Most people who want to write a book probably should not. The writing life is a hard one in the early years, requiring long hours and intense concentration for little payoff. Most writers spend about a decade writing their first books. The average advance for fiction books is $3,000 to $5,000, making it pretty poor pay. Nonfiction writers can expect a bit more on average, but rarely more than $10,000.
There are, however, good reasons to write. If you have a story you feel compelled to tell, you should write it. If writing a book will open or ease your career path, do it. Increasing numbers of people are making a business of writing books to sell online.
Serious writers write. The best way to learn how to write a book is to write a book, according to Anne Enright and many other writers. Many would-be authors talk a great deal about writing, but do very little of it. If you want to become a writer, sit down somewhere quiet at about the same time every day and work on your book.
Once you have established the daily writing habit, seek out information on crafting your book. For fiction, that means plotting, characterization, scene and pacing, description, dialog and all the other nuts and bolts that make a work of fiction. For nonfiction books, it's mostly how to organize your information and get it down on paper.
Be ruthless. Eliminate characters who trail off, kill characters who deserve it or whose deaths add drama. "Murder your darlings," Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch said in the classic "On the Art of Writing." Focus on moving the story forward to your plot's end, and do everything you can to keep the story intense and dramatic without stepping over the brink into farce. If you're not certain how to do this, reread the best books you have read and examine how the author handles both plot and characterization. Try some similar devices in your book and see how they work--but in your own words, of course.
At some point, you will find the end of your story. Use what you have learned about writing to edit the book. Once you have polished the book as well as you can, look for a writers' group to help you further polish it.
If you don't want to participate in a writers' group, hire a freelance editor to help edit your book. Ensure that the editor is reputable by asking for the names of published books he has helped to edit. You should realize, however, that the editor's services may cost half or more of what you will be offered for your book. For this reason, pay close attention to every change the editor makes and learn from it. You can apply what you learn to your next book.
There are three ways to submit your book to publishers: simultaneously submit it to several publishers who deal in books similar to yours, submit it to publishers one at a time, or submit it to literary agents who can identify the perfect publisher for your book.
Carefully follow all submission instructions from the publisher or agent. Always include a self-addressed stamped envelope with adequate postage to return your entire manuscript package; even if you don't need the manuscript back, there is always a chance the editor will make notes you can learn from. If your book is nonfiction and you have some credentials in the subject, include a short curriculum vitae detailing your expertise.
Everyone to whom you submit your manuscript may reject your book. If so, you may want to self-publish it.
A self-publishing company will charge you for several things: editing, formatting, creating tables of contents, giving your book an ISBN number, and printing the book. The more of these you can do yourself, the less you'll spend on a self-publishing company.
Decide whether you want to go to a traditional print self-publisher, a print-on-demand company, or an e-publisher. Traditional self-publishing requires a predetermined number of copies, and often provides full services to the writer. Print-on-demand (POD) companies allow customers to order and pay for only the books they want. E-publishers sell books formatted as e-books, and are the least expensive overall.
Before settling on a publisher, search online using the publisher's name and the word "scam" to make sure you are not dealing with one of the many publishing houses identified as predatory. You can also check the Preditors and Editors website.
After your book is published, whether you had it printed yourself or sold it to a publishing house, you need to promote it. Traditional promotion routes include creating a Web site and Facebook page, sending copies to reviewers, attending conferences and talking to local bookstores about displaying your book as a local author. Depending on the book, you may also be able to get radio time on a talk show, or mentions on other websites. Get as much publicity as you can. The more successful your first book is, the more likely you'll be able to sell a second one.