Nail that Query with Evil Editor

Queries are hard work. Lots of writers spend days and weeks trying to get it right. The good thing is that most agents I've spoken to won't hold an imperfect query against a writer--if the story premise catches their attention.

However, if you'd like some feedback on your query before you hit send, check out my guest post on the Pikes Peak Writers blog: Ready to Test-Drive Your Query Letter? Check Out Evil Editor.

Today is also graduation day for my son. This month has been chock-full of graduation events and busyness that have taken a toll on my writing. Hopefully, I'll be back in the groove next week. 

What did I do last weekend?

What a weekend! I'm so sad the Pikes Peak Writers Conference is over, but I don't think I could have continued at that pace for one more day. I'm still recovering.

Workshops
The workshops I attended (between my volunteer responsibilities) were fantastic. Among them:

• Hooking your readers in one paragraph--or less, with historical novelist David Liss. Liss covered famous and not-so-famous first lines and paragraphs, analyzing what makes them entice the reader, and which ones (surprisingly) don't do the job well.
• Creating Dazzling Worlds, with YA author Laura Resau. Though I'd never heard of Resau, I was really impressed with her writing exercises to help bring freshness and dimension to both storyworlds and characters. Her excerpts from her books made me want to go read them.
• How to avoid the sophomore slump, with Barry Eisler. He explained techniques to make your second novel as good as, or better than the first.
• Ghostwriting Panel. This one was interesting, with three authors talking about their experiences both working for book packagers (and ghostwriting for some seriously famous people), and using your writing skills to barter for services. Something to think about.
• The Neuroscience of Writing, with DeAnna Knippling. Such a fascinating workshop, helping writers understand exactly why they should avoid cliches, among many other topics.
• Plot, structure, and pushing your characters, with agent Hannah Bowman. A seriously helpful and interactive workshop, with a plot diagram you've never seen before--but it makes so much sense!

Pitches & Critiques
I pitched both formally and informally--one of the best things about going to a conference!

• Pat Van Wie, editor at Bell Bridge Books. Though Belle Bridge hasn't published YA historical fantasy, Pat was willing to take a look at my manuscript and see what she thought.
• Barry Goldblatt, agent with Goldblatt Literary. Though Barry has represented both fairy tale retellings (Shannon Hale) and YA historical fantasy (his wife, Libba Bray), he felt that the market wouldn't support more books in the fairy tale genre.
• Hannah Bowman, agent with Liza Dawson Associates. I caught her in the hall and asked her opinion, and she disagreed with Goldblatt's assessment. She recently sold a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and the publisher is marketing it specifically as a fairy tale. She'd like to see my pages.
• Pam van Hylckama Vlieg, with Larsen Pomada Literary Agents. I spoke to her while driving her to the airport. Like Bowman, she feels there is still room for well-told fairy tales. She'd like pages, too. And while I was talking to Pam, I had author and actress Amber Benson (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) in the back seat. Such a crazy weekend!

Meals
Meals at conferences are a great way to network with other attendees, and spend time with faculty in a more relaxed setting.

• Lunch with SourceBooks editor Deb Werksman was so much fun. Though she edits romance exclusively, she was so kind to genuinely engage the three male sci-fi writers who happened to sit at the table. I also had a great time going along on her Colorado tour and yarn shopping.
• Nicole Resciniti, agent with The Seymour Agency, is so well-read and smart. I think I'll definitely query her.
• Dinner with author Libba Bray was amazingly fun, as was her keynote speech the next night. She could easily make a living as a stand-up comic. And she was kind enough to sit down with my daughter and her friend and work through their story worlds.

•  Barry Eisler (who went from traditional publishing to indie) gave a keynote that shared the different sides of publishing. Some industry professionals did not take it well. If you want to know more, read the recap on Joe Konrath's blog.

 All in all, it was a fantastic weekend. I can't say enough about how much fun it is to volunteer at a conference. Have you ever volunteered at a conference?

How To Pitch Your Book

I'm over at the Pikes Peak Writers blog today, talking about resources for pitching your project. Come on over and take a peek! Later this week I'll be doing some pitching of my own. I'll report back next week on how the conference (and my pitches) went.

