A Moment to Breathe and Reflect

Since returning from the Midwest Writer's Workshop, I have been in a frenzy to get some minor, though important, plot changes done on my completed manuscript. With those requests sent out, I feel like I have a few (stress few) minutes to sit back before pounding away at the keyboard on my next novel.

It has been an incredible and unbelievable ride over the last week. No, I'm not represented (far from it) and I'm certainly not published (even farther from that). But I got a chance to learn from some really incredible professionals in the literary world. I hate to name drop, but I will.

Let's kick off with Kelsey Timmerman. Talk about being a self-starter! He decided to take a self-funded tour of the world to find out about the people who made the clothes he was wearing. And then he chronicled his experiences in a book called, “What am I Wearing?” Now Kelsey is (self-proclaimed) one of the top ten underwear journalists in Indiana, but I would beg to differ. I think he just might be one of the top ten underwear journalists in the country!

Then we move to the agents. For a small conference in a mid-sized Indiana town, MWW has the ability to pull in amazing agents. You know those people you follow on twitter? Yeah, I met ‘em. Between Kathleen Ortiz’s explanation of how to deliver the perfect pitch, Roseanne Wells’ process for developing your world as a character and Jessica Sinsheimer’s session on how to write a query letter, I finally feel prepared to enter into the query arena, armed for battle. Though I was unable to attend Lois Winston’s session on why manuscripts get rejected, a friend was kind enough to share the information and I’m happy to say I am better off because of it!

In addition to gathering as much knowledge as I could, I also got a chance to pitch my novel, The Partizans, to Kathleen, Roseanne, and Jessica. I’m not gonna lie. I was nervous to approach them with my book. But within seconds of sitting down and blurting out my two line pitch, they all managed to put me at ease, asking questions that helped me help them understand the story better. After I was done, there was still time for me to ask questions. And let me tell you, I did. I asked about how I could make my query letter better. (Excellent question, I must add.) I also took a chance to pick their brains on a dilemma I had regarding my next project. Again, they were incredibly helpful and supportive! So, what I have learned about agents is they are, in fact, human. Here are the most important lessons I learned from each of them: Jessica – chocolate covered espresso beans are awesome; Kathleen – cyborgs have a future in YA; Roseanne – do not submit pony driven novels to her. Word to the wise!

Moving on…

Authors… you know the ones who were once writers, but then someone thought, “Hey, let’s print that,” and then they magically became authors. Those people rock. They have been in the same spot I am and have succeeded. Not only that, they’ve come back to mingle among the wannabes to share what they have learned on their journey. I love authors for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fantastic books they have written. They give me hope that, with enough perseverance, patience, and faith in my ability, that I too may take my place among the growing number of authors who found their agents at MWW. Authors like D.E. (Dan) Johnson, Veronica Roth and Kelsey Timmerman. And let’s not forget the people who defy the odds, like Karen Lenfestey, who sold over 20,000 copies of her novel A Sisters Promise though self-publishing/e-books. Something tells me she’s going to have an agent… if she wants one, of course!

But yet, there’s more…

It’s one thing to write a book and another to get it published. But unless readers buy the book, you run the risk of being a “one hit wonder what the heck happened to that guy”. MWW has an amazing relationship with Jane Friedman… if you’re reading this, you more than likely have heard of her. (Or if you ever want to learn anything about how to use twitter or Facebook or any other form of social media, you should check out her blog!) Seriously, go now.

And then there’s Dana Kaye (also known as Marcus Sakey’s publicist). I just have to bow down to this woman when it comes to understanding what motivates people to do things. #1 rule: Keep your tweets relevant to your work and the publishing world, with the exception of rule #2. Rule #2: never be afraid to tweet about your cat, your dog, or your kids. (Thank goodness I have two kids. No way can I handle a dog right now!)

Still more…

I can’t forget the amazing men and women who work all year to put on a conference that allows everyone to come together for the love of writing. They work tirelessly to provide the highest level of faculty, the greatest amount of comfort, and space where creativity can flourish and be discovered. I personally plan to be in attendance for as long as the conference continues… and since I write paranormal, I totally believe it’s possible for me to haunt the Ball State Alumni Center.

