Novel: Plan it. Write it. Sell it.

by Lynne Barrett-Lee

Got a burning desire to write a novel but don’t know where to start? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Written by bestselling novelist and creative writing tutor, Lynne Barrett-Lee, Novel: Plan it. Write it. Sell it, will teach you the skills you need to do that, step by step.

There has never been an easier time to get your work in front of readers – just look at the millions of self-published books uploaded to Amazon. But if you want success of a commercial kind – i.e. to write a novel that will sell – then you need to take the time to learn your craft. To ask yourself questions: what are the key components every novel needs? How can you make yours unputdownable? How should you approach planning? Where’s the best place to begin? How do you create memorable characters, and build effective plots and subplots? How can you use dialogue to best effect? How should you plan your chapters? How can you make it sing? Where should you end?

But going the distance as a novelist is not just about ticking boxes. Neither is it just about talent. It’s about nailing your theme, maintaining passion, about caring for your characters. It’s also about doggedness and resilience - continuing to write even when everything feels hopeless. How exactly do you find the wherewithal to go the distance with your novel? And assuming you have, how the heck do you find an agent?

Taking you right through the novel creation process and beyond, Novel aims to guide you towards the answers that will work best for you, pointing out the pitfalls that beset so many would-be novelists, and helping you to chart a course through the entire creative process. That book burning inside you - would you prefer to see it sitting in a bookshop? Then welcome – your journey starts here.

"A fantastic, supportive course: just what I needed when I was setting out to become a professional writer. Constructive advice and feedback on what I was writing, combined with practical help on negotiating the world of markets, agents and publishers. Lynne shares her successful experience generously."
Peter Higgins
Peter Higgins' first novel, Wolfhound Century, is published by Gollancz in the UK and Orbit in the US, and in translation in France, Germany, Poland and Finland. The sequel, Truth and Fear, comes out in early 2014.

"Before Lynne’s course, I was a revved up sports car after a three gin lunch, full of ideas, ambition and passion, but prone to crashing into a central reservation of procrastination and improbability. The content of the course was the steadying hand that transformed my desire into direction and eventual publication. I owe Lynne a lifetime of three gin lunches as thanks."
Dan Tyte, author of ‘Half Plus Seven’, published by Parthian Books, spring 2014.

"Lynne's classes are fun and friendly and her expertise covers many different aspects of writing. If you can't be there in person then the chance to read her notes has to be the next best thing."
Evonne Wareham, award-winning author of romantic suspense.

Genres: Nonfiction

89 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2013

About the author

Lynne Barrett-Lee


Born in London, I began my writing career as a teenager, when I was ‘discovered’ by a London-based literary agent, Annie Hallam, via a fan letter I sent to an actor who was her friend. Though life and love took precedence and I didn’t actually achieve publication then, I returned to my first love in 1994, as a mother of three, newly transplanted to Cardiff. My first paid-for piece of writing was a short article about being a mature primary school teacher training student, published in the Times Education Supplement. My world changed that day; I have yet to work as a primary school teacher.

I have been a full time author since the mid 1990s. My latest novel, a psychological mystery/thriller, called CAN YOU SEE ME?, probably constitutes one of my proudest achievements as a writer, since it’s a return to the genre I started writing in as a teenager - dark, edgy, ‘underbelly’ fiction, where nothing is as it seems.

I haven’t always been dark though. I also have eight romantic comedy novels and over a hundred published short stories to my name, most of the latter (which is how I learned my craft) appearing in UK Women’s magazines. I have also published two ebook guides to writing fiction, based on the short courses for adults I have taught for Cardiff University since 2009.

I also write a weekly column for the Western Mail Weekend magazine; something I have done since June 2006, with only a week off per year for good behaviour.

I began ghostwriting in 2007 and have since ghosted 26* full-length memoirs, most of which have been UK Sunday Times bestsellers. My titles include Giant George; life with the world’s biggest dog, and The Girl With No Name; the incredible true story of a girl raised by monkeys, which has now been published in 27 countries and is also the subject of a National Geographic documentary. It also led to me being asked to give a TedEx talk – about what it’s like to be a ghostwriter - possibly the proudest, and definitely the most terrifying day of my professional life.

Recent publications include On Duty For The Queen, for former UK Royal Press Secretary Dickie Arbiter, and the heartbreaking story of the Rebecca Aylward murder, Bye Mam, I Love You, which has garnered over 700 five star reviews. I am also the co-writer of the Julie Shaw series of gritty Bradford-based crime memoirs, the first of which, Our Vinnie, went straight into the bestseller lists. The fifth title, Bad Blood, published in October 2016, charted at number one in the UK in its first week.

My most recent ghosted work (and probably my personal favourite) is Fabulous Finn, the story of a now famous police dog, who was stabbed, almost fatally, when on duty with his handler Dave Wardell. Finn (now retired) has gone on to win multiple prestigious awards for his bravery, including a PDSA Gold Medal (the civilian version of the Dicken Medal – see Able Seacat Simon, below) and, most recently, the 2019 Crufts ‘Friends For Life’ award. Finn is also the RPD behind the campaign for Finn’s Law, to strengthen current legislation to protect service animals. It has just passed its third reading in the commons.

(Modesty usually forbids me from shamelessly plugging books I’ve ghosted, but I always make an exception for Finn. It’s a remarkable, heartbreaking, uplifting story, and I’m honoured beyond belief to have been the one to help tell it. )

CAN YOU SEE ME? is published by Thomas and Mercer, and is out on 01.01.20

For more information about me and my work, please visit
www.lynnebarrett-lee.com



Full list of published full-length works

*As well as the titles listed below, I am also the ghostwriter of a series of fostering memoirs (the author name is pseudonymous for confidentiality reasons) for one of the UK’s leading publishers. The first was published in 2011, and the nineteenth title will be published in May 2020.

Psychological thrillers

Can You See Me? (Thomas and Mercer

Reviews

[Carl Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh... well written and a good read if you're completely new to writing but nothing groundbreaking or innovative to be found here.

[Nic Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of really useful advice, especially the sections on editing and finding an agent. Feeling more inspired to get writing now.

[Monique · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first 70% of this book contains information any reader has already picked up through common sense, or grade 8 english. Plot, characters, setting, planning a story, dialogue - these are basic things anyone from age 13 up has a grip on. I was confused then that Barrett-Lee chose to spend such a long time discussing them. Their importance is not under question here for they are extremely important concepts in a book. What I am questioning is: why devote 70% of the book on super basic writing concepts? To spend so long on them was a little insulting to the reader's intelligence.

The last 30% of this book contained excellent information for how an aspiring writer goes about getting published, the importance of agents, documents needed to accompany your manuscript. Again, all basic stuff, but stuff that not every person already knows.

This is not the best book Barrett-Lee could have written about becoming a novelist. Perhaps this is really all she has to say on the topic, perhaps she is still squirelling away many secrets for herself? Either way, this is not a book an aspiring writer could buy and use as a reference for an in-depth guide to bettering their writing and publishing a novel. My recommendation would be to hire this from a library and read the last three chapters. Save the money.