Bria’s Job Description: Take One February 8, 2010
As you grow in any career, your job description is *obviously* going to change. This month, I’m talking about what that means for writers. We’ll have some guests sharing their thoughts as well.
I’ve broken my job description into several key pieces: Writing. Editing/Revising. Learning. Promoting. Networking.
I know, some of those look like they should be grouped together, but they aren’t…You’ll see why 
Today I’m going to talk about Writing and how it’s changed.
Almost 3 Years Ago: You know, I should write these stories down. All the ones running thru my head. My friends would probably appreciate it too so I stop zoning out when I’m with them. Looks into writing and groups. Listens to some workshops. Reads up on the internet. Joins RWA and RD.
2.75 years ago: Get’s out paper and starts writing. Yup, I did that after looking into writing. I’m a do-or-die kind of girl.
Writes. Writes a lot. Writes stuff she wants. Writes things that are fun. Writes stuff that amuses her. Writes at work. Writes in the car. Writes ever what if idea that comes to mind down and thinks about writing them …. only criteria: are they fun and interesting and does she want to live there.
2.5 years ago: edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes
2 years ago: Time to send it out! Organize my agent search (check out the side bar for the Agent Hunt & Getting To Yes series) and start mailing. Which brings us to more edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes, edits/writes (Etc… this phase went one for quite a while)
1 year ago: Write something light and fun just to get out of my fantasy world… Put it aside for 8 months and ignore it
8 months ago: Keep working on specific revisions 2 agents asked for…eventually get turned down by both.
6 months ago: edit Light/Fun Story and query
5 months ago: sign with an agency and do first round of revisions on Light/Fun Story
LET’S TALK ABOUT NOW
Things have changed. Sitting down and writing whatever I want isn’t going to work anymore. There needs to be a plan for a couple reasons.
1. The Agent is currently working on some feed back from SBook 1. There isn’t any sense in calling the edits on SBook 2 done before seeing what I can learn from The Agent’s comments. Actually, that would be just dumb to ignore the opportunity to learn how to make the next book better. Plus, a waste of everyone’s time.
2. What’s next: Blurbs. Yeah, I wrote them. I’m sending them today (I’ve been kind of cowardly about this) – but what it comes down to is this –> What do I write next? It’s no longer an option of “what sounds like the most fun to play with” – now it’s “what’s the best business sense thing to write next”. Obviously, the blurbs I’m sending The Agent are all things I could work on. I’m mulling some stuff in that brain of mine, but didn’t blurb it because they aren’t ready to go.
So, that leaves us with the new Writing Job Description:
- Write as guided by The Agent’s input
- Write a lot
- Write even more
- Keep track of ideas
- Blurb them
- Don’t be a chicken, send the darn blurbs
- Scribble idea’s ideas out while waiting to discuss
- Write more
- Write a little more
- and then Write some more
Not VERY different, but different enough to change the entire timeline of writing life. That’s been the real interesting thing – learning that I’m not the only one in my writing timeline any more.
Okay, I’m off to send those blurbs
T-Shirt Slogan Vote February 3, 2010
MG Buehrlen and I are using all of our collective creativity to get ourselves to the National Writers Convention for RWA this year. HOW? We’ll be selling some great t-shirts and specialized journals just for writers (and those who love or pity writers).
Help us pick out the top five t-shirt slogans and stay tuned for the FUNd raiser!
Juggling the Writer’s Job Description February 1, 2010
It’s amazing how changing the game a little, changes it a lot.
This past fall, I contracted with The Agent (curious? on the sidebar is my little series on the whole agent process start to finish) and I didn’t realize just how much would change. . . Just how much *I* would have to change.
This weekend it really hit home.
The Agent is getting notes read of my revised pages to me soon. Plus I owe here stuff. I just wrote the blurbs for my 7 current ideas for books — This is my first run thru of this process. I assume we’ll discuss what is strongest and most viable to work next. I need to get the next books synopsis written for I’m in the first stage of editing (we won’t discuss the pain and humiliation involved in me trying to synopsis). Also, this is usually the time I fast draft the next book so it can sit over in the corner ferment.
But now, there’s other plans in the game. Another person…a business plan. So, if I get revision notes for book 1, reader notes for book 2 and start writing book 3 — Um, yeah, I think we all see where this is going.
