Advice for Authors

At some point most people think about writing a novel. Most dismiss the thought fairly swiftly, but some people really want to have a go, only don't know how to go about it. Whether you see yourself as the next Nick Hornby, Jane Green, or Pat Barker, there are a few vital things you should think about before putting pen to paper. Here Harriet Evans, an editor at Penguin, gives you a few tips on what's hot and what's not, if your sights are set on becoming a fulltime scribbler.

Read voraciously

Reading inspires us and can give us a new perspective on life, love, friends, and day-to-day dilemmas - whatever the book. So keep reading. Devour as many books as possible, and read as widely as possible. Don't write off (excuse the pun) authors without having read them. You may think you hate racy blockbusters, but people have compared Jilly Cooper to Charles Dickens before now and will continue to do so. The art of being able to tell a good story is a huge gift - never forget that.
Conversely, if you only stick to potboilers that offer a cliffhanger at the end of every chapter and a sex scene every twenty pages, try something where the emphasis is on the quality of the writing and the subtleties of characterisation.

Write about what you know

All creative writing needs imagination. But it can be dangerous for a first time writer to try and describe life as a fighter pilot in the First World War when he / she is an accounts clerk from Paignton. Research is important to a novelist, of course. But write about feelings you've felt, experiences you've had, and all the while try and marry them to a tight, original storyline. We've all read books and thought 'That character would NEVER say that'. Don't lose credibility with your readers.

Don't be a copycat

If you loved Captain Corelli's Mandolin, don't think 'I could do that just as easily'. Lots of people think they can take a bestselling idea and bend it to suit their own purposes. In many cases this can be very rewarding - the success of Longitude prompted a rash of narrative non-fiction titles, many of which were really very interesting, and of course the explosion of 'city-girl' fiction has seen the launch of some wonderful women's novelists. But as an author you should first and foremost be trying to develop your own style and find your own voice, not achieve literary success off the back of others' successes. Move the market on, don't stagnate it.

What to do when you've finished

Finish the novel before you submit it to agents and publishers. There are exceptions to this, but ideally you should have a finished novel to show anyone expressing interest in your work. DON'T send a whole manuscript in - publishers and agents have enough paper in their office without you adding to it! Write a covering letter enclosing a synopsis and perhaps the first three chapters, and explaining what you've written and how you see the novel in comparison to other books out there.

Don't be disheartened

As one of the most well-known publishers, Penguin receives hundreds of submissions each week. We would love to look at them all individually but the constraints of time and resources mean we just can't. So we invariably disappoint people who would like us to give them advice on their work. The same is true of many other publishers and literary agents. But don't give up. If you really believe you're meant to be a writer, (and more importantly if you're any good!), someone will discover you one day.

So, get writing. And GOOD LUCK!

Harriet Evans - Editorial Director, Michael Joseph