I just spent an energizing afternoon with two publishing dynamos, Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry, the authors of a terrific new writer’s resource called The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published. This cheerful husband-and-wife team are also the creators of The Book Doctors (www.theBookDoctors.com), a service “dedicated to helping authors everywhere get their books published.”

Arielle is a literary agent, author, and entrepreneur; David is a actor and author. With 13 books between them, they know firsthand the challenges that authors face in getting happily published. Their goal in the workshop I attended was to provide an encouraging but realistic overview of the publishing process, from coming up with an idea through acquiring an agent. Early on, they laid out four guidelines for publishing success; here they are in a nutshell:

1) Do your homework: Along with writing a great book, you need to acquire publishing savvy. If you’re willing to put in the time to understand the dynamics of publishing, you can dramatically increase your chances of landing an agent and a book deal. Like any professional you need to master the industry you’re in.

2) Connect: Networking is a key factor at every stage of getting published, from finding an agent to reaching out to bookstore owners and readers. Whatever the book you’re writing, let anyone and everyone know about it — don’t be afraid of someone stealing your idea. The more people you talk to, the more likely you are to turn up contacts who can help you.

3) Keep writing: Success isn’t rarely an overnight affair — and publishing is no
exception. To achieve your goals as an author, you’re going to have to deal with failure and rejection — and keep on writing. You’re going to have to generate lots of ideas and write oceans of words to create a gem that stands the test of time.

4) Persevere: Every successful author has moments of self-doubt and battles the temptation to quit. Enjoy the journey and find support. Stay strong and write on!