Finally…

I’ve said it before and I stand by my statement. Gathering the grains of knowledge from authors, agents, publicists, publishing insiders… it’s all great. But in the end, when you walk away from the conference, salivating over and dissecting every single interaction, remember that the best moments live in the twitter vault. And the relationships and friendships that you cultivate will nurture your talent, grow your confidence and harvest your greatest creative potential. Stay connected, keep coming back, and BE PASSIONATE! It might not hurt to bribe people with chocolate covered espresso beans. Seriously, these things are a food group within themselves!

PS. Look for a link salad post this weekend!

In Defense of the Elusive Agent

Like many aspiring writers, I stalk querytracker.net and agentquery.com with regularity. I need to know things like who’s accepting (or not accepting) queries and the exact hour they will open up again, should I use Mr. or Ms. when addressing the query letter, and reconfirm the submission guidelines.

What? You don’t believe me? Ok, I’ll tell the truth. I really log on to see who’s saying what about which agent. This is important stuff! Has the agent signed anyone new? (Oh yeah, I good naturedly hate that person.) Are they on vacation? What’s the response time for rejections? Partials? Fulls? What’s their form rejection sound like? Are they the no answer=no interest type of agent? This is breaking news stuff.  Some of the information is really helpful and those brave enough to post their rejections (and ultimately their success stories) remind us that while writing can be very lonely, there are people out there who get it. Still, there are the few who feel slighted by the response (or lack of response) they receive and they let everyone else know about it.

As artists, we aren’t always the best at accepting rejection. It’s not too hard to convince us that we were unfairly and personally judged by the high and mighty agent who’s making so much money on his/her other clients that he/she doesn’t want to take on a talent such as ours.

But I’ve had the chance to interact with some great agents in the business at conferences. I follow their blogs more religiously than I follow the Indianapolis Colts (*gasp*) and I get tweets from even more. (Thank goodness for social media!) I’ve learned a lot from them. More importantly, I’ve learned a lot about them and the jobs they are so passionate about.  Which is why I feel I am qualified (*chokes back laughter*) to give you my take on the life and times of an agent. (And since I’m in query mode, I will add I am in no way sucking up to any agents who might find this post.)

Here are some comments I have seen or heard regarding the role of agents and my take on them.

1.       “The agent never responded to my query. I bet she/he isn’t even looking for new clients.” Okay, and this may or may not apply to the top unnamed agents at the top unnamed agencies (You know who they are… the ones that roll of the tongue when you start listing your dream team), but writers are an agents bread and butter. You know that word “commission”? (Don’t worry… we’ll get to that soon.) Well, in case you forgot, commission normally indicates that, if you don’t sell something, in this case, someone’s manuscripts/foreign rights/film options/etc, you don’t get paid. Sure, they may be able to pick up side jobs and take on other responsibilities in the office to make ends meet, but ultimately, they want the commission. The more contracts they get for their clients, the better quality of meat they can eat for dinner.

2.       “I sent in a steamy erotica that would make Heff blush, but all I got was an email that said it wasn’t for them.” Just out of curiosity, did you send it to an agent who reps children/YA books? Are you sure they were looking for your style of writing? Uh, no, I just sent it to every agent on the list. Okay. Now we’re getting somewhere. Some agents are listed on QT and AT as taking everything under the sun, which is why it’s always a good idea to double check on their websites before you send off your query. If you don’t, you’re wasting their time and adding unnecessary hash marks to your rejection tally.  

3.       “The agent only asked for 3-5 pages. How could they possibly know my story isn’t for them?” (This is perhaps my favorite one, quite possibly because I am guilty of allowing this indignant thought to pass through my mind.)  Let’s try that honesty thing again: it only takes a couple of pages to figure out if your editing process consists of fixing the mistakes caught by spell check. Second, there’s this thing called a hook. You know… the thing that hooks a reader in? You don’t know what that is? That could be your next problem.  When you’re searching for that hidden treasure in a stack of books, how long does it usually take to know if it’s the right one for you? What’s that? 3-5 pages? Same here. (Though my book club has taught me there are rare exceptions to that rule, ie. Story of Beautiful Girl)

4.       “Why does it take an agent so long to get back to me? Aren’t they waiting by their computer for my jaw dropping letter?” Perhaps a better question is, “Would you want to be represented by someone who just sat at their desk and answered the queries of others?” I would guess that, when we reach the illusive promised land of representation, we would actually prefer our agent spend time trying to sell our latest work. You know, so everyone can get paid.  Now there are those agents who can reject (or request) quickly. In fact, my fastest rejection is nine minutes. (That one did leave me using #3 as I pouted my way to sleep.) We live in a society of instantaneous gratification. But rising to the top of the slush pile takes time. Suck it up and get to work on your next masterpiece.

