I wrote my novel & it’s awesome. Now What?

Posted by Susan in Blood Donors (guest blogs) | 7 comments

I wrote my novel & it’s awesome. Now What?

An Author’s Journey through Publishing, part II
by Sandi Layne

Develop the Hide of a Rhinoceros

Writing a super-awesome novel is such a rush! Being able to write “The End” means the world, doesn’t it?  You had an idea, you visualized your situations, you developed fascinating characters, had them go through “hell and high water” to emerge victorious with a happily ever after or a new territory to explore or whatever it is that you allowed your characters to do at the end of your novel.

It feels amazing.  I know.

Before you print out your final copy on 24lb, 95 brightness paper to send to an agent in a bid for representation, you have a few things you should do.  The first of which – before you send query letters out to anyone, before you address envelopes, even – is to get a pair of critical eyes on your manuscript.

And you need to remember that this novel is not, in fact, your firstborn child.   Because it will be – if you have chosen your critical eyes carefully – ripped up, picked on, questioned and maybe even dismissed.

If you want to be a professional, you absolutely have to act like one, which means no going all Mama Bear about your work.  Instead of a bear, you need to consider the rhinoceros.  The rhino with its thick hide and ability to deflect annoyances like bird talons and the claws of small animals. The rhino who keeps moving forward even in the face of obstacles.  The rhino who may not have the sharpest eye sight (No reflection on you, Reader, honest, but there is a reason we have beta-readers and copy editors!) but who has a keen sense of smell and does not hesitate to act upon what he knows is the right thing.

Because, when you embark upon a life as a working writer, or are seeking publication, you need some of these qualities.

Traditionally, I have printed my best copy of my manuscript, bound it at Office Depot or Kinko’s (which has a terrific online-accessible system), and mailed it to my beta-readers.  These readers (two at the minimum but usually three) are people whom I trust to be able to read my work with a critical eye.  That means they’re well-read in terms of grammar and characterization, they’re fearlessly honest, and they also give positive feedback when it’s warranted.  To these people, I give free rein with highlighters and pencils or pens and they mark up their copy of my work.

Do not ask anyone to beta-read if you do not have a solid relationship with them.  And when you do, do not take anything they say about your work personally (unless it’s charming, of course). This sometimes feels like the hardest part for a novelist seeking publication – having people you know comb over your manuscript.

And that’s the easy part.  It really is.

Rewriting is FUN!

Once you have your beta-read copies of your novel, you get to sit down and sift through what was said.  Remember what I said above about being like a rhino?  Keep that mindset. You will read that you’re making no sense. You will read that your favorite passages were ignored. You will find out that some of the most inane (in your mind) ideas were ooh’d and aah’d over.  And you will find you have typos everywhere, you have been misspelling a certain word your whole life, and that you enjoy the word “thoughtfully” entirely too much.

Some of what your beta-readers said is right on.  Believe it. Some of it you’ll be able to ignore. Remember, these are individual people with individual opinions. You are not obligated to heed everything they say.  But do think about every comment.  And save them.

Once you’ve rewritten your manuscript, once you’ve winced and fixed and tweaked, you need to be able to call it “finished” and then you have to really get to work.  You have to figure out how to sell your Magnum Opus.

Next time:  The Slings and Arrows of Agents and Editors OR Submitting to Rejection