Publishing my book

[CurtSeattle]

You don't have to go into detail, but what's the book about, Sam? Just curious! Maybe I'll buy one to help out.

[Sam]

I appreciate the offer Curt, but it really is a niche book, not a collectible. It would be like someone who works in law enforcement buying a manual for the different uses for forceps in the medical field, ie. not worth much. Thanks for the offer though.

[LadyHitchhiker]

rereading everything that was written here as I am on my quest.

Thank you everyone and thanks Sam for the ideas about the small market. The thing is that I don't want to market my books to a small niche. I want to make as big as an impact as possible. Not for the glamor. Not for the money - unless by being richer will help me to help more people and animals. But as part of my mission to change the world for the better. Got Captain Kirk syndrome, and losing Linus to something that may be preventable in the future doesn't help diminish my own disease of charity.

I really want to make a difference.

[DoctorDodge]

That's certainly one hell of a good reason to get a book published, LH! I'm writing a book myself, but only because of a very selfish reason - writing down a story that I want to read. Will it ever get published? Not sure. Atm, with studying accounting and everything (substitute "everything" for "laziness") I'm really not sure. Still, nice to have some tips from a few people who have got their books published, just in case! Not to mention a few aspiring writers out there like me who are also going through the frustration of writing their first novel!

But it's definitely a good thing to really want to get a book published to help everyone. That's something I really can respect!

[LadyHitchhiker]

Thanks for the support and the kudos!

I have written a science fiction novel which is handwritten 658 pages. Wrote that one for fun but that one is on the back burner now. Still have to type it up and I'd much rather work on making a difference first. Sharing the fun fun stuff later.

[woodpryan]

Have you read Stephen King's "On Writing" yet. I highly suggest that you pick up a copy of that book. He gives a lot of advice on getting your work published. Also, you should pick up a "Writer's Market". They are a bit pricey, but well worth it. You need to get some short stories published in some magazines under your belt before you can get a novel published. This is because you need an agent to get your novel published and you need some credibility to get one. You can get published without one, but it's best to go about it this way. you want to crawl before you walk. I hope this advice is helpful.

[LadyHitchhiker]

I have never been able to successfully write short stories. I have written a lot of poetry and parodies, and I have a 658 page novel that has yet to be published on top of my non-ficiton, but how am I supposed to conjure up short stories to be published when that is not my forte?

[woodpryan]

but how am I supposed to conjure up short stories to be published when that is not my forte?

the best way to conjure short stories is to read short stories. If you don't read many, it is difficult to think of them, just as it is difficult (just about impossible) to think up novel ideas if you don't read novels. Pick up some King short story collections. Read some H. P. Lovecraft and some Shirley Jackson. That should be helpful. Pick up a copy of Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazin, Ellerly Queen, Asimov's, Writer's Digest, Reader's digest, I could go on (I'm the magazine specialist at Books a Million). There are tons of short stories out there. And most importantly, I suggest reading "On Writing", by Stephen King if you have not read it yet. That's the most important thing I can suggest. I wish you the best of luck.

[LadyHitchhiker]

I have tried to get published in animal magazines, but they all sound very interested in the beginning then lose contact with me. I really do want my book to be published and the sooner the better. I need to get Linus's story out. It's important.

[Jack Torrance]

A friend of mine got scammed like that. They asked for money up-front. He sank money into it, and then nothing. They just kind of fell off the face of the earth.


It was pretty sad. I mean it was a great novel too, now he doesn't want to publish it, and has no intention of ever doing so. Makes me sad to think scammers can cause issues like that. People decide not to publish because they got scammed, who knows they could have a #1 selling novel.

[Dave!]

Back when I was fervent on getting my first work published I was in your shoes. A literary company contacted me, wanted a synopsis, liked it, and wanted a bit more so I emailed it to them. They, of course, sent a reply stating that they felt it was marketable and promising, and then ensued the "literary fees" of having the work critiqued, then so on and so on. Sounds like the same scam I almost fell into. Luckily for me I got some good advice on here and didn't follow through with it. Plus the work needs more... work... I think before it is ready, in retrospect.
But good luck and I'm glad Bev and the gang were there to keep you from falling for it.
As far as any further advice, I have none, as my writing has been on the back burner now for a year. Guess it might be time to get back at it and see where the story takes me. Who knows, maybe 2010 might be the year I get my butt in gear and do a heavy agent search... but once again, good luck!