Fosse & Verdon Book No. 3 - How do Get a Book Published?

In my last post, I explained why it’s so important that I write and publish this book on Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon in just 18 months—because I want the release of the book to coincide with Bob Fosse’s 100th birthday in June 2027. So my first task was research…not researching Bob and Gwen, but researching how to get a book published! Here’s what I learned:

Although there are many ways to get a book published, one typical route involves finding a literary agent—a process that can take months or even years.

It’s a bit like auditioning for a talent agent: an author sends query letters to agents who are accepting new clients, along with information about the book and, depending on the type of book, sample material or a proposal. Then you wait to hear back and see if an agent is interested in representing you. They have to believe not only that the book is strong, but that they can successfully sell it to a publisher.

If you find an agent, then the process starts all over again. Your agent submits the book to publishers, hoping one of them will want to acquire it and make you an offer—which may include an advance against future royalties.

That’s a lot of “ifs.” That’s a lot of waiting. That’s a lot of possible dead ends. And this project doesn’t have time for dead ends. So I decided the only way to get this done on time was to take matters into my own hands.

I decided to self-publish. More on that next time!