5.       “15% Commission? 20% for foreign rights? WTF?” Remember when you first started writing and you had that doe-eyed, romantic impression that, as a published writer you could spend your days at the keyboard spewing forth all the passionate prose you could think of? How’s that working out for you? In this day and age, it’s more important than ever to promote our work (like this blog or twitter {you can follow me @writinghoosier}). Now, maybe you want to keep as much cash as possible and have opted to take the self-publishing route. Very cool. Nothing wrong with that. But I, personally, will gladly hand over 15% to someone who’s going to be looking out for my best interest! Heck, I tip my servers 20%. Shouldn’t someone who’s helping me plan and achieve my dreams get a decent cut?

I was going to stop at five, but since I’m preparing for the Midwest Writer’s Workshop (www.midwestwriters.org), I thought I would throw out one more. (PS. It’s not really agent related. Sorry for the false advertising!)

6.       “Why should I go to a writer’s conference? I’m a great writer already.” I can only laugh at this because I said the same thing one year ago. I attended my first conference convinced I was going to walk away with an agent and well on my way to a six-figure advance, 3 book publishing contract. (Okay, maybe I wasn’t that naive, but it was close.) The writer I was then and the writer I am now aren’t even in the same league. I’m not saying that my books will ever be described as epic, but in three days I not only learned that I had a lot to learn, but I left with the tools I needed to overhaul my novel. I took advantage of a manuscript review by NYT Bestseller Marcus Sakey who showed me how I could up my game and really add suspense to my YA fantasy. I pitched an agent and got a partial request. (For the record, I’m still waiting for a reply, one year later… just a friendly reminder not to put your eggs in one basket.) And those two things were great. But what was really helpful is that I recharged my creative battery by being around people who love books and words as much as I do. And, even better: I found three very honest critique partners who have helped me craft my novel over the last year. Now I’m honored to call them friends. Friends who can empathize with the sting of rejection and celebrate finally figuring out how to make your character do what you want them to do. As I mentioned, I’m heading back to MWW next week and I have another pitch scheduled, which I plan to knock out of the park (as long as I don’t knock the table over with my nerves). But the energy that comes from being around other writers: you can’t beat that!

That’s it. There is no more. I’ve espoused all I can muster on this topic. Agree with it, disagree with it, whatever. Just remember to Be Bold in whatever flames your fires of passion!

I Read in Movies

I love film adaptions. Not because I think they are better than the books, which of course they are not, but because they are a writer’s vision brought to “reality”.


I write movies in book form. Each and every scene has been acted out in my head. Dialogue has been rehearsed late at night, when no one can hear me. And casting the characters is a long and daunting process.

As I wait for my chance to see the final Harry Potter movie this weekend, I wonder what JKR thought when she first saw the set of her literary masterpiece. I can only imagine what Stephanie Meyer will be thinking when she sees Bella transform from a waif-like girl to a full on pregnant mom-to-be. And, when The Hunger Games comes out, what will Suzanne Collins think of the arena?

I know it’s going to sound vain, but I want to see my books become movies. I would love for someone to do what I cannot. I am not a screenwriter. The very thought of doing so brings on instantaneous writer’s block. I would never survive in Hollywood. I like writing in my office in Indiana. I like having fireworks on the Fourth of July without fear of starting a forest fire. I would, however, jump at the chance to get to go on set and observe the film making process. Seriously, I’ve thought about writing a book about life on a movie set just to see if I can gain access to the process.

