Most of the basic questions will be answered in the
Q&A below but if you don't find an answer to your writing query on this page click on the mail slot to email your question.
For a useful booklist go to my reference page.
This is one of my favourite quotes on writing.
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How much dialogue is too much? Are there set proportions of dialogue and narrative for a popular novel? Cindy
ANSWER You mentioned you were teaching dialogue and subtext. What is meant by subtext? I know romance editors want both hero and heroine point of view, but when I change to the hero it feels wrong. I'm more comfortable writing from the heroine's POV. You answered a question about dual point of view in romance. What about more than two points of view? I'm researching to write my own Mills & Boon novel. You achieve powerful emotional tension by the very effective use of ordinary language while many others seem to have to resort to purple prose to get the same level of feeling. ANSWER How many drafts of a book do you do? ANSWER I have always got about a quarter-third of the way and then everything seems to trail away. How do you get through that block? ANSWER An editor said my story lacks pace. I have plenty of action so I don't know what she means. ANSWER Can you offer any advice on writing a catching, but not explicit love/sex scene? What are the basic elements and how far does one go without going too far, yet be enticing? ANSWER I admire different writers' styles. How do I develop a unique style of my own? ANSWER Where do you get your ideas?
ANSWER I want to write but I can't seem to get started on a story.
ANSWER Can you give me a few pointers on how to write romance? ANSWER How important is it to write an outline before starting a story? ANSWER I am writing my first novel but I'm having trouble with the plot. ANSWER How do you choose names for your characters? What if I use the name of a real person?
ANSWER If I base my characters on real people will they recognise themselves?
ANSWER When writing for a mainly American audience, must a US location be chosen or can a New Zealand writer write about New Zealand rather than taking the risk of writing about a place they are not familiar with?
ANSWER I have a narrative flashback in the first pages of my novel, where I explain how the heroine came to be where she is, and have her remember a phone call, and something about a past relationship with the person she is about to meet, as well as hint at what is to come. Is this too much detail so early in the book?
ANSWER I'm currently in the process of writing my first historical romance novel and need advice.
ANSWER Can I use material from a book of quotations without getting sued?
ANSWER What do you think about using index cards to plan your story?
ANSWER How do I copyright and protect my work? ANSWER How do I count the number of words in my story? ANSWER Any info on writing communities that you could give us would be much appreciated. ANSWER What type of guidance do I need as a beginning writer? Professional, amateur, personal? ANSWER How useful are correspondence courses in writing? ANSWER Can you recommend any good PC writing programs?
ANSWER I want to write a family history for my children and grandchildren. I have no intention of publication but hope one day they will be interested. Can you recommend any good books or other help for me?
ANSWER How did you first get published? Were you a member of any writer's support groups? Why did you choose to write for the publishers you did? Did you send your first book off to one or a few publishers? ANSWER Who would you suggest as being worth sending a manuscript to for assessment/possible publication, as I don't want to waste anybody's time if it's not the sort of thing they'd be interested in in the first place. ANSWER I have been trying to write my first romance novel. I feel it to be for the sweet romance editions. I have done 140 pages so far but now am wondering should I send my first three chapters to the address that is on the Mills and Boon Harlequin web site or do I finish the whole novel before I post any? ANSWER I've just completed my first book and have received a lot of positive feedback, but I'm not sure how to approach publishers.
ANSWER I have finished a book. Should I send a query letter to a publisher as a first step to publication? ANSWER Is it necessary to finish an entire book before sending chapters and a synopsis or before sending a query letter to an editor?
ANSWER When should I send a query?
ANSWER How long does it normally take publishers to respond to a query? And how long should I wait before contacting them with a reminder?
ANSWER I have just completed a 180,000 word novel. I did everything back to front - instead of looking for a genre I could write in, I just wrote and now I can't seem to fit my novel into any particular genre. In short, it's a story of the effects of a major war on the people who survived that war and the impact of that war on later generations.
ANSWER Can you give me a ballpark figure of how much I could expect to make if I wrote three romance novels a year?
ANSWER What are the chances for a new writer to be published?
ANSWER Should I pay to have my story published? ANSWER I have spent the past three years writing my memoirs. I sent my manuscript to a publisher where the senior editor told me he was very interested in my story. They are interested in publishing my novel. BUT....they want me to pay for its publication, since it is somewhat of a risk, due to the genre of my book. He explained in detail, the process they use for this sort of thing. Can you please tell me how I can find out if this is a legitimate business? ANSWER Where can I sell my work?
ANSWER Should I use a pen name?
ANSWER Can you recommend an agent? ANSWER In the course of re-writing
my ms I've deviated quite a bit from my original synopsis that was submitted.
Will the newer synopsis version count against me?
ANSWER I'm 15 years old. I write a lot of stories but I'm very self conscious about my work. I'm looking for some one to send some of what I've written too so that it can be read and criticised. I would like my weaknesses pointed out so I can fix it, but my grandad, who is very fond of my work said that I should send it to publishers and get it professionally checked out.
ANSWER Can you give me an idea how much I would be paid for a Mills & Boon novel, written and accepted? ANSWER My problem is finding information on historical fashions, titles
and day-to-day life. ANSWER Is it okay to invent characters in historical fiction like governors, etc., to replace the real ones of the time?
ANSWER Do you find it difficult to switch between genres? ANSWER Why don't men write romance novels? ANSWER My friend says, "All those romance books are lies anyway." What can I tell her? ANSWER I have a story to tell, and would gladly pay for the assistance of a writer like you. ANSWER
How can I become a ghost writer?
ANSWER
ANSWER: There is no set proportion of dialogue to narrative in any genre, whether popular or literary. Popular novels tend to rely more heavily on dialogue and action than many literary novels, but it's by no means universal. Pace is important in most popular novels, particularly those with a thriller or suspense element, and long passages of explanations or description or musing tend to slow pace. While some excellent books are slow-paced but still keep the reader turning pages, most unpublished mss benefit from increasing the pace. If there's no action happening, dialogue is often used to further the story. That's what dialogue should do - tell the reader something he or she didn't know before. The reader should be finding out new things all the time about either the plot or the characters, and preferably both. I have been asked if it's "required" that romance heroines must "muse" every so often. Definitely not. Musing should be short and to the point, not just filling in pages. Everything doesn't come to a halt while the character mentally recaps what the reader has already seen. She or he shuld be doing something at the same time. And it must lead to something important. A character thinking about something must gain some new insight that leads to character action and/or pushes the story in a new direction. The most obvious form of subtext in dialogue is sarcasm, where what you say is exactly the opposite of what you mean. Usually there is no mistaking the real message. But sometimes rather than obvious, subtext is oblique. There is a meaning beyond or behind the words on the page.
Subtext adds texture and depth to narrative, description and introspection. And it's especially useful and interesting in dialogue.
1)The cat sat on the mat.
In 2) and 3) the words used to describe, the fireplace, the mat and the cat have introduced a different atmosphere to the scene. Instead of a yawning, empty fireplace which suggests stark coldness, and a worn silk mat hinting at decayed grandeur, we have a cosy fire and a colourful rag mat which suggests warmth but modest circumstances. ...She wondered if his sons had really known Barney Broderick. If they too had longed for a father who went to the office every day and came home for dinner every night and read the newspaper and watched TV before going off to bed.
The "too" slipped in therethe clues the reader to her feelings about her own father.
Rogan's laughter cracked in the middle. He clamped his teeth shut and there was a small, awkward silence. Then he said, "Let's eat."
Rogan is no great talker, especially when he's feeling emotional. What he says certainly isn't inspired or sentimental in any way. But the subtext before he speaks loads the abrupt and banal words with emotion.
Here is a longer piece with subtext in dialogue and in body language.(Lacey's fiancé, Julian, has a teenage daughter. Tully is the father of Lacey's eight-year-old): Social conventions often prevent us from saying what we'd really like to say. Heroes and heroines are constrained in the same way only because we have time to think about their dialogue and even edit it days or weeks later, they can be a lot more clever than most of us at making pointed remarks on the spot, rather than wishing later "I wish I'd said..."
