The Art, Craft and Business of Writing Fiction

Here are some notes I took from a workshop I did by Linnea Sinclair when I went to Context a few weeks ago. I found them helpful and thought I would share. 

Are you a writer or author?

Writer= isn’t serious about being published

Author=  has published works

Writing is an art and craft, but it is also a BUSINESS!

 

All About the Art and Craft

• You have to couple good writing with original thought.
• Read as much as you can of what is available in the genre that you write and other genres as well.
• Too many writers stop at the art, at the muse. Move past this and get into the craft of writing.
• Craft is the only way to tame the muse.
• Art lives in the emotions, but only craft can give your words life.
• Craft allows you to refine your words.
• Decent craft has good plot, logic, characterization and conflict.
• It is the author’s job to manipulate the emotions of the reader.

All About the Business

• Network! Meet and greet as many as people you can that will help you move forward as an author this includes other writers, editors, agents and publishers.
• Do your homework! A subscription to Publisher’s Lunch is essential in this endeavor. It is a bible of information for finding agents and publishers. If you know what’s being published you can find how published it and what agents are looking for.
• Build up your resume
• Beware of the trend in New York. If you want to be picked up by big name publishers use New York as your source of information for what’s wanted on the market.
• Have an elevator pitch ready to sell yourself. An elevator pitch is being able to pitch your story in the time it would take to ride an elevator.
• Know your read-a-like. What current author do you write like? You should know this to give as a pitch to potential agents and publishers.
• Analyze your own writing to discover where it fits and makes sure it’s in your query letter.
• Be prepared to market your own work. In fact when submitting a novel manuscript, you should have a marketing plan already written up.

Sites to Check Out!

• Publishers Lunch: A must to go from writer to author! www.publishersweekly.com
• Where agents well respected in the publishing world can be found. www.pubrants.blogspot.com
• Market yourself through this website. www.marketingmavenpr.com 

Must have books!

• Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight Swain
• Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
• Self Editing for the Fiction Writer by Brown and King

I also highly recommend her online classes as well. You can check them out at linneasinclair.com/news.html.