Let’s add into the mix that between books is where I try to pound thru all the reader responsibilities I have to my CP and beta readers. They’ve been kind… don’t worry, when you get to it… etc…But January has been so crazy that they really do have to come first right now. There isn’t an option.
And so, with this next step comes the newest part of the writing game: Time Management Part 2.
Typically Time Management is a fun game for me, but when you’re still not sure of all the rules, of what’s needed when… But that’s part of moving up in the world.
I’m thinking of getting The Agent like a certain job I had out of college. My boss had…let’s just call it an early midlife crisis (and when I say crisis I mean complete break in reality) and promoted me up two steps with no job description and no guidance… Am I saying The Agent would do that –NO! But, writing is kind of like that: There’s no job description.
Oh, we think the job description is: Write Books.
I’m pretty sure anyone trying to get published has already realized it’s more complicated than that. So stick around as I figure out my own Writing Job Description…and wish me luck on Juggling February!
Finding My Writer’s Voice January 27, 2010
Voice – Writer’s talk a lot about it. What it is, how to find yours, fine-tuning it. It seems to be the most discussed and least understood writing topic. Here’s my first attempt at delving into the discussion.
I’ve just finished the read-thru of the second book of my current series. I’d sent the first chapter to get a “rough feel” from Gwen Hayes (check her out, she rocks). Her response was that I’d finally embraced my voice as a YA Rom Com writer, that I was stepping into my own. Basically, I’ve separated my feelings about being a Fantasy writer and being a Rom Com writer.
But, as any good writer would ponder, what did that mean?
I thought about the process of book one versus book two. If you looked at my schedule and to do list, you’d think they were identical. They were so not identical.
Book 2 was both harder and easier…and I blame voice.
There is one thing I’ve learned, voice needs to be BIG, but not noticeable. So many times during writing, I’d think “I can’t write that” and make a little note to insert something funny, clever, etc. I’d get to that point during the read-thru and still want to talk myself out of saying the same thing. And then it dawned on me: Why? Why not go bigger? Why not say the crazy thing that comes to mind every time? If there’s even the itty-bittiest chance that I might say it out loud…or even think it to myself… why not let my character say it.
I’m not that interesting… I know, I know, you think I am (Ok, maybe not, but let’s all humor me), but part of my voice is taking the *most* interesting little nuggets in the back of my mind, bringing them forward and BLOWING.THEM.UP. Making them that extraordinary thing that makes my characters witty or funny or clever or tortured or humbling. I don’t…can’t…do that in my own day to day life, but that doesn’t mean those things aren’t locked inside me.
And so, as I think about writers and how we work and struggle and craft things to bring voice out, I sat back a little… As the saying goes, I gave myself some leash…I let things run further than I thought was safe. And you know what? Those lines and scenes are the ones I’ve already heard positive feedback on. Dive into your character and give her permission to do whatever she wants. Don’t just give her more leash, but drop it and chase her through the park until she wears you out.
We read for escape, to let ourselves do and say and think and feel and experience all the things we don’t get to in our real lives. In our safe lives. If we keep those characters safe too, then where’s the escape?
I’m not advocating off-the-wall’ness that’s so absurd it’s not “buy-able”…unless that’s what you write… But there is a line we as writers draw for ourselves in the sand. A line that stands between our world and our characters. Often, because of so many personal reasons, we try to drag our character over the line and keep her safely tucked into our world, because people are going to read this.
So, what have I learned? Stop kidnapping your character. She doesn’t appreciate it.
Writers – what have you learned about harnessing your voice? Readers – is their a writer who has a great “feel” to their books you love…what?
Cami’s First Kiss – Part 9 January 25, 2010
YES! The rumors are true. This is the last installment of Cami’s First Kiss. Let’s see if Jenna can pull of…well, anything!
If you’re just joining us, you can catch up by clicking the Cami’s First Kiss or Free Reads tab above to read the first 8 parts.
Thanks for stopping by!
So that was his game!
Commit theft and black mail to get Lis, then distracting me with the most perfect specimen of male beauty ever seen.
I don’t think so mister.
“So, not only did you steal my notebook to get at Lisbeth, but you’re willing to pimp your buddy out to her boring friend?”