Subtext is something not directly stated. Writers trust their readers to pick up the meaning behind the actual words, and many readers will express dissatisfaction with a story that spells everything out for them, repeats explanations, and has every character saying exactly what the character thinks, feels and means.
Subtext allows people to say things they daren't say directly. [In this scene Pierce is having a drink at Trista's home, and she's entertaining him while they wait for her father. Pierce has taken her out just once and not asked again.]
Dual Point of View in Romance
Not all editors insiste on dual pov. I'm still writing some books strictly in one, and other romance writers have even done books entirely in the hero's head. If it feels wrong because it's interfering with the flow of the story, then don't do it. Only switch when the story needs it, unless you know this particular line or editor always wants a dual pov. You can contact the publishers or editor and ask. (Harlequin has a writers' community on their site at eHarlequin.com where editors and writers give advice and answer questions.) But if you feel uncomfortable in the hero's mind because you don't understand him, maybe you need to try going inside him, even if just for practice. You should know what he's thinking, even if the heroine doesn't. It's a good idea to practise every technique because you never know when you might need them. If it looks wrong in the rewrite, you've either not achieved a smooth transition or you've chosen the wrong place to switch pov. Don't do it too often, paragraph by paragraph. Some people say never switch within a scene. That's a good rule of thumb though good writers can break all the "rules." Romance is basically about the heroine. Often when writers switch to the hero, it's because the heroine isn't there but the writer wants to show how he's feeling - perhaps confused and angry or frustrated or bemused--plus usually full of rampant desire! If you go to the hero's head, he's pretty much always got to be thinking about heroine. Multiple POV
Romance deals very strongly and nearly exclusively with the relationship between the heroine and hero. Most editors and readers want to see things only through the eyes and emotions of the central characters, or one of them. It is a very focused genre. If you really need another character's POV keep it short and to the point. Get the job done and then go back into a main character's mind. In other books and some bigger romances there is a case for more POV characters. Suspense and thriller writers sometimes use the villain's POV to increase suspense. But as a general rule, the fewer viewpoints you have, the more intense the drama will be, whether you are writing romance, suspense, or any other kind of book. Always ask yourself if you can't do this from one, two, or three views. However, it depends on what kind of story you want to tell. There are books in which several characters have viewpoints and their different reactions enhance the richness of the story. Sagas may change POV between chapters or have several characters react internally to the same scene. The golden rule is: Only switch when the story needs it. And rule #2 is, always let your reader know what you are doing. You musgt be very clear about whose head you are now in. Don't let the reader get confused for a minute. And try not to write ping-pong scenes where the point of view alters from one paragraph to the next and back again. Many writing gurus suggest it's unwise to switch within a scene, or even within a chapter. However, all rules in writing can be broken if you know what you are about and why you are doing it. Some writers advise that every scene should be in the POV of the character who has the most to lose. But it is perfectly possible to write a long, long book using only one point of view. If it's a first person story, you don't have a choice. Everything is told by the narrator in his/her POV. Practice each technique to see what suits you and your story, and to improve your skills.And of course read, read, read, to see how experienced writers do it. Historical Novel
Purple Prose
Most writers enjoy allowing themselves a bit of purple or at least slightly mauve prose now and then, which is one of the nice things about writing romance - it's not frowned on so much there! Some books are lush and sensuous (and that's not confined to romance - literary male writers are very prone to go overboard occasionally). Other are very different, their writing more spare and apparently simple, but good writers of both types and everything in between have a feeling for the use of language to create emotional effect. If a particular writer's style is too rich for you, try to analyse other elements that lead editors and readers to love their books. Every writer has a unique voice, and they need to train it to produce the effect on the reader that they want. But not to change their natural style to an artificial one. A naturally lush writer may need to be a little more disciplined, and a naturally minimalist writer can learn to add a little more colour and emotion. Drafts
Everyone is different, though. People who plan their books in detail beforehand may only need to go through once more. But some planners still make numerous changes. There is a danger of leaching all the life from a story in trying to attain perfection. A poet once said that a poem is never finished, it's only abandoned. And that's possibly true of all writing. When I find I'm making things different but not better, I give up on revision and say enough. There is always something in the published work that I would like to go back and change, but then it's too late!
Block
Mostly I just slog on writing what seems to be rubbish until the story begins to move again. You can always go back and pull out the bits that are just too sludgy. It gets really hard and slows down terribly, but you have to keep going. On the other hand some people find they need time to think about it. Or they go for a long walk or do something physical. I find sometimes a long shower or a swim works for me. And then there's always sleeping on it. Whatever gets your brain into gear. And think about your source of tension and what the book is really about. Dig into the characters and decide what would really get them into strife with themselves or each other. Throw them into a crisis and watch their reactions. Don't be afraid to be cruel to them--you can make it up to them later at your ending if you're writing a "happy ever after". Or you can show how their character is strengthened or otherwise affected by adversity, if it's a different kind of book with a less upbeat though satisfying ending. Pace
If the action isn't furthering the story then it's just padding, and padding will always slow the pace, no matter how interesting or exciting it seems on its own. Make sure every scene drives the story forward, or puts obstacles in the way of the characters' goals so that they have to take some action to get over or around them, and every sentence gives the reader some new information about the plot or the characters, or at least leads directly to something that will. A few things to watch for are:
These are just a few hints. I hope they help. Love Scenes
And like any other scene, how a love scene is played depends on the characters, which is why it's often difficult to write a successful love scene too early in the story. In the first chapters the writer and reader may not know the people well enough to become intimately involved. Don't be shy about what's actually happening, because that can lead to coy euphemisms, but remember you are describing the lovers' feelings rather than which bit of anatomy goes where, and that a love scene must further the story just like any other scene in the book. If it doesn't do that, or if it doesn't at least throw new light on your characters, then it has no purpose and no place in the story. You can describe it entirely as an emotional experience without mentioning body parts at all, but create an atmosphere with other details like the quality of the darkness or the dazzling sunlight and the trees overhead, the neon lights across the street blinking on and off and turning the scene blue-red-blue, anything that fits the emotion - or if you are really clever, perhaps contrasts with it. But as well as an emotional experience, lovemaking is a tactile experience that involves the whole body. Get into the mind of your viewpoint character, and if you want to be romantic, tell the reader that e.g. his hair is like warm strands of silk when she runs her fingers through it, that her lashes brush his skin like a butterfly wing, or that desire makes his eyes glitter like sapphires (only don't mix your viewpoints like this!) Use your imagination to describe the texture of skin, the contrast between male and female physique and how they feel to each other, and how this particular man's or woman's body is lovely to the other. But don't be too explicit about things like the amount of hair he has on his chest, or the exact colour of her aureola. These personal details are a matter of individual taste and preference and what turns one reader on will have another flinging aside your book in disgust. You don't have to say exactly where or how they touch each other to make her heart pound and her breath come faster, or to set him purring like a great cat or shuddering with pleasure. In other words, give the reader room to exercise her own imagination and create her own favourite fantasy to some extent. And it can be done entirely with metaphor. If you can get hold of the following books, these are some of my favourite non-explicit love scenes. You'll have to look for copies in secondhand shops or used-book stores. The Garden of Persephone, Nan Asquith, page 125 One way to learn to write love scenes is to write at least one very explicit one just for yourself, which will help you get over an embarrassment or tendency to over-euphemise. Style
