Winner - Mary Kole's Agent Pitch Contest - Market My Words

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!

Top Tip #1 - Querying (Database for Queries)

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:

1. use an online database such as QueryTracker to keep track of all your querying information; or
2. 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.

Best of luck in your querying journey!

Mary Kole's Agent Pitch Contest - Market My Words

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

Wish me luck!

How Long is a Piece of String?

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???

No cheating though...

Slay Me with Laughter Writing Contest - Janet Reid

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!!!

Our writing journeys...

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...

Where are you at on your writing journey?

What inspires you to write?

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?

Query Letters - Follow the Submission Guidelines

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.

Best of luck with your queries.

The curse of the story that's just begging to be told...

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?

Gotta go, just thought of a fantastic new idea...

Advice on Writing to Trends

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."

Great advice. What do you think???

Critique Partners

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!

Things to Consider - Responding to Trends

Do you have regard to current trends in the industry when you start a new book? If so, how much do they influence you?

What would you do if you'd nearly finished a book, and then found that its theme was now "overdone" or no longer "on trend"?

Current Trends in Children’s Picture Book Writing and Publishing

It can be hard to get a good picture (excuse the pun) of current trends within the children’s picture book industry. It’s particularly hard for beginning writers, who don’t yet have an agent or editor to query about possibilities, to get a sense of the industry.

Various editors, agents, and writers have shared their thoughts on trends in their blogs, articles, and internet sites, and these thoughts can be very useful to picture book writers. There are quite a few sites out there that have relevance to this topic, and I’ll give links to those sites and commentary as appropriate when I find things that may interest you. Always keep in mind that some of the commentary on trends you find on the internet is now out of date, while others articles are undated and may not be applicable to the industry at the current time.

What I thought I would do here and now is to bring together various comments and information on current trends for your information. I’m focusing on picture books here, but if you are writing other types of children’s books (or adult fiction), there are other sites out there with relevant information. Take a look, for example, at Agent Kristin’s blog, Pub Rants, “The Latest Trends in Query Letters and Sample Pages,” which has some intriguing insights into some overdone topics.

I’ll be writing a post in the future about whether you should write to meet trends, try to predict trends when you write, or simply write what you love and hope that it gets picked up. But somewhere during the writing process, you really need to take note of whether or not the story you are writing is acceptable to the industry and thus is likely to get published. Unless you’re an absolute genius writer with publishers and agents queuing at your door – definitely not me! – there’s simply no point in, say, sending a story about talking animals to an agent who refuses to accept them and makes this clear on their website.

Common themes in July 2010

So, what is the industry wanting in July 2010? The common themes seem to be these (although often it depends on the personal preference of an agent or editor):

• Comedy and humor sells books. Silly, wacky and/or edgy stories seem to be what most editors (and agents) are after these days (but take note of Editorial Anonymous’s comments on avoiding the frivolous);
• Talking animals have been done to death (but note that these types of picture books are still being published). Some suggest that you can still do this in a picture book as long as the animal acts like an animal – ie, stay clear of animals acting like humans. Others suggest that the difference lies in how well-realized the animal character is: Novice writers often don't realize that fuzzy and cute is not an excuse for flat and clichéd. For readers (and editors) to empathize with animal characters, they must be as fully-realized as human ones, incorporating quirks, foibles, and genuine motivations. (Eugie Foster, “Ten Myths About Writing For Kids”, undated);
• Don’t write about objects coming to life or inanimate objects (check out Editorial Anonymous for some great (pointed) comments about this issue);
• Rhyming text should not be attempted unless you’re already published or are really, really good at it;
• Consider realistic topics rather than “happily ever after”. Children these days are being exposed to more issues and problems in today’s society than ever before, and they need to be given the opportunity to understand these issues through the books they are reading.
• Non-fiction combined with fiction may be marketable. Editors have expressed a need for more creative nonfiction for all ages. Board books and young picture books favor subjects from children’s everyday life (pets, backyard nature, how their bodies work). For all ages, instead of covering a broad subject, focus on an interesting or unexplored aspect of the topic. (Laura Backes, "A Look at Current Children's Book Trends", undated);
• Stories should be told from a child’s point of view. Picture books with an adult as the main character are very rare. Children want to be able to relate to the main character.
• Parents shouldn't step in to save the day. Let the main character (the child) come to their own resolution of the problem; and
• Don’t write the sort of picture book you read when you were a child. Times have changed, and children these days don’t look for the same things we did. Marie Garcarz, “Trends in the Children’s Marketplace”, undated, says it well: Writing for children in the 21st century is wide open. The writer is not limited to talking ducks or Jane and Dick watching Spot run. In fact, using those formats are probably ways to assure that you will not get published. This generation is exposed to much more than we were. While we may have been reading The Diary of Anne Frank in tenth grade, they are now reading it in seventh! Classics, such as Little Women, intrigue the third grader instead of a sixth grader. Times, they are a-changin’. And publishing houses want to be ahead of the times.

For my next post, I’m intending to publish a list of the specific requirements of some literary agents, and what they are after in manuscripts at this point in time.

Changes in trends

I should note that trends are changing all the time, and what is selling today may not interest agents and editors tomorrow. In this respect, it is often suggested that you visit your local bookstore and research what is currently on the shelves. The idea is that this will guide you on what is selling in the industry and what publishers will be interested in.

The difficulty here is the lag time between when you write a picture book and when it is actually published (or even taken up by an agent or editor). If you try to write a story that fits with the type of books now on the shelves, by the time an editor looks at your manuscript (and considers the story for sale in, say, a further year or more), you may now be off-trend. Again, keep an eye out for my coming post about predicting trends.

