Now what?

A book just lays there until someone shows it to the world

Happy days shooting Hammer Down. I wrote a book because I had stories to tell, but then what?

So you’ve finished your book. Getting there has been the goal but now you’ve arrived. Congratulations, time to celebrate and take a breath because a new and unknown part is about to begin — getting your book out into the world. ‘Cause, even though it’s finished, a book lays there another unseen manuscript until someone holds it up and shows it to the world. Who is that going to be?

I gave myself six months to find an agent or a publisher. You may want more or less time but either way, it’s important to give yourself a schedule. Otherwise, time goes by and it’s hard to see how you are doing. Days slip by while you wait for others to get back to you.

So I set myself that six-month goal, then got to work. I studied writer's publications, scoured the internet for lists of agents and publishers who looked at the work of unknowns, asked writer friends for the names of agents I could approach.

Lists, lots of lists

Once I had my first list, I picked the best possibilities and checked out their websites to see what they were looking for in a submission. Because everyone wants something different and you’re wasting…