The Road to Traditional Publication

Do you have a book in you? Are you wondering what you would do with it when it is finished? Or are you already there – you’ve completed a manuscript and you are wondering what to do with it? The route to publication can, and usually is, long, difficult, and winding but generally ends at one of two destinations: self-published or traditionally published.

To be traditionally published, authors usually either obtain an agent to navigate the route with them or they go directly to the publisher. The initial process at least for obtaining either is essentially the same. First, research and find potential agents and publishers to pitch and then research each one further to find the most likely best fit. Find out what they want to see; just a query letter, a query letter and sample pages or chapters, a full book proposal, etc.? Send whatever the particular agent or publisher wants to see and then wait. And wait. Hopefully you will get a request for more material or the whole manuscript. And then you wait. And wait. Get the green light and, if you get an agent, wait and wait for he or she to attempt to sell your work. If the green light leads to a publisher either without or after you get an agent, arrive at publication paradise. But, if the answer is a polite, “No,” (and if you’re like most all authors, there will be plenty of No’s), submit further and wait. And wait. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

After this extremely simplified explanation of the traditional publishing process, do you have questions? If so, you’re in luck. On Saturday, October 6^th from 1:20 to 3:00 p.m., the Midwest Writing Center is holding a workshop entitled Get Into The House. The session will be facilitated by Jon Ripslinger, a retired English teacher who taught in public high school systems for thirty-five years and author of six traditionally-published young adult novels.

Other sessions offered at Pen In Hand on October 6^th address e-book publishing, self-publishing, and marketing (important no matter how you publish). Discounts are offered for early-bird registrants as well as members of MWC. Click here tolearn more and sign up.