Writing a book is one thing, but how long does it take to get a book published? What variables come into play? Are there things a writer can do to speed up the process? We dive into these questions and more.

A healthy relationship between editor and novelist can send your story to heavenly heights, but a poor partnership deserves its own special circle of hell. Longtime writer-editor duo Steven James and Pam Johnson discuss where editors go astray.

If you want to write a book, for whatever reason, it’s important to know what kind of author you actually want to be so you know what strategy to use to sell books. Vickie Gould explains the difference and why it matters.

Natalie D-Nalopeon discusses valuable lessons learned and victories from a year in which she aimed to reach 101 rejections for her writing.

After writing my memoir for over four years, I was finished, right? Wrong. I didn't realize I needed help whipping my manuscript into shape. Using a professional editor helped me do just that.

Well, hello there! I'm an agent. Aloof and hard to snare, like this season's Prada bag or a yeti. I know what you're wondering: How do you stand out in a query in box along with the 497 other queries? I have the secrets here.

I had two full manuscripts and one partial out with various interested agents when I got the email. The email that said Stacey read my manuscript and wanted to set up a time to discuss it. I’d been rejected by 14 other agents already, so I wasn’t even sure what that meant. Then I got the call. Thus began a string of very important lessons for my writing career. Here they are.

Here’s a list of the five most crucial questions you should ask any agent before agreeing to join her client list.

All agents, admittedly or not, have a wish list—markers that help us determine which writers are primed for our representation. With hundreds of projects flooding our inboxes daily, writers who follow these simple guidelines can catch the eye of an agent and rise like a lotus blossom out of the slush pile. Here’s how to do it.

Agent Barbara Poelle tackles reader questions giving thoughtful (and funny) answers.

BY NINA AMIR If you are a writer who dreams of landing a traditional publishing deal, you might have a nagging question in your mind. It’s probably phrased something like, “Is my book idea what a publisher wants?” In fact, a better question to ask yourself is, “Do I have what publishers really want?” What publishers seek in an aspiring author doesn’t only involve your book idea or even your writing. These are a big part of what they consider in their decision making process, but they are not the only things.

No matter how you want to publish, and whether you write fiction or nonfiction, you should produce a business plan for each and every book you write and publish—before writing a word of your manuscript. Let me offer you eight good reasons why I believe this is an important practice if you want to achieve success as an author.

No matter how you want to publish your book, a business plan helps you produce a marketable, which equates to a successful, book. Here's what you need to consider.

Make sure your agreement protects you—and your book. Here are 6 key terms/areas you need to address in your publishing contract before signing on the dotted line.