Putting yourself out there by Candi Wall

 

 

OH! Super cool update! Laura Bradford confirmed she’ll be here for our November Agent Shop since

gremlins messed with our last run of e-mails and this Agent Shop was cancelled. She’s a stellar lady peeps!

“This is wonderful. I could feel everything your character was experiencing!”

“You’ve got a strong voice and the writing was sublime…”

Oh, yeah. You all know what I’m talking about. The big grin, the heart thumping that goes along with opening your e-mail, contest scores, comment section, twitter, or whatever venue you use to put your writing out there, and reading something like that!

It’s like CRACK!

More, more! Gimme more!

‘Course, the negative comments can be just as intense .

“You really should pick an author you like and try to emulate them.”

“Your characters felt cardboard to me, and your villain was nothing more than a cliché device to throw in some failed tension.”

Kill me now!

Okay, so it’s not that bad. As with everything, we have to take any and all comments with a grain or bucket of salt.

As writers, we’re going to come across every personality, like, dislike, good day, bad day, that our readers have. We’re going to be held high by a reader that just adored everything we put into words, and we’re going to be knocked so low, getting back up will be a Herculean task.

Color me a glutton…

But I’ll probably keep putting my work out there, through contests, groups, sharing sites and of course my Beta readers and Crit partners.

Wanna know why?

Simple. Feedback, friendship and the chance at winning!

And believe it or not, that’s the order of importance I take when I enter any contest. Feedback is gold.

As most of us do, I started this journey alone. Through contests, writing groups, and networking, I’ve found the most amazing people and am lucky to have them. I don’t believe for a moment that without them, I would be as far as I am today. And that in itself is enough reason for me to feel justified in encouraging any writer, at any stage of their craft, to get out there, take a chance, let others see what you write and learn what you can from what you get for feedback.

Soak it up like a sponge, retain what you need, and let the rest evaporate.

I took my first tentative steps into networking waters by joining Charlotte Dillon’s Romance Writers Community. Best choice I ever made. That’s where I met Jenn, Marie-Claude and John. I took a chance, they took a chance, and we found a solid foundation of friends to share our journey with. That friendship and professional connection remains today!

Marie-Claude stepped WAY out of her comfort zone and entered Dorchester’s American Title V contest and WON! But if you ask her, she met and remains friends with numerous other writers to this day, and that’s something even winning can’t compare with.

My first public contest was Dorchester’s Next Best Celler contest. It was hell. Pure and simple. Vote tarting sucks, that’s all there is to it. There was some back biting, some down voting, oh – it was tough, but again, out of the great, not-so-great, and sometimes questionable comments, I gained a group of ladies as my friends, all of whom will give it to me straight when I’m doing well, or writing crap.

‘Kinda makes you feel all mushy inside, don’t it?

Yeah, me too.

So I’m on to my next contest.

The Mills & Boon New Voices contest

I’ve met one stellar writer already, and I know she’ll be a friend way past this contest. I’ve read some great entries, left what I hope are seen as constructive comments and gained some as well. I’ve been down voted too, and it’s still early in the competition. but I’m looking forward to it just the same, because regardless of the outcome, I’m coming out of it a winner. Either with feedback, friends or (fingers crossed) a win.

New Voices is open to any writer who hasn’t been published. the deadline is Oct. 10th, so swing in and enter!

So, have any contest experiences you can share, good or bad? I’d love to hear about them.

DISCLAIMER: ALWAYS REMEMBER TO RESEARCH A CONTEST BEFORE ENTERING. THERE ARE SO MANY SCAMS OUT THERE. READ THE FINE PRINT CAREFULLY!

Bushwhacking, Booze, and Nothing to Lose

Song of the day: Nothing to Lose by Operator

Okay, tell me the truth. Do you ever have a moment where you just stop and wonder why it is that you write? Why do you subject yourself to torturous, lonely hours of work, real work, on a book where often there seems so little reward? I think we all do.

Do I LOOK happy?

It’s a cruel existence for writers. Blood-letting critiques, dream-crushing contest scores and bad reviews erode even the most leather-skinned author’s resolve. Some of us realize we have a long journey ahead nailing down our craft; so long, we question if the voyage is worthwhile. Others have crazy expectations and looming deadlines to meet. You sold your soul to the publishing industry and now they require a sacrificial offering or it’s curtains for your career.  It’s enough to make you head for the liquor cabinet.

