Q&A for How to Create and Publish a Novel as a Teenager

If you show them that you're mature and that you know what you're doing, they will take you more seriously than if you just mess around. You have to get straight to the point when you are talking to publishers and you should practice beforehand. Make sure you are prepared and ready to act like a professional.

Yes! See how to publish a book at a young age for tips.

Yes! Have you heard of Jake Marcionette? He's only 16 and he's a best-selling author. You're going to have to work hard and market your book. Think about what kinds of books are really popular with your peers, and use these as inspiration.

You would need to have a parent or guardian act as your advisor and sign for you.

Not if your writing is good; Christopher Paolini wrote "Eragon" as a teenager.

If they're your friends, they shouldn't be judging you for something like this. Either don't tell them about your novel, or find some new friends who are more supportive. You may not be giving your friends enough credit, though. They might surprise you.

If they are willing, and serious about doing it, sure!

I would say no. It's not too much unless they don't get connected in some way. For example, "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern, has many branching story lines and points of view, but in the end they all tie together and are focused on and connected to a theme.

It can take a couple of months to a couple of years, it just depends on what you're writing, how long the book is, how much time you have to write, and lots of other things.

Most agents only get commission: they get paid if they sell the book. Do not hire agents that charge a reading fee or any other fee except commission. That way, you only have to pay them a bit of the money you get from selling your manuscript to a publisher.

Try writing down important themes, events, items, and locations in your book. Look at the titles of other books in your genre, and use some of the things you've written down to come up with some possible titles.

It is solely up to you. Some publishers do have a total word limit, but there are no universal limits on how long your chapters can be.

If your book gets published the publisher will take care of that. If you self-publish it there are online tools available. Otherwise, just draw something that looks good.

No, but you can do a general online search for literary agents in your city/town. That should give you any relevant results.

It is an option, but it could prove beneficial to have one, as there is a good deal of legwork involved in successfully publishing and selling a book.

You could try self publishing, which is the cheapest option. Go to bookstores and ask them if they accept books that have been self published and locally edited.

Yes, as long as you are willing to represent her and a publisher is interested in her work.

Absolutely not, some of the best novels come from just paper and pen. Although it is always nice to be able to have the convenience of a computer, it is not needed. It will just require a bit more work on your end to keep in contact with your publisher.

Check out wikiHow articles Make a Comic , Make a Comic Book Online , and Create a Graphic Novel for some great tips.

If you want to publish your own manga, then I would suggest reading through wikiHow's article on self publishing and promoting your manga.

Most likely no. Writing, editing, and proofreading can take months to years, even if you're self-publishing. It's not impossible, but it's doubtful it could be done.

As a rule, if they ask for a reading fee or for any sort of money before the book is published, they're scamming you.

You should start with competitions at school for short stories to get feedback and practice.

Write about your own life exeperiences!

Why not? If you have an artistic vision for your book's cover, you should feel free to design it yourself.

In order to come across convincingly, you should wait until you are older and have more experience. Until then, consider writing age-appropriate books on topics you are familiar.

An agent would usually get around 10% of what you earn. So if a publisher gives you $10,000 upfront, the agent would take $1000. Some agents charge more, so be sure to check.

You don't have to write anything too racy just because it's a romance. Maybe you could write a romance novel from the perspective of two people who were also raised in your religion. The most fundamental writing advice is always to write what you know.

If a publisher has chosen to purchase and distribute your book, yes. They will not make copies of your book if you just show up with a book they did not ask for.

Yes, definitely. It can be humorous and fun to design little stories that can sometimes assist with character arch and maybe learn something new about them or that set universe.