Writers Unblocked Magazine Volume 1/ Number 1

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LESSONS LEARNED BY ALICE HSIUNG, Coordinator Career Services | Career Services and Co-operative Education I NEVER THOUGHT I’D BE DOING THIS, sharing with others lessons learned from trying to get my first novel published the traditional way. As a career coach at Centennial, my passion for fiction writing, over the years, has become almost like a part-time job. After sending out over 60 query letters, having been rejected more than 20 times, and waiting for a potential “yes” from one of three interested literary agents, here I am writing my debut blog after being inspired by a guest speaker at a recent Writing Circle meeting. I hope my reflections will shed some light on the writing and publishing process for you. GETTING STARTED I know it’s tempting to just start writing when the inspiration hits, which for me often comes from a dream, but what I’ve learned is that mapping out the characters and plot of your novel first will save you so much time, headaches, and money later. Here are a few tips to know before you start writing. Read comparable novels It’s essential to read others’ published work to improve your writing skills, for inspiration, and to avoid copying others’ ideas. Also, when pitching your manuscript to agents, they will ask you to name books that are similar to yours so you always want to be prepared. Live your life We can only write about what we know. So, get out there and try new experiences; they’re inspiration and research for your novel. Research your genre Find out what the expected length, typical tropes, target audience, book cover styles, etc. for your genre and subgenre are to meet industry standards. Create profiles of your main characters Jot down their names, physical attributes, personality traits, interests, quirks, strengths, and weaknesses, etc. You’ll probably change these many times and that’s ok, but this will ensure that your protagonists are 3-dimensional and relatable. Map out the plot just like writing an essay in high school English class, roughly plan out the beginning, conflicts, and ending of your book. This will make your writing process smoother and more efficient. Get feedback this is a big lesson learned for me. Don’t wait till you finish the entire manuscript before asking your beta readers to read your book. Run your novel’s premise, concepts, plot, and main characters by three-five people before committing to writing. You’ll get different perspectives and suggestions that you’ve never thought of before. Incorporating beta readers’ ideas into your novel early will enhance the quality of your project and increase the chances of getting a “yes” from an agent. 2 WRITERS UNBLOCKED • VOL. 1 / NO. 1
WRITING AND REVISING Now, my favourite part about being a budding author, actually putting words on paper, or laptop, begins! My family would attest to how crazy I am, waking up in the middle of the night or before sunrise on weekends to write. Somehow, my brain is most creative and active when my environment is peaceful and quiet, which is when my family is asleep. Here are a few tips once you start putting words to the page or screen. Set a regular writing routine I know that inspiration can come at any time and anywhere, but try to stick to a weekly writing schedule. Know your optimal writing time and remember to take breaks. Otherwise, you’d lose the momentum or forget where you left off, and end up wasting time refreshing your memory or deleting redundant parts in your manuscript. Use the right format Follow standard guidelines (e.g. APA) to format your manuscript. Revise, revise, revise I’ve learned that editing can feel like it’s never ending and is way harder than writing the novel. Download lists of commonly used verbs to “show” not “tell” and have them readily available. Read books, watch videos, and tune into webinars or online courses to improve your writing and grammar skills. Get feedback consider showing one chapter of your novel at a time, rather than waiting till the whole book is done, to your beta readers. Take your friends and family’s feedback seriously and don’t get defensive. Presenting a complete and polished manuscript to your editor will save you money and time from having to make revisions that could have been avoided early in the process. GETTING PUBLISHED Congratulations, you’ve finished writing and editing your manuscript! You’re now ready to share it with the world. This next step takes a long time and you need to prepare yourself, here are some tips to prepare for the publishing process. Get an editor Find a professional who is familiar with your genre to critique your manuscript, and perhaps your query letter, synopsis, and pitch as well. Editorial fees are not cheap, so consider hiring a recent grad from a publishing program. Find a literary agent Use reputable websites like Query Tracker or Agent Query to make a list of reputable agents accepting queries. Take your time to research the agents’ wish list and preferences on their websites or social media. Follow instructions Read each agent’s submission guidelines carefully to make sure you provide the correct information and documents the way they want (e.g. email versus online form). Stay motivated Once you start sending out queries, the waiting game begins. Let’s face it, rejection hurts. Agents have rejected me, from two hours to a month after I sent my submission, to never responding at all. During this emotional rollercoaster time, you can keep yourself busy by reading other books in your genre, and doing things that you love to stay sane. Maybe even start plotting your next project! VOL. 1 / NO. 1 • WRITERS UNBLOCKED 3
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Page 3 and 4: LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT Centennial Coll
Page 5: When Centennial College Libraries l
Page 9 and 10: Be organized Use an Excel spreadshe
Page 11 and 12: “I’m dreaming of a white Christ
Page 13 and 14: THE CONSTANT GARDENING BY CHRIS JAC
Page 15 and 16: late riser it was with the grim sat
Page 17 and 18: NO ONE SAID YOU HAD TO DO IT ALONE:
Page 19 and 20: From this point forward, try to be
Page 21 and 22: BUSY BY MAY WALKOWIAK, Faculty | Sc
Page 23 and 24: PANDEMIC Being scared makes me sick
Page 25 and 26: STANDING ON MT. KILIMANJARO BY PHIL
Page 27 and 28: You took the oath as president Of a
Page 29 and 30: LIFE IS A JOURNEY: 8 Reasons to Tra
Page 31 and 32: Egyptian Sphinx and Great Pyramid o
Page 33 and 34: That side spoke to his interest in
Page 35 and 36: Deep down it was about knowing your
Page 37 and 38: THANK YOU FOR READING WRITERS UNBLO

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