Write it...
Yes, you can shop your idea around to major publishers in the form of a 'Book Proposal', and hope they'll give you a look. Wish you tha best with that. But...
The reality is this, you've noticed ofcourse how your work load has increased over the past few months, and everytime you tell the boss you could use some help with it, he gives you the old, 'better be glad you've got a job speech?" Yeah, you know the one. Well, the very same thing has happened to the publishing industry. Tons of manuscripts coming in, and fewer readers to read them.
So what do you do?
Gone are the days of shopping your manuscript around with a few flaws that you hope they'll over look because the story concept itself is so compelling. No, now days you need to:
Have a flawless script and a compelling story, cross both fingers, atleast three toes, and then pray!
For me, all I got from shopping my Book Proposal around, was dizzy. I got no responses-nada. Well, hold on, that's not entirely true. I did get one response, one agent said he wanted to see more of the manuscript. Once he got it, then, he said no. (Since I had seen him last he'd opened his own agency, and was looking for established authors to represent.)
No. I'm not telling you that there's no hope, there is.
Since then, I have published three books, but it was only after I learned that you can't just have a great idea for a book. You need to have a strategy to get it published, and a good one...
Here is a list of things that I found worked for me...
1st- Finish your book. You've got a great idea, concept, outline, that the publishers are gonna love. Great. Finish it.
2nd- Don't wait for a publisher to publish your book-you do it. No, seriously, stop laughing, you can do it. Consider going to a good POD (Print on Demand) Publishing Company first. Thier prices can range from $799.00 to $4,299.00 plus, but it's a great first step if you're serious about getting published.
3rd-There are a number of Writer's websites that will allow you to post excerts from your book on their websites for a small fee. Major publishers parouse these sites on a regular basis looking for good manuscripts to publish. Thier next discovery could be you.
4th-Continue to hone your skills, find good books on writing and various writing styles. Don't sit on your laurels, continue to perfect your craft.
5th- Encourage yourself and don't quit.
This is an admittedly a short list, but this is a list designed to be effective, in helping you to get published. Not just another list to go along with the others you have collecting dust on your desk. (Ask me how I know, go ahead, ask me...)
Ok, last thing. A quick peek into the Wonderful Land of "Why"? I use to waste a lot of time there, hopefully by sharing these answers I can help keep you out of its time wasting quagmires...
Why Number 1?
It is important to finish writing your book or manuscript first because a) If by a sweet miracle or act of God you run into a publisher who actually shows interest in your work and wants to see it, you won't have to tell him or her, "Uhh, I uh, don't actually have a finished manuscript yet, but if you just give me four weeks I can get back to you and--Hey! Where you going? Wait, don't leave! You haven't given me your number yet! Wait!"
At that point you wipe your tears and start waving, take a deep breath and say, "Good bye Opportunity! Don't forget to write! {sniff-sniff}"
When opportunity knocks, always make sure your ideas are fully dressed and ready to answer the door...
Why Number 2?
If you have the money, make sure that you self-publish your book. Use a POD company, because they have much cheaper prices than the traditional, older, and more costlier self-publishing companies.
Why? Because once you get a contact in the major publishing industry, you can present him or her with a finished product. It can be a very impressive thing to Manucript Coordiantor that: a) You believed enough in your book that you spent your own money to get it out there before the public. It shows you believe enough in your product to get off your keister and work for it. b) Instead of them having to imagine what your book would look like published, they can actually see it, even if they decide to give it a different cover. My first book, Dark Things... was done by Xulon Press (www.xulonpress.com) and the original book cover, won an award! Subsequently the book was picked up by major religious publisher, Moody Press.
There are several other POD companies available and some of the additional benefits they can offer (and they are priced accordingly) are:
Copyrighting Services
Listing and Posting to numerous major online bookstores (Amazon.com, Books-a-million.com, Barnes and Noble.com, etc)
Creat trailers for your book on the Internet, in YouTube, etc.
And the list goes on...
Case in point, my book Dark Things... is an inspirational supernatural thriller. Just for the fun of it, I do a search every now and then just to see what stores carry it online. Along with being listed in all the major online stores and many,many, small ones, last time I checked, an online store in India is carrying it now and advertises that they will ship copies to Dubai, and Saudi Arabia,etc. So as you can see, # 2 is indeed worth it.
Why Number 3?
I will in my next post list the names of several of these sites where you can post samples pages from your book where major publishers on a regular basis, drop by these sites looking for new authors and new talent. I have used it myself and they are excellent. They're not free, but it is a remarkable opportunity to get your work infront of the right set of eyes.
Why Number 4?
You must continue to hone your skills. Obviously it is for your own good and as you get better and better you will be very glad that you have indeed continued to perfect your writing skills.
Why Number 5?
Finally, if you have family and friends that can and do encourage you to live your dream as a writer and author, great. But if not...
Then you of all people know that you are going to have to encourage and motivate yourself. Because if you don't do it, then you take the chance that your dreams can die unborn. I have talked to so many potential authors who never took the time to care enough about their dream to encourage themselves. "Physician, heal thyself..."
I'm glad that you have encouraged and motivated others to accomplish their lifes' dreams, but I think its time now, that you took the time to invest the same efforts into your own...
God bless, and keep writing...
Let's all remember to use our God given gift of...
American Tenacity...
