Day 5: Get Published!

This is sadly the last guest post for this week *Ooohhh* with the lovely Jen from Unedited who writes about everything and anything but mostly her life as a writer and getting published (have a look, a lot of her stuff makes me laugh) which is why she is perfect for this topic!
I know it's the summer holidays/vacation so you have some extra time on your hands, which means you can write more of that story you've been trying to do in in the evenings when you're tired. Or you're sick of staring at the icon in your Documents of that amazing story you wrote last year and want to do something with. Well, here is a guide to getting that story out into the world.
Here's Jen....

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I WANNA BE PUBLISHED!

If only screaming from your canopy style bed “I want to be published” made the publishing gods shine a single light on you and recruit you for duty. Would live be so much easier?

No. It wouldn’t… (Yes that was me crushing your positive bubble).

I’m not here to beat you down. I’m here to give you a swift kick of reality. Don’t worry… staying on your canopy style bed is safer. The fall after all is hopefully on those Egyptian cotton sheets you just HAD to have after finishing your first draft thinking you’d be a best seller. Yeah, you better write your next SEVERAL books there to make up for that bad decision. Don’t forget those Manolo’s on too girl, you better be working with them on since that was your rent money.

Hold the phone. You haven’t finished the first draft?? You mean to tell me you bought those sheets and shoes after telling your parents you wanted to be a writer? Holy heck we’re in trouble.

Let’s cover the basics.

To get to the publishing stage you need…

A completed manuscript – This is not a first draft. This baby must shine (consult with Critique Group – preferably in your genre). Read writing books for assistance.

A synopsis – Or sucknopsis, no, it mustn’t suck. They suck to write… hence the name. For help consult the synopsis gods (oh, right, they don’t exist. For something close visit Query Tracker).

A query letter –Writing a one page letter about how awesome you and your book are without… A) An elevator pitch (since you don’t know what that is), and B) You have no writing credentials isn’t easy. Don’t panic… guidance is available. For query help consult the query gods (found below)

How to get your work out there…

There are several options. Should you wish to be bold and share your novel Figment and Writer’s Digest are great ways to share your novel and writing with others. If you’re looking for query & agent guidance Query to the Call, Query Shark and Query Tracker are great places to be. Curious about publishing deals and agents then Publishers Marketplace is the place to be.

(Rebecca: I've also heard about Wattpad where you can post a chapter and if it's popular you post another one and so on) 

Deciding what works for you…

Whether it’s self-publishing, e-publishing, small publishing or traditional you must write the novel. It must always start at the beginning. So, go on, get started.

For publishing questions feel free to ask below in the comments section!