How to Get a Book Published

When I finished writing my first novel, I was really excited to finally pursue publication. But then came the next big question: how does the publishing process actually work?

For many authors, the dream is to see their work on the shelves of bookstores and libraries, and the traditional publishing route is often seen as the golden path to get there. But the journey from manuscript to published book can feel opaque and confusing.

So, how exactly do you get a book published?

In this article, we’ll walk through the steps to get a book deal with a traditional publishing house, as well as our top tips to help you navigate that process. If you’re planning to take the self-publishing route instead, we have a separate article about how to self-publish a book.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting a Book Published

I’ve broken down the process of getting a book published into seven basic steps.

Step 1: Finish and Polish Your Manuscript

Before you even think about sending a novel to agents or publishers, you have to make sure your manuscript is in the best shape possible. This means revising your story until it absolutely shines.

There are three ways you can do this: self-editing, getting feedback from beta readers and critique partners, and hiring a professional editor.

Start by reading through your manuscript and making notes for big-picture things you want to improve. Look at pacing issues, plot holes, character development issues, and other major weaknesses.

After you’re done with your developmental editing, it’s time to work on line editing, where you pay attention to grammar, punctuation, and spelling. It often helps to read your work out loud, so you can catch errors you might miss when you’re reading silently.

Once you’ve completed your initial edits, it’s time to get some fresh eyes on your work. Find beta readers and critique partners who are willing to read your work and give you feedback; you can ask your friends, people you meet in writing workshops and conferences, or people you meet in writing communities like the ProWritingAid Community. Choose people who read in your genre and who will give you honest, constructive criticism.

You can also consider hiring a professional editor, especially if you’re a first-time author. 

Hiring a pro isn’t a necessary step—many authors get published without paying for editing. But if you’re not sure how to revise your book by yourself, and you can afford to hire someone, a professional editor can be a great resource.

To make editing even easier, you can use ProWritingAid as a writing coach. ProWritingAid can help you analyze your storytelling, catch inconsistencies, enhance your writing style, and more. 

Step 2: Research Your Genre

Understanding your genre is crucial for positioning your book in the market. Different genres have different conventions, and knowing what those conventions are can help you pitch your book effectively to agents, editors, and future readers.

The most important thing to do here is to read widely in your genre. This will help you understand what has been done before and what readers expect. It will also help you identify where your book fits within the genre and—crucially—how it stands out from the crowd.

Look for comparable titles, or "comps," which are books that are similar to yours in genre, theme, or audience. Ideally, try to find comps that were published within the past couple of years.

Knowing your comps will help you when it comes time to pitch your book to agents and publishers. It’s useful to be able to say, "Imagine Demon Copperhead, but with vampires," or "My book will appeal to fans of dark academia fantasy novels like Babel and Ninth House."

Step 3: Write a Query Letter

A query letter is a one-page pitch that introduces your book to literary agents. It’s your chance to make a strong first impression, so make it count.

These are the components of a query letter: 

• Hook: Start with a compelling hook that grabs the agent’s attention. This could be a provocative question, a unique premise, or a brief teaser about the story.

• Book summary: Provide a concise, 1–2 paragraph pitch of your book. Focus on the main plot points, the protagonist’s goal, and the stakes. This is similar to what you’d find on the back cover of a book—it should explain what your story’s about without giving away the ending.

• Author bio: Include a brief bio that highlights your writing credentials and relevant experience. For example, if your book is set in a circus and you’re a professional trapeze artist, you should definitely mention that. 

• Personalization: Save room for 1–2 sentences where you can tailor your query letter to the specific agent you’re querying. Mention why you chose them and how your book fits their interests.

• Closing: Politely thank the agent for their time, and let them know you hope to hear from them soon.

Step 4: Query Literary Agents

A literary agent is a crucial partner in the traditional publishing process. Most traditional publishers don’t accept unsolicited manuscripts, so you need an agent to submit your books for you. 

Start by building a list of agents who represent books in your genre. QueryTracker, AgentQuery, and Manuscript Wish List are all great resources for finding new agents to add to your list.

Another way to build your list is by looking at agents who have represented similar books before. Remember those comparable titles you found back in Step 2? Look in the acknowledgements section to find out who each author’s literary agent was, and check if they’re still accepting submissions.

You can also participate in pitch events on social media, where writers can pitch their books in just a few sentences, and agents will "like" the ones they want to read. That’s how I found my literary agent—I pitched my YA fantasy novel in a Twitter event called #APIPit and signed with her a few months later.

Once you’ve made your list of agents, it’s time to start sending them your query letter and opening pages. Make sure you research and follow each agent’s submission guidelines so you know how many pages they want to read.

It’s a good idea to start with a small batch of queries, usually between 5–10, to see what kind of responses you get. That way, you can revise your query materials if you get consistent feedback.

