Advice for New Writers Part 3: How Long Does it Take to Write and Publish a Novel?

This is number three in a series of posts about writing and publishing fiction. You can find the previous posts here.

How long does it take to get your novel into print (or out in ebook form)?

Writing a novel takes time. How long a first draft takes to produce is highly personal, but at the end of the day, it's all about maths. In the summary below, I've used the minimum time each stage will take, so please use it as a (very) rough guide only:

If, say, you write 1,000 words each and every day (including weekends, Christmas Day and so on), it'll take you 70-100 days, or 2 -3 months to complete the first draft of you manuscript. If you write, say 5 out of 7 days per week, this will become 3-5 months and so on.

• Writing 1st draft: 3 months

Add to that the editing process. Your own edits can take two or three weeks.  If you use a professional editor, who has to fit your novel into their schedule, this will take a couple of weeks. Then there are the rewrites, if these are required, and the final proof read. Tip: If you are confident about when your final manuscript will be ready, do book an editor (and proof reader, interior layout and cover designer - see below) well in advance. This will save you valuable time in the publishing process.

•  Editing: 1 month 

If you send the novel out to be read by a number of readers, something which I highly recommend for the first novel at least, this will also take time. Beta readers are valuable source of reviews, which will gain your book highly important visibility online. But you cannot expect anyone to take less than a month to read your masterwork.

• Beta readers: 1 month

Finally there's the interior layout and cover design (if you're outsourcing this part), which, if you've managed to book these in advance, could do the job within a couple of weeks. There are pieces of software which can do the inside design for you, like Scrivener, and you can also design the cover yourself. (I am a great advocate for a professionally designed cover, but that's another discussion.) If you want to publish your book in paperback as well as in ebook form, getting a proof copy and stock sent to you will set you back another two weeks (minimum).

• Cover, layout and interior design and paperback copy: 1 month

If you want to go down the traditional route, you can add another 6 months easily, while you submit to agents, and if lucky enough to be picked up by one, sell the book to a publisher. Note, however, that here anything goes. After an agent has sold your book to a publisher, it has to slot into the publisher's schedule and marketing plan. They may not, for example, want to publish two books in the same genre one after another, so your novel's publication could be postponed by a number of months.

• Submit to agents and sell to publisher: 6 months

I've written and published a book every two to three years, which seems like a very long time, but in traditional publishing this is quite a normal speed at which fiction is published by one author. Some manage a book a year, others, like for example Mills and Boon authors, are required to write at least two per year. (Mills and Boon novels are usually a little shorter, in the region of 50,000 words)

• Total for the indie route = 6 months
• Total for the traditional publishing route = 12 months

As you can see, it's just about possible to publish two novels per year if you are very committed, disciplined and organised. But remember, this is only a very rough idea of the process. I'm also talking about independent publishing versus traditional, but the lines between the two are blurring, as the self-publishing market grows and grows. But more about this in later posts.

There are many ways to speed up the process of writing that all important first draft. I'll talk more about this, and about where to find the motivation and inspiration for your writing in part 4 which will be up on this blog in early December. In the meantime, I hope you've enjoyed this part of Advice for New Writers and tune in to the next one!

Happy writing and let me know how you are getting on. Please feel free to ask me about anything at all, and I'll try my best to answer your queries.

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Advice for New Writers Part 2: I've Completed the First Draft - What Now?

Last time in this series of posts about what to do if you have an idea for a book, I talked about reading in your genre and writing as much as possible. Today, I'm going to talk about what to do when you've finished the first draft.

What to Do When You've Completed the First Draft?

When you've completed a manuscript, the first thing you need to do is CELEBRATE!

Well done, you've written a novel!

But the next day, you need to get down to work again, and start editing. This is my least favourite task of the whole writing process, but we are all different, and this might be something that you particularly enjoy. It is, after all, easier to make something of something that already exists, rather than create the words and stories out of thin air. That work is now done.

Remember, the first draft is just that - a draft. You need to use all your powers of objectivity, and check that the plot, characters, dialogue, and back story work. You need to fact check, make sure all the place and character names etc. are used consistently throughout the novel. You need to make sure that the style of the novel is right for its genre, and of course, you need to check for spelling, grammar and point of view. The more of this work you do now, the less of it is left to your editor. (If you want to employ a professional editor, that is - see below)

There are a lots of editing help online, start by checking out the ALLi blog and site here.

How Many Drafts?

