Today, I sent my book to an agent.

Song of the Fell Hammer has been sent to agent Matt Bialer, who is also the agent for authors Tad Williams, Robert Newcomb, Eldon Thompson, and he has represented other New York Times bestselling authors in the past. He and I have known one another for a number of years when he helped Robert Newcomb hire me as his web developer. Matt is a very nice guy, always on top of his game, and always willing to help when he can.

That time has come. I need a bit of help. Although Del Rey has the book and I think it is in good hands there, in case they decide to pass I want the book farther along in the publishing process. That means sending my book to an agent I trust and who I know can get the job done if it comes to it; it means sending my book to Matt and hoping he finds enough merit with it to help it meet the shelves and jump into readers' hands.

He read the first few chapters of the book in July 2006 and liked it enough to ask for the entire manuscript. Of course, I did not have the book done—something no one should get themselves into unless they are friends with the agent they are sending the material to—and I had to wait until it was finished.

Now that the book is done and out of my hands, I have sent Matt a copy looking for his feedback and hoping for his representation. Everyone needs an agent at some time during the process, and Matt's my man. We'll see how it all goes.

Many people ask, "Should I get an agent first or just sent my manuscript to a publisher?" My answer to that one is easy. "Yes." You can do both and either can work under the right circumstances. But an agent can help strengthen a manuscript before it is pitched and an agent can get through the publishing door quicker than an unsolicited manuscript and get it read faster due to established, professional relationships. I know if Del Rey passes on Song of the Fell Hammer that Matt will have any number of other publishers lined up ready to read it. I know Matt knows the publishing industry better than I do and he knows what houses are looking for what kind of fiction. Agents make up to 15% on a book sale, but that 15% removes a lot of grief from the writer.

I hope Matt and I have good news to announce some day. I hope that day comes quickly.

Drew Bowling is one of the nicest guys I have met online. He is also an avid fantasy reader and the newest writer to be published by Del Rey Books (for a fun, fast read pick up The Tower of Shadows). When Drew learned I was writing a book and had posted the first few chapters online for fans to read, he read those excerpts and asked to read my book when it was done. I gave it to him a few weeks ago and he wrote this review upon finishing the book:

"Song of the Fell Hammer is a solid debut. Shawn examines myriad themes in his fantasy novel with a seriousness that belies his lack of writing experience, crafting complex characters who deal with issues of great import to the real world. The struggles these characters face give rise to pertinent moral questions, triggering believable evolutions as protagonists. One the book’s greatest strengths is Godwyn Keep, which serves as an allegory for organized religion; Shawn uses a fictional magisterium to probe the virtues and vices of a real world faith in a balanced manner, and on a scale seldom seen in epic fantasy. But best of all, the book is fun. Readers looking for an entertaining adventure will not be disappointed. Song of the Fell Hammer has moments of dark and gritty violence--paganism and witchplay cast unsettling shadows throughout the story--but will appeal to fans of authors such as Terry Brooks, R.A. Salvatore, and David Eddings. The book has flaws, but pointing them out in a public forum at this prepublication stage, when Shawn still has time to polish his manuscript, wouldn’t serve any purpose. It is important to state that many people who frequent this forum should find much to enjoy in his novel."

Drew also likened aspects of the book to how George R. R. Martin tells a story, which I am pleased with. My characters are not cardboard cutouts, and that is what I am most happy about. I hope others see that too. If I've written a book that might be liked by George R. R. Martin fans as well as Terry Brooks and R.A. Salvatore fans, then I've done my job. Now let's hope I've done it well.

This morning, I opened my blog to discover a writing friend of my mine had asked some good questions about my outlining process and if I could shed a bit more light on it. Knowing that my process will differ from anybody else's and that what I have to say will more than likely be read and discarded like a new pair of shoes that don't fit, I decided to do it. Why? Because knowledge is power, and the more knowledge that someone absorbs the larger the chance they may settle on something that might work for them—or if not settle on something that works, evolve that something into something that does, kind of like taking those shoes that don't fit and stretching the leather until it fits comfortably.

Writing is a constant evolution. I learn something new every time I sit down and place the tips of my fingers on their starting keyboard row. With outlining, it is the same. Definitely take this blog post with a large grain of salt as even I am still coming to terms with much of my craft's process.

Most people who visit here have read the Prologue and Chapter One from my first novel, Song of the Fell Hammer. I am loathe to post parts of my outline that extend beyond these two chapters because I don't want to spoil anything. But I will do my best, and my best—invariably—will simply lead to more questions.

Here is the beginning outline for Song of the Fell Hammer, including one extra chapter:

Prologue: Godwyn Keep, the faith center for the Kingdom, is under attack. Pontiff Garethe leads Pontifex Dendreth to prevent the theft of an important item from the Vault. They fail to stop the thieves, and the Pontiff is mortally wounded.

Chapter 1: Sorin, an apprenticing blacksmith, attends a church service in town; the pastor is not himself—he raves about a prophetic dream. Sorin becomes uneasy after noticing three shady men outside a local inn staring at him intently. Dragons migrate out of season toward the west.

Chapter 2: Sorin finishes a special metal project to deliver as a gift in town. His father, Arvel, asks him to return soon. Sorin stays too long and upon returning, smells smoke in the forest and realizes it might be coming from his home.