His smile slipped a bit. Most guys didn’t like being called basically a Seller-of-People I guess.
“That’s what you think? That I’d pimp him?” He stepped forward into my dance space.
If I was Baby, I’d be telling this Johnny off. Of course, if I was Baby I’d be secretly having an affair with him while my doctor-daddy totally missed that I’d grown up and become a slummer at camp.
What was my point? Oh, yeah. Him big pimping and space invading.
“Let’s see.” I held up my hand and started ticking reasons off on my fingers. I feared I might run out of digits before I got to the end of this particular tirade. “You laugh at my embarrassment. You steal my notebook that you know I need for work. You blackmail me into meeting my friend. You then drag us here, which I can only assume is because you know there’s no competition for her attention in a back-alley bowling alley. Then you flirt with her outrageously. But, when you see you need to distract me more, you throw Mr. Too Good Looking To Be Real at me.”
His smile thinned, predatory. Like he knew so many things I didn’t. Which was probably true. He took another step toward me, forcing me backward.
Over his shoulder, I heard the high pitched giggle of a Lisbeth trying to regain everyone’s attention. Sorry Lis, you were on your own. I had to escape the big bad wolf.
Each step he took toward me, I took one back. His smile became thicker, if I was being hunted, he’d suddenly turned deadly.
My back hit a wall before I’d noticed he’d walked us into the darkened entrance way.
“I’m flirting with her? You think I’d give her two glances if she wasn’t your friend?” His hand came up. “Yeah, I’d give her two glances. But they wouldn’t be flattering. I’m not stupid enough to get that close to a girl like her.”
“But – ”
“No buts, Sunshine.” He glanced back over his shoulder where Dane held Lis’s attention. “That girl is shallow and rude. She’s a horrible friend and probably the worst girlfriend on the planet. But, the moment you walked around that bar with your little notebook and your ‘hey, can I kiss you’ line, I’ve been planning this.”
Now I was just plain lost. But planning sounded nefarious.
“Planning what?” As soon as the words left my lips, I wanted them back. Never, ever, ever, ever-ever-evereverevereverever ask a question you don’t want the answer to.
“Did you know you hum constantly? You sing under your breath even when there’s not music.” He took another step toward me, but the wall held off my retreat. “You bop around in that head of yours watching everything and staying out of the way. You let her be the center of attention when she can’t hold a candle to you. She’s dull and self-centered.”
I glanced past him. I knew it was all true — well, the part about letting her be the center of attention. Earlier in the evening I’d begun to really see what type of friend I had in her. The worst thing she could have done for our friendship was drag me out tonight. I’m a great lunch-on-Sunday friend for her, but seeing the way she was…the way she expected me to be… I’d already known in the back of my heart that she wasn’t going to be anywhere near my inner circle after this.
“I thought, if I could get you out, get you into the spot light, you’d shine.” His grin hitched up. “And you did. When you sang, everyone stopped. They couldn’t help themselves. But the second you handed that microphone back, she took over again.”
He was right. And I knew what he wasn’t saying… I let her take it back.
“I don’t know how to be like her.”
His head tilted to the side, the smile shifting again, getting softer, kinder.
“You don’t have to be like her. That’s the whole point. No guy in his right mind would really be interested in her.” He hitched his thumb back in their direction. “She’s a puddle.”
He was so close now, I could feel him as if we touched in all the places we didn’t. It was daunting and exciting. It scared the snot out of me because I loved having him so near.
The street value on the Ben-drug in Jennaland would be off the charts.
He pulled my notebook out of his back pocket and all I could think was who cares about the stupid notebook. See? Ben-drug, addictive and dangerous.
He bopped me on the nose with my own property and then held it there between us.
“I thought you might want this back.”
“Oh? You think?” Finally Jenna. Join the conversation for crying out loud. “No clue what gave you that idea.”
I snatched the notebook out of his hand, ready to make my escape before I made a huge fool of myself.
“Well, I figured you’d want to have it on you.” His hand came up to brush across my cheek pushing my loose hair our of my eyes. “You know. To take notes.”
Before I knew what he meant to do, or could argue with him about the pity kiss, his lips brushed mine. And then he took mine. And then I lost track of time… maybe even days…or years.