Unless you are a very skilled at self-editing while you write, the first draft will be one of several drafts. I think all of my books went over the ten draft limit - one of them, The Red King of Helsinki, I completely re-wrote on the advice of an agent. I basically wrote two novels on the same subject!  Coffee and Vodka was part of my MA in Creative Writing course work, and this novel too went through many versions - it even had a different title for a while. The Englishman, my third novel, was born out of a series of blog posts, written in first person. For the novel version I changed the POV from first to third, and added a little more back story. So, anything goes as long as you remember what Hemingway said...

Who Should Read Your Manuscript First?

Once you've edited your book, around three or more drafts later, it's time to show your book to some-one else. I tend to show my early drafts to my husband - he does the first corrections, and also tells me if the book is any good or not. This, as you may imagine isn't the happiest of solutions, but it works for us (and we are still married after three novels and many, many drafts). 

But, apart from a very critical and honest partner, I would strongly advise you not to show your work to family and friends for evaluation. They will not give you an unbiased opinion, simply because they love you. Even unwittingly, they'll think the novel better and funnier (if you wish it to be), or tragic (if that's what you're after) than it is.

Instead, try to show your work to some-one who doesn't know you and who will give you a brutally independent opinion. Because, when it comes to sending your baby out into the world, it will be bruised, or rather the criticism will bruise your ego, so why not begin with constructive criticism from just a few people? Criticism, which you can follow or not, according to what you yourself think. It's your book after all!

It's quite easy to find people you don't personally know, but whose opinion you value, online. (I'll be talking about the importance of networking in a later post). Because my first published novel, The Englishman, began as a series of posts on this blog, I was lucky to have several people who'd already read bits of the book and were willing to read a draft, and give their honest opinions on it.

So, just go ahead and ask. The worst reply you can have is a 'no'.

I asked about ten people to read The Englishman manuscript, and three of them actually read it. Some didn't reply, some said they would read it, but didn't come back to me. This is just something you have to accept. Reading and critiquing your work is a huge favour, so be nice about it, even if the response is negative or there's no response at all. As an author, you are always under scrutiny, especially online, so be polite, and don't take rejection personally. Developing a thick skin is one of the most valuable skills you can learn. I'm still working on that one....

Editor or No Editor?

After you've shown your work to as many people as you can,  (but remember it will take time for people to read your manuscript, so if you're in a hurry to get it published, think about who to ask well in advance), and you've made the necessary corrections and edits, it's time to have an experienced editor to have a look at it. 

Even if you consider going the traditional publishing route, i.e. finding an agent, who will find you a publisher with an editor, I'd recommend using a professional independent editor to look at your manuscript before you approach an agent. Professional editors can make a good manuscript into a brilliant one, so they're worth their weight in gold.

How to Find an Editor?

There is a list of editors on the Alliance of Independent Authors site - this will cost you money, but is well worth it. If you don't use one on that list, beware. The rise of the independent author/publisher has created a whole industry wanting to take advantage of an ambitious would-be author, so make sure that the editor you choose comes with proven credentials.

Can I Self-Edit?

Having said all of the above, there are ways in which you can make the final edits yourself. There are several websites and books written on the subject. If you don't have the funds to invest in a good editor, I think this is a viable route. Personally, I find it difficult to see some of my own spelling mistakes, or even plot issues in a manuscript which I've written and rewritten over and over, but this is just me. Many indie authors edit their own work very successfully, so it's more than possible to do it yourself.

I hope you've enjoyed my advice for new writers so far. If you missed Part 1, you can read it here. 

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Next month, I'm going to be talking about how long it usually takes to write and publish a novel. This post should be up on Friday 6th November. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please comment below, I'd love to hear your stories and how you are getting on with your writing!

Advice for New Writers Part 1: I have a great idea for a book - what should I do next?

I must be getting old, because I am often asked for advice about writing by young (and not so young) authors, who are just starting out, and wondering what they should do to get a book out and published.

Last week, I was speaking to yet another one. She had an idea for a book, which she was visibly excited about, and a great urge to write. She told me that she wrote each night after work - she even had a particular time of the night when she'd sit down and write. It was a pleasure to give her tips on how to proceed, and our discussion inspired me to share some of the things I told her about the industry, and about writing in general.

These are my own personal pieces of advice, learned through being part of this rapidly changing book world for the past ten or so years.

