I couldn't find the reply button to your latest post so I am replying to this one again--hope you see it, Rachael.
To get published I think you have to be able to sign a contract legally, so that would be 18 where I live. There are younger authors who write books with an adult, usually a parent, and they are published as co-authors. Sorry, I don't know about any young authors writing on their own.
There are two ways to get published, by the print publishers and by the epublishers onlline. The epublishers often do print runs as well, but those books might not be available in every book store, though they would probably be sold at Amazon and in some stores. You can look up submission guidelines on the publishers websites.
My advice would be to read some books about the technique of writing. I have some books about that on my shelf. One thing most writers don't understand at first is viewpoint or POV (point of view.) The technical things are easy to fix. You obviously have lots of ideas and are able to get to the end--so read up on the technique things so you know them. If an editor asks you to change viewpoint or not to head-hop, you should know what is meant.
The next thing I recommend is to take a book that you like, and see how it is constructed. Look for how scenes are started, and ended. See how long they are. How much dialogue is there and how much setting, emotion and action. I looked at a few pages of Outlander and highlighted with different colors all the different layers. I wanted to know how Diana Gabaldon created her scenes so well that I felt as if I was actually there. Now do the same with a few pages of your own writing. Check to see if you are missing any layers. I was always missing setting at first. I thought it was boring, but setting can be fun and can make the world you create come alive.
Hope this helps!
Maggie
posted 3 months ago. ( reply )