How Many Words For A Novel?

Writers are always wondering about the length of the book they are writing. Should they be counting pages or words? Most publishers will ask for a word count, rather than page count. The number will vary with each author, depending on style, and I've heard a lot of numbers thrown about. My best answer is this: anything under 50K is considered a novella, and over that number would be a novel. The average word count for a novel is generally between 80 - 120K. Of course the best answer is to continue to write until you've finished telling your story.

Free Books

Going shopping for books? Do it from home while sitting in your pajamas. You can shop for free eBooks right on your computer, download them, and begin to enjoy your new books in minutes. Just click on this link and get started: Top 20 Sites For Free eBooks.

The Query Letter

What separates published authors from those who are not? I submit that it's not talent, or a compelling story, no, more than likely it's the query letter. I ran across a great article about that topic here: The Query Letter, it's written by Garly Samailes, who has ten books in print by four separate publishers.

I urge you to read his blog. In it he shares his secret: the four paragraph approach to a query letter. It makes a lot of sense, and includes some of the things I've blogged about earlier, things like web presence via your own website, Twitter, FaceBook, and other social networks.

After you've read that entry, click on some of the other informative links on his site. It's a great blog to follow, which is another way to improve your chance of writing success.

Don't Be Invisible

Whether you've had your work published or not--a novel, book, poetry, or short stories--you need to get your name and your work out there. Think about it . . . who better to promote your work than yourself? There are a myriad of ways to market your wares, many of which can be done while sitting at your own comfortable desk. Here's a website that expands on marketing, how to build your platform, as it were: Author Marketing Experts.

The good news is the standard query letter has not gone away. Publishers continue to utilize this tried and true method of ferreting out manuscripts for publication. And you can increase your chances of success and being noticed through social networking via Facebook, Twitter, Squidoo, and blogging. Don't forget to build your own website, where you can link to other similar sites and people can link to you.

Make no mistake, this is the electronic age where ePublishing, eReaders, and virtual books are a burgeoning market and necessary tool. To ignore this simple fact diminishes your chance for success.

Kindle Makes A Move

Beginning next week, the Kindle reader, which was formerly sold only on Amazon's website, will be available at Target. This is a huge move, one that reflects the enormous growth of eReaders and ePublishing. (free Kindle software is already available as an iPhone app) It follows Best Buy's lead--they are selling the Barnes & Noble eReader, The Nook.

eBooks Are Here To Stay

Publishing is in the midst of an upheaval not seen for decades. While many of us long to see our work memorialized in something tangible--a hardcover book with a beautiful dust jacket--the fact is that more publishers are coming to terms with ePublishing. The fact that companies such as Google and Apple are aggressively seeking books to publish on their readers isn't bad for the industry. It means the market is more open than it's been in decades.

Rather than bemoan the fact that conventional publishing seems to be in a state of decline, revel in the burgeoning market of electronic publishing. At this moment it may not be as lucrative monetarily, but it is a vehicle for your work to reach thousands of readers.

The eBook Mall

Online Writing Courses

Writers need advice, critiquing, and interaction. One of the ways to get help with your writing is to simply take a course. Since many people's lives are busy: kids, school, work, etc., many of us cannot commit to signing up for a course at the local college. The answer: an online writing course.

Is it worth it? Probably, although a class in which there is human contact, real-time critiquing, is more valuable, an online course is the next best thing. Here's a link to an article that discusses the topic at length: Should I Take An OnlineWriting Course?

Some of the considerations to look at before signing up for a course can be found here: How To Choose an Online Writing Class. Now, go do your homework.

Marketing Your Work

You've written, edited, and sold your book to a publisher . . . you're done now, right? Not hardly, now comes the hard work--marketing. Here's a link for those of you who think you're finished once your book is published: WRITERS DIGEST. To give you hope about your future in the industry, here's a quote from the article: "The mediocre writer who can sell is usually more successful than the talented writer who cannot."

