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People can’t believe I did it, but I did. I wrote my first novel, The League, in about 30 days. I never spent more than two hours on any given day, unless I wrote then went back to edit. I also found and signed with a publisher in one month (see my article, Whatever It Is, Publish It Now, for details on this). Friends, family, and colleagues are fascinated when I tell them this. It’s not possible, they say. Then, I enlighten them.

The secret to writing a novel is quite simple. You don’t have to be John Grisham or Danielle Steel, either. In fact, you really need basic writing competence. Although I have years of experience in writing (I was a journalist for three years), I don’t consider myself on the level of the aforementioned novelists, in terms of style and eloquence. What I am is a storyteller. I look for ideas that are unique. I look for a niche. Take Grisham, for example. His niche is courtroom drama. He uses his experience as a lawyer, takes a new angle on a case, and turns it into some type of conspiracy that no one has considered.

Now, I don’t know how long it takes people like Grisham and Steel to pen their stories, but they too must be fairly quick, because they’re turning out novels at a crazy pace. Don’t forget, the publishing process is usually six months to a year. So, they obviously write a novel or two, while a prior work is being published and marketed. So, how do I churn out my own work so fast, you might ask? As I said, it’s actually quite simple. I start at the end and work my way backwards.

I get an idea in my head of how the story will end, and I outline a way to get there. This usually takes a few days, maybe 10 hours total. Then, I sit down at my computer and start typing. I let the words flow, rarely stopping, until about two hours have passed. Knowing where I have to wind up helps me develop my characters and conflicts along the way. I usually write the story in about 25 days and spend five days or so editing and revising. There you have it — a novel in 30 days.

You can do it too. All you need is the idea. Figure out your ending, sit down, and start typing. Learn more about The League and my other work at www.sportsnovels.com.

Mark Barnes is the author of the new novel, The League, the first work of fiction, based on fantasy football. Learn more about this suspense thriller and Mark’s other work at http://www.sportsnovels.com

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Do you want to publish something? An article, a non-fiction piece, a short story, a children’s book, the great American novel? What are you waiting for? You may be answering that it’s just too competitive. Competition in the writing industry is fierce, no doubt, but many good writers have piles of work collecting dust in a box, sitting in the corner, or in file upon file, tucked away in a desktop PC. You may be one of them, and their problem and yours is not the competition. It’s the approach.

Ten years ago, publishing anything from a 500-word article to a suspense/thriller was a cumbersome task. The problem was the overwhelming procedure of querying an editor, waiting for a response to the query, tossing aside numerous rejections, then sending off your work after the query. Then, someone actually asked to see the work, only to decide they didn’t like it, after all. All of this might take a total of four months, and all you have to show for your efforts is frustration and disappointment.

Many people, some very good writers, simply give up. Today, we live in the electronic age, and the process for writers has become amazingly simple; it’s just that most writers still don’t realize it. One incredible tool can change your approach to submitting and, ultimately, publishing your work. All writers need Writer’s Market — not the old hard back book, but the online version with the same service.

Writer’s Market now contains more than just addresses and phone numbers. The most valuable additions are website and e-mail addresses. Best of all, the majority of publishers and agents accept queries via e-mail. In fact, many publishers and agents will take e-mails of your actual work, from article to novel. Plus, at the click of a mouse, you can locate agents and publishers of any genre and location.

Imagine spending one day on your computer, sending 50 to 100 e-mailed queries and submissions of your writing to literary agents and publishers. Many will reply the same day or within one week. You don’t need a hard copy or an envelope or a stamp. The electronic age has created incredible new opportunities for writers. So, dust off those old manuscripts, subscribe to Writersmarket.com, and get your work out there.

It worked for me. My novel, The League, sat in a box for nine years. I followed the above procedure, and received a publishing contract in less than one month. Now, I’m working on novel number two. Learn more at www.sportsnovels.com.

Mark Barnes is the author of the new novel, The League, the first work of fiction, based on fantasy football. Learn more about this suspense thriller and Mark’s other work at http://www.sportsnovels.com

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