Review of Fay Weldon's 'Why will no one publish my novel?' - by Fran Hill
I've found a little gem in Fay Weldon's small book 'Why Will No one Publish my Novel? - a handbook for the rejected writer'. Her title captures the despair very well, I think.
Weldon is an uber-writer of novels, screenplays, short stories, non fiction and children's books. So she should know what she's talking about.
Although my current WIP has been accepted for publication, it's a memoir and not a novel, and I've had a long history of rejected novels and the resultant sobbing into my coffee. So it piqued my interest when I spotted Weldon's book in the shop.
Also, as I flicked through the pages, I could see that the advice Weldon gives is equally as relevant to me - two-thirds through a memoir's first full draft with a deadline this August - as to anyone writing a novel.
Thirdly, the book is purple, and I love purple.
I'm not saying Weldon is right about everything. We know these things can be subjective. But, regardless, I'm passing on - mainly in my own words - ten reasons she gives about why a novel might be rejected.
1. You've written your novel with the logical, rational, red-pencil, sensible side of your brain and not with the inventive, innovative, dreamy, fuzzy side. Thus, it's dull. Let yourself go.
2. You've refused to acknowledge that even novels will have your personal stamp on them - your struggles, your sins, your failings. So you've tried to hold back, or stand aside, and as a result, your novel seems less human, less relatable. Your characters don't seem like real, flawed, complex people. Look for what you have in common with other humans rather than resisting it, and write about that.
3. You didn't stay on track in the story because you weren't sure what the track was. You need a mission statement from the start that expresses what you are trying to say. What do you want to tell the world? Examples include 'True love always finds a way' or 'Children can ruin their parents' lives' or 'Bitterness will hurt you more than it hurts the offender.' Once you have your mission statement, everything in the book has to serve that, and not deviate from it: settings, characters, events and structure. Keep referring to it, like a benchmark.
4. You haven't tried to keep the mission statement simple - don't over-complicate with sub-plots that could perhaps form another book. Keep something for next time.
5. (Controversial, this one.) You didn't construct a plot before you began, so you wandered around and found yourself bogged down in the middle, wondering what should happen next. And it shows. Plan first. Map out the journey.
6. You forgot that many readers skim-read and miss information. So you have to be very clear. If someone begins to speak, where are they? Who are they with? What time of day is it? Tell your reader stuff. Don't leave them struggling. There's a difference between 'suspense' and 'puzzle'.
7. You didn't make your goodies and baddies easy to spot. Readers like to know, and identify. Yours were confused about who was who.
8. You denied your reader the restoration of order. Their real lives are often chaotic and seem disorderly. They use novels to reassure themselves that all will be well. Give them that. This doesn't mean, necessarily, providing happy endings, but definitely make sure that the unjust get justice and that anyone who deserves a break receives one.
9. You didn't give all the characters NEEDS. Everyone has needs, and it's those needs that make them human and identifiable-with. Even minor characters have needs and that will stop them from being cardboard characters. For instance, make the postman in your story wish for new boots. Also, make your characters come alive by showing ways in which they deviate from the norm. For instance, give them striking red hair even though they're shy, or long painted nails even though the rest of them is shabby. Mention that they're extremely tall, or particularly loud when speaking. Make them distinctive.
10. Too many of your sentences did nothing. 'A sentence should either 'set the scene, advance the action or tell us more about a character.' If your sentences, particularly those in dialogue, don't do any of this, they may be superfluous. So, in narrative and dialogue, cut straight to the quick. Get into the heart of the scene. Don't have hellos or goodbyes unless they matter.
For me, Numbers 2 and 3 are proving crucial. I can already see a difference in my writing.
Cheers, Fay.
Fran Hill is a writer and teacher living in Warwickshire. You can learn more about Fran including details of her first book 'Being Miss' from her website right here Her new book 'Miss, What Does Incomprehensible Mean?' is to be published by SPCK in 2020. She doesn't recommend sobbing into coffee unless you like your coffee on the weak side.
Weldon is an uber-writer of novels, screenplays, short stories, non fiction and children's books. So she should know what she's talking about.
Although my current WIP has been accepted for publication, it's a memoir and not a novel, and I've had a long history of rejected novels and the resultant sobbing into my coffee. So it piqued my interest when I spotted Weldon's book in the shop.
