A publishing primer -- Can your idea become a book? -- When, why and how to look for an agent -- How to approach a publisher with your book -- How to package a dynamite book proposal -- Book contracts -- Is self-publication for you? -- How to organize and do research -- How to collect first-hand information -- Three ways to write exciting nonfiction -- Five ways to write a first novel -- How to edit and prepare your final manuscript -- How and when to prepare illustrations -- What to expect from your editor (and when) -- How to help sell your own book -- The writer and the law -- Coping with the writer's life.