Novel Samples and 10 Tips on Book Marketing
Example of a Novel: Dance with a Sunset
(excerpt) Sunset is his favorite time of day. It is beautiful no matter the season. Summer sunset is the promise of night coolness. Spring sunset is filled with the aroma of fruit trees and flowers. Autumn sunset turns yellow and red leaves into a raging fire that neither rain nor cold wind can put down. Winter sunset adds some color to cold landscapes covered with white snow. Now, he is going home after work, but the sunset can’t make him…
Novel Samples and Useful Tips: Create a Best-Seller!
A great novel is not something you can write in a couple of hours on paper napkins (J.K. Rowling with her “Harry Potter” is an exception, not a rule). A brilliant novel is a result of long hours of hard work, sleepless nights, and emotional tension. It doesn’t matter what genre you will choose: historical, psychological, Gothic, or even graphic novel. You will still need three crucial aspects without which it is impossible to produce a really good novel: novel idea, inspiration, and proficient writing skills.
Luckily for you, all these things don’t require divine intervention. Writing skills can be improved with the help of regular practice or proper education. Good ideas also don’t appear out of nowhere: you should always broaden your intellectual horizons in order to allow a greater amount of information to flow through your consciousness – and what’s even more important – your subconsciousness. Remember that every good new idea is simply a synthesis of two old and probably forgotten ideas. When it comes to inspiration, everything is a bit harder: you can’t control it. However, you may try to create better conditions for your muse to come.
For example, you can read our novel samples provided by experienced writers. Please, don’t forget about the copyright law! Plagiarism is bad, so don’t copy our text without a proper citation. At the same time, you’re welcome to use these excerpts in any other way. Don’t know how? Let’s figure it out!
How to Use Our Examples of Novels?
If you are 100% sure that you’re ready to write a novel, you should be totally prepared for the creative writing process. The best way to train yourself to write flawlessly is to read many high-quality books. If you don’t know the meaning of the phrase “high-quality books,” it can be explained simply. We are talking about the time-tested books praised by critics and the general public. If you are not patient enough, don’t force yourself to read extremely long novels like “War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy or “Ulysses” by James Joyce. Start from something much shorter like our excerpts. There are three ways to use our examples of novels:
- Source of inspiration
As we’ve mentioned above, our text can serve as a source of inspiration for you. Of course, we don’t consider our writing skills to be equal to the talent of well-known authors. However, our writers are well-educated and have a good imagination. Therefore, you can follow their steps to the moment you find your own style.
- Novel template
You may claim that this point doesn’t make any sense, as we have published only short excerpts at our website, and that is not enough for evaluating the structure of the entire text. From this point of view, your confusion is understandable. We don’t suggest you to use our writing as a template for the whole novel. Instead, you can learn more about the basic elements of a novel’s text, like portraits, dialogues, and landscape descriptions.
- Writing language
Creative writing is not similar to academic or business writing, which are regulated by strict rules. You can use any writing language freely. It makes the writing process easier and harder at the same time. You don’t have to follow any rules, but you don’t have any instructions! Don’t panic, and take a look at our novel samples: they are written in an understandable, yet beautiful manner. Try to use the same writing language to make the reading of your novel simple and exciting.
We are sure that you now know exactly what to do with our samples, and planning a novel template doesn’t seem so horrible. Let’s talk about another side of the world of literature – marketing.
Why Have Novels Become Popular?
Let’s clarify from the very beginning: we will not talk about some classical examples of novels like “Gone With the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell or “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. The secret of their popularity and unfading fame is quite simple: they are awesome! These novels, along with other classic literature, were created by gifted people of a great talent and creative power. That’s why they remain best-sellers even today, and we are sure that they won’t lose their popularity many years later.
In this article, we will talk about books that were published within the last few years. How and why did they break sales records? Why do authors who are not even talented become rich and famous? Can anyone write a best-seller? Let’s find the responses to these questions and learn more about how to make your novel popular!
1. Book marketing
Writing talent, a good idea, and hours of a hard work are enough to create a brilliant novel. Brilliant, but not popular. Advertising is the key to creating a best-seller. If you’re not good at marketing strategies, hire a professional. Begin your campaign long before the publishing date: you have to intrigue your potential readers and make them feel that they want to buy your book right now. Advertising is a great power, so don’t neglect book marketing.
2. Unique voice but common problem
Why do love stories gain such popularity? Why are millions of readers and viewers ready to pay in order to read and watch banal stories about love problems? The answer is simple: all people on the planet know this feeling. Love is a common problem. The same we can say about failures, loss, passion, ambitions, and other human feelings.
However, picking one of the common problems is not enough. You really should have something to say on this topic, and you should say it like no one else. That’s what we call a “unique voice,” and only using this instrument, you’ll be able to pull the heartstrings of your readers.
3. Spreadable idea
We don’t want to compare the fame of your book with an epidemic, but it’s actually a really good metaphor. You have to create a virus, an idea that will be easy to understand and, at the same time, will be extremely intriguing. Remember that word of mouth is the oldest and the most reliable way to spread information. He killed an old woman and her sister and then suffered a lot. Do you recognize this novel synopsis example? Dostoevsky’s novel is surprisingly easy to retell. Perhaps, that’s the secret of his fame.
4. Book cover design
We strongly believe that the content of your novel will be perfect. How would you feel if your book doesn’t become popular just because of a poor cover design? That would be quite unfair. Please, don’t leave the design to chance. Cooperate with professionals in order to give your novel a decent cover.
5. Unexpected hook
You have to stand out from the crowd of young writers who want to conquer this world. It is said that everything has already been written. In fact, all ideas are in the air, and someone probably has already created a novel that you are planning to write. However, the most important is your approach. Your theme should be bold, catchy, and new.
6. Unusual title
The title is the first thing that people learn about your novel. They may forget your name, especially if it sounds similar to Benedict Cumberbatch. Still, they should forget the title under no circumstances. It doesn’t have to be extremely unusual, but catchy. An example of the novel title “10 Purple Monkeys Eat Waffles” is quite original, but it makes no sense. On the other hand, the rhetorical question “Why Should We Lie?” looks much better.
7. Networking
You don’t have to be alone and do everything related to book marketing by yourself. People need other people! Build connections with professionals of your sphere: editors, publishers, journalists, and, of course, other writers. The more people you know, the more chances you have to make your novel a best-seller.
8. Strong editor
If you’re planning to become a self-published author, think of hiring a professional editor. He or she will make sure that your novel is written well, and your readers won’t be frightened by spelling and grammar mistakes. Your novel shouldn’t look like it was written by an amateur, so don’t neglect editing!
9. Distribution
Sales also depend on the number of channels you use for distribution. Amazon is a great option but not unique. Look for partners and platforms that can help you with distribution. Social media is no exception. Your novel needs followers as well as your Facebook profile and Twitter account.
10. Brand
Not only should your book look attractive, but also your personality. We bet you have heard at least once about Dale Carnegie, but you don’t necessarily know any of his books. The reason is simple: his name is a brand. Your bio and your Amazon page should look attractive and impressive. Your audience should trust you and be sure of your qualifications, so don’t hide them.
We think that 10 tips and our guide on how to become a novel writer are enough for you to make the first steps in the world of literature. As you see, writing a novel is not the end. Still, your book won’t become popular if it’s not written well even with the help of professional editors, designers, and marketers. That’s why we highly recommend you to take a closer look at our novel samples and get inspiration for composing an excellent piece of creative writing.
