Finishing a manuscript is one of the most rewarding achievements for any writer, but once you are at this stage, what’s next? You may have spent many weeks, months and even years in composing your book, but that was only the beginning, getting it published and successfully published that is, can be a daunting challenge for anyone, even if this isn’t your first time.

So, here are nine steps that you should consider once you’ve typed ‘The End’ on your manuscript:
 
One - Editing and Revision:
Before submitting the manuscript to publishers (traditional or self-publishing upload), it is essential to edit and revise it thoroughly. This includes checking for grammar and spelling errors, refining the plot and characters, and ensuring the overall coherence and flow of the story.

If you want to do this yourself, put the book down and give it a couple of weeks before you review it, getting some distance can help you to look at it again with fresh eyes, and there are plenty of software options to help you do this. But it must be said, getting a professional to edit your book is a far better option and usually leads to better results in polishing your book.

Do you want creative ideas for your book? You can start by looking at the latest trends in the publishing industry.

Publishing consultant Ruediger Wischenbart reported that global trends have popped up in the industry, such as the rise of interest in e-books and audiobooks. The publishing consultant also noted that readers are shifting from traditionally popular genres like romance and mysteries to children’s stories, young adult titles, and even nonfiction books. The consultant notes that this shift may be due to the changes in the digital marketing strategies of publishers and authors themselves.

So, if you want your book to attract the attention of publishers and readers, here are some trends that you need to watch out for:

Many people have dreamed of becoming a published author, and they do say that there is a book within us all, but for those who may not have either the time or the skill to write a book, there are people and businesses who offer ghost writing services to help you reach that goal of having a book in print.

Now, for many authors, this is a sticky subject, is it right to see someone become a bestselling author for a book they did not pen themselves? Maybe, maybe not, but ghost writers will still work with clients, and we’ll still see books in the stores that won’t have been written by the name on the cover.
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A big area for ghost writers is in ‘auto-biographies’, here you’ll have a person of interest to the public who will work with a ghost writer to ensure that their life story is written well and makes an enjoyable read.

Getting your book traditionally published is a dream of many writers, of course it is very easy to self-publish your book, the likes of KDP Publishing and IngramSpark are two very popular print on demand services, who have helped millions of authors publish books themselves. However, getting the backing of a publishing house would give your book a huge advantage in the marketplace.

So, how do you publish a book in the traditional fashion?

Many authors try their luck by contacting publishers directly with their manuscripts, but it has to be mentioned that most publishers don’t take unsolicited requests from authors, so, your manuscript may end up in the house’s slush pile, where it could stay unread for years.

If you are trying to get your book published through the more traditional means of an established publishing house, you may find it incredibly hard to get it read by an editor if you’re ‘going it alone’. Most publishers rely upon literary agents bringing them manuscripts, these agents will have developed relationships within the publishing world, have specialized within just several specific genres, have their fingers on the pulse of current trends and understand how to best shape a book for an audience.
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So, finding and working with a literary agent will give you a massive advantage when publishing your book, it will help in giving a clear path to not only polishing your work to its most professional version, but also with opening doors to the relevant parties who can make it a success.