What a fantastic response we've had already to the Rach Writes... Inaugural Writers' Platform-Building Crusade! And we're still only just kicking off, so keep on spreading the word...
It's great to see some of you already checking out the other Crusaders' blogs and commenting along - love those comments!!!
I'll be posting the start of the Crusader list on my blog in the next few days, so make sure you go and follow along with your fellow Crusaders if you haven't already.
And keep checking back here for updates (I think there's a little glitch in my blogger feed so my blog posts aren't showing up on people's dashboards). Subscribe by email if you don't want to miss anything...
SADLY, THE INAUGURAL WRITERS' PLATFORM-BUILDING CRUSADE HAS COME TO AN END. BUT KEEP AN EYE OUT IN EARLY 2011 FOR MY ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE SECOND CRUSADE - HOPE YOU ALL COME ON BOARD!!!
There are so many of us out there. Aspiring writers, beginner bloggers, industry peeps, even published authors, all who want to build their online platforms. We write insightful posts and articles, actively blog within the blogosphere, take part in challenges, competitions, and contests galore.
We have the passion and the drive to make it, but…we could do with a few more followers.
So, I started thinking. What if we link all these people together. What if we create a way to meet people in a similar position, people who genuinely want to help build our online platform while at the same time building theirs. People who want to pay it forward in the spirit of writerly writerness and blogging beautificity (and see it come back to them in turn)!!!
And here it is…
I’m kicking off the Rach Writes… Inaugural Writers’ Platform-Building Crusade.
How cool is that!!!
Let’s work it like this:
Follow along with my site if you don’t already (I want to build my online platform too of course) :)
Become a Crusader by leaving a comment to this post (include your blogging name and a link to your blog)
Write about the Crusade on your blog and link back to this post
Encourage your followers to come to Rach Writes… and join up (it will help them too!)
Tweet about the Crusade, including a link to this post (http://bit.ly/9kMySK) and #WPBC1. Encourage re-tweets. I'm @RachaelHarrie if you want to follow me in the Twitterverse too
Pop it on Facebook
Generally, spread the word…
I’ll publish a list of all the Crusaders on Rach Writes..., and I’ll update the list as people join in on future Crusades.
And there it is. You’ll have a list of bloggers in the same position as you, who genuinely want to help you succeed. You can visit their sites, follow along with their blogs, leave comments galore, and share your highs and lows as you journey through the blogosphere and build your online platform. And they'll be doing the same for you.
Beats poaching any day!!!
I’ve got some Crusade Challenges and Blogfests planned, so let’s see how many people we can get onboard and make this an ongoing thing...
Jump on board the Writers' Platform-Building Crusade. Spread the word. Pay it forward. And have fun with your blogging!!!
Stay tuned, cause there's a busy few weeks to come on Rach Writes...
I'll be interviewing Caitie Flum, ex-agent intern and proofreader, for The Insider Scoop (and let me tell you, some or the dirt she dishes on the role of an agent intern and what literary agents are looking for is incredible stuff!).
I'm taking part in Elana Johnson's The Great Blogging Experiment, and will be posting a piece on "Writing Compelling Characters" on Friday, September 24.
The fantastic Jody Hedlund, author of The Preacher's Bride (due out in October 2010), will be answering some questions for The Insider Scoop. She'll be giving a debut author's perspective on writing and getting published and I can't wait to hear her thoughts...
AND, in the spirit of my earlier post about a writer's public profile and building a platform, I'm going to kick off my inaugural Writers' Platform-Building Crusade, a way for aspiring writers and start-up industry bloggers to link together and start to build a network amongst themselves (following along with sites, commenting regularly, re-tweeting, linking between sites, etc etc). I'd love to see you take part and will be posting more about this shortly!
Exciting stuff, and I can't wait to share it all with you!!!
I've been mulling for a while now on the direction I want to take my blog, and I've decided after much hard thinking that it's time to make some changes. Nothing too serious, but hopefully another small step in the right direction.
So, I'm proud to present "Rach Writes..." with my new blog address at http://rachaelharrie.blogspot.com/. A big step for me, but one I did feel it would be worthwhile to take sooner rather than later.
That's got me thinking though, just how important is your public persona as a writer within the industry, on the internet, and generally around the traps???
How much effort do you put into building up your name recognition? Are you taking the time now to promote yourself within the blogosphere, or will you wait until you are published? If you are already published, do you still think about these issues, or did you sort them out at/before the time of your book launch?
