Shelton wrote to ask me the following question:
Hi! I have a completed novel at this point.I have sent out some query letters to literary agents but is there another way or something else that I can do?
Hi, Shelton.
Thanks for writing! Congratulations on finishing your novel! That’s a major accomplishment!
Yes, there are a few things you can do. Number one, you might want to attend a writers’ conference. I’m not sure what genre/type of fiction you write, but you should do a Google search and see what kinds of conferences are available for people writing in your genre. If you can’t find a local conference, you might need to attend one that’s outside of your immediate area. Airfare would increase the cost, but you might find the conference beneficial in helping you meet your publishing goal.
Also, are you a member of a professional writers’ organization? Again, it’s hard for me to advise which organization you should join since I have no idea about the kind of fiction that you write. If you join a writers’ organization, they’ll usually have an e-mail loop where the members can exchange information, helping one another out with their publishing goals. If you do join a professional writers’ organization, you may want to consider joining a critique group. Having others to read your work may help you to improve the quality of your writing.
Also, continue writing! If novels are your passion, then, by all means, START ANOTHER NOVEL! Yes, you can continue to try and get an agent to represent you, or get an editor to purchase your recently-completed work, but you should still start the next project! This will help you get into the routine of continuously writing after a book is finished. Once you’re contracted, most publishers want to see another novel, or novel idea, sometime after they’ve contracted your book.
Hope my advice helps. Anybody can chime in with commments and advice of their own!
I’ll be posting my summary of the reasons why Amish fiction sells so well within the Christian market soon!
Also, start a new novel that isn’t necessarily a sequel. Some writers are busy writing books 2, 3, and 4 of a series when they haven’t found an agent or editor interested in the first book.
It may not be your writing, but the topic or storyline is wrong for the current market. Genres go through cycles of between being in demaind and out of demand.
If you have two different books to pitch, it increases your odds of finding an interested publisher. It’s not only about writing a great book, but timing and market swings.