Writing FAQ

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We get a lot of questions from people who are trying to write their own novels. Everything posted below was taken from the How I Write book that was put together by Janet, myself and Ina Yalof. First are simplified steps to getting published. Then some links to great organizations. A section where you can write in to us if you have a specific question about writing or getting published, and finally some of the most frequently asked questions with Janet's answers. You can get more info about the How I Write book from the page in the NOVELS section.

Q. Why did you redo this page to only be stuff from How I Write?
ALEX: The old page was out of control. We had so many questions and answers, many of them repeats, that when Ina came to me and asked if I would be interested in organizing the Q&A and putting it into a book I said "yes". I've tried to post the most frequently asked questions in an organized format, and let you know what type of useful publishing info is inside the book. That doesn't mean the writing Q&A has shut down. If you have a question, ASK! It doesn't matter if you have read the book or not. If I start to get a lot of one particular question or something that isn't in the book, I'll post it on this page.

STEPS TO GETTING PUBLISHED

Q. After three long years of working nights at my kitchen table, I've finally typed in the two words I've been dreaming about: The End. Now what do I do?
JANET: Here is an overview of the process:
  • Write the book. Unpublished writers attempting to sell fiction need to have a completed and polished manuscript in hand.
  • When you've got a finished manuscript, write a one-page query letter describing the book to a literary agent. (See the Quick Reference for an example.)
  • If your letter intrigues the agent, he will ask to see the manuscript.
  • If the agent likes the manuscript, he will agree to represent you.
  • Your agent then decides which editors and which publishers are appropriate and sends your manuscript out to one or more of those editors.
  • If an editor likes the book and wants to buy it for his publishing house, he will contact your literary agent, who will then negotiate details of the sale. If several editors express interest in the book, your agent will put it up for auction. In that case, your book goes to whomever you and your agent feel made the best offer.
  • The publisher then puts the manuscript into book form and sells the books to the stores, which, in turn, sell them to your readers.
Ina

Questions for a Prospective Agent

If an agent agrees to represent you, before signing a contract you might ask the following questions:

  • Who are some of the authors you represent?
  • What books have you sold and to whom?
  • What is your percentage (also known as commission) of the book sale?
  • What can I be charged for? Phone calls, duplicating, mailing?
  • Do I have to sign a contract? Some contracts bind you to an agent for a specific amount of time. Do not bind yourself forever!
  • To which publishers will my book be sent?
  • Do you plan to do multiple submissions with my book?
Q. What if I send my book to a lot of agents and none of them wants to represent me?
JANET: If being a writer is important to you, keep at it, keep improving, and don't give up. I wrote three books that were never published. I sent the first one out to everybody. I went through every agent and publisher in New York, twice. The only positive letter that I got back was from an agent, but it was written in purple crayon on a bar napkin, so I didn't follow up on it. Then, presto, ten years later I was a published author.
Q. What if every agent and publisher has said no? How else can I get my book noticed?
JANET: You might want to enter your work in some of the writing contests for new authors. Romance Writers of America has one, and editors and publishers pay close attention to the winners. You also may want to attend some writers' conferences.
Q. I attended a writer's conference last week and came away with the names of some agents. Now what?
JANET: Now you write a query letter that tells the agent about you and your book and asks if he wants to represent you. If you don't have any luck with the first batch of agents you query, repeat the process with another five. If you go through five to ten agents and they all turn you down, you need to rewrite your letter.
Ina

