to rewrite or not to rewrite?

September 5, 2008 11:40 AM

Should I rewrite my novel before submitting it to publishers?

Back story: The current draft was completed over three years ago. Everybody liked it (not just family and friends) to the extent that a certain not unsuccessful indie-filmmaker demanded I turn it into a screenplay for him (that’s where the three years went). The screenplay is now pretty much complete and off to market. The problem is that, based on the adaptation process, I can now see a number of obvious shortcomings in the novel. Foremost among them: it’s too long. I know I could make it twenty-five percent shorter with losing anything of value and have already rewritten the first fifty pages or so in this light.

My real question then (publishing industry pros please take note). As a first-time essentially unknown novelist, should I:

1. submit the existing 2005 draft as is and then “get paid” to make the revisions in collaboration with an editor?

2. take the time (at least three poverty stricken months, probably six) to make the changes that I know will only improve it?

3. (here’s where it gets tricky and perhaps needlessly complicated) submit the rewritten fifty plus pages as a hook and then evolve the relationship from there?

Final note: if #3 strikes you as my best option, any hints as to how I might word this in the queries I will be sending out?

posted by philip-random to Writing & Language (10 answers total)

If this is fiction, you are putting the cart far, far before the horse, my friend. You need to query agents, not publishers. Very few publishers accept unsolicited manuscripts. You can query them, but why query the publisher, when- on average- you'll get 5k to 10k more on your advance if you're represented by an agent?

Go ahead and start the submission process by querying agents now- it takes a while. 3 month response time is normal (and before you freak, that's a lot faster than the 6-12 month response time on queries to publishers.)

When they request pages (some want 10, some want the first chapter, some want 50, so you have a good number to work with.) While you're querying, continue your revisions. By the time you get some partial or full requests, you'll probably be done rewriting the rest.

Publishers Marketplace - research your agents.

Agent Query can also be a good resource.

Double check and make sure they're legitimate.

Write your query letter.

Proceed from there.
posted by headspace at 11:58 AM on September 5, 2008 [6 favorites]

When they request pages (some want 10, some want the first chapter, some want 50, so you have a good number to work with.)

Er... when they request pages, send them from the ones you've already rewritten.
posted by headspace at 12:01 PM on September 5, 2008

Response by poster: If this is fiction, you are putting the cart far, far before the horse, my friend. You need to query agents, not publishers.

I should have clarified that I have already been pursuing agents (beginning over three months ago). This is why I am now moving to publishers.

why query the publisher, when- on average- you'll get 5k to 10k more on your advance if you're represented by an agent?

My research has lead me to the thinking that, for "unknowns" such as myself you often need to have some kind of publisher interest before you can find that agent who will swoop in and earn his/her percentage.

when they request pages, send them from the ones you've already rewritten.

Thanks.
posted by philip-random at 12:23 PM on September 5, 2008

My research has lead me to the thinking that, for "unknowns" such as myself you often need to have some kind of publisher interest before you can find that agent who will swoop in and earn his/her percentage.

Your research (if you're talking about the United States, that is) is completely wrong and could not be wronger.

If you have queried agents and gotten rejections, you're going to get the same and worse from most publishers (and most publishers who pay even halfway decently won't even look at unagented manuscripts).
posted by Sidhedevil at 12:32 PM on September 5, 2008 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Final Clarification: thus far, my focus has been Canada.
posted by philip-random at 12:38 PM on September 5, 2008

I don't know much about the Canadian publishing industry, so I've got nothing useful to add on that. However, if you don't get the feedback you need over here, try registering at AbsoluteWrite.com--they have a large Canadian contingent, including several people who recently sold their first novels.
posted by Sidhedevil at 12:56 PM on September 5, 2008

Much depends on what kind of publisher you're interested in. If you're aiming at big New York houses, Sidhedevil is probably right. But I sold my novel by sending it directly to a smaller press, no agent involved.

Another obvious question: can you afford to wait until you hear something about whether the screenplay is sold? Surely "first novel by unknown novelist" becomes much more generically salable when "movie adaptation by not unsuccessful indie-filmmaker" is attached.

But as to your original question: if it were me, I'd rewrite now. This is the culmination of years of work and thought for you; you don't want to present people with something that's essentially a rough draft.
posted by escabeche at 1:10 PM on September 5, 2008

Best answer: My research has lead me to the thinking that, for "unknowns" such as myself you often need to have some kind of publisher interest before you can find that agent who will swoop in and earn his/her percentage.

I just want to add that this is true-- if your work is NON-fiction. Platform helps non-fiction in a fantastic way, but platform does diddley for you in fiction unless you're Madonna. I've been a screenwriter for 15 years, hundreds of productions, many, many awards, and the world of fiction simply doesn't care. Writing a good book is how you get a fiction agent.

If you're getting form rejections now from agents, you're going to get form rejections from publishers. They are the gatekeepers of the industry. Do you have a good, succinct query letter (no more than one page long?) Are you querying people who specialize in your kind of fiction? (that's what Publisher's Marketplace is especially good for.) Are you following each agency's instructions for querying? (Unsolicited manuscripts are a good way to hit the roundfile.)

Finally, it does take time. On my first novel, I made 80 queries without finding representation. Turns out it was a pretty lousy novel, even though I loved it, and lots of my friends loved it. On my second novel, I made 20 queries before I found representation. I wrote my second novel in 2004. It will finally be on the shelves February 2009.

Getting agented and getting sold is a marathon, not a sprint. As a "publishing industry pro" taking note here- I'm trying to save you both postage and frustration. You're already mired in a great deal of misinformation, and you have an unreasonable conception of the timeframes involved in this industry. May I suggest:

Nathan Bransford, Curtis Brown Ltd.
Janet Reid, FinePrint Literary Management
Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary Agency

(However escabeche is right, there are a world of small presses out there, and you don't need to be agented to give them a try. However, please do steer clear of PublishAmerica, PublishCanada, iUniverse, AuthorHouse, and any "house" listed at Writer Beware. Vanity presses and scam presses love to masquerade as legitimate publishers.)
posted by headspace at 1:35 PM on September 5, 2008 [6 favorites]

First, to answer your question, I think you should absolutely rewrite if you think you could make it better. Why wouldn't you?

Second, if you've been getting rejected from agents, you're not going to fare much better going directly to publishers. If you're getting rejected by agents, that's all the more evidence you should rewrite.
posted by Nattie at 5:10 PM on September 5, 2008

I can't say I'm a professional, I'm sitting about where you are in terms of getting a novel published, but I am a Canadian. and from what I can tell, there are a number of small and medium sized Canadian presses you will be able to approach without going through an agent. you will not make much money with them, but it's possible and doing so will set you up to approach agents with your next book.

a great many of them are distributed by The Literary Press Group. I think the only really notable press that isn't is Anansi. if you want a comprehensive directory, I suspect the Association of Canadian Publishers would be the place to look.

and knowing nothing about your writing methods or your book, I would recommend sending queries now, with the re-written bits included with them, and continue to re-write the rest.
posted by object-a at 9:44 AM on September 6, 2008 [1 favorite]