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12.01.05
How To Get Noticed By Editors And Publishers
 By
Shelley Wake
To be a successful writer and get noticed, being good often isn't good enough.
You have to shine. You have to have something that puts you above all others.
Of course though, nobody is perfect. Everyone has faults and flaws. But everyone
has talents and abilities too. What's your talent?
Find your talent and focus on it. Develop it. Showcase it in your writing so it
really shines through. Remember, one thing that stands out is far easier to notice
than ten things that are good, but not great. Make sure your best skill stands
out.
Stacey's Story: Start With Something Special
I had my breakthrough while taking a break from writing. I was watching the movie
Bring it On and decided to watch the bonus features. One of them was an interview
with the director and he talked about how the screenplay got noticed because it
opened with the cheer song. That stood out, that got their attention, that made
them want to read the rest. I decided to take the same approach. I took chances
with the start. I started with a letter, a poem, a snippet from a diary. It must
have made the difference because with that one change, a manuscript that had been
rejected 14 times got purchased. -Stacey, Novelist
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Carmen's Story: Use Your Strengths
I was told by my teachers and by readers that my dialogue was really strong. So
I decided to stop hiding it away and I put it right out front. I made the first
chapter of my novel almost all dialogue. It got the attention of an agent, who
has since told me that the individuality of the first chapter told him that he
had found a new writer with a clear sense of style. He took me on and is now trying
to sell that sense of style to publishers. Even better for me, he's not just trying
to sell my first book, he's trying to sell me as the next new thing, a young writer
to look out for! -Carmen, Novelist
Editor Says: "Forget Modesty"
Writing is not a business where you can afford to be modest. You have to get in
there and show what you've got. Whatever you do better than everyone else, show
it off. Build your work around your best skill. Otherwise, you're going to be
lumped in with the rest of the writers that are good, but don't stand out. -James,
Editor
Editor Says: "I'm Looking for One Thing"
Many writers make the mistake of trying to show me everything they do well. Forget
it. I'm glancing at hundreds of manuscripts a day. To catch my attention, you
have to hit me between the eyes with one strong point that I can't not notice.
There will be time later to show me your other strengths. For the first contact,
focus on making one clear point about yourself and make it a good one. -Darryn,
Editor
Susan's Story: Is it Really a Flaw?
In the early days of Susan's career, everyone advised her that she relied on dialogue
too much. So she cut out the dialogue. She kept writing but found her work lacked
energy. Years later, she decided to ignore all the advice. The novel came naturally
to her and it was almost all dialogue. The book reviews praised her unique style
and voice. Susan learned her lesson-never suppress what comes naturally to you.
Remember, what comes naturally to you might be your greatest gift, not your greatest
flaw.
Top Six Ways to Find Your Strength
1. Ask other people what stands out about your work.
2. Read some of your best work and make a list of what makes it good.
3. Read through the contents of a book about writing and ask yourself if there
is an area you are good at.
4. Think about what other people have said about your work. Are there any comments
that keep being repeated?
5. Ask yourself what you care about when you write.
6. What do you like about other people's work? Often the things you notice in
other people's work are also the things that you are good at.
About the Author:
This article contains a tiny portion of the great advice Shelley Wake learned
when she interviewed hundreds of editors and writers for “Kick-Start Your Writing
Career.” The book is packed with smart, practical, proven methods guaranteed to
get you noticed, get you published, and get your career moving. Link: http://www.writingstuff.com/fs01m.html |