Free Resources from Author Alton Gansky

I'm all about free resources. And when I stumble upon an author who shares what they've learned, I like to share those tips with you guys. 

You may not have heard of Alton Gansky. He's published dozens of novels and non-fiction books. He has co-written more. He runs his own writer's conference each year. 

One of the things Gansky offers is 'Writer's Talk' interviews. He chats with other authors, agents, and publishers, giving writers great information they might only get at writing conferences. Check out his YouTube channel for the complete list.

But that's not all Gansky provides. He offers a series of screencast videos where he explains how he uses certain software, and gives other tips for writers. I love his voice, and his calm, teaching manner. Here are a few I found interesting:

Google for Writers: several different Google applications that make a writer's life (and research) much easier. Do you use them?

Pitching Agents & Editors: how to pitch your project in a conference setting--great principles if you're gearing up for a pitch session!

Organize your novel: Gansky explains how to use a free online application called Trello to keep track of your novel's details and structure.

What are page proofs? What writers can expect when they receive page proofs (also called galleys) and what to do with them.

Manuscript formatting: How to format your manuscript in standard form before sending it off to an agent or editor.

Tight Writing: helping writers to look for what clutters manuscripts and invites rejection. Have you ever heard of 'pleonasm'? You'll want to watch for it in your writing.

Kindle Singles: for writers with shorter works, great information on the hows & whys of loading them onto Amazon, and he also demonstrates another platform called Atavist, where readers can choose to read or listen to the book.

What authors do you rely on for writing information?

Join now! Operation Agent Ink

Fantastic things are going on over at Ink in the Book, and it's not too late for you to join in. It's called Operation Agent Ink, and it's a great way to work on your WIP and possibly nab an agent, too!

The event runs from November 1st through February 8th, with breaks for the holidays. It's a workshop-style event, and culminates in February with a pitch session with some amazing agents. Best of all, you'll know what the agents are looking for.

Check out all the details of what Operation Agent Ink will do for you so you can decide if it's a good fit for your needs. It doesn't matter if you're starting a new novel, in the editing stage, or all finished.

The workshops running through the event include:

Novel Writing From the Beginning
Novel Writing: Wading Through the Middle
Creative Inspiration
Revisions and Edits
The Submission Process
Agent Interviews and Thoughts

Check out the links to workshop downloads and a list of literary agencies already committed to participate.  And here is the first wish list from some of the participating agents.

If you're interested, you can sign up now, until November 7th. Only those who sign up will be able to pitch to the agents in February. This is a great opportunity that goes hand-in-hand with NaNoWriMo, for those participating. Since it's spread over several months, it won't eat all your time.

Are you up for Operation Agent Ink?

It's Time for WriteOnCon: a free online writing conference

It's that time again. A conference for those of us who don't have tons of money, tons of time, or who live so far out that flying to a writing conference is out of the question. WriteOnCon is back. On August 14th and 15th, writers will engage through thirty-five workshops, forums, keynotes, and live events.

One of the coolest things WriteOnCon is doing this year is called Ninja Agents. In this forum, you can post your writing sample or query letter, and one of thirteen agents will stop in from time to time and post comments. It's possible to get agent requests from this forum. Even if you attended an in-person conference, you'd be hard-pressed to pitch to that many agents.

 Who are the Ninja Agents? Here's a list (links are to those highlighted on Agent Friday posts):

Natalie Fischer, with Bradford Literary
Michelle Andelman, with Regal Literary
Kathleen Ortiz, with Nancy Coffey Literary
Ammi-Joan Paquette, with Erin Murphy Literary
Jessica Sinsheimer, with Sarah Jane Freymann
Roseanne Wells, with Marianne Strong Literary
Joanna Volpe, with Nancy Coffey Literary
Weronika Janczuk, with Lynn C. Franklin
Suzie Townsend, with FinePrint Literary
Carlie Webber, with the Jane Rotrosen Agency
Alyssa Eisner Henkin, with Trident Media
Marietta Zacker, with Nancy Gallt Literary

Kat Salazar, with Larsen Pomada Literary Agents

 Some of the workshops and sessions planned this year are:

* How to Get Started With Social Media: DON’T Do All The Things!

