Writing a Book - Getting Published

It is said that everyone has a book in them and studies reveal that many Americans have expressed a desire to write a book. Ironically, the National Endowment for the Arts estimates that a mere fifty-seven percent of Americans have actually read just one book within a twelve month period. This raises an intriguing question.

Just what is it that gives people, even non-readers, the desire to put pen to paper? If they were not reading books, why would they want to write one? HOW will they write one with little, if any, point of reference?

It could be a desire for fame and fortune, or maybe a need for respect from others; perhaps they just wish to leave something tangible that will live beyond their lifetime, leave a mark on the future.

Regardless of the reason for writing a book, the ones who actually successfully complete a manuscript have a very slim chance of ever seeing it published.

It is estimated that there are approximately 12 million manuscripts currently completed. There are only around 64,000 active publishers and of that 64,000 only a small fraction are seeking new manuscripts for publication.

Staggering statistics; nothing like crushing the hopes of 2 million aspiring authors in one pen stroke. What a buzz kill.

However, there are things that you can do to increase your odds of being published. The first and foremost way is to make sure that your manuscript is the very best that it can be. Proofread, edit, rewrite, and even have an outside source proof and edit your manuscript. Make sure that it is as polished and professional as possible.

Even when you take these precautions, you still stand a very small chance of seeing your work in print. In fact, even if all 2 million of those hopeful authors tweaked their manuscripts until they were picture perfect, they would still have an almost nil chance of being published. It is simply a very tough industry. The authors who do become published are not necessarily the writers. They are, though, experts at selling themselves and selling their stories.

Different authors react to rejection from publishers in different ways. Some fall victim to vanity publishers who exploit a writer's hopes and aspirations by charging an exorbitant fee to "publish" their book. They know that many writers want so badly to be published that they are willing to pay nearly any price.

Some authors will be fortunate enough to publish through firms like iUniverse and Lulu. It is not likely that their books will ever see a wide distribution, but their losses will be kept to a minimum. There are also some writers who decide to become publishers themselves even if it is only to self publish their own book. However, this road if fraught with pitfalls. This route requires a great deal of work with many obstacles and challenges to overcome. The rewards, though, of having your success or failure rest solely in your own hands is a heady, powerful feeling.

You may choose to publish electronically or you can use a short run printing service such as Lightening Print, or you may even go full tilt and do a print run of 1,000 or more. Whatever you route you choose, your success ultimately lies in your ability to sell yourself and your story to others.

So, if you are considering embarking on authorship of a book and you are creating a new manuscript, make sure that you educate yourself thoroughly about the pitfalls, scams, and gems of the industry. More importantly, though, learn how to market yourself because this, more than any other skill, will play a crucial role in determining your success or failure in the industry.

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Writing a Book Articles

Writing a Book - Getting Published

Three Steps to a Successful E-book

Three Additional Steps to a Successful E-book (Continued Part 2)

Tips on Writing a Book

Many people dream about writing a book but while it might sound easy, the truth is that it can be a year or more of blood, sweat and tears and nothing but rejection slips at the end of your efforts. If you are thinking about writing a book, you must be realistic about it. Do not expect to get something written within a few weeks, which will immediately be accepted by the first publisher you send it to and reach the top of the bestseller charts the week after. It does not work that way.

How to Start Writing a Book

There are various steps to writing a book. The first thing to do is to decide what it is to be about. Do you want to write fiction or non-fiction? "How To" books are very popular. If you are a budding carpenter, chef, or musician, perhaps you might want to write a guidebook rather than a word of fiction. Do you find writing a children's book an interesting idea or would you prefer to write for adults? Once you have the general idea of what you prefer to write about, you can focus on adding detail. Do you want to write swashbuckling adventure, gothic horror, or comedy?

Take as long as you need in the planning stage. There is no point writing a hundred pages of your book and then realizing it is not going to work. Plan each chapter or each section first and then add details as you think of them. Perhaps the end result will turn out very differently, to what you first envisioned.