How to Get a Novel Traditionally Published

If you’re not part of the writing community, or if you’re just starting your writing journey, the process of getting a book deal with a traditional publishing house might seem pretty opaque.

When I first started writing, I assumed that you could just send your manuscript to a publisher and then, if they liked it, they’d turn it into a Real Book^TM. Turns out it’s a little more complicated than that.

In this article, I’ll be sharing a step-by-step guide for how to get a novel traditionally published.

The 5 Steps of Traditional Publication

I’ve broken the publication process down into five steps. Each step involves a lot of smaller steps, which I’ll cover in future blog posts, but these steps will give you a bird’s-eye-view of what the whole journey looks like.

Step 1: Write a Book

Easier said than done, I know. This first step is less dependent on luck than the others, but it’s still probably the hardest step, just because of the sheer amount of time it takes to write a novel.

After you finish the first draft, it’s time to revise and polish the manuscript as much as you can. I’d recommend finding beta readers or critique partners to give you feedback and help you tighten up the story.

This step only applies to fiction, by the way—nonfiction books often sell on proposal, meaning you can get a book deal without having to write the book first. But if you’re a novelist, like me, you’ll need a complete manuscript before you can start looking for publishers.  

Step 2: Query Literary Agents

Most traditional publishing houses don’t accept submissions directly from authors. You’ll need to find a literary agent who has the skills and connections to champion your book for you.

To get a literary agent, you have to go through a process called “querying,” where you send each agent a query letter telling them what your book is about, as well as the first few pages or chapters of your manuscript. If they’re interested, they’ll request the full manuscript.

You might need to query dozens or even hundreds of agents before one of them falls in love with your book enough to represent it. Don’t be discouraged, though—remember that this whole process has a lot more to do with luck than with talent.

If you’re curious about my own querying journey, check out my blog post about how I got my literary agent. And check out some other writers’ querying journeys, too, since everyone’s path looks a little different.

Step 3: Revise the Manuscript with Your Agent

Once you’ve signed with a literary agent, you’ll most likely spend some time working on your manuscript together to get it ready for submission.

Different agents have different editorial styles. Some might give you only a few sentences of feedback and let you figure it out on your own. Others might give you detailed edit letters and walk you through the process of how to execute your revisions.

Either way, the goal is to give your manuscript the best chance possible of being picked up by a publisher.

Step 4: Go on Submission to Publishers

After you and your agent decide your manuscript is ready, your agent will start sending your book to acquiring editors at publishing houses.

There are five major publishing houses in the US, often called the “Big Five”: Penguin Random House, Hachette, Macmillan, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster. There are also large traditional publishers that specialize in different genres, such as Scholastic for kidlit and Harlequin for romance, plus some fantastic small and midsize presses your agent might submit to as well.

If an acquiring editor loves your manuscript, they’ll take it to their acquisitions team. And then, if they get a green light from the rest of the team, they’ll offer you a book deal.

Step 5: Work on the Book with Your Editor

After you get a book deal, it’ll be a while before you see your book hit the shelves—typically about two years.

That’s because there’s a lot more work to do. You’ll need to work with your editor to do more developmental editing, copyediting, and line editing. Your publishing team will also need time to handle other steps like cover design, distribution, and marketing.

Once all of that’s done, you’ll finally get to publication day! And voila—you’ll finally have a Real Book^TM.

All that being said, traditional publishing is far from the only way to create a Real Book^TM. You can choose to self-publish, or you can publish with an indie press without an agent. There’s no one-size-fits-all path to publication—it all depends on what works best for you.

If you’re in the process of getting traditionally published, what step are you on right now? Let me know in the comments!

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I’m Hannah Yang, and I’m a full-time author. I publish blog articles about writing craft tips, my writing process, or my journey to publication. Share this article if you found it useful, and subscribe if you want to see more!