* Choosing the Right Critique Partners

* Hooks and Killer First Lines

* Picture Book Query Critiques 

* What is Voice, and How do I Get it?

* World-building in Science Fiction and Fantasy

* Plotting with 3×5 cards

* Building Characters into Real People

* He Said, She Said, Creating sexual tension through dialog

* Differences between YA and MG and the challenges of writing both

* The Inside Scoop: Get Your Query Noticed

~and there's lots more.

Want to join in? Here are the basics:

Click here for the super-quick registration.

Check out the amazing faculty here and here.

Do you think you'll attend? I've already got several workshops marked down. And if your schedule won't allow you to participate live, just check the forums when you can. Everything will still be there.

The Next Step: keep going, even if you hear 'no'.

I blogged about my pitch to an agent, and about hearing 'send it'. I blogged about actually hitting 'send'. So now it's time to blog about the response.

I only had to wait ten days for a response (though it could have taken two months). No, I didn't check my email constantly, mainly because I had company and a crazy schedule due to my daughter's impending graduation.

The answer was 'no', yet I feel like the query process was a complete success. Why?

First of all, I had the honor of pitching to Kristin Nelson. Need I say more?

Second, I was aware that out of 36,000 queries a year, she takes on one or two clients. Understanding reality is a big part of avoiding disappointment.

Third, I had a goal: to get feedback on my writing from an industry professional I greatly admire. And I got it! Kristin gave me her views on my idea, its saleability, and even made a suggestion that could bring more emotional impact to the first chapter. And she remembered how out of breath I was because I ran up seven flights of stairs when the elevator broke.

So what's next? I haven't yet submitted to other agents, so I'll digest Kristin's advice and make the changes I decide on. Then, I'll start submitting to several other agents who have asked for pages. It's time to really put my nose to the grindstone.

So, for me, my first query and response was a great experience. I realize that if I hadn't pitched in person and just sent my query to Kristin's slushpile, I might not have received a response at all, and definitely not a personalized response. That's one reason writing conferences are a great idea.

If you've been slogging through the query process for a while, you may be losing some of the excitement you had when you started. So here's a dose of encouragement from Missy Tippens at Seekerville: how to tackle fear that kills creativity. She offers a fantastic quote that just may remind you why you started writing in the first place. And if you're feeling really low, it may be time to quit writing so you can write.

How do you react when you hear 'no'? Have you heard it yet? Is it time to start accumulating some rejections?

The Aftermath of 'Send It'

This isn't the first time I've heard 'send it'. But it's the first time I actually did send it (see here for why I didn't before). I've been thinking this week about how differently I looked at my manuscript once I knew who would be reading it. Suddenly, the pages I thought were just fine (having been critiqued and edited and re-edited), didn't look as ready as I'd thought.

Length. The agent asked for the first 30 pages. For my novel, that included the first four chapters. But I really wanted to include chapter five in the sample, since the end of that one precipitated something significant for my character. So I really examined each paragraph, identifying which ones carried their weight, and which sentences could be eliminated.

Tightness. Once I started rereading the pages, I realized there were many words that weren't completely necessary. I hunted for words like 'that', unnecessary phrases like 'I saw', and excess prepositional phrases. A couple of made-up examples:
Before: I saw the guards moving closer.
After: The guards moved closer.

Before: She thought that she ought to leave now.
After: She ought to leave now.

Paragraph squaring. I made up this word, but I learned the idea from fantasy author Carol Berg. It's a way to shorten the length of a manuscript (and Berg should know--her first drafts can be as long as 175,000 words!). Look at the tail end of a paragraph--the words that don't fill a whole line. Try to eliminate enough words somewhere in the paragraph to eliminate the 'tail'. When I first heard this idea, I was skeptical, but it really made me examine my words with a new eye, and I felt so good when I shortened the manuscript by another line. I'll be using this in the future, for sure.

Working hard for a week helped me get rid of over one thousand words, and I fit the extra chapter into my sample pages. Whew! It wasn't easy, and I read and reread those pages more times than I could count, but it was worth it. Now I'm applying the same techniques to the rest of my novel, hoping to bring the word count down.