Other useful tips on writing children's books

Some other useful tips on writing picture books (and children’s books generally):

• Follow the rules for the genre you’re writing. Every so often, someone comes along who can break those rules, but most of us won’t be given that opportunity. In particular, keep picture book text under 1,000 words. Under 500 words is preferable;
• Putting a fresh spin on a topic may make it more marketable;
• Main characters should be a few years older than your target audience;
• Write about conflict and problems rather than incidents. The main character has to have something happen to him or her, and be able to resolve the conflict during the course of the story;
• Don’t moralize unless you do it indirectly. Children want to be entertained, not preached to; and
• Characters must be believable.

Reference material

Some websites I have referred to in writing this post, which you may find interesting, are:

• Marie Garcarz, “Trends in the Children’s Marketplace”, undated;
• Eugie Foster, “Ten Myths About Writing For Kids”, undated;
• Laura Backes, “A Look at Current Children's Book Trends”, undated;
• Harold Underdown’s The Purple Crayon, “Resources: Trends in Children's Book Publishing”;
• Mem Fox, “So You Want To Write a Picture Book,” undated;
• Marisa Montes, “Notes on Writing a Picture Book”, 2003; and
• Susie Yakowicz, Marketable Topics for Children's Writers: Ideas for Writing That Win Over Editors of Kids Magazines.

While some of these sites are undated (or older), the comments do still seem to apply in today’s picture book industry.

Mandatory requirements or guidelines only???

One last thought to consider. It’s all very well to have regard to other people’s views when writing your picture books. But unless you are submitting to agents or editors with specific submission requirements (which should of course be followed to the letter), those views should be treated as guidelines only. Generally speaking, there seem to be no fixed rules in the industry (or if there are, they seem to change from week to week).

To put it another way, all rules are made to be broken. Above all, stay true to yourself and your own writing.

Keep writing (and enjoying what you write)!

R

Quote of the Day:

"Writers are just people who have a whole lot on the inside that they
need to get to the outside, with pen and paper as their preferred method of
transport. Same with dancers, artists, and singers - all the same urges
with differing transportation." Graycie Harmon

What's to come

Have been a little silent lately, am doing the research for my next post, which will come shortly. "Current trends in children's picture book writing and publishing". It's all very interesting, particularly the perception of the agents and editors versus writers themselves.

The other question that springs to mind is this - do you write to target current trends, do you ignore trends altogether, or do you try to predict future trends (given your book might not be published for a year (or more) into the future). Or do you just write what you love? I think that will have to be a whole separate post.

Am also considering writing a post about the nationality of a writer and where they should best seek to get published/find an agent? Do you start with your own country, or do you go overseas? What if the publishing industry in your own country is smaller than in, say, the US or UK. What is your best options for agents then - ones who know the industry in your own country, or ones who know the industry in the country you hope to get published in? Or is it all a moot point given how the internet and email have made the publishing industry internationally accessible these days???

And what's the go with the many courses on offer within the industry? I'm talking about the writing courses, conferences, and other writing opportunities that seem so readily available. I'm sure they're all very useful, and I'd love to attend a lot of them. But what if you just can't afford the registration fees? How do you choose what will best help you? Or do you just draw a line and hope to get published without any outside help?

What do you think? What are the burning questions you would like answered? Are there any topics you'd like to find out more about but that just aren't dealt with in enough depth on the internet?

I'd love this to be an interactive blog, so feel free to comment, make requests, or share your own views.

More later.

R

The Writing Process: So Many Questions

The whole writing process for children's books can be quite fascinating. There are so many things that beginning writers need to consider:

1. will I write a picture book, a chapter book, a middle-grade novel, or a young adult novel? Do I have a personal preference for one or the other? Have I come up with an idea that is just begging to be written?
2. have I considered the recognized guidelines for writing in the style/genre I have chosen? For example, appropriate word length, reader age, issues being dealt with, etc.
3. what is the current industry perspective of my chosen genre of novel? Are picture books hard to place with publishers at the present time - should I try something else? Are young adult novels all the rage - would that be my best chance of being published? Is the industry saturated with vampire novels and other themes that have been "done to death" - should I try something different? Or should I try to give a new spin to an "old theme"?
4. how long should I spend writing and revising before my book is ready to send? I really don't want to spend six years on the one book!
5. how many ideas/projects should I have on the go at one time? Will I get bored if I only work on one project at a time? Or will I simply fail to complete anything if I keep chopping and changing between different projects?
6. should I limit myself to writing only one type of children's book? Should I just call myself a "picture book writer", for example, or should I remain open to writing young adult novels and other types of children's books as well? Should I even just limit myself to children's books - what if I have an adult thriller just begging to come out?
7. should I try to find an agent, or seek out publishers straight away? Am I even ready to start submitting my work?

The questions above only just scratch the surface. And these same questions will keep cropping up as your writing progresses. Some you will need to answer over and over again, as you refine your writing process and come to a better understanding of how you as an author work.

Some aspiring authors prefer to find the answer to the many questions before they even begin writing. Others "dive in" to the writing process and answer questions such as the ones above as they go along. There is no right answer - do what works best for you. At a minimum, however, it is preferable if you decide the answer to questions (1) and (2) above before you begin to write your chosen book. Otherwise you may well end up with a bit of a muddle.

My best advice would be this. Find out what works for you and stick with it. And most of all, don't let anything faze you. You can do this! Onwards and upwards...