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So You Want to Write a Book
What I Wish I'd Known from the Gitgo...
by M. LaVora Perry

From time to time, someone  phones or emails me for advice on getting a book published. I'm still a new author myself. But I do know a few things. In this article I'm providing a little bit of the enormous amount of information I learned the sometimes painfully hard and expensive way. You may know a lot of this already, but these tips are for those who don't:

Read
Most of all, if you want to be a writer, you should always be reading a book. Read books that are similar to the ones you want to write. Learn what "genre" means and which one your book-to-be matches. If you want to write fiction, learn the difference between literary and commercial types.

Ask a librarian or independent bookseller for recommendations, in your genre, of award-winners, best sellers, and books the librarian or bookseller likes. (I suggest independent booksellers because they're more likely to carry titles that might not be available in large chains but that are nonetheless good books.).

Read Purposefully
Someone once recommended that we read a book once for pleasure, a second time to figure out what the author did that makes the book work, and a third time to see what themes the author conveyed in the book and what kind of person she or he might be. To me, this sounds like good advice that can be applied to both fiction and non-fiction.

Write--and Get Schooled on Writing
To be a writer, you must write. Make writing-time a part of your daily routine. Epitomize the last sentence of this wonderful quote by Pulitzer-Prize-winning author Junot Diaz:

A writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, because everything she does is golden. In my view a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway.” 

-Junot Diaz in November 2009 O Magazine, Author of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

If you're serious about being a professional writer, take time to learn the craft. Learn how to format a manuscript. Join a critique group. Take writing courses. Attend writing workshops. Read books on writing. Of course, your critique groups, courses, etc. should focus on the type of writing you want to write. And remember, writing is rewriting. Writing well takes lots of revision.

Get Schooled on Publishing
Please take time to learn about the book publishing business. Learn what a literary agent is and does so you can determine if you need one. If you've written a book for adults, most likely you need one. Check out this article and its comments: "Why You Should Never Submit Unagented to Publishing Companies"

Learn how to determine which publishers publish books like yours. Once you're ready to submit a manuscript to publishers, follow their submission guidelines 100%. Learn how to write a query letter. And, for non-fiction projects, learn what platforms and book proposals are and why you need them both.

Self-Publish at Your Own Risk
In my opinion, self-publishing is only a viable option if you don't intend to sell your book; and/or you only intend to sell it to friends and family members; and/or you know of a niche group that will definitely buy it; and/or you're able and willing to spend countless hours and lots of money running a publishing company, managing publicity and marketing, and hiring professional editors, illustrators, and book designers. 

If you're determined to self-publish, read lots of books written by people who've successfully done it, and follow their advice. I've written an article on self-publishing using print-on-demand technology here.

Do Your Homework
Information related to all of the topics I've touched on here is available on the Internet. This includes a list of writers' resources I created. 

Before you contact me to ask for tips--or contact any professional in this business of weaving words into stories and information--please do your homework. Your precious dream of becoming an author is worth nothing less than your very best effort.

Peace.

- LaVora
October 9, 2009

Feel free to reprint this article. But please include this byline: "M. LaVora Perry is the author of humorous middle grade novel, Taneesha Never Disparaging. Visit her website at www.mlavoraperry.com."

Click here for my list of resources for writers. 

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