Welcome to The Insider Scoop, where I will bring you interviews, useful tips and tricks, and all sorts of insightful information from those deep within the children's book industry.
Today, I am pleased to introduce C.A. Marshall, a freelance editor, literary agency intern, and YA writer, who has kindly agreed to answer some questions and give us the insider scoop on writing ability, queries, the slushpile, and how you can distinguish your manuscript from the crowd.
So, let's dive straight in...
Question 1: What do you think is the most important quality a writer can have?
Patience. Don't rush through a draft and rush into queries/publication. Take the time to edit and revise and polish. It'll be worth it, I promise!
Question 2: What insights have you picked up during your time as an agent intern that may help other aspiring writers?
Never ignore standards. Trying to be gimmicky or an exception to the rules is not only annoying, but it's disrespectful sometimes too. Follow submissions guidelines and always be friendly and professional.
Question 3: What are the most common mistakes you see in the query slushpile, and what can queriers learn from these?
The most common mistake is following trends. Stories about boy wizards and vampires/werewolves and angels/demons and greek demigods have been done before. Interns can tell in an instant that you're writing to a trend. We don't want to see the next Rowling, Meyer, Stiefivater, or Riordan. We want to see the next YOU!
Question 4: Is the voice of the main characters, the author's writing ability, or the plotline the most important consideration for agents when reviewing a manuscript submission?
I think it's the writing ability. Those other certainly don't hurt, though. You could have an amazing character and plot, but if your writing is sloppy or boring or flat, you'll fail to capture the attention of the reader.
Follow-on question: In your opinion, how does a writer distinguish himself/herself from the slushpile crowd?
Make your book the best that you can possible make it. Use freelance editors and/or critique partners. It's a harsh publishing world out there and you'll want to give your book the best chances that you can.
Great advice! Thank you so much Cassandra for your insights.
If you haven’t already checked it out, C.A Marshall is giving away a fantastic prize – a free substantial edit (plot, pacing, character development etc) of a 100K word manuscript – to one lucky reader of her blog. The contest is open to English-speaking entrants worldwide, and closes on Monday September 20, 2010. Even better, Cassandra is willing to wait for up to a month after you win for you to finish your manuscript – time for a final polish, perhaps.
C.A. Marshall is a freelance editor, lit agent intern, YA writer, and loves to play with her dog Mollie. She dreams of one day owning a small house near the water, preferably in England, with a shelf full of books she has written and has helped others to write. She can be found in Emmett, MI and at camarshall.com
Did everyone see Mary Kole's recent Kidlit post describing how she evaluates a full manuscript? For me, it is such a useful insight into how this mysterious process works. For example, I had no idea that agents have their own readers to help give opinions on manuscripts...
It must be an interesting dilemma for agents - do you wait to take only the strongest manuscripts (which will probably involve competing against other agents for representation of an author), or do you hunt out those with potential and work to make them stronger?
We had a fantastic discussion at Picture Books Only #pblitchat the other day about the book writing process ("From Idea to Polished Manuscript: How Do You Get There?"). One of the topics we covered had to do with knowing when your picture book manuscript is finished. In other words, when do you stop editing and send it out to agents and publishers?
Some of the useful tips I picked up were:
it can take many, many revisions before a picture book is ready to send out
keep copies of your old drafts in case you want to go back to them
it is not just a case of writing a 500-word (or however many words) short piece of text and calling that a picture book. There's a particular craft involved in picture book writing that takes time and effort and attention to master
you should always have someone else (and preferably more than one person) give a critique on your picture book manuscript. You need someone who can say - "Have you thought about this?" or "I'm not sure this part works"
once you have edited your picture book manuscript and sent it out for critiques, take those comments on board and begin the re-editing process again
some authors have revised a particular picture book manuscript 60 times before it is "finished"
One particular piece of advice which rang true to me was - read your manuscript through at least ten times, and if you don't change a single word, you'll know it's ready. A useful guideline, particularly if this process takes place after you have finished revisions suggested to you by critique partners AND if your final readings take place over a period of days/weeks, so you can come back to the picture book manuscript with fresh eyes in between.
In the end though, you'll know when it's ready! Trust your instinct, and remember there's nothing to say you can't come back to your picture book manuscript down the track and begin revisions again...
