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Happy Novel Anniversary!
Jan. 6th, 2014 04:44 pmToday is Epiphany.
It's also the day I started writing my novel back in 2011.
Without getting too in-depth into the back-story of it, I took an idea that had been percolating in my brain for a couple months, and decided to finally start committing it to paper. It was supposed to originally be a short story, but it become a novel after I ended up telling the actor I had picked to model my character on about it. For a year, I diligently spent each weekend writing and working on it. Through the week, I would work on outlines and sketches so I'd have something to work on during the weekend. Essentially, I lived this book.
I've managed to complete four drafts---and I'm looking to seriously write a fifth, but it's publishing that I'm looking to get into now.
I've noticed that the publishing world is very much a club. If you know someone who knows someone it's a lot easier. It also seems like there's an elaborate double---triple secret handshake that only those in the club know, and if you're not one that knows it or didn't get the memo update that your'e not going to get in. I'd like to learn that secret handshake, please!
When I wrote my novel, I was updating on Twitter after each writing session. It was my moment to celebrate a weekend's hard work. It also kept me honest. If I had written the novel in isolation, I'm fairly certain I wouldn't have written the novel at all. So, I think I'll make use of this anniversary to ask for help.
I'm also looking to make this a weekly entry. That way I don't get stuck as easily---or worse, just plain lazy.
This week, my main questions are:
---Any advice on a query letter? How do you go about writing one?
---What types of hooks work best and what's the best way about writing them?
---How do you even begin on a synopsis? Every time I try to think about this task, I freeze. It seems so daunting. They want everything about the book in it, but not everything in the book. Any ideas on synopsis would be beneficial.
That's this week's Novel Update. If you have anything to offer, leave a comment, and I hope by next week I'll have some progress to share.
It's also the day I started writing my novel back in 2011.
Without getting too in-depth into the back-story of it, I took an idea that had been percolating in my brain for a couple months, and decided to finally start committing it to paper. It was supposed to originally be a short story, but it become a novel after I ended up telling the actor I had picked to model my character on about it. For a year, I diligently spent each weekend writing and working on it. Through the week, I would work on outlines and sketches so I'd have something to work on during the weekend. Essentially, I lived this book.
I've managed to complete four drafts---and I'm looking to seriously write a fifth, but it's publishing that I'm looking to get into now.
I've noticed that the publishing world is very much a club. If you know someone who knows someone it's a lot easier. It also seems like there's an elaborate double---triple secret handshake that only those in the club know, and if you're not one that knows it or didn't get the memo update that your'e not going to get in. I'd like to learn that secret handshake, please!
When I wrote my novel, I was updating on Twitter after each writing session. It was my moment to celebrate a weekend's hard work. It also kept me honest. If I had written the novel in isolation, I'm fairly certain I wouldn't have written the novel at all. So, I think I'll make use of this anniversary to ask for help.
I'm also looking to make this a weekly entry. That way I don't get stuck as easily---or worse, just plain lazy.
This week, my main questions are:
---Any advice on a query letter? How do you go about writing one?
---What types of hooks work best and what's the best way about writing them?
---How do you even begin on a synopsis? Every time I try to think about this task, I freeze. It seems so daunting. They want everything about the book in it, but not everything in the book. Any ideas on synopsis would be beneficial.
That's this week's Novel Update. If you have anything to offer, leave a comment, and I hope by next week I'll have some progress to share.
