Publishing 101

After writing your manuscript, you will need to publish it. Publishing includes the binding, marketing and distribution of your book. By knowing how each step of the publishing process dovetails into the next, you can make better decisions during each step to increase your chances of publishing a successful book.

Publishers and Manuscripts

Publishers do not generally read unsolicited manuscripts. Publishers work with agents to supply them with publishable manuscripts. A publisher’s acquisition team includes editors and marketing professionals who evaluate whether a particular manuscript can make the publishing house money. To increase your chances of having an agent read and submit your manuscript for consideration, it should be well written and have a broad appeal (for example, it should be either entertaining or informative).

Production Schedule

The production department of the publishing house designs the cover of the book and oversees how the book is printed and bound into a finished product. Once a manuscript is accepted for publication, it can take a few years before the book actually reaches bookstores. Publishers like to release titles seasonally and will not release your book for publication if there are similar titles from other publishers in competition with yours.

Marketing

The marketing and distribution of a book is arguably the most important aspect of publishing. If a publisher does not think that your book can secure a wide distribution, it won't be published. If a book never lands in the hands of booksellers, then there will be no chance to attract possible customers. The marketing team of the publishing house has to decide whether a particular manuscript is promotable. This in large part includes who the author is and how marketable he is. An promotable author can help generate publicity for his book through print reviews and radio interviews.