Guest Post: 4 Ways to Get Published by James Blake

February 28, 2017

I would like to welcome James Blake to the backwoods today. He is here t share thoughts about some ways to get published.

Have you written anything lately that you are so proud of that you want it to get published right away? If you are here, then it is more likely that you already do, and you are looking for ways around this problem. If you have not written anything yet, then you probably just came here out of curiosity to know how a writer gets published.

It is every writer’s dream; to belong to the world of the great and famous literary artists of all time. It is like the rite of passage for most of us: to have something to show the world. And to have a hardbound issue of one of your best-ever written material. It is the tangible proof that you are in fact a writer despite what other say or think about you. You are this literary fellow that has something to share with the world even after you are gone.

Everybody can write, but does everybody got what it takes to write something and get it published?

Okay, now I can feel your curiosity, and I will not say any more but to head straight to the point. So get your manuscript ready and prepare for the most important, life-changing decision you will ever make in your entire life—or not.

Consider a Literary Agent

Hold your horses and think about this suggestion first: Have you ever heard of a literary agent? Sometimes they are also called publishing agents. Like most agents, their sole purpose is to represent a certain person, in this case a writer, to various publishers, producers and film studios. They deal with promotions and assist the writer with deal negotiations and even with sales.

Most of the time, literary agents are considered the middlemen of this industry. They act as a mediator between the writers and the publishers in most of their dealings, especially when there is a misunderstanding in their midst.

Literary agents are usually paid with a fixed compensation of 10 percent up to 20 percent. That includes the upfront payment and the actual sales of the book. That is fair amount considering what they could do to boost your reputation and the places your name could land. But note to self: it is not easy to find a very good and a decent literary agent. In fact, it is said that it is much easier to find a publisher than to find one.

Find a Publisher

Find a publisher. Three simple words, but those words are not the friendliest in any writer’s situation. Even despite that you have already had a manuscript ready, not all publishers in town are going to go lining up to get your works published.

Since not all publishers have the same field and interest, you must first consider learning about each of them as your prospect. You must consider the following:

  • Genre- as I have mentioned earlier, not all publishers are the same. There are those who prefer science fiction, fantasy and other extraordinary stuff. Some have a knack for crime novels and epic love stories. If those are the case, look at some of the books that have the same genre as yours and find out the publishers that are responsible for them. The same goes with historical, biography and academic genres.
  • Contact person- if you already found some publishers, send them an email or give them a call. Find out if they are accepting submissions and where you can send them. Do not forget to ask who the contact person is or who would be the right person to talk to.
  • Prepare a pitch- first impressions last. Yes, we all know that, and so should you. And that means that you have to make your first appeal to be memorable. Be presentable. Same goes with your manuscript. Submit your material in the most appropriate format and prepare a pitch that could clearly explain why your book is worth publishing and why you chose them as your publisher. Make it count because that pitch might be your last chance to present with them.

To Self-Publish

If finding the right publisher does not fit you, then maybe it is time to take things into your own hands. Have you heard about self-published authors? I, for one, honestly have not met one, but I have heard of them. Let me tell you what I have learned when I tried researching about them; they are brave.

There are those who spent half of their life savings just to have their work printed into hardcopy. Take for example Irma Rombauer, author of the widely known The Joy of Cooking. James Redfield of The Celestine Prophecy took it to a point to be his own salesman (using the trunk of his car) as well when he took the gamble of putting his work into bookbinding.

Although those are the success stories of being a self-published author, you must know that there are even more stories that led into failure. That is why GP Taylor said in The Writers’ And Artists’ Yearbook that “Self-publishing is definitely not for the faint-hearted”.

Blogging

This might sound surprising to some, but yes, blogging is another way to publish your work. This might be the cheapest and easiest of them all, but this is not without risks.

Blogging is basically a public domain, at least most of the time. There are, of course, those that are made private by their hosts and that depends on one’s choice. But know that if you choose to post your literary work online, you get the risk of being easily plagiarized. But aside from that, you could start doing this and work your way up.

There have been many bloggers with tremendous passion and creativity that have made it big in this type of business. Some have even got their stories from blogging and into movies and even expanded into series. Some have even bought by huge companies and made a fortune from their work.

Those are the ways to get published and finally brand yourself a bona fide writer. If you are the writer you think you really are, then take pride at what you do and put your work into something that the world could remember you. From hardbound to the cloud that is the internet, make a name for yourself and never confine your genius or creativity inside your head. Who knows? Yours might be the agent to change the world. Ah, the wishful thinking of an artist.

Author Bio

James Blake is a team leader and senior contributor at do my essay He manifests traits of a Type A person –ambitious, competitive, and outgoing. Besides article writing and blogging, James loves sports analysis. He frequently places bets at fantasy leagues and also an avid fan of snowboarding.

AK Taylor

About the Author

AK Taylor

AK Taylor is an award winning YA author who has been writing novels since age 16. Beekeeper, outdoor sportsman, avid adventurer, and animal lover. Taylor lives in the backwoods of Middle GA where she continues to write stories.

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