How to Write & Sell Your First Novel (Paperback)

~ (Author), Frances Spatz Leighton (Author) "You couldn't get more obscure than John Wessel who worked in a bookstore..." (more)
Key Phrases: beginning novelists, explicit sex scenes, paperback rights, New York, Nan Salerno, Shaman's Daughter (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

For over twenty years, How to Write & Sell Your First Novel has been giving the writing and marketing instruction you need to get that first novel published. Authors Oscar Collier and Frances Spatz Leighton will walk you through every step of the process from choosing the type of novel you want to write to publicity and self-promotion basics, and all the steps in between, such as:

• Establishing daily writing routines
• Developing compelling characters, realistic dialogue, and an engaging plot
• Revising and editing your manuscript for submission
• Deciding whether or not an agent is right for you
• Handling contract negotiations

  In addition to all of this great instructional advice, How to Write & Sell Your First Novel also includes interviews with novelists about their publishing experience, as well as the working methods, attitudes, and specific strategies superstar novelists--like Stephen King, John Grisham, Mary Higgins Clark, and others--used to get published. Use their tips to help you build your own success!

From the Publisher

For years, Writer’s Digest Books has been the go-to brand for providing writers with everything they need to know to write well and get published. The Writer’s Digest Classics series is made up of carefully selected best-selling books, each of which presents timeless information that continues to resonate with writers.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Writers Digest Books; 3 Revised edition (July 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898797705
• ISBN-13: 978-0898797701
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #341,770 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most helpful, practical book I've read on writing a novel., July 22, 1999

By A Customer

I've read more than a few good books on writing; several are quite inspirational. The difference here is that this book is practical. I wrote my first novel following the guidelines set forth in Collier and Leighton's book, and I sold it to a major publishing company. Inspiration is great; inspiration plus methodology is better.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some irrelevant information, June 25, 2000

By	Duaa Anwar "Dressage rider/ Author" (Cairo, Egypt) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The book started out extremely well, the first chapter was inspirational and very informative. The second chapter explained the different genres of fiction, i.e. mainstream, romance, mystery, etc. Further along the book, I found the book was most practical in its advice on preparing your final draft and submitting it to publishers.

The second part of the book is basically a biography covering the lives of several authors. Some were quite interesting as they were compressed into two or three pages, such as the careers of John Grisham, Stephen King, and Mary Higgins Clark. I do admit those were very inspirational as well.

The disappointment was in the long, extensive, and detailed biographies of George O'Toole, Steven Linakis and a few others. I believe this was hardly relevant to the subject; one may think they were included in the book for inspiration to the reader, but the amount of detail that is put in there about the authors' lives may tend to leave you wondering, "He (Oscar) could've said that in a page, why'd he use up 8 pages?"

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Some Areas Helpful - Others Dated, January 5, 2001

By	FictionAddiction.NET - See all my reviews

The publishing world is changing so fast. The advent of E-Publishers and Print-on-Demand has also changed the industry.

Even though this book has a 1997 publishing date, some of the info is already dated. Don't get me wrong, there are sections that are very helpful. I've had the book three years and find myself flipping through it as a back-up to my other information.

Honestly, though, you can probably find more accurate info on the Internet than this book can really offer now.