|
|
|
The Writer's
Site
This section of The Writer's Site deals with
the issues writers face daily: the art of writing...and the "science" of
getting published.
On writing...
Q. Is it worth being a
member of a writer's group? What do you think of outside feedback, and when
should I get it?
A. I don't belong to a
writer's group, but I have a core group of carefully chosen readers. Most
are people who regularly read the genre that I write in, while some of them
read a variety of literature. In addition to my own readers, my agent reads
my manuscripts, and she has her own group of readers that review it prior to
submission. I feel that among all these readers, I get a solid cross section
of opinion as to what may be right--and wrong--with the manuscript. Of
course, the fact of the business is that despite these steps--writer's
groups or independent readers-there's no assurance that a particular editor
is going to like your manuscript or agree with the opinions of your readers.
I still believe, however, that the critique process can be valuable and
worthwhile.
Q. What if you work full-time and don't have time to write a novel?
What do you do?
A. Simply stated, if you never start it,
you'll never finish it. If you write a page a day, you'll have a novel
written in a year. Write two pages a day and it'll be done in six months. Be
very protective of your time. We all have time we can save during a day. The
more time you shave from unimportant activities, the more time you'll have
to devote to writing. Whether driving in a car, waiting in line at the
market, or sitting on hold on the phone, try to be thinking about your plot
or characters. Take notes. Carry a microcassette recorder with you and
record your thoughts as they come to you. Or, carry a small notepad with you
and jot your ideas down on paper. That way, when you do have time to sit
down and write, you're ready to go.
I'd also recommend using a computer. It saves time, provides you with
enormous flexibility when editing, and eliminates the step (or expense) of
having to have someone else type up your manuscript for you.
Bottom line: if you want to accomplish something, you have to find a way!
Q. What advice do you have for writers who have had a hard time
getting published?
A. Work hard. Don't give up. If you
believe in yourself and in your abilities, then you owe it to yourself to do
everything possible to get your work noticed. That said, there are certain
things you need to do. First, write the best novel you can. Work on it and
polish it and don't submit it to an agent until you're sure it's the best it
can possibly be. Keep in mind that even at the point you feel it's ready to
be sent out, it's probably only 70% of the way there.
Do your homework. As stated earlier in the "Agents" portion of this page,
research the agents to determine which ones handle the type of novel you're
writing.
On publishing...
Q. Is
self-publishing worthwhile?
A. It
depends on what you want to accomplish; if your goal is to see your work in
print, the answer is yes. If it's to sell enough copies to get the attention
of the New York publishers, the answer again is yes--with conditions: you
must be prepared to market the book with the savvy and resources necessary
to give it every chance of succeeding. If you're unable or unwilling to do
this, and the goal is as stated, do not self-publish. It is my understanding
that if you self-publish a book, the sales history still gets recorded via
the ISBN. A poor sales history does not carry an asterisk like the major
league baseball record books...it won't note that the marketing did not come
through, or that you didn't set up your account properly with the
distributor, or that you didn't get good placement in bookstores...etcetera.
Publishing on the web
holds some interesting promise, but I hope to address that in the future if
I can persuade the founder of eBookoMatic.com to write an article that I can
post here.
Q. Are there specific
guidelines I have to follow when submitting a manuscript to an agent or
editor?
A. Yes. Generally, when
you submit a fiction novel, it should be on standard white 8.5 X 11" paper.
There should be one inch margins all around, and it should be typeset in a
standard font, such as 12 point Courier. (However, I always submit my
manuscripts in Times New Roman, 12 point. Every manuscript I've ever seen
has been set in Times New Roman, even though every textbook I've read on the
subject stated that Courier should be used. Use your judgment, though I
don't think it matters either way. I would guess that Times has become an
acceptable standard.) I always put my name, the manuscript's title, and the
page number in a header at the top of each page.
The manuscript should be
double-spaced and printed cleanly. If you have access to a laser printer,
even better. Inkjet inks are not generally waterproof, and editors/agents
tend to read while eating, drinking, etc. Drinks spill, blurring your
carefully chosen words. Enough said...
Your manuscript should not
be bound in any manner. Do not punch holes and insert into a binder. In the
past, I've used small card stock boxes (I used to buy mine at Kinko's),
which hold anywhere from 450 to 500+ pages. I was never able to find them
for sale in a retail store, and Kinko's only sold them to me by special
request. I thus started using either rubberbands to hold the manuscript
together when shipping, or inserting the pages into a large expandable
manila folder (letter size, two inch capacity). Currently, I almost
exclusively use the manila folders. Bottom line: professional appearance. If
you remember that, you're on the right track.
On marketing your book...
Q. Okay, let's
assume the best: your book is going to be published. Now what? Does the fact
that it's going to be published guarantee success?
A. Unfortunately not. Think of all the books in your local bookstore. Are
all of them successful? No. These books are mostly on consignment, and many
will be shipped back to the distributor's warehouse if they don't sell in a
matter of a few weeks. I was asked to write an essay for the e-book site,
MakeYourEbookSell.com, on marketing. The principles discussed are applicable
to both e-publishing and standard publishing. Here's the article:
Sink or Swim: It's all in the
Marketing
by Alan Jacobson
Copyright © 2002 All Rights Reserved.
As all parents know, you
don't take your newborn and toss him in the pool. You teach him the concepts
of treading water and floating, and finally how to swim. Novelists are
parents; their books are their babies. They must nurture their novels much
in the way a parent does, helping to shape their development to ensure they
can survive in the world before setting them free.
Whether
your novel is being published by an e-book publisher or a mainstream New
York publisher, it needs marketing support. You can write the next great
American novel—destined for bestseller status—but if no one knows about it,
it will be the best kept secret in the publishing world. And secrets...(click
here to continue the article)
Check back periodically
for updates and additions to this page.
Click on one of the links below to continue exploring
Alan's site.
Also see:
►
Info on what equipment to use and how to
protect your data, as well as ergonomic tips. Click here.
►NEW:
The business
of publishing: what you earn and when you get it. Click here.
►NEW:
Protecting yourself:
Copyright and how it works. Click here. ►NEW:
Publishing
Contracts: what authors need to know
(by attorney/author Daniel Steven). Click here.
DISCLAIMER:
Any “advice” or information
provided on this website is based on the author’s experience and knowledge,
and is intended only as background, and for purposes of general interest. It
is NOT LEGAL ADVICE, and, in fact, could be incorrect. If you have questions
about this information, how it applies to your particular situation, or
anything else of a legal nature, CONSULT AN ATTORNEY.
|
