How do I get my book published? You asked Google – here’s the answer | Katy Guest

Before trying to answer this very important question, it is useful to ask yourself another one: “Why should I get my book published?” What do you hope to achieve by releasing your work into the world, and what would success look like to you? Because knowing what you want from being published will help you find the best way to achieve it.

Are you hoping to see your book on the shelves at Waterstones? To entertain readers on their holidays? Do you have an important story that needs to be told? Or would being a published author help in your day-to-day career? Do you want to achieve fame and fortune and retire on the proceeds of your blockbuster show that the average author earns less than £10,500 a year, so if you’re gambling on being the next JK Rowling you’d have better odds by getting a job in a supermarket and betting your entire salary on the next reality TV star-turned-memoirist .