The article, Why Don't Publishers Market & Promote the books They Publish?, is an education for those of you who are new to the business of writing. The bottom line is money, it's just not available to all but a few proven writers, and even then the publisher is hoping the writer's reputation will suffice. Indeed, 70% of books don't even earn out their advance.

So if you think that all you have to do is write that novel and then sit back and wait for the royalty checks to roll in, think again. Pack you bags and get ready to hit the road.

Plot Ingredients

The following advice on building a successful plot comes from Frank Creed, The Finishers.Biz:

The most common problems in plot that I have encountered are:

•A slow beginning
•Any inclusion that does not advance the plot (secondary character, dialogue, subplots, narrative, etc.)
•Pacing of events that moves too fast
•Pacing of events that moves too slow
•Subplots that aren’t tied into the main plot at some point
•Protagonist not involved in all events, either directly or indirectly
•Weak conclusion

If these flaws are cleared up in a manuscript, further rewrites to improve plot will merely move information around, not improve quality. It is said an artist is never done with a story; there just comes a time when one must stop working on it.

Great advice, and I agree with his conclusion--"...there comes a time when one must stop working on it." The conundrum--deciding when it's time.

How to Find the Right Editor

How to Find the Right Editor This is a great article explaining the various types of editing and the importance of ensuring your work is a good fit for the editor you choose.

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Self-Publishing Gains Foothold

Some people tend to look down their nose at books that are self-published--they may be missing out on some good reads. Yesterday, according to Publishers Weekly:

A staggering 764,448 titles were produced in 2009 by self-publishers and micro-niche publishers, according to statistics released this morning by R.R. Bowker. The number of "nontraditional" titles dwarfed that of traditional books whose output slipped to 288,355 last year from 289,729 in 2008. Taken together, total book output rose 87% last year, to over 1 million books.

That is an amazing stat; you can read the entire article here. I'm not sure what this revelation means as it relates to sales, but suffice it to say, traditional publishing is by no means "traditional" any longer.

Too Young To Retire?

I'm just revising a piece for my May monthly article that will appear on Officer.com (click on the link to read my April column). In the coming piece, I discuss the issue of mandatory retirement for law enforcement. Years ago, Congress passed legislation requiring federal law enforcement officers to retire at age 57--that was then, this is now. One of the many things that have changed in the last twenty years is health and fitness. There have been programs implemented that have caused the workforce to be healthier and stronger. Indeed, life expectancy in the U.S. has risen to age seventy-eight. To force a person to retire in his fifties means that individual is potentially looking at twenty-five years or more of reduced income and/or inactivity.

My article will go live on Officer.com May 3rd; I'll supply a link next month.

Expanding My Horizons

Last night our little writers critique group met at the local Borders. We are an eclectic bunch--novelists, poets, short story writers, and now, a children's book enthusiast and creator. The two hours spent reading our work and discussing the content is priceless. I'm learning so much, and I am grateful for the friendship and camaraderie. A couple of weeks ago, a new face was added. Jackson, a local performing artist, has exposed us to his work--fascinating. I look forward to hearing more. The critique group is an education not available in schools--it's reality. Thanks, everyone.

So Simply Stated

"You can't be a good writer if you don't read; you can't be a good writer . . . if you don't write!" These are the words of Tony Wren, author, columnist, and master gardener. He recently spoke at our monthly meeting of the Riverside Writers, in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and brought along several of his published books on architecture.

He has an encyclopedic wealth of information about writing, but that simple statement of his about becoming a good writer, stuck with me like a stamp to an envelope. Tony told us that reading is important, not only within your own genre, but reading all types of books and articles. See how others create characters, and describe feelings and places--even the senses--touch, feel. And then, Write! To procrastinate, to make excuses, hinders your ability to move forward as a writer. The question becomes, "What if what I write is not good?" The response: What if it is?

The Virginia Festival of the Book

I was privileged to appear on a panel of fellow authors to discuss the topic:  "Why We Write What We Write."  This discussion was part of  a five-day event which celebrates authors from every genre.  It was the 16th Annual event which takes place each year in beautiful Charlottesville, Virginia.  Afterward, I was priviliged to sign copies of both my books for members of the audience..