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mary rosenblum
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Hello, all! I hope you've had
a great week so far.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. Tonight we're talking about the
novel…whatever you want to ask! I've published seven novels and more than
60 short stories and will do my best to answer any questions you have. If
you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a Question'
button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the top of the
screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't reach me!
Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send bar if
that works better for you
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mary rosenblum
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I wanted to answer questions
about novels tonight. I know a lot of my students and students of other
instructors are currently working on novels or want to do one.
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mary rosenblum
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And for those of you who do
not know, LR will be offering a novel course beginning this summer.
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mary rosenblum
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I'm nearly finished writing
the course manual for it.
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bengalrose
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Hi Mary. I wanted to thank you
for the inspiration the other day about humor in F and SF. I immediately
went off and wrote a cool little short short after that chat. It is already
in the mail to F and SF mag.
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mary rosenblum
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Oh, good for you, bengal! I
hope it sells!
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mary rosenblum
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Keep me posted.
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leesh
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What is the basic difference
between a novel and a short story.
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mary rosenblum
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Well, the simple answer is
length, leesh.
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mary rosenblum
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Technically, a novel is longer
than 40,000 words.
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mary rosenblum
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Generally, a novel is more
complex in form.
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mary rosenblum
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It usually contains subplots,
may have more than one POV, and often uses a parallel plot construction.
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tory
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Mary, I'm preparing a packet to
solicit an agent. They want a "headline" and "sales handle."
Do you write those for your novels? Any tips? I mean there are dozens one
could use.
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mary rosenblum
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No, I don't, Tory. This sounds
like a small press house? I have sold to traditional publishers to date,
and they handle all the marketing.
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mary rosenblum
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What they want is a key, one
sentence, 'blurb' that will attract reader attention and insights into who
would buy it and how to reach them.
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mary rosenblum
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For example, if it's a mystery
with a dog owner as a POV, you might suggest marketing through pet stores,
dog mags, and the like.
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wingedwarrior24
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does it cost anything to send
short stories, novels or articles to magazines or publishers?
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mary rosenblum
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Postage and copying, winged.
That's all.
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mary rosenblum
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If an 'agent' charges a
reading fee, he/she is probably not a legit agent.
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genesis
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Is it okay to fluff a novel up
with advrbs adn adjectives
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mary rosenblum
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I'm laughing, genesis. That's
what you did for your English or History teacher when you wanted to make a
five page paper into a ten page paper.
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mary rosenblum
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And it SHOWS.
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mary rosenblum
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You should never use a single
word that does not add to the story. Ever.
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mary rosenblum
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I'm getting a LOT of questions
about the LR course...
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mary rosenblum
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so let me tell you all what it
will be like and then I can answer some of the specific questions about
novel craft.
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mary rosenblum
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I can't tell you what the cost
will be...I don't know if that's even decided...
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mary rosenblum
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but probably close to their
other courses.
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mary rosenblum
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It will consist of eight
assignments.
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mary rosenblum
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You will begin by creating a
novel idea.
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mary rosenblum
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Then you will expand it into a
rough plot outline...nothing you are stuck with, it'll change...
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mary rosenblum
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You'll create your characters
and build them into real people by generating their past and
personalties...
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mary rosenblum
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You'll learn how to craft
chapters, create strong scenes and a good dramatic arc, and use language to
show the reader a rich and vivid world
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mary rosenblum
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as your setting.
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mary rosenblum
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Then you'll start to plan your
marketing. You'll research publishers, learn how to read the Novel Writers
Market (included with the course)...
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mary rosenblum
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and ulitmately write a query
letter to an editor or agent, depending on the publisher's requirements.
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mary rosenblum
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You will end the course with a
synopsis ready for submission along with three chapters, a letter to the
person you will send your novel to,
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mary rosenblum
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and a marketing plan.
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mary rosenblum
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That is the basic course.
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mary rosenblum
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From what I know now, the plan
then is to permit you...if you choose...
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mary rosenblum
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to continue on. You will then
be paired up with a novelist in YOUR genre to work on further chapters for
as long as you want to continue...
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mary rosenblum
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you won't be obligated to
finish the novel with instructor input.
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christopher dale
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From cpoetseye1 - Mary are the
stories from the program assignments (fiction and non-fiction) used as a
prototype for novel Manuscripts?"
