Step #1 - How in the world is a Mann suppose to get published?

Adventure Wednesdays!

How did I figure out what I needed to do in order to get published?

First I bought the book "The Everything Get Published Book" (2nd edition) and I figured out that I needed to get an agent.  How does a Mann get an agent?  Well....

That's an excellent question!

I was lucky enough to actually get signed on pretty early by an agency and they took care of one of the most important steps this Mann took to getting an agent and ultimately being published.

(I know that sounds a little backwards, but what you'll read further down was that I fired the first agent and had to start all over again!)

I was hooked up with an editor.  Luckily, my editor and I were able to bond in a way that most writers probably aren't so lucky.  Anne M Younger (my editor and an author) understood and respected what I was trying to accomplish.  I felt she took a personal liking and interest in my Mann-uscript and fortunately after I fired my first agent, Anne was more than willing to privately finish editing my Mann-uscript.  Editing is very important!  Why did I fire my first agent?  Because I was careless, naive, and downright stupid.  I didn't do my homework, I didn't research the agency before I signed with them, and I found out that they had a lot of unhappy authors who tried to work with them.  Luckily, my contract was extremely easy to get out of.

DETOUR!
YOU SHOULDN'T TICK-OFF AUTHORS - Just a little Mann-ly advice.  You tick-off one author or several authors and the story will be plastered all over the internet by morning.  No one is safe!

I was also fortunate enough that Anne was also a fellow author and had been through the publishing process herself.  She was gracious enough to give some friendly advice.

The best piece of advice she gave me was to purchase the current years guide to literary agents.  I went with "2011 Guide to Literary Agents"... (They're killing me with the title.) Inside they give advice on how to get an agents attention and what steps will help with that challenge.

So, if you're looking for a 1st step to getting your own manuscript published,  I am going to take my queue from Anne...  Go to Barnes and Noble and pick up the current literary agent guide book.  You won't regret it!