Stephen King published a novel online a few years back. Now Alexander McCall Smith of the “No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” fame is publishing a novel online.

Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith - Telegraph reports:

“Alexander McCall Smith is writing his first ever online novel Corduroy Mansions exclusively for Telegraph.co.uk. A new chapter will appear on this page each weekday for the next 20 weeks. The best-selling author welcomes your suggestions as the story unfolds.”

What can you learn from this? The main thing you can learn is that if publishing your novel online is good enough for the likes of Stephen King and Alexander McCall Smith, it should be good enough for you.

The advantages:

1. You get readers

2. If you get enough readers, you get a publisher

3. You get instant reaction (or not, as the case may be)

4. You show agents and editors that you’re a serious writer, who’s au fait with publishing and how it works

The disadvantages?

I can’t think of any.

If I were writing a novel today, I’d publish it online, no question. I’ve got used to the instant gratification of the online world. I don’t have two years to waste shopping a novel around the publishing traps.

If you’re writing a novel, publish it online. The worst that can happen is that the book bombs. You may as well know it now, rather than two years from now.

Write more - become a pro writer

Yes, you can write more and become an expert writer - even if you’re a world-class procrastinator.

Did you know that when you write more, your writing improves? Many of my writing students experience this. They find that when they write more, writing is easier for them - they’re not dominated by their inner editor.

My new writing class, “Write More And Make More Money From Your Writing: Develop A Fast, Fun Productive Writing Process” is based on lessons I developed for my private coaching students to help them to write more, improve their writing, and make more money writing.

If you’re struggling with your writing, the class will help. The techniques you’ll learn in class with help you write fiction, nonfiction, and copy for business.

Discover how you can write more, improve your writing, and sell more of your writing to higher-paying markets.

Rejection is par for the course when you’re writing a book.

If you’re suffering rejections, here are some some suggestions which may help.

How to Cut Down on Your Rejections

1. Start by ensuring that you pay attention to publisher’s guidelines.

If you’ve written a cosy mystery, a publisher looking for literary fiction or travel guides will reject you. Publishers have guidelines for a reason. It’s fatal to think: “My book is great; EVERY publisher will want it.” They won’t.

2. Pay attention to mechanics, such as grammar, spelling and punctuation. Yes, these manuscript mechanics matter.

Publishers and agents received dozens (some receive hundreds) of manuscripts each week. This means that someone, usually an intern, has the unenviable task of scanning all those packages. A messy, hard-to-read manuscript gets dumped onto the ‘not for us’ pile faster than you can blink.

3. Query first.

Always send a query letter first, before you send your manuscript. Not only is this polite, it also gives a publisher or agent a chance to tell you what they’re really interested in.

If you get a letter, get excited. Receiving a letter, even a rejection, is a very big deal. You’ll only get a letter if someone likes your work, and thinks that you may come up with something one day they’ll be interested in buying. So read the letter carefully, and follow the instructions.

4. Revise your novel.

Writing a first novel is hard. Congratulations if you’ve done it. However, the chances that your effort is in a publishable state are slim. Don’t send your novel out in a first-draft state. REVISE.

Get someone who’s knowledgeable (that is, someone who’s in publishing) to read it, and make suggestions. You can ignore these suggestions, but they will give you an impetus (rage gives you energy :-)) to get to work and revise your novel.

Also, read a couple of books on how to revise a novel, and use them as a guide.

Unfortunately, no one in publishing these days has the time to coach or mentor you. Your novel must be as close to publishable form as possible, before you submit it.

Take heart. Writing your first novel will teach you a lot about writing. Revising it and submitting it will teach you too. With every word you write, you’re getting closer to publication.

5. Keep writing.

If you keep writing, you’ll sell eventually. There’s a lot to learn, and the only way to succeed, and beat rejections, is to keep writing.

Write more - become a pro writer

Yes, you can write more and become an expert writer - even if you’re a world-class procrastinator.

Did you know that when you write more, your writing improves? Many of my writing students experience this. They find that when they write more, writing is easier for them - they’re not dominated by their inner editor.

My new writing class, “Write More And Make More Money From Your Writing: Develop A Fast, Fun Productive Writing Process” is based on lessons I developed for my private coaching students to help them to write more, improve their writing, and make more money writing.

If you’re struggling with your writing, the class will help. The techniques you’ll learn in class with help you write fiction, nonfiction, and copy for business.

Discover how you can write more, improve your writing, and sell more of your writing to higher-paying markets.

If you’re looking for ideas for your next book, don’t copy what’s already been done. Look at what’s happening NOW.

Remember that the books on the bestseller lists were commissioned at least two years ago. The book you write today won’t hit the bookstores for another two years, so if you’re following a current trend, it will be dead by then.

Debbie Macomber tells you how to identify trends in her article Writer’s Digest - 7 Trend Tips and suggests:

“The best way to unlock new trends, though, is to keep your eyes open and observe the interests of others—particularly interests that are new and growing. Pay attention to the preoccupations and concerns revealed by mass media. Interpret what you’ve observed and figure out what it means, what needs it meets or expresses, and how you can use that in your story. Look for new trends and leap on them.”

Write and sell ebooks

Discover how to make money online in your spare time with Angela Booth’s Sell Your Writing Online NOW training Not only will you discover how to write and sell ebooks, you’ll get complete training in how the Web works, so you can take advantage of the unlimited opportunities.

For free weekly writing tips sent to your Inbox, subscribe to Angela’s Fab Freelance Writing Ezine and receive “Write And Sell Your Writing: The Power-Write Report” immediately.