Query Letter Essentials

  • Use letterhead or put your name and address in the top right-hand corner. I don't advise queries be sent by e-mail.
  • Address the query to a specific agent or editor.
  • Start with a "hook" or snappy language or something to grab the reader's attention immediately.
  • In present tense, state precisely and succinctly what the book is about. (Think in terms of how a TV show is explained in TV Guide.) For example: Out-of-work lingerie-buyer Stephanie Plum blackmails her cousin into hiring her into the unlikely position of bounty hunter.
  • In a sentence or two, describe why you are "the one" to write this book. For example, you worked as a homicide detective for fifteen years in Los Angeles or you are a forensic medical specialist.
  • Keep the query short-- one page.
  • Mention the proposed length of the book.
  • End by asking the agent or editor if he would be interested in seeing the full manuscript.
  • Make sure the letter is grammatically correct. (Remember: Don't count on spell check alone to catch every error. You must read it over).
  • Use heavy, twenty-pound bond, which is easier to handle than lightweight paper.
  • Use at least a twelve-point font.
  • Include a blank self-addressed, stamped postcard.
Q. An agent has asked for my manuscript. Now what? Are there guidelines I should follow? Should it be bound or placed in a folder?
JANET: Your manuscript should be double-spaced on good quality, white bond paper. The first page is your title page, and the title and your name should be centered.

These are the manuscript guidelines I use when I write:

  • Put your name, a dash, and the page number in the upper left corner.
  • Put the title of your book, all in capital letters, in the upper right corner.
  • About one-third down the page, put the chapter title in capital letters.
  • Do not number the title page.
  • Double-space your manuscript.

Don't bind the pages in any way. Keep them together with a giant rubber band and place them in a protective bubble envelope or empty typing paper box.

Include a short cover letter (also on the white twenty-pound bond). Simply say: As you have requested, I am submitting my manuscript (or synopsis and sample chapters) for your consideration. No need to return. Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail in this cover letter

Never send out the same copy more than once. Anything other than a pristine copy is a dead giveaway that your manuscript or sample chapters have been rejected by a previous agent.

On the outside of your package, clearly write "Requested Manuscript Enclosed." This is very important, as it ensures that your manuscript will not end up in a slush pile.

Give the agent two months to reply. If you don't hear in sixty days, send a note requesting the status of your manuscript and enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for his reply. After a year, you can cross this agent off your list.

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HOW I WRITE

SECRETS OF A BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Janet Evanovich
Q. I'm a third of the way through my first novel, and it's taken three years to get that far. I want to complete it, but with three small children, I just don't have the time. Any suggestions?
JANET: Suppose you really needed money and you had to work part-time at 7-Eleven. You'd show up on time and put your hours in, right? No different. Be realistic. What could you squeeze out of your schedule every day? How about one hour at 5:00 A.M.?
Q. I want to be able to start writing as a career, but I am afraid that what I write (sex, murder, and mayhem) will shock those who are close to me (namely, my mother). I mean, how do you tell your mom that she can't read her own child's book?
JANET: We all face this dilemma, and sometimes you just have to develop a thick skin. When I got my first romance novel published-- and it was a bit racy-- my mother was so proud! She displayed the covers in frames all over her house. Your mother may not be as fragile as you think. Of course, my mother-in-law was a whole other affair!
Q. I know in my bones that I can write a good novel. Got any hints I could use to get started?
JANET: Everyone gets started writing the same way-- you sit down and write. I went to college and majored in studio art. I got married and had two children. I started writing when the kids were in school. Ten years later, I was published!
The thing is that during those ten unpublished years, I kept trying to get better. I read. I analyzed. I attended workshops. I studied grammar. I went to the library every week and read Publishers Weekly. I did everything I could to learn something about the business. Okay. You want to write a novel? This is exactly what you need to do-- write the darned thing!
Q. How did you come up with Stephanie's quirky friends and family-- Ranger, Joe, Lula, Vinnie, and especially Grandma Mazur? I have very dear and funny people in my life that I could pattern characters from, and I'm sure they wouldn't mind. Is that how you got your characters?
JANET: Absolutely. Most of the Plum characters are composites of my friends and family. For example, Grandma Mazur is a combination of my Aunt Lena and my Grandma Schneider. And I suppose I'm projecting some of myself in her, too. Lula, on the other hand, is not based on anyone I know. Lula is Stephanie times two. When I read some of Robert Parker's novels, I realized that it's best for a character to have someone to play off of, like Spenser and Hawk. In action fiction, if you leave a character alone for too long, no matter what that character is doing, it gets boring. So I thought Stephanie could use a sidekick like Lula.
Q. I'd love to interview a real police officer for my book, but I don't know the first question to ask. How can I talk to an officer without it being really embarrassing?
JANET: As for the embarrassing part-- I'm not the person to ask, since I embarrass myself on a daily basis. I'm used to it now. My advice is to get over it! If you're really nervous after you arrange a meeting, make a list of some questions you think you want to have answered and take them with you. Short of that, I'd suggest that you try getting a pedicure first. It'll give you confidence in yourself and will make you feel good. Unless you're a guy. I don't know what guys do.
Q. Should I be concerned about using business names when describing shops and things?
JANET: Be careful of business names. Generally speaking, no one's going to sue you if you say nice things. Still, the safest way to do it is to fictionalize the businesses. I try never to use the name of a real business unless it's large and a landmark-- like St. Francis Hospital or 7-Eleven. I also try not to infringe on anyone's privacy, so I always make up house locations.
Q. Do you need excellent grammar and a superb vocabulary to be a writer?
JANET: It ain't necessary, but it don't hurt.
Q. I have all the makings of a book: heaps and heaps of characters, their backgrounds, what will happen to them, and all their relationships. But I'm having a terrible time figuring out the plot. Any hints?
JANET: Eesh! Plotting isn't my favorite thing, but here's how I do it. I listen to some cheesy disco music to get my energy up. Then I sit down with a yellow pad and a big bag of chips. I think about a crime and why it would occur. What were the bad guys thinking? What did they want? How did they do it? Why did they get caught? How did the capture go down? I see it as a movie. Then I write out my little time line of action.