He lifted himself away and then set his forehead against mine.
“So, you ready to make our escape? Dane’s covering for us and I know a great place that serves crepes all night.”
Wait. This sounded suspiciously like a date.
“It is a date, Sunshine.”
Oh for crazy-girl-talking-out-loud sake.
He wrapped his hand around my free one and nodded toward my notebook. “I’m hoping you’re looking for more than just first kiss research. Second kisses can be really difficult to remember too.”
And I was hoping he was thinking about second date notes.
“I am.”
Excerpt Monday January 18, 2010
Bria is currently locked out of her own blog. Cami’s First Kiss (January) will be up by Thursday – Please stop back by to check it out!
She says sorry to anyone who came just for that!
Excerpt Monday January 16, 2010
Monday is the first EM of the year. I’m personally really excited. Of course, I’m bias! If you missed it, EM has added a new deal to it’s line up: New Release Monday. It’s the first Monday of every month. This month we featured four new release and got to give all of them away to one lucky reader! If you want to win great books or let the world know about your new release, definitely check it out.
So, I’ve gotten searches and email and DMs and public twitters asking what the heck Jenna is doing at the bowling alley. Because of everything going on, I’ve decided to not finish the Cami serial right now.
Just kidding. Kara, don’t kill me!
Monday, we’ll be back at the bowling alley with Jenna and the beautiful people. If you’d like to catch up, click “Free Read” on the page link at the top of the page.
I’m Just A Girl Who Can’t.Say.No. January 13, 2010
I’m in New Mexico this year. This means I joined the local writing group. I thought “Ahhhhh….A chance to sit back and not do anything but show up.” Plus, my kinda-mentory person told me to stop “giving back until I get” — I can’t seem to help myself.
So, here I am. I don’t know anyone. I have a job that I do nothing at but I can write and be on the internet (dream job?), and I’m living in the middle of no where. When I heard the chapter was thinking about skipping this year of having their writing contest…which was just becoming really successful… I said “Whatever I can do to help, I’m in.”
Which somehow turned into “I can coordinate the contest.” Yes. Yes it did.
The upside? There will now be another reputable contest with a YA category. Yeah, if you’re going to take on the spreadsheets, you might as well get the upside too!
Extreme Sunset Plotting January 11, 2010
I’ve moved to New Mexico’s Northern Plains for a little while. It’s been an experience…veeerrrry different from Boston.
One thing I noticed immediately was the sunsets…or often lack there of stretching out over the miles of flat dessert.
There’s no middle ground. No soft, puffy, kind-of sunsets. There’s either either a spectacular splash of colors and textures painting everything as far as you can see or nothing. I don’t mean, oh just a little sunset. I mean “nothing”. The sun is up, then the sun is gone. It’s fast, the sky goes dark, it’s night.
So, Bria, what does that have to do with writing.
I had a little epiphany driving home today (if there is such a thing as a *little* epiphany)…those sunsets make great style points. There is something just as stunning at the minimalistic, shockingly abrupt sunsets that happen suddenly…no puffy clouds, no soft colors, no lingering light. There is something spectacular about the sun just being gone.
*POOF*
Sometimes, when we’re writing, we bring to the page lovely painted word pictures that linger in people’s mind’s forever. Turns of phrases other writers will pour over and note not only the beauty of the it, but its ability to convey more than one thing in a powerful move that draws us deeper into the plot and characters. Writers work hard to do this. It’s deliberate writing at its most. We revel (had to work that word in today ) creating those. We post them on twitter and share them with our friends hoping they all appreciate the craft we put into that.
But, sometimes, the most stunning sentences, the ones that stay with us forever, are the abrupt sunsets: “I have a dream.” OR “Jesus wept.” The power behind these few words stays with the reader and impacts everything that comes after them, adding to the painting in a way that only white space can.
And so, I’m off to check out my power, my abrupt sunsets, and offer up a craft of the short impactful type. Bam. Like that.
Workshop Kick Off Tomorrow January 8, 2010
The handouts are printed, the notecards are noted, and the ride is picking me up at 6pm. Wish me luck on my first ACers Workshop presentation!
