All Answers To Questions

First you have to finish writing, and edit it to the best of your ability. No reputable publisher or agent will look at unfinished work from an unproven author. Editing is just as important as getting the first draft of the story down on paper. Publishing comes later. Publishing is a business, and if a publisher does not think they can make money off your idea then they will not pay you for it. There are two types of publishing, traditional and self-publishing. If you choose to go with self-publishing, I would recommend http://www.lulu.com as a great site. They don't pretend to be anything they are not, and have excellent service. All the decisions will be in your hands. However, going with a company like this is a difficult road and it is not considered a publishing credential if you look to go traditional down the road. Here is some other information about the downside of self-publishers (also known as vanity presses): http://www.sfwa.org/beware/vanitypublishers.html As far as novels go, different publishers specialize in different things, and fiction is a broad world. You have to try and sell your material to companies that produce similar works (ie, don't try and sell a fantasy novel to a romance publisher). So do your homework. Take a look at the most recent "Writer's Market"... or even better, try the "Guide to Literary Agents". I absolutely suggest getting an agent instead of approaching publishers directly. I'm assuming you are not a contract attorney, so you will need someone to look over any offers and to guide you through the publishing world. No publisher or agent should charge you any money up front! That is the sign of a scam! They make money by selling your book. Agents work on a commission (generally 15% of the amount of money the publishers pay you). Make sure that you follow their exact submission specifications. You can't send them your book, but you should be sending them a query letter (Nicholas Sparks has a good example on his website). Don't copyright your book first, it looks amateur and would cause them trouble down the line when you do the revisions they ask for. Do not bind it into a book if and when they ask to see it, send loose pages. These are easier for them to deal with. Here are some websites that can help. Read them thoroughly and research, research, research! Pay special attention to Miss Snark, because her archives can answer any question you ever have about publishing: http://www.nicholassparks.com/WritersCorner/Agent.html http://www.publishersmarketplace.com http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/ http://www.agentquery.com http://www.misssnark.blogspot.com http://www.squidoo.com/booksonbooks And be warned of the people on this list: http://www.sfwa.org/beware/twentyworst.html Good luck!