Beginning Writers
If you’ve just decided that you want to write a book or have been pursuing writing for a short period, this is the time to learn. Read craft books. Learn the mechanics of writing. Study plot and conflict. Explore different genres and figure out the one that you enjoy writing the most.
Connect with writing groups. Meeting with other writers in all stages of their careers can be a valuable experience, whether online in groups such as Seekerville or in person via RWA or ACFW. Start to explore where you want to submit your book. Research agents and publishing houses.
It’s very important in this stage to finish a book to prove to yourself that you can do it. So many beginning writers have multiple unfinished manuscripts languishing in their computers. I’d advise finishing one, even if it will never be published. Typing the end will be a breakthrough that can propel you to the next step of your journey.
Pre-Pubbed Writers
You’ve finished a book…or ten. You’re writing with publication in mind. Now is the time to refine your work and strive toward publication.
Just because you’ve finished a book, doesn’t mean it should be published. But even if it’s not, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a valuable learning experience. Each book you write will teach you something and help you grow as a writer. This is a good time to get feedback on your writing. Submit to contests. Judges are often authors or editors or agents, and getting feedback from them can help you refine your work. Find critique partners in the industry. While your mother may love to read your work, you can get more honest feedback from someone who didn’t give birth to you.
Once you’ve gotten some good critiques or feedback on your finished manuscripts, try submitting to an agent or publisher. If you’re fortunate, maybe one of your contest finals already led to a request. If not, research where you want to submit and follow submission guidelines.
Some quick submission tips:
1. Address your submission to a specific person.
2. Always include a synopsis. 5-7 double spaced pages is the sweet spot. 15+ make our eyes glaze over.
3. Highlight your experience in your query letter. If you don’t have experience, show us your research and enthusiasm. Tell us why you think your book fits with us. Don’t apologize for your inexperience.
4. Spoil us. Editors and agents need to know all the twists and turns in your book. This isn’t the place to tease your ending. Tell us everything that happens.
5. Once you submit, start writing the next one. Don’t refresh your email or reread your book and drive yourself crazy finding typos.
Newly Published Writers
You’ve done it. You’ve finally sold a book. This is an exciting time, but it’s not the time to get complacent. It’s the time to buckle down and work. First, start your next book if you haven’t already. Often, writers find that selling book number two can be harder than the first one. The first one you’ve spent years working on and perfecting and submitting. Then writers try to write the second one in a few months, and it often falls short. So, don’t rush through it. Make sure you go through the steps that you did with the first one. Get critiques. Revise. Put it aside for a few weeks and read it through with fresh eyes. Take your time, so that you don’t submit a book that isn’t ready. And understand that while you’re working on the next book, you’ll still be doing work on the first. Revisions, promotions, dedications and edits will be coming your way. Make time for them.
Mid-level Writers
You’ve sold a few books. You’ve gotten past the second book slump. You’ve made it. Many writers often fall into complacency at this point. But that is not the way to go. Even if you’ve gotten in a groove and are selling regularly, it’s vital to keep growing and learning.
Here are some tips to keep your writing moving in a forward direction:
1. Don’t compare yourself to other authors. Every author has a different journey. Just because someone else writes five books a year, doesn’t mean you must. Make your own personal goals and focus on those. If you compare yourself to others, you’ll always fall short.
2. Set realistic deadlines. If it takes you six months to write a book, don’t set three month deadlines. Every writer goes at their own pace, and it’s better to have too much time than too little. If you write too fast, your writing quality may go down and impact your career. An editor would rather you set a longer deadline than miss one or turn in a rushed book. And don’t forget to include time for all the things you still have to do for prior books.
3. Keep up with the industry and trends and adjust and grow your writing. The books a publishing house are looking for change with the calendar. If you’re still writing books that they were buying years ago, you might have trouble selling. Be flexible and look to grow your writing.
Experienced Writers
Writing is your career. You’ve been writing for many years. People know your name, and it can open doors. Newer authors are coming to you for advice. Surely you don’t need advice, right? Wrong. Publishing is a changing business, and you can always grow and learn new directions. Genres go in cycles, publishing houses open and close, sales go up and down. To keep your voice fresh, you need to stay on top of trends and try new things.
Here are a few tips for experienced writers:
1. If someone mentored you when you were starting out, don’t forget to pay it back. I was just at the ACFW conference taking appointments, and a good chunk of the writers came to me and said that Tina Radcliffe or Lynette Eason (one of my authors and the newly named ACFW Mentor of the Year) mentored them and sent them to the appointment. Editors always appreciate authors who are great mentors. Thanks for giving back, ladies. If you are experienced, consider sharing your knowledge with others like these writers do.
2. Don’t assume that because you’ve made it, you don’t need to research and do your homework. We get a lot of multi-published authors who submit to Love Inspired, and it’s often harder for them to sell to us than a new author. Because they submit a proposal without researching and studying what we do and what a series romance book requires. Even if you’ve written 50 books, do your homework before submitting to a new house or agent.
3. Always keep trying to improve your craft. Strive to make your next book your best book ever. Readers will thank you for it.
Thanks for listening everyone. I’ll be in and out today to answer questions about writing or the publishing industry or writing for Harlequin. To start the conversation, tell us what stage you’re in and what the best advice you’ve been given is.
Emily Rodmell is the editor for Love Inspired Suspense. She has acquired more than 45 authors in her career with Harlequin and is always looking for more. Send her your high-intensity romantic suspense novels and unique and interesting contemporary romances. She can be found on Twitter: @EmilyRodmell, Facebook: Emily Rodmell, Editor and Instagram: @nyc_editor_life
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One commenter today will win an assortment of Love Inspired books from Seekerville in honor of Emily's visit. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.
We also have birthday videos from three of Editor Emily Rodmell's authors!
Sharee Stover
Debby Giusti
Terri Reed.
Sharee Stover