Writing Career Mindset January 6, 2010
If you’ve followed me even for 5 mins, you know how I feel about the whole Writing Career thing. I’ve spent years coaching and doing succession planning as and HR Partner, and that mindset roles into this life very easily.
So many people say they want to have a writing career, but don’t treat it that way. Let’s talk a little bit about what a career — any career, not just a job – should look like.
THE MINDSET
A career should goals and reviews. Yes goals and reviews. If you don’t know where you want to go and you don’t check if you’re getting there or not, how do you judge progress? A career moves forward, brings you challenges and rewards. “I want to write a book” or “I want to publish a book” are nice wishes. Now put some framework around them to make them goals: What kind of book, by when, how many books, who do you want to publsih with, do you want to write for income, what would that take? etc.
Just like everything else you think about when planning where you want your current career to take you, you need to do that for your writing as well.
What if you’ve never had a “career” outside the home. There’s a lot of people who have been stay at home caretakers who have built amazing skills that translate well. I mean, seriously, have you ever met anyone as organized as a stay-at-home wife and mom? Seriously, she could dispatch just about anything with ease.
THE LOOK
I’ll be honest, I have (ok, once, I’m not typically a PJs person) showered and put fresh PJs on to write. It’s one of the joys of working in your house. But, that needs to change when you’re out networking. Take a look at some of your favorite authors. How do they dress at events? How does their genre/audience effect their image? Some wear suits. Some wear trendy clothing. Some have created their own t-shirts that advertise their books. Some dress more like the characters….But ALL of them have an image that does not say “I write in my PJs or sweats all day.” Define your professional look and make sure you pack it for conferences and meetings.
THE ATTITUDE
I am a writer. Say it. No really, say it out loud. Now, go say it TO someone. You are a writer.
Now, go BE a writer. Not just a hobby writer. A Writer. This doesn’t mean you have to write 40 hours a week. It doesn’t even mean you have to write a book in a certain amount of time. It does mean that you’re investing in your self as a writer. If you can make the time or money, you’re getting to workshops and/or conferences. It means that you create the time to write and then use that time to write. It means that you sit at your laptop and tell yourself: It’s time to work. I’m building a career as a successful writer.
THE DEMEANOR
Otherwise known as Public Professionalism. Conference of all types are places people cut loose…but how loose is okay. I know where that line is for me, and everyone needs to define that line myself. Remember, you’re there to make a positive work impression on potential agents, editors, co-writers, critique partners, workshop partners, readers, etc.
Also, we’ve talked about agents and eavesdropping on them. It would be foolish to think that other people aren’t listening to us at these events. One wrong statement can damage a reputation forever. As an HR person, I try to basically ignore anything that goes on at a company event that isn’t harassment of some type. People are relaxing and bonding, but there are lines that can’t be crossed. Those are the ones you can’t come back from. Yes, I’ve fired all of ONE person because of company event behavior. Remember, you can’t get fired as a writer (well, you could fire yourself) but you can slam doors in your own face.
THE WORK
The work. It alllll comes down to The Work. Are you doing it? Are you saying your doing it, but you’re not. Nothing else matters if you aren’t writing. Not that good? Write. Write slowly. That’s ok, just write. No confidence in yourself or your work? Write. Not sure what you’ll do with it when you’re done? Don’t worry about that now, go write.
You’ll get better. You’ll get faster. You’ll learn what you need to know — But, without the work, none of the rest matters.
Advice for your Agent Search January 4, 2010
My blog post on Organizing Your Agent search is a constant favorite, but I realized when speaking with someone about to start querying, it left a lot of the advice stuff out that friends have been asking about now. And so, here goes.
KILL YOUR DREAM AGENT
Not literally. Don’t hunt them down and shoot them or anything (especially if she’s my agent. I like her and we’re still getting to know one another.) There is one thing I learned in this process. There is no such thing as a dream agent.
Knowing an agent’s client list does not mean you know the agent. She may rep similar things, but that doesn’t mean you’re a good work match. There are agents who are a *perfect* match for you, your style, your career choices — but may not currently rep a TON of what you do. That’s great too. That means she doesn’t compete against her own list. That’s why finding someone who reps a lot of stuff “exactly” like yours probably isn’t your dream agent.
Also, you’re going to be surprised how many agents are out there that aren’t part of your “Social Knowledge Circle.”
