From First Draft to Book Launch How to Publish a Novel

From First Draft to Book Launch How to Publish a Novel You’ve finished writing the first draft of your novel, but there’s still quite a distance to travel between having a finished manuscript and a published book. What you decide to do with your manuscript from here on out will have a huge impact on both the size of your readership and your book’s reception. So, how do you publish a novel? What DO you do with the finished manuscript?   1. Ask yourself if you’re really finished. Reread your novel all the way through as if someone else wrote the book. Make notes. Circulate your manuscript among trusted writers, teachers, mentors, or online forums (the NaNoWriMo forums, Skypen, World Literary Cafe, You Write On, Authonomy, etc.) and solicit feedback. Revise accordingly. Then†¦ 2. Hire a professional editor. The best writers in the world still work with editors. It’s an essential part of the publishing process, no matter how good your manuscript. Whether you’re in need of developmental editing, copy editing, or just proofreading - you want to use a professional.Check out â€Å"What kind of book editing do I need for my manuscript?† to figure out exactly what your book requires at this point. If you don’t have an existing relationship with an editor, visit FirstEditing.com. 3. Start doing your publication prep-work. You’ll need to prepare a few things before you go ahead and publish a book, including: Jacket copy/book blurb An attractive book cover Your author