It can be agonizing to wait for replies, but patience is key here. Agents receive a slew of queries, so responses can take weeks or even months.

If an agent likes your query letter and opening pages, they’ll request to read a partial manuscript or your full manuscript. If they fall in love with your book, you can move on to Step 5.

Step 5: Go on Submission

Once you have an agent, they’ll work with you to revise your manuscript even more.

When you both feel like your book is ready, your agent will start submitting it to editors at publishing houses. This part of the process is called "going on submission."

Going on submission feels a bit like querying all over again, except this time, it’s your agent pitching your book to editors instead of you pitching your book to agents. 

Your agent will make a "pitch list," which is a list of editors who might be a good fit for your book. The list might include editors at indie publishers, as well as editors at the Big Five publishing houses: Penguin Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Simon & Schuster.

Your agent will also prepare a submission package, which typically includes a synopsis, a pitch letter, and your manuscript. This is the package they’ll send to editors.

If an editor is interested in your book, they’ll ask for a call with you. The acquisitions team at that publishing house will meet to decide if they want to acquire your book, how well they think your book will do in the market, and what size advance they’re willing to offer you.

If the acquisitions meeting goes well, then you get the golden ticket—an official book deal!

Step 6: Work With Your Publisher

Once you’ve signed a book deal, your book enters the publishing process. This means you’ll be working with your publishing house on several different processes:

• Editing: You will work with an editor at the publishing house to further refine your manuscript. This can include developmental editing, line editing, and copy editing.

• Cover design: The publisher will hire someone, either in-house or externally, to design a cover for your book. You may have input on the cover design, but the final decision usually rests with the publisher.

• Marketing and publicity: The publisher will come up with a marketing plan for your book. They’ll likely assign you a publicist, who will figure out the most effective way to spend your book’s publicity budget. 

• Production: Your book will go through typesetting, proofreading, and printing. If you’re publishing an e-book, this will include formatting for digital platforms.

Because there are so many steps involved in preparing a book for publication, the traditional publishing process can be very slow. You might have to wait a year or more before you actually see your book on shelves—but it will be worth it in the end.

Step 7: Launch Your Book

Finally, at the end of this long and arduous process, your book will be released into the world, and you’ll become a published author.

But the journey doesn’t stop here. You and your publisher will work together on promotion, which can include book tours, interviews, ads, and social media campaigns.

Don’t be afraid to be your own best advocate. Most successful authors do a lot of promotion on their own, gradually building a brand and a readership that loves their work. 

Do’s and Don’ts for Aspiring Authors

Now that we’ve talked about the steps to publication, let’s walk through the most important do’s and don’ts to keep in mind. 

What to Do 

Let’s start with the do’s:

• Do your research: Understand the market and the publishing process. Knowledge is power, and there are many resources about publishing online. You can start with interviews with successful authors, YouTube videos by AuthorTubers like Alexa Donne and Alyssa Matesic, and articles like this one.

• Do be patient: Publishing is a slow process. Be prepared for long waits and possible rejections.

• Do network: Attend writing conferences, join writing groups, and connect with other authors. Networking can open doors you never even knew were there.

• Do keep writing: While waiting for responses, start working on your next project. Continuously improving your craft is crucial.

• Do stay professional: Always be professional in your communications with agents, editors, and other industry professionals.

What Not to Do

And now, the don’ts:

• Don’t rush the process: Take the time to polish your manuscript and query letter. Rushing can lead to mistakes and rejections.

• Don’t ignore guidelines: Always follow submission guidelines. Ignoring them can result in automatic rejection.

• Don’t take rejections personally: Rejections are part of the process. Learn from them and keep moving forward.

• Don’t be afraid to revise: Be open to feedback and be willing to make changes to improve your manuscript.

• Don’t give up: Persistence is key in the publishing industry. Keep pursuing your dream even when the road gets tough.

Common Questions About How to Publish a Book

Navigating the world of book publishing can be daunting, and it’s natural to have many questions along the way.

Here are some common questions aspiring authors often ask, along with our answers to help guide you through the process.

Do You Need Personal Connections to Sign With an Agent?

A lot of new writers worry that finding an agent is all about who you know rather than how well you write.

It can definitely help to know people in the industry, but the vast majority of traditionally published authors found their agents the hard way: by querying their manuscripts without any prior connections.

So, don’t worry if you don’t know anybody. Let the strength of your work stand on its own. 

What Should You Look For in a Literary Agent?

Your literary agent is your most important partner in the publishing world and will often represent you for multiple books, or even the length of your entire writing career. There are hundreds of literary agents out there, so it’s important to choose one who’s the right fit for you. 

Here are some things you should think about when choosing an agent: 

• Personal fit: Do you think you’d enjoy working with this person? Do your personalities match?

