Friday, April 20, 2012

From the Trenches: Taryn: How to Get Published

How to Get Published

1. Decide to write a book.
2. Tell everyone about this book you're gonna write.
2b. Tell them they need to wait, like, maybe a year before they get to read it.
3. Open up your word processor.
4. Stare at blank page.
5. Write something.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5. Repeatedly.
7. Repeat step 6. Repeatedly.
8. Search the internet for critique partners.
9. Don't click with those CPs.
10. Repeat step 8.
11. Send manuscript to CPs.
12. Panic.
13. Eat chocolate.
14. Receive by CP notes.
15. Cry.
16. Eat more chocolate.
17. Incorporate notes.
18. Repeat steps 11-17.
19. Write query letter.
20. Get query letter critiqued.
21. Revise query letter.
22. Repeat steps 20+21.
23. Research agents.
24. Query agents.
25. Eat chocolate.
26. Receive rejections.
27. Receive partial request!
28. Receive rejections.
29. Receive full request!
30. Receive partial rejection.
31. Receive rejections.
32. Receive full request!
33. Receive full rejection.
34. Receive OFFER OF REPRESENTATION.
35. Sign with AWESOME agent.
36. Blog about it.
37. Get agent notes for revisions.
38. Panic.
39. Eat chocolate.
40. Revise.
41. Send revisions to agent.
42. Eat chocolate.
43. Agent returns manuscript with smaller line edits.
44. Eat chocolate.
45. Revise.
46. Send revisions to agent.
47. Get email saying "Looks good, we're going on sub next week."
48. Dance.
49. Panic.
50. Eat chocolate.
51. Repeat steps 48-50.
52. See pitch letter.
52b. See pitch list.
53. Organize your bookshelf by publishing imprint.
54. Dream of auctions and dollar signs.
55. Realize you'd be happy with ANYONE wanting your book.
55b. Even if it's only a $1000 advance.
55c. A $100 advance?
55d. FOR FREE, PLEEEEEASE!!!
56. Go on sub.
57. Surgically attach phone and computer to your body.
58. Eat chocolate.
59. Frantically call agent every hour, wondering if you were forgotten about.
60. Get rejection.
61. Get "editor interest."
62. Dance.
63. Eat celebratory chocolate.
64. Get told there wasn't enough support from the house.
65. Cry.
66. Eat chocolate.
67. Get more "editor interest."
68. Hold your breath, because you're an old hat now.
69. GET AN OFFER OMG OMG OMG.
70. Dance.
71. Eat celebratory chocolate.
72. Wait.
73. Finalize details.
74. Write a blog post about it.
75. Get editorial letter.
76. Cry.
77. Eat chocolate.
78. Revise.
79. Send off revisions.
80. Get more revisions.
81. Repeat steps 76-79.
82. Get line edits.
83. Repeat steps 76-79.
84. Get copy edits.
85. Repeat steps 76-79.
86. Get first pass page.
87. Marvel.
88. Get ARCs.
89. Marvel.
90. Start thinking about marketing.
91. Do interviews.
92. Plan author tours.
92b. Plan blog tours.
93. See finished copy of book.
94. Dance.
95. Freak out at typo on page 82.
96. Eat chocolate
97. Release day party!
98. See book on shelves at bookstores.
99. Pinch self--this must be a dream.
100. Realize you are published.

5 comments:

  1. LOL, I'm stuck somewhere around #60...

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  2. Well, I definitely agree with the chocolate part! LOL, my best writing buddy and I were stuck on numbers 1 and 2 for about a year- thankfully we're past that now xD (I'm vascillating between many stages, actually!)

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  3. Now here are some steps I can wrap my head around.

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  4. I'm on step 18.

    But you definitely forgot something:
    - eat chocolate

    I actually found this very helpful. A realistic step-by-step guide to the publishing process. I want this to be my checklist. Going on the wall above my bed!!
    82 steps to go! WOOT! (actually, probably fewer since I feel I've covered about all of the chocolate steps by now)

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  5. Eating chocolate... hmm... :)

    ReplyDelete