Most of the epic and amazing literary masterpieces we love, revere and adore would not even have come into existence without hard work, persistence, dedication and of course a publishing deal.

Getting a book into the hands of readers is one of the most challenging parts of being an author/writer, it can be such a long and arduous process that causes many to give up on their dreams of being recognised as literary giants.

We have compiled a list of seemingly obvious and not so obvious hacks to get you on the road to putting the author title in your bio like you’ve secretly always wanted to.

1. Finish the book

Some might argue that this is the hardest step of all because to most writers, their book is their baby and considering how some people’s mums still won’t let them move out just yet because “they’re not ready yet” even though they’re like 35 and already have 3 baby mamas. With that in mind, it’s probably not too much to say that a writer is a thousand times worse than any mother what with the constant nitpicking, correcting, rewriting and just the general rearranging of stuff that doesn’t even need any. So get to it, edit the hell out of that book and move on to the next step.

Now that you have your literary masterpiece ready to be unleashed upon the readers of the world let’s talk about the two different ways to go about publishing which are Self-Publishing and Traditional Publishing

2. Research local publishers

You really want to make sure you find the right publishers for your book. It’s kind of like you’ve designed this masterpiece and you wouldn’t want just anyone to wear it – you need someone who loves it and sees the potential in it. You can use your favorite books as a point of reference when looking for publishers. We have a bunch of reputable local publishers so do not worry – you will be in great hands.

3. Look for a literary agent

This is not compulsory but if you can find a literary agent, then get one. This is the person who will negotiate on your behalf and make sure you get a good deal from your publishers. Its a dog eat dog world out there so don’t assume that every publisher wants to see you win. They want to make money – fact. And so do you so get an agent that’s in your corner.

4. Write a letter & a killer synopsis

Once you’ve found a publisher/agent that is to your liking – you don’t just send them the entire book. You have to tease them a little and make them want to get their hands on it. The synopsis should not be too lengthy and just explain the theme and the plot of the book. The letter is known as a query letter and it’s basically a short 300 word letter giving them solid reasons as to why your book is the best thing they will ever read in their whole lives.

5. Do it your damn self (otherwise known as Self Publishing)

Self-publishing really is exactly what it says it is, it’s pretty much when a writer decides to go at it alone. That means no agents, no publishing house and no book deal. All the work is on you, the writer, but on the bright side, all the rewards are also yours. Now in the past, authors spent insane amounts of money when they decided to self-publish, they had to pay tons and tons of people to do all sorts of things for them in relation to their books.

But now with the beast of the internet as your platform – self publishing is really easy but it comes with a few challenges. If you are interested in going this route, you should read this great article that gives you all the pros and cons here.

May the force be with you!