Writer's Toolkit
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.
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.
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:
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)
