How To Create And Publish A Novel As A Teenager With Pictures

If you wish, you can mix genres. A very popular mixed genre is romance-fantasy.

Create an outline for Chapter One. List the things that are going to happen in it. You are basically summarizing the chapter, so that when it comes to the actual writing, it’s already in skeleton form and you begin fleshing out the detail.

More than likely, you are writing about a teen or preteen stuck in some situation. Some things you want to remember are: Don’t use confusing words and long paragraphs. Your reader will get turned off immediately. Terms that preteens and teens use grow old over time. If you use these words, this is also a turnoff. Don’t use the same terms over and over. Your readers will get bored. Make sure it is appropriate for the age you are writing for. For example, don’t write a teenage novel called “Rainbow, the Magic Pony Saves the Day. " When you’re done, show your work to a friend, parent, or teacher. Have them give you feedback on what you should edit. Throw the advice and go with what feels right and downright original. New ways of seeing the world have to emerge from somewhere plus a dose of courage. On the very young and the very old can afford to be that daring, so risk it.

Take your time. If you reach a point in the novel where you are stuck, take a break and come back to it later. Frustration will be your only reward if you just sit there struggling and trying to do something you can’t. A good book or series takes time to make. J. K Rowling and her books (Harry Potter) took her over 17 years to complete. Take your time and in the long run it will be worth it. [5] X Research source Don’t stay up late, all night, trying to get the whole thing finished in a month. It’s doubtful that’s going to happen and it will only make you really tired. This, in turn, will make it harder for you to think and work on what you have. Get enough sleep, eat breakfast, do well in school, etc. You will get it finished; even if it takes a year, you will get it finished if you work on it. Rushing through things isn’t going to improve your writing, if anything it’s going to make it worse.

When you look for an agent, find one who is interested in the genre of book that you’re writing in. Read a good article on writing query letters, get some practice, don’t go over a page, and follow the agent’s preferences. If they say to only send snail mail, then send snail mail. If they want the first chapter, don’t give them the whole book. Try agentquery. com for a first look. It may be hard to find an agent. However, it can be really useful, so persevere. Your agent will bring your book to publishers that he/she thinks are likely to publish it, and many publishers nowadays will only deal with authors through a literary agent. You will have to find one who is available and send a query letter. Don’t be afraid if one rejects you, just go on to the next one. Even J. K. Rowling was rejected, twelve times, when she tried to publish Harry Potter. As honest as you want to be with the agents that you’re querying, it is best not to tell them your age. You’d be surprised how many authors (even the adult ones) don’t tell the agents how old they are. If you write your query and manuscript well enough, the agents will let the writing speak for itself, and they won’t even realize that you’re thirteen, or fourteen, or one hundred and seventeen. If they like it they’ll call, regardless of your age and past credentials. If the agent makes you feel uncomfortable in any way, then you end the conversation as quickly as possible. Don’t be taken advantage of. “Yes, thank you so very much. But I’ve had a few other offers (even if you haven’t, still use this. It’s polite, it’s a white lie, and it’s better to put off a bad agent and wait for a good one, bad agents won’t help you. ) and I’d like to think about them. I thank you very much for your time. Should I contact you if I decide that I would like you to represent me, or should we work out something else?” Or something like that. A bad agent gets you nowhere.

Note that not every publishing company online is safe and true.

When an agent calls - and gives you the call - then be happy. Be polite, and courteous, and thank them very much for reading what you’ve written. Be humble; do not compare your work to best sellers or other books that they’ve represented or any other works at all. It’s bad form. You can ask questions; even literary agents don’t know everything. Be professional and when they ask your age, if they ask your age, be very mature and tell them exactly how old you are. Lying will not help, you cannot sign a contract when you are under eighteen - it’s illegal - and lying will only come back and bite you in the butt.