If you naturally write spare, simple prose, don't try to change to a lush, rich style, though a little practice at freeing up your imagination and letting yourself be a bit purple may be a useful exercise. If you love striking imagery and it comes naturally to you by all means use it, but take care not to smother your story in overblown verbiage. The essence of style is to purify voice, making it come through true and clear. Always aim to make your writing voice true and clear, and style will take care of itself. Ideas
Rather than rely on memory, it's good
to have a file where everything that catches the writer's imagination is
kept. The idea file may be in a notebook, in a computer, or a folder. It
may contain handwritten notes - perhaps one or two sentences - cuttings
from newspapers or other documents, even pictures that have grabbed the
attention. I keep a computer file of "ideas" - each one the germ of a possible
story. And I also have a cardboard folder where I file mostly clippings
and pictures that I call "triggers" because for some reason they intrigued
me. Many may never become stories, some already have. Startpoint
A story begins at the point where things are about to change. Fix that point in your mind, then try to imagine the scene. Sit down at your word processor (or typewriter or exercise book) and write a word. Maybe your main character's name, maybe a simple "The" or even "A". Soon you will find that another word arrives, and another until you have a sentence, that will grow to a paragraph and in the end make a whole story. That's only one way to begin. Some writers plan the entire story in their minds or on paper before writing anything. Others write bits of
it out of sequence and meld them together later. Maybe one scene in the middle or at the end is vivid in your mind. If you write that first usually other scenes will come. But the only way to write a story is to sit down and get the words onto paper. Do you analyse as you read? Can you work out what the author does that you like or don't like? Take note and see if you can emulate the best and avoid those techniques or faults you dislike. Notice how much dialogue is in the book in proportion to the narrative, and how the writer moves people from place to place, and how she draws you into the story and makes you care about the characters. Practising writing is the next step. There are books about technique. Some good ones are listed on my reference page. Writing Romance
Brief misunderstandings can be a fun starting point or move the plot along, but the main plot should usually not hinge on these. Things to avoid: Having the heroine look in the mirror on page one. Starting the story in an airport or airplane, or with the hero knocking down the heroine with his car, or with the heroine and her best friend talking about things they both already know. Editors have seen these too often and they will automatically think "cliché." Also, beginning with a long description, explanation or the heroine's background story. The reader wants to get right into the story. Something interesting should be happening on the page. Outlines
Try this way:
Take out that notebook, choose a "what if" and the characters that might fit it. Or the other way round. Sit down in front of a word processor and stay there until you've written at least a page about them. That may be enough to keep you going without a detailed outline. If so, keep going. If you do get bogged down, then outline what's happened so far, and maybe you'll see where the story wants to go next, or where it's gone off track. By then you may have ideas for what comes next, and be able to outline the next few chapters - or the whole book. There are millions of ways to write a story. You can find the one that suits you only by getting in there and trying them. Plot
Ask yourself are your plot ideas perhaps just the beginning of a book, an opening situation rather than a whole story? e.g. one character is mistaken about the other which makes for a cute meet or some initial conflict, but can't sustain the whole novel? If you have started with something like this, or just two very different characters, you may have trouble moving forward because you need to think through the logic of what will happen next. Often writers try to stretch one idea too far. Resolve that first situation and move on. Why would the mistake have been made, and when the mistaken person finds out what would that person do? And what would that lead to? Some writers draw out the initial premise without really looking at their characters to see where the characters could carry the story. Build on character and situation to move the plot along. It sometimes helps to write down key things about your characters, making a character sketch so you know how they will react in the situation you've invented for them. This may help you find the real, interior reason they can't easily resolve any problems and live happily ever after (or not, if it's not romance you are writing). Ask yourself why they react the way they do, and that will help you to build a credible story. And read a lot to find out how other people do it. Choosing Names
I usually spend at least a day trying names on my latest characters before I begin writing. Sometimes if a book does not go well it is because I have chosen the wrong name for a character. So give it careful thought. It is usually best to pick names that are not too outlandish. The more unusual a name is, the more danger of someone thinking you have based a character on them! If you are going to write a reprehensible character you may be wise to check. e.g. if the character is a doctor in a named or identifiable small town, make sure there is no real doctor of that name in that town. Telephone books and electoral rolls can be checked. If you base a character on someone you know (a risky business! See below.) make sure to change details. Using Real People
If you're bothered that a story may hurt or offend someone, you have to decide if it's so important to tell it that particular way that you want to run that risk. To minimise such risk, you may want to change not only names but occupations, locations, all details that are not essential to the story. Even sex and age can often be altered. Some writers who admit to using real people as character patterns swear the real people don't know themselves, and often mistake another character for their alter ego. In many cases, the writer has not consciously based the characters on anyone. I have never knowingly written about a real person in my fiction (except by request in very minor parts), but no doubt my characters exhibit many characteristics of myself and people I know. It's like putting ingredients through a blender - the meat, the onions, the herbs and seasonings go in, and they come out so smoothly combined you can't separate and identify the individual elements once the meat loaf is cooked. So you can't tell which character traits came from which person when your fictional character is translated to the page. Location
However, if you are writing a single-title book you may vastly increase your chances of selling in America by using at least one major American character or setting - provided you can make them authentic. The success of the American series books owes much to the fact that most people relate well to reading about their own country, and there is a very big market there. Back Story
Description is not action, and the reader needs to be drawn quickly into what's happening. Even if things are happening all around, if the character isn't involved the story is not moving. Having the character remember things from the past is cold telling, not showing. And even going into a real flashback with action and dialogue is usually a mistake in the first chapter. The reader needs to be introduced to the character before they can take much interest in her past! A little mystery is fine, but it's really difficult to get a feel for how much is too much or too little. Being too vague will irritate the reader, but a tantalising reference to a hidden child or a past mistake may draw her into the story. In your first couple of pages, try to give only as much detail about the present moment and the past as is necessary to orient the reader in a time and place, give a clue as to the character's mood, and a hint about where the story is going. The reader will trust you to give her more information as she needs it. So be sure to do that! Get to an important event as soon as you can. In a romance that is the meeting between hero and heroine; in a mystery it's the murder. Writing Communities
Guidance
Small critique groups of people with similar writing interests and more or less equal experience have been valuable to beginning writers. Ask around any clubs you belong to, at the library, or at your local schools. You could place a personal ad in the local paper or on a bulletin board looking for likeminded people. There are even online critique groups. Check out my loverly links. Your local library should have books about writing - some general and some specific to a genre. Nothing takes the place of critical, analytical reading. (Writing can ruin your reading pleasure!) You should read as much as you can, particularly books that are similar to what you wish to write, and try to figure out what those authors did that held or failed to hold your attention. Be cautious about asking friends and family if they have no experience of literary criticism or don't read the kind of book you want to write. They may be nice because they like you, or because they know your background and understand where the story comes from, or they may be vaguely complimentary or overly critical and not help very much. If you know someone in a book discussion group or a person who is connected to the literary world who is accustomed to looking objectively at a book and judging it constructively and thoughtfully, they may be willing to give you helpful feedback. Try not to be hurt by their opinion if it isn't wholly enthusiastic, and don't try to defend the story to them, just thank them graciously. Take their remarks on the chin and think about them. But remember it is your book, not theirs. Even experts are not always right. Family Writings
