Modern aspiring authors hoping to land a traditional deal face the difficult reality. The barriers to traditional publishing are higher than they’ve ever been, and if you’ve ever shopped a manuscript, you’ve no doubt experienced the excruciating pace of traditional publishing.
On the nontraditional side, the publishing world is virtually exploding. There are authors taking advantage of what’s happening in this space, and authors holding back. It’s hard to let go of the dream of having a New York agent or editor validate your work. And yet, in the past ten years or so, the majority of traditional deals are going to those writers who come to the table with a preexisting platform, meaning they’re already kind of famous.
There’s only one key to publishing success, and that’s getting published. What follows is a quick 411 on the current publishing landscape for aspiring authors, so you can wrap your mind around what’s what and formulate a good plan.