How do you tighten your writing? Does submitting to an agent or editor make you look at it differently?

Getting ready to pitch your book? Check this out first.

In my email this morning was a confirmation that in two weeks I'll be pitching my book to agent Kristin Nelson. Besides polishing my manuscript, I'll be practicing my pitch. So I went back to this post on Pitch University for some pointers. Maybe you're preparing to pitch, too. Check out what they have to offer.

I'm surprised I hadn't come across Pitch University in my internet browsing. What a wealth of information! Even if you're not ready to pitch right now, you're probably ready to learn. And the folks at Pitch University have worked incredibly hard to provide you the tools you need.

The amount of articles, videos, and audios is amazing. Start at the home page, and scroll down to New to Pitch U? You'll want to do some browsing on the site to get familiar with all they offer.

Begun by Diane Holmes, Pitch University is a safe and comfortable place for writers--no matter how hesitant or shy--to learn to verbalize their story. Holmes grew up in a family of salesmen, and even majored in marketing, but she confesses, "I suck at pitching." Makes you feel better, huh?

One of the events at Pitch University is a monthly "PitchFest". The organizers host an agent or editor who is currently looking for books. Participants are encouraged to pitch to the professional, via query letter, audio, or video.

Among the many offerings at Pitch University are:

The Pitch U Blog

The Pitch U Writers Manifesto (which will ease your mind)

What if I'm totally nervous?

The first of 27 lessons on pitching.

Even more pitching education.

Columns on pitching from the experts.

The free Monthly Pitch newsletter (signing up gets you the free bonus "10 Reasons You Suck at Pitching Your Book")

Free radio podcasts on "Your Book is Your Hook".

Do you feel comfortable with your pitch? Have you pitched in the past? How did it go?

Agent Friday: Lauren Ruth

Lauren Ruth is a full-time literary assistant at Bookends LLC. She maintains a wonderful blog, called Slush Pile Tales, where she analyzes query letters for what the authors did right, and what turned her off. Reading her comments will make your query letters stronger.

I like how Ruth gives readers an opportunity for feedback on many of the query letters. She often ends the post with a one-question survey, so readers can share their own opinion. These query critiques are called Query Dice, and often answer questions writers have about what to include in query letters:

Query Dice 1: What if there are too many things happening in the beginning of the novel? What if the novel is too short?

Query Dice 2: What will an agent think if you leave out the salutation? Will typos earn a form rejection immediately? She also shares the need to include strong conflict in the query.

Query Dice 3: How writing credentials can make up for a less-than-stellar query.

Query Dice 4: What is the best salutation for a query? This query shows how small prepositions used closely together can make your writing look weak.

Query Dice 5: Is it ok to begin a query with a question? If it's a children's book, how specific should you be with the age-range of the reader?

Query Dice 6: Should you use ellipses or em dashes in a query? Is it ok to describe your novel by naming similar published books?

Other interesting posts: 

 If You Build It They Will Come: finding your voice

State of the Inbox Address: It's interesting to see what can be learned from an agent's statistics.

One Author's Journey: One of Ruth's clients shares her path to publication through self-publishing.

Have you written a query letter? How do you think it would fare under Ruth's scrutiny?

Get a Free Education at Pitch University

I'm surprised I hadn't come across Pitch University in my internet browsing. What a wealth of information! Even if you're not ready to pitch right now, you're probably ready to learn. And the folks at Pitch University have worked incredibly hard to provide you the tools you need.

The amount of articles, videos, and audios is amazing. Start at the home page, and scroll down to Pitching 101 You'll want to do some browsing on the site to get familiar with all they offer.

Begun by Diane Holmes, Pitch University is a safe and comfortable place for writers--no matter how hesitant or shy--to learn to verbalize their story. Holmes grew up in a family of salesmen, and even majored in marketing, but she confesses, "I suck at pitching." Makes you feel better, huh?

One of the events at Pitch University is a monthly "PitchFest". The organizers host an agent or editor who is currently looking for books. Participants are encouraged to pitch to the professional, via query letter, audio, or video.

Among the many offerings at Pitch University are:

The Pitch U Blog

The Pitch U Writers Manifesto (which will ease your mind)

What if I'm totally nervous?