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mary rosenblum
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The novel course is designed
to get you at least three chapters into a publishable novel, poetseye.
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mary rosenblum
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You'll have to finish it on
your own...or with an instructor if you choose...
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mary rosenblum
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but you will have gotten input
on your plot structure, your subplots, your characters and your craft.
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wingedwarrior24
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paried with a writer, in person
or over internet or mail?
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mary rosenblum
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Well, necessarily by email or
snail mail, winged. :-) LR doesn't have an instructor in every town. :-)
Same as with the LR course for short fiction/nf.
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wingedwarrior24
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what kind of material will come
with the course?
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mary rosenblum
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You'll get the Novel Writers
Market and an excellent compilation of essays on wrirting craft by a
variety of well known writers. The essays will illustrated various points
in the assignments.
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budro
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wil the breaking into print
course be a prerequiste to entering the novel course
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mary rosenblum
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As far as I know now, budro,
it will not be. You will be paired with an instructor who will help you at
whatever level of craft you are at.
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mary rosenblum
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If you need basic help with
technique, you'll get it. If your technique is very polished, you'll work
mostly with content.
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mary rosenblum
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You will submit work for each
assignment and you will get feedback from your instructor about it.
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mary rosenblum
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If your plot, for example, is
too think or too complicated for a single novel...
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mary rosenblum
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your instructor will help you
fix the problem before you move on.
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writermom
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so it will be the development of
a whole new novel as opposed to taking something you are already working on
and developing it
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mary rosenblum
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You will do better if you
begin a new novel for this course. You can apply what you are learning to
that novel in progress...
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mary rosenblum
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but you will be more flexible
starting from scratch and you'll really learn more than you will trying to
adapt an existing novel chapter or plot.
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mary rosenblum
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And then hey, you'll have
another novel in progress!
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budro
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I've got an idea for a Sci-fi
novel, but it just seems to big for one book, any word on seris
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mary rosenblum
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Assignment Six...I'm just
proofing the galleys now...deals with series books, budro.
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dsurrett
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will it be more to continue with
instructor after 3 chapt
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, dsurret. The basic course
covers eight assignments and teaches you basic craft, as well as getting
you as far...
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mary rosenblum
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as the critical first three
chapters, a solid plot outline, and a synopsis you can send to an editor,
along with that query letter.
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mary rosenblum
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For many people that is all
they will want. I'm not sure how they are going to work the continuation...
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mary rosenblum
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but you may be able to say,
pay for three chapters or even chapter by chapter if you want to continue
to work with an instructor.. I think that's still up in the air.
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mary rosenblum
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The course should be available
this summer and I'm sure LR will notify all current and former students
when it is...
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mary rosenblum
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plus, I'll mention it on the
website.
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leesh
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what's the difference between
technique and content?
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mary rosenblum
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By technique, leesh, I mean
the basic techniques of craft: show, don't tell, writing strong dialogue,
using vivid adjectives and verbs...basic stuff...
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mary rosenblum
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content is more...does this
plot work, can you deepen the characterization with a subplot, what kind of
complication can you add to this slow spot.
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mary rosenblum
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And I can't quote you any
price numbers, I'm sorry. I just don't know them.
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mary rosenblum
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Last I heard, there won't be
any prerequisite for the course...many people ONLY want to write novels,
they don't want to write short fiction or nonfiction at all.
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dsurrett
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do you know who the instructors
will be
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mary rosenblum
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All instructors will be
novelists.
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writermom
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so someone who has taken the
basics course at ICL will be able to enroll in this course
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mary rosenblum
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shouldn't be a problem...
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mary rosenblum
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OKAY...I think I've covered
the course! :-)
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mary rosenblum
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If someone comes in late, the
transcript will be posted in Writing Craft: Forum Transcripts right after
I'm done!
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mary rosenblum
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I have a lot of novel craft
questions here.
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writermom
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Mary please explain parallel
plots
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mary rosenblum
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Writer, parallel plot is when
you have two POV characters who pursue different adventures. Their
individual plot lines converge at the climax of the book.
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mary rosenblum
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For example, you might have
two lovers, separated in a war. We'll switch from one to the other as they
struggle to survive and return to their homeland...
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mary rosenblum
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and at the climax of the book,
or near it, they will reunite.
