With many presses, you don't need an agent to publish your book.
Most large commercial book publishers in the United States -- such as Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, St. Martin’s Press and Random House -- do not accept book submissions from authors who do not have agent representation. This doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t find a mid-size or small press to which you can submit your book idea. Many smaller presses welcome unsolicited manuscript submissions. When submitting your book idea, check each publisher’s guidelines carefully and follow them to the letter.
Instructions
1. Write a book proposal, a 20- to 50-page document that provides an overview and summary of your book; a table of contents; a chapter-by-chapter outline; a section that describes the book's objectives, content, structure and scope; a paragraph or two on promotional and marketing opportunities; an analysis of similar and competing books; and a brief author bio that lists your writing credentials and any awards you have won.
2. Choose two to three sample chapters that represent the book and your abilities as a writer. You might want to choose the introduction and the first two chapters to give publishers a feel for how your book begins. This is especially wise if your book tells a story chronologically (a memoir or history book, for example). You don’t want to send a publisher chapters from the middle of your story if it might confuse editors.
3. Write a query letter. A query letter is a one-page summary of your book and is basically a pitch letter. Write it as persuasively as possible, highlighting your book’s most interesting angles. Include your author bio and contact information in this letter.
4. Find publishers that accept unsolicited manuscripts and also publish your book’s specific genre (medical, scientific, cooking or politics, for example) by purchasing and reading "Writer's Market Deluxe Edition," published and updated each year by Writer's Digest Books. This comprehensive directory provides contact information for U.S. book publishers and lists the genres they publish, along with submission guidelines.
5. Mail your query letters along with self-addressed stamped envelopes to publishers and wait for responses. You might not hear back from publishers for several weeks to several months. If you haven't received a written response or a phone call after three or four months, send each publisher a follow-up letter, along with a copy of your query letter, via U.S. mail. Do not email or call publishers unless their submission guidelines allow for this, as acquisition editors are typically very busy and will reply to you when their schedules allow.
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