Tawni asked: How do you go about getting your story noticed by a publisher? My daughter is 15 and loves to write.
Getting noticed in today’s market – whether you’re published, or not, it always a challenge. There is always another great book out there, always a story that is similar to your own. What do you do?
1. Write the story that is on your heart. God has given you a passion for something, and no one can write it with your angle, your insight, your burden. Yes, it might be a rehash of a million other stories, but written in your fresh voice and perspective, it can still be a story that resonates. (Look at all the remakes of old movies, or variations on, say Bible themes, or Shakespearian plays!)
2. Work, work, work on craft so that you can write the best possible story. Make your verbs sing, your nouns sharp, your dialogue crisp, your theme powerful. Make your characters real, and your tension sizzle. Craft always gets noticed.
3. Be true to the story. Every book has a message, yes, but if your message overpowers your story, then you’re just preaching. Tell the story, as creatively as possible, and the message will shine through.
4. Stay current with books in the genre you’re writing so you know your competition. Your editor will know what else is out there – you should too.
5. Take criticism with grace, apply it, and DON’T GIVE UP!
Sounds simple, I know, but those basics are what have driven writers across the centuries to write the classics, the best-sellers and the stories we love today.
(Susan May Warren spent the summer collecting “Ask and Author Anything!” questions, about life, writing and anything (within reason) her readers asked. Stop back every week this winter to read the answers to those questions!)
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