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Once you believe you have written your manuscript, have a final read over the document and look at the story as a whole. Check that your structure is balanced and that your story has started in the correct place. Don’t risk not getting published by starting the story too early or by providing too much background information which can get a bit boring.

Your novel needs to evoke all the senses. Check if you have used a passive voice where an active voice would have made more of a stronger impact. In addition to this, check if your story can be saved by completely removing the first chapter and starting right at the action point!

When I am reading a book it really gets on my nerves when I finish the novel and I think back over the plot and there are some sections which have not been fully finished off. For example, the last book I read, the character’s aunty died and there was no closure, ie. No funeral and no grieving for their loss of a relative, etc.

It is important that you leave your reader feeling satisfied that the whole story has been told. If you leave any unintentional loose ends, like the one I mentioned above your reader will be dissatisfied and unlikely to read any of your books again.

In my previous post I mentioned some questions to ask yourself when you are reading through your manuscript to ensure that it is the best you can possibly get it so that you are more likely to get your book published.

Here are some more points to ensure you have covered when reading through your manuscript:

• Has your main character (also known as your protagonist) been changed throughout the course of the story? If your protagonist has not changed or grown by the end of your novel, your book will seem static and unconvincing.
• Even if your book is a fantasy, it still needs to make some sort of sense otherwise you will confuse the reader.
• Every action should have a consequence, with each event following on logically from what has happened before. Readers are not likely to believe a story which relies on coincidence.

Most editors and agents of publishing houses will not take you seriously if you do not have a complete manuscript. Publishing houses need to see proof of what you can write, they will not add you as an author on to their books if you only have an outline and sample of the work you intend to supply.

Once you feel you have written your manuscript to the best of you ability, it is advised that you put the document away for a couple of weeks and then come back to read it with a fresh pair of eyes. When reading the document again from start to finish – you should ensure you have done the following:

• Ensure that any minor characters or subplots in the book do not take the lime light from the main theme and the major characters.
• Portray your characters through their actions in order to develop them fully. It is important to not let them get out of character otherwise this will seem unconvincing.

One of my dreams, which I will realise before I am get old and die, is to write a book and get it published. I have carried out some research online to see if I can find some tips for myself and I have noted them here in case you find them helpful in your quest to become an author.

From my research I can tell that it takes two or three years to have your novel published from the date that you send it to the publisher to the time it could be published. Therefore it is important not to try and take advantage of what is happening here and now – because that could make your novel obsolete before the public have even had chance to read it. The best advice I can give to write the novel that you have in your head – don’t try to make it current, just make it a good and gripping read. The last thing you want to do is bore the person who will be reading your book!