How Much Needs to be Finished?

Hey there! Well, I'm currently in the process of readying my novel for submission, so I think I can answer some of your questions (as can lots of people here at Nano). There are several parts to this process.
1. get an agent. The vast majority of publishers will NOT even consider an unrepresented manuscript.
2. do research as to who you think would be the best fit for you and your novel. Truthfully, this can be a very tedious process, but really necessary. You will be wasting your time if you send out a query letter to an agent who doesn't represent the type of book you've written. You'll be waiting to hear back from them - and this could be anywhere from hours to months, only to find out they don't handle this type of work. Everyone has books they like and feel they can do best with.
- make sure they are a reputable agent. They should NEVER charge you any sort of reading fee - no one should. Check out a number of websites that have done research on reputable agents - I'm sure the Nano forums can give you leads on these sites.
3. do research on how to write a strong query letter. It is initially the ONLY thing you will be judged on. If an agent doesn't like your letter, you have no chance of them asking to read any part of your novel. A number of agents out there have blogs with information on things like this, a good one is done by Nathan Bransford from Curtis Brown. Pay attention to that info.
4. when you have a really strong query letter and your list of agents, find out how each agent likes to be queried. Some are email only, some feel that's tacky and want a hard copy. Give them exactly what they ask for and nothing more. If they say don't call them, don't call them.

I would definitely say you need to be finished or very close to being finished before querying any agents. The reason is that if someone does like your letter and asks to see the whole thing (it does happen) but you haven't written it, you have just blown your chance. It looks unprofessional. Be prepared.

Good luck!

Lisa:-))

Those are all good questions.

First: How much needs to be finished? Your publisher will only ask for the first three chapters of the work before they ask you for the rest of the novel. So, technically: the first three chapters and the summary. However, I have found that the first three chapters probably get the most brutal reworking of all the chapters I hack through the novel because those chapters are the ones I have to go back to all the time in order to make sure they fit with the rest of the novel. Also, if you give a publisher your work and you don't have the rest of the manuscript ready, this may irritate your publisher and 'cause it drop the book.

Second: Is 13 too young to publish? Absolutely not. It is never too early to try to get published. Then again, it's not like your running out of time. While many writers publish young, many writers also publish old. Some writers start publishing in their late fifties and still have a vivacious and memorable careers.

Personally, I wrote a book when I was thirteen and I was sure that I wanted it to be published, but after some feedback, I realized that the book was a lot less finished than I had hoped. While I like the book now, I am glad that it won't be the first one that I published.

If I were you, I would focus on writing short stories. This is something I really wish I had done. Short story publications are far more willing to publish new authors than publishers are. Also, short stories will allow you to understand the dynamics of a larger story in minature. This is not to say to STOP writing longer length manuscript, novels still require a lot of skills that can't be learned from the short story format. But its a great practice and will give you a leg up when you get into big publishing arenas.

One thing I want to address from the previous poster: new writers can get work published by publishers. The choices are more limited to smaller publishing houses, but I have asked this question at a number of book talks and many authors seem to think that you should try and get your work published and then you should pursue an agent. I am not sure what advises this mentality, but because there is such a strong leaning in that direction, I would caution you against discounting going directly to a publisher.

I hope this helps.

-Q

Contrary to what quotemaster says, you really must write, finish, and polish the entire manuscript before beginning the submission process. Really. How do I know this? Because I used to work for Scholastic, because I belong to several professional writers organizations, and because I've networked with dozens of agents and editors. And, these days, since I'm getting ready to submit my own novel for publication, I read agent blogs like they're going out of style. You must finish the book so that the agent and or editor knows that you can write an entire book. Nobody's going to sign up and pay a new author if they're not sure he or she can write a satisfying ending to a novel.

I should make the disclaimer, though, that this is only for fiction. If you were writing non-fiction, your submission package would include the book proposal and a few sample chapters. It is possible for a first-time non-fiction writer to sell a book on proposal. And in the fiction writing world, established authors can do the same. If you've already got good sales with a particular publisher, and they have confidence in your writing abilities, you can sell a novel or even a series of novel based on a synopsis and a few sample chapters.

It is difficult to submit directly to publishers these days. Most of them do not accept unsolicited (read: unagented) manuscripts. There are a few who still do. Another way to connect with editors directly is through writing conferences. Editors who visit conferences might open the doors to submissions to conference attendees.

Otherwise, it's wise and generally necessary to go through an agent. And quotemaster is correct about looking for reputable ones, reading agent blogs for information, and making sure your query letter shines.

If an agent likes your query letter and feels he may be able to sell your project, he'll ask you for either a partial manuscript (50 pages) or a full manuscript. For fiction, for a new author, the agent will absolutely want to see the full manuscript before offering representation. If you tell the agent that it's not finished yet, you'll be sending a message to him that you didn't know the rules of submission before beginning to submit. He might ask to see it when it's finished, or he might not. Better not to burn that bridge at the beginning of a potential agent-author relationship, yes?

Regarding publishers: a legitimate publishing house or small press would not ask for any money upfront. Or, you know, ever. They should pay YOU.

The only type of publisher that would ask for money is a self-publishing / printing firm or a vanity press.

Somebody over on the Absolute Write forums made the mistake of only finishing the first three chapters of a novel before beginning the query process. Surprise: he got a request for the full.

Finish the manuscript, edit it, polish it, then finish it again. If you can't offer the full manuscript this time around, a potential agent won't even want to hear from you if you query them again.

As far as being 13, you will need a parent or guardian to sign any contracts you're offered. Legally, minors cannot sign them.

Any company that says you need to pay before they publish you may be a vanity press; there are many reputable POD services that do offer self-publishing services. Remember Yog's Law: Money flows to the author, not the other way around. Yes, many agents charge fees beyond their standard 10% - 30%, but keep in mind they must be reasonable and mutually agreed upon by both client and agent. This is why, if you look at some agent listings, they spell out you'll need to pay for long distance, photocopying, airmail/express mail, courier service, etc., related to the representation of your manuscript. Some even say it'll be up to $X. If they ask for any of this in advance, stop and think. Hard to say it's a scam, but don't be afraid to ask questions. If they refuse to answer, walk away before anything's signed.

DO NOT mention that you are 13 in any query letters. You will send most agents off running and screaming in the opposite direction.

This has been said already, but feelin' your pain. I was 14 when I got a rejection from an agent because my novel wasn't finished. (I never finished it, either...)

Finish it, revise it, edit it, polish it.

Write a synopsis. In fact, it might be a good idea to write two, a short one-page synopsis and a more detailed one that could be several pages long.

Write a snappy (but professional) query letter. This is your one chance to attract the attention of an agent or publisher. If the query letter doesn't grab their attention, they may not bother with the rest of the package.

If you're going for an agent, research them first. Make sure they're accepting queries. Make sure they work in your genre. Follow their instructions and send them exactly what they want in the format they want. (Don't send three chapters by snail mail to an agent who only accepts one-page e-mailed queries.)

Same pretty much goes for publishers.

You may not sell the first book you write. Or even the second. Don't get discouraged. That's not uncommon.

NEVER pay money to a publisher or agent. As said upthread, it works the other way around. They pay you.

Good luck.