By Chinelo Onwualu

Staff Writer

You have heard it said that excellence is the hallmark of good literature, however, excellence will only get you half way in today's fiction publishing industry. To go the full monty, you'll need the help of someone like Donald Maass.

The author of seventeen novels with more than twenty years of experience as a literary agent, Maass has represented dozens of novelists in the science fiction, fantasy, crime, mystery, romance, and thriller categories. Despite these successes, the New York native, took time from his busy schedule to attend the Festival of Faith and Writing and impart some secrets about the trade book industry that every aspiring author ought to know before throwing him- or herself to the wolves.

Speaking in an engaging and lively manner, Maass emphasized that writing the novel had to be an involving process. Himself a published author, he suggested that hopeful writers take time out of their leisure activities to write, noting that works that had received a tremendous amount of time and effort would probably be of better quality. However, from the beginning Maass cautioned against unrealistic expectations. For the first-time author, there would be many rejections regardless of the quality of one's work.

The world of trade book publishing is extremely corporate, Maass explained; they are looking for the bottom line numbers, or the amount that a book will sell in its first three months. Within the industry it is universally known that most consumers most often buy books because they are familiar with the authors or because of personal recommendations from others. Thus, major publishers are less inclined to take chances on unknown authors. In fact, there are only five major publishing houses in the nation and the independent companies, which are traditionally more inclined to take a chance on newer writers, are becoming more and more scarce, gobbled up by larger industries.

A successful career as a fiction writer depends on cultivating a group of fans at first then a larger audience over time. Though this can be a long and difficult process, a smart writer has a few choices he or she can make from the onset that can tip the scales in their favor. First, find an agent who specializes in your genre of fiction or who has published books more in your style. Avoid agents who charge fees to read your manuscript or to retain their services. Also, decide what category you would want your novel to fall in. If your work is more literary, Maass advises that an agent who specializes in hardcover publications would more suit your style. Secondly, Maass suggests that all writers get together and use the resources that are available to them.

Finally, Maass emphasized that the success of a new novel depended not on the industry, but on the novel itself. 2/3 of your promotion is to write a good novel and it can take up 10 years to get one's first novel published, if the manuscript is mediocre. In this vein, he outlined the main things that get most manuscripts rejected:

· Unsympathetic characters--establish who the readers should care about and give them good reason to do so. Draw up compelling characters with whom an audience can relate. Clearly Identify their strengths and weaknesses.

· Too much setting, no character--Don't set up the story before you establish your character. Use flashbacks later in the book if you have to or wait until later in the chapter to draw in the setting.

· Lack of conflict--no story is complete without a good villain or struggle. The character has to have a conflict that begins right on the first page. The material has to have tension; something that slows the reader down and compels them to read every word.

· Write a memorable character--a good character is larger than life. When a character is rife with inner conflict, it drives the reader to resolve the conflict for them. This involves the audience and forces them to care about your entire novel.

· Respect and understand your reader--know your audience and give them what they enjoy about your writing. This doesn't mean you should only write popular literature, but use your own voice consistently and remain true to your own style. Never patronize your reader.

In all, Donald Maass represented a breath of fresh air blowing through the whole Festival. An insider who seemed genuinely interested in helping newcomers ease into the industry, Maass highlighted the pros and cons of the industry without glossing over the pitfalls or downplaying the difficulties. While his message was disheartening in some places, one left with a sense that all hope wasn't lost and a renewed determination to persevere. And in the end, isn't that the feeling the truth should leave?