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writermom
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I've been doing that without
knowing waht it was called
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mary rosenblum
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If you look at Lord of the
Rings, you see a lot of that. We follow Merry and Pippen while Frodo and
Sam are traveling to Mordor...
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mary rosenblum
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and switch back and forth
between different story line.
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mary rosenblum
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WARNING LotR is NOT a good
example of how to write a book.
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mary rosenblum
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He did it. Will your giant,
slice of sausage, epic succeed? Don't count on it...
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mary rosenblum
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Just because so and so did it,
is never a good excuse.
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mary rosenblum
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But many fantasy book do use
parallel plot lines as do some romances...
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mary rosenblum
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we follow our to MCs and hope
they find each other eventually. It works quite well if you can create
strong characters.
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. Tonight we're talking about the
novel…whatever you want to ask! I've published seven novels and more than
60 short stories and will do my best to answer any questions you have. If
you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a Question'
button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the top of the
screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't reach me!
Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send bar if
that works better for you
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sweett
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Question from neo : Is it as
important to get an agent now as it was, oh, in the 1980's?
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mary rosenblum
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Sweett...if you sell to the
tradtional publishers...the NY houses...you MUST have an agent.
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mary rosenblum
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A lot of folk sell to small
press houses without one. The contracts are simpler. But I would run them
by a publishing lawyer if you are not totally sure what they way.
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mary rosenblum
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Go read my interview with
Daniel Stevens, you'll find it in Surviving and Thriving: interview
transcripts. He's an arts attorney and offered excellent advice.
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geezer
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Exactly what does and agent do?
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mary rosenblum
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Geeze, an agent makes sure you
get paid as much as you possibly can for your book. She negotiates with the
publisher...
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mary rosenblum
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to protect as many of your
rights as possible and to get the greaters percentage of royalties and the
biggest advance she can.
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mary rosenblum
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She submits your book to
editors who won't take submissions directly from authors and she can call
those editors up and invite them to lunch...
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mary rosenblum
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to find out how your book is
doing. She spends her days in the publishing world...
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mary rosenblum
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and if she hears about a new
market or a new line of books opening up...
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mary rosenblum
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she'll call you and tell you
about it, ask you if you can write something for it.
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christopher dale
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I read a quote from Ben Bova -
"You see famous, published authors breaking rules left and right. DO
NOT DO THAT. *YOU* are not a famous , published author!
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mary rosenblum
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yeah, that's true.
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mary rosenblum
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You DO earn the right to flout
the system with sales.
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mary rosenblum
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And you DO earn the right to
do things that are usual 'no nos' when you have proved you can do them
WELL.
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mary rosenblum
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It is a good idea to learn the
craft rules before you break them.
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wingedwarrior24
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do begginers have what it takes
to write a novel?
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mary rosenblum
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Of course, winged! That' s a
great way to learn craft...
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mary rosenblum
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although you'll probably do a
lot of revising. You'll be a MUCH better writer in chapter 23 than you were
in chapter 1! LOL
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wingedwarrior24
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you send an incomplete novel to
editors?
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mary rosenblum
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Most publishers want a synopsis
and three chapters, winged. The synopsis tells 'em if you can plot and the
three chapters tells 'em if you can write.
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mary rosenblum
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BUT...
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mary rosenblum
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while _I_ can do that and SELL
the novel based only on three chapters and a synopsis...
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mary rosenblum
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YOU cannot.
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mary rosenblum
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I have proved to publishers
that I can write a novel and turn it in on deadline. YOu have not.
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mary rosenblum
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While you may send the editor
only those three chapters, you might as well have the rest of the book
finished...
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mary rosenblum
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because you will have to send
the entire ms to the editor if he/she is interested in it...
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mary rosenblum
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before he/she will consider
it.
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dallan
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In the first paragraph of a
novel, is it more important to capture a reader by a vivid scene or an
introduction of an interesting character with deep conflict?
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mary rosenblum
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Good question, dallan.
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mary rosenblum
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Let's talk about novel opening
and short story opening.
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mary rosenblum
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They are VERY different.
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mary rosenblum
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In a short story, you
generally begin with the plot in motion and fill in backstory and world
details as the plot moves forward.
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mary rosenblum
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Most novels begin BEFORE the
first plot event...
