You've written a novel, what next...

I've been laid up with a bum back for the past few weeks. For some reason it's killed me to sit at a desk, so I've been lounging in different chairs much like Goldilocks, attempting to find the perfect position.

Today, I'm actually sitting at my desk. Yay me.


During those few weeks, I was able to meet with a fabulous new author and we discussed, over brunch, how to get her book into the right hands of agents. Since, I have a fabulous agent, Jessica Schmeidler of Golden Wheat Literary, I don't have to go through go through the query trenches again. What a weight off, but I thought I'd share, just a smidgen, of what I shared with her.

First up get on twitter and make writer friends. When you realize you aren't alone, wonderful things happen. Plus, this is just such a cool place to meet other writers. I mean, some days it seems publishing deals even get made there.

Next, make sure your manuscript is ready for prime time. (Hey, we've all been there. With eager little fingers we send it to agents before it is ready. DON'T. Stop right here! Find some excellent Beta's or CP's and swap!)

You've think you're ready, now to write your query letter. Do the research, find out what works, find out what doesn't, repeat often. Query letters are a beast unto themselves. So be prepared to come out of it bloodied and spent. (For me, it took about a month, and even after, it was revised again.) You know those writer friends you've made on twitter, this is a good point to network with them and share your query letters. Believe it or not, I've found that most want you to succeed. How cool is that.

Some helpful links on queries to check out:
how-to-write-a-query-letter-that-gets-you-an-agent
8 Tips From Literary Agents About How to Get Published
The Single Most Important Thing Your Query Letter Must Do If You Want To Get A Literary Agent
How To Write A Query Letter In 12 Easy Steps

So you have a kick-butt query, now what do you do? This is where your business side must turn on. RESEARCH. Start searching. Thanks to the interwebz there are a gazillion ways to find the right agent. And, thanks to the interwebz, there are a gazillion ways to find the wrong agent. You are looking for agents who like/read/want what you've got!

Join Query Tracker, or you could manage your own spreadsheet, but, as for me, I rather enjoyed having this already done. Query Tracker gave me all the details along with a community for writers to ferret out the good and the bad. It has a wonderful portal for keeping track of who you sent your query to, along with which particular letter you sent. (Might not seem like a big deal, but believe me it was.)

Then there is Preditors & Editors, another excellent site to help with scammers. Remember, we don't want to get burned.

Okay, you have your list, now what? Here is where patients comes in handy. Don't send out your query in mass emails. For me, I chose only five to ten agents, ones I thought might enjoy my manuscript, then I detailed my query to fit their taste and humor. Check, check, check, before you send. Is your greetings correct? Did you follow their guidelines? At this point I'd probably have my synopsis completed as well--another beast to fight with as well.

Now wait. This is a lot like fishing, moments might go by or weeks. If you get a nibble, great, if you get a big fish, fantastic, but if the water is tranquil as glass, time to refine your query letter again. Chances are your query letter didn't gain the notice you wanted. (See, this is why we take our time.) Be prepared for a bunch of no's. That's okay, just keep your eye focused on the water.

Repeat again in small batches.

Lastly, start writing a new story. Something about a new idea gives you the energy you need to say HAY, I CAN DO THIS!


Some other helpful links:

How to Get a Book Published – The 7 Step Plan
Wordcount Dracula
http://mswishlist.com/mswl
HOW TO WRITE A 1-PAGE SYNOPSIS

Pitch Madness

The Excitements of Pitch Madness

I took a chance and participated in my first 'real' writing/pitch contest.  WOW, what fun, I am thoroughly caught up in the excitement of it all. Other's on twitter have put their pitches up, I thought I would do the same. Would I change something, probably my pitch, but I am constantly tweaking things. Well, here it is, my pitch and first 250 words:

THE LAST STORED

YA Fantasy

93,000

Amber was stored on our world to save another, but death changed the plans. Cree was sent to bring her home. Together they must find out if their love is stronger than one man’s hate.

Amber-

Unwilling tears stream down my face and I want nothing but to say goodbye to them. I am forever destined to be isolated and alone. Death bares one's soul to the elements and it has left me starved. If only my parents would have shared the secret they hid behind their every word, behind their every smile, their every touch. If only I would have asked.

A mere six months ago I didn’t pay attention to the riddles, but they existed nonetheless. Today, those haunting whispers gnaw at my bones, clouding my mind. Why didn’t they let me in on the mysteries? Why did they keep everything from me? But now it is too late to ask.

Everywhere I look I see them and today is no different. The vinyl kitchen chair squeaks under my weight as I sit down to sip my cup of sweet tea; a habit my father and I used to share. Dust floats on the June morning rays, casting what should be a rosy glow about the room. The yellow two-bedroom bungalow is warm, but quiet. It is always quiet now. My hand stretches across my parent’s red table, and I lower my head into the crook of my elbow, staring out the window at my mom’s flower garden; daydreaming. Remembering.

 “Hold your breath and make a wish when you see the dust float by Amber,” father had said the morning they died.

So that's it. March 18th can't come soon enough, my twitter account can't take all the Madness. Also, THANK YOU to all those involved with this Pitch Madness. You Rock!!

