Get Published - Three Secrets of the New York Publishing World

Every writer dreams of attracting a lucrative contract from a major New York publishing company. And although not everyone achieves that dream, many writers do. But they have to rise above everyone else and prove they have what it takes to write and sell a profitable book.

If you want to improve your chances of winning that contract, consider the following secrets to getting editors' and agents' attention.

1. Write Your Best Book

Although this may seem obvious, you might be surprised at how many writers send off manuscripts that they themselves haven't read and revised. But when agents and editors are swamped with manuscripts, you may only have one shot to make a professional impression. If you want to be taken seriously, then you need to do everything you can to make sure your book is the best it can absolutely be. What does that mean? DON'T send your first draft! Read your book from start to finish over and over again until you can't find anything to improve. Then give it to someone else-someone you can trust to be honest and helpful-to read it as well.

2. Build a Platform

You can't come from out of nowhere if you want a publisher to risk thousands of dollars buying your book. You need to establish a record of experience and expertise. If you write creative works, like memoir or fiction, publish in respected, widely read journals. And for business and how-to books, promote yourself and your ideas through speaking engagements, publishing articles, and publicity. Other ways to build a platform include selling 5,000 or more self-published books, building a list of clients and qualified prospects, and writing a blog that gets thousands of visitors. A platform lets editors and agents know that people like you and you'll probably be able to sell a lot of books.

3. Make Connections

If you don't live in the city, then making connections in New York can seem impossible. It's not; and knowing someone in the business (or with connections in the business) can be the break you need to stand out and sell your book to a major publisher. What can you do to make connections? Attend writing conferences and literary events; network with other writers; and tell everyone you meet that you're a writer. You never know when a friend of a friend will work in the publishing world.

Your Path to Commercial Publication

It takes work to sell your book to a major publisher. But even if your writing skills aren't quite ready, you can start looking for opportunities that will better your work, build your platform, and establish connections that will help you on your path to publication. Everyone has to start somewhere!

Melinda Copp is a writing coach, book editor, and ghostwriter who specializes in helping aspiring authors achieve their writing goals. Sign up for Melinda's free e-zine, and learn the top ten mistakes aspiring authors make and how to avoid them!