Sharon Lewis recently signed a “substantial” two-book deal for her novel,
Don’t Stand So Close. She reflects on what took her from an unpublished to published author.
•Once you’ve sent your first novel out to agents – start writing again as soon as possible. That way once the rejections come in (several, in my case) you don’t despair as you already have something better on the go. The agent I eventually signed with politely rejected my first manuscript but loved the second concept I submitted to her some months later.
•Edit, edit, edit – as many times as you can stand it. Never send a first draft out to agents.
•Write as though no-one else will ever read it – that way you’re free to write the most exciting/awful/risky stuff that people really want to read.
Sharon Lewis has written two non-fiction books, and has an MA in creative writing at Bath Spa University. Sharon was helped by London Writers’ Club, Ready to Pitch Package and Write with an Agent sessions when writing her novel.