Your Expert Guide to Writing and Publishing a Novel
In this revised and expanded edition of Your First Novel, novelist
Laura Whitcomb, seasoned literary agent Ann Rittenberg, and her
knowledgeable assistant, Camille Goldin, team up to provide you with the
essential skills needed to craft the best novel you can--and the savvy
business know-how to get it published. Complete with updated references,
analysis of new best-selling novels, and the same detailed instruction,
Whitcomb will show you how to:
- Practice the craft of writing, using both your right- and
left-brain
- Develop a flexible card system for organizing and outlining plot
- Create dynamic characters that readers love--and love to hate
- Study classic novels and story structure to adapt with your ideas
Featuring two new chapters on choosing your path as an author and
understanding the world of self-publishing, Rittenberg and Goldin dive
into the business side of publishing, including:
- What agents can--and should--do for your future
- Who you should target as an agent for your burgeoning career
- How the mysterious auction for novels actually goes down
- Why you should learn to work with your agent through thick and thin
Guiding your first novel from early words to a spot on the bookshelf can
be an exciting and terrifying journey, but you're not alone. Alongside
the advice of industry veterans, Your First Novel Revised and Expanded
also includes plenty of firsthand accounts from published authors on
their journeys, including Dennis Lehane, C.J. Box, Kathleen McCleary,
David Kazzie, and more.