|
How to
Write A Blockbuster Novel
Updated:
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.
LINKS
PRIVACY
|
