So I wrote a novel... now what?

I've never really asked myself that question before...

And, of course, this isn't my first novel...

But this time it was different. Everything was different. For a start I had written the novel in English and English isn't my first language...

Like most authors, I had two choices:

- to find an agent or a publisher

- to self-publish and become an indie author.

Although the second idea was somewhat more probable, it wasn't really what I wanted. Why? 

Well, for a start, I knew I didn't have enough knowledge about self-publishing. I tried to learn, so I read everything that I found on the internet... and guess what? I was even more confused. So, at least for the time being, I gave up on that idea.

So the next thing I needed to do was to find out as much as possible about prospective publishers. Oh wow. I had published short stories and novels before without any problems - and I mean really no problems at all. My first publisher approached me and published everything I sent them. But with this novel - well, it was a tricky business. 

I had bought myself a writers' "bible" before I'd even finished the novel. That was my first expense on the way to getting published.  And the book was - the literary world knows it well - "The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook 2013". 

So I picked it up again and read the chapters related to publishing. Oh gosh. There are so many publishing houses and so many agents. And new questions arose - first and foremost, who to contact? Publisher or agent? 

Checking them all out on the internet was another huge task. For example, I didn't want to send my manuscript to someone who wasn't interested in the genre of my novel. So night after night I searched and searched and... gave up. It was just too much. I didn't want to spend my time like that. Surely there was an easier way?

I realised then that I was in a jungle. 

Would I be strong enough to survive?