But seriously, it pays to place a lot of importance on how you write the first page of your book. Obviously, the rest of the manuscript has to hold up as well. But...if you don't capture the agent's/editor's attention right at the start, the rest of the manuscript may not even get read.
Consider your opening scene. Is it gripping? Compelling? Does something happen? Does the first 250 words give a good idea of the voice of your main character?
Will a casual browser in a book store want to turn the page? Even better, will the first page make the casual browser want to keep reading right to the end of the chapter? That's one of the best ways to encourage them to buy your book right off the shelves.
I'm a part of a fabulous critique group, iVoice, where we work together to discuss plot and general writing issues, give and receive critiques on various portions of our manuscripts, and improve our writing skills. One of the particular things we focus on when critiquing manuscripts is the first 250 words.
Here's a useful exercise for you:
open a new word document;
copy the first 250 words (no more, no less) of your manuscript into the new document and save;
let the passage sit unopened for a few days, a week if possible;
open the document and read the passage in complete isolation from the rest of your manuscript. Pretend you're reading it for the first time in a bookstore while you tap your foot and wait for your partner to stop maxing out the credit card;
does the passage grab your interest? Be honest. Be objective. Would you turn the page?
consider the contents of your opening passage. Is the main character (MC) mentioned? Do we hear the MC's voice? Does something happen, or are we just reading about the MC thinking, reading, musing, sitting on the toilet, looking out a window, or any other passive (and possibly boring) action? Is the scene set-up so long that the reader still won't know what is happening by the end of the first page?
now for the big question - have you inadvertently opened with a cliche? There's some great websites out there on first chapter and opening scene cliches (too many to mention), and I would suggest you Google and have a good read of them. Unfortunately, many agents will assume that if your opening scene/page is cliche-ridden (for want of a better phrase), the rest of your manuscript may be built on cliches as well. Why give them a reason to reject your work before they even turn the manuscript page;
once you're completely happy with your opening page, give it to others to read as well;
listen to their comments. Apply;
do a happy dance, then repeat steps 1-10 all over again!
Author Jody Hedlund blogs about potential first chapter problems, and makes some fantastic suggestions about things to avoid. It's definitely worth a read, and I may even do a Top Tip post on the first chapter at a later date. Keep in mind that many of Jody's suggestions will apply to the first 250 words as well.
I can't wait to read your first 250 words! Will I want to keep on reading???
I'm so excited to share with you that I was the joint winner of the agent pitch contest on Market My Words.
I told you my 140-word pitch in an earlier post, so I'll just add Mary's comments on my pitch here. Mary said: "This query kicks ass. It has punch and voice, which is really hard to do in 140 characters. This sounds like something I might really like." I really appreciate Mary's feedback, and can't wait to get her comments on my query letter (the prize for the winner).
Shelli Johannes had some fantastic advice as she announced the winners of the contest: If there is nugget you take away from this - whether chosen or not - it is this: I cannot stress how important it is to FOLLOW THE RULES when querying agents. Sometimes it can be the difference between a rejection or a request! They go through hundreds of queries a week and have to look for ways to say no. DON'T GIVE THEM A REASON to reject you just because you are going to fast or don't pay attention to the details/instructions!
When you start out on your querying journey, it's important to find a way to collect and collate all the information you need to assist you with the querying process. There are a few different options, the best of which (I think) are to either:
use an online database such as QueryTracker to keep track of all your querying information; or
create your own database.
I will discuss creating your own database here in this Top Tip.
Step 1 - Research the agents who accept submissions in your genre
To start with, make yourself a list of agents who accept queries or manuscripts in your chosen genre. Sites such as QueryTracker and AgentQuery will help, as well as the Children's Writer's & Illustrators Market. I'll refer to agents here, though this Top Tip will also apply to editors if you choose to submit directly to publishers.
Once you have your list, make sure that you are willing to be represented by any of the agents on the list. There's no point in submitting your manuscript to an agent who you might not actually want to work with in the future.
Step 2 - List all relevant details
List in your database (at a minimum):
the name of the Agency and agent
their contact details, website address, and personal blog address
whether submission is by email (if so, include an email address) or snail mail (if so include the postal address)
any requirements for querying (such as things to include in the query letter, whether full or partial manuscripts are to be sent, etc)
other submission guidelines
how long you can expect to wait to hear back from the agent, and whether a "no response" within a certain time is to be taken as a "decline to represent"
whether you should follow up if no response is received within a certain time
any other information you pick up from blogs, the Agency's website, and word of mouth (for example, agent xyz doesn't like vampire novels).