Our lifeblood is intravenously given over to our characters and their plights. Their stories have to be told, after all. We are selfless, diligent, hard-working – real troopers in our mission, whether to finish our first manuscript, become published, or crank out another book sure to make our agents and editors weep. Nevertheless, it gets tough at times. Family, friends and employers have the nerve to demand your attention. Suddenly, obligations shift. Doesn’t anyone understand what you do or how much you give of yourself?

It would be easy to throw in the towel and give up the madness. Who needs the disappointment, the disrespect or the endless stress gnawing away your sanity? Besides, think of the cost of continuously restocking the liquor cabinet.

If a green author is an active participant in writing communities, whether in person or online, I would venture to say that writer is growing. Green becomes learned and learned becomes seasoned. In that, the writer is at the very least moving forward. Likely, the writer is climbing upward. But those damned blind sides and bushwhacking naysayers are inevitable.  I think it is part of our nature to question ourselves when we stumble.

I recently received a rejection from an editor less than 24 hours after I sent it. While I appreciate the quick response, I admit I was a bit dejected.

My writer buddies gave me about 20 minutes to sulk and then told me to suck it up. We all know it take longer than 20 minutes in wallow in self-pity. I mean, you barely get coated in the stuff to really brood. Plus, there are only so many shots of Jack Daniels I can knock back in such a short amount of time.

After rereading the rejection letter, it became clear that although the editor found many things about my manuscript she liked, I was not right for the publisher’s line. She commented on my writing style and felt it needed a round of line editing. Well, that novel had been line edited within an inch of its life. Seriously, just ask the eleven people I confided in to buff and shine it.

So, yeah, I was bummed. But then I realized like with writing peers and contest judges, it is subjective even among industry professionals. My writing style just isn’t right for that editor. And that is okay. Not all editors will have the same opinion. I respect that.

The song of the day has lyrics that struck a chord with me and this particular quandary.

When you’ve got nothing to lose, then, baby, you’ve got it all.

Simple, but true.

It’s a mindset. When you sit down to write, whether for a few minutes or for a marathon session, believing from that moment you have nothing to lose, what is there to stop you from reaching further and beyond?

I'll take a shot of that.

Focusing on the positive, there really is nothing to lose. It is gratifying to finish a manuscript. You know you are headed in the right direction when constructive criticism is less about the craft and story and more about individual preferences. It is validating when contest scores are high. There is humble amazement and pride when reviews are stellar. And then there are the shameless tears of joy and accolades from agents and editors.

Onward and upward, folks. – Wine, margarita, or beer in hand optional. That’s what we writers must do because we’ve got nothing to lose.

Want to hear the song? Click here for the official YouTube video of Operator’s Nothing to Lose. (Warning: It’s loud! )

Writer Inspiration: Katharine Ashe

by Marie-Claude Bourque

Hi everyone!

Today I am please to host AVON historical author Katharine Ashe. I know I write paranormal but I am truly a historical fan. I can’t wait to get my hand on Katharine’s novel! And it’s a Regency… oh my! Don’t have enough of those!

Visit Katharine at www.katharineashe.com

From the Heart and Head

They say write from your heart but sell from your head. And they’re right. I know this from experience. I’m going to tell you a little story about that experience. I hope it’s useful to hear.

The hero of my debut historical romance, SWEPT AWAY BY A KISS, is a priest. What’s more, he is a French Catholic priest. 

No, he isn’t a real priest. He is a dashing and decidedly non-celibate English viscount. But he pretends to be a French priest (for good reasons), and for a handful of chapters the heroine has no reason to believe otherwise.

 How did I ever imagine I could sell this book? I suppose I figured that if Richard Chamberlain—an actual priest in The Thorn Birds—could stir the pulses of women worldwide, then my pretend priest could pass.

Well, clearly some women out there were appalled with Rachel Ward’s character having the hots for a man in clerical robes. One contest judge disgusted with my heroine’s attraction to a priest gave me such a thrashing I still feel the sting of it years later. But the thing is, another judge in the same contest loved it. She felt deeply for the heroine, a young woman with scandal in her past trying hard to make a new start and torn apart that she’s failing.

