Can A First Novel Find a Publisher? 10 Do's and Don'ts to Increase Your Chances by Anne R. Allen

Hope everyone had a great weekend! I went to Atlanta for the SEC Championship to support my LSU Tigers and had a fabulous time. I even was on TV in the crowd on EPSN Gameday, which was so much fun.

Now first before we get to our awesome guest blog, I wanted to let y'all know that I'm being interviewed over at August McLaughlin's blog and am talking about blogging, how I got my book deal, and where the idea of CRASH INTO YOU came from. I'd appreciate it if any of you would like to stop by and say hi. :)

Alright, on to the main event...today I have an awesome treat for you guys. Author and blogger Anne R. Allen is here to talk about how to give your first novel a fighting chance. If you haven't heard of Anne, where the heck have you been? Anne has one of the best blogs for writers out there. Even in my I-don't-have-time-to-read-blogs-like-I-used-to manic state, I still make sure to visit Anne's every week. She always has great nuggets of wisdom to impart.


And though I haven't had the chance to start reading her books yet, I have no doubt her novels are going to be as witty and fun as her blog is. (And her books are about writers so how could we not love that?) So without further ado, here's Anne...



Can a First Novel Find a Publisher? 10 Do’s and Don’tsto Increase your Chances
by Anne R. Allen

It’sa sad truth that most first novels never see print. Editors call them “practicenovels.”

Likeany other profession, writing requires a long learning process, and most of ushave to write two or three or six novels before we get the hang of it.

Butsome writers DO get top agents and Big Six publishing contracts with theirfirst books. I’ve gathered a few tips that might give you a better chance inthe marketplace.

Pleasenote: These aren’t “right and wrong” rules of writing. They are guidelines formaking your book easier to sell.

Mostof us don’t know when we’re starting out that certain things are going tored-flag us as amateurs, and/or turn out to be so difficult, there’s a muchsmaller chance of doing it right. I don’t recommend doing what I did—spendingten years on a saga that was so ambitious, even a pro would have had troublepulling it off.

Theseare a few tips I’ve learned the hard way:

1) DO writein a genre that’s being read. You may have always dreamedof writing a sweeping Micheneresque saga, a Zane Grey western, or astream-of-consciousness Kerouac ramble, but the sad truth is it’s not likely tofind an audience. Publishing has fashion cycles.

I’mnot telling you to follow every hot trend—what’s sizzling now will be over bythe time you’ve got the book finished—but do be aware of what might be a toughsell down the road.

Self-publishinghas opened up a way to reach readers who enjoy older genres, so trend-watchingisn’t as important if you’re not trying to market to New York, but even if youself-publish, you want to be aware of what most readers are going to be lookingfor.

Thetruth is that consumers tend to be sheep, so it’s good to know where the flocksare doing their munching right now. It helps to read book reviews and be awareof what’s out there. Visit your local bookstore and book blogs often and read,read, read.

2) DON’Twrite a novel that imitates a screenplay. If you’re under 65, youprobably have the TV screenplay format seared into your subconscious. Thismeans that when you’re writing a first novel, you have stuff to unlearn. In anovel, we don’t have to rely so heavily on what the characters say. In fact,they often don’t say what they’re feeling at all.

Areader perceives the action from INSIDE the head of the character/s rather thanviewing it from OUTSIDE. In a movie, we’re peeping toms, watching the actionthrough a camera lens; in a novel, we’re experiencing it. A novel is amindscape, not a landscape.

3) DOavoid an omniscient point of view or constant head-hopping. Choose fewerthan three point-of-view characters and you’ll save yourself a ton of grief.Omniscient and multiple points of view aren’t “wrong” but they’re consideredold-fashioned (at least in women’s fiction, mystery, and romance) and are toughto do well. They tend to slow and confuse the reader (and turn off agents,according to a lot of blogs.)

Themost common point of view in contemporary fiction is third person limited. Thatmeans you stay in the head of one character and see the world through his/hereyes for his section or chapter of the book. Even though you use “he/she” insteadof “I” the narrative allows you to see inside the head of that character, justlike first person.

