Completing a book is a significant accomplishment, representing countless hours of dedication and creativity. With the manuscript finished, many authors find themselves asking, “What comes next?” The journey from a completed draft to a published work can seem complex, but it is a navigable path. This article serves as a guide through the subsequent phases, outlining the steps to transform your manuscript into a book ready for readers.
Refine Your Manuscript
A first draft is a starting point that requires thorough refinement before publication. The initial step is self-editing, which begins after letting the manuscript rest for a few weeks. This break allows you to return with a fresh perspective, making it easier to spot awkward phrasing, plot holes, and inconsistencies.
After your own revisions, seeking feedback from beta readers is a valuable next step. These are trusted individuals who read your manuscript and provide a reader’s perspective on character development, pacing, and overall engagement. Your beta readers should be part of your target audience, and you can find them in writing groups or online communities. Providing them with specific questions can help guide their feedback.
The final stage of refinement is professional editing. Developmental editing focuses on plot, structure, and character arcs. Line and copy editing address the manuscript at the sentence level, focusing on style, grammar, and consistency. Proofreading is the last check for any remaining typos or formatting errors.
Choose Your Publishing Path
After refining your manuscript, you must decide how to publish your book. The two primary avenues are traditional publishing and self-publishing, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages. This choice will shape your publication experience, from production timelines to royalty earnings, so understanding each path is important for making an informed decision.
Traditional Publishing
Traditional publishing means working with an established publishing house. A benefit is that the publisher covers all expenses for editing, design, printing, and distribution, so there are no upfront costs for the author. This path also offers a professional team to handle the production process, and publishers have established networks to get your book into physical bookstores. Being accepted by a publisher also carries a certain level of prestige.
The drawbacks include a longer timeline, as it can take years to see your book on shelves. Authors also relinquish a degree of creative control over the cover design and final title. Royalty rates are lower, in the range of 7-15% of the book’s list price, and securing a deal requires finding a literary agent.
Self-Publishing
Self-publishing places the author in complete control of the process, retaining full creative authority over the book. The timeline is much faster, allowing you to publish within weeks of finishing the manuscript. Authors also earn higher royalty rates, sometimes up to 70%, and can maintain a direct connection with their readers.
The trade-off for this control is that the author is responsible for all associated costs and tasks. This includes hiring professional editors and cover designers, formatting the book, and managing all marketing and distribution. The responsibilities can be overwhelming, and the author bears the full financial risk of the project.
Pursuing Traditional Publishing
If you choose the traditional route, the first step is to secure a literary agent. An agent acts as your advocate, representing your work to publishing houses and negotiating contracts on your behalf. Most major publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts, making an agent a necessary gateway.
Researching and identifying the right agents is a detailed process. Resources like QueryTracker and Publishers Marketplace are tools for finding agents who represent your genre. It is important to look for agents who are actively seeking new clients and whose interests align with your work. Reading the acknowledgments section of books similar to yours can also identify potential agents.
The primary tool for contacting an agent is the query letter, a one-page professional letter designed to capture their interest. It includes a hook, a brief synopsis of your book’s characters and conflict, and a short author bio.
Alongside your query letter, you will need a polished synopsis and the opening chapters of your manuscript ready to send. A synopsis is a more detailed summary of your entire plot, including the ending. Agents may request these materials if your query letter piques their interest, so having them perfected beforehand is important.
Navigating Self-Publishing
Choosing the self-publishing path means you are the publisher, responsible for every stage of production. To create a book that can compete with traditionally published titles, investing in professional production quality is a priority. This begins with a professionally designed cover and extends to the interior formatting, ensuring the text is clean and readable for both print and digital formats.
Once your book is produced, you must choose a distribution platform. Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is the dominant platform, offering access to Amazon’s vast customer base for both ebooks and paperbacks. For authors seeking wider distribution, IngramSpark can place your book in catalogs used by thousands of bookstores and libraries globally. Many authors use a combination of both KDP and IngramSpark.
An element for distribution, particularly for print books, is the International Standard Book Number (ISBN). An ISBN is a unique 13-digit identifier for your book. You can obtain a free ISBN through platforms like KDP, but this lists the platform as the publisher. Purchasing your own ISBN from an agency like Bowker allows you to list your own publishing imprint, giving you greater control.
Protect Your Work
Regardless of your publishing path, protecting your intellectual property is a fundamental step. In the United States, your work is copyrighted the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form. This automatic protection grants you the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, and display your work.
While copyright is automatic, formally registering your work with the U.S. Copyright Office provides significant legal advantages. Registration is a prerequisite for filing a lawsuit for copyright infringement in federal court. It also establishes a public record of your ownership and, if done before publication, serves as evidence of the copyright’s validity in court. The process can be completed online through the official government website for a nominal fee.
Build Your Author Platform
In today’s publishing landscape, marketing is an ongoing activity for all authors. Building an author platform—your connection to your readers and your visibility in the market—should begin long before your book is available for sale. This platform is the community you build around your work and your author brand.
A foundational element of an author platform is a professional author website. This serves as a central hub where readers can find information about you, your books, and any upcoming news. Your website is a space you completely own and control, unlike social media channels.
From there, choosing one or two social media platforms where your target readers are most active is a strategic way to engage with your audience. The goal is not just to promote your book, but to build relationships and offer value to your followers. Consistency and authenticity are important for growing a loyal following.
An email newsletter is another tool for building a direct line of communication with readers. It allows you to share updates, behind-the-scenes content, and promotions directly to their inbox. Building this list creates a ready audience for your book launch and for future projects.