So I thought: “Okay, the priestly guise is fine with some readers. What do I do to pull in those other readers still looking askance?” Solution: Make the hero so attractive in so many ways that he is irresistible, and make the heroine’s struggle against her feelings as poignant as possible. 

I beg you to please note: My solution was not to throw up my hands, hurl the manuscript into the fire, and write another story with a less dicey premise. Actually, I did that last one too. I wrote other books with unquestionably available heroes. But I never gave up on the priest book. I loved it. I loved them—my characters. So I reworked it and I sent it off again.

About a year and a half ago, amidst plentiful rejections and in the depths of despair about my future as a published author, I had three different manuscripts floating around in Agent Land. Two of them featured warrior heroes—blatantly guys’ guys. But when a top New York agent called and told me she’d fallen in love with my book, it was the priest book.

I am still so grateful and humbled that my story touched her, as I was with that contest judge who adored it. When someone loves your book, whether that person is your mom or a big-time editor, it is a gift beyond measure. That is why I write, because I want to share my stories and move people. So I write from my heart because that is where the warmth and adventure and emotion live in me.

But on this twisty road to publication, I have learned that when I need to sell, I sell from my head. I study the market and pitch my stories accordingly. 

If you have an idea for a book with an unusual plot, an atypical hero or heroine, or an uncommon setting, don’t let someone convince you it’s “off market” (my most loathed publishing industry term). Just write it. Then send it out—to CPs, beta readers, agents, editors—whomever. Get feedback. After the initial shock of that feedback wears off (whether positive or negative feedback, I’m always shocked at first), kick your brain into full gear and act on the feedback. Keep the book in your heart, but rework in your head. Hold onto what makes it special but include as much of what makes it sellable as you possibly can. 

Regencies are selling now, and my priest book is certainly a Regency. It strays a bit from the ballroom (the first few chapters take place on a pirate ship, arrr!), but it doesn’t by any means leave England’s beau monde behind. The hero masquerades as a priest while he is in fact a warrior and a lord. But perhaps most importantly, at the heart of the book is a powerful love story, which is after all why we read romance. 

Do you have an unusual story in your computer or desk drawer? What sort of feedback have you gotten and how have you acted upon it? And while we’re at it, who is your favorite atypical hero or heroine?

Agent ready? Not so fast! Practical Advice for Submitting.

Song of the day: Let’s Get It Started by The Black-Eyed Peas

Last weekend, I had the honor of hosting Scott Eagan of Greyhaus Literary Agency in Houston. He visited with my RWA chapter and offered us valuable pointers on preparing to submit and pitch to agents and editors.

I’m going to share his wisdom and what I learned with you.

Must...pick up...agent...

First and foremost, when picking an agent up from the airport during rush hour in the middle of a flash flood warning, it is wise to leave the house much, much earlier than you would normally.  Don’t leave the agent, no matter how understanding they are, waiting for 45 minutes at passenger pick-up. Okay, now that my PSA is out of the way, let’s continue.

Scott had so much great information; I have decided to break it up into a series of three blogs. Yes, this is my sneaky way of getting you, the reader, to come back. Mwahahaha.

This installment will focus on what a writer should do to get ready to submit. Bless Scott for his handouts because I can hardly read my own handwriting.

Before you entertain the idea of fraternizing with agents and editors, you must be READY. That means you should be ready to present your manuscript in FULL. It must be complete and spit-shined.

You must also treat writing as a BUSINESS, not a hobby. Crocheting is a hobby. Mastering Guitar Hero is a hobby. Collecting freakishly tiny spoons is a hobby. Brewing beer…well, you get the idea.

Nice package.

Do your RESEARCH. Is the agent right for you? Is the publisher right for you? Who is accepting? What are they accepting? Who will read you submissions? The editor? An assistant? The cover artist? The UPS man? Read your desired target’s blogs. Follow them on Twitter. Get to know their personality. NOTE: I don’t suggest stalking. That’s a hobby for the unstable.

Write a good QUERY. Consider this your cover letter. You’ve heard this before. Keep it brief. Include the genre, word count, blurb, and what is distinctive about your story. Don’t forget your writing biography. This is your first impression. Will the agent or editor want to know more?

