April 22nd, 2008 by zen2008

This is both the simplest and most difficult question to answer. The brief–and simple–answer is, write a terrific book. Without that, you’re going to have a heck of a time trying to get published, and it’s the stepping stone where every other question about being published begins.

So what happens when you’ve written that terrific book?

The first thing to do once you’ve written your book, whether it be suspense, romance, literary, or children’s book, is to revise it. Edit it. Sit down with your manuscript and pore through it with a fine-tooth comb, looking for any errors that can be fixed, any clarifications that can be made, any dialogue that can be punched up, literally anything that can make your book better. When the time comes to actually look for a publisher, you’ll be in a pile with literally hundreds of other authors with the same dreams and aspirations as you have. As Stephen King said, make sure your hair is combed and your shirt is tucked in.

One of the most frequent questions I’m asked is how many drafts of a book is necessary. Again, that answer is like a pair of pants–one size does not fit all. For THE MARK, I did about six drafts before I ever started showing it to agents. Then once I had an agent, we did another three before he began submitting it to publishers. Once the book sold, I did another two drafts with my editor. So in the end THE MARK went through approximately eleven drafts. I have no idea if this is above or below the median, but it’s what worked for me. A good agent or editor will catch things you never will, be a good author–and an author who aspires to be a professional writer–will go through as many drafts as it takes to get things right, to catch all those silly mistakes that you hate to see in other books.

If you have a reliable circle of friends or relatives who are good readers, allow them to view drafts of your work. But make sure that they’re critical readers, that they’re not just going to pat you on the back and say, “This book is perfect.” Listen to their critiques. You aren’t always going to agree with readers, whether they’re your sister, husband, or even your editor, but they all have your book’s best wishes in mind. And you’ll find that more often than not, they’re right.

Once you’re confident that your book is both brilliant and presentable, it’s time to look for a literary agent and a publisher.