Writing Family Histories and Memoirs - Kirk Polking, Better Way Books 1995. Your Life As Story - Tristine Rainer, Tarcher Putnam Books. If your local library doesn't have them, perhaps a good bookshop could give you prices and order them for you. And they may well have other similar books. If there is a genealogical society near you (or you can find genealogical sites on the internet), they may well know of some helpful books or other sites that might give some advice. There may be local writing groups for older folk writing memoirs who help each other - or perhaps you could advertise for likeminded folk and start one! Do you have University of the Third Age there? Some of my older friends find that a wonderful group, and one of their programs may suit you. If you joined an email group on genealogy or writing they could probably direct you to more helpful resources. As to guidelines - it's not really my field, but what will interest people is stories and anecdotes rather than dates and names - although they are important too. If there a lot of names with not too many interesting stories attached to them, it may be best to list them separately as an appendix rather than have long "begats" at the beginning. Someone in the family will want to know all the details eventually. I'm sure your children and grandchildren will be very grateful one day that you took the trouble. And historians too. Memoirs are invaluable to people doing research into past times. Please offer a copy to your local library, museum or archivist. Check out my loverly links for some helpful sites and organisations. Correspondence Courses
Look in writers' magazines for established schools that have physical addresses - not just box numbers - and don't be afraid to ask questions about their business background, their tutors' qualifications, and what you can expect from the course. Writing Programs
Nancy Kress, a Writer's Digest columnist, has written The Writers' Software Companion, an interactive teaching tool. Try Writer's Software for details. See my reference page which includes one or two books that didn't work for me, but other writers whose opinion I respect found them very useful. I have used a free MS Word template called Simply Screenplay for formatting screenplays. It is available at DependentFilms and other sites that can be found with an internet search engine. Other scriptwriting programs include the well-known Final Draft used by many professionals. Quoting
Index Cards
Many writers use this system - writing notes for each scene on a separate card, then spreading them out and seeing the plan of the story laid out before them. They can shuffle scenes into different order until they see a storyline emerging, and use their plan as a framework for the book. Some scriptwriting books will say this is the only right way to begin preparing a script. (It isn't!) If this appeals to you, or even if it doesn't but you have problems formulating a coherent plot, try it out. Maybe it's just what you need. Copyright
By international law your work is copyright as soon as it exists in some readable form. Some writers like to put a copyright notice on their ms, but I suggest you add it discreetly in small print at the end, not on the title page, as some editors feel it means you don't trust them. Nearly all US publishers will register the copyright when the book is published. Though not strictly necessary, this makes it easier if you or the publisher have to sue someone for copying your work. Some writers send themselves a copy by registered post when sending to a publisher, leaving that dated parcel unopened. Some writers' organisations have archives of mss that they will register and keep for a fee. In New Zealand the
NZ Writers Guild does this. The risk is a minor one that we all take in order to get published. It is more likely that published work will be filched through the internet. As for other people who may be asked or may volunteer to look at your work - any published author probably has more good ideas of her own than she knows what to do with. Any well-qualified agent, book doctor, freelance editor, tutor, contest organiser or judge will know the copyright law. If in doubt enquire about the credentials of the person you are handing your work to. Plagiarism is a writer's nightmare - not only on the receiving end. All of us live in fear that we may unconsciously regurgitate something that someone else has written. I think most professionals dread that more than they dread being copied themselves. If a published author is willing to read your work I'd thank her for her generosity (even if she's being paid!) and for taking the risk. There are few really new ideas, and as a writing tutor I've seen most of the old ones turn up in various guises over and over. You should never part with your only copy! Always have backup copies of work in progress and finished work. Wordcount
Any of these methods is close enough. My first publication
My very first publication was in a school journal. Then I spent many years learning my craft by writing freelance articles and short stories for magazines and newspapers. My first romance was a novella for Woman's Weekly Library, that published little books, sort of a cross between a magazine and a book. I knew nothing about book publishing although I had sold short stories and articles previously, and I sent them an entire manuscript which they told me I needed to have professionally retyped on better paper. I had used flimsy airmail type paper and my typewriter was old with misaligned keys. At the time our family was skint for cash, and my wonderful husband swallowed hard when I told him it would cost $100 to have the typing done, but he said go ahead. We made a profit of $600 and I bought a new typewriter!I was first published in book length and hardcover by finding the address of a publisher inside one of their books and writing to them, sending one chapter and asking if they wanted to see more. Writers support groups were pretty much unknown then, and I knew no other writers at all. I knew nothing, but had read Mills and Boon's books and knew that I wanted to write for them. So I targeted that book to their needs and sent it to them first. They bought it after asking for some minor revisions. And I've been writing for them ever since, as well as for other publishers of romance and mainstream books. Assessors, Agents, Editors
Assessors may do this and more, or they may do less of the actual nitty gritty editing and more advising on the publishability of the ms, and point you in the direction of a suitable publisher for your work. They should at least give you an overall critique of its potential and suggest further steps to publication. Their charges are usually per hour or per page.
What these two above do may overlap and some people will do both. You should find out just what services an editor or assessor (or book doctor as some are called) offers before employing one. And be clear what you want from them, putting it in writing in a cover letter when sending your ms. In New Zealand, make sure any editor or assessor is a member of the New Zealand Association of Manuscript Assessors (NZAMA). Agents may or may not make suggestions for improvement. Their primary function is to match up author and publishers, then negotiate the best terms for the author with the publisher of the author's choice, and look after the author's interests for the life of the book. They hope to do so for the life of the author. They will charge a commission, probably 15% on all earnings, and 20-25% if they market the book in another country, which usually involves partnering with another agent in that country. When looking for an agent in America you are safest with a member of the American Association of Authors' Representatives and in the UK with a member of the Association of Authors' Agents. All these people are paid by the author. Assessors who are also agents must take care to separate the two functions. In New Zealand some agencies combine the two, and the literary community is so small that anyone not above board is soon identified, but in other countries people who purport to do both jobs but may not in fact do much selling of mss, and dodgy agents who refer potential clients to particular editors, assessors or book doctors for a kickback have aroused suspicion. Agents' Associations like the
American Association of Authors' Representatives forbid their members to charge writers for assessing or editing. The New Zealand Writers' Handbook published by Bateman has recently been re-released. You will find some useful information re publishers, agents, editors and assessors there. The New Zealand Society of Authors (incorporating PEN) also has some useful booklets that can be purchased from them. Or you could go straight to a publisher - find one in the Handbook mentioned above, in one of the sources on my Reference Page, on the internet where most large publishers have sites, or simply browse the bookshelves in a bookshop and see who is publishing similar work. The publisher's address will be on the back of the title page. Publishers also have editors who are paid by the publisher. Their function is to choose books that will make money, and pay the author a percentage. They may also "line edit" to improve the book and will probably have copy-editors check spelling and grammar. If you are confident of your spelling and grammar and have no doubts about your story's characterisation, motivation, plot, pace or anything else, you can save your money and not employ a freelance editor or assessor. If you want to sell a mainstream book (not a category romance) in America - or, increasingly, in the UK - you may need an agent. Many publishers now refuse to deal direct with new authors. See also answers below to similar questions, particulary in regard to agents.