Write a SYNOPSIS that won’t make them cringe. I can’t promise you won’t cringe, but try your best to keep the recipient from wincing. Three to five pages is good. You’re cringing, aren’t you?  Show the plot. Not the sub-plot, not the secondary characters. Don’t let your hero or heroine tell the story. Don’t hint to what happens and don’t end it with a cliff hanger. That is not the purpose of the synopsis.

Clowns scare me.

Be PROFESSIONAL. Sounds like a no-brainer, doesn’t it? People forget that writing is a job. A REAL job. You’re not working as a clown for children’s birthday parties. Hey – don’t get your big red nose bent out of shape if that’s what you do for a living. It’s a euphemism. Don’t harass. Agents and editors are not sitting around their offices reading submissions. They are working with their existing authors; making phone calls, attending meetings, editing, etc. They read submissions in their downtime on their commutes or before bed.  By pestering them, you may come off as pushy and brand yourself as a pariah. Word gets around and so does the plague.

Send only what is REQUIRED.  That means the material that is requested and contact information. If sending by mail, don’t forget the SASE. For the love of Pete, use delivery confirmation that doesn’t require a signature.

Be TIMELY. This applies to requests and/or revisions. Take no more than a couple of weeks to respond. This goes back to professionalism.

Finally, KNOW YOUR BUSINESS. Where in the market does your book fit? What authors would you compare with?

There you have it. The basics straight talk from a respected agent.

Next week, Preparing to Pitch.

ECWC: Agent Panel: What They Want. (Or Not!)

By Marie-Claude Bourque

Last week-end, I was very lucky to attend the wonderful Emerald City Writers Conference in Bellevue, WA. It’s great that I live so close.

The conference was a success as described here at Barbara Vey’s Blog (Publisher’s Weekly) .

I sat in front of a panel of impressive agents and editors and though I’d share what I heard from them here at Musetracks. So present at the panel, where agent Alexandra Machinist of the Linday Chester Literary Agency agent Elaine Spencer of The Knight Agency, agent Steven Axelrod, editor Megan McKeever from Pocket Books, Wanda Ottewell from Harlequin (she edits the Superromance line) and editor Peter Senftleben of Kensington.

So here we go (disclaimer, this is what I heard, and maybe not what they actually said!)

On being asked about submission and pitching and what they hate, Senftleben said that if a book is not finished at the time of pitching, just don’t mention that. Pitch the book as is it is finished then send the whole thing if requested. And please don’t CC to all your agents on your list while doing an email submission (yes, he said, it did happened to him.) Axelrod said he will forget any mistake in pitching and submissions if he thinks he can sell your book, Ottewell doesn’t like receiving manuscript that are not targeted to Superromance. Machinist cautions against saying that you are a cross of a all famous authors at once. Perhaps a name or two to get the flavor of your writing but not go overboard. McKeever loves authors who are excited about their book while pitching and that have creative ideas. She also remind writers to always include the ending of the story in the synopsis.

On author promotions, Senftleben pointed that more and more publishing houses rely on authors promoting themselves and that attending writers conferences such as RWA are a great way to network, which may help in finding authors willing to provide cover quotes. On the other hand, Axelrod said that online promotion doesn’t really work that much and authors should really focus on writing a good book. Spencer also said that promotion is on the author’s plate more than ever. Authors still need to realize that their priority is to write their best book but they also do have to do something towards promoting themselves. Machinist warned authors not to get too obsessed with Amazon ranking.

On romantic comedy, whether it is a dead genre or not, Senftleben said that nothing is ever out but some things are more in favor at times and romantic comedy is still equated with chic lit which is down at this time. Axelrod commented that romantic comedy come and go and that is very hard to write universal romantic comedy, a humor that will please a lot at once. Spencer said that it doesn’t help to say it is funny in a query. She recommends calling it contemporary. Your humor will be obvious at first read and she suggests focusing on your voice while writing.

On epub, Senftleben said that sales for electronic books at Kensington are not that big 5-7% of total sales. Axelrod said the market was about to explode and that it was a fabulous way to distribute books, especially for commercial books. He pointed that it would be harder for literally fiction who depend on independent bookstores for their distribution and promotion. Ottewell mentioned that the good thing about ebooks was that books would not go out of print and Spencer mentioned that we do need to pay attention to that trend and that 5-7% of Dan Brown latest sale was still a large number of readers out there willing to buy electronics.

