How to get your Romance novel Published

(437 Words)
You thought that writing your romance novel was the difficult part, but now you want to try to get it published. There are many different paths that people take to publication, and of course the first step is making sure that you have a completed, polished, error-free novel. Once this is accomplished, try the following measures.
Send the manuscript right out to publishers
There are many publishers that will accept work from authors even without an agent. They all have different guidelines. Some let you submit online whereas others have you submit via the mail. Some want a query letter, others want a partial manuscript and still others will let you submit your entire novel. Make sure that you follow the instructions completely. Some popular romance publishers include Harlequin and Dorchester.
Try to get an agent
It can be difficult to reach a lot of publishers without an agent. Many publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts and will not read a word of someone who is not already represented by an agent. Of course getting an agent can at times be just as difficult as getting published, however this is a route for which many try. You will find many agents listed in the popular resource They Are! What They Want! How to Win Them Over! by Jeff Herman.
Pitch your book at writing conference
There are many writing conventions put on by different chapters of Romance Writers of America. There is also a national conference put on every year as well. At many of these conferences, they will allow you the opportunity to pitch your book to an editor or an agent interested in acquiring manuscripts. These editors and agents will often ask to see a partial or even full manuscript. It can often get you past the difficult query process as well as allow you to submit to editors who do not normally accept work from unagented authors. Some conferences will even allow you to have several opportunities to pitch your work.
Enter writing contests
Many of the RWA chapters also have writing contests. The entries that final will often be read by agents and editors. If they like your work they may ask you to submit to them. This is a great way to get your work read thoroughly by an agent. The national RWA chapter has the Golden Heart contest every year.
Getting a romance novel can be a difficult endeavor but with hard work and effort, you can give yourself the best chance of reaching your goal. You may take one or more of the above steps on your journey to publication.