Authorship is not for the faint of heart. Producing good work requires hard work-several rounds of revisions to a manuscript until it is publication-ready.

Taking a book from concept to outline to draft to completion; actively promoting your work and responding to press inquiries demands a significant time commitment.

Except for celebrities, scandals and recognized experts, the doors at nearly every traditional publishing house are closed to almost every new author. You need to have "skin in the game"-to prove to publishers that you believe in your work enough to invest your own money in it.

It's a fast-moving world, but you still have to "pay your dues". If you follow our lead, you can build traction in the marketplace and get your work noticed. Even the best works still take time to achieve recognition.