Not only do I write in pictures, I read in pictures, too. It’s not always a good thing. Sometimes, if I can’t get into the writer’s vision, I can’t get into the book. When I read a book set in the south, take The Help, every character has a southern accent, ranging from a hint to a full on drawl. I feel the heat of the day and the tension of the social conflicts send shivers down my spine. The history of Jackson, Mississippi that I learned in school suddenly goes from the past to the moment.

So, after all that rambling about, here’s my question: Can Hollywood exist without books and can the publishing houses exist without movies? Who needs who more?

What I've Learned: A Baker's Dozen

It’s been almost two years since I finished the first draft of The Partizans. It’s been two very long years of agonizing over every single word I’ve committed to paper (and then uncommitted when I realized I used the completely wrong word). After putting the last comment from my betas into the master ms, I started thinking about what I have learned since October 3, 2009. So here we go, in no particular order:

1.       Facebook can be a blessing and a curse. It can inspire you with quizzes and distract you with work on an imaginary farm or the chance to stalk your high school boyfriend.

2.       Writing is a solitary passion, but it will never exceed your expectations if you don’t find someone who secretly hates you to tell you what’s really wrong with your character, plot line, comma usage, etc. (Thanks, mom! LOL)

3.       When starting out on a new project, estimate the amount of ink and paper you will need and then multiply that times five. Anything less is a joke.

4.       To be a better writer, find a critique partner who is better at the craft than you are.

5.       Even if your muse is on vacation, sit your butt in the chair and wait for a long distance burst of inspiration. Likewise, if you are on vacation, expect your muse to show up for work regardless of your plans.

6.       Writer’s conferences are binges for those drawn to prose.  You spend a couple days surrounded by people who love to read and write as much as you do and come home on a mega high, only to crash under the weight of reality. Luckily, your new writer friends can give you the occasional fix through great tweets!

7.       A pitch session really is just a conversation with someone who knows more about the industry than you do. Take advantage of the one-on-one time!

8.       When you start to query your first manuscript, you might want to establish some drinking game rules. It will make the sting a little less painful, at least until the next morning when your muse wakes you up in the form of a four year old screaming for breakfast.

9.       On the subject of agents, even though many requests for a partial and full ultimately end with a rejection, I think each should be celebrated. After all, you made it through the slush pile and that’s more than most people.

10.   When beginning a new project, feel free to look at a situation and wonder to yourself, “How can I really screw over my character?” (You may use more explicit words if you so decide.)

11.   When you think your query letter/synopsis/manuscript is perfect, put it away for a few weeks and then try to read it without picking up a red pen. If you can do that, you’re good to go.

12.    I hate to workout. It’s no secret. I tell everyone. However, nothing shakes the writer’s block off like a couple miles on the treadmill with a good friend. Especially if that person hates working out as much as you do!

13.   Finally, the only way to become a writer is to actually be a writer. Don’t let others determine your fate. A writer has commitment and passion that many only dream about. We are the inspiration of tomorrow and the preservationists of yesterday. Of course, we are the self-loathers of today, but that’s completely beside the point.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by my blog. I’m hoping to keep it more up to date and always entertaining in the future. Until my next post, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @writinghoosier and Be Bold in whatever you love to do!

The Muse Cometh

In a week, we are heading out for a two week family vacay to Mexico. Between now and then I have to wash and pack summer clothes for three people (DH is on his own), clean up the house so we don’t return home to chaos, do yet another run to Home Depot so dad has plenty of supplies to continue on the remodel while we’re gone, and spend some quality time with my betas… it’s going to be a busy seven days. And, as it so happens, my muse, who must have been at a Muse Convention, has reappeared in the form of my second book. Of all the things I said I have to do before we leave, the one thing I didn’t say was “start a new book”. The real problem is that you can’t turn your back on the Muse. At the very least you have to humor her. I’ve promised two days of writing on the beach, free of the restraints of motherhood (again, DH is on his own), and I’ve allowed her the privilege of walking me through the pre-write synopsis… what more can the woman want. CHAPTER ONE???


