On Jul 4, 9:20 am, phdu...@gmail.com wrote:

   As a first time novelist, I can tell you the mistakes I made.  Not
all of them related to just the writing.  Someone on here made a point
that the minor characters have to have some depth to them.  No
cardboard people, that was a good suggestion.
   A good editor is a must if it is your first novel.  He or she can
save you, or sink you.  Have patience, as my book was rejected by
several houses in six months, I self-published.  That is almost the
kiss of death.  It infers that no publisher would bother to publish
your work.  I was severely chastised on here for my lack of patience.
One woman told me that it took her four years to have her book
accepted.  But, as the publishers help with advertising, getting your
book into the larger book chains, it has it's merits.  Advertising is
no cheap matter, and you need all the help you can get.
  Your readers have to idenify with your main character, and in order
not to make him like you, you observe people, in airports, hotels,
resturants, and make notes when you see someone that looks
interesting.  It will make it easier to come up with the characters
you need.  I made my main mistake in self-publishing, as I was
inpatient, then the advertising was in my ballpark with me the only
player.  Those are the mistakes I made in my first novel, and they
were costly mistakes.  So take it from one who has been there. Dorothy
J. Heydt on here is also someone to listen to, she is kind to first
timers, and will give you straight information. Good luck, Ken Hogan