The world of book publishing is an absolute minefield as any writer will tell you. The actual writing of the book for most authors is the easy part. The difficult part comes when it is time to get the book printed and distributed. How do you go about that? After all, you want people to be able to read your work.

There is lots of information out there, including books on getting a publishing deal, how to self-publish, as well as countless websites and information on the internet telling you how you can publish your book. Here is a condensed version for you.

You can publish your book via a traditional publishing house in which a literary agent will help you submit your book proposal and manuscript in the hope that you will get a book deal. However, in today’s economic climate this is becoming increasingly difficult to do, especially for the first time writer. Finding a literary agent who will support you is also an incredibly difficult feat. It is possible but will involve lots of hard work and perseverance on your part.

Once you have found a literary agent, they will help prepare your manuscript and book proposal before submitting to the publisher. They can also help you with the editing and proofreading of your work, as poorly presented manuscripts or book proposals will most likely be rejected. Literary agents also have their finger on the pulse of what is going on in the publishing world, so they are able to steer you to the publishing houses that will take an interest in your work.

The traditional publishing world can be difficult to navigate and having someone working with you, who is acutely aware of how the world of publishing works, is an absolute must for any aspiring author. It is also worth noting that they can help with accepting book offers.

Another option to consider when choosing how to publish your book is that of self-publishing. If you want to produce a paper copy of your book, then print on demand (POD) is the way to go. By choosing the POD option you are in control of your own work and that means producing a print ready manuscript file. Many POD publishers have free software and templates that you can download to achieve this. Lulu and CreateSpace are two examples. Some of the POD companies also offer professional service packages that include editing and graphic designers but you have to pay for this service.

Print on Demand publishing is most definitely changing the industry for authors by making it cost effective to publish your book, especially if you are new to the industry. It is a way of getting your book out there and read when the traditional book publishing route is inaccessible.

So there are several options available when deciding how to publish your book. Consider your options and do your homework. Happy writing.