Your book is written and you can’t wait to submit it to a publisher or upload it if you’re self-publishing. Before you do though, read this post. It’ll save you time and money.
Know who your book is for.
This applies to both fiction and nonfiction. Having an audience in mind will help you target the right publisher/platform. Plus you’ll be able to write easier because you’ll have a clearer picture of your reader.
Edit. Edit. Edit. Then edit some more.
Whether you’re submitting your manuscript to a publisher or publishing on KDP, you want to submit your best work. Edit for plot holes. Edit for clarity. And edit for POV (point of view). Your readers will pick up on all of the above, which will result in a not-so-good review if they find mistakes.
If you struggle with the editing process you can have your manuscript edited. I provide the service, or you can head on over to Fiverr if you wish. The more polished your manuscript the better.
Read the submission guidelines.
Not submitting your manuscript and other information in the proper format will most likely earn you a red strike right at the start. And depending on the publisher, that could be enough to have your work tossed before it’s even read.
Some publishers want everything in a single document, while others prefer the manuscript separate from the author information. (Check out my submission guidelines here.)
Build your audience.
Marketing your book before it’s finished can seem like you’re jumping the gun, but it does have its benefits. You’ll have readers waiting for the book to be released and getting reviews will come much quicker than if you were to wait. Plus you’ll start earning royalties sooner as well.
Select the right categories for your book.
Whether you submit to a publisher or self-publish on KDP or other platform, it’s important to know which categories your book should be in. A romance novel won’t get any readers if you put it in the fantasy category, and your nonfiction won’t do well if you categorize it as a novel.
The more you can fine-tune the categories the better. And by doing that you’ll attract the readers who want to read your book; not the ones who are expecting something different.
Have a cover and book blurb done.
No matter what genre your book is in, you’ll need a cover that attracts readers. And the book blurb will have to seal the deal since the shopper can’t flip through the pages like they would in a bookstore.
If you are good at design, you can design your own cover. If not, you can get a good cover done over at Fiverr for a reasonable price.
Wrapping it up.
Before you upload your manuscript via a submission form or self-publishing platform, remember the following:
It’s important to know who your book is for in order to target the right publisher/platform.
Be sure to edit your work thoroughly before submitting it anywhere.
Make sure you follow the submission guidelines for whatever publisher/platform you are using.
Marketing your book before it’s finished has its benefits, one of which being that people will be more likely to write reviews once it comes out.
Be strategic when choosing categories for your book- put it in a category that makes sense for its genre.
Have an eye-catching cover and well-written blurb designed before releasing your book into the world.
Birchbark Publishing 
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