What's the next step?

[ekovax]

At the risk of sounding like a classic textbook case, I present the following:

1. I have written a book.
2. Now what?

Probably half of us out there have been at this same point, and the other half are on the way there. This is the spot I'm in right now. Honestly, I'm at a loss. Any and all suggestions are welcome.

[lynnmosher]

What kind of book is it? Depending on whether it's fiction or non-fiction determines a few details.

[ekovax]

I'm sorry, I should have said. It is fiction.

It's a "film-noir" mystery, but it has a great deal of humor in it. Think along the lines of Firesign Theatre's "Adventures of Nick Danger".

[Tamera]

The next step, after revising, is to start investigating agents and publishers and make a list of who sells your type of novel.

[Tommie Lyn]

ekovax, after you've written a novel, the first step is to polish it. Put it aside for a while, let it "rest," then go back and read it with fresh eyes -- there may be things you missed that you'll see after a short break from it. Make sure it is letter-perfect in every way -- spelling, grammar, story arc, etc.

While you're letting it "rest," you can start preparing for the submissions process. Do research to find some reputable agents who handle books of the same genre as yours (and check Preditors & Editors to make sure the agents you've selected are reliable). Check the submission guidelines of the agents who are possibles, prepare query packets containing what the individual agents request, i.e., synopsis, query letter, etc.

And in the meantime, read posts here on CW where other writers share their experiences with the submissions process -- find out the pitfalls and how to avoid them. If you have questions along the way that you can't seem to find answers to, post them here. Others will be glad to help you, if they can.

[jacks girl]

Well I would advise you if you have not done this to have someone critque it. May be you know what you're doing and may be you don't I don't know you so I can't say and I mean no disrespect here.

I thought the same as you hey i wrote the book now what but It was not done. it was full of show not tell, passive voice, I changed pov way too much. i also had some spelling errors. Is your book been looked over by someone else.

Since you are knew i would say you have not been to our critque section. the folks here are great why not do a little more posting and get the points that you need to give us a look at your work. then you can ask this question again. LOL.

As i say I don't know you or your work, may be you have had your book looked at by others or may be you are a writing expert and know everything and have a perfect book all ready. I just know where i was at a while back and I still have trouble with some of the above.

I hope this helps.

Jacks

[ekovax]

Tommie lyn--
I have been going through that exact process. I also tried this, after a suggestion from a friend: I read the entire novel out loud. He actually suggested it after getting one of Dan Brown's books on tape and noted how foolish the whole thing sounded when it was read aloud!

I found it particularly helpful because, in fine film noir tradition, it is written in first person. You can imagine: if it doesn't sound right out loud, it won't read well on paper.

It's very true, though. It is a critical step to "put it on the shelf" for a time. I've surprised myself several times by things I forgot I wrote!

[Tamera]

You might also want to join the agent and publisher search social group. Everyone in the group is in the process, or soon will be, of working to get there book published. To join, click on your user CP and then on social groups. ;)

[tlm]

When you send to publishing companies, if you go that route, check the companies out thoroughly. Some companies are not what they seem.

[michaelsnyder]

Ekovax,

First...CONGRATULATIONS! Finishing a novel is a huge deal. It really is. So make sure you take a little time to celebrate.

Next (and I promise I'm not being snarky here!!!!)...write another one!

Seriously, there are tons of things to do...many great ideas have already been mentioned here. I wish I knew the statistics, but I'm guessing this will be close enough. Hardly ANYONE sells their first novel. It's almost unheard of. And even if it's not, I think you should pretend it is! Hopefully, I'm wrong and you'll get a six-figure advance in a week or two.

But I've seen this happen way too often...writer finishes book and then ceases to BE a writer and turns into a marketing machine. Unfortunately, you have to do both. So polish and edit and research and go to conferences and chase down as many agents and editors as you can...seriously. But do not allow your writing muscles to atrophy in the process. Statistically speaking, most every published writer (let's say 99%) do not sell their first novel.

And I promise none of that is intended to depress you, but to encourage you. You're a writer, not a marketer. So keep focusing on your strengths and working to make book 2 twice as good as book 1. And if you happen to sell the first one along the way...well that would just be outstanding as well!

Mike

[Tommie Lyn]

But do not allow your writing muscles to atrophy in the process.


You've made an important point here, Mike.

In the just over two and a half years I've been writing, I've written two novels, one novella (finished it this morning), one screenplay, a number of short stories and have two other novels about half done.

But.

During the editing/polishing phase for each novel, I found myself concentrating on other things besides writing, like, editing (and editing is not writing, I found). And those writing muscles get stiff and begin to atrophy when I'm not writing. So. A solution I found is writing prompts.

Doing a few prompts will loosen you up for writing like doing a warm-up before exercise. But since you're writing shorts, you don't get absorbed and obsessive like when you're writing a novel. It just keeps that conduit to the story-generating part of my brain open and unclogged. It's been very helpful to me.

[ekovax]

Mike,
Thanks for the encouragement!

The truth is, I do have a book 2 idea, but I had been holding out on writing an outline on it because I am thoroughly obsessed with getting book 1 as good as I can make it. Which brings up an interesting point: is there some moment when you say to yourself, "If I keep messing with it, it's going to turn out to be a completely different book and so I should just stop it before senility sets in and I can't remember...uh...can't remember..."

I say this because I have literally gone through five drafts and countless revisions, and every time I do I come up with another "Oh, but what if this happens..."

Or should I be doing these revisions while contacting everybody I can?

Or should I sit down and drink a nice Fresca?

But it's not that I'm indecisive.

Am I?

[michaelsnyder]

I never thought this would be a sentence I would type, but here goes...

I'd go with the Fresca!

The best answer I've ever heard about knowing when to stop tinkering with a story is...."You'll just know." I recently read about a guy who worked on several of his short stories for 20 years!

Another great piece of advice (and someone mentioned it in this thread already!) is to get to a point where you can set Book 1 aside. And that doesn't mean forget about it, or don't pursue getting it published...just that something very good happens when you put book/stories away for a month or two, then come back with fresh eyes and ears and brains.

In a perfect world, I'd finish a draft of a novel, then start working on short stories, then back to another round of edits on the novel, back to short stories, etc. But we live in a fallen world and it rarely ever works that way. Oh well...

Another great thing to keep in mind. There is only one perfect book and it's already been written. Please don't hear me say, you shouldn't strive for perfection. But remember too that we're fallible and our art will be as well. I only say that as a reminder to give yourself grace (continually) AND permission to go work on something else for a while. Every new writing experience is a teacher. So I'm sure you'll learn things writing Book 2 that you can apply to the revisions of Book 1. That's how it works for me anyhow.

Mike