Q: What advice do you have for writers looking to be published?
First, remember that everyone starts out as a
yet-to-be-published author. I know it sounds elementary, but don’t
attempt to set out into the publishing world until you’re fully ready.
In other words, begin by finishing a novel. It’s almost impossible to
sell a partial manuscript or idea if you’re unpublished. Polish it and
send it out, because as much as we’d like them to, editors won’t come
looking in your desk drawer. Yes, showing your work to the world
involves some risk. Don’t let rejections wash you up on the beach and
keep you there. While you’re waiting for news, write another book. If
the first one sells, you’ll be set for a two-book deal. If the first
one doesn’t sell, you have eggs in another basket.
Don’t take a critique too seriously if you hear it from one
person. Editors, agents, friends, and readers are individuals. What
works for one may not work for another. If you receive the same comment
from multiple sources, consider revising your manuscript before you
send it elsewhere. Be tenacious, be as thick-skinned as possible, keep
writing while you wait for news.
If there is a particular area of your writing that seems to be holding
you back (action scenes, dialog, description, characterization, etc)
devote extensive study to this area. Seek out conference sessions and
online workshops devoted to the topic. Study other authors’ techniques
in this area. Don’t just read and admire—dissect, break down, make
notes, keep a scrapbook of examples and notes-to-self. Read these
notes-to-self when you’re stuck/struggling/editing something that isn’t
working.
Watch for overbalance of narrative in your writing. Nothing
slows down the pace of a story like huge patches of narrative.
Narrative produces pages with big, blocky paragraphs that read slowly,
and that tend to “tell” rather than “show”. When possible, work story
elements into dialog, action, reaction, and short thought sequences,
rather than using narrative. For example, rather than describing the
main street of your town, have your character walk down Main, greet a
neighbor or two, and reflect on a few random childhood memories of
people/places. Be careful that you don’t slide down the slippery slope
of having characters engage in meaningless chatter designed only to
dump information to the reader, but always seek opportunities to work
details in naturally during character interactions. Remember that body
language speaks volumes, too.
Lastly, never marry yourself to one project. Keep creating new
material—that’s where the joy is, and if you keep the joy of this
business, you keep the magic of it. If you have a God-given
desire to write and a story to tell, then don’t let anything hold you
back.
Writer's Market and Writersmarket.com -- the ultimate guide to publishers, agents, and submissions. You can find it in the the reference section of your bookstore. A subscription to the Writer's Digest website is also helpful.
Writing for the Soul by Jerry Jenkins -- A good book for beginning writers
How to Write a Book Proposal by Michael Larson
Writing Screenplays that Sell by Ackerman -- A study in story formula that is useful for writing novels and short stories, as well. Analyzing movies can help you understand story formula and plotting.