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mary rosenblum
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and set up the world and
characters in an interesting way, bringing readers to the first plot
element sometime in the first chapter.
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mary rosenblum
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Now I tend to write like a
short story writer...which I mostly am...so I tend to put short story
starts on my novels. :-)
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mary rosenblum
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But you can hook the reader
with vivid visuals and action and interesting characters in those first
pages before you ever introduce the main plot.
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mary rosenblum
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Just remember...HOOK the
reader, however you do it.
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wingedwarrior24
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if major editing in needed will
an editor take it on?
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mary rosenblum
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Probably not, winged. The
editor has dozens more ms on her desk. Some of them will be as good as
yours and take less work. Your book needs to be as strong as it can
possibly be...
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mary rosenblum
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before you send it it.
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mary rosenblum
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It is a common myth that the
idea sells the book.
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mary rosenblum
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That's not true.
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mary rosenblum
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You can give six writers the
exact same idea and get six very different books...
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mary rosenblum
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and some will be much better
than others.
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mary rosenblum
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It is the writing that sells
the book, along with the idea.
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mary rosenblum
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Ideas ar a dime a dozen.
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klmiller
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Mary, I sold lesson 3 to a
newspaper and they offered me a..
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klmiller
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freelance correspondent
position...yee-haww..
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mary rosenblum
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Yahoo, kl! WAY to go!
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iron_will
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who would qualify as a agent?
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mary rosenblum
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Iron will, there is an
association of agents, and they have a code of ethics...
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mary rosenblum
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It is called the Association
of Authors Representatives.
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mary rosenblum
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And the FAQ page on their
website is a crash course on how to find the right agent...
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mary rosenblum
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what quesitons to ask, and
they publish contact information for agents who are open to new clients on
their site.
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mary rosenblum
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An agent should belong to AAR.
If he/she does not...why?
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mary rosenblum
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AAR website
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mary rosenblum
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That's the link to the
website.
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mary rosenblum
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http://www.aar-online.org/index.html
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mary rosenblum
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This is our After Hours Forum,
with me, Mary Rosenblum, your web editor. Tonight we're talking about the
novel…whatever you want to ask! I've published seven novels and more than
60 short stories and will do my best to answer any questions you have. If
you're new here, remember that you need to click on the 'Ask a Question'
button or the 'word bubble' next to the red question mark at the top of the
screen in order to ask a question. Your regular 'send' bar won't reach me!
Or you can use /ask and type your question into the regular send bar if
that works better for you..
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christopher dale
|
THe NUMBER ONE RULE OF WRITERS -
The money ALWAYS flows *TO* the Author!
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mary rosenblum
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yep. Always.
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mary rosenblum
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The moment someone tells you
about fees for service, copyediting, what have you...
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mary rosenblum
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go elsewhere. I do not spend
one dime of my own money to submit and publish my work.
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mary rosenblum
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Not ONE dime.
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tory
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Mary, any tips for obtaining a
publisher or agent for a novel for those folks that Don't want to write
short to get clips, a reputation, etc.?
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mary rosenblum
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Sure, tory. Write a good
novel. Lot's of folk never publish short.
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mary rosenblum
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Sounds overly simple, but it
is. :-)
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writermom
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Mary I am ready to start
querying agents my a YA fantasy novel, but I do know of a couple of
publishers that are looking for fantasy novels should I find an agent first
or would it be okay to submit to these publishers
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mary rosenblum
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If they'll take the ms
unagented, writer, start there. You will have a much larger choice of good
agents if you have a contract in hand.
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mary rosenblum
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You'll have plenty of time to
find an agent after an editor says he/she wants to buy the ms.
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tory
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Any idea if publishing companies
are more open to stand alone novels or a series?
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mary rosenblum
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Tory, it entirely depends on
the genre.
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mary rosenblum
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Mystery and Fantasy tend to
like series a lot.
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mary rosenblum
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Other genres are not so keen
on them.
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mary rosenblum
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You can offer more books in a
series if the editor decides to buy book one, and you can include...
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mary rosenblum
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a brief treatment of the next
two or three books when you send in your synopsis for Book One...
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mary rosenblum
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and if you're lucky, the
editor will acquire two or three.
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mary rosenblum
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But don't make it an all-or-nothing
deal...will make it much harder to sell.
