How to Create a Book

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How to Create a Book

• Steps to Writing a Novel

By Mallory Kaufman
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Why?

• To better appreciate books
• We dont realize all of the work it takes for a
  writer to create a novel
• In case you were interested

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Steps to writing a novel
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1. Read

• Become familiar with different types of writing
  styles fiction, non-fiction, time periods,
  poetry, classics, and literature of other
  cultures.
• Read as much as you can, so that you can get a
  better idea of what you want to write.

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2. What are your Values

• It is important to examine your motives so you
  can go about writing your book more effectively
• What kind of book do you want to write?
• Do you want to improve the world?
• Are you trying to write a popular book?
• Are you trying to write a book that you can be
  proud of?
• Do you crave attention?
• Would you be satisfied with a small but informed
  audience?
• What do you want, Fame? Money? Respect?
• What do you believe in?

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3. Learn about Publishing

• Intern or do some volunteer reading for a
  publishing company
• Talk to people in the industry
• Try and work at a bookstore
• The more you know about how the system works the
  better chance you have of succeeding in it.
• Research exactly how publishing works

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Publishing

• The main goal of anyone who wants to publish a
  book is to land a literary agent, before spending
  years writing something nobody wants to read.
• The literary world is a very closed community and
  the people who approve publication accept books
  only through very specific channels
• Agents
• An agent is a separate individual who performs
  much of this filtering process. You most
  certainly don't want to send a manuscript
  directly to a publishing house.
• They won't read it. They consider pieces only if
  they come recommended by an agent.
• Agents read manuscripts, or ideas for manuscripts
  (known as queries and proposals), and decide
  whether a project has promise. If it does, the
  agent signs a contract with the author, promising
  to use best efforts to get the idea sold to a
  publishing house, in exchange for around 15 of
  the deal.
• Editors at publishing houses would much rather
  deal only with agents who have a good track
  record for presenting quality ideas, so agents
  can be very choosy about who they sign.
• There are some small independent publishers who
  will read your manuscript if it is the subject
  matter they mostly deal with
• So the main goal for most will be landing an
  agent
• If an agent likes your manuscript you need to
  have a proposal ready, so they can send that to a
  Publisher

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4. Do Market Research

• Will your book be unpublishable?
• Find out how your genre is covered in the market
• Visit libraries and bookstores, find out if it
  has it already been done
• Non-fiction runs the risk of being out dated or
  out of print

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5. Write, Write, Write

• You cant publish a book on a chapter and a
  proposal
• At this point you will need to write your book.
• Make sure to at least get your thoughts down
• Try and finish it to the end, even if it is
  unpolished, that way you at least have your
  thoughts down
• The most common cause of failure in writing is
  dropping out.

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6. Oh, and Rewrite

• Your first draft will not be good, face it, they
  never are
• At this point, since you are writing an important
  novel you need to put the manuscript aside
• Do things like changing the point of view, or
  moving the first 2 chapters to the middle to try
  and experiment with the book
• Before submitting your manuscript for
  publication, some writers advise getting feedback
  from people you trust
• When in doubt revise
• Remember that your first couple pages will make
  or break you, if you dont capture the editors
  attention there, you never will. Give those pages
  special attention

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7. More Market Research

• At this point you find an agent
• Do some research to find some publishers who
  might be interested in the kind of book you have
  written
• See which agents and editors the authors of
  similar or competing books thank in their
  acknowledgments

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8. Query

• A good query is short.
• The key is finding an agent that is interested in
  the types of books similar to the one you have
  written, that way they will give it an honest
  read.
• An agent is key, however, some independent
  publishers may consider and publish your
  unagented manuscript.
• Your query will explain who you are, what the
  book is (on general terms), and what your
  potential market is
• Agents dont want to read a 300 page manuscript
• A query letter is essentially a short summary of
  your idea, who you are, and why you are qualified
  to write this project.

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9. Submit

• If the publisher or agent responds favorably to
  your query send the manuscript with a brief cover
  letter explaining why you think the publisher or
  agent is right for the manuscript.

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10. Follow Up

• After 2-6 months you show follow up with a
  request for a progress report
• The response you get can tell you a lot about
  whether there is enthusiasm for your manuscript
• If you're serious the main thing is not to give up

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So now you wrote your book
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Aspects of your book

• Once you have written your book and signed a book
  contract there are many different areas of your
  book that you may not know about

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Editing

• If you plan on filling the positions of author,
  editor, proof-reader and publisher of your novel,
  you should have a couple of objective readers go
  over your manuscript.
• Professional organizations such as The Writers
  Union can provide these services

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Designers/Illustrations

• Book Designers are individuals who create book
  covers that will capture the eye of the purchaser
  and encourage sales.
• It is key to appeal to a consumers senses, a
  good Book Designer is important to have for a
  successful novel

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Promotion

• Areas of promotion to consider catalogues or
  promotional flyers, brochures, mailing lists
  (libraries, media, bookstores), readings, book
  signings, mailing sample/review copies, trade
  fairs, publicity, press releases and print adds

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Distribution

• Generally, distributors will take 55-65 of the
  cover price
• Make sure your pricing has taken this into account

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Youre Done!

• Now that you have written your book, gotten it
  published, and put all necessary finishing
  touches on it, all you have to do is sit back and
  watch your book to become a best seller!