Writing a Novel and Getting Published for Dummies: Uk Edition

by George C. Green

Includes advice on perfecting dialogue, plot, and endings Turn your bright idea into a brilliant novel With a published author advising you on how to write a great novel, and a literary agent on how to get a publishing deal, this guide gives you the complete inside track on the art and science of breaking into the fiction publishing industry. It takes you step-by-step from concept to contract so you have all the tools you need to tell your story with skill, and approach agents and publishers with confidence.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference

294 pages, Paperback

First published April 13, 2007

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Beth McCallum · Rating 5 out of 5]

really grateful for this book + all the insight it gave me

[Katie_la_geek · Rating 4 out of 5]

My main problem with reference books, or books that are there to guide you is that the writer often writes in a way that only he, and others in his industry understand. This is great if you are already in that industry. But if, like me, you are stood on the outside hopelessly searching for a way to get in, it is not very helpful. Thankfully there are Dummies books which make sense of all the nonsense that other guide books seem to be full of.

This guide was easy to read and very informative. I learnt a lot from it. It was not a particularly hopeful book. I am now sure that I don't have the talent, luck, money, time or intelligence to write a novel, but at least it told it as it is. Brutal honesty is often the best kind of truth there is. Writing a book let alone publishing it is hard...really, really hard, but this book makes that journey seem less daunting. I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to write and publish a novel.

[Hanieh Salehi · Rating 1 out of 5]

اگه دنبال خریدن کتابی هستید که توی نوشتن بهتون چیزی یاد بده، این کتاب رو نه بخرید، نه بخونید، نه حتی از دو کیلومتریش رد بشید! اونقدر پیدا کردن منبع خوب برای یادگیری رمان و داستان سخته که من یه مدت به هر چیزی که کوچکترین نشونه ای از هدفم داشت چنگ می انداختم. این کتاب هم یکی از تله هایی بود که توش گرفتار شدم (و بدین ترتیب یکی از فرصت هام رو توی نمایشگاه کتاب برای خریدن یه کتاب بهتر سوزوندم). می تونم قسم بخورم هیچی بهم یاد نداد. رمان نویسی توی این کتاب نه به عنوان یه هنر، بلکه به عنوان یه شغل مطرح میشه و تمام زیبایی خودش رو از دست میده. البته فکر میکنم بخش چگونگی نشر کتابش برای افرادی که توی کشور محل زندگی نویسنده (متاسفانه یادم نمیاد کجا بود) زندگی می کنن کاربردی خواهد بود، ولی بقیه اش واقعا به دردم نخورد.

[James Minter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book on writing I bought. The writing / editing / publishing business is very large. This book does a credible job in 300 pages to get the novice going in the right direction. It's never going to be the definitive guide but its a useful start.

[George L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read many books in the ‘For Dummies’ genre and have always found them helpful. There’s something lovely about how they are laid out and sectioned off that makes my brain happy – and Writing a Novel and Getting Published for Dummies is no different.

If you are serious about writing a novel, this book is an incredible resource. It can help you in countless ways, from improving your writing skills to offering information on self-publishing for those who feel the traditional route may not be for them.

With its expert advice, direct instruction, and engaging writing style, this book will undoubtedly become a go-to reference for all kinds of advice for years to come. I know it will be for me.

I am giving this book a good 8/10.

Read my full review here:
https://georgelthomas.com/2024/05/03/...

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and wide-ranging, a true pleasure to read. It is a bit dated, particularly on the subject of self-publishing; the Internet has changed the publishing world dramatically, even in recent years, and this book lacks detail about electronic formats. That said, it's about "getting published," so I can't fault the book much for focusing on deals with traditional publishers.

Also, this is a UK version, so while I would have preferred a US version, I took what I could get during the COVID-19 pandemic.

[Jo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Takes on too much and does it too superficially/generally. Randomly gets specific about odd, less-than-key points or examples that apply to only a small segment of writers. Not helpful for novice writers I'm sure, and no nuggets to remind experienced writers. Sadly also not inspirational in any way.
(I found Writing Fiction for Dummies by Ingermanson and Economy to be quite clear and inspirational - I recommend that one instead!)

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book spends most of the opening chapters focusing on how hard it is to succeed rather than give any practical advice, and what it gives is mostly common sense. There are much better books. I am glad I got this from the library rather than buy it. I DNFed this book as it was just hard to get through and it is due back.

[Pippa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exactly what you would hope . A very good introduction to the art of writing novels. I found the chapter on managing numerous drafts very helpful and I loved the tip for writers who are almost drowning in their own ideas. Very practical.

[Nia · Rating 4 out of 5]

While still searching the library for a newer (and US-based) version of this book, I took extensive notes and found that most of the instructions and exercises have helped tremendously in my current Work In Progress. Highly recommended reading, with several notebooks at hand!

[Al Capwned · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite helpful but not something that will change the world for your writing projects.

[Robert Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

One from the library that I picked up on a whim.

Whilst you might imagine, like me, that Dummies books are simplified down to nothing, you might be pleasantly surprised by the scope of this book.

Everything you need to start writing, like motivation and grammar, through plot, structure, character development, thematic considerations through to editing, and polishing then finding an agent and publisher or going the self publishing route are covered stylishly and in useful depth, all with a dose of humour that we come to know and love in this series of books.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and took some good advice from it in the laying out of my own first novel - so that's ok.

All things considered, if I was to recommend one book out of the half dozen or so books on this subject that I've read, it would be this one.

in fact, even if I wasn't writing a novel, I would have found this book to be an interesting read in itself because stories are mostly all about people and this books teaches us how to be an insightful observer of people and in the process reveals much of the psychology and sociology of normal human interactions.

Love it.

[Allan Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly informative and helpful. Maybe its me but I love the Dummies series....

[Cheryl-lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent!!