For those who wish to know if I have any credentials to pass on such advice, I can tell you that I've got a MA in Creative Writing; I've had various run-ins with literary agents in the traditional publishing area; I've been a book-seller and now I'm a proud self-published author and an active member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, as well as reviewer of Awesome Indies. I've published three novels, two of which are AIA accredited. I'm Chief Editor of the Finn-Guild magazine, Horisontti, and have articles published in various magazines.

This will be a series of blog posts about what I've learned so far. I am mainly talking here about fiction - I've yet to venture into the world of non-fiction (i.e. factual books)

Here is the first one of these blog posts, in which I'll try to answer the question:

'I have a really good book idea, what should I do next?'

Someone said that every person has a novel inside them, and this may be true, but what separates a writer from an aspiring writer is that the former has completed a manuscript in their (virtual) desk drawer.

A manuscript is what an unpublished novel is called, and for a full length novel this should be a minimum of 70,000 words. Opinions differ on the maximum, but I think if a novel is twice this, i.e. 150,0000, you should seriously consider cutting some words.

But, let's not jump ahead. How do you write 70,000 coherent words that make up a novel?

Practise makes perfect

I am a strong advocate for hard work. The more you read, and write, and read again, and write again, the more skilful you become. Of course you'll have to have talent for writing, a nose for a good story, and an aptitude for being able sit down and work at your manuscript, but the majority of the 'luck' any author has, comes in the form of hard work.

Read books in your own genre

Many people on my MA course were sceptical of genre as a concept. I think it was popular then (10 years ago) amongst English students to think that they didn't fit into any box, that their writing was unique.  I myself fell into this trap, only realising when I eventually decided to become an indy author, how important it is to present the world with a unified picture of yourself and your writing. (Author branding is a complicated subject which I'll come to at a later post).

If your writing is unique (which is very rare), then you'll have invented a new genre. That's how simple it is. But for the most of us, who write in a specific genre, in order to sell your novel, you need to know what kind of book it is, what kind of people will want to read it and so on. I cannot emphasise it enough: you need to know the genre your novel fits into.

Once you have decided what kind of book you want to write, find authors who write in that genre and look at how they've constructed the story; what's the style; how do the plots work. It's often the case that a new writer wants to write the kind of books that they enjoy, but many established romance writers, for example, enjoy detective stories and vice versa. Sometimes they've even tried to write in this other genre, but it just doesn't suit their style.

Write and write again... 

The more you write the better your writing will become. Writing is like any other art form, or craft. You wouldn't expect a baker to turn out perfect loaf on his first try, would you? Or a painter to be born with the perfect strokes? Both need to practise their craft, and/or be taught how to bake and paint. And then they need to practise this craft. For some reason writing is considered by some (especially in the traditional publishing industry) a craft that cannot be taught, or practised, but I strongly disagree. Why would this art form - or craft - be any different from any other?

So, the first task of any budding writer - before he or she even considers how to publish, is to sit down and write the best manuscript you possibly can.

If you really want to write, and enjoy telling tall or not so tall tales, just write. For me personally, it's as important as breathing  - and I wouldn't be the person I am if I didn't write. It's a compulsion, a drug that I just cannot be without.

Happy writing!

Next month I'll post about what to do when you've written the manuscript - how to find an editor and who to send your manuscript to.

Summer House with Swimming Pool

As soon as I began reading this novel, I was struck by how much the prose reminded me of Vladimir Nbokov's Lolita. There is the narcissistic narrator, almost proud of his repulsive character, there's the sense of sexual wrongdoing, there's the plot, which constantly makes you question your morals.

Narrated by a professionally frustrated family doctor to the stars in Holland, March Schloss, the story weaves it's way through pivotal months in his and his family's life.

Part domestic thriller, part traditional literary fiction, The Summer House with Swimming Pool  is about moral dilemmas just like Lolita, and Koch's previous novel, The Dinner. Also just as in that novel, we soon realise almost no one in the story is innocent, or doesn't have something to hide, or is thoroughly selfish, or unlikeable (in itself not a crime). 

The main character, March Schloss, is a doctor, and the inner thoughts he reveals to us are what we all fear; that doctors are only human and as such detest having to inspect hairy bottoms, or have sick people cough phlegm at their face. What Dr Schloss has to tell us none us want to hear. We soon realise that Dr Schloss' world view is more skewed than normal and largely  based on the biology lectures of a discredited professor. But as the plot unwinds, we come to realise our narrator does have reason to be unhinged and we begin to understand why he carries such rage within him. But does his situation justify his actions? 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this powerful novel. It's shocking, and at times even a difficult read, but Koch's skilful writing makes the effort worthwhile in the end. I couldn't recommend this book highly enough.

