Book Publishing

Look for a writer's guild in your town or area if you haven't ever gotten into the "writing world" before now. They're a good resource for how to get your foot in the door with agents and publishers if you're interested in seriously pursuing a writing career. Even in smaller towns, you'd be surprised the range of experience and the variety of resources you'll encounter.

However, a word of warning to you: you have to have a thick skin when you're working with professionals in publishing and editing. They can be extremely harsh in their critiques of your work, your talent as a writer, and your potential to interest others in your work. I'm not saying this to discourage you, but it's important to know going into it that few people in the professional world are going to be warm, fuzzy, and supportive of you like your family is. Until you get their attention, you are just one of thousands of people who vying for the same spot.

This DOES NOT mean you should not follow your passion. Do what you love and do it well. Tell your stories genuinely and with all your heart. Find mentors and people you trust with honest and good judgment whose input can help you, and go for it. I just read today an article about the lady who wrote The Help (a great book, by the way, if you haven't read it; and it's now a movie as well). She was rejected 60 times before her book was accepted. Rather than giving up, she revised and revised and revised until the 61st person accepted her book. If you have that kind of love of writing and that level of determination, you will make it. Best of luck to you!

Do it. Follow your passion.
Write a little every day!
Best to write it in the computer so you, can back it up.
Keep back up disc in safe place or fire box etc.
I love to write on paper but a lot of that got ruined in a fire then the water damage etc.
Best on computer w/back up.
When you are ready to submit your work to several/may publishing houses....be ready and prepared for a rejection letter. But don't take it to heart and keep trying.
Never give up if it is your passion/dream.
Write something you KNOW people will most likely be interested in reading/buying etc.
Stick to what you know.
Maybe try starting small like contributing articles to a magazine.
You'll have to prove yourself though.
Proofread so no mistakes or use your auto-correct.
Good luck!!!

There are several literary blogs I read, one has 2 bestsellers and was a stay at home mom that just wrote a book on a whim. She has lots of great advice here:

http://kierstenwrites.blogspot.com

More advice here about specifically children's books:
http://publishingcentral.com/articles/20030119-7-2805.html
http://www.underdown.org/

I also agree, most large cities have writer's guilds. Contact a local bookstore or meetup.com to find a group to network with. I have a few friends who have authored novels. One is self-published, those books rarely get any attention. The other is published by a small press. she will likely not get on any ny Times bestseller's list, but she did just get her books picked up at Barnes & Nobel.

There's a book that was recommended to me called "The Shortest Distance Between You and a Published Book" by Susan Page.