1. Lori wrote to ask, "What do you look for when you are considering representing a new novelist?"
I suppose every agent is looking for the same basic components in reviewing a proposal: a great idea, expressed through great writing, supported by an author with a great platform. Those are the general issues an agent considers when reviewing any proposal, in my view.
But more specifically, I'm always looking for a strong voice in the writing. Is it fresh? Does it stand out? Is it something that makes we want to continue reading? Is there personality that shines through? If I can find a manuscript with a strong voice, I'm always much more apt to continue reading. And I guess I'd also have to admit I'm looking at the writer, not just the writing. I don't represent any high-maintenance people, so I usually insist on meeting an author before I agree to represent him or her. I want to make sure we're comfortable with each other (I'm not a fit for everyone). Occasionally I'll have an email exchange with an author and we'll seem to be a match, but then we meet and the vibe isn't right. So I value being eye-to-eye with an author, and having a chance to visit if at all possible.
2. Nancy said, "I've been told by a well-known author that publishers look more for a novelist's ability to sell books (i.e., the author is an established speaker, or someone in the media) than they do for the ability to write books. True?"
I would say that's an overstatement. Certainly publishers are looking at writers more and more with an eye toward "platform," and there are some qualities the publisher will appreciate. (Is the author an expert? Can she get major media attention? Does he have connections with a source for selling large quantities of books?) But with fiction, I find that less true. While I think it's fair to say publishers are now at least asking the "platform" question of novelists, they still weigh their publishing decisions more upon the bigness of the story and the quality of the craft.
3. Joanna asked, "With all the talk about high concept novels and the importance of platform, where is the best place for emerging writers to focus their time? Should we develop an audience, or learn to excel at the craft?"
That's an easy one: Become a great writer first. I don't meet that many great writers (I meet a lot of "pretty good" writers). Whenever I meet a great one, I try to sign them up. It doesn't even matter if they're unpublished -- if they're great, they soon WILL be published. Because greatness gets discovered. In simpler terms, if you really want to get published, focus on creating great characters in a compelling story. (That may not be the most profound thing you'll read today, but it's the truth. Acquisitions people at every house are on the prowl for great characters in big, marketable, compelling stories.)
4. Marvin asked this: "When does a writer's strong voice have an advantage, and when does it become a detriment or a distraction from the story? Does it matter more in certain genres than others?"
I'd be hard pressed to tell you when a writer's voice becomes a detriment. As I said earlier, I'm a huge fan of voice in fiction. I believer our educational system for teaching writing (college classrooms, conferences, even many mentoring workshops) have a tendency to flatten voice in writing by making it appear as though there is one way to write a novel. Sure, I suppose one could argue there are some genres where the house doesn't care about the author's unique voice and merely wants a romantic story told... but I'm not sure I believe that. Not every voice fits every genre, but every editor I know falls in love with a great writing voice.
5. Sandy wrote with this question: "What would you say are the common areas of neglect you see in most second novels? Weak plot? Poor characterization? Underdeveloped themes?"
Love this question, since I tell the authors I represent that your SECOND novel will be your most important. You've doubtless spent years getting the first one completed, then worked to edit it, got all sorts of advice, and went through the process of shopping it with an agent. It's polished and ready to go after three or five years of working on it. Then you get a deal, and suddenly the publisher asks you to write another one in five months. Ack! You race through it, and it comes out disappointing. That can be a career killer, since you want your second novel to build off the sales of your first.
The biggest pitfalls in a second novel? A small idea (your first book was big; your second was hurried and not thought through as well.) Small characters (your first book contained characters you knew intimately; your second people you don't know as well). Less sense of place (your first novel is in a place you've spent considerable time exploring; your second is just a place). Less passion (your first novel grew out of a story you felt compelled to tell; your second is simply another book).
6. Lorraine asks, "Should a novelist be thinking 'sequel' when she writes her first book? Has that become the industry norm? Should I have a story I can continue?"
Whether it's the norm depends on the house -- some publishers love sequels, others prefer not to sequence their books. But I would say the possibility for a sequel rests in your characters, not your story. Every novel needs a complete story (and aren't we all sick to death of reading a novel that seems like nothing more than a long advertisement for the next book?). But if you have interesting characters than can continue, you've got the possibility of crafting a good sequel. So...no, I don't believe the message that "you must always have a sequel." The fact is, most second books in a series sell fewer copies than the first book in the series. So the idea that a sequel will automatically help you get established is a myth.
7. Tom also asked about sequels: "If your second novel is about the same characters as your first, how much description of them needs to occur for new readers (without frustrating repeat readers)?"
Excellent question. My answer is probably, "Enough so that a reader will appreciate the characters in the current book." Take a look at some great detective fiction for examples... You can pick up any Philip St Ives novel and feel you get to know the character, even though the author includes little description. Pull any Travis McGee novel off the shelf and you'll see the character described in brief, then you're into the story. The same with Adam Dalgliesh or Sherlock Holmes or Poirot. Too much description makes for a dull, wordy novel anyway. Get us introduced to the character, help us see what we need to see, then move us into the story.
8. Benjamin had this follow-up question: "How far can you stray from expectations set by the first novel, before the reader feels betrayed?"
Not very far. It's why many serial writers eventually feel trapped by their characters. You can't have your God-fearing Priest Who Is A Weekend Sleuth With A Good Sense Of Humor suddenly transform into a Cross-Dressing Evil Genius. Readers won't stand for it. If you create a character, you have to live with that character.
9. Sara asked, "Is it acceptable to have a sequel that is written in the same style fall into another category or genre?"
I don't see how this would work in the marketplace. Retailers would hate it, since they couldn't shelve the books beside each other. And readers are generally loyal to their genres. Doing a great chick-lit novel, then suddenly moving your characters into thriller, sounds like a recipe for disaster.
10. And Marvin asks a question I've heard frequently: "If I'm writing a series, is it unwise to venture into a different genre? For example, if my first book is a fantasy, should the second book also be a fantasy, or is it acceptable to write a chick-lit? Will it be like starting from scratch, since I'd have no sales figures in the new genre?"
This is a question every novelist must think through. Here's the way I view it: An author must consider what he or she wants to do with a writing career. If you intend to make a living writing novels, you'll find it best to figure out your voice, then write to the particular genre that fits it. In other words, as far as the marketplace is concerned, you'll do best if you pick one category and stick with it. However, you should be aware that some very talented writers have chosen not to take that approach.
All the talk about "branding" lately can be tedious. A publisher telling a new author to "decide on an audience and write your books to them" seems like good career advice... but what if the novelist is multi-talented and feels she has stories to tell in various genres? I represent Lisa Samson, who many people believe is one of the best Christian novelists in publishing these days. Lisa publishes her books with Thomas Nelson, and she doesn't really have a clear genre. She writes great stories that I suppose could all be termed "literary fiction," but that's more a convenience tohelp with the marketing and sales of her books. The fact is, Lisa crosses genres. A fine writer can make that happen -- sometimes an author will not want the strictures inherent with naming a clear brand. So while focusing on one genre can assist you as you're starting your career, it's not absolutely imperative.
Having said that, Marvin, I'll admit that if an author tells me he is writing a "series," but that the first book is a fantasy and the second a chick-lit, I'd tell him to start taking his meds again. That is NOT a series. And yes, every time you jump genres, you're starting over with your career.
Got a question about publishing or writing? Let me hear it.