Query letters
It should tell the editor what kind of book you are querying on, and if it's a romance the line you are targeting. Give the word count and a brief summary of the main characters and plot, including the ending. Try to indicate the style or tone of the book in this summary - humour is appropriate for a humorous book, not for a dark, dramatic one. Briefly mention any publishing credits, even if not in this field (e.g. you may have had short stories published, but this is your first novel), and also any relevant expertise or experience. If you are a nurse and are writing a hospital-based story, or a police officer writing crime fiction, the editor wants to know. But your twenty years of flower growing isn't going to impress her if your book is about a murder in a mortuary. Don't lard the letter with personal details, and if you have no publishing credits it is not necessary to say so. A query letter is a selling tool. It must be very well written, give a very brief idea of the book's subject and style and the author's competence, and leave the editor panting to see the product. So spend time on it; make sure it does all that and has no mistakes of grammar or spelling, no redundant or woolly phrases and no typos, and looks professional. A simple computer-generated letterhead is fine. No fancy type or pretty pictures are needed, and they may put an editor off. And don't forget to enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope (or if you are sending to another country, an International Reply Coupon from your post office). Most publishers like to see letters addressed to a specific editor by name. Even if you have a name from a writers' magazine or yearbook, it pays to give the publishing house a call and ask if that editor is still there, and if she is the appropriate person to send your historical, thriller or romance to. Proposals
You could send a proposal (three chapters and a snynopsis) before the book is done. Sometimes it takes months for an editor to get back to you. The best time usually for a first book is when you've finished it, are satisfied with it and are ready to do a final polish - not an extensive rewrite. - of the book while you await a reply. If the reply is a long time coming you should be writing your next book. Having another on the way is a good selling point if the editor likes the first. They'll know you are not a one-book wonder then. Also, don't expect too much in the way of feedback. Editors are overworked and underpaid, and if you get back more than a one-page, kindly-worded form letter you are doing very well. Queries and Proposals
Sending a query letter or synopsis and chapters can save time because some editors take a while to get back to you. However, you need to be certain you can finish the book, and preferably that you can finish it quickly if the editor is so keen she contacts you right away. And that not only can you get to the end, but provide an ending that is up to the same standard as the well-polished chapters you sent off. Sometimes it takes months for an editor to get back to you. However I heard from a writer who sent a query letter and within a week was asked for chapters. If they like the chapters they may ask for the rest of the book quite soon. For non-fiction, editors may accept a query when you have only a rough outline, especially if you are an expert in the field. When To Query
When writing the synopsis, make it snappy and interesting and intriguing (3 pages max unless you know that publisher/editor likes more) and ensure the chapters are as good as they can be. Polish the book while you await a reply. If the reply is a long time coming you should be writing your next book. Having another on the way is a good selling point if the editor likes the first. They know you are not a one-book wonder then. Also, don't expect too much in the way of feedback. Editors are overworked and underpaid, and if you get back more than a one-page, kindly-worded form letter you are doing very well. If an editor comments specifically on your characters, plot, etc. and suggests improvements you are getting somewhere. If she says she wants to see more of your work, Yes, she does mean it! Response Time
The time a publisher takes to evaluate a manuscript varies widely. Sometimes a writer hears within a week, but two to three months is about average, and the time spans seem to be getting longer for many publishing houses. Some will say in their guidelines or an acknowledgement letter how long you should expect. Unless they have indicated otherwise, after two or three months it doesn't hurt to send a polite letter to the editor asking if she has had time to review the material. Enclose a stamped addressed envelope (or envelope and International Reply Coupon for a different country). If that doesn't bring your work to the top of the pile, keep writing at 3-4 weekly intervals asking what the status is. If you have sent a synopsis and chapters, unless they have indicated a longer response time after two months you could query if it has been considered and ask for an estimated time. For a full ms, ask after 3 months. Publishers can take a year or more to make a decision, but they shouldn't! It is not unreasonable to ask them to make up their minds in 6 months or less, but if they have said it will take longer, it's up to you to decide if you will let them hold your work. Approaching A Publisher
You will find a useful booklist - including books which list publishers and agents - right here. Some publishers will take mss without an agent, but it partly depends on what kind of book it is. Usually their listing will give you a clue what they want. You need to send a short query letter first for most publishers, outlining the book and making it sound really interesting so they will ask to see it. Include briefly any qualifications you have for writing on the particular subject, or previous writing credits.
Really work on that letter. See other answers above for more about query letters. The other way to find publishers is to look in bookshops at the front pages of books that have some similarity to yours, and note the publisher's name and address. You can then phone the publisher's office and ask for the name of an editor who deals with that kind of book. Also, there are writers' conferences where publishers and editors may be trawling for new writers, and you can actually get to talk to them. The Writers' Digest magazine - which you should find in any large shop that sells magazines - is a good source of finding out about these.
Fitting A Genre
A very long story is often harder to sell than a shorter book. Category publishers whose books are sold in similar packaging have fairly strict lengths for each of their lines. While other publishers may print books of varying lengths, a very long book by a new author is often difficult to sell because the cover price will have to be high. If you can bring yourself to make some changes ( you know your story and your book and what it will stand), you could make things easier market-wise. How Much Money?
Publishers are very cagey about how much first-time writers will be offered in advances, and there are wide variations in subsequent income, due to such factors as whether or not books are printed for both retail and book club sales, which countries they are published in, and which lines. You may be offered US$3000 to $5000 as a first-time author for an established romance publisher, but this is by no means certain. Some advances are much lower. Once the advance is paid you get no more money until the publishers has earned that back. Some books never earn more than the advance while others earn many times that amount over time, but this may take 10 years. The best-selling lines at this time are, I believe, the Harlequin Presents - or Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern as they are called in the UK - and Silhouette Desire, but that could change. Also there are wide variations in individual authors' earnings. If you had three books per year accepted for a number of years and widely reprinted and translated you could earn a good living, but many popular romance writers whose books sell steadily have still not given up their day jobs. It is never certain that your next book will be bought by the publisher, no matter how many you have had published. If you want security, writing is not the way to attain it. But if you want job satisfaction it may give you a great deal of that. If you really want to write, treat it as a part-time job at least until you can see where your career is going. For a steady income, look elsewhere.
Chances Of Publication
RW of America Australian Branch
Romance Novelists Association, UK Check my links page for other writing organisations and sites. Paying For Publication
This applies to both magazine and book publication.
And even to internet publication. Some small magazines with limited circulation to a few interested readers pay only in copies, not cash. Poets and short story writers sometimes publish their own work once they have established their credibility by being published in literary magazines that have a reputation for excellence. Local historians or writers of memoirs or family history may publish and market their book themselves, knowing their limited market.
Other writers who are also savvy marketers have done well from self-publishing, especially if they have a niche market for, say, a book about growing sunflowers. In these cases the writer is also the publisher who pays the printer and controls the marketing. And some novelists have self-published because they believed in their book but couldn't find a commercial publisher. Occasionally a big publisher has picked up a self-published book. Be wary of publishers who advertise for material and ask the writer to contribute towards the cost. Often these are vanity publishers who make more money from the author than from people who buy the book. You may lose both money and your reputation as a serious writer. See also below. A publisher is interested in my memoir but wants me to pay.
Sometimes poets and writers of family or local history or other books with a limited audience need to pay a printer to produce their book. A memoir may well come into that category. These people you mention claim to publish a wide variety of work, and that is unusual for a small publisher. If you give up on getting your book published by a genuine royalty paying publisher who pays *you* for it, then try getting quotes from printers (not publishers) for its production. Some will also suggest layout, format etc. and discuss it with you. You pay all costs and arrange distribution (be aware distribution is difficult and expensive). Compare them and their prices with what these people want. But it appears that they want to charge you just for looking at it and suggesting a format, which is most unusual. If they won't seriously consider it before you give them money, don't touch them. You could also look in bookshops and libraries for their books. If you don't find any it could be a signal to be wary. See also above. Markets
Pen Names
Agents
Be very wary of any agent who asks you to pay them for evaluating your work. Especially if they want lots of money. Also beware of agents who may suggest you ask a particular freelance editor or book doctor to check your work. If they suggest several, or simply suggest you should call in a freelance editor (one who works for the author) or a book doctor, that is probably legitimate advice. But some work together with people who make their main income from charging writers for services, giving no guarantee that this will lead to publication. Agents' associations in various countries have certain standards that their members must adhere to and you can be fairly sure that if you deal with their members they will be bona fide ethical agents. See my loverly links and also check the section here on assessors, agents and editors. Deviation From Synopsis
