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I just wrote a book, about 360 pages, what next?

I wrote a romance novel story and now that i'm finished it....what do i do? My dream is that it will be on the New York Times Bestseller list. That isn't likely but how do I put my book into print?

Public Comments

1. I believe you send it to a writing agent who will in turn try to get it published somehow. Or you can get it published. I reccomend you go to amazon.com or barnesandnobles.com and search for a book along the lines of "writing agents" or "publishers" something that may yield results. They have books with lists of tons of reference as to where to send your manuscript and such... they'd be more helpful than pretty much all the people on YA anyway, so go do that.... trust me.
2. Edit your book many times to make it the best it can be, type it in proper manuscript form (visit http://www.writersdigest.com to find out what is needed), consider joining a local writer's group to get feedback from other would-be writers, and get it proofread by someone who knows what they are doing (don't rely just on spellcheck). Edit it some more. There are a tiny number of publishers that accept unsolicited manuscripts (those that don't go through a literary agent), so getting an agent first is a really good idea. At the library or bookstore is Guide to Literary Agents, published by Writer's Digest, or Bowker's Literary Marketplace (or visit http://www.agentquery.com). Look for agents that specialize in your genre, and are looking for new clients. Read, and follow, their submission guidelines. In those books will be something about writing a query letter, which is what you send to the agent, first. It's part synopsis of your book, and part explanation as to why your book deserves to be published. You have only that one-page letter to wow the agent, so take the time to make it a good one. Expect the whole process to take lots of time, and expect many rejections. When you are accepted by an agent, they will send your book to publishers, not you. The whole process is free, except for postage, until your book is bought by a publisher. That is when the agent gets their cut (usually 15%) of the money which would go to you. If you decide to self-publish, then you will pay (potentially up to a couple of thousand dollars, depending on which publisher you choose). Also, the marketing of your book is up to you. Good luck!
3. Revise. Revise. Revise. Most authors recommend revising at least three times. Then, once you're satisfied you can start researching agents and sending out queries. There is a whole slew of books on the publishing processing. Read a few of them and take notes. Most of them were written by editors or agents. After that you just have to pray that someone likes your manuscript enough to publish it. It's not easy, but that's the process. And what could be rewarding than seeing your name in print?
4. Wow. New York Times bestseller and even be on New York Review of Books, too! :) First is that you have to customize a plan that will work best with your book. List all the things your book needs such as book cover customization, editing, marketing, etc. Second, find a publishing company that has everything your book requires. I know XLIBRIS has programs that are quite affordable and fits just what your book requires. Third, go through production process and then see if the book meets your standards. I hope this helps.