So, you’ve finally finished that manuscript.
All those months of hard work – writing and revising – have finally led to this. The last few pages come fresh and hot off the printer and you finally get to hold your creation in your hands. Tears well up in your eyes, a prideful smile materializes on your lips and you think, “So, now what?”
For many aspiring writers, the publishing process can look pretty intimidating from a distance and up close, because it can be very hard to tell exactly where someone should start. The digital world has given way to a much different environment for print media, and the landscape is constantly evolving. But according to Lisa Smartt, a published author, newspaper columnist and speaker, just finishing your project already separates you from others.
“The hardest part about getting it published is actually writing it,” Smartt said.
Indeed, often times our ambition can be obscured by our affinity for the more effortless aspects of life. This is why it is so much easier to sit around and fantasize about writing the next Great American Novel than it is to actually sit down in front of the blank page. But even if you’re one of the rare exceptions that actually produced a completed manuscript, that’s only step one of the process.
“I would say before I would do anything with an agent, a publisher or self-publishing, I would get the document in a perfected state,” said Smartt.
This is where proofreading and editing come into play. It is essential for aspiring authors to produce the most polished manuscripts they can because that is more likely to arouse the attention of potential publishers and agents. It is very easy for writers to fall so in love with their projects that they dismiss the idea of a second draft. This is why a third-party editor is vital. “Somebody has to tell you that your 97,000 brilliant words that you think are brilliant, are probably only 81,000 brilliant words,” Smartt said.
While the idea of going over the story multiple times searching for errors is not everyone’s cup of tea, the publisher you send it to will definitely take notice. However, according to Mrs. Smartt, a publisher may not even be necessary.
“You don’t need a publisher now because it will just hold you back,” said Smartt.
It is still completely fine to go the traditional route and scout around for agents and publishers, send in cover letters, submit your manuscript multiple times and so on. But doing this won’t separate you from the thousands of writers who have the same goal as you. Standing out from the crowd will always be a reliable ace in your pocket in this field. It is for this reason that Mrs. Smartt, instead, recommends writers consider self-publishing and self-promotion. This will obviously require a tremendous amount of work on your part, but it should pay off. There’s a good chance you’ll have publishers coming to you instead of you to them. This is one of the many advantages self-publishing has over traditional publishing.
The internet has vastly changed the publishing landscape, online marketplaces such as Amazon have led to a slew of new authors choosing the self-publishing route. Self-publishing allows you to get your book out to the public much quicker, and your work no longer needs the seal of approval from the people of Penguin Books or Simon & Schuster. As long as your idea is satisfactory to yourself, and your editors of course, that is the only green light you need. Also, according to Self-Publishing School.com, with self-publishing, “you get to keep anywhere from 50 to 70% of your book’s profits.”
The biggest difference between self-publishing and traditional publishing is the need for self-promotion. Social media provides a great tool for reaching out to potential customers. An effective social media strategy consists of creating content others want to share. This can be anything from photos, excerpts from your writing, ad campaigns and more. If this sounds appealing, the best thing to do would be to start campaigning immediately in order to give your audience ample time to grow.
Ultimately, the decision between self-publishing and traditional publishing is up to the writer. The publishing world is a sea full of starry-eyed writers all with the same dream, and wading through this sea inevitably leads some to shore while leaving others behind. While traditional publishing is a fine option, there is no guarantee that your work will be chosen, and it is for this reason that many potentially brilliant authors never get their chance. Self-publishing offers no guarantee of success either, but according to Mrs. Smartt, “It’s more valuable to write something beautiful that 11 people read than not to write it at all.”
The question, “How do I get my book published?” offers no distinct answer because there is no distinct path. Some may decide the traditional route is more suited to them, while others may opt for the speed and convenience offered by self-publishing. Whatever you think suits you better, you can never reach this stage if you do not first write the book, and that is Mrs. Smartt’s biggest piece of advice for aspiring writers.
“Just write for the sake of the story,” said Smartt, “There is no shelf life on the written word”.
It is advice that feels as old as time; writers just simply need to write. While the sea is vast and the waters are crowded, they are also plentiful. It is sad that so many abandon their ideas when they stand at the precipice of the publishing world. But so long as humans live there will always be a need for writers and the written word, and you never know what your words can add to the conversation. So there you stand, still with your completed manuscript in your hands, hopefully with a clearer idea of which route you should take now.
However, another question enters your mind: “What about cover design?” You’ll have to ask Google on this one.