The publisher is very secretive about money and a new writer would not get the same as one with 20 years' experience. Writers are usually paid an advance before the book is published, which may be paid in a lump sum or in two or three portions - on signing a contract, on completing any revisions requested, and on publication date. This advance for a new writer may be between one and three thousand pounds and is calculated on the cover price at different rates for different countries - at present 6% in the US and from 4% down to 2% or less in various other countries. After publication, if the book sells well and brings in more money than the advance (once the publisher's expenses are paid), the writer is paid at six-monthly intervals (not for the previous six months, but for the six months before that) the percentage she has earned on sold books. But as these "series romance" books are on the shelves for only one month, the bulk of earnings is in the first six-month period. Translations may bring in smaller amounts over the next several years. Most editions are paperbacks with a low cover price. How much a book earns over time depends on not only on how popular the book is, but which markets it is sold in - most though not all M&B books are sold in the US and the UK, but may not be retailed in both markets, and if they are offered solely through the book club they will earn much less than through retail. A new author usually will not sell as well as an established one. However the wide distribution of new authors alongside old favourites and the trust many readers have in the publisher are advantageous to new writers. Most writers, including Mills & Boon and Harlequin writers, have another job or a partner who supports them financially, at least for the first few years of their career and often for their whole working life. Historical Research
Historical Characters
Switching Genres
Men Writing Romance
Grandpa likes my writing but I'm shy
Lies v Fiction
In fiction, writers tell various truths as they honestly see them. Romance writers truly believe that though it doesn't always happen, lasting true love is possible and that it's a good thing, an ideal that many people cherish and are willing to work for - and the writers believe that by reading stories that reinforce their belief those people may be helped to realise it in their own lives. So we show our characters, even when they are not aware of it, struggling to find love and to give it, and to found a solid new family to keep the human race going. Just as most crime writers believe that it's true that murder is bad and that murderers should pay for their crimes, and that's what happens in their books because they want to share that truth with their readers, even though everyone knows that sometimes criminals are not caught and justice is not done. It doesn't alter the truth of the ideal. In one sense all stories are "lies" in that they didn't actually happen in the exact way the writer wrote. But in another way every romance, every crime novel, every western, is true in the sense that it tells a story that everyone wants to hear and that most people try to live - love and honour and justice will prevail over hatred, betrayal and injustice, and over the faults and weaknesses of human nature. Our characters are decent but imperfect and sometimes emotionally damaged people, just like most people in real life, and we give them extraordinary difficulties to overcome so that they must rise above their faults and fears and become true heroes and heroines, living the ideal that the rest of us strive to attain. That's what genre literature is about at its root. We write to entertain and give readers a break from their everyday strains and struggles, so we are not preaching sermons or telling them how to live their lives. But we write in a particular form and framework where we know readers expect certain things to happen - the white-hat cowboy will beat the black hat, the detective will solve the crime and the murderer will pay for it, and the lovers will live happily ever after. And none of it comes to them easily. They have to fight for the right outcome through at least 200 pages! And in our books, whether we are conscious of it or not, we express our own beliefs that truth, honesty, justice, love - whatever our primary values are - are worth striving for, and worth writing about. Ghostwriting If you want to fictionalise the story and make it into a novel, using the true story as a base but making up details and changing names etc., there are ghost writers who will do this too, but they would be harder to find. Some skilled writers do have trouble finding stories, and if you placed an advertisement yourself in one of these magazines you may find the ideal person who would like to be a co-writer. In choosing a partner, make sure you check on their experience and publishing history. Ask to see some of their work before paying any money. And be aware that no matter how well written the finished work is, publishers may still decline to publish it, so there is a risk of spending money for nothing. Have you tried writing it down yourself? If the idea of writing a book daunts you, pretend you are writing a letter to friend, or a private diary. That may start you on the road and you may find you like it. If you join a writers' group or take a writing course you may learn that you want to do this yourself after all, and you may also meet people interested in collaborating. You could ask a publisher or writers' organisation if they could recommend someone. If you want to write for other people, under their name rather than yours, you could contact a publisher and ask them to keep you in mind, telling them if you are interested in writing other people's "autobiographies" or "as told to" books - celebrities, sports people or people with interesting life stories who are not writers. Mention any credentials or useful contacts you have. I would think you would need to have published some of your work before applying. You should probably send some samples of your writing if you have been published. © Daphne Clair de Jong
James Thurber, the American humorist, was once asked why there was a comma in the sentence "After dinner, the men went into the living room." He replied that the comma had been inserted by Harold Ross, the editor of the New Yorker, and that the comma was Ross's way of giving the men time to push back their chairs and stand up.
On Writing
From: How To Puncuate: Penguin Writers' Guides, by George Davidson.
For advice on setting out your work and sending it to a publisher see my guidelines.
And visit my links for more writing sites.
GARY PROVOST ON THE STRUCTURE OF FICTION
And so she decided to pursue a goal
And she came up with a plan.
Even though there were forces moving against her
She moved forward
Because there was a lot at stake
And just when things seemed as bad as they could get
she made a discovery - a realization -
and in doing so she fulfilled a need
that had been created
by something in her past.
Daphne
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
arrows.
If you like you can go straight to the answers in these sections by clicking a heading.
Or use your browser's "search/find on this page" function for a keyword.
NUTS AND BOLTS
WRITING AIDS
PUBLICATION
GENERAL QUESTIONS
THE WRITING PROCESS
ANSWER
ANSWER
ANSWER
NUTS AND BOLTS - THE MECHANICS
WRITING AIDS
PUBLICATION
GENERAL QUESTIONS
ANSWERS
THE WRITING PROCESS
2)Before the yawning emptiness of the fireplace, the cat sat on the worn silk mat, sleek haunches tensed, yellow eyes glittering at Melinda.
3)Enjoying the warmth of the dancing flame in the small, pot-bellied grate, the cat sat purring on the multi-coloured rag mat, and blinked sleepily at Melinda.
Tully dropped onto the sofa. Watching Julian sit down again, he asked, 'Where's your daughter tonight?'
'Seeing a film with some friends.'
Tully nodded. 'She'll be off your hands soon, I suppose. How do you feel about being saddled with a pre-teen at this stage of your life?'
Julian seemed slightly startled, then made an effort at a smile. 'It doesn't bother me. I've had some practice.' Relaxing a trifle, he added, 'I like children. My wife and I had hoped to have a couple more. Maybe...' He glanced across at Lacey, his eyes warm.
Tully shifted on the sofa, planting his feet more firmly apart on the carpet. 'You want another family,' he asked, 'at your age?'
Julian looked nettled, then amused. 'I'm not in my dotage.'
'Of course not,' Tully said after a telling moment. 'Prime of life, I'm sure.' His eyes were unfocused as he turned to look at Lacey. 'Has your biological clock started ticking more loudly already? Do you want more kids?"
“Dad says you have a tricky case coming up.”. She took a sip of her sherry.
“Yes. I've been pretty busy preparing for it.”
She looked up briefly, then took another quick sip. “How busy?”
He hesitated, then said quite gently, “Not that busy.”
Here is the scene analysed:
“Dad says you have a tricky case coming up.” [Trista obliquely opens the subject, not saying, "Why haven't you asked me out again? Is it that you're too involved with this tricky case?] She took a sip of her sherry. [Dutch courage]
“Yes. I've been pretty busy preparing for it.” [Pierce recognizes the opportunity for an excuse and seizes it.]
She looked up briefly, then took another quick sip. [Perhaps she's going to accept that. But then she screws up her courage again, because she really wants to know.] “How busy?”
He hesitated, [because he doesn't want to be too blunt] then said quite gently, [he doesn't want to hurt her] “Not that busy.” [Firmly refusing her implied advance.]
So Trista hasn't lost face but has the answer she didn't really want to hear. And Pierce hasn't been forced to tell her crudely that he just doesn't want to see her again.
In books where there is a secret, there is often a lot of "hidden" subtext. The meaning may not become clear until later in the book.
The difference between historical novel and a contemporary is not great. Historicals may entail more research, of course. You need to get your facts right, but don't get carried away so that the book never gets written, or reads more like a disguised text book than a nove. On this page you will find lots of hints about plot, characterisation etc. Readers of historicals read partly to find out about the period as well as the story, so you are allowed to use more detail, but weave it naturally into the story, not in separate paragraphs of description and narration, unless you need that to set the story in its historical background, perhaps in a prologue or briefly at the beginning of a chapter. For historical information see also GENERAL QUESTIONS and my
Reference page.
One reader's purple prose is another reader's heartwrenching emotional punch.
I do as many drafts as it takes. Now that I work with a word processor I don't count, because I'm always fiddling right up to when the book has to be sent off. Some people count off the number of times they go right through a book, and for me that's usually at least three, average probably five. But then I go back and forth altering bits here and there as I write, so it's impossible to give a real number.
