How To Get Noticed By Editors And Publishers: Make Your
Strengths Shine
To be a successful writer and get noticed, being good often
isn't good enough. You have to shine. You have to have something
that puts you above all others. Of course though, nobody is
perfect. Everyone has faults and flaws. But everyone has talents
and abilities too. What's your talent?
Find your talent and focus on it. Develop it. Showcase it in
your writing so it really shines through. Remember, one thing
that stands out is far easier to notice than ten things that are
good, but not great. Make sure your best skill stands out.
Stacey's Story: Start With Something Special
I had my breakthrough while taking a break from writing. I was
watching the movie Bring it On and decided to watch the bonus
features. One of them was an interview with the director and he
talked about how the screenplay got noticed because it opened
with the cheer song. That stood out, that got their attention,
that made them want to read the rest. I decided to take the same
approach. I took chances with the start. I started with a
letter, a poem, a snippet from a diary. It must have made the
difference because with that one change, a manuscript that had
been rejected 14 times got purchased. -Stacey, Novelist
Carmen's Story: Use Your Strengths
I was told by my teachers and by readers that my dialogue was
really strong. So I decided to stop hiding it away and I put it
right out front. I made the first chapter of my novel almost all
dialogue. It got the attention of an agent, who has since told
me that the individuality of the first chapter told him that he
had found a new writer with a clear sense of style. He took me
on and is now trying to sell that sense of style to publishers.
Even better for me, he's not just trying to sell my first book,
he's trying to sell me as the next new thing, a young writer to
look out for! -Carmen, Novelist
Editor Says: "Forget Modesty"
Writing is not a business where you can afford to be modest. You
have to get in there and show what you've got. Whatever you do
better than everyone else, show it off. Build your work around
your best skill. Otherwise, you're going to be lumped in with
the rest of the writers that are good, but don't stand out.
-James, Editor
Editor Says: "I'm Looking for One Thing"
Many writers make the mistake of trying to show me everything
they do well. Forget it. I'm glancing at hundreds of manuscripts
a day. To catch my attention, you have to hit me between the
eyes with one strong point that I can't not notice. There will
be time later to show me your other strengths. For the first
contact, focus on making one clear point about yourself and make
it a good one. -Darryn, Editor
Susan's Story: Is it Really a Flaw?
In the early days of Susan's career, everyone advised her that
she relied on dialogue too much. So she cut out the dialogue.
She kept writing but found her work lacked energy. Years later,
she decided to ignore all the advice. The novel came naturally
to her and it was almost all dialogue. The book reviews praised
her unique style and voice. Susan learned her lesson--never
suppress what comes naturally to you. Remember, what comes
naturally to you might be your greatest gift, not your greatest
flaw.
Top Six Ways to Find Your Strength
1. Ask other people what stands out about your work.
2. Read some of your best work and make a list of what makes it
good.
3. Read through the contents of a book about writing and ask
yourself if there is an area you are good at.
4. Think about what other people have said about your work. Are
there any comments that keep being repeated? 5. Ask yourself
what you care about when you write.
6. What do you like about other people's work? Often the things
you notice in other people's work are also the things that you
are good at.