Think of it like this: If you said “Who is the best professional baseball catcher?” I’m going to say Jason Veritek. Why? Well, because I don’t know a ton about baseball players, but I’m from Boston and so he’s my knowledge base… Is he the best catcher? Or do I need to do some more research?
CHEAT ON YOUR SHORT LIST
Querying is like looking for a job: You wouldn’t send out one resume at a time, would you?
Not only that, but querying your list in big chunks gives you leverage. Ask a bunch of recently agented writers and you’ll hear all about sending the “I was just offered representation, are you interested in looking at my book and talking before my final decision” emails. The fewer queries you have out, the fewer chances of getting the first offer, the fewer fulls and partials you’ll have in play to send that email to. This is a business. Think opportunity.
I looked at my stats —> Let’s pretend you have grouped your agent list in 3’s. So you send 3 queries out at a time. My stats show that 1 agent will respond within 2 or 3 days. 1 agent will respond within 2.5 weeks. 1 agent is a wild card who could not respond at all or email you in four months to ask if it’s still available. That means, you only truly have 1 query in play at all times (the fast responder) the others are sitting in an email box collecting dust.
Change that number to a bundle of your top 20 agents (because you’ve learned about your Social Knowledge Circle) and you’ll constantly have 6 queries in play and turning over.
EAVESDROP ON AGENTS
It’s time to put your super-spy glasses on and eavesdrop on agents. There are four major things you should do:
- Follow their blog and twitter – This will give you current information about what they’re doing and looking for, their attitude toward genres, writers and style, and any changes they may announce (I pounced when my now agent put on twitter that she was caving to the call of YA.) I will admit to striking 2 “Top Agent Choices” from my list completely because of their blogs. I know I’m not the only one who has done this.
- Google Alert or Search List – Google Alert the agents you’re interested in OR Google them every week. Pick a day as “research day” and keep up with who is say what, looking for what and discussing what. They may be doing interviews off their own blogs OR one of their clients might be sharing info OR they might have a new deal getting reported. This move slow and change fast sometimes.
- Conferences – These are so good for so many reasons:
- Face to Face meetings and pitches. This is your chance to (1) make an impression and (2) gain an impression. Don’t ignore the vibes no matter how much you like what she represents.
- Talks and Panels – I love these. The conferences I went to these were basically all I went to. Craft I could learn off a tape weeks/months later. What the agents were saying I needed to know because it was up to the minute info. Also, seeing them relax and chat with each other up there gives you personality ideas. The questions people think to ask are often things we might forget ourselves. Overall, really helpful
- The bar – I’m not a big drinker… I may have had a drink in 2009 LOL. But, let’s be honest. Just like any business, a lot goes on in the bar at conferences. People relax and chat. Information is shared. Deals are struck. I once heard a 7 figure deal being worked at the table next to mine. It was an Eavesdropping Experience to remember.
- Inner Circle – Your Inner Circle will tell you things people in general won’t. I heard the good, the bad, the ugly and the very very ugly from people I trusted who knew I’d lock that info in a vault and never repeated. Not only did some agents come off my list or move further down it, but several agents I wouldn’t have known about or may have overlooked were bumped up it. But, don’t forget. Keep the faith, lock the vault.
ORDER YOUR AGENTS
No, don’t boss them around. Put them in order. If you haven’t checked out Organizing Your Agent Search, do so. It will tell you the how and why of making your list clear. It will also give you away to shuffle things when you finish eavesdropping and to remind you of who is where why (that’s a lot of Ws).
I’M THE BOSS OF ME
You need to remind yourself that you are the boss of you. Act like every day is going to be the day you get the call as soon as you send that first query letter out. You need to know exactly what you want in and from this business partnership. What questions are you going to ask them…AND know the answers you most want to hear to line up with you. What’s YOUR business plan for your writing? Are they interested in that? Do they have an idea of what they want to do with your book(s) — Yes, that’s plural. One of the parts of my conversation was about what else I’d done, was doing, and had planned. The idea that some agents didn’t care was off putting. I’m an aggressive planner and wanted to know that I wasn’t the only one look at the now and the future… Know what you want and look for a match – OR someone who knows better and can tell you why?