Scotland votes 'No'!

Out of a hap-penance, the Englishman and I have been in Scotland during this historic time when the country decided on its future.

We'd been invited for a weekend of fly fishing on the Scottish Borders (him on the river, me tucked up in the house by an open fire writing), so I decided to kill two birds by taking a week's holiday and adding some time to do research for the sequel to The Englishman. The novel is partly set in Helensburgh, so I needed to 'smell the air' and get the sense of the place again. But we also decided to take a nostalgic look at Edinburgh, a city where we spent a very happy six weeks some 30 years ago.

A selfie outside our favourite Italian
delicatessen in Edinburgh,
Valvona & Crolla

What became immediately noticeable was how engaged everyone was in the the looming vote on Independence. In Edinburgh as well as in Helensburgh people were talking politics on the street, in cafes and pubs. There were both 'Yes' and 'No' signs, as well as Scottish and British flags, everywhere.

An Edinburgh household clearly supporting
a 'No' vote.

On the whole, the discussions seemed heated but good natured, and the only signs of political passion gone too far were a few defaced 'No Thank You' -signs placed on lamp posts and on fields around the countryside. In Queensferry I was accosted by a 'Yes' voter for sporting a 'No' sticker, but again, it was fairly good humoured banter rather than angry show of aggression. (The guy was also very good-looking, so I really didn't mind...)

The Forth railway bridge in Queensferry was stunning.

As a Finn, I can understand why a small country like Scotland would wish to be independent. However, as a student of Political Science and Economics, I couldn't comprehend how Scotland would manage on its own after so many years being part of the United Kingdom. There were so many questions left unanswered about foreign policy, taxes, health care, pensions and so on.

Politics aside, I feel privileged to have been here when the Scottish vote was cast and am - I have to admit - quite relieved about the result.

The Yes and No campaigners are almost indistinguishable
in Helensburgh

Read my books with Amazon's Kindle Unlimited

There's a new way to buy and read e-books. Last Friday Amazon launched its Kindle Unlimited subscription service in the US (only, for now) where readers can upload as many books as they wish for just $9.99 per month (that would be about £7.50 in the UK). This service seems a good deal for readers like me, who can consume 4-5 books per month (and download at least twice as many). What's more, to launch the service, Amazon are offering it free for the first month.

But what about authors? On the face of it, the Kindle Unlimited service could be good news to writers too. Especially for us indie writers who have published their works exclusive through Amazon. The rights and wrongs of this one channel publishing can be discussed, but for me, it's all about the balance between time I spend writing versus time spent doing publishing and marketing tasks. Listing my novels on KDP Select means that I do not have to format my ebooks for several platforms, or check several channels for sales, or worry about pricing issues across several sites. Plus the majority of ebook sales across the world are made via Amazon (a figure as high as 90% was quoted to me recently). Like it or not, Amazon is the leading ebook seller at the moment.

As I am already a KDP Select author, I am automatically listed on the present lending service which Amazon runs and where readers can download a free book per month. My books will also be automatically listed for this new Kindle Unlimited subscription service. 

In the indie authors' online community the general reaction to this new service has been mixed. Many just do not know what will happen but, being that I am an optimist, I can see several benefits.

For one, a new service will increase reading and ebook purchasing. Merely the launch of a new service, and the positive publicity involved in its launch, will increase book sales on Amazon, which is good news for me. (I know, I know, it goes against the grain to admit that one online bookseller giant is good news, but unfortunately for us KDP Select writers this is the case).

Amazon has said that each 10% read of any book which has been downloaded under the unlimited service will count as a sale, as opposed to the mere download of a title, as happens now.  If this 10% also works in the all important algorithms, this is even better news for mid-list writers like me. (This 10% is also about the same length as is offered as a free sample at the moment, without this sample download showing up on any statistics, as far as I know) For any 10% read of my books, I get a share of the total Amazon global lending fund, which for July stands at $2 million. I've calculated roughly that I could earn even more per book then the 70% I do now. So that's all good too.

Can it be, that both readers and writers will win from this new Kindle Unlimited Subscription Service?

We'll wait and see. In the meantime, if you are in the US and have taken advantage of the Kindle Unlimited service, you can find my books on it. Just click here!

For more on this new Amazon book subscription service, read this excellent blog post by David Gaughran here.