So you’ve written a novel. Now what?

My friend and fellow bookseller/writer emailed me recently with a great question.

 

I had a customer come in today and ask about what his next steps should be after completing a book. He says he has had people read it for him, but he was wondering what he should do next.

 

Do you have any advice for would-be published authors? How did you go about sending in your work? Where did you send it? How did you decide where to send it? Do you have someone helping you figure all of that out or are you basically on your own?

 

While I certainly don’t know all the answers, I can share my experience from the first draft to submission-ready:

 

Read as many books as you can.

 

Read nonfiction about the writing process. Decide what rules seem reasonable, then stick to them. Decide what rules seem questionable, then break them. Analyze the classics in depth. Read genres you wouldn’t normally read. Read stories completely different from yours. Read stories that seem uncannily similar to yours. Read good technique and learn from it. Read bad technique and learn from it. Go on a blind date with a book. Judge books based on their covers, then pick them up anyway. Get a thorough feel for your likes and dislikes — it will make you more confident in your own style.

 

Start by talking about writing — but not too much.

 

A magician never reveals their secrets, and in the same way I hesitated to talk about my writing out loud for a long time. I didn’t want to “ruin” the magic. I didn’t want to seem pretentious about making art. I wanted to have something to show for it, and I didn’t. Not yet.

 

First, you must decide when you’re ready to talk about the writing. Know that others will ask you what you write about, and be prepared to answer, but always keep a part of it secret. Know that others will ask you to read your writing, but don’t always say yes.

 

Don’t share your first draft.

 

Ideally, not the second or third either. Make one exception if you must, for someone who has been there since the beginning and knows you and your writing style well (my husband has offered his edits and commentary on everything I’ve written). But be selective in choosing your beta readers. I also recommend asking as diverse a sample of readers as possible, to get a wider range of perspectives.

 

When I felt ready to “test run” the manuscript, I sent copies to a small group of trusted friends who were interested in beta reading for me. If you or your friend have never done this before, it will be daunting. You’ll feel you won’t know what to expect, that it’s a huge favor to ask, that people have busy lives and won’t really have the time. Your friend will wonder how brutally honest they should really be. That’s okay — you’re learning together.

 

Make sure to mention there’s no pressure to finish it, but you may be pleasantly surprised.  The majority of friends did end up not only reading, but offering feedback (and in some cases, extensive feedback) to give me a general idea of what worked and what didn’t work for them.

 

Gathering those opinions, then I was the one who got to decide what worked and what didn’t work for me. Give each comment serious consideration first, but some will be minor nitpicks. Those can be taken with a grain of salt. But if you get a major consensus on something, it’s fair to say that thing should be changed.

 

Find your writing community.

 

When you have a polished draft, now is the time to really start talking about it. Try blogging. Take a writing workshop class, join a local writing organization or chapter, attend author events, and engage in discussions about writing through social networking or online forums. Follow literary agents on Twitter and subscribe to writing newsletters that appeal to you. Learn from others’ mistakes and victories.

 

I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to join a writing critique group, and something remarkable happened: I learned that the seemingly solitary craft of writing, when taken seriously among peers, becomes a deeply social experience. I learned I wasn’t alone.

 

Write your query letter. 

 

Get thee to a library, bookstore, or credible Internet source, and research how to write a solid query letter. Create masterlists of ideas that inspire you and advice that compels you. Look at examples by other authors.

 

Put your book in good hands. 

 

Pick up a copy of the Writer’s Market for the current year. If it’s a novel you’ve finished, there’s a Novel and Short Story version. These volumes give the most up-to-date information on the industry, including literary agents, presses/publishers, and contests you can submit to.

 

Note which ones are looking for work like yours and which are open to unsolicited submissions. Follow any specific guidelines to the letter. Be professional, concise, and humble (but not desperate) in your approach.

 

Wait for it…

 

The query process is a waiting game. Agents have piles and piles of slush to work through. By the time they get to yours — even if they like it — there’s no guarantee an offer means publication. And if publication is on the horizon, that alone takes time.

 

You will get rejected. Sometimes it has nothing to do with the quality of your work, and sometimes it does. It’s dependent also on the timing of genre trends, marketability, and an agent’s particular taste.

 

Have patience. Have heart. Above all, keep trying — all it takes is one “yes.”