by Audrey Hebson

Created on: January 02, 2009

Does the title "best-selling author" excite you? Is it one of your dreams to have your name in print? While many aspiring writers may have a great story idea, making it through the publishing phase is a difficult hurdle to overcome. The following will talk about different ways to get published, and what to do to make your published work a best-seller.

1.) Get a contract with an already established publisher.

This is the route that many writers take. If you are fortunate enough to get the contract, publishing becomes that much easier, as most of the dirty work is now out of your hands. The publishing company takes care of illustrations, proofreading, and layout without charging you a dime. Unfortunately, publishing contracts are extremely hard to come by and sometimes publishers take advantage of new authors. Make sure that your rights are being upheld if you do land a contract.

2.) Self-publish.

Self-publishing means more work for you, but in the long run, will probably make you more successful. You will be doing all the work of the publisher, so it is important that you familiarize yourself with what sells and what doesn't. Check out books on similar topics, and see if you have something to offer that is not currently on the market. You will also need to figure out which printing presses will give you the best printing for the best price. Stay informed on what publishing styles are most effective for the book you are trying to sell. While this is a lot of work, you have control over the entire publishing process, and you keep the profits, instead of forfeiting your rights and settling for royalty payments.

After you have published your book, it is now time to market it. 1001 Ways to Market Your Book by John Kremer gives some excellent tips to get started. First, start locally. Make sure all your friends know about your book, and pass around business cards to everyone you meet. Next, start trying to sell your books to local bookstores. Many bookstores have a local authors section, which would be a good idea for you to take advantage of. You can also give seminars on your work, to get the word out and sell the book. After you have gained a reputation locally, you are in a better position to market on a larger scale.

Getting your book published can be a very difficult task, but if you have a plan and go about it in the right way, you can become a best-selling author. Decide whether a publishing contract or self-publishing is the right choice for you, and market your book intelligently. Good luck on your journey!

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