| Publishing a book is one of the best ways to build | | | | The big publishers generally don't deal directly with |
| credibility and gain exposure. Not only can it | | | | the author anyway. They prefer to deal through |
| position you as an expert in your field but it could | | | | Literary Agents. These are basically screeners |
| also open the door to entirely new opportunities | | | | who receive hundreds of book proposals each |
| just because you are now an author. Indeed, | | | | month and sift through them looking for those |
| almost any author will tell you the best thing they | | | | with real potential. Getting a Literary Agent is step |
| ever did was publish their first book. | | | | one if you hope to get your book published by |
| There are three primary options for getting your | | | | one of the big publishing houses. |
| book published. The easiest way is to self-publish | | | | A great way to find Literary Agents is to go to a |
| the book yourself, meaning you complete the | | | | book store and find books similar to the one |
| work and send it to a printer. Done. The second | | | | you'd like to write. Then look at the |
| option is to use an independent publisher. These | | | | acknowledgements. In most cases, the authors |
| are legitimate publishers but they're smaller than | | | | will thank their agents in that section and you can |
| the big boys and tend to specialize in one area or | | | | simply make note of their names and then look |
| another. The last option is the most ambitious and | | | | them up on Google. Then contact them and see if |
| it involves the industry majors like Penguin and | | | | they're accepting new proposals. |
| Random House. | | | | Book proposals for the big publishing houses are |
| Any aspiring author would prefer to get their | | | | generally quite large. It's not unusual for the |
| book published by a major publishing house. It | | | | proposal to be 100 pages long. In fact, you're |
| gives you far more credibility and enhances your | | | | almost better off writing the entire book ahead |
| chances of selling the book once it's on retail | | | | of time and then putting the proposal together |
| shelves. But getting one of the big publishers to | | | | afterwards. You'll end up including a sample |
| publish your book is no easy task. There are a | | | | chapter in the proposal anyway and there are |
| number of things you need to keep in mind | | | | plenty of other things it should include. You can |
| before you even get started. | | | | find more information about what needs to be |
| Most importantly, the big publishing houses only | | | | included by doing a Google search for book |
| work with proven authors. That means it's | | | | proposal. |
| extremely difficult to get them to work with you | | | | Getting your first book published by one of the |
| on your first book. They want to know you've | | | | industry majors is difficult but it's not impossible. |
| successfully sold books before. And if it's your | | | | Do your research on the front end and learn how |
| first book, you better have an impressive | | | | the system works. That will be your greatest |
| platform and an audience you can easily tap into | | | | asset when starting the process. You can find a |
| to promote sales. Bottom line; they don't really | | | | lot more tips and tricks for getting books |
| care what your book is about. Their top priority is | | | | published on my website and I hope you take |
| your ability to sell it. | | | | advantage of the free information available there. |