How to Get a Novel Published in the US

Novelists get their work to the public by getting it published.

If you are an aspiring novelist, getting your novel published in the United States is most likely your main professional goal right now. Once you have finished your manuscript, edited it several times and polished it to the point of perfection, you are finally ready to start trying to get it published. You might have thought that writing the manuscript was the hard part, but the publishing industry is highly competitive. You might have months or even years of work ahead of you still, but once you get your novel published, it will have all been worth it.

Instructions

1. Research publishing companies for the type of novel you wrote. Some publishing companies specialize in just one type of novel -- books for adolescents, mystery novels, romances -- while others have various departments for different genres.

2. Look into using an agent to get your novel published in the United States. An agent works on your behalf to sell your novel to publishing companies. Once the book is sold, the agent generally receives a percentage of your upfront fee.

3. Use resources like The Writer's Market to research publishers and agents. This is a reference guide that is published annually and includes listings for hundreds of publishers and agents, along with how to contact them. Take the research a step further by looking at the websites of publishers and agents and contacting them with any questions you might have.

4. Write your query letters. The query letter is used to introduce yourself to a publisher or agent. Address these letters to specific people and keep them as brief as possible. Explain the basic synopsis of your book, the genre and some details about your prior writing experience. Typically, the most common type of prior writing experience for aspiring novelists involves the publication of short stories.

5. Deal with rejections and keep moving forward. All novelists face rejection before getting published. Some publishers and agents will not see potential in your novel. However, if you work hard and keep at it, eventually you may find the right person to believe in your work.

Tips & Warnings

• Some publishing companies allow you to self-publish your book. While this does not give you the advantage of being marketed by a major publisher, it can be an alternative way to get your novel published in the United States.

References

• Writing Smart: How to Publish a Novel

Resources

• The Writer's Market