Sitting down with a cuppa I decided to get out my writing fiction and get published books I brought the other day. Never did I think there would be so much to think about!
I set up a rough writing schedule, either 30mins a day writing about 50-100 words or 3hrs a week with 500 words (or something among those lines) I found out the type of writer I am- a snowflake (plan abit, write abit, edit abit) as there are 4 types:
- Seat-of-the-pants-write straight through with no planning or editing
- Eedit-as-you-go- write without plan but edit throughly as you go
- Snowflake- make general plan and write-changing the plan along the way
- Outline- make a detailed plan before write anything and keep to it
I then had to find out my word count for the genre im writing (after finding what category and sub category it is first) ~ I had to pick out fav author and count the words on one page, times it by how many and thats apparently the range?
I found it abit odd as it was 140, 000?? that seems abit long for a word count as I thought the range for a mid-length book was from 80,000-110,000??
After I had to count how many main characters vs non (and it said each character should feel like they are the main focus in the book)
Then it stated to check with publishers as esp romance they have guidelines.
So grabbing another cuppa I then went to search for different publishers- looking at my bookshelf to see what publishers come up often with my style of book and wrote them down and searched others-and my god there are many! found some want a literary agent, some dont- some want a set word count, some dont- some want a specific main character or plot setting etc…. you can also self publish- another headache I guess and will research that another time!
So I thought whats a literary agent??? looked it up and again many to choose! different agents want different query letter types, some want brief some want many chapters!
My head started to throb! I emailed writers workshop asking if i needed one now or after I finish the book- here is the reply! (Made me relax after reading it) :
“You need to write it, complete it, edit it, polish it, stand back from it, edit it again – consider getting editorial advice on it – then maybe one or two more reworkings – then go get an agent. If you try to rush the process, you’ll get nowhere at all! So take your time, and enjoy the process.”
😀
So productive yet confusing at times kinda day! Only on chapter 5! eek- maybe coffee will be my choice of drink next time?
What is your writing style? What is your word count for your writing?
x
Itsjennythewren's Blog 
I think the advice you were given is spot on. Publishers/agents aren’t going to be remotely interested (unless you’re already a celeb!) until you’ve got a near-immaculate product to show them… and even then your chances of getting a publishing contract are similar to a snowflake’s in a hot place!
Not trying to put you off but don’t even think about what you’re going to do with the book until you’ve finished it. I’d also say don’t write according to some formula calculated by reading other people’s books. Write what you believe, what excites you, what you care about, what frightens you, fills you with joy etc etc – if it’s formulaic it’s not art it’s just cookery.
Agree! it just got me so confused and nearly put me off the whole process- and made me forget im writing for fun, for me and if at the end people still enjoy reading my excerpts il then figure out the next step :0 im a total newbie to all this! learnt from my mistake- dont buy how to write books! lol x
Hello Jenny! I agree with the above comment, and from stuff I have read, that agents and publishers won’t touch your book unless it has been reedited and reedited – it pretty much has to be the finished article, or very nearly enough. I think I am going to go down the route of self publishing – its much easier these days, especially with things like Kindle on Amazon. :o)
yeah now i know the process as i was getting stressed not understanding if and when i needed to do things! how to book is good but adds to stress i think!
need to read up on self publishing as i think thats the route i might take too!
x
May I be so bold as to make a not too nice observation? Let me phrase it into a question to, hopefully, soften it. Is it possible that you are procrastinating? Putting off the actual work of writing by reading about writing? You have two comments here that both basically say the same thing. Finish your book first. And what is your response? “(I) need to read up on self publishing…!” NO! Write your book. That’s all. Don’t be concerned with word counts or genres or publishers or agents or rules of any type. Do you think, if James Joyce worried about all that, he’d ever have written Ulyssess? (The title of which I’ve probably misspelled as there is no spellcheck on this nook.) OK, down from my soap box and off to take my own advice. Hope I haven’t offended you.
no not at all 🙂 i ment to add il read up on self publishing after writing the book :s my bad!
Maybe your right in a way- maybe i guess im nervous about writing it all only to muck up as its too short or not what agents want etc…
x
Thanks for offering this insight, Jenny! It’s a step I am – frankly – a bit too scared to take, yet, before my book is finished (if it ever will be…!). Good advice you got back, too. I think too many self-pubs rush the process, with horrid results.
Good on you for trudging through it, though! 😀
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