1. Who should seriously contemplate writing a book for publication?

In this day and age, I think anyone who has a story that has bounced around in their head or information on a subject they know well, should write a book. So everyone should write a book for publication if they are moved to do so. My philosophy is that anyone can write. This wasn’t how I thought in the beginning, but I’ve learned it over time. It’s a common misconception that you must be educated to write a book. While I use to think that exact same way, I totally disagree with that idea now. If you have passion for the story or subject you want to write, write it! If you stick to it, you’ll learn a lot. And as with any art form, you can only get better at it if you practice. So believe in what you want to write and know that you will continue to improve. A person should never let himself or herself become discouraged because they feel what they have to say is not interesting or up to the standards of other well known writers.

2. How realistic is it to think one’s book will, in fact, be published?

It’s extremely realistic. This is because traditional publication is not as important as it was in the past. It used to be that the only way an author could be published and allow for a large market to find what he or she offered, was to have a traditional publisher approve your manuscript for publication. This is no longer the case. Now, the writer can take the publication of their book into their own hands by self-publishing it. If they want a printed version of their book, you have print-on-demand services out their like CreateSpace, Lulu, and more. If they wish to offer their book as an e-book, that’s a very good option, too. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords make it very easy for you to get your e-book published. Some would say that you aren’t truly a writer unless you have been traditionally published. But this couldn’t be further from the truth! If your works are out there for people to buy and read, no matter what the format, then you are published. It’s a new way of thinking, and in a few years, I believe everyone will not differentiate between traditional and self-published books as they do now. 

3. Given the current flux in the publishing industry, with e-books gaining a stronger share of the market, how should beginners…begin?

They should begin by writing. Write, write, write! There’s no better way to improve your skill. If you have a blog, be consistent in writing on it. Find ways to challenge yourself. This is what I’ve done on my site. On a weekly basis, I write flash fiction. Most of it takes a minute or less to read. But I’ve been using it as a means to teach myself how to say more with fewer words. The practice pays off. If writing a large book seems overwhelming, start small. But whatever you do, do not stop writing. If you do, then you’ll procrastinate. You’ll find excuses not to write. And in the end, your writing will go nowhere. And remember that you have the control over whether or not your writing gets published. When it comes to writing and beginning, you can be your own best friend or your own worst enemy.

4. From beginning to end, what would you consider the average amount of time it takes to get a book to the point of looking to be published?

Because of e-books and self-publication, you have the ability to write a short story and have it published very quickly. This is what I did with Copy Bird and Going Home. I spent about six hours in total on each of those stories from writing, to cover art, file creation, and publication on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. Granted, there’s a learning curve to knowing how to do all those things properly. In the beginning all those steps may take longer for you. But as you become familiar with the process, it will go much quicker, as it does with any new process you might learn. So, the length of what you write is a determining factor. After the writing process, proofreading, and editing, it’s highly possible for you to have your book available for sale within one to two days – sometimes less. It’s really amazing when you think about it, because in the traditional publication of books, it could be a year before an author’s book can be purchased at a local book store. Which would you prefer, make money immediately in one to two days or wait a year to start making it? I think the answer is obvious. 

5. There are so many good writers, from what I’ve seen of other blogs on WordPress. What sets those apart who might be marketable, whether by magazine editors or book publishers?

I think originality and consistency are determining factors. If an author has one book published and that’s all they do, how likely are you to buy something they wrote? Probably not very likely. However, if they have a lot of books they’ve written, now what will you do? No doubt you’ll browse the catalog they have to offer and find what interests you and read one of their books. From there, you might decide to read another book, if you enjoyed the first one you read. If you think of yourself as a writer, keep writing, and get your stuff out there by any means necessary, and you’ll get noticed. Will it be a magazine or book publisher? Maybe. But does that matter? What’s the point of writing? To have other people read what you wrote, and hopefully they enjoy it. If you reach the reader, it doesn’t matter how you’re published. So if you have a blog, write. If you have a story in mind, write. Set a goal to reach the reader and not the publisher. Then, you might just find the exact thing for which you are searching.