tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71930340298107115.post5795407161364806387..comments2023-02-23T14:01:09.808+05:30Comments on Within the Purview: The Higgledy-piggledy Publishing Biz: To Begin or Not to BeginDivya Dubeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17322385417060648073noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71930340298107115.post-59879171470950115502011-10-18T11:23:02.511+05:302011-10-18T11:23:02.511+05:30Dear Prakash,
Usually, anything over 30,000 words...Dear Prakash,<br /><br />Usually, anything over 30,000 words can be considered a novel. A novel of about 60,000 words translates into about 200 pages. Of course, we do also have novels with 500 pages or more. It really depends on what your story demands.<br /><br />Don't write a novel with a word count in mind. That's the wrong way to go about it, because then you'd be increasing the word count just for the sake of it. That's a bad, BAD idea. One of the most important things in a novel is its tightness -- to use minimum words to say the maximum. That's the art of the novel.<br /><br />Publishers don't go by the word count. They go by content and quality -- whether you have a strong story, how different it is, how beautiful your language is, etc. Focus on those.Divya Dubeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17322385417060648073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71930340298107115.post-72679519685388648372011-10-17T17:46:07.318+05:302011-10-17T17:46:07.318+05:30Hi Divya madam,
You have mentioned in one of your...Hi Divya madam,<br /><br />You have mentioned in one of your blogs that an average novel varies from 40,000 to 65,000 words. But elsewhere, i have come across that an average debut novel should be around 70,000-80,000 words. Please elucidate.<br /><br />Also, i m writing a memoir-based fiction. The story spans for one-and-a-half year of the protaganist's teenage life. And i m done with the first draft at around 55,000. Do u think the complete debut novel at around 70,000 words is a fair catch?<br /><br />Many Thanks,<br />Prakash.Prakashnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71930340298107115.post-32994023467599384652011-10-16T17:22:19.608+05:302011-10-16T17:22:19.608+05:30Hi Rehan,
If you're confident you have a good ...Hi Rehan,<br />If you're confident you have a good manuscript in hand, you can send it to a publisher directly. In India, publishers still accept unsolicited manuscripts. I gave a list here: http://dearddsez.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-get-published-part-2-column.html<br /><br />Alternatively, if you feel your script might need professional assistance, you can tap GWC: http://www.gyaanawc.blogspot.com/. You could also tap an agent. In either case your chances of acceptance would become better. <br /><br />A novel may be rejected by a publisher on several grounds. Again, if it's published by a good publisher, the publisher would've made sure to bring it to a certain level by his/her inputs. In that case, good reviews are not surprising.Divya Dubeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17322385417060648073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71930340298107115.post-63276557972005031822011-10-16T11:57:09.328+05:302011-10-16T11:57:09.328+05:30Hi Divya....just chanced upon ur blog n loved it.....Hi Divya....just chanced upon ur blog n loved it.....i have a completed manuscript...but whom shud i send to -- i mean, I have heard that the publishers r a really tough nut to crack.....and i have also heard stories (few though) of how after getting rejected from multiple publishers, a novel gets ultimately published somehow n then ends up getting very gud reviews by those very publishing people.........<br /><br />If true, then its a little scary - dont u think?and is sending directly to the publishers better or shud i send to some good agents instead (so chances of getting published r high). Personally, what do u suggest?Rehannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71930340298107115.post-955796937350222612011-10-15T23:49:36.725+05:302011-10-15T23:49:36.725+05:30Yes, they take time to review because there are a ...Yes, they take time to review because there are a lot of scripts in queue waiting to be reviewed. :) No, it will not be time-saving because they'd have to do the exercise twice (once with half the script and then the complete script). Since they're reading all the time, nobody will remember your script six months down the line. They'd have to do it all over again, so it'll be a waste of time instead. In any case, I don't think anyone accepts half a script.Divya Dubeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17322385417060648073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71930340298107115.post-85950190207031291782011-10-15T22:58:51.143+05:302011-10-15T22:58:51.143+05:30But Divya....i've heard the publishers(or the ...But Divya....i've heard the publishers(or the agents) take a lot of time reviewing n getting back (that is, if interested).....so wudn't it be time-saving on my part if i send them now (lets say the first three properly revised n edited chapters) n in the next 5/6 months if they come back (hopefully)...i'll have the entire thing ready by then?...<br /><br />Thanks for ur time,<br />Moni.Moninoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71930340298107115.post-53410586891480709082011-10-15T15:49:10.036+05:302011-10-15T15:49:10.036+05:30Dear Moni,
It's better to finish your entire s...Dear Moni,<br />It's better to finish your entire script first and then send it to a publisher/agent so that they can respond to it properly at one go.Divya Dubeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17322385417060648073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71930340298107115.post-13479838575679080662011-10-15T15:14:17.270+05:302011-10-15T15:14:17.270+05:30Hi Divya....first of all, thanks a ton for all the...Hi Divya....first of all, thanks a ton for all the guidance u provide to first time writers. <br /><br />I wanted to know the exact time to send my manuscript for review to the publishers. (Or is sending to literary agencies like jacaranda a better option).....See i have completed till around 48000 words of my novel. the first draft wud be around 60000 words (one more month of slogging, i think) which i'll later edit n bring it upto somewhere around 75000 or a little more. <br />So What do u suggest - shud i try my luck from now only or wait a little longer?Moninoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71930340298107115.post-27109328407131100732011-10-05T07:25:47.702+05:302011-10-05T07:25:47.702+05:30Dear Divya,
Well written! I remember discussing t...Dear Divya,<br /><br />Well written! I remember discussing these issues with you when Gyaana was taking birth! I Have been following all your posts, book launches, talks, columns with avid interest and cannot tell you how proud I feel of you and the incredibly long, lonely and hard road you have travelled and continue to travel with such gusto! Hats off to you, my child, you have the courage of a lion and the perseverance of an ant! God bless you! Lots and lots of love and blessings, Bandana AuntyBandanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08351891153938747048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71930340298107115.post-81099242039065874902011-10-04T15:47:05.745+05:302011-10-04T15:47:05.745+05:30You have written a very balanced and realistic acc...You have written a very balanced and realistic account. <br /><br />Whenever I think about it, I think publishing is one of the most difficult businesses. Unless one is passionate about publishing (and hence would tolerate the setbacks) it will be difficult to sustain it. Also, printing is different than publishing. You are right that selling books is also very difficult unless one is an established author.Rahulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06605779610631940824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71930340298107115.post-17743511773410777062011-10-03T17:39:17.014+05:302011-10-03T17:39:17.014+05:30'Publishing is a tough business and needs, apa...'Publishing is a tough business and needs, apart from resources, the nerves of a warrior and the patience of a sage.'<br /><br />Divya Ma'am your these words are the most insightful. Thank you so much for sharing the inside story of the Publishing world.Jinal Shailesh Doshihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07431586940072184909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71930340298107115.post-31138752787008417922011-10-03T14:29:32.590+05:302011-10-03T14:29:32.590+05:30Hi Divya,
While the option of vanity publishing m...Hi Divya,<br /><br />While the option of vanity publishing may be encouraging, I am not for it. For me as a serious reader & collector of books, it's a strict no-no. For a writer's own growth, I think it should be a no-no.Swapna Raghu Sanandhttp://petalsfromtheheart.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com