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Write a Novel
In the world of writing it is the novelist who is most likely to earn the really big-time rewards. But though rewards for some are unbelievably high, extending to offers from film companies to buy the rights, it must be said that the chance of a first novel being accepted is extremely low, some experts judge it to be as low as 1 in 2000.
If, however, you are already a well-known celebrity in some other field, your chances are vastly improved. But if you're not in this privileged category, and you want to write a novel for profit, then the bitter edge of potential rejection can be somewhat offset by keeping your novel as only one part of your overall writing plan. Practice other forms of writing: articles, fillers, short stories, and you will at least have some income as you embark on your more ambitious project.
The trend today is for longer novels, very long indeed in some cases. A novel can be anything from 40,000 words upwards, although shorter pieces, novelettes, are sometimes published in flimsy paperback form, for sale on newsagents' stands.
It is often said that a novel is easier to write than a short story, and I must confess I find an element of truth in this theory. A short story must be tightly structured and conveyed in a very short space of time. The novel allows much more to be said, and also gives the novelist the chance to make lengthy descriptions, and to include some dialogue which might be wasted in the shorter story.
Tastes in novels change. The person most likely to succeed, it seems, is the one who can predict what the reader will want next year, at the exact time his prospective manuscript reaches completion. Study trends and read as many new bestsellers as you can; there's no substitute for reading the work of those who have already 'made it'.
You will hear much about the word 'genre', or what many people would simply call 'type'. So what types of novel can you consider adding to? The main categories are:
Crime Mystery Thriller Espionage Adventure Westerns Science Fiction Fantasy and Horror Romantic Historical Romance
Each category presents different requirements to its writer. Research and the structure of the novel will be individual to the category you have chosen to contribute to. Research for a crime, espionage, or war novel must be extremely thorough; if you make any mistakes, someone out there will notice them and be quick to point them out to your publishers! Take heed! These novels must also be tightly structured, and more often than not they proceed at a fast pace, involving lots of action scenes. Romantic fiction on the other hand can be comparatively less tightly structured, and might need less research, unless your novel is set in years long gone by.
Your work must be well-thought out and planned before you proceed to write. Some start with a basic outline of events in the form of very sketchy notes; others advocate doing a synopsis of each and every chapter before writing in earnest begins.
You are the one to decide which way suits you best. I read recently of a highly successful female novelist who analysed many bestsellers before writing her own. She worked out the frequency with which something approaching a climax appeared in each book. She discovered that every two pages something must happen to make the reader sit up and take notice, and most of all, stops him from putting the book down. She also created a history for her fictitious family, with relevant dates and incidents carefully built into its structure. She was rewarded with one of the biggest bestsellers of recent times.
As was the case for the writer of articles, the novelist should always seek to sell his work, or at the very least, the basic idea, before he begins a lengthy piece of writing. Novels can take years to write, and if the dreaded rejection slip rears its ugly head, that's a long time without earnings for your pains. You should contact publishers, outlining your proposals, and asking whether they are interested in publishing your work.
Choose your publisher with care, since some deal with only certain types of novel, and your work, however wonderful, will be of no use to them. 'Writers' and Artists' Yearbook’ will help you find a publisher. When you have done that send a synopsis of your novel and a few sample chapters, already written, and properly presented.
There are many excellent books on the market to help with the structure and writing of novels, and you should endeavour to read as many as possible. Remember, too, if you seek to earn a living from your writing, to view your novel as only one part of your work. If your novel is published - great! Be persistent with your manuscript; if one publisher turns it down, send it to another, and another, and ...........
--------------------------------------- Quotes
'I've never begun a book that I didn't finish, because I haven't started writing a book until I knew the beginning and the ending, felt that they matched, and felt they associated with enough of a middle. The journey from the opening paragraph to the end would have to make interesting fiction'. J. Heller, Novelist. |
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How to Write a Novel by Avril Harper |
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How to Be a Well-Paid Writer
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