I find that it helps to assemble all this information in table format for ease of reference, listed alphabetically under the name of the Agency.
Step 3 - Always double-check your information before submitting
Note that you should never just assume that the information in your database is correct at the time you are submitting. Submission guidelines can change, as can contact details, and whether or not queries or unsolicited submissions are being accepted at the particular time. Also, agents can leave their Agency. ALWAYS check the relevant website/personal blog just before you query, to make sure that you are still complying with all querying/submission requirements.
Step 4 - Keep track of your progress and contact with all agents
As you submit queries or manuscripts, keep track of ALL contact with each agent (you could use a separate document for this information). List details such as:
the particular person to whom you sent your query (note that many agents do not accept multiple submissions, ie submitting the same manuscript to different agents in the same agency at the same time)
which manuscript you are querying
the date you sent your query
whether your query included part or all of your manuscript
whether any response was received (including when and by who - sometimes assistants respond on behalf of the agent)
when your manuscript was declined (if this occurs)
whether there was a request for a partial or a full (including any comments or suggested edits)
whether there has been a response within the stated time frame (you can assume then that the query has been declined)
whether any feedback was given with a rejection (or whether a rejection was a form letter)
all other queries/manuscripts that have been sent to a particular agent.
Step 5 - Crossing off the list
If your query or manuscript is rejected, try not to take it to heart. For the purposes of the database, however, immediately cross that agent off the list once they decline to represent you (I usually "shade" the relevant cells in my table so I can still see the querying details). In this way, it is apparent at a glance how many "live" queries you have out there, and it makes the decision whether (and when) to submit further queries much, much easier. Make your life easier
By getting yourself organized up front, and keeping your database(s) up to date as agents respond, you can make your life much easier, particularly if you are submitting different manuscripts at the same time. And it will help you to avoid embarrassing mistakes, such as submitting the same manuscript twice to the same agent.
For those of you who haven't heard about this fantastic contest on Market My Words, I thought I would give you a heads-up. The contest allows you to submit a 140 character "pitch" for your MG or YA novel (or select picture books if you think they meet Mary Kole's requirements as listed on the site). The prize - a query critique by Mary Kole, associate agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency, Inc. Deadline - Sunday 22nd, noon EST.
The best thing is, you can enter even if your book is still a work in progress.
I've entered my "pitch" for the Young Adult novel I am currently writing, and I thought I would share it below:
Title: From The Other Side
Genre: YA Paranormal
Misfit Verity is murdered by the boy she loves and awakens with strange powers, uncontrollable rages, and an unquenchable desire for revenge
Well, I signed up to take part in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) today - my first time. I'm quite excited about it and looking forward to a busy November. Do you plan to take part?
I suppose that raises the question of how long it usually takes to finish a manuscript. The answer: How long is a piece of string? Pretty darn (tee hee) long!
I've looked at the details of the winners' circle at NaNoWriMo, and tens of thousands of people last year managed to complete the designated 50,000 words within the 30 day time frame. At 1,700 words per day (or so), that's not a bad achievement at all. But...
I'd be very surprised if the NaNoWriMo attendees can turn around in the month of December and immediately send out the manuscript seeking representation. I am imagining that, after I take part in NaNoWriMo, it will then take me a good few months after that to read, edit, re-read, re-edit, re-edit again, then submit to beta readers, and - you guessed it - re-edit, that manuscript. At least.
In other words, while it may be possible to get the words down on paper fairly quickly, it takes much longer to make sure those words are polished to a point where you feel confident with submitting them to agents/editors. And some of us - me included - struggle even to get the words down on paper to start with (procrastination anyone?).
Thus, my hope that NaNoWriMo will be a fantastically useful tool in my (ongoing) battle to put pen to paper. So...I'll keep you posted on how long it takes to write, polish, and complete my NaNoWriMo manuscript. Time to dust off the plots I put on the shelf for a later date. An interesting experiment - anyone want to race???
I had a lot of fun taking part in Janet Reid's Slay Me With Laughter Writing Contest over the weekend (contest entries were posted in the comments section of the above site if anyone wants to read them). The challenge was to write a 115 word story beginning with the words, "A monster-slaying governess, a vampire librarian, and a professorial zombie walk into a bar..."
I got a mention from Janet as she judged the contest (here are the results), and enjoyed coming up with a different place to set the story other than in an actual bar. Am off to read the winning entry again - it had a bit of a crack at Twilight and was too funny for words!!!