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christopher dale
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Mary - I know that I have
finished a novel, and wil lbe working on the rewrite VERY soon. I am in the
top 30% of all novel writiers because I FINISHED a novel. What about finishiong
the REWRITE - Same top 30% or better? :-)
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mary rosenblum
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I'm laughing, chris. I'd say
it's more like the top 10% since you've finished it.
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mary rosenblum
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Dunno about the numbers on
revisions, but I bet you move higher.
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klmiller
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Is finding an agent as difficult
as finding a Publisher?
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mary rosenblum
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Actually it's as difficult,
kl.
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mary rosenblum
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Most publishers won't take
unagented material and agents only will take clients whose work they're
pretty sure theycan sell...
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mary rosenblum
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so when an agent takes you on,
that's almost as good as a sale because he/she is pretty sure that book
will sell easily.
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mary rosenblum
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So you'll get a LOT of
rejections from agents...AND...
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mary rosenblum
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a lot of agents are not open
to queries from the general public.
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mary rosenblum
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My agent is not.
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mary rosenblum
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If you find her address and
write to her, she will tell you that she is not accepting new clients.
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mary rosenblum
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BUT...if I tell her that I've
seen a novel that I think she might want to handle, she'll look at it. (And
no you can NOT all send me your novels! LOL)
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mary rosenblum
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Most agents are like this.
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mary rosenblum
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Go to a writers conference and
chat with published writers who WRITE WHAT YOU WRITE>
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mary rosenblum
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Ask them who their agent is,
if you have a book ready to go...
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mary rosenblum
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that writer may well refer you
to his/her agent.
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mary rosenblum
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And you'll at least get a read
that way.
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tory
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Hence my question, Mary, about
how to get published without writing shorts.
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mary rosenblum
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YOu simply write a really good
novel, tory, and you send query letters to agents until one takes you on.
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mary rosenblum
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That's how you do it.
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writeaway
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Mary, most publishers ask for
first 3 chapters...is there a rule for setting up chapters?
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mary rosenblum
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Chapters drive every new
writer nuts because there ARE no rules.
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mary rosenblum
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They can be ten pages long.
They can be 30 pages long.
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mary rosenblum
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Generally, the younger the
reader, the shorter the chapter.
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mary rosenblum
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But it's entirely up to you
and your writing rhythm.
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mary rosenblum
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Chapters can be one scene in
length or two or three or whatever number of scenes in length.
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mary rosenblum
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You want to end at the end of
a scene...
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mary rosenblum
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when you are going to change
time/place/ or POV.
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mary rosenblum
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And that is the best place to
switch between POV by the way...at the chapter breaks.
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arfelin
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Do you think that these days you
almost have to sell to a small publisher first to get an agent's interest.
It seems like they are so much in demand it's hard to get a good one.
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mary rosenblum
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No, arfelin.
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mary rosenblum
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At the moment, a small press
sale will not get you ANY attention from either an agent or a
publisher...UNLESS your sales are phenomenal...
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mary rosenblum
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and by that I mean in the
order of 20,000 copies in one year.
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mary rosenblum
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That is VERY rare in small
press.
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bengalrose
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Mary, any tips for staying the
course when writing a novel-length manuscript?
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mary rosenblum
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You have to pace yourself
bengal. There will be times when you just feel totally drained and find no
more energy...or you're bored. This is when I work on something else...
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mary rosenblum
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I usually have three or four
writing projects going on at various stages...
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mary rosenblum
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and when it's WORK to sit down
to this novel, I'll go work on that one, or that short story, or what have
you.
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mary rosenblum
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When I itch to come back...I
do.
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shayon-joseph
|
Mary, what is the cost of the LR
novel-writing-course?
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mary rosenblum
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I don't have any numbers,
shayon. Sorry.
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speckledorf
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Any advice for sagging middles?
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mary rosenblum
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Subplots, speckle! And fun new
stuff.
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mary rosenblum
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That middle is a desert and
that is where most 'closet novelists' quit.
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mary rosenblum
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They go gang-busters for the
first two or three chapters and run out of steam.
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mary rosenblum
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Throw a firecracker into that
next chapter.
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mary rosenblum
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Something unexpected happens.
Unexpected to YOU, too.
