How to make a Publisher Angry

[fantazero]

http://jodierennerediting.blogspot.com/2013/04/what-not-to-do-when-beginning-your.html


hat NOT to do when Beginning Your Novel - Advice from Literary Agents
Compiled by Chuck Sambuchino, over at his excellent blog, Writer Unboxed.

Here's the beginning of this compilation of great advice for novelists from literary agents:


In a previous Writer Unboxed column, I discussed the value of starting your story strong and how an “inside-out” approach to narrative action can help your case. But just as important as knowing what to do when beginning your novel is knowing what not to do.

No one reads more prospective novel beginnings than literary agents. They’re the ones on the front lines — sifting through inboxes and slush piles. And they’re the ones who can tell us which Chapter 1 approaches are overused and cliche, as well as which techniques just plain don’t work. Below find a smattering of feedback from experienced literary agents on what they hate to see the first pages of a writer’s submission. Avoid these problems and tighten your submission!

FALSE BEGINNINGS

“I don’t like it when the main character dies at the end of Chapter 1. Why did I just spend all this time with this character? I feel cheated.”
- Cricket Freeman, The August Agency

“I dislike opening scenes that you think are real, then the protagonist wakes up. It makes me feel cheated.”
- Laurie McLean, Foreword Literary

IN SCIENCE FICTION

“A sci-fi novel that spends the first two pages describing the strange landscape.”
- Chip MacGregor, MacGregor Literary

PROLOGUES

“I’m not a fan of prologues, preferring to find myself in the midst of a moving plot on page 1 rather than being kept outside of it, or eased into it.”
- Michelle Andelman, Regal Literary

“Most agents hate prologues. Just make the first chapter relevant and well written.”
- Andrea Brown, Andrea Brown Literary Agency

“Prologues are usually a lazy way to give back-story chunks to the reader and can be handled with more finesse throughout the story. Damn the prologue, full speed ahead!”
- Laurie McLean, Foreword Literary

EXPOSITION/DESCRIPTION
...

For more invaluable advice from literary agents for avoiding reader (and agent) turnoffs in your first pages, click HERE to read the rest of this post at Chuck Sambuchino's blog


Food for thought-Fanta

[Wordmaker]

That's a great article. One of my favourites. It's very easy to spot a writer to hasn't done their research on this sort of thing.

[Haru]

I don't know, isn't that very subjective? The thing one agent likes makes another one mad?

Now I only know the side of the reader, and I surely agree with a few of those statements, but for example the first one is something I have seen in numerous books, and I like reading a beginning like that. Usually, this first chapter hero dies at the hands of the villain, so it introduces the villain, and it gives me a personal feeling of hatred towards him, because he just killed a character I cared about.

[The Deposed King]

I don't know, isn't that very subjective? The thing one agent likes makes another one mad?

Now I only know the side of the reader, and I surely agree with a few of those statements, but for example the first one is something I have seen in numerous books, and I like reading a beginning like that. Usually, this first chapter hero dies at the hands of the villain, so it introduces the villain, and it gives me a personal feeling of hatred towards him, because he just killed a character I cared about.

I don't particularly like reading about some guy who's only purpose is to get the axe.  If you want to build up the villain than write about the villain and lets see him being bad ass.

The only possible way to see the first chapter MC die and still want to follow for me would be if it was the brother or father of the new MC who's out for revenge.  And even then I'm feeling real iffy about the whole thing.

That said if you've got a vision and a burning passion to write it, that will bleed through into the story and help carry even a more so-so plot line over the finish line!




The Deposed King

[Wordmaker]

It's incredibly subjective.

And of course you've seen the examples in books. That's kind of the problem. They've been done so much that they've become lazy ways of building a story. It isn't so much that they're inherently wrong to have in a story, but that when a new manuscript uses them, they're a warning sign. Agents and publishers have only a limited resource for taking on new talent, and the more warning signs they see, the more likely it is that the manuscript might not be ready for publication, or that the writer might not have what it takes.

Put it this way, if you're interviewing someone for a job, and the general advice is to wear a suit to an interview, but the candidate comes in wearing jeans and a dirty shirt, are you going to consider him favorably for the position?

You can absolutely include prologues and fake-out openings, but you have to accept that it puts you at a disadvantage compared to the other writers who are getting straight to the main story and the characters who matter. It doesn't mean you're necessarily automatically assigned to the reject bin, but it does mean you have to be that much better in other areas of your writing and how you present yourself.

[Carnifex:Pacifex]

kinda glad you posted this article, i've been starting to question my prologue.

[The Deposed King]

kinda glad you posted this article, i've been starting to question my prologue.

Some advise about prologues that I've had is this.  When in doubt about whether or not to have a prologue.... don't.

So unless you've got a smoking hot piece of coolness say-la-V

But I'm not (yet) an expert.  Merely somewhat proficient.



The Deposed King

[Wordmaker]

In fact, "when in doubt, chuck it out" is sound advice across the board.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

In fact, "when in doubt, chuck it out" is sound advice across the board.

Of course, the failure mode of that is some fo the CJ Cherryh Alliance/Union books where she has gone through and thrown out any scene not serving at least three purposes; I love the series and they have won Hugos, but an awful lot of people bounce off them hard because figuring out what the hell is actually going on requires paying attention as if you were stuck in a tumble dryer with a family of grumpy rattlesnakes.

[Wordmaker]

That's the danger of a writer sticking to hard and fast rules. "At least three purposes" is a nice idea, but if it means cutting out important information or character development just because you can't find that third purpose, you're doing yourself, and your readers, a disservice.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

Personally I like stories that require that degree of paying attention, but to each their own.

[Wordmaker]

The easier you make it on the reader to follow your story, the more likely they'll recommend the book to a friend and buy the next one.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

The easier you make it on the reader to follow your story, the more likely they'll recommend the book to a friend and buy the next one.

Have you never put down a book or given up on an author because you feel they're spoonfeeding you information and treating you like an idiot ?

If so, you would be in the minority among my acquaintance.

[Wordmaker]

There's a world of difference between making your book easy to follow and treating the reader like an idiot.

[The Deposed King]

Personally I like stories that require that degree of paying attention, but to each their own.

You don't want to dumb things down as if people are idiots but at the same time neither do you want to talk over their heads or become so cute that they can't understand what you're doing.

I generally tend to do what I do, but that said when discussing such things I like to ask a few questions when talking about if something's too obvious or is it too complicated or it doesn't do three things etc.  If you can't say this thing is just plain fun from beginning to end then-

I ask what is the IQ/skill of the writer.  What is the general IQ/sophistication of the target audience.  Then what does someone representative of your target audience (a beta reader) think.  To my mind just as I would research a character I didn't feel comfortable enough about, or a country or a technical process I needed/wanted to learn more about, you need to take a look at your target audience.  The wonderful thing about today's audience is its so large and so varied that you can pretty much do what you do and have a group of people who are on the same wavelength.  However if you are worried about finding that a massively more encompassing broad based appeal then I guess you've got to worry about doing more.

Best advice: don't sweat the small stuff.  But if you do, then make sure you're able to speak to your desired audience.  For instance I can't do hard science sci-fi.  I'd need someone to help me out with the physics and engineering.  Nothing insurmountable but I'd have to pick a few brains and get some help with the weeds.  If you've identified a weakness, either work to avoid it, gloss over it, or get some help.  Either college courses, people who know more than you, the might 'google search' etc.



The Deposed King