After that writing business, come the practicalities of getting into print, publishing your own book and seeing it come to life, with that beautiful binding and lovely hard cover.
Publishing your own book can either be done through an established company, or you can have the self publishing option.
The self-publishing option does have some merit.
You will have total editorial control over the content and look.
This is both good and bad.
Sometimes a book can often benefit from editing, or an extra eye.
It will kill your credibility if your own book contains grammar and spelling errors.
This is why publishing your own book this way can backfire.
You also have to generate your own publicity to get it sold.
So publishing your own book through an established publishing house is probably a better option in terms of cost, publicity and just the quality of the final production.
It is, of course, much harder to persuade them to put your book into print.
This is perhaps best done through a literary agent.
Many publishers will only go through specific agents and you would have to produce something beyond exceptional to grab their attention otherwise.
You can find agents via online directories and other methods.
An agent will need a "query letter".
This is a one page letter containing a punchy summary of your book that really sells its special qualities, plus details about you and your credentials.
Submitting to dozens of agents at once is not going to help you with publishing your own book.
The world of the agents is a small one and word gets around.
Try two or three agents at a time at most.
Even if they reject you, they might explain why and offer you advice that can help you improve your book, or get other leads.
Publishing your own book is almost as big a challenge as writing it, but it can be done - and when it happens it is well worth it.