When Your Book is Done, How to Choose a Publisher
My advice here will probably surprise some and dismay others.
First, make sure you have a book someone would want to publish. Is it error free? No typos or grammar problems?
If you want to be published by a New York house you will first have to find an agent. Do some research, find an agent who represents the kind of book you have written. Actually, you probably need to find many agents who represent the kind of book you've written. Send exactly what each one asks for in a query--make sure it is the best query ever written. Again, no typos or grammar problems.
If you're older like me, forget that process, it takes too long. There are many good small independent publishers out there looking for good books. Usually, they are more willing to look at books of different lengths and those that mix genres. (Genres are the type of books: mystery, suspense, romance, crime novels, erotica, science fiction, horror, fantasy--and there are many sub-genres.
You don't need an agent to contact these smaller publishers, but you do need to pay attention to what kind of books they are interested in and exactly how they want you to submit. Then do exactly what each publisher's guidelines say to do. And no, they aren't all the same. This takes some work, but if you really want to get published, you'll do it.
Most publishers also want to know how you plan to market (promote) your book, so you should be thinking about that too.
That's enough to get you started. Good luck!
Marilyn
First, make sure you have a book someone would want to publish. Is it error free? No typos or grammar problems?
If you want to be published by a New York house you will first have to find an agent. Do some research, find an agent who represents the kind of book you have written. Actually, you probably need to find many agents who represent the kind of book you've written. Send exactly what each one asks for in a query--make sure it is the best query ever written. Again, no typos or grammar problems.
If you're older like me, forget that process, it takes too long. There are many good small independent publishers out there looking for good books. Usually, they are more willing to look at books of different lengths and those that mix genres. (Genres are the type of books: mystery, suspense, romance, crime novels, erotica, science fiction, horror, fantasy--and there are many sub-genres.
You don't need an agent to contact these smaller publishers, but you do need to pay attention to what kind of books they are interested in and exactly how they want you to submit. Then do exactly what each publisher's guidelines say to do. And no, they aren't all the same. This takes some work, but if you really want to get published, you'll do it.
Most publishers also want to know how you plan to market (promote) your book, so you should be thinking about that too.
That's enough to get you started. Good luck!
Marilyn
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