Has anyone ever published a book before?

[Please_Help950]

I have been working on writing a Science Fiction book since 2007, and I am looking into getting it published very soon. It will be my very first book and I really have no idea on how to go about doing this. I have heard about the option of Self-Publishing, but I don't know what is best. I have a lot of questions, and would greatly appreciate it if someone would be able to give me some advice. Thanks!!!! :) :) :)

[mersilkee]

I have always loved to write.  In the early90's I started a writer's group.  The thing I liked best about the group was the wonderful conversation between people who loved to write.
What I did not like was reading everyone else's manuscripts. It kept me from doing my own work.  Many times wirters make the mistake of worrying about being published.  They start writing to be published, writing to fill a marketing slot that do not know it it will be there the next day.  I have been to writer's workshops.

The advice of published authors is to spend your time writing and not worry about the publishing business.  Unless you are doing romance novels for a particular publishing group that requires formula romances which you are not then don't worry about when and where you will get published.

I took care of a great literary writer in our home after he had a major stroke.  He wrote two books in his life time and the first book was praised by T.S. Eliot.  His advice to me was to write what I knew from my heart.

I saw a post I liked recently that said a muse is happy when she sees you typing and she will give you inspiration.

Our Professor, which is how we addressed him, said that when you write anything it is published.  It does matter if it is not published by a book publishing company.  It is published where it is most important to be published in this mortal life.  If a work you have written is supposed to be seen by others it will be seen by others, he said there is a place that exists outside this mortal realm where everything that has been said, created, drawn, written or song flows along a great river.  When anyone is truly inspired they dip into this river of memories that are never forgotten and by writing you in turn inspire someone else to write and so it goes.

He only wrote two fiction books in his entire life.

I have taken what he told me to heart.  I have a fatal illness.  It has opened up my creativity and I no longer have a writer's block I had for years.  I too am writing a novel.

I am not worried about when or how it will be published.  My husband is helping me and our plan is to work on the book.  When I am finished he will edit it.  Then we will do a rewrite.  After that he plans to self publish it on the internet along with some of my other works.  If it is meant to be, someone will see it.

I hope this helps you.
M.

[Lisa_32]

I have been booking on book for years. My father always said i should even if i don't publish it. I ahve order self publishing information before. sorry haven't actually read it. But you can do it, just go to your resistery to find out what you need to do. I did this register my name and a company, writing and phograghy, that will get you started.... for self publishing.

[HelpinUtah]

I have not YET published a book, but I am in the process of writing one.  It will be part fiction and part non-fiction.  Some parts will be based on some things that happened in my life.  I will use a pen name when I do finally get it done because if it is published there are some family members who WILL NEVER know I wrote it!  There are some things that I'd rather my family never know about (especially my youngest siblings from my father's second marriage).  Anyway, writing soothes me so much!

[heatherlynn22]

you don't have to stick in your area. the agents i'm looking at are in new york and i'm in pennsylvania. look at jk rowling (author of the harry potter series) her agent is in london she's in scotland. when she first got harry potter published a london publisher bought it and auctioned it too a new york publisher a year later.

you can always change things and rewrite the book to mold it to a specific age group. that's what i struggled with at first was who i was writing for. i finally decided on the teen/young adult age group. so i have to go through and rewrite areas that are more age appropriate.

don't let people dictate how you write!! do not! if they don't like it oh well. there is bound to be someone out there who will like it. have you ever seen the movie antz? or a bugs life? ants and bugs facing human like problems and we LOVE it. it's a kids movie with some adult themes that are kid enough that the entire family can enjoy. there is ALWAYS going to be someone out there who does NOT want you to succeed. i've been getting poo from people left and write for deciding to make this my life. (aside from my kids of course) they tell me i'll never do it. i'll fail and blah blah blah. they say that the story and plot are **** where as others tell me it's great. know what i'm doing? ignoring them. i'm polishing it up. fixing it. rererereading it and finding an agent.

you just have to sit back and figure out WHO you want to write for. WHO do you want to read your books. once you can decide on that just go through and revise it until it fits that age gap. whether it be changing words or minimizing the violence. or using stronger language and adding more violence.

you can do it. just believe in yourself! don't let anyone tell you otherwise. the only opinions that mater are yours and your agents. which again...you do NOT have to use an agent in your area. just look for an agent in your genre.

[MJIthewriter]

I talked with a writer in our area and he said there were no agents in our area that work with children type books.

But one of my ongoing problems is trying to figure out what audience I am writing for. I've been writing for myself, so a lot of it is pretty mixed up.It depends a lot on which character you follow. Follow my children characters, then the story seems suitable for younger audiences. But then as my character grows up, so does the story plot that follows him. Follow some of my older characters like Benly, the ant I commonly use in my sig, then I'd say his story probably would better be suited for young adult and up. There's a lot of violence following some of my characters, especially ones that serve as soldiers.

Cartoon like creatures resembling insects probably wouldn't suit those who absolutely can't stand anything close to a bug. I got considerable criticism from people who absolutely didn't like the idea of putting insects into a setting facing some very realistic human-like problems. But on the flip side, the very same reason why some people hate my story series is also one of the strongest compliments I've gotten supporting other people's interest in my characters.

It's controversial. I guess this day in age a little controversy is a good selling point. But still, It's really hard for me to find a good category to fit my series into, because it's so mixed up.

[heatherlynn22]

have you tried sending queries to actual agents and not on the internet? that could be the problem.

[MJIthewriter]

I finished some books and put some samples on the internet but never got any takers offering to help me get anything published. That told me something. I had to swallow my ego and pride and realize that what interests me may not interest anyone else. I've given up trying to have any of my work published.

Hopefully you'll have better luck than I have.

[heatherlynn22]

agentquery. com

it lists agents and what genres they look for. they also provide the websites for the agencies they work for. they give you the requirements and if they accept unsolicated authors.

[heatherlynn22]

i wish you the best of luck as well!!

[Please_Help950]

Thanks sooo much for the info. I greatly appreciate it!!!! I'll have to check that out. :)

I wish you the best of luck with your book. I bet it's really good! :) :) :)

[heatherlynn22]

check out writers beware!! they don't list the good publishers and agents but they do tell you some of the shady ones to stear away from and what to look for in a legit publisher/agent.

i actually just finished book 1 in my series (i'm in the editing revising process) and have been on the publisher/agent hunt as well.

a good way i learned to find legit publishers/agents is to check websites that sell books. i.e. barnes and noble...check out one of the books and see who their publisher is, then check out that publisher (it helps if you look under the genre you write in obviously)

[Please_Help950]

Thank You both so much, I greatly appreciate it!!!! :) :) :)

[sfkaos]

There are a few websites too if you'd like to do some research in the self-publishing route.  

Try: lulu.com and fastpencil.com

Good luck!!

[Wiley_Willow]

Well, you know I can't help you there seeing as I'm just a "kid", but I do wish you luck with publishing your book! :D

[Please_Help950]

Yes, I really did enjoy writing it. :) Thank You sooo much for the information, I'll try contacting them soon.

Thanks again, I greatly appreciate it!!!! :) :) :)

[margypops]

Sounds very promising I bet you had a lot of fun writing it... You can google Dorrance Publishing Co Inc  they will give you free information, eaxactly how to go about it, presenting your Manscript etc they will first want to know what its about. Yes we actually have a memeber who self published a childrens books I believe she is writing another ,I can ask her to advise you if you go that route but most would be Authors ask the Publishing Houses first.