Firstperson is probably most common in YA fiction, and is increasingly popular inadult fiction as well. First person is often good for a first-time novelist,because it keeps the writer from head-hopping or slipping into omniscientviewpoints.

4) DON’Tdepend on a prologue to initiate tension. There’s much debate aboutprologues out here in the blogosphere, but a vast majority of agents andeditors dislike them. Myblogpost on prologues is here. Prologues aren’t wrong. But they maykeep you from getting traditionally published, so if you can put that informationin chapter one, do try that in your final edit.

5) DOmake sure your story has one protagonist. There has to be one maincharacter. Equality is ideal in the real world, but in narrative, one personhas to dominate. If another character walks in and tries to take over, tell heryou’ll put her in a short story later. Otherwise, change the focus of yournovel. (Not always a bad idea. Sometimes we start with the wrong point-of-viewcharacter.)

6) DON’Tchoose a protagonist who’s easily satisfied. Your main character hasto want something. Badly. Satisfied people make lovely companions, but assoon as your characters get what they want, your story is over.

7)DO make sure your novel has an antagonist. This isn’t necessarily amustache-twirling villain. It can be a situation, a disease, or societyitself—anything strong enough to thwart your character’s goals. Make sure yourantagonist is powerful enough to provide conflict for the whole narrative—notjust each episode. The wonderful blogger Kristen Lamb has a whole serieson antagonists (she calls them the Big Boss Troublemakers.) It’s amust-read for anybody who has trouble with episodic storytelling (which I didfor years.)

8) DON’Tput something in a novel just “because that’s the way it really happened.” Evenif your story is based on your own experiences, remember real life ismostly boring. That’s why we read fiction.

9)DO activate your inner sadist. Never let your characters get what theyneed. Throw as many obstacles into their path as possible. Hurt them. Maimthem. Give them cruel parents and girlfriends who are preparing to kill themfor alien lizard food. It’s OK. You’ll solve their problems in the end. Thenwon’t you feel good?

10)DON’T rely on flashbacks. Overuse of flashbacks is the mark of a newbie.They stop the forward momentum of your story and make us feel as if we’reslipping backward. Again to quote KristenLamb, “this makes the reader feel as if she is trapped in the car with ateenager learning to drive a stick-shift.” 

Irepeat—none of these “don’ts” are wrong. But they will stand in yourway, especially if you’re going the traditional publishing route. As the late,great Miss Snark used to say: “why shoot yourself in the font?”

(from Roni): Any first novel war stories anyone wants to share? (I know my first novel was dead in the water and is now hanging out with the monsters under my bed.) Have you seen any of these don'ts creeping into your book? Any first novel success stories?


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Anne R. Allen is the author of five comic mysteries debuting in 2011 with two publishers: Popcorn Press and Mark Williams international Digital Publishing. FOOD OF LOVE (September 2011) THE GATSBY GAME (October 2011) GHOSTWRITERS IN THE SKY (October 2011) and SHERWOOD, LTD (December 2011) and THE BEST REVENGE (December 2011) She is also working on a self-help guide for writers with PAY IT FORWARD author Catherine Ryan Hyde. Anne has a popular blog for writers at http://annerallen.blogspot.com, where she blogs with NYT bestselling author, Ruth Harris.

Her first Camilla Randall mystery (but not her first novel, alas) GHOSTWRITERSIN THE SKY debuted in ebook on October 31st with MWiDP and willbe available in paper from Popcorn Press in January. It’s murder and mayhem ata writer’s conference in the “Sideways” wine-and-cattle country north of SantaBarbara, CA. It’s full of fun insider jokes for writers: there’s the bogusagent who’s really a blackmailer, the pompous poet who hasn’t written in years,and the romance writer who tries to live her own fantasies. Plus a hard-riding,straight-shooting, cross-dressing dominatrix named Marva who turns out to be thesanest person around.

AnneR. Allen Website  
Author page at Amazon.com


"Hot and romantic, with an edge of suspense that will keep you entertained.” --Shayla Black, New York Times Bestselling author of SURRENDER TO ME

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!
Read an excerpt here.


