What do publishing companies look for in a book?

I want to publish a book and I don't want to have any weak points or flaws in my book. So i was wondering what do they look for?What do publishing companies look for in a book?
Since everybody else has already said some things that they look at I will tell you the BIGGEST reason....how marketable is your book? Will people want to buy it...not will they read it or use it but will they buy it. Ever wonder why there are so many weight loss books out there? Because people WANT to lose weight but are they going to? Just look at the average American and you'll get your answer. People buy the book, thats what the publishers want. They could care less if they use it. Don't get me wrong you still want to write a book people want to read and would recommend.



Thomas Strock

Author

Tomato Turtle: A Trip to the Park

www.tomatoturtle.com
They look for a good story and excellent writing.

You need to stop worrying about getting published and write the book you want to write. That's what real writers do.What do publishing companies look for in a book?
Many look for different things in a book.

One thing that comes to my mind of what they'd look for is a plot. One thing that a lot of aspiring authors can't achieve. Another thing is, well developed characters, and if they are likeable. Though, I am no publisher, I do believe that's somewhat, what they look for.
you know what... if the story has passion, heart and effort along with a good plot and story behind it.. you got yourself a made book.. but the number one thing is the passion.What do publishing companies look for in a book?
This may look long but it's better than what I WAS going to give you. First of all I suggest you read some how-to-write books... they're the ones that tell you what publishers want--and bizzare writing techniques that you could never learn in school.



- A LOT of editing. That means making it detailed (but of course not over-detailed) and shortening it. The shorter, the easier it is to read. The easier it is to read, the more the editor feels that readers will want to buy it, and if he sees it as a success then he'll send it to the publisher.



- Morals. What's the moral of your story? There needs to be AT LEAST one major moral, like "don't give any to any smooth-talking guy" or "pride comes before a fall". Entertainment is always cool, but in order for your story to stand for years to come it needs to leave the readers FEELING something when they put the book down, and not just "I wish that main character was real--he's so cute!".



- Invent. Create something no other author has even thought of yet. Instead of a time machine, make up a machine that burps gravity. Know what I mean? The more creativity you have, the more interesting it gets, the more curious and drawn to the book the readers (and editor) will be.



- Humor. Fresh humor, not just "why did the chicken cross the street?" It doesn't have to be a joke. Maybe something like "'I'm so stupid.' 'Yeah, you are.'" or "he was delighted to see John's disgusted look when he threw at him his sister's bra."



- Memorable characters. One with spunk, one that's shy, one that wants to take over the world (for some weird reason), one that has a huge crush on her 20-year-old neighbor. Their goals need to be reasonable and comparable to the reader, too.



Now go read those "How to Write" books (library's good) and good luck with that book! I'll be looking for "Yahoo! Answers" under the "thank you section" in your book. (LOL Just kidding!)
Publishers mainly look for a book that has potential to sell. Publishing a book is never easy and writing is just part of the big picture. Which is why you need to make sure that your book is polished to perfection. After all, your aim is to publish a book that not only sells but will make people want to remmber.



You will need to edit it, rewrite it and improve it. You want to make sure that your work is truly book-worthy. This way, you won't have too much a problem getting your book published.



For more information on getting a book published:

http://selfpublishingjourney.wordpress.c鈥?/a>
Go to the publishers website, and to find out what they're looking for, check out their 'SUBMISSION GUIDELINES'



for example: here's Harlequin's submission guidelines



http://www.eharlequin.com/articlepage.ht鈥?/a>



Writing Guidelines





Nocturne Bites





Length: 10,000鈥?5,000 words

Senior Executive Editor: Tara Gavin

Associate Senior Editor: Ann Leslie Tuttle





Silhouette Nocturne books is looking to acquire paranormal editorial with strong sexual, fantasy and danger elements for its new eBook program, Nocturne Bites.



We鈥檙e looking for fast-paced novellas that hook the reader early on by establishing a paranormal world and its conflicts. We are looking for stories of vampires, shape-shifters, werewolves, psychic powers, etc. set in contemporary times.



Many of the elements that make a Silhouette Nocturne book successful remain true for the Nocturne Bites series. Stories should deliver a dark, highly sensual read that will entertain readers and take them from everyday life into an atmospheric, complex world filled with characters struggling with life and death issues. A strong alpha hero is of utmost importance鈥攈e should be powerful, mysterious and totally attractive to the heroine.



While action-packed and mission-oriented, the scope of these stories should be more contained, with additional focus placed on character development. All stories should be capable of standing alone; all loose ends need to be tied up, and the relationship between hero and heroine should resolve itself in a satisfying manner.



For published authors, this line is a great way to build their miniseries with Harlequin and Silhouette books. Unpublished authors are welcome as well.



Only complete manuscripts submitted electronically will be considered from unpublished authors; no partials or queries, please. Submissions should be sent as a Word-compatible attachment. Submissions should also follow standard formatting guidelines and should be double-spaced and typed in a clear, legible font on numbered pages. Author name and title should appear as a header or footer on each page.



Nocturne Bites e-mail address: nocturnebites@harlequin.ca







Best!



Shalla DeGuzman



http://www.shalladeguzman.com

http://www.shallamagazine.com