If you are writing a book to sell commercially, you are planning to become a published author. Are you prepared to enter into the competitive publishing field?
You should know off the bat that transitioning from writing mode to publishing mode is not easy. As a writer, you spend a lot of time alone in your writing room. The extent of your outreach might be to conduct research and online or telephone interviews and maybe a little library research. When you decide to publish, however, you’ll be required to interact with others—at the very least, one or more potential publishers, a manuscript editor and eventually, your readers/customers/audience.
The enterprising hopeful author auditions several editors and potential publishers. He will attend presentations by professionals in the field to gather the information and tools he needs in order to proceed. He will also be out talking to his readers—perhaps conducting workshops or presentations to begin the process of building his platform. If he starts this activity early enough, he can also use reader feedback to help guide him in the direction and focus of his project.
The point is that, while writing is solitary, once you decide to publish, you need other people. And, believe me, there are plenty of people out there eager to help for a buck—hundreds more than ever before in the history of publishing.
Before you start the transition into the world of publishing, I urge you to study the publishing industry. Read books by Patricia Fry, Dan Poynter, Brian Jud, Marilyn Ross, Penny Sansevieri and other professionals. Attend presentations at writers’ group meetings and writers’ conferences, for example. And check out each potential editor, publisher, marketing expert, publicist and so forth that you are considering along your path. How? There are warning sites for authors. I list them often. But a better way to check someone’s reputation is to run your own Internet search.
Type in the name of the publishing company, editor, publicist, etc. and “warning,” or “complaint,” and see what you come up with.
• Be smart.
• Protect yourself.
• Get recommendations.
If you are writing a book for publication—no matter where you are in the process—this is a good time to study my latest book, Publish Your Book, Proven Strategies and Resources for the Enterprising Author. It’s available in print and on Kindle and Nook. Order your copy from amazon.com or most any other online or downtown bookstore. You can also order it here: http://www.matilijapress.com