but a bit experienced.
This weekend I received an email from a reader with a publishing question that I get asked often: Should a writer pay a publisher to publish their manuscript?
Although there are certainly exceptions to every rule,(there are some success stories about self-published books, but they are rare)never pay someone to publish your book. I understand the temptation for an unpublished writer to go that route. The road to publication can be frustrating. When a writer receives many rejections, a letter from a publisher oozing with praise and offering a guarantee for success, appears to be a satisfying option.
Please think long and hard before you pull out your checkbook or apply for a loan. Some folks think that if they self-publish their book, a major publishing house will stumble upon their story and make an offer to put it on a future list. Yes, this has happened. Again, it is rare.
And please know that even though the publisher may offer an editing service and a snazzy cover, your book will still be considered self-published if you are paying one cent for its publication.
Hang in there. Work on the writing and one day someone will offer you money for the privilege of publishing your story.
Learning from other writers helped me journey down the road towards publication. Tomorrow Kathi Appelt discusses the writing process of her debut novel, The Underneath. I guarantee you will learn something.
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