All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

Author Elizabeth Craig on The Elements of Mystery Writing


Small sized DELICIOUS  SUSPICIOUS cover

Today, I am so excited to host mystery author Elizabeth Craig as my guest blogger today.  Elizabeth has a new release, a fabulous blog, and is, by far, the most helpful writing person to follow on Twitter.  If you're not following her, get to it as soon as you finish this post!  Now, I'll turn it over to over to Elizabeth.

Some Basic Elements to Remember When Writing Your Mystery

Thanks so much, Roni, for hosting me today at Fiction Groupie!  I always enjoy reading your blog and all the useful information you provide for writers.

Today I’m going to be genre-specific and talk a little about writing mysteries.  Mysteries aren’t only my favorite genre to read, they’re my favorite to write, too.  I think that’s because you get all the character development and conflict resolution of a novel with the added bonus of a puzzle to solve.

First of all, you need to consider your mystery subgenre. What types of mysteries do you enjoy reading?  If you like a faster-paced book, then consider writing thrillers. Slower-paced and less-gory?  Try writing cozy mysteries.  If you enjoy following along as fictitious detectives crack the case, then try your hand at police procedurals.  Other types of mysteries include noir and hardboiled (private investigator stories.)  Whichever subgenre you focus on, make sure you’re able to identify it in your query or cover letter.

Follow the rules:  Mysteries have to be fair. You’ll want to make sure that you’re letting your reader in on the fun of solving the case alongside your sleuth.  Clues should be in plain sight (no moments where the detective goes “Hmm. Very interesting…” and doesn’t share the information with the reader.)  The murderer should be introduced at the same time as the other suspects—there shouldn’t be any 11th hour introduction to the culprit.

Setting: Frequently, setting plays a role in a mystery novel. The setting can limit the number of suspects if it’s a remote island, for example. For a thriller, you may want a faster-paced, big-city environment. Check and see  how the setting plays a role in your book. If it doesn’t, you may want to consider tweaking your manuscript.

An Engaging Beginning: Have you started out with messy backstory that no one wants to wade through at the beginning of your book? Make sure you’ve lured your reader in from the very beginning so they’ll want to stick with you.  Think twice before using flashbacks at the beginning of your manuscript.

Have You Got A Murder that Happens in First 50 pages or so? Don’t wait until you’re half-way through the book for a body to be discovered. The sooner the investigation is started, the better (as a general rule.) And most mysteries out on the shelves today are murder mysteries. Yes, you can definitely find examples of cat burglar-type mysteries, etc., but usually mystery publishers are looking for murders in the mystery genre.

Sleuth: Is he or she interesting enough for your readers to want to spend time with? What special talents do they have that make them especially capable of solving the crime? Are they easy to talk to? What sets them apart?

Suspects: Do your suspects all have motive, means, and opportunity?  You’ll want to make sure that the suspects’ motive makes sense and is believable.  Have you given the reader a chance to meet each suspect and learn about them? Have your suspects misdirected your readers and provided some red herrings? Have they lied to the sleuth and the reader? Do they have secrets? Do they have some depth?  


Murderer: The killer will need to be fairly clever so he isn’t caught right away. Is your culprit believable but not obvious?  If the murderer ends up being the least likely candidate, have you made his motivation realistic?
 
Clues:  The clues need to be made available to the reader as well as the detective.  You have to be fair with your reader in providing them the clues, but make sure they don't stand out too obviously in the scene.  If they do, think about pointing the reader's/detective's attention in another direction, quickly.  Providing a distraction is a useful technique. There also needs to be more than one clue.

Red Herrings:  Make sure your red herrings don't last the entire length of the book---that's generally considered unfair.  Red herrings are a good technique to mislead your reader, but  they can be taken too far. If the entire focus of your murder was blackmail and the ensuing investigation is wrapped up with blackmail victims and scurrilous gossip: and then the real motivation ends up being revenge or obtaining life insurance money,  most readers will end up wanting to throw your book in frustration. 

Victims: You know you need at least one. Do you need two? Do you need more? (Remember that some genres, like cozies, generally don’t have a high body count.)

Element of Danger: Does your sleuth or detective know too much? Are they getting too close to the truth? Adding some action or a touch of danger can help with sagging book middles, or can provide an exciting showdown between the killer and the sleuth.

