"her twin children have three fathers each"

And one of them is now a deer.

Eve: At least he knocked her up before being transformed. Half-elf/deer procreation would be a bit excessive even for Hamilton.

"Half-elf/deer procreation would be a bit excessive even for Hamilton." Yes, if we want that, we go straight for Jack Chalker. I wouldn't put funny genetics past him, either... though three fathers each is impressively funny genetics. Do the twins have the same three fathers each, or are we talking six totally fathers? Impressive either way.

Hi Rose,

Any suggestions for first time SF writers? I enjoy your comments.

Miri: Three fathers each, total of six different fathers. Impressive is one word for it.
<BR><BR>
Mark: What sort of suggestions are you looking for?

Wow, you are fast with a response. I have read the statistics on being published (slim to none) and have visited many sites suggesting they have the answers for first time writers, but it only leaves me confused about where to go next.
I have been working on a novel for over a year and feel my story is very marketable, but I don't know what step to take next. I am just reaching out to you for some direction. Perhaps there is nothing you can suggest, but I am interested in your comments.
My novel is very rough and I am about 10 pages from completing my story. What is my next step?
Are there any writer software programs you would recommend?
Keep in mind, I wrote the book as a means of escape from the chaos in my life and either way it has been a great experience.
The working title is "The Alien Within. The battle to be human."
Should I spend the money to copyright it?
Thank you for your comments

Mark

Mark: I'm not a writer, an agent, or an editor, so take this all with several grains of salt, but I'll see if I can be of some help.<BR><BR>It's great that your manuscript is almost complete. The next thing to do is an editing pass; you say it's very rough, so you should take the time to smooth it. Run it through spellcheck, but don't expect it to catch all the mistakes. Read it out loud to someone who isn't familiar with it, so you can hear (and fix) the cadence of the sentences and they can tell you what doesn't make sense. Make sure all your verifiable facts are correct. You might want to find a local writing group to help you out, or post chapters for critique on the Online Writing Workshop, as long as you're willing to offer some crits in return. Many authors I know say the advice and support of other writers is absolutely invaluable. You could also hire a professional editor to give it a going-over, but keep in mind that editing is part of the deal when you sell a manuscript to a publisher, so don't shell out for it unless you're absolutely certain the expense is justified.<BR><BR>After that, you have two options: shop around for an agent, or submit to publishers directly. Agents are really really useful and I recommend getting one if you can. NEVER EVER go with an agent who wants you to pay up front. Any respectable agent takes a percentage of the money you make from selling your book to a publisher. For an idea of what agents do, check my Nuts & Bolts interview with Jennifer Jackson from a few weeks ago.<BR><BR>Whether you're submitting to agents or publishers, the important thing is to find a good match for your work. Don't send a hard SF novel to someone who only handles paranormal romance. Look around bookstores for authors who write the sort of thing you're writing, and for publishers who publish it. A little research will tell you which agents represent those authors, and which of those publishers are accepting submissions. ALWAYS follow their directions when submitting. If the editor or agent you're sending the book to has a blog, check to see whether they've posted about their preferences regarding cover letters and manuscript format. As with agents, don't pay a publisher to publish your book; it's extremely hard to get any attention for a vanity press book, and you'll likely just be wasting your money. Writers Market is very useful for finding places to submit your manuscript; the book is expensive but your library probably has it. The Preditors & Editors site has useful listings of reputable and disreputable agents and editors.<BR><BR>You'll probably get a few rejections as you're shopping your book around. Pay attention to them. If they all say the same thing, they're probably right.<BR><BR>For writing software, I like JDarkRoom. As for copyright, you don't need to pay a thing. Just put "Copyright (c) Mark [your last name] 2008" on it and you're good to go.<BR><BR>Best of luck!

Miss Fox,
I first want to thank you for your direction. I am going to paste it to the bottom of my book and reference it. I researched everything in my book and am comfident the facts are in line. I will certainly refer back to your discussion with Jennifer Jackson.
I love the idea of reading it out loud to someone and will find a person willing to listen intently. Whats your number...just joking...
Do you think writer sites are safe? I would hate to have my book idea stolen. My concept is unique and plausable.
I won't pay for an agent or publisher as you suggest and will search for an agent.
I did not know placing the copyright mark was all I needed to do. I did read once you write something it is inheritantly (?sP) protected.
Will puchase the software.

By the way,,,,,You are the best. Thank you once more.

Mark

Mark, I'm a published-for-pay writer with an extensive library of books on writing. Here's a few on editing your own fiction: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO EDITING YOUR FICTION by Michael Seidman; THE FIRST FIVE PAGES by Noah Lukeman; STRUCTURING YOUR NOVEL by Meredith & Fitzgerald; SELF EDITING FOR FICTION WRITERS by Brown & King; and THE 38 MOST COMMON FICTION WRITING MISTAKES by Jack M Bickford. STRUCTURING YOUR NOVEL is my fave. ALL writing books by Bickford, Seidman and Lukeman are helpful. I have about 500 books on writing in my library; if you want a longer list of helpful books, email me at info@writeroffthelake.com & I'll send you a list with my opinions.