How to Publish a Book at a Young Age
Brainstorm., Choose a way to write your book., Think before you write., Write the story., Do not rush., Once you've started writing, the worst thing you can do is procrastinate (put it off to another day)., Once you have finished, edit the book and...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Brainstorm.
Watch a favorite film, read a book or write down a dream that inspired you.
Think about things that motivate you or spark your passion––these can be great topics for a book and you'll be enthusiastic about putting it together.
Take notice of how an author of a favorite book of yours describes things and the balance between description and action.
Make a list of possible topics for your novel, and pick the one that suits you best.
Sometimes when people want to write a book, the first thing they do is choose a title.
Well, that's not how it should be! The best way to choose a title is to write the story first, and then choose a title to match your story.
Don't write your story to match your title. -
Step 2: Choose a way to write your book.
You can type it on the computer, or write it in your journal.
Whatever makes you more comfortable.
Either way, you're going to end up typing it. , Don't just write down the first words that pop into your head.
Put a short plan together that describes the book and what direction you want to take it in.
If it has characters, develop them on paper first.
If it's a novel, what is your plot or story line? Thesauruses can be a great help when trying to avoid simple or repetitive words.
Never write a word you do not know the meaning of, check it through a dictionary first.
Nothing will happen if you write the first chapter with words you don't know what they mean! , Set aside a regular time for writing the book and stick to this so that it gets finished.
If you need to do research, set aside extra time for this too.
Research can be done online, via real-life interviews with people you know or with experts, and by visiting the library and reading books on your topic. , Writing a book is not a competition for who can write the fastest.
Take your time, especially when thinking of your ideas for the next paragraph.
If you get stuck, it is good to take a break from the writing and come back to it when you feel refreshed.
A few days, even a week, might be helpful sometimes. , You may start the book at age 15 and end it at age 45 if you let this happen! Sometimes it's easy to get sick of working on the book that you're editing, and then want to jump into writing another, but don't! Instead, persevere and continue your first project.
It will feel amazing once you get it done,and you will actually feel accomplished (unlike how you would feel if you put it off....) , The story you write first will not be what ends up being published––now is the time to "polish" your work and remove anything that doesn't enhance the story or book, fix grammatical errors and ensure consistency.
Read your work out loud.
This is better than reading in your head for noticing any mistakes or rooms for improvement can be found faster and more efficiently.
Try to balance long sentences amongst the short ones.This will avoid boredom and create a smooth rhythm in your writing.
Do this often, until it is close, or even is, perfect! , You might want to do this with several people you know, to get a well-rounded amount of feedback on your work.
Ask for advice and suggestions and correction for your story or work.
If someone doesn't like something you've written, chances are, a lot of people won't.
Take it in your stride and follow their advice to make changes.
Sometimes it's frustrating when you've just worked extremely hard on writing something, and then have all your friends and family tell you that you did a million things wrong, but see this as constructive criticism.
Use it to improve your work. , After considering the comments and suggestions of other people, you're still the author, and you have the final decision on what goes in your book and what doesn't. , to your story.
Use your favorite word processing program and image-fixing program. , You might like to use a printer with two-sided printing; that way the book will have text at the back of the page, like a real book.
That said, check with publisher requirements first, as they may prefer single pages (not bound). , Put the book together by sewing or stapling it. (Sewing is recommended). , If you're sending printed hard copies, check with the publisher for the correct format and any other requirements. ,, You will probably get lots of rejections.
But persevere––it only takes one "yes" to get through and be published. -
Step 3: Think before you write.
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Step 4: Write the story.
-
Step 5: Do not rush.
-
Step 6: Once you've started writing
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Step 7: the worst thing you can do is procrastinate (put it off to another day).
-
Step 8: Once you have finished
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Step 9: edit the book and make any changes needed.
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Step 10: Get a teacher or adult to edit it and make sure everything is accurate.
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Step 11: Make final decisions about what stays in and what is taken out.
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Step 12: Add any pictures
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Step 13: backgrounds
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Step 14: colors
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Step 15: Use a colored printer to print out your story.
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Step 16: If you want a copy for yourself
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Step 17: make a hard covered book (you can make it with cardboard).
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Step 18: Make a PDF or eBook for emailing to publishers.
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Step 19: Follow all guidelines of agents/publishers before querying.
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Step 20: Keep sending your book to publishers until it works out.
Detailed Guide
Watch a favorite film, read a book or write down a dream that inspired you.
Think about things that motivate you or spark your passion––these can be great topics for a book and you'll be enthusiastic about putting it together.
Take notice of how an author of a favorite book of yours describes things and the balance between description and action.
Make a list of possible topics for your novel, and pick the one that suits you best.
Sometimes when people want to write a book, the first thing they do is choose a title.
Well, that's not how it should be! The best way to choose a title is to write the story first, and then choose a title to match your story.
Don't write your story to match your title.
You can type it on the computer, or write it in your journal.
Whatever makes you more comfortable.
Either way, you're going to end up typing it. , Don't just write down the first words that pop into your head.
Put a short plan together that describes the book and what direction you want to take it in.
If it has characters, develop them on paper first.
If it's a novel, what is your plot or story line? Thesauruses can be a great help when trying to avoid simple or repetitive words.
Never write a word you do not know the meaning of, check it through a dictionary first.
Nothing will happen if you write the first chapter with words you don't know what they mean! , Set aside a regular time for writing the book and stick to this so that it gets finished.
If you need to do research, set aside extra time for this too.
Research can be done online, via real-life interviews with people you know or with experts, and by visiting the library and reading books on your topic. , Writing a book is not a competition for who can write the fastest.
Take your time, especially when thinking of your ideas for the next paragraph.
If you get stuck, it is good to take a break from the writing and come back to it when you feel refreshed.
A few days, even a week, might be helpful sometimes. , You may start the book at age 15 and end it at age 45 if you let this happen! Sometimes it's easy to get sick of working on the book that you're editing, and then want to jump into writing another, but don't! Instead, persevere and continue your first project.
It will feel amazing once you get it done,and you will actually feel accomplished (unlike how you would feel if you put it off....) , The story you write first will not be what ends up being published––now is the time to "polish" your work and remove anything that doesn't enhance the story or book, fix grammatical errors and ensure consistency.
Read your work out loud.
This is better than reading in your head for noticing any mistakes or rooms for improvement can be found faster and more efficiently.
Try to balance long sentences amongst the short ones.This will avoid boredom and create a smooth rhythm in your writing.
Do this often, until it is close, or even is, perfect! , You might want to do this with several people you know, to get a well-rounded amount of feedback on your work.
Ask for advice and suggestions and correction for your story or work.
If someone doesn't like something you've written, chances are, a lot of people won't.
Take it in your stride and follow their advice to make changes.
Sometimes it's frustrating when you've just worked extremely hard on writing something, and then have all your friends and family tell you that you did a million things wrong, but see this as constructive criticism.
Use it to improve your work. , After considering the comments and suggestions of other people, you're still the author, and you have the final decision on what goes in your book and what doesn't. , to your story.
Use your favorite word processing program and image-fixing program. , You might like to use a printer with two-sided printing; that way the book will have text at the back of the page, like a real book.
That said, check with publisher requirements first, as they may prefer single pages (not bound). , Put the book together by sewing or stapling it. (Sewing is recommended). , If you're sending printed hard copies, check with the publisher for the correct format and any other requirements. ,, You will probably get lots of rejections.
But persevere––it only takes one "yes" to get through and be published.
About the Author
Michael Adams
Committed to making crafts accessible and understandable for everyone.
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