Firstly, congratulations!
If you’re seeking info on how to publish a book, it probably means you’ve accomplished the monumental task of writing your book.
Before exploring the different pathways to publication, it’s worth starting with the most important advice any artist can receive: Don’t give up.
Many writers are familiar with Stephen King’s “rejection spike” anecdote about the nail he used to skewer his growing stack of rejections, as well as the infamous “slush pile” referring to the flood of unsolicited manuscripts that crowd a literary agent’s desk.
While it may take a few weeks, or many years to get published, what matters is remembering what set you down this path in the first place: the spark of a story you wanted to share with the world.
In this article, I will walk you through the key steps of your publishing journey: from polishing your manuscript, to querying literary agents, navigating rejection, and weighing the pros and cons of self-publishing. Lastly, I’ll give you a Story Weapon with a reminder of what every writer needs to protect most along the way.
I get asked often how to publish a book and the answer is that the many approaches form a sum-total effort that will help you reach your goal. Publishing is a marathon that requires both professional polishing through feedback and a resilient mindset to navigate the inevitable rejections of the industry. Whether you pursue a traditional agent or choose the independence of self-publishing, your primary job is to protect your creative spark and stay committed to the process.
Workshops and feedback
Far and away, most manuscripts are rejected for a single reason: they aren’t ready yet. While we all hope to be the rare writer whose talent is self-evident, most successful books are actually the result of multiple rounds of revision, based on constructive feedback.
So, before you send out your first query letter to a literary agent, make sure you’ve really polished your manuscript — ideally with the help of a writer’s workshop to nail down your story’s structure, and an editor to help work out the rough spots.
If you’re looking for more feedback but you’re working with a low budget, many local libraries offer writing groups at no charge. Choose beta readers who are genuine readers of your genre type, who ask questions rather than rewrite your sentences, and who are emotionally safe enough to be honest without making the process about themselves. Use discernment. You can ask friends and family for their input, but fellow writers often make the best beta readers. They are more likely to understand the process of story creation, and won’t confuse their opinion of your choices with a verdict on your work.
Always remember to take any critical feedback with a grain of salt.
When developing Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon was advised to cut the line, “How do you like them apples?” Today, it’s the most recognizable line from the movie, and stands as a testament to trusting your own instincts as a writer.
Querying agents
Entire books have been written about querying literary agents, but here are a few fundamentals worth noting.
Agents serve as gatekeepers in the publishing world. In the traditional process, an author sends a query letter to prospective agents, including a brief description of the novel, sample pages, and often a short author bio.
Try to research each agent carefully before reaching out. Their bios can be found on agency websites, as well as databases like QueryTracker, and will indicate whether your work aligns with their interests, potentially saving both of you some valuable time.
Make sure your letter and sample pages are carefully edited, free of typos, and strongly convey what your book is about. Some agents say they can tell whether a project is viable from the very first line. The more compelling and succinct your letter is from the start, the better your chances are of standing out.
Finally, it doesn’t hurt to personalize your message. Explain why you are reaching out to this specific agent, whether they represent an author you admire, have similar taste in books, or any shared interests.
Most agents receive so many queries that it’s impossible to respond to every one. You may not even receive a personalized rejection, but it’s important to stay hopeful, and remember: Rejections are part of the process.
Rejections
In the introduction to The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand reflected on her difficulty in getting the book published:
The Fountainhead was being rejected by twelve publishers, some of whom declared that it was ‘too intellectual,’ ‘too controversial’ and would not sell because no audience existed for it — that was the difficult part of its history; difficult for me to bear. I mention it here for the sake of any other writer of my kind who might have to face the same battle — as a reminder of the fact that it can be done.
Most of your favorite writers could probably tell similar stories. Far rarer are the cases where a book gets published with immediate ease.
Whether it takes one attempt or one hundred, it’s important not to take rejection as a knock on your writing. The industry is inherently subjective, and there are probably at least twelve publishers kicking themselves for rejecting Harry Potter.
Self-Publishing
There may come a point when you’ve done your best to contact agents, but don’t want your story to live in a folder on your computer. So, you decide to self‑publish. Or perhaps that was your plan from the beginning: drawn to the independence, and increased financial upside of bypassing industry gatekeepers.
Self‑publishing can be a powerful tool, and many writers use it to great effect. Andy Weir’s The Martian is a great example of a bestseller — and later a major motion picture — that began on the author’s personal blog.
It’s not a black‑and‑white decision, either. Many self‑published books get noticed by publishing houses and move onto a traditional track. However, self‑publishing also comes with a drawback in this regard. When you self‑publish a novel, you generally use up its “First Rights” (the right to be the first to publish and distribute the work), which can make some traditional publishers disinclined to acquire it later.
If you’ve weighed your options, and still want your book where readers can actually purchase a copy, there are several ways to move forward. One of the easiest and most popular is Amazon’s self‑publishing platform, Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). You can upload a formatted file of your book along with cover art, and make it available for purchase as an ebook or in print.
This path is especially appealing if you have any experience or interest in digital marketing. Since you’re not splitting revenue with a traditional publisher and agent, you typically keep a much larger share of each sale — often in the range of 60–70% of the list price — several times what you’d earn in standard print royalties.
If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, it’s easier than ever to strike out on your own. BookTok and other viral reading trends can help connect readers with independent authors. But it’s still an uphill battle to build your readership with your audience. Whichever route you choose, there is no “easy path” to becoming a successful author.
Your story weapon: Protect your light
Every great writer once stood with an unpublished manuscript in their hand. For many of them, it wasn’t their first, second, or even third attempt that found success. This is a gauntlet, as well as a great tradition. If all you receive from this round are rejections, then you can still take pride in the process.
Sometimes, it may feel like you’re carrying a candle through the rain. Every rejection is another drop of water on the flame. You might think: “Maybe this won’t work out,” or “Maybe my writing just isn’t any good.”
In these early stages, your job is to protect that light at all costs, so that when you finally meet a dry piece of fuel — an interested reader, or an unexpected opportunity — you’re ready to set it on fire.
The important thing is to keep writing, to find a community of like-minded artists who support you, and whom you can support, and simply continue building a body of work. When you stay out of the result and stay true to the process, you are going to create work that will resonate with others.
FREE DOWNLOAD—OUTLINE YOUR STORY! Are you looking for support to sharpen up your next work faster? My FREE GUIDE will lead you through the process of marrying the wildness of your imagination to the rigor of story structure to unlock your story within.
