Roughly, for fiction (non-fiction is slightly different), the process breaks down to the following simple steps:

1. Write a novel. (Although this sounds like the hardest step, it's probably the easiest step in getting published).
2. Send a query letter, synopsis and sample chapter(s) to a literary agent(s). Below, you will find the query letter and synopsis of the novel that I sent to various literary agents.
   1. The query letter is basically a letter of introduction telling the agent about yourself and very briefly about your book.
   2. The synopsis is a more detailed accounting of your book, providing enough information about the characters and plot for the agent to get a good feel for your novel.
   3. Most agents will also request that you send 1 to 3 sample chapters or the first few pages of your manuscript.
   4. Probably the number one question asked here would be, do you need an agent to get published? The answer is no, but most of the big publishers these days will not accept a manuscript unless an agent is submitting it. This way they know the agent has already done some of the upfront work of weeding through the morass of manuscripts out there.
3. Wait for a response. Although most warn you that it may take a while to get a response back from them, almost all of them had replied back to me in a few weeks (I guess it doesn't take long to say 'No Thanks'). It may take longer if they're actually interested (but, obviously, I wouldn't know about that).
   1. If the agent likes what they've read, they'll request that you send them the entire manuscript to read.
   2. If they aren't interested, you'll receive a nice rejection letter or postcard, indicating they are passing on your manuscript. This is the step that I did not get past and below you can find examples of the rejection letters I received, so that you can get a better feel of what they're like.
4. Send the novel to the interested agent(s).
   1. Some agents will only read the manuscript if they're the only one you're submitting to at this point. I guess they don't want to read the manuscript, like it, offer to be your agent, and then find out you've gone with some other agent.
   2. Other agents don't mind if you have multiple submissions out there.
5. Wait some more for another response. If the agent is interested, they'll ask to represent you.
1. If you have multiple agents interested, then you have the tough choice of picking one. Poor you!
2. If only one is interested, then thank your lucky stars that at least one agent out there knew great writing when they saw it.
3. If none were interested, then all I can say is 'Welcome to the club.'
6. If you've reached this point, then 'Congratulations'. However, your not done yet. Now, you get to wait some more, because now it's up to your agent to get your manuscript to the publishers and editors that may want to publish it. So, quit patting yourself on the back and start writing your next novel.
   1. If your book is really, really good and so is your agent, you may actually have multiple publishing houses interested in your work, and they might actually bid for the right to purchase it. If this is the case, then get out the wheelbarrel, because you're going to need it to haul all your cash in (of course, minus the 15% commission your agent is going to take for doing such hard work).
   2. If only one publisher is interested, then your choice is not going to be tough.
7. Once again, if you've reached this point, then 'Congratulations'. Unfortunately, now you get to spend the next 12-18 months working with the publishing company, their editors, marketers, etc. to actually get the book published and onto store shelves. You sure you want to be an author?

Well, that's about it. Simple, right? Once again, this isn't how I ultimately published my novel (I did it using Print-On-Demand), so if there's something wrong about these steps, then I apologize.