Where does one start with punting your hot horror book? Agents? Publishers? Self-publishing? Here are five steps you could follow to make the task less daunting.
1. HAVE A PLAN
Don’t go blindly into the industry without having a plan. Read, research and understand how the industry works. Ask yourself: Does my book fit into a particular niche category?
2. MAKE SURE YOU KNOW YOUR NICHE
There are numerous categories your book can fall under:
*Splatterpunk
*Bizarro
*Dark
*Speculative
*Paranormal
This list is merely an example and is by no means complete. Research your niche and sell it accordingly.
3. WRITE A BRILLIANT SYNOPSIS
The first thing publishers and agents look at is how good you are at telling a story. Don’t waffle on about your “excellent writing skills”. Tell the story from start to finish and remember to include brief explorations into your characters. Don’t be boring. Don’t be a smart-ass.
4. MAKE SURE YOUR BOOK IS PERFECT
There’s nothing worse for a publisher or agent having to read through your grammar and punctuation mistakes. Make sure your book is perfect when sending it in for submission. Get an editor if you have to.
5. BE PATIENT
The average publishers might take months to even get to your submission, so be patient. Give it time. You will be rejected. Often
Don’t let this get to you. You’re a writer – it’s part of the job. Take each rejection as a sign that there’s another publisher out there who might be perfect for you. But know that it takes time.
Suggestions? How did you publish? Sound off in the comments below if we missed anything.
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