# I'm ready to get published



## kunox (Oct 21, 2012)

basically i ran out of money to get my book edited and am hoping having five chapters edited is enough... but the question is..... how do i get published through traditional means????


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## squidtender (Oct 21, 2012)

Best bet is to start looking for an agent who works with your genre. Also, look at the authors who are similar to your style and find out who their agents are. You _could_ submit directly to a publisher, but I don't recommend it.


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## shadowwalker (Oct 21, 2012)

If you only have five chapters edited, you're not ready to publish, especially not through a trade publisher. Find critique groups on writing forums (such as this one) and have it critiqued all the way through (you may even find some betas to go over the whole thing). Get books on editing your own work (several threads talk about that here). Set it aside for a couple weeks to a couple months and then go over it again. Read it out loud to make sure it reads right.


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## Cran (Oct 21, 2012)

What *shadowwalker* said, first. 

Then, what *squidtender* said.


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## kunox (Oct 21, 2012)

what is a betas qand where do i get a book on editing my own work.


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## shadowwalker (Oct 21, 2012)

Betas are people who will read and critique your book on an individual basis (versus having it critiqued by a group, such as on a forum). They can do anything from basic proofreading to checking for plot holes and flow, depending on what the author is looking for. (Note: finding a good match between beta and author can take some time, but is well worth it.)

A book that is often (and enthusiastically) recommended is _Self-Editing for Fiction Writers_ by Renni Browne and Dave King.


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## kunox (Oct 21, 2012)

thank you


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## Winston (Oct 22, 2012)

I can't counter the sage advice already give.

I would only add, the material you have written must be marketable.  "Good"  isn't good enough.  You must have some hook.  Your product must fill some niche.  The quality of your work only matters if someone is drawn to it and wants to read it.

Look at what is currently selling.  If your manuscript looks nothing like what is making publishers money, there is scant chance they will consider it.  Publishing is a business.  They don't care about the blood, sweat and tears on your manuscript.  They care about Q4's earnings and comp sales.

A heartfelt "good luck" to you.  I hope you beat the odds.


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## Daya (Nov 6, 2012)

How can I find a beta to critique some chapters?


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## Tiamat (Nov 7, 2012)

Usually it's kind of a give-and-take thing.  You find a fellow writer, you make nice with them, you ask them to beta you book, and in return, you'd be thrilled to beta theirs.  Also, I think there are websites out there specifically for getting betas (but it usually involves you returning the favor).  Google, if you're interested.


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## shabazz (Dec 10, 2012)

I got my 50,000 word novel edited for $100 and i got a good job, you don't have to limit your search to the big names


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## WriterJohnB (Dec 10, 2012)

Kunox,

I went back and looked at some of your other posts and you once posted that you used to be good at spelling, but have lost the skill. For your own sake, don't shop your book around until it's spell-checked. I also saw that you worry about giving out "details" of your novel. That's a new-writer phobia, you can't "grow" your writing skills without input from other writers about your writing. It's a whole lot easier to learn what NOT to do with writers who have been down the publishing road before, than to go it alone. You'll find that there are plenty of "old timers" on the forums who are happy to share their knowledge with newbies, especially newbies who show promise. I consider myself one of them, even though I'm not a "name" author.

I freelance edit on a "for pay" site and have edited several books. Every author has given me 5 stars. I can do it cheap because I have a job than requires me to monitor computer controlled equipment and download programs. This often leaves me sitting at a desk with time on my hands and I amuse myself by writing and editing. If you'll consider sending me one of your unedited chapters, I'll look it over. If it's crap, I'll tell you it's crap and I'm done with it. If not, I'll edit your book at no charge. Check me out with google or whatever and let me know by PM. I guarantee that I will not share anything about your book with anyone.

PS - not to brag but my spelling is near perfect.

JohnB


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## Burlesk (Dec 10, 2012)

shabazz said:


> I got my 50,000 word novel edited for $100 and i got a good job, you don't have to limit your search to the big names



Seriously? One hundred dollars? Four possibilities occur to me:


you didn't really get a good job;
your novel required hardly any correction;
your editor works for below the minimum wage; or
what you got was a critique, not editing.


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## shabazz (Dec 11, 2012)

Burlesk said:


> Seriously? One hundred dollars? Four possibilities occur to me:
> 
> 
> you didn't really get a good job;
> ...


I found my editor on an internet job posting site, from here I outsource a lot of work that I find my staff incapable of doing. Once you post a job, you get different quotes from lots of contractors.
Actually my book didn't require much work, he was impressed at my lay-out. He's a member of an editing guild i think.


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