I have several unpublished short sories and novels.Am tired of piling them up, can u help me publish them?
Let me know your terms or what you can do .
Thank you for your time.
Nwadinma Onyinyechi Chioma.

Try visiting www.lulu.com or www.vantagepress.com.

Publish some chapters in a journal and when you notice that a lot of people are following the story on the journal, you can approach a publisher because then you know that it will sell. If you give people a free story and they don't read it, then they definitely won't buy it!

Vantage press does not have a favorable review. That's what I found out on the net. Best way to go about it is to find a literary agent.
I am also writing a novel too.
Goodluck

Traditional publishers give little or no consideration to unknown or unpublished writers, because of the risks of wasting money on promotions and marketing plans to push their books.
And there are so many unsold copies of well written novels by unknown writers.

Many gifted Nigerian writers have won highly coveted prizes, but their books did not become international bestsellers, because they have not known how to write bestsellers. You have to learn it. Commercial success matters if you want to live on your writing. I live on my writings and I have clients in the UK and Japan. But, it is very tough competition.

I advise you to join the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) where we have fellow writers who can help you to critique your writings and even offer you free editorial assistance to improve the quality of your prose or verse. Then, you can submit your best works for the regular contests for writers. Because, winning a prize can help to attract big publishers to offer you publishing contracts. Helon Habila went through the processing mill. Chris Ebani, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Sefi Atta went through writing workshops to improve the quality of their writings.

I have been posting my poems and short stories in my journals and forums and on my blogs and as Seun said, the responses from your readers will help to improve your works. And I have been winning prizes since age 13. I have written for radio, televison, newspapers, magazines, and projects in my development plans.

Pay your dues and you will not regret it.

If you are sure your works are well written and well edited, send some samples like the first three chapters to literary agents or some established publishers.

If you are in Lagos, join the British Council and ANA, where you will bebefit from the workshops for writers.

Avoid vanity press. Because, they are only after your money.

I wish you all the best.

There is no secret in writing a bestseller. Its all about finding a reputable agent with connections to open doors. Your literary qualities may be as fluent as that of Mariama Ba, but if there is no publicity surrounding it, who will buy your novel?
Another way that some writers are able to make it to the NY times bestselling list in this cut throat business is to buy all the books they published, thus deceving the NY times that others actually scouted for the novels. Then, the badge, "NY times bestselling novel" is placed on the novel. It is a dog eat dog business in the publishing world, particularly in America. But Orinkala, you should know that Achebe's book is a bestseller, with more than 100,000 copies sold annually in the USA alone. Does that not qualify as a bestseller? Your novel does not have to be on the NY times best selling list to be a best seller. I read on the internet that "The Icarus girl" authored by Helen Oyeyemi is an international bestseller (its sold a lot of copies in Italy), so that is another feat.

Neither Achebe nor Oyeyemi is mentioned among the top 100 bestselling novelists in the world.

You cannot buy all the copies of your own book, because of making the New York Times Bestsellers List.

I am an insider.

The same editors who have edited most of these bestselling books edited the novels of my very good friend Bisi Ojediran.

"Things Fall Apart" only sells as part of the recommended books for African Literature in the US and it is among the best 100 novels of the last century. But literary scholars know that "Arrow of God" is better than "Things Fall Apart"

There is a method for commercial success.

What about some of us writing non-fiction? do we stand a chance?

what do you know a bout e-publishing from Nigeria?

Please (biko, e jo, don allah) I need to start off as an author too!

You can use www.blogger.com for e-publishing or contact a webmaster for a more professional approach.

I still recommend that Nigerian writers should join our Association of Nigerian Authors(ANA) where we have so many programmes and prizes for the benefit of all writers of fiction and non-fiction.

Go and join ANA.

We even have prizes for unpublished works.

There is now a N250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand naira) prize for the best children's book in prose.

ANA has over 20 different prizes for good writers.

If you are good, your work will speak for you.

Let me just give you some hints from my own background.
I am a First Prize winning writer since age 13 and I have been active as a professional writer since age 18 and I was a script-writer for the Nigerian Television Authority(NTA) for four years before I was commissioned by the Johns Hopkins University's Population Communication Services (JHU/PCS) on a national project to produce booklets for semi-literate Nigerian men and women and the booklets are in Pidgin English, Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo languages. Another American organization commissioned me to do more literacy projects and the Unicef soon contracted me to write and produce works for their Radio for Child Survival and Development Programmes in Nigeria.

Just go and join ANA and you can even become famous and rich as a writer like Ben Okri and Helon Habila. I will not reveal my true name here. I am well known in ANA.

God bless.

just like Alariwon said

Publish some chapters in a journal and when you notice that a lot of people are following the story on the journal, you can approach a publisher because then you know that it will sell. If you give people a free story and they don't read it, then they definitely won't buy it!

here's an example
http://www.joannawiebe.com/

if they are nice,i can help u pirate them

ORINKALA, am seriously interested in your advice . please would you be so kind as to send me the details of how to join ANA . my name is NWADINMA the person who sent this topic.

ANA meets every first Saturday of the month at the National Arts Theatre in Lagos. Nigeria.
The meeting starts from 2 pm.

Hi, I just joined this forum and it sure does look good. Could not help getting interested in the publishing topic. Please, can an amateur join ANA and what about those not residing in Lagos? How do we join the fun?

Yes.
You can join ANA.
ANA has branches in several states in Nigeria and even has a branch in the UK.

God bless.

I hope you will not be botherd if i ask you one more favour? please could you send the ANA Abuja address to my box? i will be expecting our reply. i
I hope to join as soon as ou repl this.

I would have obliged. But, I am only current on the Lagos branch of ANA.
Note that I am not staying in Lagos. I am on location on Bonny Island.
And, I am actually very busy now.

Try to contact ANA online.
Google should be useful in doing so.

God bless.

Hi Orikinla. I'm a 17-year-old amateur writer studying in the US -- how do I join ANA [you talked only about a UK branch]?

You can join the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) from the USA. See http://www.ana-ng.org

Thanks Orikinla -- I'll check it out now.

I couldn't register online -- it asked me fr a password. What do I do?

If you can register on Nairaland, you should know why they asked for a password.

Are you a girl?

Nope . On the ANA site, when I filled out and submitted the registration form, I was asked for a password -- I couldn't submit the form.

Girls always want a helping hand.
Even to lie down.

Why not apply in writing and e-mail your application.

Okay. This is really tedious.

Thanks ORINKALA you are one in a million. Am so greatful to you.

have you tried marketing your books online. i think that will be a better step.