Your First Novel

by Rittenberg, Ann

• ISBN13: 9781582973883
• ISBN10: 1582973881
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-09-08
• Publisher: Writers Digest Books

Summary

Novelist Laura Whitcomb and seasoned literary agent Ann Rittenberg team up to provide you with the skills you need to write your dream novel and the savvy business know-how to get it published. In this all-in-one resource, you'll discover essential novel-writing techniques, such as: How to best structure your research so that you can save time later, How to card your story before you start writing, What to consider when developing your cast of characters, How to adapt classic story structures to fit your own ideas ... and insider information on what it takes to get published, including: What agents do at those three-hour power lunches-and how it affects you, What makes an agent instantly reject a manuscript, How to correctly translate submission guidelines, What happens if you get multiple offers-or no offers at all. Plus, learn about the publishing process from the firsthand accounts of such noted authors as Dennis Lehane, Kathryn Harrison, Jim Fusilli, Kathleen George, and others! Book jacket.

Table of Contents

FOREWORD by Dennis Lehane	1	(8)
PART I: WRITING YOUR NOVEL BY LAURA WHITCOMB
CHAPTER 1: Preparations	9	(22)
CHAPTER 2: Beginning to Write	31	(23)
CHAPTER 3: The Bones of Your Story	54	(17)
CHAPTER 4: Fleshing Out Your Story	71	(12)
CHAPTER 5: Making Your Story Vivid	83	(12)
CHAPTER 6: Being Unforgettable	95	(19)
CHAPTER 7: The Nuts and Bolts	114	(7)
CHAPTER 8: Repairs	121	(8)
CHAPTER 9: Making It Shine	129	(12)
CHAPTER 10: Preparing to Be Read	141	(5)
PART II: PUBLISHING YOUR NOVEL BY ANN RITTENBERG
CHAPTER 11: What a Literary Agent Does—and Why	146	(13)
CHAPTER 12: Before You Submit Your Manuscript	159	(12)
CHAPTER 13: The First Steps on the Path to Publication	171	(13)
CHAPTER 14: Query Letter Babylon	184	(16)
CHAPTER 15: The View From the Other Side of the Desk	200	(19)
CHAPTER 16: Becoming an Agented Author	219	(13)
CHAPTER 17: Working With an Agent Through Thick and Thin	232	(11)
CHAPTER 18: Getting to Yes	243	(18)
CHAPTER 19: Becoming a Published Author	261	(719)
CHAPTER 20: Publication Day—and Beyond	980	(13)
Epilogue	993
Index	294