It's like Red Riding Hood. Red is the good guy and the wolf is the bad guy.

Red's grammy is sick and Red decides to take a shortcut through the woods to bring grammy some Advil. This is the beginning.

While in the woods, Red meets a wolf who thinks he'd like to eat Red. There's a lot of yada yada yada and some side stories about the various woodland animals. This is the middle.

The wolf rushes ahead to grammy's house, locks grammy up in the closet, and dresses himself in a nightgown to wait for Red to appear. Okay, so we have a cross-dressing wolf who doesn't do old ladies. I'm just telling the story. I didn't make this one up! This is the crisis point.

Anyway, Red gets to grammy's house and gets attacked by the wolf. A handsome pizza delivery guy happens along and rushes in to save Red. That's the end. Actually, if I was writing this, Red would kick the wolf's ass, but maybe that's a whole other story.

Q. I'm having the hardest time keeping all the elements of my story straight. How anyone can keep a whole novel in his head all the time is a mystery to me.
JANET: You're absolutely right. It's not easy keeping everything afloat in your brain-- and in the right order, yet. But it's essential to any plot that you know where you're going. Otherwise, you can paint yourself into a corner. My secret is to use a technique called storyboarding, which is what directors do when they make movies. I have a huge white dry-erase board that hangs on the wall in my office. I've already decided who the villain is going to be; I've decided what the crime is, and how the book is going to end. So now I map out in a couple of sentences what the physical action is going to be-- that is, the action that is going to promote the crime line of the book. Every now and then, I'll add what is going to happen in Stephanie's romantic relationship and sketch in the secondary plot information as well.

When you look at your storyboard, you can check your time line to be sure things are progressing in the right order. You can also track your character development, even your settings, to make sure everything is in conjunction with everything else and all of these are compatible with the story line. Storyboarding gives me an overview of my novel.

