National Novel Writing Month
Have a great idea for a novel but can’t seem to find the discipline to sit down and start writing? National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is an international online event that takes place every November, and it aims to help aspiring novelists get to that 50,000 target. If writing a novel in a month sounds daunting – and it is – it helps that NaNoWriMo is about getting those words on the pages and doing quality control later. If you’re looking for a little bit of structure or need some help to begin, NaNoWriMo might be for you. Although the event officially takes place in November, the website has lots of great resources and forums full of tips and testimonials all year round.
Find out more here
Short Story Competitions
As a writer, having a pedigree can be a huge help when you’re trying to get your first novel published. Publishers are more likely to sit up and take notice when they see that you have been recognised elsewhere. Short story competitions are a great way of getting your name out there, and they take place all year round and all over the world. Even if you haven’t tried your hand at short stories, a chapter or extract from your novel that you feel can stand alone might just do the trick. If you’re not in you can’t win, so try to enter as many competitions as you can.
Take a look at the competitions listed on the Irish Writers’ Centre website here
Social Media
Publishers often prefer authors who already have an online presence. Visibility is everything, and when it comes to getting noticed, sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are a great help. Consider setting up a blog – there are hundreds of free hosting sites out there such as WordPress, BlogSpot and Tumblr. Your own website will allow you to create an online profile for yourself as an author, as well as helping you get some feedback on your work.
Submitting
If you are lucky enough to be in a position where you think your novel is ready to be submitted, make sure you take a step back and look where you’re sending it to. If your novel falls into the Science Fiction genre, don’t send it to a company who mainly publishes Romance novels. Likewise, don’t send a memoir to a crime fiction publisher. Look at the publisher’s website. What type of novels do they publish? Do they accept unsolicited manuscripts? Are they looking for a full draft or the first three chapters? Do they want a synopsis? Once you have decided on a list of publishers that you feel might be interested in your novel, it’s time to work on the cover letter. A cover letter is the publishers introduction to you as a person. Don’t tell them that your work speaks for itself – you need to speak up for it or else no one will be interested. Introduce yourself in three or four lines. Talk about your book – what is it about? Who is it aimed at? What genre is it? If you have any writing achievements, put them in.
Remember: every publisher will want something different so it is essential to read and adhere to their submission guidelines.
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