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mary rosenblum
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A stranger shows up and is
somehow connected to the plot...
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mary rosenblum
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or is dangerous...or both...
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mary rosenblum
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and suddenly your characters
have to DO something.
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mary rosenblum
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A hurricane blows in...
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mary rosenblum
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the dog gets run over...
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mary rosenblum
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As your characters deal with
this new problem, we'll learn more about them, YOU will figure out how this
advances the plot at least a little bit, and we'll enjoy the action...that
fulfills the Rule of Three for a scene or chapter...
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mary rosenblum
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that it advance the plot,
deepen the characterization, and enrich the setting.
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mary rosenblum
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Complicated plot lines are
lush green forests in the middle rather than deserts.
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info
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what if you got a novel say 3/4
of the way done and everything seems to be sagging, but some of it might be
saveable? Do you scrap it and start over or do you revise it to be
stronger?
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mary rosenblum
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Oh I'd back up somewhere and
throw a huge curve ball into it, info. Use one of your characaters to drag
something big and difficult to deal with smack into the middle of things.
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mary rosenblum
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hey, you should PLAY in your
universe! Challenge yourself.
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mary rosenblum
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Okay, a dragon walks into
chapter fifteen. NOW what do I do???
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wardg
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do chapter breaks usually occur
at plot highs and lows? are cliffhangers the rule?
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mary rosenblum
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All of the above, ward. Told
you there were no rules. :-0
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mary rosenblum
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While ending at the peak of a
climax...a cliff hanger..certainly will bring your reader back...
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mary rosenblum
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it dilutes the tension and
impact of that climax (your reader took a potty break or went to work).
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mary rosenblum
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I tend to end with a low spot,
just after the climax point of the chapter (your chapter DOES have a
climax, right?)...
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mary rosenblum
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but I leave readers with the
sense that something is about to happen...
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mary rosenblum
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Don't worry. they'll be back.
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mkm
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What are your thoughts on
working with a free lance editor?
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mary rosenblum
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mkm...how do you KNOW that the
editor you pay good money to is any good? Hmm?
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mary rosenblum
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You are MUCH better off to
simply improve your own craft. That editor may not have a clue how to write
good fiction.
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mary rosenblum
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Anyone can claim to be a hot
freelance editor. Doesn't mean they can do it.
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lil-duv
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do you send 3 chapters in order,
or say beginning, middle and end chapters?
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mary rosenblum
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Most editors want the first
three.
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gskearney
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WritersMarket.com only /year,
worthwhile??
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mary rosenblum
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Well, Gary, there are a ton of
market websites out there. And WM is in the research section of most
libraries. If money is tight, I wouldn't spend it.
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mary rosenblum
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Google is a good place to
start.
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klmiller
|
When writing a novel length
work....
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klmiller
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Do you break it up into little
stories or all at once?
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mary rosenblum
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Well, KL, most novels are one
big story that include some smaller subplots.
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mary rosenblum
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Some novels ARE a collection
of linked stories, but that is unusual and a difficult to sell form.
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wingedwarrior24
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do you know the name to the
novel course?
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, winged...hang on while I
look at the galley pages... (we'll pretend I have NOT been staring at the
name for months now and can't remember it...)
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mary rosenblum
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Ha..
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mary rosenblum
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I'm not as lame as I thought...no
course title yet....just headings for the section.
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mary rosenblum
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It's the LR Novel Course at
the moment.
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info
|
if a chapter is say 15 pages,
should you enter the first plot element on say page7 or 8
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mary rosenblum
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That entirely depends on you,
info.
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mary rosenblum
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You can introduce it on page
one (which I do in my current sf novel Eternity shift...but I AM a short
story writer)..
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mary rosenblum
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or you can bring it in at the
end of the first chapter.
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mary rosenblum
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Or anywhere in between.
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lordjaw
|
How many pages should a novel be
on the average?
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mary rosenblum
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It varies, lord. The standard
mass market paperback, not the fat ones, run about 75,000 words.
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mary rosenblum
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YA is shorter: up to 45,00...
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mary rosenblum
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some romance imprints are very
short...
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mary rosenblum
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(that's 45,000 for YA)...
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mary rosenblum
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And YA can go full length if
you're writing for HS age rather than the younger groups.
