Publish a Book

My goal for the year is to publish a book.  OK, maybe not have the published copy in my hand, but a letter of acceptance from a publisher would count.  The problem is, I don't even know what type of book I want to write: children's or adult, fiction or non-fiction.  I don't have professional writing experience.  I have three, out-of-date blogs largely read by my mother.  I read one book last year on how to get a book published: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books.  That title pretty much sums it up.  I am a publishing idiot.

That's it.  That's where I'm starting.

I'm a Software Engineer-turned Project Manager and so, to get the year started I have done what I do best: plan.

Amber's Sure-To-Be-A-Failure Failure Club Schedule

1.  January 31 – Decide whether to write a children’s or adult book, fiction or non-fiction
2. February 1 - February 29 – Read two books about publishing books, understand the process, research the book 
3. March 1 – March 31 – Begin writing, join an author’s club or professional association
4. April 1 – April 30 – Write, find and meet a local author
5. May 1 – May 31 – Finish first draft, blog an exert
6. June 1 – June 30 – Get five people to read my draft, first revision 
7. July 1 – July 31 – Second revision 
8. August 1 – August 31 – Research publishers that may accept my book and figure out the submission process, keep revising if necessary 
9.  September 1 – September 30 – Submit book to publisher! 
10.  October 1 – October 31 – Work on submission for next publisher, meet another author
11.  November 1 – November 30 - ? 
12.  December 1 – December 31 – Contact publisher if haven’t heard back, but most likely they will love the book and I’ll have a contract in my hand!  Right?