So You Want To Be An Author... | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

So You Want To Be An Author...

Good luck.

17
So You Want To Be An Author...
Jako Ferlic

What does it take to get a book from an idea to the shelf?

Patience. Persistance. Prayer.

It's a process. A painfully long process that for some people takes a few years and for others takes a decade. I'm not talking about publishing it yet. I'm talking about WRITING it. It starts out as an idea. Maybe it came to you while taking out the trash or while flipping through TV channels. It certainly didn't come riding on a stallion wrapped in a golden bow.

No.

It takes months of researching for plot lines and character development. It takes months more to actually write it out. After you've cried and screamed and poured your heart out...congratulations. You've written a first draft that will be torn to shreds and rebuilt from the ground up. Then put that on repeat for a year or two or three. Maybe five, if it's really needed.

Once you think your book is decent, now you can begin thinking about publishing.

This is where we divulge into the three ways to get published -- self-publishing, Indie publishing, traditional publishing. Once inside, there are several more rounds of revisions and edits and proofreading. Neither is necessarily better than the other. There are successes in all three ways. It simply depends on which level of involvement you prefer and how much patience and writing skills you have.

1. Self-publishing

Self-publishing, also called vanity publishing, is where the author foots the bill for everything. You pay for the services to get it polished: editing, line-editing, design, typesetting, formatting, etc. You buy your own ISBN, which is what registers your book as a real book. You also pay for distribution. You're in charge of your own marketing and public relations. You will most likely sell fewer novels than you would expect. There are some success stories, but that's because they researched and played their cards right. Pretty much anyone with enough money can self-publish.

2. Indie publishing

Independent publishing is a loose term. Some people who self-publish consider themselves Indie authors, but this term also refers to those authors who are published by small and medium sized publishing houses. You submit your work to them and if they like it, then they offer you a contract for that specific book. These places have smaller budgets for marketing, but they pay for the costs to publish and distribute your book. It also means you don't get paid until your book sells enough to cover the expenses. They also take a cut of the profits thereafter. However, you get a pretty good say in what goes on with your book and it's cover art. Also, a lot of financial burden is off your shoulders in the process because if your book doesn't sell, well you didn't personally invest anything except time and effort.

3. Traditional publishing

Traditional publishing has it's own hoops to go through. A lot of hoops. That's because there are five global conglomerate publishing houses that dominate the market. Their North American offices are in New York. Getting published by a traditional publisher means getting through the gatekeepers called literary agents AND the acquisition editors. The Big 5 only deal with literary agents. So, you have to submit your precious manuscript to a literary agent and hopefully earn a contract with them, if they deem your book marketable enough. This process can take years in and of itself.

THEN when you land a literary agent you may take another few months to years submitting to The Big 5's acquisition editors, who have to take your manuscript up a chain of command – clawing and biting the whole way – if they love it. Working with The Big 5 can produce amazing results...if you have something that they deem marketable. They'll give you resources and a big marketing budget. But you get very little say in a any decision making and your profits are split among you, the publishing house AND the literary agent.

There you have it. A not-so-exhaustive run-down of what it takes to get published. You still have to build and/or maintain an online platform of loyal readers, begin negotiations for a second book, prepare for and attend conferences, engage in public speaking events and maybe hire a public relations specialist if the avenue you chose doesn't provide you one.

If you want to be a published author...

Have fun.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

443968
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

17474
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Moana's Top 10 Life Tips

"Moana" is filled with life lessons that involve far more than finding true love as many other Disney movies do.

42056
Animated image of a woman with long dark hair and tattoos
StableDiffusion

1. It's easy to be fooled by shiny things.

Digital image of shiny gemstones in cased in gold. shiny things StableDiffusion

Tamatoa created a liar filled with shiny things simply for the purpose of tricking fish to enter and become his food. He too experiences a lesson in how easy it is to be tricked by shiny things when Moana distracts him by covering herself in glowing algae so Maui can grab his hook.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

7 Types Of Students You Will Meet In College

You wish you could be #5, but you know you're probably a #6.

21544
cool group of lazy college students in class
StableDiffusion

There are thousands of universities around the world, and each school boasts its own traditions and slogans. Some schools pride themselves on sports, while others emphasize their research facilities. While there is a myriad of differences among each and every school, there will always these seven types of students in class.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Rhyme Without Reason Greek Life Function Ideas

When you have no ideas for what to wear to this date function

321968
A dog and a frog
Healthy Pets

I am going to a rhyme without reason date function and I have looked at so many different rhyming words and I figured there need to be a new list of words. At these functions, there are usually at least two rockers and boxers and an umpteenth amount of dogs and frogs. I have come up with a list of creative and unique ideas for these functions.

If you like what you see, get a shopping cart going with these costumes.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments