Writing a novel is the easy part, getting someone to print it is almost impossible!
However, these points may help you improve those odds:
Write at least 3 full length completed and revised novels. As soon as you have finished the first one, send a query letter around to any agents and publishers you can get hold of (in all English speaking countries starting with your own country). Explain a little about yourself and the manuscript you are proposing to submit. You will need to ascertain what publishers/agents want your genre or style; there’s no use sending to someone that won’t be interested.
They get many hundreds of manuscripts a week, as you may have guessed, so you may as well send to places that would want to publish your book. Also, once you get approval to send in your manuscript, you can only send to one at a time (otherwise risk getting a bad name).
By the time you have sent your query letter, synopsis or 3 chapters - depending on what they asked for - then a year will have passed. Now you are ready to send off query letters for your second novel.Also, during that year, enter every writing competition that you can find - I’m entering 3-8 short stories a month at present, just to get my name out there. Also create a webpage, blog, Facebook page, to promote yourself. Lastly, cross your fingers!
Check this site out for Australian listings:
http://austlitagentsassoc.wordpress.com/members/
http://www.spacejock.com.au/LiteraryAgent.html
Check out this for samples of manuscript submissions:
http://misssnark.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_misssnark_archive.html#113615544692769930
More info:
http://www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com/how-to-write-a-synopsis.html
Competitions worldwide:
http://www.austwriters.com/AWRfiles/competitions.htm
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