Writing a book is an incredible achievement. Many people love the idea of writing a book of their own. If you are one of them, you might be wondering where to begin. You’re in luck. It’s easier than ever to write a book today. It’s also easier than ever to get your book in front of an audience. Start with a few steps and you be one of those people who write a work that others get to read.
Picking a Type
In general, the world of publishing is divided into two categories: fiction and non-fiction. If you are writing a book of any kind, it’s imperative to know the differences between the two. Fiction is essentially work that is wholly an act of true imagination. When people write fiction, they are telling a story. Fiction may be further divided into many subsections. People can write historical fiction, contemporary fiction, mysteries and other types of fiction for their reader such as cookbooks and other how-to books. Non-fiction is material that about the truth. Non-fiction includes biographies, works about science and accounts of recent news. Non-fiction may occasional include speculative elements but it is about adhering closely to a true narrative.
Source: ShutterstockShaping a Manuscript
The manuscript is the entire work that you’re planning to write. If you want to write your own book, you should choose a subject and get to work. Set up a goal every single week. Make it realistic. It might not be possible to write two thousand words a day but it is possible to write a thousand words in a single week. Do this for a year and you’ll have fifty thousand words. Do it for another three months and you’re about sixty thousand words. That’s just about the standard length of most books. Take time each week to revise. If you’re writing non-fiction, document your sources. Put in footnotes indicating what you’re using to rely on for the essential facts.
Your goal is to get it all as polished as possible. Read your sentences out loud. You’re looking for good quality work that falls lightly on the ears of the reader. Note any awkward phrases or areas where the manuscript might be improved. Rewrite sentences and paragraphs as needed until you’re pleased at the results. Consider asking someone to be a beta reader. These are people who provide feedback on the work and offer suggestions about what works and what might need improvement.
Choosing a Publisher
Contemporary publishing has two forms of publishing. People can choose to work with a standard publisher. Standard publishers have many advantages. They’ll get your work on the bookshelves and in libraries. They’ll get it reviewed and noticed by major media outlets. This is a good choice for someone who wants to go the standard publishing route. If you’re going to do that, you can choose to find an agent for submission to the big publishing houses. You can also opt for smaller publishing houses that do not require one. If you’re writing fiction, they’ll ask for at least chapter in advance. If you are writing non-fiction, publishing houses want to see a highly detailed book proposal. Either proposal needs to follow a standard structure. Your goal is to entice the agent or the publishing company into accepting your book for publication.
Source: ShutterstockSelf Publishing
Another option is self publishing. Self publishing is now easier than ever. Today’s would be authors can chose to publish their work via many types of media including Amazon directly. This form of publishing can be a good idea if you already have an audience. Someone with a popular blog will find lots of people happy to ready their e-book and ready to buy it. The blog can serve as an important way to promote the book. It’s also a good way to bring out more than one book if there’s demand for the first one.
The author who is not quite there yet can still publish their work. Using popular media platforms such as Facebook and the like allows the author to let people know they have written something that people might want to read. This is a useful option for those who are writing narrower subjects. For example, a professor can publish a book about a given subject for their students to read related to their coursework.
Books are sources of intense delight. People who love to read often truly love to write. Becoming an author is a lifelong dream come true for many people. If you’ve always dreamed about writing a book of your own, you’ll find many outlets that can make your dearest wish a reality. Doing your homework is essential. Careful dedication and an understanding the publishing process get it off the ground.
