How Long Does It Take to Publish My Book? The Publishing Process Explained
by Mary Kole | Former literary agent, now a freelance editor, writing teacher, and IP/story developer for major publishers and creators.
If you’re a writer, you might be wondering, how long will it take to publish my book? The answers are different for traditional publishing versus self publishing. But both strategies to publish my book can often take longer than most people expect. (Unless you simply upload to KDP immediately without attempting any other strategies, but you might want to take a more intentional approach first.) Traditional publishing will take one to three years from contract. But getting an agent and then a contract might take decades.
Self-publishing, when done right, takes a few years to prepare a series, and a few months to execute a rapid release strategy, for example. But the timeline of actual publication isn’t the only factor writers should consider when they’re hoping to publish my book. The publishing game is largely a mental game, and that’s what this publish my book article is about.
Publish My Book: Getting Perspective
Even the most enlightened writers can find themselves completely flummoxed by the publishing process. Who am I kidding? It bewilders us all! Recently, one of our Good Story Learning members chimed in about feeling frustrated and wanting to get their book out into the world ASAP. They were thinking, “Will someone publish my book already? I’m all dressed up with nowhere to go.”
They wrote:
Despite making progress on my book, I can't help but be overwhelmed by the tremendous amount of work I have left to do. Just thinking about the journey ahead—the inevitable round of readers and critique partners, the endless revisions—is enough to make me close the document and let out a heavy sigh. Will anyone ever publish my book? It feels like this process will never end, like I'm doomed to be working on it until 3013.
There’s only one way in the publishing industry, and that’s forward. You should try not to be discouraged by the time it takes to publish my book and not expect everything to go according to plan. One thing I've learned is that the process of getting a book published is quite sluggish. Think of it like frozen molasses. And then those frozen molasses are encased in an even slower block of frozen molasses. I wish I was kidding.
Writers have no say in the matter of whether the publishing industry makes a move or, if it does actually get going, how quickly things happen. Which publisher will purchase what manuscript, which editor will be enamored by what, how much of an advance they'll pour into a project, how much advertising they'll commit to, if any … the questions surrounding the publishing process are many.
And they don’t end once a book is published, either. Writers then get to wonder: “If someone does publish my book, will it sell to readers? Will readers/librarians/booksellers be into it? Will it receive awards? Will I become a bestselling author or will I slip off the radar?”
Publish My Book: Dealing With Anxiety
Are you feeling anxious about the possibility of having your work published? Well, hear this: “The questions don’t stop after they publish my book.” Just wait until you have to comb through those royalty statements, host bookstore events that may or may not be a success, read reviews on Goodreads, do school visits, and fret over your Amazon ranking and BookScan numbers day in and day out—now that's sure to trigger even more uncertainty!
But I’m not writing this to discourage you. The only way to take control of the unpredictable and crazy process is by learning, practicing, and refining your own craft. Don't get caught up in the dream of the shiny publishing contract, begging someone to “please publish my book,” and the glory of having your work vindicated.
There's more to a writing career than meets the eye; while much of it is amazing, there are certainly challenging and anxiety-inducing aspects as well. (We have many articles on dealing with literary rejections.) Do what you can to control what you are able to. If you’re in this for the long haul, you can only do what you can do.
This article serves as a reminder for everyone reading that putting one foot in front of the other is still progress, even though you might not be making the big leaps you want yet. If you're wondering how long it takes to publish a book, here's my number one piece of advice: be patient. It could take a year, it could take three years, it could take a decade. You’re welcome to gripe, “Publish my book already!” But then, get back to work.
Resilience and a never-give-up attitude are key here, and the same goes for the energy and motivation to generate new ideas. Of course, the publishing business, agents, queries, and submissions are all important, but what really counts is the book idea and its execution. So, try to read like a writer, keep writing, and don't stop trying. Stop begging the world to “publish my book,” and put your head down. It’s easier said than done, but try not to be overwhelmed by the pressure of self-inflicted timing goals or your own impatience.
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