

You should P.M. Seattle. He's been working with professionals on his novel for awhile now. He can tell you how to get started.

Yes. I think I'm looking for an editor to help me write my book. That would be helpful for sure. I P.M.'d SU. I'd be interested to hear what he knows. Sounds like you already know quite a bit more than I do.

[Uncle Ted]

Paper and bookstores are obsolete. Here is how to (e)publish your (i)book.

[Pelado]

Paper and bookstores are obsolete. Here is how to (e)publish your (i)book.

Here's more info on e-publishing:

http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2011/03/guest-post-by-john-locke.html

[Moliere]

Yes. I think I'm looking for an editor to help me write my book. That would be helpful for sure. I P.M.'d SU. I'd be interested to hear what he knows. Sounds like you already know quite a bit more than I do.

Just don't let SU be your editor or it's likely your book will get burned at some point.

Btw, your trip sounds pretty cool. It's definitely something I'd be interested in reading.

[frank ryan]

Alright guys, I have a question for you all. I figure SOMEBODY on here has to know SOMETHING about this. Google hasn't actually been much help.

How do you get a book read by a publisher? A couple summers ago I took a trip across half the world starting with no money. I didn't hitchhike, I didn't freeload, the rules were I had to earn my way across the country and across the ocean until I reached Rome, Italy, and then I had to earn my way back home as well. The whole trip lasted four months and I documented every day. I've got the whole thing saved on my computer and I used to have it posted on my facebook page for people to read and I had quite a few people who got quite addicted to it and demanded that I turn it into a book. I don't know that it could be profitable or not, but it seems worth a shot. It is a pretty interesting read at times. The thing is that it's in a very raw state. It's basically just four months worth of journal entries. I've gone back through them and cleaned them up for the readers' sakes, but it could still use a lot of work.

When I look up publishers on google, someone always comes up that will "publish" my book for me, for a fee, but they aren't like marketing it or trying to put it in bookstores or anything. How does this work? It seems like with some professional help this could be a workable thing and people might actually enjoy this story if I could put the right spin on it, the right title, etc. Anybody?

I love travel narratives. I'd recommend reading a book called Evasion, about a kid travels around the country, lives off the kindliness of strangers,dumpster diving and shoplifting.
I'd also recommend read Scott Carrier's Running After Antelope. He is a top notch travel writer.

It sounds like first you need to write your book, and then you need an editor. Or perhaps you're looking for an editor to help you write your book. Either way, you don't have enough now to be looking for publishers.

You should P.M. Seattle. He's been working with professionals on his novel for awhile now. He can tell you how to get started.

Bab's is right, you need to write it first and get it edited and submit to a literary agent. Some literary agents are scam artists so be causious.
I think it is a workable book idea but you would need the writing skills to back up the experience.

[taekwondave]

I think it is a workable book idea but you would need the writing skills to back up the experience.

Those are some great ideas, thanks. I'll definitely take at look at those. As for this part of your quote, that's kind of the problem. I like to write, but as I read through my own writing, I see so many problems that it makes my head hurt. I mean, at least I'm becoming better at recognizing those problems so I can correct them myself, but man, I could use some serious proofreading experts.

[Babs]

Those are some great ideas, thanks. I'll definitely take at look at those. As for this part of your quote, that's kind of the problem. I like to write, but as I read through my own writing, I see so many problems that it makes my head hurt. I mean, at least I'm becoming better at recognizing those problems so I can correct them myself, but man, I could use some serious proofreading experts.

Don't worry about that, TKD. That's what editors are for. What's more important is an idea and the ability to narrate.

[UteStar]

It sounds like first you need to write your book, and then you need an editor. Or perhaps you're looking for an editor to help you write your book. Either way, you don't have enough now to be looking for publishers.

Babs makes some good points. The first step is to get the book in the absolute best condition that you can. Go through it 5 times and then go thru it 5 more times to make sure that it flows as well as you can and is as well written as you can make it. When that is done, start looking for a literary agent. Publishers Marketplace is a good place to see who the big agents are and who the smaller agents are...Writers marketplace is a good starting place as well as you can see more of the business aspect.

You may submit it to 5 agents (call it a query letter) and you may get 5 No's. But you keep submitting and working on your query letter and keep submitting it. Some agents respond, some don't. If you get an agent to represent you...then it is submitted to a publishers house where they all decide if they want it...if they want it, you get an editor to help fine tune your book. Most bigger publishing houses rarely, if ever, will read a book without an agent. It happens, but it is rare.

Paper and bookstores are obsolete. Here is how to (e)publish your (i)book.

No offense Uncle Ted and I love you, but this is completely wrong. Paper and bookstores is still the giant and 95% of the people that make big money still do it this way. But ebooks and publishing your books is much stronger than ever...but it has a long ways before most people (there are some ebook writers who go this route that have made some money) can make money this route. But I know that byujacob, over on Cougarboard, went this route and has had some 'success.' If you want your book published, this is not a bad route if the traditional route is not available.

Bab's is right, you need to write it first and get it edited and submit to a literary agent. Some literary agents are scam artists so be causious.
I think it is a workable book idea but you would need the writing skills to back up the experience.

As Frank says, there are scam agents. If an agent ever asks for money up front, it is a scam. Do not do it. Agents are like real estate agents helping you look for a home. Real literary agents do not get any money up front. They get theirs when the deal closes (almost always 10-15%). If you have any questions, let me know.

[Uncle Ted]

No offense Uncle Ted and I love you, but this is completely wrong. Paper and bookstores is still the giant and 95% of the people that make big money still do it this way. But ebooks and publishing your books is much stronger than ever...but it has a long ways before most people (there are some ebook writers who go this route that have made some money) can make money this route. But I know that byujacob, over on Cougarboard, went this route and has had some 'success.' If you want your book published, this is not a bad route if the traditional route is not available.

Yes but that doesn't do anything for my AAPL stock and publishing on paper kills baby trees.

[SCcoug]

Amazon is selling ebooks than physical books since April or so.

[Clark Addison]

Amazon is selling ebooks than physical books since April or so.

I'm assuming that the vast majority of their ebook sales are not self-published books, though, are they?

[UteStar]

I'm assuming that the vast majority of their ebook sales are not self-published books, though, are they?

Correct. The big publishing houses all publish ebooks and that is the bulk of ebook sales (thru kindle, nook, etc.) Self publishing is a different animal. There are some real success in self publishing...and really, if you just want your book published, it is a great route. But in today's world, if you want to make significant money, getting a literary agent and getting your book published by one of the big ones (Harper Collins, Simon Schuster, Scholastic, etc.) is still the way to go.