Thanks for stopping by my blog! Whether you’re an aspiring author or just curious about the publishing process, I’ve had several people ask about how I got my book published. I know that every writer has a different experience depending on the type of book they write and their publishing goals. Authors have a few publishing options to choose from: self-publishing, getting an agent and seeking publication with a large publisher, or working with an independent publisher (with or without an agent).
Self-publishing requires the author to do a lot of marketing, which seemed too daunting to me. I knew that I wanted a partner to champion my book and help me find readers. At first, I thought this person should be an agent.
I started querying agents in 2021, and to say it was hard is an understatement. My first rejection stung, but I got used to them after a few months. The rejections that were hardest to accept were the personalized ones. It felt like I’d come so close, and I wanted to know what little push would have gotten the agent to represent me. But these rejections were also helpful and encouraging. One agent told me that there was a lot to admire in my approach, but he wasn’t sure how to sell it.
I used Query Tracker to organize my queries, and although I’d focused solely on agents at first, I also found a few independent publishers I wanted to reach out to. I also took part in a Twitter pitch event, which helped more than I could have guessed. I tweeted about my book, and Rising Action, an independent publisher in Canada, liked my tweet. Liking a tweet in these events is essentially an invitation to the author to query the agent or publisher.
A few months later, Rising Action requested a meeting. I was thrilled to hear from them and was especially impressed with the energy and passion that Alexandria Brown put into their books. I knew it was the best place for my manuscript, because I wanted someone who would get behind my work and support it, and Rising Action has done that.
After signing the publishing contract in 2023, I had several rounds of edits. Publishing is a long process, but my book will be released on July 22nd. I’m beyond excited to see it on shelves and look forward to connecting with readers!
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Image courtesy of Freepik
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