Since I am not an agent, nor an editor, I cannot read manuscripts, sell them, nor acquire them. I can only tell aspiring writers what I did, and what I would recommend. This was my incredibly sophisticated process. 

1) I Googled "how to get a book published."
This Google search was done in 2010, and I'm sure the results will be different, and hopefully even more refined, now. My main takeaway from that search was "You have to get an agent."

2) I Googled "how to get a literary agent."
Again, the search results will, surely, be vastly improved now. There are numerous lists of the Top However Many Literary Agents, and these should appear in your search results. The best way to narrow down your choices for agents to query is to read the Acknowledgments section of books you enjoy, in your preferred genre, and create a spreadsheet of the agents/agencies.

3) I Googled "how to write a query."
Ah, the Query. The query is what you send to literary agents to pique their interest in what you've written. Learning to write a great query is something of an art form, and you would be wise to take the advice of Agent Janet Reid. She has given generously of her time, expertise and experience in the name of helping writers craft The Query. Read the archives of her Query Shark blog. She also offers invaluable advice at Janet Reid Literary. Jessica Faust at Bookends Literary is another agent who gives generously of her time, expertise and experience. I also highly recommend Nathan Bransford’s website. He is a published author, a professional editor, and a former literary agent, and offers a wealth of insight, information, and entertaining posts.

4) Regular perusal of these websites: Writer's Digest, Publishers Weekly.

5) Read books about writing by successful, prolific authors: ON WRITING by Stephen King, BIRD BY BIRD by Anne Lamott, and more...(but these are the ones I've read). Betsy Lerner, a former-editor-turned-literary-agent, gives insider advice in THE FOREST FOR THE TREES, which I also recommend.

Different writers will have different advice, so find what resonates with you, and good luck!