Writing in the epistolary form

I don't think it's overdone. Perhaps she should have given a list of best-sellers, etc., which are written this way. Can she come up with a dozen, a couple dozen, a hundred?

Granted, it's not every reader's 'cup of tea,' but I enjoy the ones I find. Perhaps because I come from a letter-writing culture, which in recent years has really been diminished, taken over by Twitter and email, etc.

If you greatly disagree with an editor's recommendations, find another editor. Or get yourself a couple of trusted pre-readers or betas. I am from the US, and yes, many writers do pay for professional editing. But there are also many, who are successful, who do not.

One of my favorite novels is Pepita Jimenez by Juan Valera. It is at least a century old now but still a classic. The main characters are a vain, pious and prim young man destined for the priesthood and the slightly older widow who is passionately in love with him and determined to persuade him that her bed is his true destiny.

It is an epistolary novel and could only work as one because so much of the humor, charm and depth of the novel can only be seen from outside the two characters. If Valera had presented the two characters and let them hash out their fate in their own words, the novel would be just another outdated melodrama. If Pepita were the main character, she might come across as conniving and sacrilegious. Wanting to divert a seminarian from his calling in 1800s Spain was pretty serious business.

By using a series of letters, Valera allows the reader to see the young man is not suited for the calling while the young man is still unaware. The reader can see that the young man is behaving flirtatiously even though he cannot fathom that he would ever be attracted to a woman. Valera also plays the belief that religion is rigid and humorless against the belief that true religion is warm, tolerant and ....well, fun. By telling the story like small town gossip, in a series of anecdotes, the author keeps the reader in suspense and allows him to see the other characters as real people in a real community, and not cut outs. People dismiss this novel as being light because it is humorous but it presents the reader with an opportunity to think about philosophical issues that might be tedious if stated outright.

Now you know why Pepita Jimenez works as an epistolary novel. Examine your ms and explain to your MA person why your novel can work only as an epistolary novel. If you can do that she will probably accept it. If not, you can either take her advice and revamp or find another MA. Best of luck--s6

It's not overdone, it's rare. I have trouble thinking of a novel published in the last 10 years that was written entirely in that form and could be deemed successful. Maybe there are a few, but I doubt there are a lot.

Maybe said:

I wanted some feedback on my novel so decided to pay for a manuscript appraisal. MA's or at least the advertising of MA's are very popular in Australia and there are quite a number of people to choose from. I went for a former editor, now freelance, whose clients include well known publishing houses. She has taught at a couple of universities and is involved with the mentoring program at the NSW Writers Centre.

The first email I received from her was very positive, saying I had a strong writing voice but suggesting that writing in the epistolary form wasn't strong enough to carry a novel. A novel, or YOUR novel? She was quite adamant that I should change the structure.

When I replied saying that several successful novels had been written in this form and asking if she really thought it wasn't the right approach, she said this form had been overdone and was tired but if I wanted to go ahead with it, well, good luck.

I can see that this particular reviewer might not like the epistolary form and would prefer a novel written another way. What I found confusing was that someone who is working in this field and who presumably knows what they're talking about, would first say this form couldn't carry a novel and then say it was overdone.

I really wish I'd never sent off for the MA as I'm doubting myself more than ever.

So, what are your thoughts? Is the epistolary form not strong enough to carry a novel or is it overdone? I thought I'd ask everyone here, especially as I don't have to pay for it!

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There was a thread a few months ago on Manuscript Appraisal services in general that might interest you. Not sure where it was now, though, or who posted it so if someone else doesn't dig it up, it'll be a good way to familiarise yourself with the search function on here. Not the thing I most enjoy, needless to say. My own instinct is that I'd never use one myself - I dislike even the concept of such a thing. Writing is so subjective that I think you're best off getting your MS to where you're happy with it, then querying widely (and making sure you've a bang-up query letter first!)

No matter what someone's expertise is, they are still going to have things they like, dislike, think is impossible to sell or a sure-fire bestseller, etc. Ultimately it is your novel. You're writing is clear enough in your OP that I doubt that's the issue, and she did at least have good things to say about your voice. If that's the only major issue ...

It's not a matter of whether such a structure works or not, or is over-done or not, but whether it works for your specific MS.

As for whether or not such a thing is 'overdone', I'll let others chime in who are more expert in that, but I suspect that it isn't. I've seen a couple of examples here in SYW, but not many, fwiw.

You also could consider whether you're needlessly wrestling with absolutes--epistolary or not epistolary. Why not consider using letters selectively in the novel? It doesn't have to be all or nothing. While a compromise may not be the best, it could allow you avoid the (potential) stigma of an epistolary novel while keeping what you see as the best aspects that format delivers. Just a thought.

I instantly thought of The Color Purple which, incidentally, is one of the greatest novels I have ever read. Do read it if you haven't already for tips on how to make the epistolary novel work; it's hard, but not impossible.

If you write very, very, very well --
or you are writing LitFic, (where experimentation in form is welcome and expected) --
or you intend to self-publish --
or you are quite sure that epistle is the best and only way to tell your story --

Then write the ms as letters.
Writing is hard and not particularly remunerative and you should do what fulfills you.

OTOH, if you are writing genre fiction or general commercial fiction and there is within you a desire for lucre or at least spare change,
my advice is somewhat different.
In that case, I'd say go to a large brick-and-mortar bookstore, to the section your books would be -- 'your shelves' -- and pick out the epistolary fiction published in the last five or six years.

I think a fair amount of epistolary fiction is written and queried because I see it at the critique stage in various places. But I don't see it on the shelves in the genres I read.

I just had a friend whose novel is epistolary and was picked up by an agent from a very respected agency -- so there is at least one person out there who thinks they can sell that kind of book.