Ask your publishing questions here

[Marky Lazer]

I buy books off the Internet because there's very limited choice in English books in the Netherlands--I say Harry Potter, Dan Brown, King's Dark Tower... that's about it. So, I guess for people who want to read books in other languages than their native, the Internet is a great place to shop without mentioning costs.

[argenianpoet]

Originally Posted by Marky Lazer

...King's Dark Tower...

Now we're talking! If there was ever any one author that I could give credit to for helping learn how to write a novel it would have to be Stephen King. He writes fantasy, but they don't call it that and for a very long time he was the only author that I would read.

[John Jarrold]

His books non-fiction ON WRITING and DANSE MACABRE are also fascinating for writers...in fact, they are just fascinating.

[littlemissattitude]

As I started to say, before my ISP decided to start acting up, I love both these books. I've enjoyed the reading of them for the pure pleasure of it, but I've gained quite a bit from them as well. Not the least of which is the voice of King in my head whenever I start to use a word ending in "ly" - in On Writing, he says that the "ly" words are not the writer's friend. I don't always choose to eliminate those words, but I use a lot less of them because of that book and I think my writing is better for it.

[argenianpoet]

Originally Posted by littlemissattitude

Not the least of which is the voice of King in my head whenever I start to use a word ending in "ly" - in On Writing, he says that the "ly" words are not the writer's friend. I don't always choose to eliminate those words, but I use a lot less of them because of that book and I think my writing is better for it.

King also led me to a book on style by William Strunk and E.B. White, The Elements of Style, and at 85 pages it's hard to beat. That book helped me a lot, and I still use it. If you haven't got it, then check it out for yourself; every writer could learn a little about editing from that book.

[argenianpoet]

Originally Posted by John Jarrold

His books non-fiction ON WRITING and DANSE MACABRE are also fascinating for writers...in fact, they are just fascinating.

I've got both of those books and they are just great. He's the only author that can write autobiography and not put me to sleep in the process, and his wit and humor are uncanny. If I could compare my writing and style to any one author of this past century it would have to be King.

[John Jarrold]

It's a great target to aim for, without doubt.

[SJAB]

Over the last few weeks I have read all the answers John has kindly written to our questions and have come up with the following.

Learn the craft of writing, so you can be as technically correct as you can.

Apply this skill to your work at all times.

Study and research the market as best you can, what sells, what doesn't sell.

Keep your ear to the ground and try and find out what editors/agents are looking for.

Apply the above to your work, but keep in mind that agents/editors are looking for something different in the field, a fresh approach, but something both they and the buying public can relate too. Make the work interesting, something that people want to read (and honestly that, I feel, is the hardest part)

Be professional both in your submission and your approach.

Be prepared to rejected and don't take it personally. You might think your work is the best thing since sliced bread, others will think differently.

Sue

[John Jarrold]

Absolutely right, Sue. As I've said elsewhere, commercial publishing is a business. You need to understand the paramters inside which that business operates, then write to the best of your ability therein!

Very best of luck!

[John Jarrold]

I was just thinking of a number of bestelling authors in SF and fantasy: Iain M Banks, Terry Pratchett, China Mieville, Terry Brooks, Neil Gaiman, Greg Bear, George R R Martin. They all have one thing in common. They've read and loved the genre since they were in their teens.

[StevenSavile]

My ears were burning - okay, lying, I came to check out the noodlings of John, having enjoyed a tremendous tapas lunch, and lo and behold, nice things. Thank you SJAB, and John... and erm, yeah THAT was spooky. You'd think I paid that fella or something!

I was mighty disappointed with my recent travels back home - since when did bookstores become so homogenised? It literally was a case of you've seen one, you've seen them all... Okay I will admit the internet has taken away a lot of the romance of finding new books to read, and places like Forbidden Planet and Andromeda (oh and wasn't I upset to see the SAS Radisson hulking where once a great bookstore had been) struggle because they are not offering anything I can't get, shipping free, from Clarkesworld, or Shocklines or or or...

Even the remainder stores have all become clones of The Works...

I found myself trawling the second hand stores where I snagged a copy of The Gospel of Judas, a signed hc of Hal Duncan's Vellum, This Thing of Darkness by Harry Thompson (the genius behind Never Mind The Buzzcocks among other things who died last year), and Jared Diamond's mindblowing Collapse. I love second hand stores!

[StevenSavile]

Sue, that sounds like a coda to live by.

[John Jarrold]

Hi there, Steve! Do comment on anything on the forum. I think pro views help a great deal.

[I, Brian]

Welcome to chronicles, Steve - adapting Slaine, eh? Now that could be a very interesting novel.

http://www.stevensavile.com/obsidianthrone.htm

[John Jarrold]

Originally Posted by SJAB

keep in mind that agents/editors are looking for something different in the field, a fresh approach, but something both they and the buying public can relate too. Make the work interesting, something that people want to read (and honestly that, I feel, is the hardest part)

Sue

I work with unpublished writers directly every month editorially, and although every book naturally poses differing editorial problems, two things I say regularly: What is the main thrust of the story? and Who am I supposed to empathise with? Story and character remain two key aspects of any novel.