If you are continually stopping a book after a few chapters and starting a new one, you need to get over that so you know you can finish one. If nothing else works grit your teeth and write whatever comes to mind even if it's nonsense to start with. You can pull it together later after you're through the "wall."
Pace is made up of many things and strangely, lots of action doesn't always make for a good pace. Some stories are too fast-paced, leaving the reader bewildered and giving no time to get to know the characters, but most pace problems are due to the story moving too slowly.
- Description that doesn't involve the characters. Scene-setting should be brief and relate to the story.
- Repetitive scenes - e.g. having one character tell another all about something that you described as action in an earlier scene, or having characters repeat the same information/accusation/quarrel over and over.
- Having characters muse about things without learning anything new or coming to a decision that drives the plot in a new direction.
- Smaller things like sentences that repeat themselves in slightly different words - e.g. "She was all at sea, not knowing what do because she had no idea what he was talking about." Three ways of saying essentially the same thing. Choose one!
- Too many adjectives and adverbs that clog the story, particularly if they are vague and overused words.
He was totally, completely, utterly furious. "Get the hell out of here!" he said angrily. His blue, blazing, fiery eyes scorched her frighteningly. "Get out now!" he said threateningly.
Although this seems dramatic, it moves slowly because of all the unnecessary descriptive words. Watch particularly for speech tags like the above he said threateningly. His dialogue tells the reader all she needs to know about how he said it.
The basic element of an enticing love scene is emotion. That goes for any love scene, whether it's explicit or not. Love scenes can be tender, warm, exciting, raunchy, passionate, fierce, humorous, friendly, poignant, even angry - like any other scene really.
Imagine, Anne Mcallister, Harlequin , page 197.
Fiery Attraction, Emma Richmond, Mills & Boon, page 173
The Flowers of Adonis, Rosemary Sutcliff, page 152.
Once you know you can do it if a story demands it, then pull back as much as you like into a level of sensuality that is comfortable for you, your characters and your potential readers.
The way to develop your own style is not to worry too much about it. Striving for a particular style can result in strained, artificial writing. Every writer has a unique voice, similar to their speaking voice, and style is simply a trained voice. Voice comes from within, but you can learn techniques that heighten your natural voice and make it more effective. You can improve it by studying how other writers use words to convey effect, and by reading how-to books, where you will find plenty of good advice (and some not so good! If a suggestion doesn't seem right for you, ignore it).
Ideas are all around us every day. Newspapers, TV,
conversations taken part in or overheard, your own experience and memories,
your family history and that of the people you know, are chock full of
ideas. The agony aunt columns of magazines, talk shows, "human interest" features in print and on TV are rich sources of story ideas. Writers need
to be alert to potential stories.
If you have an urge to write, then the best way to start is...start! That can be hard if you don't know what to write about, easier if you have a story that you really want to tell. Maybe you're a bit frightened of actually doing it. But remember writing is a private thing until you decide to share it, so you can learn and practise without anyone else seeing your initial efforts if that's what you want. Sitting at a word processor and getting words on paper - any words that come to mind - can get those writing muscles working.
Mm, I spend whole weekends talking about how to write romance, and an entire book has been written by me and Robyn Donald. Read about it on my new books page. The most important thing to remember about a romance is that it is a story about two people at a particular stage of their lives. Everything in the book - background, characterisation, plot - has to impact on the relationship.
Outlines are not really important at all - unless you're the sort of writer who needs them. But they do help some people to focus their ideas and find out where their story is going. It might help keep you from getting bogged down - or it might kill the story for you, because if the outline is very detailed, you may find out all you want to know about your "what if" and lose any desire to write any more about it. There are dangers in both methods. I hardly ever outline, but some authors can't work without one.
Do you have a clear idea in your own mind of the plot? Do you have a central source of tension that drives the main character or characters and prevents them from attaining their goal at the end of Chapter 1? Maybe if you note these down and keep them in mind as you write, things will become clearer. Plot is and then, but then, and so... It can be varied - e.g. and then, and then, and then, so then, but then, so then, and then... Basically plot is cause and effect, and each plot step should follow logically from the one before. It grows from the characters and the situation you put them in. Noting down each step either before you start or as you write may help you.
Names are very important and can influence how the characters develop. I collect baby-name books and reference books about names, and make lists of possible names for future use. For surnames I use maps (place names can make good surnames) and telephone books, or look at all the author names in my library.
Fiction writers sometimes use real people and events
as a starting point. By the time the story is written, usually it has changed so much that the events or people that inspired it are unrecognisable.
Many Americans like New Zealand settings, especially in romance. Harlequin has a line of American Romances, though many of these books are reprinted overseas under other lines' imprints.It's better to choose a New Zealand setting than write about a place you don't know. Just don't send the finished manuscript to Harlequin American! Those books that appear as Harlequin Romance and Harlequin Presents titles in America are often set in England, New Zealand, Australia and other countries.
New writers often make the mistake of putting a bit too much time and effort into setting the scene, which usually isn't necessary and it holds up getting to the story.
WRITING AIDS
There are writing communities on the internet, including a huge site for writers and readers of Harlequin books. Go to my loverly links to track some of them down. The Reading Rings on my site might help too. See also Yahoo and Geocities for writing groups, and some other ideas below.
Local adult education courses are sometimes quite cheap and may be taught by professional writers.
Some useful books to help writing for or about your family may be:
I know people who have found correspondence courses very helpful in showing them the way to get published. The ones that offer comprehensive courses are often useful to people who are not sure what sort of writing they want to do. Some offer money-back guarantees that you will be published by the end of the course. One such is The Writing School, founded in 1949 (contact for Australia and NZ email here), who promise you will have made back your enrolment fee before finishing.
Many writers are suspicious of computer programs that almost promise to write a book or script for you. But some published writers have found certain programs useful for helping to stimulate their thoughts and organise their ideas. I have heard good things about "Collaborator" and "Write Pro." These and others are in a catalogue obtainable online from
The Writers' Computer Store.
NUTS AND BOLTS
Whether you can quote from other writers depends on whether what you are quoting is still in copyright or not. In the US copyright now extends to 70 years after the author's death. Quotation books should give the author's dates. However if the quote is part of a review or critical study you may use short chunks of an author's work. I quite often come across quotes from my books or articles that I had no idea were being used. But in fiction you may need permission from the original publisher, particularly if the quote is lengthy.
I use index cards for all sorts of other things, but using them - or the computer equivalent - for actually writing a book has never worked for me. It hasn't even worked for scriptwriting, where it's supposed to be the standard method. That doesn't mean it won't work for you.
There is no legal need to put a copyright notice on your work when you deal with professionals, as it is automatically copyright as soon
as you have written it.
There are several ways to count words. Count every word on 5 typical pages, add the totals and divide by 5. Then multiply by the total number of pages. Or count the number of words per line on a page, average that to find the average number of words on each line, then multiply by the number of lines on the page, and take that as the average page. Or take a character count from the computer and divide by 5. Computer word counts are fine for short pieces but on full-length works they count "too accurately" in publishers' terms. This means you could be writing 5,000 or so words more than the publisher needs in a 50,000-word book! If you use the computer count, note this on the front of your manuscript so the editor knows. The average double-spaced 25-lines-per-page typescript with 3cm margins (see here for advice on setting out your work) is approximately 250 words.
PUBLICATION
Independent "freelance" editors (different from editors employed by publishers) help a writer produce a clean manuscript by checking format, spelling, grammar, punctuation, clumsy sentences and repeated words. Really good ones will make suggestions for improving the work overall, e.g. point out plot holes, repetitious ideas or scenes, boring passages, weak or inconsistent characterisation or motivation, lack of pace etc. They usually charge per hour or per page.
A query letter is quicker and cheaper to send and quicker for an editor to read than a proposal or a whole manuscript. (A proposal usually includes a synopsis and the first three chapters.) Most publishers will look at a query of one or two single-spaced pages, but in those two pages you have to capture their interest so that they will ask to see more.
