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How to Get Published
by Yahrah Yisrael (J95)
I started out writing short stories and plays in longhand when I was 12 years old. You remember those spiral notebooks? Well, I filled many of those up in the mid-eighties and to this day I still have every one of them. But as I became older, I wanted new challenges, so I progressed to longer pieces like short novels. Pretty soon, I was writing up a storm and waiting for the day that I’d see by name in print.
What made me choose NU? Well, initially I thought I wanted to be a journalist. I guess I thought journalism and fiction writing were synonymous. And what better school than the Medill School of Journalism, right? So, I did what any normal freshman would, I joined The Daily Northwestern. But after a semester of Basic Writing and an internship at the Chicago Reporter, this fiction writer hung up her reporter’s cap. Storytelling was my forte, not hard facts. But again life took me along a different route away from my true passion. After graduation, when I was searching for a job (any job at that point – I had bills to pay). I ended up working in property management where my problem-solving and management skills came in handy. I enjoyed three years in the residential field before I decided to move on to a new challenge: commercial property management. Now, I’m an Assistant Property Manager for a 30-acre business park. But still something was missing, sure I dabbled in newsletter writing hoping that would cure my itch. It didn’t.
Then three years, at the spur of the moment I decided to go to a local writer’s conference and it was then and there that my passion for writing was reawakened. So, I bought that laptop I’d been eyeing for years and pounded out my first book. It took me nine months, but when One Magic Moment was finished, I was overjoyed. The rest of my story reads like a fairy tale. After a short pitch to an editor at a writer’s conference, I was offered a two- book deal with BET Books and now my first book will be in print this December. I hope my story is a lesson to all to never give up on your dreams.
Now if you’re a neophyte like I was when I first sat down to write my first novel, then there are a few things you ought to know to become a published author.
Writing Your BookThe first step is to write a great book. Editors are looking for fresh voices and new approaches to the romance, mystery or science fiction genres they represent. Next, learn your craft. Read books and magazines and see what other writers are doing with their work. Join writer’s groups. Enter contests. Hone those skills and then apply them to your writing.
Third, understand that the essential elements to any good book are: plot, pacing, characterization, narrative, dialogue and point of view. A plot tells you what the story is all about. Conflict drives the story. Conflict can be either internal or external. For example, the hero and/or heroine’s issues of abandonment is internal while an external conflict is something the hero has no control over such as the antagonist sabotaging something the hero seeks to attain.
Pacing: Does the story hold the reader’s attention? It’s important to make every word count.
Then there are your characters. They must be vibrant and compelling, individuals that any reader can relate to. Your characters must be complex. Allow the reader see their flaws and strengths.
A character profile is a must-have. Sketch out what your hero or heroine looks like. Age? What color are their eyes? Does the hero have a scar above his brow that he received falling off his bike when he was five? What about body style? Are they self-conscious about their weight? And family? Are they an only child or the eldest of three? Your readers need to know these important facts.
Don’t forget that while you’re creating these unforgettable characters, you have to set the scene and give them a fabulous world to live in. Bring the reader along with you by using your five senses: sight, smell, touch, sound and taste. Don’t tell their actions; evoke them through expository narrative and gripping dialogue.
Finding a Publisher: The Query and BeyondOnce you’ve incorporated the core ingredients it’s time to submit your work of art. Sending your baby out into the world can be a nerve-wracking and hair-raising experience, but if you follow these few simple rules you’ll be well on your way. If you have an agent, great. They’ll handle it your submission for you. But if you’re unagented like I was, then it’s up to you to sell your book.
Most editors at major publishing houses prefer to be queried. What is a query? Basically, it’s a one page letter, including a quick plot summary, sent to an editor as a pitch for your manuscript.
Brevity is required. Be sure to promote yourself in the letter, highlighting your writing/publishing background and any awards you may have won. If interested, the editor will request a synopsis and three sample chapters.
Formatting your manuscript is quite simple: use 8 1/2 x 11 standard white paper; 12-point, Courier New or Times New Roman font; and one inch margins all around. This is the standard manuscript format. Hook the editor by establishing your main character and the key plot points, obstacles and the outcome. The synopsis should be compelling and show the editor how the essential elements come together. The synopsis should be three to five pages in length. And by all means, please send your first three chronological chapters. Editors don’t want your third, fifth and seventh chapters.
When the editor requests your complete manuscript, you cry tears of joy. All your hard work is finally being rewarded. Submit that manuscript, loose-leaf and unbound. Rubberband it and send it along with your synopsis and a cover letter. And if you’re lucky and you’ve submitted a great book, then comes the offer. I can tell you that it’s the icing on the cake after a long time baking. And well worth the wait.
One final note: I hope you didn’t think your work was over. Now that you’ve gotten that offer you had better start thinking about contracts, publicity and promotion. Writing groups, the internet, the library and your fellow authors are all great resources to help you get started. And remember while you’re selling that first book – you should be writing the second. Happy writing.
Yahrah Yisrael's One Magic Moment (Arabesque) is available through Amazon.com. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern in 1995. Her second novel will be released in October 2005.
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