Russell’s Comments (group member since Oct 14, 2009)

Russell’s comments from the I'm Trying to Get a Book Published! group.

Alicia, I wrote my first novel more as a narrative, imagining in my head the voice as it read. When action took place, I wrote it as a movie, not in script, but with the imagery of screen presentation. Tell the story, don't write it. Russ

Brigid, like you I am trying to get published. Of the fifty or more agents that I queried, only about 18 have responded in any way in the last five months. I wouldn't be worried about your agent taking a month to read your manuscript, they all tell us how busy they are. I think it would be fine to email a request for an update since you're really already in the door. Remember that the shortest note written to an agent was from Victor Hugo. He sent a note that said, "?". The reply, "!". Here's hoping for your "!".

I've targeted small publising houses for many reasons. One being the honest advice of an agent who said that in this economy, unless you are previously published, you have almost no chance of getting an agent to represent you. She cited Nick Sparks, rejected more than twenty times, his Notebook landing in a slush pile because the agent to whom he had submitted had died. The agency nearly overlooked him because he was unpublished. When I research recently published books, especially by new authors, the books are either self-published, e-books, or published by those small publishing houses. Even though I have written for thirty-three years, I've never submitted for publication. My encouragement has come from college professors and friends who devour my writing. As far as editing and refining the novel, my advanced readers all made suggestions which I took to heart, modifying as necessary. The novel was edited by a grammarian who has edited several books in her eighty-three years. Patience, however, is not my greatest virtue and I have had to find several distractions to keep my sanity. I am encouraged by the small publishing houses that are open to new writers and that do have a record of good sales, but, as I said before, this first novel was simple proof that it can be done, its public acceptance mere encouragement for me to continue typing.

Hello to everyone. Congratulations to Sonja for her success and best wishes for her writing career. During a lengthy unemployment, now eighteen months and counting, I penned my first novel, a semi-autobiography called Silence. Edited and polished, it has been submitted to agents and publishing houses since June. My advanced readers all loved it. No one else has stepped forward to make it marketable, though. I'm now seeking out small publishing houses, my hope being just to get it published and gain even a small profit thereby allowing me to add to my queries the coveted "published" and allow me to start the next. From the angst that I see all other writers suffering, I know that my plight is normal. But circumstances really make me covet that "published" prize. I would certainly welcome any suggestions or leads. Thanks to all.