First, as a writer you are competing against roughly 99,999
other writers trying to publish their book per year.
Second, traditional publishers tend to look at
self-published, vanity published, or published online less as writers than
writers in highly rated magazines, or published traditionally.
Third, traditional publishers expect writers to have a
marketing plan, followers, a PR plan, and a promotional plan for their book.
Forth, traditional publishers want to know about how writers
will use social media marketing, and network marketing to garner interest in
their book.
Fifth, traditional publishers might like the writer to have
a blog, book trailer, and web site for the book as well before the writer
completes the book so there is a ready-made audience before publishing the
book.
Sixth, publishers want a book with few errors needing
editing. These errors include, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and typos.
Traditional publishers are looking for ready to print manuscripts. They don’t
want to spend time and money, correcting manuscripts in today’s publishing
culture.
Seventh, is a good deal of luck with the right genre,
homework, and the publisher willing to chance publishing your book, and a ready-made
audience and a large number of followers.
This is the hardest part of publishing, especially for new
writers if their name is not a household name like, James Patterson.
Eighth, reading the submission guidelines carefully. What
potential publishers are looking for as to the type of genre they publish.
You’d be surprised how many publishers receive the wrong material.
Ninth, the proposal letter. If a writer’s proposal letter
doesn’t show writing ability, the manuscript may never reach a reader, because
of the number of manuscripts received in a year and the time it takes to read a
manuscript by an acquisitions editor to see if the book is worthy of
publication.
From this partial list, it’s easy to why it is hard
publishing your book. Read articles from editors and reviewers online and you
will read many complaints about the quality of self-published books, vanity
published book, and more about the lack of quality writing.
Writers need to take responsibility for the quality of their
babies to ensure they are the best book possible to help in publishing them so
readers will ready quality writing, thus insuring they will want to read the
writer when their next book is available.
Robert Medak
Freelance
Writer/Blogger/Editor/Proofreader/Reviewer/Marketer
Yes - it's difficult. But none of this is insurmountable. It just means we have to work really hard to get everything as right as possible. (then submit a little prayer to the luck god.)
ReplyDeleteThat's about it, JO.
DeleteWriting for easy reading isn't the easiest thing, and authors need professional editors.
Bob
Great article, Bob. We're just a spec in the publishing universe and need to take all precautions to produce a quality product to help get our books published.
ReplyDeleteIt took Jack Canfield and his co-author 144 rejections before they got a contract!
Perseverance is another key aspect of getting published.