Your Publishing Journey
The road between idea and print, between realizing you want to write a book to actually holding the book in your hands, can be long and winding. However, just like any creative pursuit, your publishing journey can enrich your soul. And when you pursue it with the right support, every step of the way, every roadblock in your journey, will be worthwhile.
What does your publishing journey look like?
You Get an Idea for a Book
The beginning of your publishing journey starts with a spark. With a seed of an idea. But what if you’re currently “seedless?”
If the seed is proving hard to catch, there are simple writing prompts that can nudge you in the right direction. Another fool-proof method is to look into the types of books that are out there. There is no shortage of inspiration; you simply have to know where to look.
You Write Your Book
Once you’ve planted the seed of an idea, the next step is to cultivate it. This is where the hard work starts. Writing your book is perhaps half of your publishing journey. This is where you will pour your heart into your art.
This part of your journey can be arduous but your story deserves its spot in the world. You have readers who are waiting to see what magic you can conjure with words. There is a waiting shelf space in a bookstore or library somewhere that has your name in it. So keep writing, until you reach the last period of the last sentence in the last page of your manuscript.
You’ve Written Your Book. Now What?
You’ve typed the last period of your book. Your next step is to have it published. But how? Where do you start? How exactly do you get your book published?
There are several ways with which you can get your book published these days. The most common are traditional publishing and self-publishing. Traditional publishing entails working with an established publishing house to get your book published. Typically, this journey involves submitting your manuscript, either to a literary agent or to the publishing house directly, and hoping that your work will stand out enough to be picked. In traditional publishing, only a small percentage of submitted manuscripts get published.
Self-publishing, on the other hand, puts you in control of your publishing journey from the get-go. You don’t have to play the waiting game. Among the many advantages of self-publishing, the first is that you remove the potential of rejection. The decision to get published is yours and yours alone. You are not at the mercy of the whims of a literary agent. Additionally, you have creative control over every step of the publishing process until the very minute you get your book in your hands.
While self-publishing is a much faster way to get your book published, it isn’t without its limitations. Self-publishing roadblocks abound, just like in any creative journey. However, with the right support, you can overcome these barriers successfully.
You Self-Publish Your Book
The best support for your self-publishing journey comes in the form of a full-service guided self-publishing house. At Xlibris, we offer 100% support to help you write your own success. The Xlibris publishing process is a well-honed system that has helped countless aspiring writers for more than a decade.
To make taking the first step easy for you, Xlibris offers different publishing packages. Depending on your manuscript or how you want your book to look when you finally receive it, you can pick a package that’s right for you.
Xlibris publishing packages are also customizable. You can tailor them according to your needs. Because you are in full control of your publishing journey, you can select additional elements to your package. Our add-on services offer you many options that can help you customize the way that you self-publish your work with Xlibris.
Once you’ve picked your publishing package and add-on services, together with your publishing consultant, you can then work on the many parts of your book. These include the cover, layout, illustrations, content, and more. If you already have the files and final versions of these ready, your publishing journey will be shorter. You will be able to have your book in your hands much sooner.
But don’t worry if your book is far from finished when you reach out to us. Molding your work to become the book that you envisioned is part of your publishing journey with Xlibris. Our editors and designers will work on your manuscript, with your full guidance, so that it becomes the book of your dreams. For instance, you will mostly have a specific vision about how your book will look in a bookstore or library shelf. At Xlibris, you have several options when it comes to designing your book cover.
Unlike traditional publishing that typically takes years, you will be able to hold your book in your hands at a much shorter time when you self-publish. But there are several factors that will heavily affect how soon you can hold your book. Specifically, if your manuscript is ready, you have a clear vision of your book cover and art, and you collaborate diligently with your publishing consultant, you will be able to make the self-publishing process go smoother. Before you know it, you are flipping through your printed book and displaying it proudly in your home.
You Market Your Book
Your publishing journey, however, doesn’t end the moment you display your book at home. Imagine your book in bookstores, libraries, and online retailers. For this next major step, you will work on marketing your book. Sounds daunting but not to worry. Self-publishing houses like Xlibris, make marketing your book a pain-free experience.
So go ahead and write that book.
Fuel that spark and cultivate it. When you're ready to publish, your Xlibris team will happily guide you throughout your publishing journey.
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