Now that I am nearing the end of my book, can someone please tell me the
steps to getting it published. 

Once you've finished the book, read it start to finish as if you were a
reader, to be sure it has the flow you wanted, and to pick out any
inadvertent repetitions, and so forth.

Pick up a copy of "Writers Market" from the library (they're expensive
to buy) and search for publishers that are publishing the kind of book
you wrote, who accept unagented submissions. Follow their query
guidelines exactly. Many will have a website with instructions, others
want you to write for instructions. Some want the first 30 pages with a
cover letter, others want an outline and sample chapter, others want a
plot synopsis, and so on.

 I don't want to put the cart before the horse, so to speak.  Do I have
to have an agent, someone to watch my back so that I don't get ripped? 

If you're that worried about being ripped, how do you know you can trust
agents? Being ripped is not your biggest problem, getting accepted by a
publisher is. An agent can help you there, but the catch 22 is that it's
hard to find an agent until you've been published, and it's hard to get
published without an agent.

 How do I get a copywright for my work? 

By writing the work.

 As you can see, I am totally new at this.

There are many books in the library that will give you information on
such things as copyright. There are also books purporting to tell you
how to get published, but the main secret to being published is
following the publisher's submission guidelines meticulously, and being
persistent. If the work doesn't fit with on publisher, immediately send
it to the next one. Only send simultaneously to those publishers who say
they accept simultaneous submissions. Other than that, it's just
waiting. The best way to wait is to start a new book.

Thank you,

You're welcome

Laurie


Lynn Mundy


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