The first of 27 lessons on pitching. Scroll down on the right to see the list.

Even more pitching education.

Columns on pitching from the experts.

The free Monthly Pitch newsletter (signing up gets you the free bonus "10 Reasons You Suck at Pitching Your Book")

Do you feel comfortable with your pitch? Have you pitched in the past? How did it go?

Agent Friday: Quivering Through Queries? Lift your spirits with SlushPile Hell

You're probably in one of two camps: you're either preparing to query, or you're biting your fingernails waiting for responses (of course, if you're going the self-pub route, you can skip past all the angst). If you're in the anticipation phase or the waiting phase, you can really use something to take your mind off your worries.

Enter SlushPile Hell.

Written by a self-described (anonymous) "grumpy literary agent", SlushPile Hell posts snippets of the query letters you don't want to write. Think of the site as an education in what not to do.

This tongue-in-cheek blog has snippets of actual queries, with the agent's comments to the author. Don't worry, everything is anonymous, and the agent promises not to mock book concepts, plots, or actual writing. And it will probably make you laugh.

What can a writer learn from the mistakes of others?

Do your agent homework. Study the agent's website. Be aware of the agent's gender. Take note of the agent's preferred genres and submission guidelines. Personalize the query to the agent you're targeting. Do these tips seem obvious? That's because you're paying attention. Sadly, many writer's are not.

Don't only rely on spell-check. It's amazing that queries are sent with spelling errors, typos, and wonky grammar. Yes, querying can be stressful, but don't let your state of mind prevent you from running your query letter past your critique group. Don't have one? Check out these writers groups. Most have a forum encouraging writers to post their query letters for comments.

Don't overestimate yourself. Writers ought to have confidence in their work. After all, we do have to promote ourselves to a great extent. But watch the level of boasting in a critique letter. Telling an agent you're the next J.K. Rowling can sound pompous. Let your writing speak for itself.

Which SlushPile Hell entry made you laugh the most?

Agent Friday: Dawn Frederick with Red Sofa Literary

We're back with Agent Friday posts again. If you've missed some past agent highlights, click here to catch up. 

Today we have Dawn Frederick of Red Sofa Literary. Along with her interns Gwen Fitzgerald and Jennie Goloboy, she's looking mainly for non-fiction, but also fiction for YA and middle grades. Check out the details of what she's looking for.

The Minnesota-based agent maintains an informative blog, with a series of interviews on a regular basis. Here are some other posts you might enjoy.

We've all seen the many books-turned-blog Cinderella stories. Could your idea bring the same success?  Frederick examines the issue in Is your idea 'blog worthy' or 'book ready'?

Frederick has some great posts on querying:

Your query submission checklist.

What not to do during the query process.

What to do with rejection: some stories of making lemonade from lemons.

If you're thinking about a writing conference: preparing for the conference, and what to do after the conference.

On Marketing:

Branding yourself and building a platform.

Helpful links on planning a Book Blog Tour.

And, in this interesting post introducing her interns, Frederick asks them how their opinion of the publishing industry has changed now that they're more familiar with the business. Interesting and hopeful answers.

Do you think there's still hope for traditional publishing?

How long do you see it lasting?

Book Review: The 11 Secrets of Getting Published, by Mary DeMuth

When I met Mary DeMuth at a writer's conference in 2008, the first thing I told her was, "You need to write a book for writers." I'd been an avid reader of her blog Wanna Be Published, and the information she shared there took me from a newbie to a writer who had a clue.

Well, she's done it. DeMuth recently published a Kindle-only book, The 11 Secrets of Getting Published. The content is the best of the Wanna Be Published blog, organized for writers to find what they need. The blog is still on the web for anyone to read, but the $2.99 book will save writers lots of time.

Early on, DeMuth was frustrated when an author she was friends with was unwilling to share the knowledge she'd gained on her own journey. DeMuth was determined to share what she learned with others, helping writers along, instead of viewing them as competition.

DeMuth's ebook is rising quickly in the Amazon rankings. This is likely due to the short, easy-to-digest sections. It's a great book to read in the small gaps of time in a writer's day. If you have a Kindle, you can carry it anywhere. Those without Kindles don't need to feel left out. Just download the free Kindle software to smartphones and computers.

