WEbook Blog: A Writer's Resource

John Corey Whaley: How to Market a First Novel

My first novel, Where Things Come Back, is edited, copyedited, the typeset has been approved, and I’m in the process of reading through what’s called the “first pass” to check for any typos before the book is sent to print. The cover, back cover, and content for the two inside flaps have all been approved as well.

So, now what? The book still doesn’t hit stores for another seven months!!!

NaNoWriMo Mania: One Month, One Novel

WEbook veterans will probably remember William Tiernan (penname:TsungChi) who was an editor for WEbook's 101 Things Every Man Should Know, and our community specialist. Anyone who keeps up with writing news is also probably aware that November is The National Novel Writing Month, and it's almost here. 

Well, it just so happens that William will be participating in the NaNoWriMo experience, so we decided to have him document his journey on the WEbook blog. Throughout the month, he'll share his successes, failures, and everything in between via regular blog installments. We also encourage anyone else participating in the NaNoWriMo to contribute their own perspective in the comments section.

The official kick-off is next Monday, but here's a little intro to get everyone warmed up and ready for the long haul.

The Social Network and Narrative Structure

A few weeks ago, we covered a little know fact about The Social Network. That is, the screenplay was actually based off of the book proposal of Ben Mezrich's The Accidental Billionaires, rather than the manuscript. 

I finally got a chance to see The Social Network over the weekend, and noticed some things that also pertain to our discussion about creating original characters and plot lines from last week, and decided that a follow-up post was in order. 

First and foremost, I thought the movie was very good, and well worth the price of admission. Aaron Sorkin (who also penned A Few Good Men, The West Wing, and Charlie Wilson's War) fills every scene with the witty dialogue for which he's known. Plus, it's a well-told and interesting story that was easy for me to connect with. 

The Character Schedule Writing Challenge: Winners!

Wow! There were a TON of amazing submissions to The Character Schedule Writing challenge. If you're new to the challenges (or to WEbook) these are short writing exercises geared towards helping authors improve a specific aspect of their craft and promote a healthy discourse between contestants. 

We were blown away by the inventiveness and energy that populated these entries, it was truly a pleasure and honor to read them all. In a post earlier this week about creating original fictional characters, we stressed the importance of giving characters specific and unique details to them stand out to a reader. Nearly every entry achieved this in one way or another, offering a special quirk or behavior pattern that made the character come alive. Great job everyone!

How to Create Original Characters

There's a saying I've heard writers throw around, "There are no new plots, just new characters." Some writers even argue that there were never that many plots around to begin with (see Christopher Booker's The Seven Basic Plots). 

I agree with both sentiments, and I think the writer's struggle for an "original" story is both futile and unnecessary. In most cases, the characters are what make a narrative feel new and interesting, not the plot.

However, this brings up another issue: there aren't really any new characters, either. Just like Booker's basic plots (Quest, Comedy, Tragedy, Journey and Return, ect.) there are also basic character archetypes (hero, villain, wise-man, mother figure, ect), and they've all been run through the fiction grinder time and time again.

How to Market Your Novel, Starting with the Query Letter

I have this fantasy. It goes like this: I’ve published my first novel. Naturally, it receives great critical acclaim followed by brisk sales. My heretofore naïve publisher decides that they were horribly wrong about not sending me on a publicity tour, which they correct immediately. I find myself in an NPR studio, probably in D.C. (where I’m about to move!). After we talk for a while about my wild success and limitless talent and potential, the discussion veers towards the writing game and the faith required to do it against such odds.

I’m asked to give advice to the great unwashed masses of struggling writers and I do of course (being magnanimous, and now rich). I mean, I was just one of them after all. More or less, I say the same thing every writer who talks about writing says: You’ve got to write the book you want to write. If you don’t, you’ll never get published. And then I think back to when I was a book editor, and add: But you have to be aware that acquiring editors are hugely concerned with selling to a particular market and marketing in general. Their jobs depend on it sometimes.

Writing Challenges: Non-Dialogue Winners!

It's time to announce the winners of the bi-weekly writing challenge. If you're new to the challenges (or to WEbook) these are short writing exercises geared towards helping authors improve a specific aspect of their craft while promoting healthy discourse between contestants.

The Non-Dialogue Challenge was one of the hardest WEbook contests to date. It's difficult to portray specific thoughts and emotions without the help of spoken words, and without sounding cliche. It was nearly impossible to write a passage that wasn't full of character winks, nods, gazes, and shrugs, but the ones that caught our attention also slipped in some extra zest of original action, description, or chemistry between characters.

Non-Fiction Essay Writing: What Is Creative Non-Fiction?

Creative non-fiction is a relatively new and somewhat slippery genre. By relatively new, I mean that the term tip-toed it's way into graduate and undergraduate writing programs in the 1970's, and was officially recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts in 1983 (up to that point, the NEA only awarded grants to fiction and poetry writers).

But what does it mean, exactly? Is it akin to magical realism—mostly truth with a pinch of "creative" zest thrown in? Is it non-fiction written about creative things, like finger-painting or interpretive dancing? Apparently, the answer is elusive enough that Creative Non-Fiction Magazine includes a big green button on their homepage that asks, "What is Creative Non-Fiction?" and links to an answer.

Where Things Come Back, by Corey Whaley: The Cover Release

I am beside myself with excitement to be presenting to my fellow WeBookers the official cover to my debut novel, Where Things Come Back. I knew right when I saw it that it was the perfect fit for this novel. I will admit that I waited with much anxiety for it to arrive, but had no doubt that my editor and the team at Simon & Schuster would come up with something spectacular.

They knew, for instance, that it was important to me to have the iconic image of the woodpecker, whose role in the novel is a catalyst for much thought, worry, and neuroses from the narrator. I also love how the unique wood grain background speaks very subtly to the novel’s location—small town Arkansas.

Literary Agents Representing Science Fiction and Fantasy

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From old school greats like William Gibson and J.R.R. Tolkien to modern big names like J.K. Rowling and Suzanne Collins, Sci Fi and Fantasy have remained two of the most popular categories of genre fiction to date.

If you've written a Science Fiction or Fantasy manuscript, it is crucial that you query literary agents who are seeking submission in those genres. If you send out to an agent who doesn't accept these genres, they'll likely stop reading your query after the first sentence or two, because selling Sci-Fi and Fantasy requires specific contacts that not all agents have. 

WEbook's AgentInbox has 17 agents that specialize in Science Fiction and Fantasy novels. That means they've sold manuscripts in these genres, know tons of editors at different publishing houses, and they're looking for fresh authors to represent.