You’ve inched your way into writing. First, you wrote for newspapers, magazines, and journals; now, you have a collection of short stories or even a poetry book (yes, someone did say poetry is making a comeback) ready to publish. But now what?
Your expertise is growing and writing is getting easier for you. As mentioned in my last column, novellas are certainly a great way to get your first published book into the world without it seeming so crazy daunting.
Now, what on earth do you do about getting them into a bookstore or a library? There is a sea of information on the internet, and everyone in writing groups has a suggestion or an opinion on which way to go. Who do you listen to? The answer is this: yourself.
Create a list of pros and cons for both avenues. Remember in that second Write to Rise, when I mentioned it’s important to get clear on your purpose? Start there. If this book is the best piece of work you’ve seen since the first Harry Potter book came out, then consider taking the time to shop it to traditional publishers. Make a list of publishers, agents, and other people you know who just might know somebody in one of the major traditional publishing houses.
Then, start working on your query letter. It has to be absolutely perfect. Prepare yourself for rejection. Lots of it. J.K. Rowling faced tons of rejections before getting the first Harry Potter published.
Also, there is no shame in self-publishing today, and it’s a great way to maintain all or most of your royalties. One thing to keep in mind is that you are fully in charge. Of everything. That includes book cover design, content, copy editing, marketing, and promoting the book. Think of this as a product, and now you must sell it. Most writers think they are finished once they type the words “the end.” If you’re a first time novelist, that’s all lies. If you aren’t an expert in design, editing, and so on, there are great companies who will do most of the work for you. Be prepared to shop around to make sure the company is reputable, and be prepared to pay for their work.