Brenda Drake - making connections

Rejection

REJECTION!

So I have been shopping my YA fantasy novel for a brief five months, short compared to many. I still receive my fair share of rejections peppered in with some requests for more. 

Each rejection I log on to my tracking program. Watching as the percentages dwindle down with each entry. Needless to say it can run havoc with your self esteem. But since I waited in line several times for self esteem, mine is still in fine shape.  I think this might be the key:

DON'T GIVE UP AND DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY! 

Anything worth doing takes time and energy and just because one person says no doesn't mean I am a failure, it just means it wasn't right for them.  RIGHT?!? 

I used to be in sales where rejection was common, but I have to say, I have never 'sold' a piece of me. And that's what my writing is, a piece of me. My white knuckles clenched upon my manuscript, not letting go, but the more you release, the easier it becomes.  

So here is a list of what I am doing while waiting:

• Take criticism, with a grain of salt, of course using it to improve my novel. Remove the 'oh poor me' glasses, and put on reality eye wear.  
• Don't take rejection as a failure. We can all recount stories of other authors who struggled for many years. 
• Begin a new work, each book you write should be better than your last. So I take this to heart! (Plus my new WIP is rocking right now, or at least I think so.)
• Read. Reading makes one a better writer! I don't worry if I will be influenced, I just read!
• Learn/Study - investigate industry terms, and agencies. Ready with a set of questions for when I do get an agent/publisher. 
• I Praise God for allowing me the opportunity to write! I am so blessed to have a husband and family who support what I do and gives me the space to do it.

So what do you do while waiting for good news?  I want to hear it!

Luke1:37 ~ For nothing will be impossible with God.

How do you fit your writing into your life?

How do you fit in your writing?

Come on we are all busy, let's face it, we over schedule and then we like to use our being busy as an excuse to do things that are really important.  I know I have been guilty of just such a thing.  Seriously, even me.

I remember a friend and I were talking about how we are so busy and this other woman, with seven kids mind you, seemed to be able to do so much. I mean, how on earth could she possibly fit it all in?  We  finally figured out how she did it. ---- She didn't have a TV. Well, duh I could conquer the world if I didn't have a TV.

We both decided that we were not going that far. No Way. I mean TV is important for my brain function, right.  So we scrapped that idea and I decided I would come up with a different plan. Then it hit me.  A little word, simple really and all my problems were solved. You know what that word is already. NO.

The world did not come to an end, my kids lives went on. The sun shone brightly in my life. Angels sang. Okay, not all that but it did improve.
But I still need to carve out time for my writing so I set to work. Below is what I did. It might not work for you, but for me it is golden.

1. Moved my office into my closet, (yeah, I have a big walk-in closet, and while I don't have any windows) I am off the beaten path, I can't hear hardly anything, not even my kids yelling for me to find something.
2. Turn off social media when you are working. (Like Kryptonite twitter zaps my time) Twitter and Facebook are great ways to stay in touch, just turn them off when you are writing.
3. Don't answer your phone, let your voice mail get it. Seriously, does anyone call any more, just text me. Please!
4. Don't answer your door, of course, if they are carrying a big check then fine answer it.
5. Set up a writing schedule, then I stick to it. (It doesn't always happen but there is at least a plan)
6. Lastly ---- Write. Just let it flow, let it flow. Oh wait, that's a Disney song. 
   

What works for you? Do you have any tips then please share!

Query Query Query

I finished my book in the spring of last year, then began editing, fixing, and tinkering with the manuscript, finally I felt it was ready to share with the world.  So I began to figure out my next step - The Query-

Okay, this shouldn't be that hard right, WRONG, it was painful.  I would sit at my desk and read site after site on how to do it, then read query after query.  This query stuff is a hard.

So I began with reading and learning as much as I could about Query's. The right and the wrong way to go about them.  I came up with my first letter and man I thought it was just simply perfect, then I put it up for peer review.  Shredded to pieces, I think my greeting and closing were all that remained after they got done with it.  They were right, of course, it did stink.

So back to the drawing board.  Again, I labored long, laborious hours to achieve the penical of perfection. I read it my family read it, my kids' friends read it.  Until at last I had a stack of discarded query's, but out of that stack came a really nice letter.

So my advice for query writing:

• Read and learn everything you can about query letters.
• Out line your novel, some do it before they even begin their book, but I just don't work that way, so mine was after. 
• Write, re-write often.
• Let the letter sit for a day, don't think about it or read it, just leave it alone. Then read it with fresh eyes. You will be surprised how stupid it sounds or how great it sounds after a day.
• Peer review, but you must have thick skin and be willing to learn and also willing to discard the bad advice. It's a tightrope act.
• My best advice- I had a friend who recently graduated from college with a degree in writing read my query.  She had my interest in mind (unlike some of the peer review websites) and really helped me fix the flaws. Kudos to her!!

Now, I don't think I will ever be done.  I am constantly refining the letter, tailoring it to fit the agent I am sending to.  

So do you have any hints, tricks or secrets to query writing?  If  you do let's hear it!