Resolution: Did you catch the bad guys in the end?  Check and see if you’ve tied up all the loose ends that you created.  Did you explain how the sleuth/police followed the clues to deduce the killer?

Need some extra help? Try checking out these sites:
Book Crossroads , which has links to online mystery writing groups, hardboiled slang dictionaries, forensic information, and legal overviews.
A Yahoo Group for writers on firearms : a good place to start your research.
Tripod.com's Classic 12-Chapter Mystery Formula : Reading this can help you see the bare bones of many mystery novels. You don't have to follow it exactly--it's just a guide.
Don't Drop Clues: Plant them Carefully! by Stephen Rogers does a great job covering the types of clues, how to misdirect your reader, and mistakes to avoid.

Elizabeth Spann Craig
Bio:  Elizabeth writes the Memphis Barbeque series for Penguin as Riley Adams, the Myrtle Clover series for Midnight Ink (under her own name), and blogs daily at http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com, which was named by Writer’s Digest as one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers for 2010. Delicious and Suspicious released July 6, 2010.

As the mother of two, Elizabeth writes on the run as she juggles duties as Brownie leader, referees play dates, drives carpools, and is dragged along as a hostage/chaperone on field trips.
Elizabeth Spann Craig (Riley Adams)
http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com
http://mysteryloverskitchen.com
Twitter: @elizabethscraig

Elizabeth will be checking in throughout the day, so feel free to ask her your burning questions in the comments!  

**Today's Theme Song**
"Building a Mystery" - Sarah McLachlan
(player in sidebar, take a listen)

Something for Everyone: Reviews



It's been a while since my last book review. Why is that? Well, as you can see from my right sidebar, I am currently reading
Outlander. This is the first book I've read on my brand spanking new Kindle. So, having no actual book in my hand, I had no idea the sheer size of the book. I'm the kind of girl who can get through a normal sized book in a few days (if not in one day), so when I kept reading and reading and the percentage meter on the Kindle wasn't increasing very much, I looked up the page count. The paperback comes in at 650 pages! Okay, so needless to say it's taking me a while. I hope to be done by the end of this week.

So instead of one detailed review like normal, I decided to select my top non-YA picks from my last few months of reading. If you want to check out my YA picks, I have an earlier post on those.

Romance:

by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Back Cover:
Dear Reader, Being trapped in a bedroom with a woman is a grand thing. Being trapped in hundreds of bedrooms over two thousand years isn't. And being cursed into a book as a love-slave for eternity can ruin even a Spartan warrior's day. As a love-slave, I knew everything about women. How to touch them, how to savor them, and most of all how to pleasure them. But when I was summoned to fulfill Grace Alexander's sexual fantasies, I found the first woman in history who saw me as a man with a tormented past. She, alone, bothered to take me out of the bedroom and into the world. She taught me to love again. But I was not born to know love. I was cursed to walk eternity alone. As a general, I had long ago accepted my sentence. Yet now I have found Grace-the one thing my wounded heart cannot survive without. Sure, love can heal all wounds, but can it break a two thousand year old curse? Julian of Macedon

Review: I know most avid readers will look at this selection and say "well, duh." This book is a classic in paranormal romance and has spawned a long running series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. But as I talked about last week, I didn't read straight romance for a long time, so this was new to me. This book is a great example of why I was such an idiot to avoid romance for so long. The story was funny, touching, and romantic. Add in the paranormal element and greek gods, and I was sold. ★★★★


by Erica Orloff

Back Cover:
Everyone loves shock jock Julian Shaw…except the guy who shot him.

The raunchy radio DJ expects the dark tunnel, white lights—even his late grandmother greeting him at the pearly gates. Instead, he gets a coma, a spirit guide named Gus and a pushy demon with a deal. His assignment: Katie Darby.

Katie Darby's best friend just stole her guy! Now she's losing her mind.

All she really wants to do is stay in mope mode, but it feels as if someone is watching her, whispering strange thoughts into her head, making her say and do things she would never normally consider. And it's actually making her life better!

