Want to publish a book? There’s much more to creating a good book than just sitting down with an idea and typing away. Here is the first of a two-part checklist of factors an aspiring author must take into consideration, as well as an idea of how long each of these parts of the publishing process might take.
• Produce an idea and create an outline.
This step may be the longest or the shortest segment of writing a novel. Some writers come up with an idea to write about quickly while others may have to let an idea grow for years before it can become a usable idea for a book. This portion of publishing includes mapping out a theme or themes for the novel as well as designing characters.
• Write the content of the book.
Again, there is no firm time limit on how much time it might take to write a book. Some authors take years, or even their entire lifetime to write a novel, while others can finish a book in just a few months’ time. During the writing process, some writers work with an editor to make sure their writing and ideas are flowing smoothly, and that their characters are true to real life.
• Decide if you want the book to be a physical book or an electronic book.
This decision is one that should be made early on in the writing process, as the steps to follow for publishing a physical book are different from publishing an electronic book. Again, the timeline on this step varies, as the project will basically be on hold until the publisher accepts or rejects the work, if this is the route you choose. Writers now have the option to self-publish. This option can be much quicker, especially if the writer chooses to have his book only in the electronic format.
• Create a title.
A title should portray the main idea of the book in a way that is both catchy and concise. Most writers will begin to play with an idea for a title as they write so this step in the book publishing process should not be a lengthy one.
• Send the novel off to be proofread.
This step is especially important if you are self-publishing a book. If you work with a publishing company, these companies most often have proofreaders on staff to go through the novel with a fine-tooth comb. If you’re self-publishing, having a trained proofreader check your work is worth the cost when you consider the embarrassment and injury to your reputation as a professional writer if you publish a book full of careless errors. According to the Society for Editors and Proofreaders, a loose estimate for proofreading speed is about 10 pages per hour.
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