How to publish your novel

Getting a novel published once you have completed the writing stages is no easy task. For many writers or to-be-writers, this is where the hard work begins. It is not that easy to find a publisher willing to take on the challenge of a new author, particularly one that has just finished writing his or her first novel. To learn how to publish a novel, read the guide below.

Proofreading and finding an agent

Proofreading Have a friend or family member read your manuscript, use someone that you know will give you an honest opinion of your work and have them point out any error they feel are in your work. Correct any mistake before proceeding further with your project. Find an agent By using a literary agent, your completed book will possibly find its way onto the bookshelves through a quick route. A good agent knows which publishers or publishing houses are best suited for each genre of writing. Fiction publishers only want manuscripts that fall within that category. Information required to be sent to an agent You must submit a cover or query letter to introduce your writing project. This should be much like a resume or cover letter that you would submit for a job application. Make it interesting by including the title of your novel, its genre and word count. Supply your contact information and one or two paragraphs as a brief synopsis of the novel that you have written. Agents will often be slow to respond (if at all), so expect to wait at least a month for a reply.

Publishers

Submit directly to publishers Although some publishing houses will not accept manuscripts submitted unless they are through an agent, there are still some that will work directly with authors. These are usually limited to the smaller companies and not the larger corporations. The rules to approaching publishers These are essentially the same as for approaching an agent, choose your targeted publishers carefully and only send to those that you know publish within the area of the market that you have written in. Self-addressed envelope Along with your letter, submit a self-addressed envelope making it easier for agents or publishers to reply to you. While waiting for a reply prepare a second batch of agents or publishers, in case the first one is unsuccessful.