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mary rosenblum
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and the fat paperbacks and
thick hardcovers are around 100,000
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mary rosenblum
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No, you do not get paid by the
word. :-)
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wingedwarrior24
|
I asked before about paying for
submissions and you said that you pay for sub and copying, what did you
mean by copying?
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mary rosenblum
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Well, winged, you can either
print out a submission copy on your computer or copy one at Kinko's when
they have a sale...
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mary rosenblum
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but by all means make sure
that you always have a copy of your ms in your possession.
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mary rosenblum
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And of course, it's backed up
TWICE on CD or floppy!
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mary rosenblum
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Do not send your only copy to
the publisher.
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mary rosenblum
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Or I can guarantee you that
your hard drive will fail, the PO will eat your ms, and all your backups
will be corrupt...that's one of Murphy's laws..
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tory
|
Re: your comment about money
flowing to author. Two questions: What about contests that require an entry
fee? Legit? 2. Many Christian publishing houses require submission through
an agent OR through a service called "First Edition" or "The
Writers Edge" both of which charge a fee. Heard of them?
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mary rosenblum
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Yes, tory, I have heard of
First Edition. I''m assuming Writers Edge is similar...
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mary rosenblum
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they present chapters and
synopsis to editors...who WANT them.
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mary rosenblum
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As I recall, Nick Harrison,
the Christian editor I interviewed, uses First Edition...but I don't know
any other editor who does.
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mary rosenblum
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It may be a feature of the
Christian market. I'm assuming they must do some sort of rating system or
at least...
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mary rosenblum
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categories the submissions.
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lil-duv
|
what is a typical advance amount
or is there one?
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mary rosenblum
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It runs from very little or
nothing (for small press) to six figures.
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mary rosenblum
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Depends on how much they want
your book.
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joker
|
if after submitting your
synopsis
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joker
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your novel takes diffferent path
than you originally ......
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mary rosenblum
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I didn't get the rest of your
question, joker...but I get the gist of it.
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mary rosenblum
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When you send in a synopsis as
an unpublished writer, you need to have the novel written...
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mary rosenblum
|
because the editor will want
to see it now.
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mary rosenblum
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If you sell on a synopsis as a
pro, you can make some changes as long as what the editor likes remains
intact...that's negotiable.
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wolf122
|
Having books sell well is a good
way to build clout to sell future books. How much 'clout' does selling
short stories/novelletes give starting novices to sell their novels? And
does it matter to what magazine those shorter stories get sold to?
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mary rosenblum
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It varies, wolf. If your short
fiction gets rave reviews in the genre your novel fits into it helps...you
have some reader recognition.
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mary rosenblum
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But if you've sold to a few
small magazines or ezines, it doesn't matter much.
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mary rosenblum
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If you get awards for your
short fiction that definitely helps.
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wingedwarrior24
|
what exactly is a synapsos and
querry letteer?
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mary rosenblum
|
A query letter says to agent
or editor...I have this GREAT novel about this hot topic... And your
synopsis is a 3 - 5 page blurb that essentially tells the agent/publisher
the story...hitting the high points and INCLUDING the END.
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wingedwarrior24
|
in On Writing Well, the authour
said some writing cant be tought but could be learned, can you give an
example?
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mary rosenblum
|
Well, that's an ongoing
argument among writers, winged..
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mary rosenblum
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Essentially what it means is
that people who cannot tell a story cannot tell a story.
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mary rosenblum
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But if you CAN tell a story,
you can learn a LOT of craft and decrease the amount of 'learning time' a
lot.
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mary rosenblum
|
If you have a good learning
curve, you will get better and better as you try different techniques and
figure out on your own how to do things.
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mary rosenblum
|
If someone can show you how to
do those techniques better, you will improve in months instead of perhaps
years.
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azurec3
|
Are writer's conferences
beneficial? or more procrastinatio
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mary rosenblum
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They are HIGHLY benefical and
worth every penny they cost...IF you take advantage of them.
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mary rosenblum
|
They offer panels on writing
and publishing and the people talking are writers and editors.
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mary rosenblum
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Find out who will be there.
Who writes what you write? Do some homework...
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mary rosenblum
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what has that writer
published, what does this editor publish that makes you think he'll publish
you?
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mary rosenblum
|
Then go TALK to these people.