(Also see "Query Letters" above).
(see also the two sections above and the one below)
I would advise sending a query letter with a short synopsis - or synopsis and the first three chapters - when you are within no more than four weeks of having the book done. The best time usually for a first book is when you've finished it, are satisfied with it and are ready to do a final polish - not an extensive rewrite.
Some publishers acknowledge receipt of a ms, but others do not. To make sure the letter has been received, you can enclose a postcard with the name of the book written on it, include a stamp or International Reply Coupon, and ask the publisher to post it to you on arrival.
It is reasonable to wait up to 6 weeks if you know the query letter has arrived. Then send a polite query with a stamped addressed envelope (or reply coupon and envelope). Use one in all correspondence with a publisher if they have not yet published you.
(See also the sections above about query letters and synopses).
The book described could probably be called a family saga. Some stories don't lend themselves well to targeting the market, but it's handy to be able to label it for the publisher. Some labels are "romance", "women's fiction", "family saga", "historical" etc. Cross-genres like historical mysteries and romantic suspense are popular too with marketing departments and booksellers, who like to be able to categorise a book and shelve it with others that are similar.
Asking for even a ballpark figure of potential earnings from romance (or any other writing) is a bit like requesting the length of that proverbial piece of string.
There's always room for at least one more writer in any market. There are millions of readers, and only a few thousand writers. Romance isn't an easy market to break into, and many try each year - at least 10,000. But writers do retire, get sick, move sideways to write in other genres, even decide to go wash dishes for a living instead, and some die, pen in hand. Publishers are always looking for the next new voice. However, the various lines at different times are more open to new writers than at other times. Watch for new lines starting out, and lines where the number of books per month has increased - or better still join one of the writers' groups that have member newsletters and group meetings where this kind of information is shared in the early stages.
If large numbers of people are likely to want to read
your story, a publisher will pay you!
I wouldn't rush to pay these people. There are some legitimate small publishers who do this sort of thing and they may be above board, but be very cautious. I've been to this website and although the home page looks okay the writers' guidelines arouse some unease. It looks very much like a vanity publisher, I'm afraid.
Marketing entails research. Study magazines and books that print what you want to write. For short stories, find out which use stories with similar subject matter and length to yours. Near the front of the magazine you will find the "masthead" giving information and addresses. Study it carefully, find the editor's name, and the address to send copy to - not subs, sometimes they are different. If it's a book-length work, look on the back of the title pages of recently printed books of a similar type to yours, to find the address of the publisher. You can also find publishers' addresses and lists of their needs and preferences in yearbooks like Writers' and Artists' Yearbook (A & C Black, London) and Writers Market (Writers Digest Books, Cincinnati). Have a look at my reference page and my links page for more ideas.
Using a pen name depends on how you feel about it really. The advantages of using your own name include being able to use it legally for any publisher, should you want to write for more than one, whereas some publishers insist on exclusive use of a pen name. Some writers need a pen name to avoid confusion with another writer of the same name, or because a publisher feels the real name is unsuitable for a particular genre - e.g. women use male pen names for westerns and men use female ones for romance. Using a pen name can preserve your privacy, which may be important to you, but if you use one be sure the publisher agrees that the name can't be used by another person writing for them if you should cease doing so. A few writers keep their real name secret even from the publisher, but in that case your bank manager needs to be told so that cheques made out to the pen name can be cashed. And you may need to talk to the tax department.
Look on my reference page for a list of books and sites which may help if you are searching for information on agents.
Editors don't expect you to stick slavishly to a synopsis, though if they feel the deviation makes it a totally different story they may baulk. Especially if elements that they thought particularly saleable or interesting in the synopsis are no longer there. But if it's still the same basic story and it's better and still the kind of book (romance, mystery, whatever) they want I'm sure they won't be worried.
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Reading books of the times is invaluable research if you can get them. It's surprising how ancient some books still in print are. Anthony Trollope is particularly good for 19th century details.
Check out my reference page for a list of historical sources.
Replacing real historical characters with fictional ones I guess is fine if you find an editor who thinks so. Partly it might depend on just how famous the real person was. A fictional minor government flunky is less likely to jerk people from the story than a president or prime minister. My personal preference is for prominent real figures to play minor parts and stick pretty much to what they said and did in real life, as far as research can tell me. But many people say fiction is fiction and if they want to change people, events, places, even dates to suit the story, that's just fine and dandy. Although some of us as writers are sticklers for the facts, readers should remember that if they want history they should find a reputable historian's book or go to the original source, not rely on writers of fiction.
I don't find it specially difficult to switch between writing types. But each writer is different. I like variety, and I use the same literary techniques for both popular and mainstream writing. It's a matter of understanding the subtle differences and using whatever works for the particular genre. That means lots of reading and "internalising" the conventions, whether for SF, horror, romance, mainstream etc. Give the readers what they want but not quite in the way they expect. Writing popular fiction is very good training in literary technique because you tend to need to learn everything - even things that some literary authors tend to fudge or skip because they don't do them well. Like dialogue, time transitions, body language and subtext.
A few men write romance (remember Love Story, Bridges of Madison County, The Horse Whisperer, Message in a Bottle). Most men who do it have a female partner, but some write successfully on their own. Many writing category romance have been asked to adopt a female name, though. Some readers are not ready to believe that men know enough about romance. Check out Leigh Greenwood. Marius Gabriel who writes blockbusters has also written for Mills and Boon for some years as Madeline Ker. And Victoria Gordon has an impressive beard - at least she did last time I saw him!
Writers are usually nervous about letting their work be seen - but of course that's what writing is all about in the end!
The decision is really up to you, but although very young writers have been published, and my first published short story was written when I was just your age, it's usually people with a bit more life experience who get published. There are internet sites and other groups (perhaps there may be some where you live) for writers who critique each other's work, and a supportive group can be helpful. A negative one may not be.
Your grandad is right that the only criticism that matters really is from an editor, because they are the ones who publish it - or don't. Many successful writers never show their work to anyone before sending it to an editor. Unfortunately most editors are so busy these days that unless they decide to publish what you send (which would be wonderful, but odds are not good for a new, unknown writer), you'd be very lucky to get anything other than a rejection slip which is depressing and tells you nothing. If you don't feel ready for that try to find a course or group where you may get feedback from people who can help.
Your grandad sounds wonderfully supportive, and you are lucky to have someone who believes in your talent.
Please read the answers below, and go to my Letter to Young Writers. If you have more questions after reading what's there, contact me again.
Personally I think it is more important to tell the truth in fiction than in non-fiction, because non-fiction, even if it's opinion, is based on some kind of concrete evidence and can be checked against facts.
Most writers like me have a great many stories of their own to tell. And they prefer to make them up themselves. If you are not confident trying to write your true story yourself, what you need is a ghost writer such as those employed by many famous people. You may find advertisements in the back of writers' magazines, which should be available at your local library or magazine outlet.
A few famous fiction writers are now writing with other people, who may or may not get credit on the cover. You could write to them care of their publisher or perhaps to an address on their website. V.C. Andrews books have been written by others ever since the original author died years ago, and James Patterson credits several authors who have written "with" him. Some now write separately under their own names.
Or if you know someone whose story you would like to write, you could try contacting them direct. But in that case you would probably need to write a proposal to a publisher and hope they would pay you rather than the person whose story it is. I believe payment, can be either a flat sum or a percentage. But be wary of the latter.
There are plenty of people who want someone else to write their story for a share of the profits, but very often there are none. In that case you have wasted your time and effort.
Most books don't make a great deal of money. If someone asks you to write their story, unless they have a contract with a publisher or you negotiate one yourself, it's best to make sure you get substantially paid for your work before publication.
Whether with a publisher or a subject, make sure you get a deal that satisfies you.
Here is a site where a successful ghost writer tells you about the craft and advertises his how-to book. http://www.andrewcrofts.com/WhatIs.html
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