In an earlier post, “Want To Write A Novel? 5 Tips to help you find out…”, we discussed the ‘why’s’ of writing a novel: tips for the novice novelist to ensure that the story and characters are liked, maybe even loved because of the amount of time needed with our stories.
Now that you’ve decided you want to write a novel, here are five areas which you’ll need to consider on the road to publication.
1. Synopsis.
I have a love/hate relationship with outlines, yet, I never begin a new book without the highlights of my story complete in my head. I have to know the major plot before I start to write, so I write it in a synopsis.
How long should the synopsis be?
It depends. For my first novel, I wrote somewhere between eight to ten synopses which I reused over and over again. Each literary agent I sent a query letter to had her own detailed requirements for a synopsis. A couple wanted a synopsis of the entire book so their length varied between two to three hundred and several thousand words.
But now I use the synopsis for my own purpose. To make sure the outline in my head is more or less complete. The length of the synopsis is somewhere around two to three hundred words—about the length of a cover teaser—and, generally, I revise the teaser several times. For example, I’m close to completing my third book and am on my fifth, most likely the last revision of the teaser. The current length is 320 words.
2. The title and cover.
Remember the old adage, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’? Perhaps that was true in the days of the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen and even Hemingway but in this new era where anyone can publish a book, the cover design and title are critical.
What should the title be?
The title should be gripping, memorable, even provocative. I know the titles of my stories before I start writing. Others may not decide on the title until the book is completed.
Though there are exceptions to the rule, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood; Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, titles for books should be short, easy to remember with an obvious connection to the plot of the story. You know, you see what sells. But remember, this is your book. Not Lee Child’s or Jodi Piccoult’s.
I love literary titles. Therefore, the title of my first book was from a quote by Mark Twain. My first publisher didn’t like it and wanted to shorten it. I refused. In general, women loved it, men hated it. In the second edition of the book, my new publisher had a super idea : “Just have a sub-title.” Voila. Murder in the Medical Center. Yes! For the cover, same thing. We want something that relates to the story but pops.
3. A Few Unwritten Rules.
Manuscript length and genre. Only after I completed what I thought would be the final manuscript for my first book did I learn that there is a ‘ceiling’ on novel length—unless you are Abraham Verghese (Cutting for Stone) or Ayn Rand (Atlas Shrugged). My word count book was close to 230,000 words-far too long for a novice novelist.
For new, unknown writers, the expected novel length for mysteries is somewhere around ninety thousand words (90,000). That is, if you plan to go the route of traditional publishing. Romance and children’s books are shorter. Knowing this when you start helps gauge whether there is room for a new character or an aside—no matter how interesting it is. Cutting large sections of your first book is tough, avoid it by checking expected length for your genre first.
Just like covers and titles, your genre and intended audience can be critical. What on earth is a genre? Right. It’s a good idea to decide your primary genre or category of your story early in the process. If you are writing speculative fiction (Hunger Games, Divergent series) then you are in the right place and the right time. It’s hot. Many agents will review only speculative fiction. But if your story burns in your gut and begs to be written then just write. Sort out the type of book you’ve written later.
Editor note: Novel length truly depends on your book and you. Don’t count your words when writing — just write.
4. Editors and proof-readers.
Regardless of how well we write, all writers need an editor. Editorial definition and skills vary as widely as does their price. Do some checking around and talk with other writers if possible. Generally one can expect to pay twelve hundred dollars for the editing for an average sized manuscript. But the cost for an editor could be as high as seventy-five hundred.
Make sure you and your editor are very clear about how she defines editing and whether proof reading is included. Still there may be typos even after an experienced editor’s completed manuscript. In the end, errors are on you, not your editor.
There are several software programs like this list of fifteen to help writers correct typos and grammatical errors before the manuscript is sent to the editor. My favorite is Grammerly.com and I use it for each of my novels.
5. Traditional Publisher vs. Self -Publishing.
Do you need an agent?
Only if you want to pursue traditional publishing. The major publishers like Simon and Schuster will not accept unsolicited manuscripts so an agent is essential. If you decide to self-publish you have no need for a literary agent. But you may want to consider some of the new hybrids which combine the expertise of an agent with self-publishing.
One last piece of advice. Read. Read all that you can cram in your day. Fiction, non-fiction, whatever you are interested in. Why? To get ideas, learn different methods of story structures and plot lines. Will there be times when the skills of other authors overwhelm, even intimidate? Absolutely!