The book is broken down into the promised 11 secrets:

·      Learn the craft

·      Develop discipline

·      Know the publishing industry

·      Welcome critique

·      Write great queries and proposals

·      Embrace marketing

·      Overcome fear and rejection

·      Understand the key players

·      Navigate writers conferences

·      Excel in your genre

·      Thrive in your career

Each section is chock full of tips, with examples and explanations. Things like:

·      Why published writers are ‘allowed’ to break the rules

·      A hilarious essay on avoiding clichés

·      What is ‘negation’ and why authors should avoid it

·      How to improve your writing by ‘writing nekkid’

The ebook also comes with three bonus sections. The first examines the excuses writers give for why they're not published yet. Bonus section two lists quick writing advice, and section three tells DeMuth's own fascinating story of the road to publication.

If you browse the Wanna Be Published site, you'll see the benefit of an organized book drawn from years of faithful blogging. DeMuth, a big supporter of writers helping writers, also has a resource page on her website with all kinds of free downloads, including a query tutorial. She also sells to excellent tutorials for writers: one is a fiction proposal tutorial, and the other is a nonfiction proposal tutorial. And for writers interested in publishing their own ebook, DeMuth shares a free article: Publish Your Ebook in 7 Simple Steps.

I'm thankful for DeMuth's journey and how willing she is to share it with the rest of us.  

Do you want to be that kind of writer?

Free Resources from Writer's Digest: 5 Free Ebooks Every Writer Needs

I love Writer's Digest magazine. I learn a huge amount of information with each issue. But did you know that even if you don't subscribe, you can get the weekly Writer's Digest Newsletter for free? 

If you sign up, you'll get a free .pdf file of their fabulous annual list of the 101 Best Websites for Writers. Normally, only subscribers receive it, but you could have it today.

The free newsletter links to solid articles on the craft of writing, marketing, and even a weekly writing prompt. If you haven't sign up yet, I'd zip over there now.

This week's newsletter links to no less than five free books for writers, a couple of which I've highlighted on the blog in the past. The books include:

70 Solutions to Common Writing Mistakes by Bob Mayer

279 Days to Overnight Success by Chris Guillebeau

How to Write a Great Query Letter by Noah Lukeman

What Publishers Want: An Author's Guide by Greenleaf Book Group

Smashwords Book Marketing Guide: How to Market Any Book for Free (this one is brand new)

You can find the links for all five books on this Writer's Digest page. The last two are the only ones I didn't have so far. I'll be transferring them to my Kindle for easier reading.

Don't you love free stuff that happens to be useful?

Love at First Sight: Finding the Agent Match That's Perfect for You

Just like couples who are attracted by outward, physical traits, you don't want to pick an agent just for their glamor (or who they represent), but dig deep to see if this is a relationship that can last. On a dating site, you wouldn't go out with someone just because they have a profile on the site. You'll check to see if your interests are compatible, and get to know more about them first. 

In the same way, don't query an agent just because they're an agent. This is a long-term relationship, and you want it to last. But lacking a "dating site" for agents, how do you narrow down your search? There are thousands of agents to choose from.

Be aware of your genre. You don't want to send an agent a manuscript that's not right for their interests. And within your genre, figure out what themes you tend to bring out. Are you humorous, or dark? Do your characters tend to be feminists or orphans? The better you know what ideas lurk within, the more targeted will be your agent search. 

Read, read, read. Check out sites like Goodreads and LibraryThing for recommendations of books in your genre. When you read them, take note of the acknowledgments section. Authors usually make mention of their agent. Search the internet for interviews with these agents. They often make note of the kinds of books they're drawn to, even if those authors are not their clients. Find more ideas for this at the Falling Leaflets blog. Highly recommended.

Ask for a recommendation. If you've gathered the names of some agents, but you want to find out more about how they interact with authors, try emailing a few of their clients. Honor their time constraints by being brief, and ask a couple of questions. The benefit of this approach is that you might begin a relationship with an author.

Of course, it goes without saying that you must have a finished and polished manuscript. And a killer query letter. And a plan for which agents to query first. 

