HOW DID YOU KNOW...?
Updated: Nov 12, 2022
Well, to be honest, I didn't know how to do that at all. I was under the impression an author needed an agent, who would then submit the book to publishers on their behalf.
I spent a lot of time Googling stuff. Fortunately, I found a couple of writing communities and asked around. Through those communities, I discovered there were some avenues available to submit a book without representation. Obviously, there is always the self-publishing route, but stick with me if you're interested in submitting to a publisher.
Back when I was ready to submit Catch My Breath, I found several of the big publishing houses had a 'digital-first' imprint that accepted unsolicited manuscripts. Basically, I could email the editor a query letter and my book, then sit back and wait.
I sent Catch My Breath to 6 digital-first publishers in April 2013. By June, I was signed to Harper Collins. Catch My Breath was published in April 2014.
My route to publication isn't typical. It wasn't until *after* I was offered my 3-book deal that I decided to get an agent. As a debut author, I really had zero clue what I was getting myself into. 😂
While I enjoyed working with the team at HarperImpulse (now called One More Chapter), I plan to self-publish my next book.
As always, my advice to you would be to do what feels right and what works best for you. Have any questions about the publishing process? Ask me in the comments!
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