The goal for most writers is to get published. We want the world to read our work and maybe make a little coin in the process. Of course, that’s much easier said than done. To become a published author you must be a very patient person. But that’s not all.

This article is for those who are already beyond the agent/publisher querying phase, or those who want to know what to do once they move beyond that phase. You see, writing a novel and getting a publisher to agree to publish it is only the first half of the battle. The second half deals with the length of time it takes for your manuscript to become marketable and ready for mass production. Today we’re going to go over three quick tips that’ll help make this process go as smoothly as possible. Let’s jump into it!

3. Understand Your Work Is Now A Collaborative Effort

Right off the bat this is the main problem most writers run into. Once a publisher agrees to take on your manuscript you sign a contract that pretty much states your work is no longer a solo project. Yes, you ultimately have final say on how the finished project turns out, but if you aren’t willing to collaborate with the team you’ll be working with, chances are pretty good that the project will fail.

This is especially true if you’re new to the game. Depending on how much the publisher has invested in your work, you can expect a lot of editing, polishing, brainstorming on marketing strategies, and various ideas or changes suggested to your original work. You must be willing to cooperate and at least listen to the people you’ll be working with. And remember, you all want to book to be a success. So never think an editor or publisher is trying to sabotage your creative vision.

2. Listen To Your Editor

This obviously coincides with the last entry but it’s worth focusing on. The main person you’ll be collaborating with is your editor. This person will send you what seems like never-ending lists of ideas, critiques, and corrections. You’ll be doing a lot of rewriting most likely. Or at least you will be if your editor actually gives a damn about putting out a quality novel.

You’ll want to establish a good working relationship with your editor. If everything goes smoothly this person might be someone you work with for a long time. To get to that point, though, you must be willing to listen to them. Not just on fixing grammatical and spelling errors, but on story fixes as well. It’s hard to listen to someone tell you what’s wrong with your story, but again, you must remember that they are only trying to help. You don’t have to take every suggestion, but you need to at least listen to them.

1. Have A Marketing Strategy In Place BEFORE Your Book Release

Often a publisher wants to know your marketing strategy and how large of an audience you have before they even sign you to a deal. But even if they don’t ask about these things, you should already have plans in place to make sure the book actually sells.

This means you should already have your social media accounts in place with an established audience, a rough estimate of how many of those people will actually buy your book, and the best ways to market your book once it hits the market. Always be prepared!

These are just a few things you should keep in mind once you reach the publishing stage of your career. It’s tough for new writers to go from everything being a completely solitary enterprise to suddenly being forced to work with others. And as writers, we don’t always tend to work well with others. But you need to try!

As I’ve stated before, though, the ultimate goal is to put out the best book you can. If you win, everyone on your team wins. So don’t be too stubborn and don’t shoot down every single idea that comes your way without at least a little consideration. It’s a lot of work, but it’s very rewarding in the end. With these tips, you should take a little bit of the work out of the process.

If you found this article helpful, share it! Then check out these other great writing tip articles.

Writing Quick Tips: How To Write With Balls

5 Ways To Combat Writer’s Fatigue

Writing Quick Tips: Show, Don’t Tell

Published by Caleb James K.

Caleb is a freelance writer, aspiring novelist, and an avid reader. He is the creator of DPW and enjoys editing, as well as helping other writers with their work. When he's not writing or sipping fine whiskey, he can be found at the gym, hiking in the woods, or spending time with his crazy Siberian husky Nitro and wonderful girlfriend Mindy. View all posts by Caleb James K.