Also, as the boss of you, don’t let your best employee (YOU!) slack off at work. Just because the query is out for book 1 doesn’t mean you should be getting ready to hand over book 2. Worst Case Scenario: No one wants book 1, but you’re ready to start querying book 2 when you get through your agent list. Best Case Scenario: Everyone wants book 1 and during your discussions you’re able to talk about what else you’ve written to see who is the best overall fit for you back list.
If you missed them, here are the Great Agent Hunt – Getting To Yes series:
Critique Partner Needed December 30, 2009
PLEASE DON’T EMAIL ME — I WAS OVERRUN WITH WONDERFUL WRITERS LOOKING FOR A CRITIQUE PARTNER. WE’RE WRAPPING THINGS UP NOW. IF YOU STILL NEED A YA CRIT PARTNER – I’D TRY YALITCHAT. NOT ONLY DO THEY HAVE A GREAT CP MATCHING PAGE, BUT A LOT OF OTHER GREAT INFO FOR YA WRITERS.
THANKS
EDITED TO ADD:
There’s been a lot of interest. I was asking people (since I don’t know how to pick from “we look like a good match” *wink) to kind of do the same thing I did below and email it to me. ALSO! If you’re interested in sharing your info with people other than me via email, let me know – it looks like we could have a couple CP love connections going on!
Because of the new way I’m working, the speed and output I want to aim for and some other personal reasons, I’m looking for a second Critique Partner. So, when I said this on twitter last night, a bunch of people very kindly offered to “read” for me. Because that’s such a broad statement, I figured I needed to put some more thought into what I’m looking for and what I offer so people can see if they really want to come anywhere near me and my scribblings
WHY I NEED A CRITIQUE PARTNER
- That Darn Dyslexia has me. Things I can’t “see”:
- Misspelling words spell check doesn’t catch
- Putting words in the wrong order (sometimes more than just switching 2 words)
- Skipping words
- Putting words (or corresponding words) more than once
- Is what’s in my head on the page?
- Occasionally the phrasing I’m using is clear in my head, but not so much to someone reading it.
- And of course, overall thoughts, things that stop you, if a joke falls flat (that NEVER happens *cof*) and typical beta stuff.
HOW I WORK:
I’m looking to write 4 200-page books a year (we’ll see if I can do it!). I’m a pantser and so I’m not able to write the first 3 chapters and send it off to be crit’ed. I need to write the whole thing, go over it and then send it off preferably over a 3 week period (3 weeks in a row) in 3rds (or something close to that). I’m hoping to find someone who would be willing to do large chunks in fairly quick turnaround times. Which, if we coordinate as long as it isn’t during a fast draft period or crunch time for either of us.
Do you have to write this much? No. But, I am looking at someone who can crit this much. If you need me critting that much too, we’ll do it!
WHAT I’M GOOD AT:
Continuity, spotting movement errors, plot holes and pushing you on your story, leaving your voice alone, pretty good with grammar. I’m honest and tough, but tactful. I also try to weave in comments about what you’re doing well and what I really liked. I think CPs should try to do that not just for encouragement or to keep the crit balanced, but sometimes we need others to point out our strengths so we can focus on those as well.
WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR:
My current CP writes and mostly reads adult romance. I’m looking for someone who writes YA preferably OR who reads YA a lot. Like, It’s-my-main-reading-for-pleasure-category a lot.
WHAT I’M NOT LOOKING FOR:
I’m not looking for someone who needs help with stuff in a teaching or mentor capacity. I already have a few people I volunteer to do this for. I need this relationship to be a more even level of give and take.
WHAT I DON’T DO:
I don’t read erotica. Sorry. And if it’s hot or violent I’m useless because I skim right over those to the next scene. We joke that it takes me about an hour to read a JR Ward book when I was trying her out.
WHAT I WRITE:
I write a series that at the moment I’m calling The Secrets. They’re standalone books about a group of friends in high school. Nothing paranormal going on (I know! Nothing!) Each book deals with a tough issue with humor (hopefully) while forcing the characters into making the tough decisions.
I also write YA fantasy… the traditional stuff. I’m not focusing on this right now. The first book is complete, but put away for a year while I work on The Secrets and 2 other ideas I’ve floated. I plan on reworking this over time and hitting the next book in the series as well. This is a much bigger endeavor. It has a big cast, its own mythology, it’s own world, gods who won’t stay out of the way, a war, hidden enemies…a lot to juggle J So, that’s there, but wwwwwaaaaayyy over there right now.
