Creative writing | From manuscript to book launch: How to get published

By Anna Malczyk

Taking a novel from a manuscript to the bookstore shelf can take anything from six months to a year – and that’s not counting the time it takes to write the book in the first place. It’s a lengthy, expensive and complex process.

The Random House Struik Creative Writing course aims to take students from the first stage of writing a book all the way to signing a contract with a publisher. This article is an adaptation of module 10 of the course. You have your finished manuscript – now what? How does getting published work? Here’s a quick breakdown of the process.

1. Finish your manuscript
This part is essential, especially for previously unpublished authors. Publishers won’t option a theoretical book – you must have a completed and corrected manuscript ready. For added measure, you could hire an editor to go over your work and make sure it is presentable. As with all things in life, a good first impression is vital.

2. Contact agent or publisher
Your manuscript is ready. You now have two options: if you want to publish in South Africa, get in touch with the appropriate publishing houses directly. If you want to publish in the UK or US, you will need an agent. A literary agent is the middleman between you and the publisher and handles all negotiation and admin for you, either for a set fee or for a percentage of your eventual royalties. Whichever you choose, the process is the same: you need to introduce yourself and your manuscript in a concise, well-thought-out query letter, and should include a synopsis and sample chapters for review. If your proposal is good enough, the publisher will ask for the full manuscript.

3. Publisher reviews the manuscript
The publishing house’s editor, who gets the manuscript either from you or your agent, reviews it and assesses its publishability and sales potential. The editor can get anything for a few to a few dozen manuscripts every day, so make sure yours stands out: follow the submission guidelines, have a concise cover letter and summary, and make sure your first few pages grab the reader right away. If the editor wants to publish your manuscript, you will enter into a contract with the publishing house.

4. Editing
The manuscript passes to the publisher, who deals with the following steps with the assistance of the author. First, the text is edited, corrected and assessed for coherency. The author is generally required to approve all changes.

5. Typesetting and design
Then, the polished manuscript is typeset (put into its actual book format) and the text, headings and cover are designed. Once this has been done, a proofreader will check that these final proofs are correct and neat.

6. Printing
The book is ready! It’s just a matter of printing it and distributing it to the bookshops. As the author, you will get several free copies for yourself.

7. Promotion
If your book is going to be formally launched, you will need to do some promotional activities – book launch presentations, talks, conventions and other shows. Enjoy the limelight – you deserve it!


Please click here for more information on the Random House Struik Creative Writing Course.