Help on the novel.
I've been working on a novel entitled Beautiful Boy for quite a lot longer than I care to admit. It's the most difficult thing I've written to date. I've never had a work give me so much trouble. As many writers will admit, novels have a way of getting away from you. Logic dictates this, as a character delineated a certain way must act accordingly. This has a way of really mucking about with the carefully rendered plot. (I know writers who don't plot their novels--but I can't figure out how or why they work that way.)I've had the past four days free from my regular job. I'm happy to say that I've been very busy on the new novel and am well on my way to finishing it. Within a month or so I hope to have a completed draft of Beautiful Boy. As I write this, Sophie, queen of upstairs, hops aboard my office chair to check up on my progress.Wish us luck.
Only 3,000 words today?! Get in gear, dude!
Only 3,000 words today?! Get in gear, dude!
4 comments:
Well hurry up dammit! I've finished The Flock and now I need something new!!!
My agent is waiting to hear on some markets for my book HISSMELINA (horror novel). Hope he sells it soon.
Out of curiosity, how did you land your agent? Via a query letter?
Ian:
I've been writing professionally for about 26 years. I think I was 24 when I made my first sale at what was then considered professional rates for a writer. In those years I've had four agents. My first agent was a very famous one. After some time of a lot of near misses, he dumped me. I moved on to another agent who literally went crazy so I had to find another one. My third agent was quite enthusiastic but after not being able to move my then-latest novel I decided to part company with her.
Finally, I made my first novel sale on my own without the help of an agent. But one still does need an agent, especially these days when most publishers won't look at unagented manuscripts. So I started getting in touch with various agents, most of whom were not interested in taking on new clients--not even one who had a novel sale. After a few misses I got in touch with my current agent and I signed with him last year.
My best advice for finding an agent is to just look around to see which of them are looking for new clients. Ask other authors. Never pay any kind of agenting fee. Any agent who charges a fee is likely a rip-off artist. Never pay for a book doctor. If your book's good enough, an agent will take you on.
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