Triage Approach to Publishing

One of the most helpful pieces of advice I was given when I started writing was once I finished my first novel-length manuscript to start writing the next one. It was important to continue new writing while editing the completed manuscript. This has served me well as I now have fourteen published books, another due out in October, 2018, and other manuscripts that I am in the process of getting published.

The basic concept was to build a portfolio of manuscripts. This allowed me to write what I wanted to write while seeking publishing opportunities. With this approach it’s possible to pursue a triage strategy to publishing.

Some manuscripts are mainstream and lend themselves to working through an agent to reach a large publisher. A second group of manuscripts that may not be what large publishers are looking for can be sold to small or medium-sized publishers who take submissions directly from writers. A third set of manuscripts that are outside the mainstream will lend themselves to self-publishing.

This triage approach allows the writer to pursue three different simultaneous paths to publication.