How to get a book published?

[puffkin]

Does anyone here know how to go about trying to get a book published? It is a fiction book geared towards the young adult/teen crowd. I haven't actually written the book yet, but I have the story and characters pretty much fleshed out and am starting to draft an outline.

Any idea where to begin. A lot of the websites out there didn't seem very reputable.

 

[MushyMushy]

I was just reading an article about this -- and from all the creative writing classes and workshops I ever took in college, it was the same advice. Find an agent whose clients write the same types of books.

But have the book already written. Unless you're a previously published author, they probably won't want to hear your ideas.

 

[Par8hed]

I think you're jumping the gun a bit.
Write the book.

Then, you just need to shop it to publishers and see if one bites.

 

[sdarwkcabemanmy]

Good luck.

I've been told you need to get magazines, etc to publish articles and such that you've written FIRST before you even THINK about publishing a book. THEN you have to shop around for an agent and to me, it's too big of a headache to do that.

Right now, I'm using a website called WeBook.com to write my book. Whether or not it gets published...well, I dunno. But at least I've given it a shot.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Everything I have read says write the book first. I also have several in my head, doesn't do me any good though.

Cindylouwho is a published author. She has given advice before, I think. Too bad the search doesn't work.

 

[Laura]

Gotta write the book first, then shop it around.

 

[NY Disney fan]

The term is "fleshed out". Since you're a budding writer...you can take the criticism...there is more to come if you're going to enter this field. "flush out" is to take something out of hiding.

 

[SydneyBristow]

There are a few self publishers out there-

http://www.iuniverse.com/

http://www.llumina.com/

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Right now, I'm using a website called WeBook.com to write my book. Whether or not it gets published...well, I dunno. But at least I've given it a shot.

Thanks!

 

[Reflection]

After you write the book, you can shop it around to agents who represent authors who write the genre you do or submit it directly to a publisher (e.g., Scholastic or one of the other imprints specializing in YA/teen fiction).
Or you could self-publish the book and do your own marketing and sales to bookstores.

 

[NotUrsula]

There are quite a few writer's forums on the web, rather like this community, but for writers. Look for them, the discussions there will help with the business of finding an agent.

You'll need a finished version of the book, at least a good draft. Only established authors are able to sell based on an outline.

 

[puffkin]

The term is "fleshed out". Since you're a budding writer...you can take the criticism...there is more to come if you're going to enter this field. "flush out" is to take something out of hiding.

Thanks....edited my original post

 

[Miz Diz]

Be prepared for lots of rejection - even if you have an excellent book. There is so much competition out there. My mil has 4 published books and she still gets rejections and sometimes no response at all. She has 2 books that she is trying to sell right now. She is against self publishing, but I have read about authors who self publish and have had success.

If you believe in your book - stick with it.

 

[puffkin]

What I find funny is half the websites say have the book already written and others say to sell your idea first (proposal) and get an agent, then write the book.

I can see the pros and cons to both side. Very interesting and confusing!

 

[Jennasis]

check out absolutewrite.com great resource with a great forum community.

1. WRITE THE BOOK FIRST.

2. Rewrite, edit etc...

3. Get some beta readers (people to read and critique it for you).

4. Edit, rewrite.

Then worry about publishing.

 

[Miz Diz]

What I find funny is half the websites say have the book already written and others say to sell your idea first (proposal) and get an agent, then write the book.

I can see the pros and cons to both side. Very interesting and confusing!

I could be wrong about this, but I believe the proposal is for Nonfiction books. If you have a fiction book, you want to have the book written. When you submit a query letter, if they like it, they will ask you to send them a few chapters.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I have twelve published books, but they are all non-fiction. However I have quite a few friends with published fiction as well. You can try a couple of approaches (all of them AFTER you've finished the book):
-find an agent, who will find a publisher for you. This is not all that easy as there are "scam" agents out there and the good agents may not want to take on new, unproven clients. You need to create a really good cover letter and synopsis of your book to send to potential agents - don't send them the whole book.
-submit your cover letter and synopsis directly to a publisher. You can check the Writer's Market at your library to find ones who take submissions without an agent
-self-publish and get actual copies of your book
-self-publish through a "print-on-demand" service where copies of your book are printed as people order them

Is it difficult? Sure. But people do it every day.

Teresa