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Comment by Andrea Heiberg on February 20, 2012 at 10:29am

Danielle, you might go to http://www.thewritehelper.com/

She's Amy and she can edit your novel. And query letters: I joined an online course at Gotham's and I learned a lot.

And most of all here: I ended up getting published by Salt Publishing in the UK.

Comment by Susan Helene Gottfried on February 20, 2012 at 5:24am

Danielle --

Like others have said, work on your manuscript before going to editors with it. There are some really good books on structure -- you didn't mention what genre you're writing in, but Christie Craig co-wrote a really good one about romances. You don't have to follow everything in it, but the way she suggests pacing and how to build a book in acts is very useful for any genre. 

Also, one other thing that helps is going back through your ms., chapter by chapter, and making either scene cards or an outline. That'll help you see where your structure is weak and what you wrote that truly doesn't belong.

Don't query until the manuscript is in a form that's ready to show. Another amazing source is Janet Reid's Query Shark site. Read the archives and you'll learn volumes. If you're brave, once you've done that (but only after you're familiar with it!), submit your own query. 

As for an editor, go through at least one major revision before hiring it out, preferably  more. If you're truly lost for structural issues, look for someone who will help with exactly that, but know that you'll need a few more rounds of revisions and work before it's submission ready.

I always say to people that the purpose of the first draft is to get to the end. It's in revision that the real craft of fiction writing comes into play. 

Good luck!

Comment by Dana Alexander on February 19, 2012 at 10:04pm

Danielle,

Being open is the best way to go.  Some things will sound right for change and others you'll know just won't work for the direction you want to take the story. Nathan's site is awesome, and so is Bookends.com.  Jessica Faust has helpful blogs and even query examples that got a request.  Miss Snark- (another literary agent-anonymous) is excellent too--so much is out there.

Judith,

I couldn't agree more about flashbacks being a can of worms, along with prologues! And I'm glad that using them worked for your novel and that some were used in the screen adaptation. That's so cool. I think the key is that they have to be done right and not be a huge info dump.  I also received the same good advice you gave Karen.

Comment by Valerie Brooks on February 19, 2012 at 9:16pm

Thanks for the note about my blog, Autumn. I appreciate it.

Comment by Danielle Boonstra on February 19, 2012 at 7:39pm

Thanks Dana! That website is awesome...I've bookmarked it :)

Yes, my grammar and spelling are fine.  The thing I need the most help with is structure.  I have never written fiction before (not since high school) and so while I really believe in my story, I know that I will need to be open to changes.

Comment by Judith Marshall on February 19, 2012 at 6:35pm

Boy, are you opening up a can of worms, Karen.  There are so many opinions about flashbacks (just like prologues) that it's hard to get a straight answer.  They're in; they're out; they're poison, they're fine.  My novel is written in the present day about a group of women who grew up in the 1950s.  Obviously, flashbacks to their growing-up-years are critical to the story. Yet, several writing teachers, agents, and the like told me not to use them.  Bottom line, I did.  And now the book has been optioned for the big screen and the screenwriter who adapted it into a screenplay include some of the flashbacks.

My advice, if the flashbacks are critical to the story and your transitions are smooth, use them.

Judith Marshall

Author of "Husbands May Come and Go but Friends are Forever"

 

Comment by Karen Scott on February 19, 2012 at 6:26pm

Wondering (on my blog and in my head) about using flasbacks in my WIP YA novel. http://carpekeyboard.blogspot.com/

I'd love your thoughts on Flashbacks as a literary device.

Comment by Dana Alexander on February 19, 2012 at 5:28pm

Congratulations, Danielle!  It's a huge sense of accomplishment.  Now the real work begins in revisions!  :)

I found a content editor was extremely useful.  But that was after several edits I did to revise.  For me, grammar and spelling were pretty clean.  It's smart to edit and polish it before pursuing agents.  Query letters are no easy task (a whole different ballgame, in fact), but there is a lot of good info out there.  Nathan Bransford (former agent) has an excellent site for tips:  http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2009/06/writing-advice-database.html

Best wishes!

Comment by Danielle Boonstra on February 19, 2012 at 5:07pm

I just finished the first draft of my very first novel. It's kind of a surreal feeling.  I'm going to hire an editor.  What you ladies suggest?  One for grammar/structure and one for more creative issues?  To be honest, I'm hoping the person I have in mind can do both!

Am I attempting this too soon?  I want to try going the traditional publishing route, but I'd also like to cover my bases as I go along.

Tomorrow I'm going to write my first query letter....  Any advice?

So grateful for this site!

xoxo

Comment by Regina Y. Swint on February 19, 2012 at 4:51pm

Hi, Carol!  Welcome.  :)

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