If you want to write a novel and get it published, there are only really three steps:

1. Write a terrific novel.
2. Get a literary agent (who then pitches your novel to publishers).
3. Sign the contract and work with the publisher on the book.

Unfortunately, each of those steps is a lot more complicated and time-consuming than this. It seems that a lot of would-be novelists forget the first step entirely: Write a TERRIFIC novel. Novels are an art form. To craft a really great novel takes practice and a willingness to learn. Not every writer is willing to put the time and effort into practicing and learning. But this is the first step, and it can’t be skipped. On this page, I’ve included several resources for writers who want to learn and improve their fiction writing skills.

Getting a literary agent is a matter of mastering step one (writing a terrific novel) and finding a reputable, competent literary agent who is willing to take an unpublished, new client, who is a good match with the writer and shares their vision and enthusiasm, and who believes that they can sell the book. Finding an agent that meets this criteria can be difficult and frustrating. However, since most publishers today will not work with a non-agented writer, especially one who is not published, this step cannot be skipped either. There are two ways to contact agents: find agents in a writers market directory and then send query letters, or attend a writers conference where agents will be meeting with writers. I prefer the writers conference route because a writer can learn and improve skills (step one) as well as meet potential agents (step two). I believe so much in the value of writers conferences, I have a Writers Conference Survival Guide available to help writers navigate these important events.

Once a writer finally receives and signs a contract with a publisher, the hard work isn’t over. There are several rounds of editing and rewriting, book promotion efforts, and still a lot of learning and practice to improve our writing craft. I’ve learned that as hard as it is to get published, it’s equally hard to stay published. There are numerous challenges that await the published author, and very few of us hit the bestseller list or make a lot of money from our books.

So what about the shortcuts? Why don’t we all just skip agents and publishers and put our novels directly out on the Internet as digital books? Or why not pay a vanity or self-publishing press to package and publish the books for us? Several reasons:

1. Self-published and vanity presses either do not provide professional editing, or they do so at exorbitant prices. A traditional publisher may not provide the level of editing that they did even 30 years ago, but they do still put the book through several rounds of professional editing. Additionally, a novel won’t even be considered for publication unless it meets a certain standard of literary proficiency. Traditional publishers help maintain quality, which is important in order to maintain readers who expect their fiction to be readable as well as enjoyable.
2. Traditionally published authors do not have to pay to have their books published. They get paid! It may not always be a lot, but it’s better than shelling out thousands of dollars that may or may not be recouped through book sales. The traditional publisher shoulders that financial risk, and for many of us, that is essential. Most self-published books don’t sell more than about 500 copies, and that simply isn’t enough to earn back the amount the writer paid to have them published. There are always exceptions, but in general, a traditionally published author will come out ahead financially over the average self-published author.
3. Distribution and promotion is better with a traditional publisher. This one is starting to change with the growing popularity of digital books. However, at this point, it is still true that self-published books rarely appear on the shelves of a bookstore, and self-published e-books tend to get lost in the flood of e-books being promoted on various websites. Traditional publishers are not always great at promoting their books, either, but they usually do more than what the author could do by herself. They have the financial investment in the book, so they have more incentive to promote and distribute. Plus, bookstores prefer traditionally published books over self-published for several reasons.

Self-publishing is good for some book projects, and there are always the exceptions that break out and become quite popular. But for the majority of fiction writers, it’s better (at this point) to slog through the Three Steps listed above.

Many of us who are published are watching the rapid changes in the publishing industry with great interest. We suspect that there is coming a time when all the steps and rules will change. Self-publishing could become a viable way to make a living for a novelist. Digital books could overtake paper books. Traditional publishing may become a thing of the past. In the future, it will become essential for all writers to be very savvy and find ways to protect our art and earn a living from our skills and story craft.

But no matter what happens, I hope we always keep the first step I listed above as paramount: write a TERRIFIC novel. Any writer who wants help with that, there are lots of great resources on this page. My advice is keep writing and hang on to your laptops—it’s going to be a wild ride.