• Genres and age ranges: What types of books does this agent represent, and does that include all the types of books you plan to write in the future?

• Agenting style: Are you looking for a "shark" agent who will ruthlessly pursue a six-figure book deal or a more laid-back agent who will be your friend throughout this process?

• Vision for your book: What changes does this agent want you to make to your manuscript? Does that match your own vision? 

• Experience: Do you want an experienced agent who knows the industry well or a newer agent who’s hungry to make their first sales? 

• Agency support: Does your agent work for an established agency with all the in-house resources you’ll need? 

When an agent offers you representation, they’ll usually schedule a phone call with you, so you can ask as many questions as you need to figure out if you’re a good fit or not. 

Can You Traditionally Publish a Book That's Already Been Self-Published?

The short answer is yes… but the longer answer is it’s very rare.

Many authors have signed book deals for books that have already been self-published, but usually, those books were already extremely popular. 

That’s because publishers are more likely to be interested in self-published books that have demonstrated strong sales and garnered a significant following. If your self-published book has sold thousands of copies and has a dedicated readership, it might catch the attention of traditional publishers.

You’ll also need to be flexible when it comes to revisions and updates. Traditional publishers may request revisions or updates to your self-published book to align it with their editorial standards and market strategies. Be prepared to make changes if needed.

Should You Self-Publish Instead of Looking For a Traditional Publisher?

Self-publishing and traditional publishing are both valid paths to publication, with their own pros and cons. Picking one over the other really boils down to your personal goals and preferences.

Here are the main pros and cons of working with a traditional publisher. 

• Pro #1: Industry expertise. You’ll benefit from the expertise of professionals in editing, design, marketing, and distribution.

• Pro #2: Prestige. Being published by a reputable publisher can enhance your credibility as an author.

• Pro #3: Distribution. Traditional publishers have established distribution channels, making it easier for your book to reach bookstores, libraries, and international markets.

• Con #1: Less control. You’ll have less of a say over the publishing process if you work with a traditional publisher. The publisher will make key decisions about your book.

• Con #2: Longer timelines. The traditional publishing process can be notoriously slow. It may take years from signing a contract to seeing your book on the shelves.

• Con #3: Lower royalties. You’ll earn a lower percentage of royalties compared to self-publishing. Advances are common but vary widely.

Now let’s look at the other side of the equation. These are the pros and cons of self-publishing your book:

• Pro #1: Full control. You have complete control over every aspect of the publishing process, from editing and cover design to marketing and pricing.

• Pro #2: Speed. Self-publishing can be much faster than the traditional route. You can publish your book as soon as it’s ready.

• Pro #3: Higher royalties. You typically earn a higher percentage of royalties on each sale compared to traditional publishing.

• Con #1: Higher costs. Self-publishing can require a significant upfront investment. You’ll need to cover the costs of editing, cover design, formatting, and marketing.

• Con #2: Limited distribution. While self-published books can be sold online, getting them into brick-and-mortar bookstores, like Barnes & Noble or your local bookstores, can be a lot more challenging.

• Con #3: Limited marketing. All marketing efforts fall on your shoulders. Building visibility and driving sales can be time-consuming and require specific skills, which is why a lot of self-published books end up getting fewer than 100 sales, even if they’re well-written.

What If You’re Publishing a Nonfiction Book Instead of a Fiction Book?

A lot of the advice in this article can be applied to any kind of book, but there are some key differences between publishing a fiction manuscript and publishing a nonfiction manuscript.

The biggest difference is that if you’re writing nonfiction, you don’t need a completed manuscript to start pursuing publication. All you need is a book proposal and the first few chapters. 

A book proposal typically includes:

• Overview: A summary of the book’s concept, purpose, and target audience.

• Author bio: Information about you, your qualifications, and your platform (such as social media following, previous publications, etc.).

• Market analysis: An analysis of the market for your book, including comparable titles and why your book is unique.

• Chapter outline: A detailed outline of each chapter, including key points and takeaways.

• Sample chapters: One or more sample chapters to showcase your writing style and the book’s content.

Send your book proposal to agents, and if they think your idea has potential, they can submit it to publishers based on the concept alone. Once you have a book deal, you can take the time to actually write the rest of the book. 

Final Thoughts on the Path to Publication

Getting a book published with a traditional publishing house is a challenging but rewarding journey. By understanding the steps involved and preparing thoroughly, you can increase your chances of success.

Remember, every author’s path is unique, and there’s no right or wrong timeline for getting your book published. Keep writing, keep dreaming, and who knows? Your book could be the next one to hit the shelves.

Don’t forget to use ProWritingAid as a personal writing coach to polish your manuscript and give your book an even better chance of success.

Good luck, and happy writing!