I'm starting a series of blog posts here in which industry professionals (editors, agents, publicists, authors, etc.) share their responses to this question:"If you could say one thing to aspiring novelists, what would you say?"
Today I've asked Charlene Patterson, Fiction Acquisitions Editor at Bethany House Publishers.
Her response:
"First of all, write. Don't just talk about or think about or pray about writing. Write. Secondly, if you want to be published, do your homework. Can you imagine an aspiring optometrist showing up at Lens Crafters saying, "Yeah, I've been practicing in my house. Anybody need their eyes checked?" Read good books in your genre. Know what is selling in your market. Learn techniques for plot and dialogue and research and point of view. Take a class where your work is critiqued and you are given suggestions for improvement. Join up with a writers' group. Rewrite."
--Charlene Patterson, Fiction Acquisitions Editor, Bethany House Publishers
CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE SERIES THAT'S CURRENTLY 85+ STRONG!
2 comments:
(Whine) But writing's the hard part ... it's much easier to talk about it and think about it. :-) I won't say pray about it, because then God convicts you to actually do it!
Charlene's advice is great ... both challenging and encouraging. I'm looking forward to reading others responses to this same question.
Thanks C.J.!
Excellent advice! Thanks for sharing it.
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