How does a book get published?

Question

Person A writes book. They have it in say a word document.

How does it go from there to being a book we buy on the stores?

I was told people have to mail their material in, but is that email these days or is it still snail mail/physcial copy?

What's the difference for the pro-authors as opposed to first timers? I'm assuming people like Stephen King are fast tracked past parts of the process but is that always true?

How do editors for publishing companies get selected? Do they have degrees in literature? Business?

Answer 1

oh dear, k i found a publisher online and e-mailed my story to them they accepted now the editors have the editors are extrememly skilled and if you get a good publisher then you don't have to worry about a lot of sutff if you get an average publisher i can no longer help you, I am a first time writer and got my book picked up by the first publishing companie i sent it to so the only diffrence is people don't know your name yet

Answer 2

There is no hard and fast answer and there is no quick easy way.  It all depends on the interest and market for your genre.

It's best to start out with the internet or library. You want to take out books like Writer's Market and look at magazines such as Writer's Digest. In there you will find publishers looking for your genre as well as the names of the acquisition editors and the submission guidelines. In some cases you will find that same information on the internet but it isn't always updated in a timely manner.

Look for a writing group / association in your genre and join. They often have newsletters that provide an up-to-date listing of agents, editors, publishing houses and what they are looking for as well as submission guidelines they will tell you if you need a hard copy or if an e-mail copy is acceptable but most still use snail mail after your initial query letter, synopsis and three chapters.

Don't be afraid to send out multiple copies but don't get crazy. Wait for responses (six to eight weeks) so that you can get some feedback. Also keep in mind that what they suggest isn't the end all to be all and so you must take what they say with an open mind to determine which of their suggestions will make your manuscript stronger.

     Once an editor or publisher picks you up they offer you a contract.  It's usually pretty standard, mine was practically verbatim to the one shown on the authors guild website and writer beware.  You may be given a small to decent advance and then a percentage of the royalties once you've sold enough books to cover that advance.  The publisher (if they are legit) does the bulk of the work although you will get a copy back to edit, and then you have to do a follow-up line edit once it is in book format.  Grammar, names, spelling, punctuation, things like that.  After that they do basic promotions for you by listing it in book catalogues, libraries, book stores, and literary magazines and presses.  Not everyone gets the same push.

     Pro authors usually get more money and have more control over content, cover art, promotions and negotiations of contract details.  1st time authors tend to take what they can get and once they begin proving themselves snatch up an agent to negotiate better terms in the future.  You may go from $2000. a book to $5000. a book to $10000. a book with some of the large publishers.  On average Harlequin, silohette, blaze and the smaller lines (even though the company is big) offer a little less but put out more titles per month and have a faster turn over (your book is on shelves sooner but not as long).  But all authors go through a similar process no matter where they are it's just a matter of how much money you are willing to shell out for a private editor to re-submit your grammatical line editing, an outside publicity firm, agent, assistant, etc.

     Editors can have several types of degrees in a variety of areas.  Most start off as readers of some sort for educational texts, magazines, newspapers etc.  Some were writers and then moved into editing, some are people who love to read and can handle the pressure of tackling 100 manuscripts in a week.  It is very hard work as I am very close with my first editor and her life is very hectic.  

J...

Answer 3

Carlos,

Here’s what I give everyone who wants to seriously write for publication. It seems like a long list, but it can be done if you stick to it. This is the best way to get your foot into the door of a literary agent.

Read on:

Writing a book takes more than just sitting down and putting your idea into words. There are a lot of things that you have to consider.

Keep an eye out for spelling and grammar errors. When typing fast with fresh ideas in our heads, we tend to forget ourselves. Check and recheck your work. Editors are very expensive these days.

You’ll need to know how to write an effective ‘query letter’ to a literary agent. The letter will also include a synopsis that will hold the interest of the agent, and want to make him or her ask for the first three chapters of your work. Never send a manuscript to a publisher or literary agent without querying first.

You’ll need to know how to format your manuscript. This includes the fonts (size and type) that most agents, editors, and publishers want. These are usually Courier New and Times New Roman (12 pt). Short stories and novels are formatted differently. You will need to follow submission guidelines just as they are laid down for your submissions. Anything less will result in your manuscript sent back or destroyed unread.

You will need to know what Point of View (POV) is. Know how to write in First Person Point of View. You’ll need to know the can and can not of each.

Do you know how to write dialogue? How to format dialogue? This is very important and allows the author and his/her characters to communicate with the reader. Remember dialect as well. Dialect is how a person speaks. Your characters may be highly educated or dumber than dishwater. ‘Ain’t got none’ is highly acceptable when used properly by a character who is even less than street smart.

It’s a good idea to know some of the publishing laws. The use of names and places.

These include

o Delivery Of Satisfactory Copy

o Permission for Copyrighted Material

o Grant Of Rights

o Proofreading and Author's Corrections

o Advances and Royalties

o Author's Warranties and Indemnities

o Copies to Author

o Option Clause

Learn how to get a ‘word count of your work. Some novels have a prologue and an epilogue. You’ll need to know how to write them and why they’re used.

Know what the word ‘genre’ means. Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction; These are all genres.

One of the most important issues in manuscript submitting is the proper ‘page set up’ for your work. This includes margins, indents, and paragraphs. Most editors will want to see your manuscript double spaced. This allows the editor to use his/her proofreaders marks between the lines. Most margins will be one inch all around with a ragged right margin and an even left.

Are you prepared to do a lot of ‘research’ involving your work? Remember that many professionals such as, doctors, lawyers, nurses, public accountants, judges, architects, bricklayers, engineers, and police officers read, too.

Do you know what a sub-plot is? This is a plot that comes ‘under’ the main plot. The hero may be after the vampire, but the mob may be after the hero as well. This is a sub-plot.

Can you take rejection and constructive criticism? If you’re easily hurt in the feelings department, then writing may not be your forte. Critics will tear you apart or build you up. The best writers in the world “King, Patterson, Koontz, J.K. Rowling, and many others” have been torn up one side and down the other. You can’t please everyone.

If you decide to hire an editor, remember: Your manuscript will be double spaced, which means there will be twice as many pages. A 600 page novel could cost you around $1800.00, some even more depending on what the editor charges per page. Then there’s the hourly rate that some charge. Usually it’s within the range of $65.00. So, if they work on your book for 18 hours, that’s another $1170.00 + $1800.00 = $2970.00

These are the things you must know to work at your craft. Don’t let these things deter you from writing. There are books in libraries and bookstores that can teach you all of these things. Buying these books (if you want to be a serious writer) is the best thing to do. Why? Well, because you can use a yellow marker to highlight all the points of interest. Then you can use the front of the book to make page references to those markings in order to check back on them at a later date, when you need to.

You’ll need to get a copy of Writer’s Market for the current year. This has literary agents whom you can send out query letters to. Some of them allow email queries. They also have a website. Google: Writer’s Market.

I wish you the best of luck!!!!!!!!!!

PJ M