I am often approached about tips for publishing a book, and I love sharing from my experiences.
One of the first tips is to have your manuscript/book edited before the text is finalized AND THEN proofread before it is printed.
A few years ago, I worked with a very large publishing company on 2 of their math magazines. There were always so many eyes on each article before they went to print - no less than 10 people read and reviewed each article. I loved the focus not just on word choice, spelling errors, and text flow, but also on things like text size and illustrations. We looked at the illustrations to make sure everything was clear and accurate for the time period. Every aspect of this print project was analyzed. Many articles had a minimum of 3 versions before they were finalized. Our almost-final PDF documents had in excess of 20 comments per magazine. The details mattered!
In large publishing houses, they often have many specialized roles, like a layout designer, a team of illustrators, writers, associate editors, senior editors, proofreaders, and much more. That's a lot of people! When I talk to people interested in publishing their own book, they oftentimes have not had anyone else read their manuscript. This is a huge mistake! You want to get feedback from editors to specialize in your genre of writing. At the developmental stage, they can help you make better characters, fill in plot details, ensure you don't have too many unnecessary details, and so much more. Editors like this are available for hire with various platforms, like Reedsy.com as well as on listings with organizations, like the Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators. They will charge you a fee, but you can often get a quote from them to find the one that best matches you budget.
Whether or not your manuscript will be picked up by a major publishing company or you will self-publish your books, you should have your book edited so that the best version of your book is on display. You can also have family, friends, and/or colleagues review your manuscript and provide specific feedback:
- Was any part of this book unclear?
- What were your favorite parts?
- Are you left with any unanswered questions?
- What parts really stuck out to you?
- Is this the kind of book you would pay to read?
- Who do you think this book is targeted towards?
Once you have had someone to edit your book, great! Once you get to the end of your process, pay an editor to proofread your manuscript! This is one of those really important steps on your journey because typos and missing words can really deter people from reading your entire book. Pricing for this service will vary based on a person's experience and the word count of your manuscript, but it is worth it!!!
Wishing you much success on your publishing journey!