DO NOT pitch your book. Big no-no. Ask the editor...';what are you looking
for?".
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mary rosenblum
|
If he says, 'hard SF'. and you
say, 'oh, cool, my new novel is set on a research station on Titan'...
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mary rosenblum
|
that editor may say 'send it
to me' and you just got through the gate.
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geezer
|
What is writing rhythm?
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mary rosenblum
|
Your natural scene length,
geezer...
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mary rosenblum
|
If you normally complete a
scene in about 10 pages, your chapters will probably be in multiples of ten
pages...more or less.
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writeaway
|
So, each chapter can vry in
length..son't have to be uniform throughout story?
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mary rosenblum
|
yep. And a very short
chapter...like a paragraph long...can add a real emphasis to a critical
event.
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wingedwarrior24
|
how much out of pocket if any do
you pay for small press?
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mary rosenblum
|
Money flows from the publisher
TO the writer. Even with small press.
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mary rosenblum
|
If they ask for money, they
are either a vanity press masquerading as a small press, or they are a flat
out scam.
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mary rosenblum
|
Always google a publishers
name before you get involved. If that publisher is a fake, you'll find news
of it through google.
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mary rosenblum
|
predators and editors is a
website that evaluates publishers and agents;
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mary rosenblum
|
http://www.longridgewritersgroup.com/rx/wc08/predators_and_editors.shtml
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mary rosenblum
|
that's the link on the LR
website...it'll take you to the page.
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speckledorf
|
If you are doing a lot of
submitting I think it is...has lots of markets in one place. I use it.
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mary rosenblum
|
Ah, this is speck's belated
comment on Writers Market. There you go. :-)
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mary rosenblum
|
Sorry, I overlooked it at the
time.
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ahsitan
|
I had an editor at a conference
request the first 2 chapters of a book i'm working on even though i told
her it wasn't finished. i'm close to being done. should i wait to send the
chapters? guidelines say send query and 1st 10 pages
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mary rosenblum
|
I would send it right now,
ahsitan. You don't want her to forget you or to buy something similar.
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mary rosenblum
|
Send her what she asked for.
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shayon-joseph
|
yeah, but shouldn't subplot be
worked in seamlessly?
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mary rosenblum
|
Sorry some of these comments
are coming up late. I am getting a LOT of questions...
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mary rosenblum
|
This has to do with my
suggestion you complicate your middle with subplots, I assume.
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mary rosenblum
|
Sure they should be...that
doesn't mean you can't plop 'em in in draft one and work them in seamlessly
in draft two. You WILL revise, right?
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mary rosenblum
|
Okay I'm going to have to cut
off questions. :-) I've got four here...and I'll do this topic again, dont
worry...but we're going way over my usual Oregon hour, and I still have
more galleys to work on tonight.
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ahsitan
|
should i send a synopsis with
it?
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mary rosenblum
|
Yes, ahsitan...your editor
needs to know what you are offering her so that she knows if she wants it.
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shayon-joseph
|
Mary, talk a little about
"pre-production"--in the sense of writing character bios; family trees;
building houses; cities; companies etc....in other words, the ground work
that comes BEFORE the actual writing of the novel (story).
|
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mary rosenblum
|
Well, shayon..think of an
iceberg...
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mary rosenblum
|
YOu need to know the entire
iceberg...the tip is what shows up in your novel.
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lil-duv
|
can you just attend a conference
or do you need an invitation? I understand there is a cost?
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mary rosenblum
|
You can just attend. yes, they
cost...the larger and better attended by pros, the more they cost.
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wingedwarrior24
|
In book format, what font size
whould be used?
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mary rosenblum
|
winged, you use the same ms
format for novel drafts that you use for short stories and articles...
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mary rosenblum
|
double space, 12 pt courier or
times new roman, 1 inch margins...
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mary rosenblum
|
page number, title keyword,
your last name on ever page top right or left.
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mary rosenblum
|
I'll post this transcript in
writing Craft: Forum transcripts.
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|
mary rosenblum
|
And I'll offer more Forums on
novel topics don't worry.
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mary rosenblum
|
Thanks for coming all! Drop
into our Sunday casual chat...
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|
mary rosenblum
|
every Sunday, same time as the
Friday forums.
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mary rosenblum
|
Have a good weekend, all!
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