Also, as I flicked through the pages, I could see that the advice Weldon gives is equally as relevant to me - two-thirds through a memoir's first full draft with a deadline this August - as to anyone writing a novel.
Thirdly, the book is purple, and I love purple.
I'm not saying Weldon is right about everything. We know these things can be subjective. But, regardless, I'm passing on - mainly in my own words - ten reasons she gives about why a novel might be rejected.
1. You've written your novel with the logical, rational, red-pencil, sensible side of your brain and not with the inventive, innovative, dreamy, fuzzy side. Thus, it's dull. Let yourself go.
2. You've refused to acknowledge that even novels will have your personal stamp on them - your struggles, your sins, your failings. So you've tried to hold back, or stand aside, and as a result, your novel seems less human, less relatable. Your characters don't seem like real, flawed, complex people. Look for what you have in common with other humans rather than resisting it, and write about that.
3. You didn't stay on track in the story because you weren't sure what the track was. You need a mission statement from the start that expresses what you are trying to say. What do you want to tell the world? Examples include 'True love always finds a way' or 'Children can ruin their parents' lives' or 'Bitterness will hurt you more than it hurts the offender.' Once you have your mission statement, everything in the book has to serve that, and not deviate from it: settings, characters, events and structure. Keep referring to it, like a benchmark.
4. You haven't tried to keep the mission statement simple - don't over-complicate with sub-plots that could perhaps form another book. Keep something for next time.
5. (Controversial, this one.) You didn't construct a plot before you began, so you wandered around and found yourself bogged down in the middle, wondering what should happen next. And it shows. Plan first. Map out the journey.
6. You forgot that many readers skim-read and miss information. So you have to be very clear. If someone begins to speak, where are they? Who are they with? What time of day is it? Tell your reader stuff. Don't leave them struggling. There's a difference between 'suspense' and 'puzzle'.
7. You didn't make your goodies and baddies easy to spot. Readers like to know, and identify. Yours were confused about who was who.
8. You denied your reader the restoration of order. Their real lives are often chaotic and seem disorderly. They use novels to reassure themselves that all will be well. Give them that. This doesn't mean, necessarily, providing happy endings, but definitely make sure that the unjust get justice and that anyone who deserves a break receives one.
9. You didn't give all the characters NEEDS. Everyone has needs, and it's those needs that make them human and identifiable-with. Even minor characters have needs and that will stop them from being cardboard characters. For instance, make the postman in your story wish for new boots. Also, make your characters come alive by showing ways in which they deviate from the norm. For instance, give them striking red hair even though they're shy, or long painted nails even though the rest of them is shabby. Mention that they're extremely tall, or particularly loud when speaking. Make them distinctive.
10. Too many of your sentences did nothing. 'A sentence should either 'set the scene, advance the action or tell us more about a character.' If your sentences, particularly those in dialogue, don't do any of this, they may be superfluous. So, in narrative and dialogue, cut straight to the quick. Get into the heart of the scene. Don't have hellos or goodbyes unless they matter.
For me, Numbers 2 and 3 are proving crucial. I can already see a difference in my writing.
Cheers, Fay.
Fran Hill is a writer and teacher living in Warwickshire. You can learn more about Fran including details of her first book 'Being Miss' from her website right here Her new book 'Miss, What Does Incomprehensible Mean?' is to be published by SPCK in 2020. She doesn't recommend sobbing into coffee unless you like your coffee on the weak side.
Fabulous. I downloaded this at your recommendation then promptly forgot about it. Have started rereading, though wondering if I actually need to now! You have summed it up so well. She has superb advice.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Deborah. I think you'll find plenty more in the book. These are just the points that grabbed me most. I think she really hits the nail.
DeleteDon't worry, Fran, getting a publisher for your novel isn't all it's cracked up to be either. I had trouble with the first who was both rude and took forever to get anywhere, consequently gave up and self-published. The current American one is almost completely disinterested in my novel once published and everything seems up to me, even encouraging myself! Being Miss was a great book and I hope you had a better publisher than me. I'm back to trying magazines at present. Much more straightforward. All the best.
ReplyDeleteArrggh, that's such a shame about those publishers. How discouraging for you - I'm sorry. Thank you for saying that about 'Being Miss' - I actually self-published it as although some publishers liked it, it was too short - only a novella. Keep going - don't give up. But, yes, I think you're right that writing for magazines is probably more straightforward.
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