I have completed a few picture books and I'm also working on a chapter book based on the same characters, thanks to some suggestions by lovely WriteOnCon attendees.
With WriteOnCon taking place last week, my Young Adult novel sadly got shoved a little aside while I focused on picture books. I'll be starting working on this again next week...
Is there anything in particular that inspires you to write? As a writer, do you wake up every day wanting to get into it? Do you have a routine you need to go through each morning before you start writing? Where do you get your inspiration and ideas?
There is a huge amount of information out there on the internet about how to query, what to include in your query letter, how to find the right agent for you, and so on. I'll try to discuss some of this on later posts.
One thing I did just want to mention is the importance of following the submission guidelines for the particular agent or editor you are querying or submitting to. While most of the guidelines are fairly standard, some agents/editors do ask for different things. An example that springs to mind is the agent who wants you to include a paragraph on how you see your book being marketed. Other agents specifically ask you to advise in your letter whether or not you have submitted your query to publishers.
What you don't want to do is to leave out something in your query letter that will cause the agent/editor to press "delete" or move straight on to the next query letter. It's hard enough to stand out in the hundreds of queries an agent/editor receives each week without shooting yourself in the foot in this way.
Perhaps as importantly, read that agent/editor's personal blog. More and more industry professionals are blogging these days, and they often include information in their blogs about their own personal querying preferences. They often also tell you what they DON'T want to see in a query. This insider information will be invaluable when it comes to distinguishing your own query from the 150 others submitted on that day.
I personally think one of the most exciting things about writing is the story that's just begging to be told. It can come to you at any time - when you're washing the dishes, sitting in your office at work, changing your baby's nappy, driving down the street. You spend the next few hours thinking about the new plot, working things up in your mind. You get so excited about how it will all work out, how well the plot will fit within the current trends of the day, how easily the words will flow from your head onto the paper.
Then, you sit down to start writing what someone I've recently met calls "your shiny new story".
And you put the story you were working on just yesterday on the shelf next to the six other stories that are already there.
Sound like you??? I know it's something I do. A lot.
I must say, I haven't yet worked out how to stop my brain from coming up with all these new ideas. And I'm starting to think they're actually a curse rather than a blessing. You see, I'd really like to finish one of the books I've already started. And I think I need to work out a way to do that. Fairly soon.
So, the question of the day - how do you stay focused on the one piece of writing for long enough to finish a whole book?
With the recent WriteOnCon now over, it gives us time to digest the huge amount of information we were given across the three day conference. So much to take in, so little time!
A particularly helpful piece of advice was given by agent Steven Malk of Writers House (see Casey McCormick's fantastic blog Agent Spotlight for some information on Steven) in a Q&A Session, and this helps to answer some of the questions raised in my earlier posts.
The question was: "It seems everyone these days is talking about what a tough market it is, not only in trying to find an agent but also trying to land a publisher. So how, as a writer, do we try to increase our marketability especially as trends today may not be the same trends come a year or two from now when our book could potentially come out?"
The answer: "I know this might be very general advice, but, honestly, the best thing you can do is just to focus on your work and make it the best it can be. I’ve said many times in interviews and speeches that I think writing to trends is a bad idea. As you point out, there’s a good chance that when your book comes out, the trend will have moved on. Beyond that, I just truly believe that the best books don’t come from hopping on a trend, but rather come from a more pure place. The goal should always be to write a great manuscript that will succeed regardless of time, place, or trends, and staying focused on that goal is the best thing you can do."
With the WriteOn Online Conference taking place at the moment it seems quite timely to talk about critique partners. Do you have a critique partner for your work?
I've recently met a fantastic woman who shares picture book manuscripts with me, and it's made me realize just how useful it is to have another person who you can sound out for ideas, who can tell you that this particular sentence just does not work, and who can give you a much-needed reality check.
The interesting issue, though, is how you find your critique partner to start with? Do you get together with family or friends (always a tricky one, as you can never be sure they're being honest with you)? Do you try going through your local writers center? Or do you search the internet for other people who want to find a critique partner?
I'm aware of Mary Kole's Kidlit blog, where she has occasional Critique Connections that aim to give readers the opportunity to search for like-minded critique partners. This is a fantastic initiative and is actually the place where I found my own PB critique partner.
Let's bring on more of these types of initiatives!
