The old publishing model for long-form written works ( novels, biographies, etc.) looks something like this:
Write. Edit. Find an Agent who will (or do it yourself) submit to publishers and negotiate a publishing and distribution deal. The publisher than edits your work to it’s satisfaction, sends it to you for approval, then it is printed and distributed to the various locations according to the will of the publisher. The time between completion of writing and someone finding your book on the shelves runs from 6-8 months if you are famous and literally years if you’re trying to get your first book published.
I present to you a working publishing model:
Write parts of a chapter at a time, and publish each part on a blog specifically for your book (or book series). This serialization will be for your benefit. You will attract readers as you write. If you allow comments from your slowly growing captive audience, you can get nearly instant feedback on what you are writing. This will motivate you to write and give you confidence in your skill of generating which reaction and feelings from your readers. Additionally, some people on the internet have an impecable skill for pointing out grammar and logic flaws and will prove useful.
After you reach both an appropriate point in your story and are within limits of standard publishing length, write a cliffhanger ending to the current chapter. Start writing Book 2 of your series, in the same way, starting in the story where you left off. While you are writing Book 2, edit Book 1, and publish it as an ebook both on your site and in the major digital stores. Pick a low price – after all, this isn’t a professionaly edited book, it’s just the beginning.
Continue writing and editing and releasing in ebook format.
If you have something people want to read, something people want to buy, you will have the publishers knocking on your door, asking for physical publishing rights. You may still have to send inquiries out every so often asking about interest in your novel (available there on your website), but you’re already published, with readers, who buy your book.
