Be gentle with yourself. Getting your writing published is a long and sometimes difficult process for many aspiring writers and authors. It may not be the first book you write that gets published, or your second book, or third book. Keep perspective, reward yourself for each small step forward in the process and keep on writing.
Take creative writing classes. No one can teach you how to write the stories inside of you, however creative writing classes can help you improve general language skills, story structure, character creation, and they can teach business skills needed for professional writers. Creative writing classes are available as one day work shops, community education courses and university undergraduate and postgraduate programs. There are also online extramural courses you can enroll in and many books on the subject available at your local library.
Submit work to literary journals, e-zines, blogs, magazines, newspapers and competitions. This process helps to build up a writer's skill, self confidence and publishing resume and provides essential feedback needed for improving one's writing technique. Some journals and magazines pay writers for stories, poetry and non-fiction articles, while others do not. Publishers are more likely to take a writer seriously if they have already built up a small body of previously published work.
Submit your manuscript to a professional editor, proofreader or book doctor. These services are valuable to writers as they allow them to gain a professional opinion on their work and offer support with language, flow, story structure and fact checking. Editors, proofreaders and book doctors often charge a fee for reading and working on your manuscript with you, however their advice and trained eye can be invaluable.
Find a literary agent who is willing to represent you and your manuscript. Most major publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts from unpublished authors and require writers to gain an agent as the go-between. Contact agents by query letter or e-mail and ask for information regarding what type of books they represent and what their submission process is. If you have trouble finding an agent to represent your manuscript, seek out small publishing houses that accept unsolicited manuscripts.
Refuse to give up if your manuscript is rejected. According to Joan Rossier-Jones, author of "So You Want to Write", receiving rejections is part of the business of being a professional writer, and it happens to even famous writers. Publishers may reject your book for a number of reasons. Perhaps your manuscript is well written, but is not the right genre or type of book they are looking for. Getting your book published takes patience, perseverance and a strong belief in your work.