by: Jessica Murphy
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Word Count: 397

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So you've been up at all hours of the night putting in your heart and soul to the masterpiece you are in the process of finally completing. A sigh of joy comes when you sign 'The End' of your book. So what's next you're thinking? Well, you want the world to be able to read your book. You're one of many first time authors with a first book completed. So you immediately try to contact all the major publishing companies to let them know you have the next Bestseller and they need to publish your book!

After around three months of not getting a reply or a returned phone call from a major publisher, you start to wonder if they have even received your book. I can answer that for you. They have received it, but they won't read it. It's probably in the trash can now. The reason why is that major book publishers get bombarded everyday from first time authors that claim their book should be on the shelves. A lot of times book publishers don't even take a look at your book unless it has been introduced through a book agent of if you're publicly known.

"Ok, then I'll get a book agent! They have great connections and I'm sure they will be able to get me through the door, right?" Wrong. Kinda. Here's the thing. A good agent will help you put together a proposal targeted to editors that work within your genre. The truth is, even if the agent can get your book in front of a major publisher, chances are very slim your book will end up in stores.

"Ahh yes...Self-publishing right?" Wrong again. I have yet to meet a self-published author who was anything but drained. They were very grateful for the experience - even when that experience was less than what they expected. But it is hard, hard work. The reality for most people is that self-publishing won't even get your book into bookstores. Companies that provide self-publishing services often proclaim that their books are "available" to Borders, Barnes & Noble, other chains, and wholesalers. However, that doesn't mean that their books will be on the shelves in bookstores.

So lets get to the good news. There are a few small publishing companies that accept materials without having a book agent.

About the Author

Learn more about how first time authors get their book publishing deals. Visit http://firsttimeauthors.org and get a FREE ebook about tips for first time authors.

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