If all this seems daunting, remember it's like joining the army. Boot camp toughens up new soldiers so they're ready for the battles ahead. Think of the query process as your "boot camp" for becoming an author. Down the road, you'll be thankful for your rhino skin, your work ethic, and your professionalism. Ready to march?

Want to Test-Drive Your Query Letter? Check Out Evil Editor

After spending weeks (or months) tweaking your query letter to perfection, you may want to solicit some feedback before you send it out. Evil Editor is your guy. He'll post your query on his blog, often with tongue-in-cheek comments, where other writers can chime in with their own opinions.

But Evil Editor adds a twist. He posts the titles of the manuscripts the queries represent, and invites blog readers to guess the plot based upon the titles. The most interesting (and far-fetched) plot ideas get posted along with his query critique in his Face-Lift series.

Another feature on Evil Editor's blog is the New Beginning series. Writers submit the first 150 words of their manuscript, and blog readers show how they think the piece should continue. Evil Editor posts the most interesting continuation, and invites blog readers to give the original author feedback on how the opening captured their interest.

It's nice to find a site that gives good feedback with an element of fun. If humor is not something you want to mix with your fiction, you may want to stick to more "serious" sites.

Evil Editor conducts monthly book chats, where readers discuss recently published books. There's also a weekly contest for writers to contribute captions to a posted cartoon. The best captions get published on the blog. If you need a laugh to relieve your writer's block, check out Evil Editor's short films to give you some relief. And at regular intervals writing exercises are posted, with the best examples posted on the blog.

Does humor help to relieve the tension of the journey to publication?

Book Review: The Sell Your Novel Toolkit, by Elizabeth Lyon

Picture this: you set out to climb a mountain, toiling and sweating your way to the top, only to find you've reached a false summit, and the actual peak is far beyond what you feel you're capable of. As fiction writers, our "summit" is finishing a novel. Toiling and sweating through the acquisition of fiction techniques that seem impossible to master. Yet finally, we reach the top.

But we're not there yet.

Stretching far above lies the true summit. Publication. And to reach those heights requires a different skill-set than the ones we've labored to master in recent years. Things like query letters and synopses actually make use of non-fiction techniques, and marketing oneself is completely opposite of sitting alone, typing out a novel.

Is there hope for any of us?

Fortunately, Elizabeth Lyon has taken up the task to educate writers for the final climb. Wearing the hats of author, book editor, writing instructor, and marketing consultant, Lyons is the perfect person for the job. The Sell Your Novel Toolkit is exactly what the title says. The tools you need to get your novel sold.

Lyons shares eight ways to sell your novel. And then she gives the secret to the ninth way. She explains the three belief systems most writers have about marketing and sales.

The book includes an education of the different jobs in the publishing world, and a detailed section helping you get your manuscript ready for marketing--including diagnostic checklists, and help in categorizing and describing your novel.

Two chapters are devoted to the synopsis. The first dissects the synopsis, while the second gives examples of synopses in several different genres.

Queries get two chapters as well. First, the how-to of the query, then a long list of actual (and successful) queries in many genres. Lyons even includes a chapter on getting your sample chapters ready for submission to agents and editors.

But she's not done yet. Further sections give instruction on researching publishers and agents, systematic marketing, what to do when rejections come, and tips on what to do when you make your first sale. The appendices are full of sample contracts, and resources to extend your knowledge on all the topics covered.

I knew since I enjoyed Lyon's Manuscript Makeover book, that this one would become dog-eared as well.

Which summit are you climbing toward right now? Finishing your manuscript, or heading for publication?

Writing Groups: QueryTracker

One of the January posts focused on your personalized query plan. It may seem daunting to sort through hundreds of agents, and tracking submissions and requests can be equally overwhelming.

That's where a site like QueryTracker comes in. Once you set up a free profile, the site allows you to search for agents based upon their preferences, and add them to your own list. When you send a query, it's easy to track on the QueryTracker site. You'll be able to note if you get a response, and whether you sent a partial or full manuscript.

Because the site contains updates from its many users, you'll know the average response times of the agents you query. You can even set up an alert to remind you to check the status of a submission at a particular time.