Here's my storyboard from Twelve Sharp:

(Wed) Bonds office-- Lula in band-- Ranger tells Steph he's leaving town-- go after Lonnie Johnson-- get Melvin Pickle-- get Mary Lee Truk-- Carmen Manoso shows up-- shoots at Steph-- spend night with Morelli

(Thurs) Go to bonds office-- Carmen parked-- go after Lonnie Johnson-- go after Caroline Scarzolli-- get DVD, dildo-- losers show up for bonds job-- Joyce Barnhardt wants job-- get Luis Queen-- Grandma calls /Scooter and Dave take over funeral parlor-- takes Grandma to viewing-- hears Julie Martine kidnapped in Florida/10 years old /Ranger's daughter-- spends night with Morelli

(Fri) Go to bonds office-- interview losers-- get Leon James-- dinner at parents' house with Morelli-- go to see Lula and band at the Hole-- spend night at Morelli's house

(Sat) Go to bonds office-- interview second batch of losers-- discover Carmen dead in SUV-- get report on Virginia Rangemanoso-- go to Ranger's condo and look in computer files-- find photo of Un-Ranger-- Ranger waiting in her apt

(Sun) Wakes up in her apt and Ranger's there working-- go to Newark to canvas neighborhood-- take train to Virginia to talk to Carmen's parents about Carmen's husband-- get info on employment-- go to mall-- get name /Edward Scrog-- go to Scrog's apt and get computer and scrapbook-- drive home-- Ranger spends night with Steph

(Mon) Go to bonds office to help with losers-- Joyce arrives during lunch, food fight-- Steph goes home to change-- finds Ranger's moved in-- return to bonds office-- Meri Maisonet wants job-- go after Scarzolli again-- get vibrator and oils-- Ranger spends night

(Tues) Ranger and Steph go out for muffins-- Morelli runs into them-- go to bonds office-- Meri Maisonet starts work-- get Bernard Brown /take him to mortuary-- Carmen in mortuary-- arrange for viewing-- get Caroline Scarzolli-- Tank and Lula get together-- Ranger's man gets shot at bonds office break-in-- Ranger spends night

(Wed) Morelli shows up in morning /is moving in-- go to bonds office-- Lula and Steph skip out to Point Pleasant-- everyone goes to viewing-- Edward Scrog makes contact with Steph-- Steph moves in with parents

(Thurs) Ranger says Scrog called-- Vinnie returns to bonds office-- flowers come for Steph /from Scrog-- Ranger has tape of Scrog at mortuary-- Steph listens to Scrog on phone-- back to bonds office and Joyce shows up and takes Lonnie Johnson-- get Charles Chin-- Scrog calls apt and Steph talks to him-- dinner at parents with Morelli-- meets Scrog at midnight

(Fri) Scrog kidnaps Steph and takes her to motor home/ Julie there-- Scrog tapes bomb to Steph-- go after Lonnie Johnson-- Joyce there-- Steph escapes-- Scrog gone from motor home-- Steph goes to parents-- then goes to apt-- Scrog there-- shoots Ranger-- Julie shoots Scrog

(Mon) Goes to bonds office-- takes Pickle to court-- goes to Rangeman to see Ranger

What's in How I Write
How I Write
  • How she comes up with such remarkable characters
  • Techniques on revising and editing
  • How she finds out insider details
  • Just how she sets up plots
  • What the life of a full-time writer is really like
  • What she'd tell an aspiring author about the publishing industry
  • Tips on building a web site
  • Query letter for One For the Money
  • And much, much more!

This book details the elements of writing and publishing a novel. It offers practical and inspiring advice on such subjects as structuring a plot and handling rejection. HOW I WRITE is a reference for anyone looking to improve their writing, and for those fans who are hungry to find out more about just how Janet Evanovich ticks.

HOW I WRITE

  • by Janet Evanovich, Ina Yalof and Alex Evanovich
  • Probable Price: U.S. $7.99 /CAN. $10.99
  • Page Count: 352
  • ISBN: 0-312-35428-2
  • St. Martin's
St. Martin's