Monday, April 22, 2013

Writing Tips - Ten Tips for Aspiring Authors

Everyone has a tip for an aspiring author. For the next few weeks I'm going to share with you tips I've collected over the years. I hope they will inspire you as much as they have me. You may not find every tip helpful, but hopefully you'll find something to take away that will help you with your writing.

My first "guest" advisor is Karen Kingsbury, a Christian writer from Tennessee.

She offers these ten tips for aspiring authors:

1. Keep Writing: If there is a book inside you, do everything you can to get that story out. Write, write, write. Get it finished and make sure it is written to the best of your ability.

2. Join a Writer's Group: There are many Christian or other kinds of writers groups for aspiring authors. In order to make your manuscript the best book it can be, you should join one of these groups and learn from others. Do an Internet search for the kind of book you are writing. Many writing or author groups or organizations will display. Find the one that works best for you. You may find local groups where you can attend in person or online groups for extra help.

3. Join a Critique Group: Once you've connected with a writers' group, you should be able to find a Critique Group. Either through the writers' group or in another Internet search. If you don't know what occurs in a critique group you usually read one another's work and offer feedback. Everyone writes at a different level, thus various levels of expertise is provided.

4. Read Other Books Similar to Yours: There's an old adage that says "write what you know." If you want to write Romance stories, read Romance books. Editors and agents will expect you to be well versed in the genre you intend to write. Read, read, read.

5. Get a Copy of Writer's Market: This informational book releases a new version every year chock full of editors and agents acquiring new material.

6. Write a Brief Synopsis for Your Book: Once you've finished your book and it's the best it can be, write a very brief one or two sentence synopsis describing the story. This will go a long way in helping you convey the story to an editor or agent.

7. Write Back Cover Copy: After the synopsis, you'll want to create back cover copy for your book. To do this, you'll expand the synopsis until it's long enough to work as back cover copy. In order to help you, read back cover copy from various books to get an idea about the type of back cover copy needed.

8. Write a 2-3 Page Synopsis: Expanding on your brief synopsis and back cover copy, you will create a synopsis that contains all the information about your story. You will not hold anything back in this synopsis, whereas you might have hinted or intrigued your reader of the back cover copy or brief synopsis. It will contain information about characters, plot points, conflict and resolution in a concise version of the novel.

9. Submit: After you've edited your manuscript, written your brief synopsis, the back cover copy, and a 2 - 3 page synopsis, you are ready to submit your package to an agent or editor. Do your homework. Stud the Writer's Market. Find agents or editors looking for the kinds of stories you write. Take into consideration exactly how they want your package delivered. Each agent or editor will probably want your work arranged differently. Follow their requirements. Overall, make sure you include the following:

   * Cover letter introducing yourself and your idea
   * Brief bio of yourself
   * All forms of your synopses
   * First three chapters of your book

10. Pray! Nothing written or done for God will happen without your diligent prayer. Pray and seek God's will.

Thank you to Karen Kingsbury for her insight and tips for aspiring authors. We appreciate the help.

Keep Writing!

32 comments:

  1. These are all such great tips! Fellow SITSta and writer popping in!

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    1. thanks for the "pop in"... I hope you enjoyed what you read.

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  2. Love these tips! Stopping by from SITs :)

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  3. dropping in from SITS, great tips, I'll be sharing with my mentees.

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  4. These are great tips. Since moving I haven't been able to find a good writing group. I need to really get back involved. It was not only helpful but super, super fun! #sitssharefest

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  5. I'm glad that you all liked the writing tips. I'll have more next week.

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  6. Visiting from SITS and even though I'm not aspiring to write a novel some of these tips will work well with Blogging as well. Thanks! And Happy SITS Day!

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    1. Writing tips help no matter what you write. Thanks for visiting.

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  7. These are great tips. I never thought of joining a writers group but that is a great idea. Happy SITS Day!

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  8. Visiting from SITS...Nice article--great tips! I like the book "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott. One of the best tips from that is similar to your #1--write. Write and then maybe you can get one good sentence or paragraph out of pages and pages of work. I don't think anything starts out as a masterpiece--it takes time and effort to get it to where you're happy with it.

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    1. Hi Nicole, great advice from a great book. Thanks for posting.

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  9. These are great tips! I am working on my own non-fiction book. I think a critique group would be great. I never even thought of that!

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    1. Critique groups are always a good idea so long as the dynamics are there. You must all have something to give to the group. I hope you find a good one.

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  10. These are some awesome tips!! I am in the process of writing a book and is at the point of researching for resources to help me with this venture.. will certainly bookmark this page.. thank you. Stopping by from SITS :)

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    1. I produce new tips every week. I hope you stick around and check them out. Thanks for stopping by and bookmarking my page.

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  11. Great tips. I've never joined a group bc I don't feel I'm really a writer...I'm more of a "jotter". LOL. I may have to give one a try though. I found you on The Sits Girls. Congrats on your sits day. Thanks. www.NoSkinnies.com

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    1. Thanks. I hope that you'll find more tips here at Your Writing Coach.

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  12. I love these tips! I am always trying to push myself with my writing and these tips are perfect!
    thank you :D
    Keia @ improvingmewithkeialee.blogspot.com

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    1. So glad you enjoyed the tips. Please feel free to look around and check out the other great tips here at Your Writing Coach.

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  13. Great tips! I have always wanted to write a book, so I'll be saving this to look back on when that time finally comes! Happy SITS Day!

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    1. What kind of book are you going to write? Fiction? Non Fiction? Would love to hear more about it. Please feel free to subscribe and get your tips on a weekly basis.

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  14. Great tips! I've always loved writing and the possibility of writing a novel has always been a dream of mine. Maybe someday with the help of these tips! =]

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    1. Miranda, please follow your dreams and write that novel. You'll never regret it.

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  15. Thanks for a great list!
    It always help to see ideas from a fresh perspective...
    Happy SITS Day.

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    1. Hi Ronnie, thanks for visiting. I'm glad you enjoyed the list of tips. I hope you come back and visit again for more.

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  16. Love LOVE those tips... especially the LAST one. :) Wow an amazing author Karen truly is, too! SO cool.

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    1. Hi Chris. Yes, I agree, Karen is an amazing author. I'm glad you enjoyed the writing tips. Please come back and visit again. The tips appear on a weekly basis.

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