Even if you're not ready to query right now, QueryTracker can help you get there. The forums on the site have groups for every genre, and for critiquing queries and first pages. Reading through the posts on the forum will help you glean information from writers who have learned things the hard way and are willing to share their knowledge.

Are you curious about the top ten agents who receive the most queries? The top ten agents who issue the most rejections? How about the most non-responsive agents, or the most accepting agents? If these kinds of statistics sound like they could help you narrow down your search, check out the Top 10 page.

Perhaps you have a favorite author who writes in a genre or style similar to yours, and you've considered querying his or her agent. QueryTracker will help you find that agent with its who represents whom listing (in helpful alphabetical order).

Beyond agents, QueryTracker also has a database of publishers, in case you'd like to skip querying altogether. Yes, there are some publishers who still take unagented submissions.

Does QueryTracker really work? Read through some of the 462 success stories to find out for yourself. And keep up with their blog for great tips on querying, as well as periodic contests.

If you're not part of some kind of online writing group, you're missing out on information and support. Which ones have been helpful for you?

Writing Goals for 2011: Part 3- Your Personalized Query Plan

Each Monday in January, we're focusing on different goals for writing. If you've missed the previous installments, here are some links:

Part 1: Making Time to Write

Part 2: Making Your Writing a Business

Today's focus is on queries. You may not feel ready to query yet, but to keep on top of all the details, it's a good idea to begin preparations a year ahead, if possible. A little work now will make the process far less stressful down the road.

I've broken the steps down into a timeline.Don't worry if you've got less time--querying can be done faster if you're ready.

One year out. At this point you're still writing your manuscript, but you feel confident you'll be done within about six months. 

1. Take some time each day to begin researching agents. Read their blogs (if they have them) and note which ones represent your genre or niche. Sites like AgentQuery and QueryTracker can help you narrow them down.

2. Seek out an online or in-person critique group, and get your manuscript critiqued.You'll learn so much that the rest of your novel will be stronger.

3. Keep working on your craft: always have a book on writing that you're working through (some great suggestions here), and try to attend any workshops or conferences you can, whether in person or online.

4. Don't stop writing until your manuscript is finished. You won't be able to query at all until it's done.

Six months out. Your manuscript is finished, but not necessarily polished. You have a list of potential agents. Where do you go from here? Is it time to query now? 

1. Using a spreadsheet or paper, make a chart of the agents you're interested in, listing their agency, email, preferred method of query (either email or snail mail), and what they request as part of a query. Double-check that your preferred agents are still with their agency--this is a constantly shifting business, and it's up to you to keep track of where people work.

2. Have your manuscript critiqued again, perhaps by a different critique group, or hire a professional editor, if finances allow.

3. Begin drafting your query letter, and bring it to your critique group for feedback.Here's a link to formatting an email query.

4. Format a synopsis, since some agents will ask for this.Have your critique group check this, also.

Three months out. You're feeling ready, probably itching to hit the send button. There are a few more things to do.

1. Consider setting up a website or blog if you don't already have a web presence. Many agents like to "check out" potential authors they're interested in. 


2. See if you can find some beta readers to give you overall feedback on your novel. It really helps if these are people you don't have a relationship with. Your friends and family will be impressed that you wrote a book, and won't be able to be as objective as strangers. Take their comments and make any necessary changes.


3. Take a little time to study query do's and don'ts. Here are a few links to get you started.
Five questions to ask yourself before querying. 
Tips from twenty agents to make your query shine.
A list of don'ts from SlushPileHell.

Time to release your query. If you're prepared, this should be the easy part--except for your nervousness!


1. Make a plan for sending your query. This article gives a plan for getting a 75% response rate to your query. Find out about the best and worst times to query.


2.  Check again that your target agents are still at the agency you have listed. Send your query in batches, a handful at a time, spaced a few weeks apart. Keep track (on your spreadsheet) of what you sent to each agent, the date, and their response. Note that agents who pass on your work may not respond at all. Don't take it personally, they're just too busy to reply to each query. When an agent does respond, send what they ask promptly.


3. If you're thinking of revising your query and resending to your target agents, read this first.

Where are you in the query process?