You must be an active Member to view this lesson. Please login at the right or Register to gain access.

You must be an active Member to view this lesson. Please login at the right or Register to gain access.

We’ll explain the advantages and disadvantages of ebooks, how to convert your manuscript into an ebook and have it available for sale on a website in a very short time.

You must be an active Member to view this lesson. Please login at the right or Register to gain access.

If you think ebooks aren’t respectable, don’t sell, or that they won’t earn any money, you’d be wrong.

Here we’ll examine some Internet examples of super successful authors who regularly create and sell ebooks with incredible results.

You must be an active Member to view this lesson. Please login at the right or Register to gain access.

Understanding the process of how to get your book published, however, is the first step in getting your book to go from your hard drive or your typewritten manuscript into the hands of a publisher who wants to publish it.

Here are the general steps you need to take in order to get your book published:

Write the book.

Technically, you don’t need to churn out an entire book before you start the process. However, you do need to have a few sample chapters as well as a thoroughly detailed literary outline before you go any further. Actually finishing your book before you try to pitch it to agents and publishers is optional.

Figure out where to send it.

Some writers prefer to work through an agent, while some prefer to go directly to publishers. Some publishers will only work with agents, while other publishers will accept unsolicited submissions. Which way you go has a lot to do with personal preference, your genre and how comfortable you are with selling yourself. Regardless, you need to create a list of potential customers. Whether it’s publishing houses, agents or a combination of both, try to have a plan of attack that involves at least a dozen or so prospects.

Build a proposal.

The job of a book proposal is to get your foot in the door. Your book proposal is what you use to get a publisher’s attention. It acts as an outline of your idea for a book. IT should include a summary of the book, including a plot synopsis or topical synopsis (depending on whether your book is fiction or non-fiction). Your proposal should also include information about your target market, in terms of age, socio-economic strata and even educational level. It should also look at the competition, and identify what sets your book apart from others in the genre.

Get rejected.

Sure, sometimes a writer will get lucky. They’ll send in a proposal to a big publishing house that will instantly recognize the writer’s talent, and offer a generous advance.

The rest of us, however, live in the real world. We know that even the best books get rejected, usually many times, before they ever see a printing press. Rejection is part of the process, and can in some cases even be used to help improve your book and hone your craft.

Get published.

Eventually, someone will buy your book and want to publish it or they won’t. If you’ve tried everyone and no one is biting, you can still consider self-publishing or even electronic publishing. There’s no reason that you can’t share your book, in one form or another, with an audience.

The book publishing process can be somewhat difficult to navigate, if you’re not familiar with how things go. If you’re thinking of publishing with the major publishing houses or smaller presses, here are several elements of the book publishing process with which you need to familiarize yourself.

Identifying Potential Publishers

The first step in getting your book published is to identify publishers who might be interested in publishing your book. You need to spend some time in this regard doing some market research.

Most publishers only publish books in a certain niche. Some publishers only accept submissions from agents. Some publishers don’t accept unsolicited submissions. Your goal here should be to find a dozen or more potential publishers that fit your type of writing and that accept submissions.

The Query Letter

A query letter is a short letter to the publisher that includes some vital information. The letter should include the title of the book, the genre, and the basic concept of the book. The query letter should identify the target market for the book, as well as a brief description of how this book is different from other books in the genre.

You can also provide a summary of ideas for a sequel to the book, as well as information about the length of your manuscript. The query letter will determine whether the publisher wants to pursue your book further, and whether you should submit a full manuscript.

Submission Guidelines

Most publishers offer submission guidelines to prospective authors. These guidelines will indicate how the manuscript for your book is to be submitted, whether they require sample chapters along with your query letter, and even what style or genres of work they’re currently looking for.

Following these submission guidelines exactly will increase the chances that your proposal isn’t just tossed aside.

Rejection and Acceptance

The next phase of the book publishing process is the decision. The publisher will decide whether they’re interested in your book or not.

If they are not interested, you can submit the proposal to another publisher.

If they are interested, they will begin the process of negotiating a fee and working with you on the next steps, such as editing and promotion of your book.

Publishing and Promotion

Depending on the publisher, you may be asked to participate in promotional events for your book, such as book signings or other events. The actual publication of your book might take place soon after the editing process is complete, or it may happen months or even years later, again depending on the publisher.

As you can imagine, there are specific challenges you’ll face at each stage of the game. Arming yourself with as much information as possible will increase your chances of overcoming those challenges.