Agent makes it easier, but if you are going it alone, you are going to want to know how to identify the right acim for you. The real question is not, “Who’s offering the most money?” but “Who will be the best publishing partner for me?”. Here is a quick overview of how to pick your book publishing companies and book publishing rights:
1. Write may sound obvious, but many people start looking for book publishers long before they actually have a book written. Before you start reaching out to book publishing companies, you need to have your book finished (or as close to finished as it can be without the guidance of an editor).
2. Make sure you know who your audience is. Who have you written your book for? And don’t say “everyone.” No book is for everyone. Is it for teenagers? For adults? For children? There will be a specific demographic that your book is most appropriate for. When you approach publishers, you need to know what that audience is.
3. Research the publishers. Once your book is done and you know who it is for, you can start looking into publishers. Knowing who your book is for will help you make sure that you are reaching out only to publishers that are actually interested in the types of books that you are writing. You don’t want to waste your time (or stamina) on publishers that will reject you simply because they don’t publish the type of book you’ve written.
4. Get your manuscript ready. During the research process, be sure to note how certain publishers want your manuscript formatted. Many will want standard manuscript format, which is double spaced, Courier New, 12 pt. font. Others will have their own specific formats that they want to see. Make sure you know exactly what they are looking for before you turn anything in.
5. Don’t give up and be aware of your book publishing rights. You may get accepted right away. You probably won’t be. Every big author had to be rejected dozens of times before a publisher wanted to take a chance on them. Don’t give up, no matter how many rejections you get, and make sure to study up on book publishing rights, so when you are accepted, you take the best possible deal.
