Getting noticed by traditional book publishing companies is the dream for most aspiring writers. But it's no longer the only route to publishing a manuscript. Today, there are many ways to turn your work into an actual book for an audience to read. You can self publish or turn to self-publishing companies that can help you get your book published and get sold through the major retailers and distributors. There are also publishing services that you can hire to publish your book. All this said, if you really want to go the traditional route and realize your dream of being a publishing house author, then it's time to do the legwork. There are certain steps that you should take:
- Remember that in an arrangement with traditional book publishing companies, the publisher is essentially paying you for the right to get your work published. They assume all the costs of the publishing and provide you advance payment along with royalties. One of the most important steps toward getting published the traditional way is providing publishers a persuasive pitch so that they would accept your work and agree to invest in it.
- In order to do this, you must determine a concrete category or genre for your work. Remember that certain publishing companies favor certain types of work over others. For instance, some may focus on fictional work, while others publish non-fiction work. Knowing whom you should send your work to is also a crucial step toward your goal of getting published and attracting the right publisher to invest in your work.
- Prepare your submission materials along with your manuscript. Writing a compelling query letter will help your cause immensely.
- Obtaining a literary or book agent who would submit your work to publishers is also key in getting published by a traditional publisher.