Now Julian wants another chance to prove he's a good guy. But he just might have to sell his soul to the devil to get
Review: This book was so much fun. Think Howard Stern (but good-looking) gets assigned to be a woman's guardian angel. There are angels and demons and Albert Einstein and ABBA music (which scrambles God's listening in ability, ha). Plus, the love story is very touching underneath all the humor. Great beach read. ★★★★

Suspense/Psychological Thriller (with a literary bent):

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Back Cover:
Richard Papen arrived at Hampden College in New England and was quickly seduced by an elite group of five students, all Greek scholars, all worldly, self-assured, and, at first glance, all highly unapproachable. As Richard is drawn into their inner circle, he learns a terrifying secret that binds them to one another...a secret about an incident in the woods in the dead of night where an ancient rite was brought to brutal life...and led to a gruesome death. And that was just the beginning....
Review: This book has been described as a murder mystery in reverse. This novel was a bestseller a few years ago, but I missed it at the time. So on a trip to the used book store one day, I picked it up. I have to say that this book was one of those that I didn't know how to feel about it after I read it. It is not a light read. I was utterly engaged throughout the book (which is quote long) and felt drawn in to the setting and characters. And after it was done, it kept me thinking about it. That is what I'm basing my ratingon. ★★★1/2


Suspense/Mystery:

Killer Takes All by Erica Spindler

Back Cover:
The White Rabbit beckons you to follow him, down the rabbit hole, into his world. He's a deceiver, a trickster. You won't know what is truth and what is a lie. He aims to best you. Beat you. And when he does, you die.

A friend's brutal murder turns former homicide detective Stacy Killian's life upside down. Unwilling to trust Spencer Malone, the overconfident New Orleans detective assigned to the case, Stacy is compelled to return to the investigative role she had fled.

The investigation leads Stacy and Spencer to White Rabbit, a cultish fantasy role-playing game. White Rabbit is dark, violent -- and addictive. As the body count mounts, they find themselves trapped in a terrifying game that's more real than life and death. Because anyone can die before the final moment when White Rabbit is over . . . and the killer takes all.

Review: I discoverd Erica Spindler when I was in college after hearing she was a local author (I was still living in Louisiana at the time). I haven't read a book by her that I haven't enjoyed. Fast-paced suspense stories, sometimes with a dash of romance, that keep you reading into the night. This one was the last I read, but you can't go wrong with any of hers. ★★★★


Horror:

Nazareth Hill by Ramsey Campbell

Back Cover:

A rebellious teenager's tense relationship with her father liberates fearsome monsters of English history. Amy Priestly has always dreaded 'the spider house, ' as she privately calls the abandoned Nazareth Hill monastery. When she and her father, Oswald, move into an apartment in the newly gentrified 'Nazarill, ' her fears are reinforced by the building's gloom--crawly things seem to crouch in its shadowy hallways. Worse, her father is becoming increasingly tyrannical

Review: I found a recommendation for this book somewhere and decided to give it a try. It is no longer in print, but Amazon has used copies. I love a good horror story. I'm not the type of girl who avoids the scary movies, I seek them out. So know that this is the perspective I'm coming from. If you don't like to be scared, then this probably isn't for you.

This story isn't an in your face monsters and murderers kind of thing. The story builds tension slowly, giving an overall sense of dread and creepiness. The house is a character in and of itself. The book is not a happy one and didn't end with sunshine and butterflies, but it stayed with me for a while after I finished it. ★★★1/2


Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance:


Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood Boxed Set by Charlaine Harris

Back Cover (Dead Until Dark):
Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. Until the vampire of her dreams walks into her life-and one of her coworkers checks out....

Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea.


Review: Okay, so everyone and their mama has probably reviewed these, but I had to mention them. These books are great: vampires, were-animals, shapeshifters, fairies, maenads, witches! Plus, super hot romance mixed in with the murder mysteries. I these books and I True Blood (the tv version of the books). If you haven't read these, you're missing out. Don't just watch the show.★★★★★

There you go. Hope you check some of these out. Let me know what you think of my picks.

!!!Reminder!!! The poll for selecting Friday's theme is still open (top right side of page). Please vote. There are only 6 votes so far and I know more than 6 people read this blog (hopefully!). Even if you're not one to comment, you can vote (it's anomymous.) If you need to review what the choices are click here. Thanks!

