Complete Idiot's Guide - Getting Published (Book Review)

Authors Sheree Bykofsky and Jennifer Basye Sander pull out all the stops in "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Published," cramming a wealth of useful information for would-be authors into a single, user-friendly volume.

As long-time industry insiders, the authors share from personal experience exactly what it takes to be successful in the world of publishing, as well as a number of things that can guarantee that your work will never see the light of day.

How Do You Get Published

Novice writers may think that writing a winning novel or non-fiction book and sending it off to publishers is all that it takes to join the ranks of successful published authors.

"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Published" banishes this misconception right away, revealing that there is a great deal of work to be done on the part of Authors before their book hits store shelves.

The book starts at the first step of the process: coming up with an idea. The authors reveal that generating ideas in one's own head is a recipe for failure, and share techniques and strategies for determining what people are currently interested in and why.

Market research is just as important to aspiring and published authors as it is to world's largest companies, and the authors leave readers with a solid understanding of how to feel the pulse of the industry at all times.

Bykofsky and Sander move on to discuss the art, science and process of creating winning query letters and book proposals, clearing up much of the confusion that can surround these two vital introductory pieces. Techniques for researching potential agents and publishers are shared, and the true differences between shopping a manuscript to an agent and a publisher are explored.

Publishing Industry Secrets

The authors inject additional value into this instructional book by revealing the inner workings of literary agencies and publishing houses, in which they have worked for many years.

Readers walk away from this book with more than a set of instructions to follow; they put the book down with a deeper understanding of exactly how a new book moves through the inner workings of the publishing industry, from editing, to marketing, to distribution and sales.

Understanding the daily roles and routines of those who can make or break an author's career can give any author an edge.

Another valuable topic explored in this book is the fine art of negotiating agency and publishing contracts. Many authors are necessarily inexperienced in legal matters, making this section especially helpful to those who may have never even considered that they would have to fend for themselves while entering a legally-binding agreement with far-reaching impacts on their success.

Like any instructional book worth its salt, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Published" sternly argues the fact that success is never passive. Authors' work is not nearly finished when they submit a book proposal.

This book shares the many things that authors can and should do in addition to their writing activities, including self-marketing, networking, honing their craft and developing a brand identity.

This book may leave readers with a heavy realization that becoming published requires a lot more work than they expected, but this real-world realization can only contribute to readers' success in the future.

DIY Publishing and eBooks

While most of this book centers on the traditional print-publishing segment, the authors also take time to explore the worlds of electronic and self publishing. Statistics and strategies for DIY publishing are explored and compared to traditional processes, and the advantages and disadvantages of publishing eBooks rather than print works are objectively put forth.

Like any "Complete Idiot's Guide" entry, this book does not leave readers with a college degree's worth of knowledge and experience.

However, at the very least it imparts a comprehensive overview of the entire publishing process, helping authors to understand what areas they need to study more.