Becoming a published author is less complicated than it used to be. However, before you can be a published author, you have to write something, and the most important thing is what you chose to write about. To be successful in writing, it is always best to write on a subject that you know.
We all have at least one subject that we can relate to. Some people know how to make things; some people know how to fix things. Use that knowledge to write a manual. Manuals, or how to books, are popular among people who like, do it your-self. If you have an idea how to get something done, you write a book about it; someone may glean from your knowledge. We all have something to write about; we just haven’t recognized it. Keeping a journal is the first step for a writer. Our whole life is a story, and we live it every day. We can right from life experience, or fiction.
We use our senses every day. Hearing, seeing, feeling, smelling and tasting. You can use the senses to pull your reader into the story. What you hear; what you see; what you feel; what you taste; what you smell. Use your words to put the readers at the spot. When you can identify with what you write, it helps your story to flow, and it alleviates writer’s block.
When you’ve finished your manuscript, it’s time to decide on how to publish. There are several ways to get published. The most popular ways are traditional publishing and self-publishing. It is advisable to choose what is best for your need by looking at the contrast between the two.
Traditional:
- Complete manuscript
- Write a query letter (proposal)
- Submit manuscript.
- The manuscript gets edited.
The Editor reads your manuscript and decides if that’s what the house is interested in. It can either be rejected or accepted. It might be accepted on condition that you make changes that you’d rather not make. If it’s accepted, the Publishing House buys the rights and pays the Author in advance for future royalties. The publishing house chooses the cover design, the package, the print, markets and distributes the book. The author has no control over what happens to the book from there on end.
Self-Publishing:
(1) The Author is the publisher
(2) The Author proof reads the manuscript
(3) Provides cover design
(4) The Author provides funds for
(a) Publishing
(b) Marketing and distribution
(c) Filling orders
(d) Running Publicity campaign.
In the past, authors use to order certain number of books, but now POD is available, you can order from the smallest to the largest number of books that you need; therefore, you don’t have need for storage space, or having books gathering dust.
In conclusion: You finished your manuscript; search the internet for companies that help authors self-publish. Do comparison, decide how you want to publish, and find the best package that fits your needs.