Why do you read what you read?


As I start this blog, I found myself wondering how I became such a book-obsessed dork and why I prefer certain types of stories to others. Looking back, I've decided that reading development is kind of like that Plinko game from the Price is Right--certain people and book experiences bump you in one direction or the other. Some of us land in the $5000 slot and become lifelong readers of every type of book, others land in zero and miss out completely, and many of us fall somewhere in between finding a particular reading niche. Here's how my Plinko game went:



4th grade: Inspired by my mother's love of mystery novels, I start reading James Howe's Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery series and Betty Ren Wright's The Dollhouse Murders .
Result: A love of stories that scare me and make me laugh. This also leads to me being convinced that my room is haunted by an evil stuffed monkey that has sat on my shelf since toddlerhood. Monkey gets evicted to the attic, I sleep on the couch for six months (seriously.)


5th grade: My teacher, Mrs. Hymel, starts reading a chapter a day of Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time to the class. I'm hooked. I go to the library to get the book because I can't tolerate waiting for her to finish. I proceed to read the rest of the series in rapid succession. When I'm finished with those, I move on to The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
Result: My love for both fantasy and series books is planted.

6th grade: We're assigned to read Where the Red Fern Grows
and Bridge to Terabithia . Amazing literary books. But both tore me to shreds. I had just lost my grandmother who I was extremely close to and books involving deaths just shattered me.
Result: I develop a respect but also a wariness for literary fiction. In addition, I acquire a lifelong aversion to novels that kill off the dog. I go on a binge of R.L. Stine horror books (such as The Baby-Sitter (Point Horror Series)
)and Roald Dahl instead. I also began to indulge my budding interest in the paranormal. My science fair projects for this year: ESP and Poltergeists.

9th grade: I dig through my mom's book collection and pull out V.C. Andrews' Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind . These books were depressing, full of drama, gothic, darkly romantic, and totally addictive. But why do I remember these? Because in the second book there was (wait for it) sex. Gasp. I was a very naive at fourteen and found this to be so scandalous. This is the first time I remember hiding the spine of the book while I was reading in public just in case. Of course, I went on to read like twenty more books by Ms. Andrews.
Result: Discover that romance + sexy + darkness = awesomeness

10th grade: I realize that most of my favorite horror movies started as books. I go through a Stephen King and Anne Rice phase. I also read a "based on true events" book called The Black Hope Horror: The True Story of a Haunting that scares the bejesus out of me. I have to remove the book from my room at night so I can sleep.
Result: Decide psychics, monsters, vampires, and ghosts are by far way cooler than normal humans.

9th grade-12th grade: My teachers beat us over the head with the classics because that's their job. I know now these books are works of art, masterpieces, etc. But as a teenager, I thought all of them (outside of Shakespeare and Poe) were big giant suckfests.

Result: I raise the stock of the Cliff Notes company (allowing me to ace all English tests and papers) and am further turned off by the term "literary."

And what do I do with the time I should be using to read my assigned books? I write my own romance novel because clearly there is no chance of actual romantic interludes in my own angsty life. A hundred and fifty typed pages of sappy teenage indulgence is born and titled Kismet. My male protagonist bears a striking resemblance to Joe McIntyre of New Kids on the Block.

College: I start off with a double major: Psyc and English, but feel overwhelmed. I drop English because it's not as "practical", but still sneak in a few classes. LSU offers a Vampires in Literature class. How frigging cool is that? Not only do I get the chance to read stacks of vamp novels, I get the chance to write short stories about them, too.
Result: Regret dropping the English major. Promise myself that once I get settled in my psychology career, I will try to write in my free time.

So now, years later, where does that leave me?

Reading and writing the same things I grew to love as a child. My Plinko chip landed in the voracious reader of genre fiction slot. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not closed off to the literary side, but honestly its not the first thing I pick up. So, be warned that most of my reviews on here will fall under genre fiction.

So, I'm curious. What books from your past guided your tastes? Can you remember that first moment or first book that really hooked you on reading? Or something that turned you away from a certain genre? Leave a comment and let me know.