Are you one of the thousands of people who dream about writing a book and becoming a published author? It’s exciting to think about creating an entire world with quirky characters and a fantastical plot…all from your imagination alone. While it’s true that getting published is notoriously difficult, there is one genre that stands out among the rest.
Recent statistics released by The Romance Publishing Industry state that romantic fiction comprises a whopping 48.7% of all paperback fiction sold in North America, and 33.8% of all popular fiction sold (including hardcovers, online books, etc.). So, if you really want to get noticed, one of the major plot-lines needs to include a sizzling romance!
Getting started
Becoming a writer doesn’t mean you need to go back to school and get a degree in English literature. What you do need is practice and dedication to the art of writing.
Write, write, write and then write some more. The best way to become a better writer is to constantly hone your craft. Develop a daily routine and stick to it, regardless of what else is going on in your life. And after you’ve been writing for a while, look back at your early work. I guarantee you’ll be surprised at how much more novice it seems compared to your current work.
Honing your craft also includes absorbing as much as you can from other people’s work. Reading recently published books in your genre can help you see the type, quality and standard of work that is appealing to publishers. And observing different author’s styles can encourage you to find your own unique “voice” and creativity as a writer.
The next step
Authors have more options than ever these days when it comes to getting their book in front of an audience. Traditional publishing houses, self-publishing, Amazon, e-books and more are all pathways toward having your work published and available to consumers.
To go the traditional publishing route, where a publisher offers the author a contract and then prints, publishes and distributes the book, you usually need a literary agent who has contacts within the publishing houses. This can be a tough way to go simply because big publishing houses get thousands of manuscripts sent to them each year, and getting your book noticed and singled out for publishing is a long shot.
Self-publishing guarantees that you’ll see your book in print, but it comes at a price. You invest your own money in producing, marketing, distributing and warehousing. The positive side is that you have complete control over your work and if it takes off and begins selling, you don’t have to split the profits with anyone.
Self-publishing an e-book reduces costs by eliminating the costs associated with creating, handling and storing a physical product. Amazon has a number of options by which authors can get their books up on the platform for purchase quickly.
Worrying about publishing is putting the cart before the horse, however. For now, find a quiet place at home or in a coffee shop and start telling that story that’s been floating around in your head for years.