Trying to get published, eh? Welcome to hell.
No, it's not hopeless, but it's a bloody hard slog; and success seems to involve not only talent but a lot of sheer luck in hitting the right agent or the right editor in the right mood on the right day. All publishers have a daunting slush pile of unsolicited mss, and unless yours stands out somehow, or comes through an agent, there's little chance of it getting more than a glance. But there are a few things you can do to up your chances.
1. Go out and get a Writer's Guide - an annual publication that summarizes markets for books, short stories and everything else, and usually contains all the advice you need about how to go about getting published. There are several - eg, the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook in UK, and a specialized one for Canadian markets - but I like Jeff Herman's, which covers both Canada and the all-important US market, and he also has good advice on his website.
2. Write a really good proposal, with a synopsis and sample chapter(s). You'll find a lot of valuable advice about constructing a proposal on the Net and in books like the above. You don't send a whole manuscript - you send a proposal. (This also saves on postage.)
3. Circulate your proposal not just to publishers, but to agents. In fact, agents do not get paid up front - they get a percentage when they manage to place your manuscript, so you don't need to worry about affording their services. On the other hand, this means that they'll usually only take you on if they feel they can make some money out of you, so an agent can be difficult to capture.
4. Look on the Net for a writers' conference near you - the sort that brings together writers, editors and agents, and gives you a chance to make a ten-minute pitch directly to someone who can help you. Look at the Surrey Writers Conference website as a model. (It's the only one I've been to, but they're everywhere).
5. Be persistent. Be prepared to be anguished and enraged when your manuscript thumps back through your mail slot. Then be prepared to swallow all that, turn around and send it out again. It's like getting back on the horse that has just thrown you.
6. Do NOT get so desperate that you turn to a "subsidized" publisher, who will print your book for you at your own expense. They are generally a snare and a delusion.
7. Find some other writers to gripe to about the publishing world. It's very cathartic.
That's all I can think of at the moment. Oh, one more thing - actually getting published does not mean instant fame and fortune. For most of us, it's only the bottom rung on the ladder. Good luck with your book - Rebecca