I will say, I don’t think that I’d be looking for a person here and a person there to dive in deep with like this since the time commitment to each other would be fairly intense.
ABOUT ME:
I’m newly agented and aggressively writing. I love to write. I actually enjoy editing (most of the time too) I love to read and go on genre binges. I lead a goals and accountability group to (so I’m big on balance). I try to be one of those people who doesn’t drop the ball – or warns you if something unforeseeable is going to stall me – if I say I’m going to do it, I’m going to do it.
So, if I haven’t scared you off and you think you’re a good match, drop me a line at briaquinlan@aol.com and let’s chat. There’s stuff that isn’t here and stuff I’m sure you’d want to say and ask as well. We can always try it out and see if it we’re a good fit.
Thanks!
Literary Devises – How Much Do You Know? December 28, 2009
I came across some sites defining literary devices and wondered how many I remembered. It wasn’t nearly as many as I wish it were!
So, to share my sense of shame, I created a quize from the basic ones (I did much better on these thank-you-very-much). Try your hand at the test below. Once you’ve run thru 1-25, highlight the page to see the answers next to each word. Give yourself 4 points for each one you get right. If you’re brave, you’ll let us know how you do
| 1. | E | ALLEGORY | A. A struggle between opposing forces which is the driving force of a story. |
| 2. | H | ALLUSION | B. The use of words to imitate the sounds they describe. |
| 3. | J | AMPLIFICATION | C. Figure of speech involving a comparison between unlike things using like, as, or as though. |
| 4. | G | ANALOGY | D. Use of similar or identical language, structures, events or ideas in different parts of a text. |
| 5. | W | ANTHROPOMORPHISM | E. A symbolic representation |
| 6. | N | ASSONANCE | F. Repetition of an idea in a different word, phrase, or sentence. |
| 7. | P | CLIMAX | G. A comparison in which one thing is said to be another. |
| 8. | A | CONFLICT | H. A reference to a famous person or event in life or literature. |
| 9. | R | FOIL | I. Is giving human qualities to animals or objects. |
| 10. | S | FORESHADOWING | J. One of the devices of repetition, in which the same phrase is repeated at the beginning of two or more lines. |
| 11. | O | HYPERBOLE | K. Where a situation is created which cannot possibly exist, because different elements of it cancel each other out. |
| 12. | Y | IMAGERY | L. The identity of the narrative voice; the person or entity through whom the reader experiences the story. |
| 13. | M | METAPOR | M. The comparison of two pairs which have the same relationship. |
| 14. | x | MOTIF | N. The repetition of similar vowel sounds in a sentence. |
| 15. | B | ONOMATOPEIA | O. A description which exaggerates, usually employing extremes and/or superlatives to convey a positive or negative attribute |
| 16. | V | OXYMORON | P. The turning point in a story, at which the end result becomes inevitable, usually where something suddenly goes terribly wrong; the “dramatic high point” of a story. |
| 17. | K | PARADOX | Q. The use of specific objects or images to represent abstract ideas. |
| 18. | D | PARALLELISM | R. A character who is meant to represent characteristics, values, ideas, etc. which are directly and diametrically opposed to those of another character, usually the protagonist. |
| 19. | I | PERSONIFICATION | S. Hints of what is to come in the action of a play or a story |
| 20. | L | POINT-OF-VIEW | T. The time and place where a story occurs. |
| 21. | T | SETTING | U. The main idea or message conveyed by the piece, usually must be expressed as a complete sentence. |
| 22. | C | SIMILE | V. Putting two contradictory words together. |
| 23. | Q | SYMBOLISM | W. Where animals or inanimate objects are portrayed in a story as people, such as by walking, talking, or being given arms, legs, facial features, human locomotion or other anthropoid form. |
| 24. | F | TAUTOLOGY | X. A recurring important idea or image. can be expressed as a single word or fragmentary phrase |
| 25. | U | THEME | Y. Language which describes something in detail, using words to substitute for and create sensory stimulation, including visual imagery and sound imagery. |
So? How’d you do?
