new novelists – Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist

By Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist

Starting a new career as a novelist can be a daunting proposition, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the book market and the publishing process. Fortunately, there are a number of practical books that can quickly bring you up to speed:

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Writing a Novel (https://www.amazon.ca/Complete-Idiots-Guide-Writing-Novel/dp/1615640339/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491933566&sr=8-1&keywords=the+complete+idiot%27s+guide+to+writing+a+novel) by Tom Monteleone

Tom, a professional writer since 1972, penned this friendly guide from a novelist’s point of view. His book covers just about everything related to novels and novelists: the various markets for different novel genres; the core elements that make up a good novel; research, time management, and discipline; rewriting; alternative publishing; and the book publishing process. Above all, Tom emphasizes the fun and creativity involved in writing a novel. As he states in his introduction, “If you want work, go get a gig in a pie factory or selling vacuum cleaners door-to-door.”

Create Your Writer Platform (https://www.amazon.ca/Create-Your-Writer-Platform-Building/dp/1599635755/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496609136&sr=8-1&keywords=Create+Your+Writer+Platform) by Chuck Sambuchino

Like it or not, all novelists—those who sell their books to a traditional publisher as well as those who self-publish—now need to promote themselves online if they want to develop an audience for their work. Chuck, a prolific blogger who specializes in book publishing, provides a detailed overview of the various types of platforms available to authors—websites, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, newsletters, and more—and dispenses helpful advice that’s custom tailored to the needs of fiction and non-fiction writers.

Book Marketing Is Dead (https://www.amazon.ca/Book-Marketing-Dead-Promotion-Secrets-ebook/dp/B00HC6HQ70/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1496609039&sr=1-1&keywords=Book+Marketing+is+Dead) by Derek Murphy

Derek Murphy, a book cover designer, writing coach, and publishing consultant, demonstrates that online platform building has become a far more effective tool for selling books than traditional marketing. He emphasizes the importance of building relationships on social media and discusses the key elements of an effective author website. He also covers the types of marketing that can work for authors.

Do you know of any helpful resources for new (and not so new) novelists? Please share them with us.

Visit Kathleen Jones, The Quirky Novelist, online at https://kathleenjones.org/

or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/joneslepidas