Your First Novel: An Author Agent Team Share the Keys to Achieving Your Dream [Paperback]

Ann Rittenberg (Author), Laura Whitcomb (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 8, 2006 | ISBN-10: 1582973881 | ISBN-13: 978-1582973883

In Your First Novel, 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!

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Superb advice on writing a great novel and getting it published." —Harlan Coben, author of Promise Me

"The advice in Your First Novel rings so true that I found myself sighing through its pages, thinking ‘If I’d been told this earlier, what a lot of trouble I’d have saved myself.’ This book offers the spark of inspiration that gets a writer both mentally and physically geared for the task. Then it delivers something equally vital: clear-headed, positive advice about the business side of writing a novel. It’ll inspire you to create, challenge you to be great, and bolster you with the wisdom of two seasoned professionals." —George Hagen, author of The Laments

"This book is essential reading for anyone impractical enough to try to write a first novel and anyone practical enough to do what it takes to get published. Ann RIttenberg and Laura Whitcomb offer just the right amount of encouragement and common sense. And Dennis Lehane's foreword should become to writers what the Breyer's Pledge is to ice cream." —Peter Blauner, author of Slipping Into Darkness and Slow Motion Riot

About the Author

Ann Rittenberg has been in publishing for twenty-four years, six as an editor and eighteen as an agent. She's worked on the first novels of Dennis Lehane, Kathleen George, and more, and lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Laura Whitcomb is the author of the acclaimed A Certain Slant of Light. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Writers Digest Books (September 8, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582973881
• ISBN-13: 978-1582973883
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #61,525 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

75 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An empowering read, September 20, 2006

By 

Myfanwy Collins (New England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Your First Novel: An Author Agent Team Share the Keys to Achieving Your Dream (Paperback)

Dennis Lehane is winningly honest as he dishes out tough love in his inspiring foreword, leading into the first half of the book (written by novelist Laura Whitcomb) which focuses on the craft of novel writing and is filled with helpful hints, book recommendations, and exercises.

The second half of the book (written by agent Ann Rittenberg) focuses on the business side of publishing your novel. I devoured this section. Even though I had what I thought was a clear understanding of how things worked on the business side, I was not comprehending it as clearly before I read this book, as I am now that I have read it. This section also offers reading recommendations, web site links, and much insider knowledge.

If you are writing your first novel (or your second, third, fourth, fifth, and even if you have already published a novel) this book is for you--as it leads you from inception to publication and beyond. You might find--as I did--that after reading this book you feel better about your work because you realize how much you are doing right by yourself and your work in the potentially intimidating writing life.

In short, where in the past I might have felt anxiety, after reading this book I feel empowered. And that is the strength of being informed.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical and inspiring, December 7, 2006

By 

Ruth H. Maxwell "book writer" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Your First Novel: An Author Agent Team Share the Keys to Achieving Your Dream (Paperback)

I write for children and found this book extremely useful. The introduction by Dennis Lehane was inspiring. I was moved to tears by his generosity, of his exposing his own struggles and dreams of writing. The rest of the book demonstrated what he had written. Laura Whitcomb not only inspires, she provides practical, easy to use methods for contacting and using your "muse"--creative powers. In the second half of the book, Ann Rittenberg is honest and straight forward in the advice she gives about the business aspect of the writing business. After the first read of the book, I felt more confident and motivated as a writer. The second read of the book was like a workshop for me. I highly recommend this book.

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening, encouraging, and practical advice for writers, October 15, 2006

By 

L. Fernow (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Your First Novel: An Author Agent Team Share the Keys to Achieving Your Dream (Paperback)

Reading this book is like having two wise and supportive friends take you aside and really dish about what it takes to successfully write and publish a novel.

Laura Whitcomb offers inspiring and practical advice on the writing side: everything from how to prepare your right brain for the creative process, to how to end a chapter.

Ann Rittenberg demystifies the entire publishing process and offers a rare look at what happens when (not if) you sell your novel. Her examples of bad query letters are hysterically funny and make you realize you really can do better than THAT.

Both authors are generous with their references and honest in their suggestions. Regardless of how far you are in your own novel writing process, you will find something useful and enjoyable in this book.