Do you believe a quality novel can be written in a matter of weeks?

The Plot Thickens Book Review Excerpt In The Plot Thickens, Noah Lukeman, a seasoned literary agent, shares wisdom he has gained in reading thousands of manuscripts. He has seen the good and the bad. He challenges the fiction writer to delve into every character in order to create a compelling plot. In his estimation, characters will begin to act on their own if the writer has explored them from all angles. Complete Review

Yes. Anything’s possible.

I think I recall having heard Faulkner wrote one of his great novels in only a matter of weeks; there are many such examples. In one sense it could be beneficial, as the writer can enter a sort of trance as he becomes completely immersed in the work, and might thus immerse more deeply than normal and have greater insights as a result. On the other hand, such a quickly written work is bound to be more representative of a particular state, mood and style than of a balanced whole.

It depends on whether the nature of the work lends itself to such a creation. It also depends on the level of mastery of the writer to begin with - for instance, if this question were being posed by a first time novelist who simply wants to write his first novel quickly, I would certainly be wary of the result, and not advise it.

There is an endless debate about whether writers should write anything for free. What are your thoughts on this issue?

It depends on the writer. It depends on what’s being written. It depends on who’s publishing it. I can’t just give a blanket answer.

For instance, if it’s a publisher or publication that has money (i.e. New Yorker or Random House), then it would be silly for the writer to write for them for free, as they pay others all the time. If it’s one of the small literary journals that don’t pay contributors’ fees but has an excellent reputation, then yes, the writer should contribute for free. In general, the more exposure the better, and one should always be open to publishing for free. However, one wants to avoid this route if one thinks that by publishing for free one will pre-empt the particular piece of writing from earning money in the future. It’s a judgement call.

If a fiction writer's work has been sitting on a prospective agent's desk for months without being accepted or rejected, is the writer any better off than if he or she had opted to swim through a publisher's slush pile?

Writer are always better off with an agent, for a myriad of reasons. Writers should always attempt to query agents first, and never query publishers (at least major publishers) directly. If one’s query sits on an agent’s desk, one should query other agents, not start querying publishers.

Does every author need a literary agent?

Yes. (see my answer above). Every author can benefit from having an agent.

Lots of folks want to write fiction. What percentage of the manuscripts you've read over the years have been junk?

I wouldn’t use the term “junk,” as that debases the writing. But I would say that, in general, about 99% of unsolicited manuscripts are not publishable.

Your client list is very powerful and many of your clients have ended up on the bestseller list. How did you build up your agency to obtain some of these powerhouses?

I started young, and worked hard, and have read as many manuscripts as humanly possible over the last 8 years. I think anyone else who works that hard for that long would inevitably have equal success. I wouldn’t necessarily say it has anything to do with me personally.

How can an unknown writer make his/her manuscript stand out to a literary agent?

Ultimately, it will come down to the content, the writing ability and style, and the author’s background. A gimmicky letter or presentation won’t make up for this.

There are, however, presentation issues that can prevent a better writer from being taken seriously; it would take many pages to answer this adequately. I devoted 30 pages to the issue in the first chapter of my first book.

You've had a lot of success with The First Five Pages and now The Plot Thickens. Do you see yourself continuing your nonfiction books for aspiring authors?

I am supposed to write a third book on dialogue. If I indeed write this book, it won’t be for a long time. I’m still recovering from The Plot Thickens, into which I put many years of effort.

Thanks much, and best of luck to you all.

Special thanks to agent Noah Lukeman for being with us to discuss his books and his advice for writers. You can purchase his work, including The Plot Thickens, through this site by visiting Amazon.com, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble or visit your favorite bookstore for more details.