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Got a book, a story, a poem, or an article you'd like to publish? Follow these tips to get your piece in print.
Search the listings in the latest edition of Writer's Market. Find a periodical or publishing house that publishes your kind of work. Check out hard copies of periodicals and books published by different companies.
Send a query letter. Write a clear, professional, and short letter to each publisher, explaining who you are, the gist of your piece, and why you think it would be of interest to their readers. Include your contact information and offer to send a sample of your manuscript if they so request it.
Send the manuscript or a sample if the company requests it (and number the pages!). Be sure to include a cover letter explaining why you think the publisher would be a good fit for your manuscript. Include a synopsis if requested.
Ask for an update on your manuscript after a couple months if you have not heard anything since submitting your sample. You don't want to wait idly on one publisher when you can get published with another company.
Should you self-publish? If, after years of trying to get your manuscript accepted, you only have a stack of rejection letters, you can reconsider your manuscript – find out if it can be improved, etc. – or consider if it is important enough to self-publish. If you decide you do want to self-publish, check out Dan Poynter's Self-Publishing Manual.
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