Joy Crain asked Melanie Dickerson:

Do you have any advice for a newbie novelist working on her first book?

Melanie Dickerson Hi, Joy! Yes, I like to give newbie novelists a list of great books on writing and websites with great articles on writing and getting published, etc. I also tell my fellow writers to persevere, never give up on your dream of having a career as a novelist, and study hard. There's so much good information on the web on how to write well. I studied how to write and edit fiction, particularly novels, for a few years before I got an agent and got published, and I'm still learning. But there are a lot of things that will brand you as a "newbie" that you need to know about.
Also, don't pay thousands of dollars to a company who will promise you professional editing and a good cover and that they'll get you into book stores. They are overcharging you, and they probably won't be able to get you into book stores. You can hire your own professional editors and cover artists for much less.
You will need a reputable agent if you want to be published by a traditional publisher, and reputable agents do NOT charge any fees. The same with traditional publishers. They pay YOU for the privilege of publishing your book.
Just a few tips. Here is a list of great websites and books to study:

http://seekerville.blogspot.com/

http://www.killzoneauthors.blogspot.com/

http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthor...

http://writerunboxed.com/

http://thewriteditor.wordpress.com/20...

http://www.acfw.com/blog/

http://stevelaube.com/blog/

http://goteenwriters.com – For Teen Writers

http://advancedfictionwriting.com/ -- the Snowflake Method, Randy Ingermanson

http://pubrants.blogspot.com/

http://www.agentquery.com/

Great books on writing:

The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman
Goal, Motivation, and Conflict by Debra Dixon
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Browne and King
Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
On Writing by Stephen King
Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell
Go Teen Writers by Williamson and Morrill

There are many more out there, but these are some of my favorites. Work hard, study hard, pray hard, persevere, and keep writing!

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