With fellow GSRWA member and Dorchester author Gayle Ann Williams at ECWC

On what it meant when an agent said that a submission was almost right but not quite, most on the panel agreed that this was a polite way of saying they passed on it. Senftleben also mentioned that to take in a submission, not only does he have to love it, but it also have to be good enough for all the other editors.

On what they are looking for, Senftleben takes all kinds of romance including erotica and please no terrorists, Axelrod is looking for wonderful storytellers, Ottewell wants depth, complexity and emotion for her HQ Superromance line. McKeever tell writers to write what you want to write and what you are good at. In romance, she takes paranormal, suspense and historical. She also said she likes sexy book. Nothing sweet.

So there you are. Get writing, and pitch and submit.

I was lucky enough to do a group pitch to Megan McKeever and she basically started our meeting by telling everyone to send their first chapter and synopsis. It seems to be the norm these days as far as I can see.  So next time you pitch, I suggest you relax and just show why you are so passionate about your story!

Is it my writing, or just bad timing???

Bitch Track: Why in the world would a perfect stranger lean over my shoulder and start a thirty minute conversation about what I’m writing??? At the public library???
Okay, I’m NOT anti-social, but I was ready to tear my hair out!

Bliss Track: My eight year old is doing a physical fitness project at school. He has to walk to Tahiti! Okay, not really, but he has to log in enough walking/active/physical time to equal the trip there and back. It’s amazing how much talking you can get done while walking around the indoor track at the local YMCA. Gotta love bonding!

Is it my writing, or just bad timing???

Little by little we work to improve and strengthen our writing. We’ve all done/seen the lists of potential ways to become a good writer.

There’s having natural talent
Taking courses / classes
Joining writing / crit groups
Finding a good WP(s)
Hooking
Keeping the flow
Not head hopping
Smooth transitions
Good grammar
Correct spelling
MS structure
Sentence variation
Dumping repeated words
Losing overused phrases
Utilizing senses
Dialog tag use
There’s highlight editing
Deep editing
Reading out loud
Continuing to write…

As you probably all know – we could keep adding to this list – for a loooooooong time.

So, we’ve learned all these things, and tackled the feared synopsis and query letter. The e-mail /letter you’ve dreamt about comes. An agent/editor wants a partial or full. Yes!!! Celebrate. There’s been rejections to tear up over and the doubts have already set in on numerous occasions, but finally – A CHANCE!

The wait to hear back varies from one industry specialist to the next and when it comes we all cross our fingers and pray. It’s a road well traveled by most of us. Some have moved on to publication while others still wander the trenches.

I’ve been in the query trench for four months and just received a very kind refusal from my dream agent on a ms that I am very proud of, and has received great reviews from both my online crit group and my great writing partners John, Marie-Claude, and Jenn. The rejection came in the mail and I read and reread it several times. I was disappointed – sure.

But the thought that stuck in my mind was:

Was it my writing or the personal preference/needs of the A/E that landed me this rejection? I did my research on her, edited the ms to within an inch of its life, followed all submission rules, and sought the advice and constructive criticism of others in my profession. Hmmm, what went wrong? I know, I know – there’s no real answer to that.

BUT – Anyone follow agent/editor (A/E) blogs? Mercy, it’s like a huge database of confused wisdom. And I say this in the nicest possible way. One agent’s wants and needs are different from another. However if we do our research and read their lists we can cut back some of the rejection we bring upon ourselves.

Having said that, the thing that I notice – is that they are human. They get into moods, likes, dislikes. They have family crisis, and toothaches and dogs that die. They get to work late or miss the morning bus, or have children who are sick with the flu. They read umpteen hundred query’s hoping that one of them will stand out enough to pique their interest. One agent said she even swore to herself that the next historical romance that came in – she would request. I don’t think she meant it, she was just frustrated with the abundance of other sub genres she’d received in that day. I guess I have to remember that they are human.

But without feedback from the Agent/Editor, how do you decide to edit more, or stick with what you’ve got? Share your thoughts…