I love my muse. She is, without a doubt, a gift from God. But I’ve found that it’s best not to ignore her… she’s very persistent. So here are my options: forget about packing, except for the basics (they have clothes in Mexico) and send the men to the Depot while hiring someone to come to my house while I’m gone and make the messes disappear (personally, I like this part of the option the best); ignore my muse and possibly face her wrath; embrace sleep deprivation (there will be plenty of time to sleep on the plane (this time DH would be on his own with two kids); or appease my muse by striving for balance in everything I do. Now, this last one sounds the most logical. Yes, it means planting crops that take days to grow on Farmville, but that is a small sacrifice. But it also means sticking to a plan, a schedule if you will. I’m not always good at that. But maybe this is why my muse has returned from her hiatus at this time. To help me learn that without balance, there isn’t much hope that I will be able to sustain my dreams of being a published author and front runner for Mother of the Year. (I have to believe it’s that or the only other explanation is that while away at this supposed muse convention, she attended a seminar called, “How to torture your creative talent for enjoyment”, and if that’s the case, she’s starting off with a bang!)

Be Bold, everyone and try to stay warm. I’m going to earn some brownie points with my muse by taking her on vacation!

ENFP+Writer=????

If you are at all familiar with the Myers Briggs Personality Type, then you know that, according to the theory, all people fall into one of sixteen personality type. I am proud to say that I am an ENFP. Say it with me… E… N… F… P. I love being this personality type. We love people and we love ideas, as long as we aren’t expected to focus on the details. In short, we are horrible writers! Sitting alone with a computer is a challenge… thank goodness we have out characters to keep us company. We love an idea of a book and get started, only to find the pull of another story catching our attention. (And of course by “our” and “we” I mean “I”.) But here’s the problem with me being me. When I have been focused on one project for a long time, I tend to get distracted by… um… anything else. I once read a list of bumper sticker slogans for the different MBPTs and the ENFP goes something like, “Yeah, I can get that to you… oh my, what a pretty bird… anyways, what were we talking about?”

Why am I rambling about my personality type? I have this new book… the beginning of a new series, and while it’s still YA, it’s a total departure from The Partizans. It’s kind of a thriller/pre-dystopian plot, and I am totally obsessed with the structure of it right now. I think it may have more to do with the fact that working on my query letter and writing my synopsis is more about the technical side of getting published and less about hanging out with my characters. It’s taking all kinds of control to attempt to stay focused on finishing up all the loose ends of the book and getting it ready to go out to agents. I keep wanting to just send it out so I can say I did it and move on to the next project. I suppose this is good training. Once I get an agent and eventually a contract, I will have to stay focused regardless of my personality tendencies. After all, I don’t think a publisher or agent would accept the “My ENFP made me do it” excuse.

You know the old saying, “What doesn’t kill us will make us stronger?” Yeah… I think, when I get through all the crossing “I”s and dotting “t”s, that I will be able to lift poor plot structure from the abyss and carry shallow characters to the point of redemption without breaking a sweat. Unless, of course, I see a pretty bird.

Happy Superbowl everyone!!! Be BOLD!

Sabotage

There is a saboteur at work today! I have taken a short break from working on my novel to accommodate for some life changes and now, as I return to work, I am left with a mind-numbing lack of motivation. I know what I need to do, but it’s like I have work block… much bigger than writer’s block. So, being who I am, I decided to try to figure out the root cause of why my get up and go is in the corner blowing strawberries and I have come up with one answer. Being a writer is hard. I’m not complaining. I’m just stating a fact. Coming up with an idea, for me, is easy. Creating back story is a breeze. Even sitting down and pounding out the first draft comes as naturally as breathing. And that is where it ends. From that point forward, being a writer is a labor of love. Stray but a little from your focus and you begin to wobble under the weight of it all. I’m bored with doing research on agents, though I know it’s important to ensure my chances of finding the right match. Editing has become a bad word around my house and forget about the word syn…syn… synopsis. (It took a lot of effort just to type the word.)


But here’s the thing. The difference between a published novelist and an unpublished writer is persistence. Pushing through the negative thoughts, the mental and physical fatigue, making time in an already hectic life to repay those who have offered crits, and making sure that no one gets left at school because I’m living in a writing bubble are just a few of the things a writer must deal with on a daily basis. And I wouldn’t change it for anything. I was born to write. I am destined to be published and I am blessed to have the support carry on.

So it’s time to call back the muse, fire up Pandora and pull that writer’s fedora tight to my head and be who I am meant to be. Saboteur be damned!