Now, imagine 40 more three-line "stanzas" just like the ones above. That is what my outline looks like. Each stanza shows the important elements of the chapter (the who, the what, and the action), those most important to push the story along. By writing those elements down and thinking my way through it, my novel doesn't slow in any one part really; instead the story has a gradual build-up.

You may ask that all important question, "Well, where does the fodder for these stanzas come from, Shawn?" I can only say that each chapter, in my mind at least, has a normal progression from what has come before to the point way down the line that I have already imagined in my head as the climax. That "build-up" I mentioned in the previous paragraph comes naturally and I doubt that can be taught. It, like so many other natural creative pursuits, can't be taught but it can be sharpened.

Once I have constructed the entire outline and I am satisfied that each point of view character has been given 1) enough play time, and 2) their story arc is complete and does have bearing on the outcome of the book, then I can start writing. But there is even another process I go through that helps me immeasurably and I'll try to speak to that also.

I've discovered my chapters range from 5000-6000 words. Every day, I write between 1500-2500 words, depending on the material and my mood. Normally I can write a chapter in four days but sometimes it can be three or five. That means, really, a standard work week per chapter.

On the weekends, I think about the next chapter I am going to write. No, I don't sit in front of a window and stare dreamily outside. I go about my normal weekend activities, which range from spending time with my girlfriend to exercising to enjoying a good meal or watching a movie. During the midst of these other activities, my mind is always focused on my book. I wish it were different at times—it can be extremely distracting to be staring blankly into space when someone asks what drink I want with dinner—but it is rewarding as I am constantly at work and at play with my story. It is during these times I think about the stuff I haven't thought of for the next chapter. Usually on Sunday, in the morning, is when the most fun work happens.

Because it is Sunday morning when I let all my thinking of the next chapter fall onto the page in a stream of consciousness manner. The bare bones of the chapter are already there in my outline—the one I showed above—so keeping to that I fill the chapter in. It can be bits of dialogue, extended conversations, setting stuff, pacing, etc. All of this comes out in a menagerie of blurbs and quick suggestions. I usually have three or four pages of this very loose chapter outline before I come to the chapter's end.

On Monday, I start writing to that extended chapter outline. I tend to have even more thoughts as I write it, and by the end of the week I am finished. And during the weekend, the process starts over for me.

The second part of the outlining process, the one I just recounted where I throw down ideas into the actual chapter file before I start writing it, is a part of the process I will not show. Just as Terry Brooks won't show his outlining process, it would be inane for me to show you guys the mess of the chapter's outline. It really is haphazard and would not help anyone become a better writer by looking at it. To see the jagged, unsmoothed parts of my chapter's outline would not help—just know I sit down and write little bits and pieces of the chapter's story I see in my mind and then work to meld it all together.

I think ultimately the most important piece in all of this is that the writer approaches the craft as a process and not something that just magically happens. And that isn't to say that magic doens't happen; the magic happens between the lines, but the construct is what takes discipline.

And as always, I am open to questions.

Writers write. If they have done their job correctly, they produce masterful stories that lend either entertainment or literary wisdome to readers. Entertaining multitudes or bringing new fresh perspectives to the world—to create and only create—this is what people believe. A writer sits down at his/her keyboard, pecking away, lost in their own imagined world to better understand how to bring that world alive for others.

A writer spends their time in so many different ways from what the perception is.

Did you also know that writers have to edit, to market, to publicize. They email, they correspond, they talk on the phone. They worry. They find times for meals and enjoying their loved ones. They are lucky to write a few hours a day.

I know this better than most. With my small business, multiple websites, dozens of forums I visit frequently—and the resulting email that comes with it—I'm lucky to write four hours a day. But something new today jumped out at me; something I have thought of occurring before but haven't really had happen yet.

Editing.

I have let four people read Song of the Fell Hammer: my mother, a huge Terry Brooks fan named Stuart, a forum moderator, writer, and avid fantasy fan Aidan, and newest Del Rey writer Drew Bowling. I gave them certain things I wanted them to look at according to their strengths.

Yesterday, Drew—who is nearing the end of the book—asked me a great question about part of the plot from a writer's perspective. Although I think what he was bringing is pretty minor in the larger scheme of things, it was a valid point. After thinking about last night and again this morning, I realized I have more work to do on the book.

So, a book I had thought put to bed has now suddenly come to the forefront again.

It is a relatively small edit as far as edits go. I will be adding one chapter to near the end of the novel, and it will stengthen that particular point of view character's storyline. It will also serve as a better transition into that point of view character's storyline in Well of the Word. It will stregthen the book overall, and has led me to think I may add three chapters from a new point of view character. Drew's comment has helped lead to this.

But what does it do? Amidst all of the other stuff going on in my life, editing and reworking Song takes time away from my next book. I'm sad about that. I only want to ever look forward, not backward. I want to write, not edit. And yet, I have to edit to make it a stronger book.

I have come to a compromise. I will write these additional chapters and edit the book as necessary on the weekends. During the week, Well of the World will be my primary focus. Unless of course the trilogy is purchased, at which point I will devote my energies to getting Song finalized and put to bed forever. It's a tougher thing than I expected, but one I am excited about as well.

On other news, I finished writing Chapter One of Well of the World today. Two chapters down, many to go. I am very pleased with the Prologue and Chapter One, and I am looking forward to writing the next few chapters. Then the perspective will change from Sorin to several other point of views, and that's when the real fun begins.