Good and Bad Ways to Get Your Book Published

The first route for getting a book published I reserve for millionaires, and those who care little for the views of others. Hit the keyboard, waffle on until the word count passes the 70,000 mark, then pay somebody else to turn it into a product that has all the surface appeal of a bestseller - but none of the content.

The alarming truth is that the above path is chosen by most writers worldwide, despite the fact they are seldom blessed with bulging bank balances. How could this happen?

Getting a book published is the dream many covet, and writers are vulnerable to those who seduce with promises to make their wishes come true. These people are ruthless professionals fishing for writers with fantasies as bait. Their aim: to put the risk on your shoulders - you pay for everything - and, if sales do result (a rare occurrence), they profit from those, too.

How do you avoid these organisations? Beware of literary agents or publishers who advertise. Ask yourself, why are they doing this? The answer is that they regard writers as geese - who lay golden eggs. They always profit; and you lose, big time.

Real agents and publishers, the ones who pay you, rather than the reverse, never advertise. They are bombarded with manuscripts from writers. Why should they waste money on costly marketing?

Avoid publishers who solicit for business. Yes - that's a healthy start - but like all rules, there are exceptions. Self-publishing can make sense for many, especially if their book is non-commercial or is likely, or planned to be produced in limited quantities from the word go. The cost of publishing a book has plummeted recently, and if you are in the right hands, and prepared to do as much of the necessary preparatory work as possible yourself, a professional book can be produced cheaply.

Seek independent, disinterested advice first, from professional book editors, and they will help you select companies who specialise in printing and publishing such books. Their advice is essential because you need a guide through the minefield where bandits also lurk, masquerading as honest Joes (and Jills), until you are matched with the right people.

To publish a bestseller is a laudable aim, and one that should be pursued in a businesslike manner. This means you need your brain in gear before you hit the keyboard - or pluck your quill pen from a passing pheasant. Imagine yourself as an inventor, dreaming up a product that will sweep the world because... it's offering what a readily identifiable section of the marketplace is seeking. You read as well as write, so empathise with your prospective readers and spare some thought as to what they might relish in your 'new' approach to the subject matter in question. Think too of publishers' submissions editors who will eventually receive your book for assessment. If you can't excite their interest in minutes you will never make it to the bookshops.

Once again, the earlier you have a chat with an experienced book editor the better. A nudge and a wink at the foundation stage should guarantee your project will at least weather normal storms once completed, and your foresight will see off most of your amateurish competitors.

Writeaway provides help and advice on how to write and publish a book. You will also have access to a dedicated team of people who can provide a comprehensive book editing service having had personal experience of the book publishing process.