How to get a book published?

You can go through the current Writer's Market to get an idea of how to get your book published. You can also try the Literary Market Place for names of publishers. If you want, you can always self publish, or go with places like a vanity press, where publishing one's book is far easier than trying to publish with the bigger houses. However, despite my mention of this, I strongly advise AGAINST using vanity presses or self publishing. No reputable publishing house would consider it a "published" book, and despite having a published work, the heart of the operation is your wallet. You're going to have to pay for everything, as well as doing all the work (marketing, publicity, selling the books to bookstores). The best way, I believe, would be to go through traditional publishing houses to get your book published.

Look at the books that is most like the book you are writing, then go to the copyright pages and make note of the publisher's information. You can review their submissions guidelines on their websites, but just to warn you, most, if not all, of the major houses do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. I'd strongly suggest getting an agent (you'll have to pay them a fee), but when and if a house solicits for manuscripts, literary agencies, like Writers House or Sterling Lord Literistics, are the ones they turn to.

Be prepared for what houses will ask for. Most of them ask for a few sample chapters, and then a synopsis. If it's a picture book, the whole manuscript should probably be submitted (since the manuscript would be so short). You'll have to include a SASE with your submission so that the house can mail you a response. Expect some lag time between the time you send something out till the time you hear from a house. Editors are swamped, and submissions are usually read by editorial assistants who pull out the ones that they think their bosses may like. If an editor likes what you've sent them, they'll ask for the full manuscript (if it's a long ms), and if they like THAT and decide to acquire your text, then you get to the good stuff, like signing a contract and figuring out your rights (as in rights for media, offering your book the UK, etc.). If you decide NOT to go with an agent, then I'd suggest you have a lawyer who specializes in these types of things to review your contract for you.

I strongly suggest you have someone edit your manuscript prior to submission. Make sure you have your spelling checked (grammar fixes would be helpful but not necessary; that's what the copyeditor is for!). Most, if not all, of the major houses use The Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, as a reference for grammar and style usages; Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th edition, for spellings.

I work on a lot of nonfiction material. Because your work is nonfiction, you should have it vetted and/or second read by someone who is an expert in the field. You should also have prepared a list of resources that you can cite as backup. The production editor, once the manuscript is acquired, will ask for the materials to be vetted (again) and, depending on the subject matter, will ask if the text needs to be sent to the Legal department for a legal review. Legal will contact you directly about changes that you will have to make, for the protection of the company and the author, as well as asking for permissions for certain materials that are critical to the story and the author is unwilling to recast. Any permissions that are required for the book will have to be paid by the author, not by the publisher.

If you've already completed the book, your work is already copyrighted. Copyright protection, however, can be acquired through the U.S. Copyright office, but this is unnecessary if the manuscript has not yet been acquired. There is a professional courtesy that reputable literary agencies and publishing houses do not—and will not—"steal" ideas from manuscript submissions.

I hope this helps, and best of luck to you!

Okay. If your book is finished, you need to edit it. Then edit again. Make it the best book you possibly can.

Then hit a bookstore for a copy of the Literary Agents' Marketplace. Even most publishers of non-fiction will no longer accept unsolicited (unagented) manuscripts. Check the index for those agents who will read the type of book which you have written.

Start sending at least a query letter and synopsis to agents. Check their individual listings - they explain in the listings exactly what they want you to send to them. Do what they say. It's not always a first time thing, it make take several tries before you find an agent.

You do not have to get legal counsel. There is no need to copyright your work. Technically it already is as soon as you write it. Keep a copy on your hard drive (or hard copy or however). That is your proof if you should ever be accused of plagarism, etc. By the way, that is very rare - it doesn't happen all that often. The people who tend to get sued over things like that are well-known already, which makes them prime targets.

If it's non-fiction, make sure you've documented any sources you've used (if applicable) and make sure that YOU have not accidentally used other people's works without permission.

Agents will not touch anything that is already Published (if it's a reputable company) niether will they publish things that have been put on the Internet. Synopsis's is okay but if you upload chapters then no. Also with self-publishing you have doomed yourself. Your book isn't getting anywhere so you write something else and approach an Agent. They want to know whether you have any matrerial Published, then they want to know whether it sold. Yours has not, they wonder why and wont accept your work. You need to ask why your work hasn't sold. Self-Publishing can make or break you and very often it breaks you, now you'll struggle to publish anything with your History. I can't urge people enough to check every angel of Publishing and in my honest opinion steer clear of Self-publishing. Sorry to give you only bad news, but it's not your book that wont be accepted but you as well. I can't even tell you what to do and you'll not get out of it I'm afraid. I'm not an Author myself I work for the 'Dark Side', people shouldn't be so afraid of Agents we don't bite that hard.

ok.

first you should (you don't need to, but you definitely should) acquire an agent. without a reputable agent, all the big-time publishing companies and even most of the small ones will not even look at your manuscript.

to find an agent, do some serious research (library, or google and such) to find the names and addresses of agents who are specific to the type of work you're going to get published. no use wasting time sending your book to a fiction agent, because he or she won't bother.

once you have an agent (that is, if you get one, this is not an easy task) and are ready to sent out your manuscript, you will have to find the appropriate publishing houses. i worked for a publisher and let me tell you it's a waste of time for you to send your book to someone who doesn't publish your type of writing. if you wrote about science fiction, don't sent it off to harper collins. get my drift?

the advantage to having an agent comes in here, because your manuscript will be considered unsolicited without a reputable literary agent attached to it. your agent will have contacts and will know the right people to send the book to. the chances of your book even being read without an agent are slim, and even slimmer to get it published.

after this you'll get offers (hopefully) and your agent and editor can help you out with all the rest.

the key to this process is an inhuman amount of patience and very low expectations. the chances of your book being published at all, let alone by a reputable company, are slim. but that doesn't mean it's impossible. stay optimistic through every obstical and your diligence will pay off!! it may take months, years even. but as long as you know that going into it, you're golden.

good luck!

Hit up the reference section at the book store, there are a few reputable books out there all about getting published, some even list all the contact info for various publishing companies and the types of books they are interested in so that you don't waste your time.

make sure you get everything copyrighted

Im not really sure but maybe if u go to the publishers headquarters or store i think they will accept it like that.

lulu.com publishes books. You should probably get it copyrighted though.

yes you should check legal council