David Humphrey
Yes, you can shop your idea around to major publishers in the form of a 'Book Proposal', and hope they'll give you a look. Wish you tha best with that. But...
The reality is this, you've noticed ofcourse how your work load has increased over the past few months, and everytime you tell the boss you could use some help with it, he gives you the old, 'better be glad you've got a job speech?" Yeah, you know the one. Well, the very same thing has happened to the publishing industry. Tons of manuscripts coming in, and fewer readers to read them.
So what do you do?
Gone are the days of shopping your manuscript around with a few flaws that you hope they'll over look because the story concept itself is so compelling. No, now days you need to:
Have a flawless script and a compelling story, cross both fingers, atleast three toes, and then pray!
For me, all I got from shopping my Book Proposal around, was dizzy. I got no responses-nada. Well, hold on, that's not entirely true. I did get one response, one agent said he wanted to see more of the manuscript. Once he got it, then, he said no. (Since I had seen him last he'd opened his own agency, and was looking for established authors to represent.)
No. I'm not telling you that there's no hope, there is.
Since then, I have published three books, but it was only after I learned that you can't just have a great idea for a book. You need to have a strategy to get it published, and a good one...
Here is a list of things that I found worked for me...
1st- Finish your book. You've got a great idea, concept, outline, that the publishers are gonna love. Great. Finish it.
2nd- Don't wait for a publisher to publish your book-you do it. No, seriously, stop laughing, you can do it. Consider going to a good POD (Print on Demand) Publishing Company first. Thier prices can range from $799.00 to $4,299.00 plus, but it's a great first step if you're serious about getting published.
3rd-There are a number of Writer's websites that will allow you to post excerts from your book on their websites for a small fee. Major publishers parouse these sites on a regular basis looking for good manuscripts to publish. Thier next discovery could be you.
4th-Continue to hone your skills, find good books on writing and various writing styles. Don't sit on your laurels, continue to perfect your craft.
5th- Encourage yourself and don't quit.
This is an admittedly a short list, but this is a list designed to be effective, in helping you to get published. Not just another list to go along with the others you have collecting dust on your desk. (Ask me how I know, go ahead, ask me...)
Ok, last thing. A quick peek into the Wonderful Land of "Why"? I use to waste a lot of time there, hopefully by sharing these answers I can help keep you out of its time wasting quagmires...
Why Number 1?
It is important to finish writing your book or manuscript first because a) If by a sweet miracle or act of God you run into a publisher who actually shows interest in your work and wants to see it, you won't have to tell him or her, "Uhh, I uh, don't actually have a finished manuscript yet, but if you just give me four weeks I can get back to you and--Hey! Where you going? Wait, don't leave! You haven't given me your number yet! Wait!"
At that point you wipe your tears and start waving, take a deep breath and say, "Good bye Opportunity! Don't forget to write! {sniff-sniff}"
When opportunity knocks, always make sure your ideas are fully dressed and ready to answer the door...
Why Number 2?
If you have the money, make sure that you self-publish your book. Use a POD company, because they have much cheaper prices than the traditional, older, and more costlier self-publishing companies.
Why? Because once you get a contact in the major publishing industry, you can present him or her with a finished product. It can be a very impressive thing to Manucript Coordiantor that: a) You believed enough in your book that you spent your own money to get it out there before the public. It shows you believe enough in your product to get off your keister and work for it. b) Instead of them having to imagine what your book would look like published, they can actually see it, even if they decide to give it a different cover. My first book, Dark Things... was done by Xulon Press (www.xulonpress.com) and the original book cover, won an award! Subsequently the book was picked up by major religious publisher, Moody Press.
There are several other POD companies available and some of the additional benefits they can offer (and they are priced accordingly) are:
Copyrighting Services
Listing and Posting to numerous major online bookstores (Amazon.com, Books-a-million.com, Barnes and Noble.com, etc)
Creat trailers for your book on the Internet, in YouTube, etc.
And the list goes on...
Case in point, my book Dark Things... is an inspirational supernatural thriller. Just for the fun of it, I do a search every now and then just to see what stores carry it online. Along with being listed in all the major online stores and many,many, small ones, last time I checked, an online store in India is carrying it now and advertises that they will ship copies to Dubai, and Saudi Arabia,etc. So as you can see, # 2 is indeed worth it.
Why Number 3?
I will in my next post list the names of several of these sites where you can post samples pages from your book where major publishers on a regular basis, drop by these sites looking for new authors and new talent. I have used it myself and they are excellent. They're not free, but it is a remarkable opportunity to get your work infront of the right set of eyes.
Why Number 4?
You must continue to hone your skills. Obviously it is for your own good and as you get better and better you will be very glad that you have indeed continued to perfect your writing skills.
Why Number 5?
Finally, if you have family and friends that can and do encourage you to live your dream as a writer and author, great. But if not...
Then you of all people know that you are going to have to encourage and motivate yourself. Because if you don't do it, then you take the chance that your dreams can die unborn. I have talked to so many potential authors who never took the time to care enough about their dream to encourage themselves. "Physician, heal thyself..."
I'm glad that you have encouraged and motivated others to accomplish their lifes' dreams, but I think its time now, that you took the time to invest the same efforts into your own...
God bless, and keep writing...
Let's all remember to use our God given gift of...
American Tenacity...
David Humphrey
