frequently asked questions: about how to publish
How do I get my book published? The writing market has changed a lot since I first published it! there are many different ways to get published. I can only tell you the one I took: I wrote a book (actually, many books), then I found a guide called Jeff Herman’s Guide to Agents, Editors, and Publishers. I wrote the agents in the directory what is called a query letter. This is a one page letter describing you, your book, and why a publisher/agent would want to buy this book from you. Just so you know, I sent out several hundred of these letters before a single person asked to see the book he was trying to sell.
some of the people who responded asked me for money to sell my book. I personally didn’t want to go down that path as I didn’t think it was the right path for me (especially since I didn’t have any money!). Finally, one person said that he would represent me for 15% of what my book made if I could sell it. that person is still my agent today.
You are reading: How many words do books usually have
What is an agent and how do I get one? You can get a publisher’s attention much more quickly, and some people believe you can get a much better deal, if you have a literary agent. A literary agent is someone whose job it is to take people’s manuscripts and try to place them with the right publisher.
A good agent will never charge a fee for their work on your behalf. however, if an agent agrees to take over his job, when he places you, he will get a 10-15% cut of the money he makes. the sale. So if a publisher offers you $10,000 for his book, his agent will get $1,500 of that money. she will get the rest.
You can get an agent the same way you get a publisher: by finding a how-to book (like Jeff Herman’s) and sending them query letters.
I’ve started a lot of stories, but I can’t seem to finish them. What’s wrong with me? It’s always more fun to start a new story than to work on the one you’ve been working on for months. this is why publishers don’t pay writers their full retainer until they turn in the completed manuscript. every writer feels that way. just turn it on and remember that if he writes one page a day, just one page, in three months he will have a hundred page story. and in six months you will have a two hundred page story. that’s almost a whole book. so don’t think of it as, “oh my god, I have two hundred pages to write.” think of it as, “today, I have to write a page.” trust me. it works.
I don’t know how to start a story. please help. the solution to this problem is very simple: sit down. start a story finish it put it aside. start another story. there. you are now a writer.
I can’t think of anything to write about. how about this: who do you hate and why? who do you love and why? What happened to you that you wish hadn’t happened to you? What hasn’t happened to you that you wish would happen to you?
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write these things. there’s your story.
obviously you have to create a plot and change the names of your characters so that your friends and family do not sue you. but that’s the fun part.
How many pages should my novel be? Publishers go by words, not pages. Most adult books are around 90,000 words and no more than 100,000 words (unless you’re JK Rowling). teen books are about 55,000 words long.
How many words are on a page? It depends on the font you are using of course, but generally 250-300 words per page. therefore, a 55,000-word book should have about 200 manuscript pages. a 100,000-word book would be about 400. Publishers like the 12-point font.
What writing program should I use? the one you like best. I like word, but some writers I know use scrivener, pages, and even google docs.
What about the chapters? I like the chapters to be no more than 10 pages each, with one scene per chapter. but you can have as long or as short a chapter as you like, with as many scenes in each as you like. you can’t have chapters, if you want. But remember, readers have busy lives, and at some point they’ll have to put down their book to go to the grocery store. it would be nice if you had chapter breaks so they could do this easily.
Should I outline my story first? Some authors make an outline outlining what will happen in each chapter, before sitting down to write the book. while I think it’s important when you’re writing a book to know where you’re going (what the ending will be) and how to get there, that kind of detailed plot kills the fun of writing for me, so no don’t but look what works best for you.
I want to be a writer, but I just can’t seem to sit down and write. That’s the difference between someone who wants to write and someone who writes. the person who finds the time is the one who is going to become a writer. the person who doesn’t, won’t. you have to decide what is important to you. I didn’t write much while I was in school because I had too much homework/social life. there is no shame in waiting to write until you have more time. I did.
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What advice do you have to give to aspiring writers? my advice to young writers is: write the kind of stories you like to read. if you don’t love what you’re writing, no one else will.
don’t tell people you want to be a writer. everyone will try to talk you out of choosing a job with such low security, so it’s best to keep it to yourself and prove everyone wrong later.
You’re not a hundred dollar bill. not everyone is going to like you… or your story. don’t take rejection personally.
If you’re stuck on a story, there’s probably something wrong with it. take a few days off and put the story on the back burner for a while. eventually, it will come to you.
read and write all the time. never stop sending your stuff. don’t wait for a response after submitting a story… start a new story right away and then submit that one! if you’re constantly writing and sending stuff (don’t forget to live your life too, while you’re doing this), someone will bite eventually!
It’s almost impossible to publish these days without an agent. The guide I used to get mine was called Jeff Herman’s Guide to Agents, Publishers, and Publishers. it was worth the money i spent on it as it lists all the agents in the business and what he or she is looking for. it also tells you how to write a query letter, what to expect from your editor, and all sorts of other good stuff…a must buy for any aspiring author!
And above all, become a good listener. To write believable dialogue, you need to listen to the conversations of the people around you, and then try to imitate them! so my advice is to always try to keep quiet, just listen and let other people do the talking for a change. you’ll be surprised how much this will improve your typing skills (and how many people will think you’re a really wise person, when all you’re basically doing is spying on them).
good luck and keep writing! if I can do it, so can you!
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