Tag Archives: publishing

Authors and Agents and Editors…Oh My!

19 Thursday Sep 2013

Posted by in Writing and Pursuing Publication

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I’m going to keep this short. Because I’m supposed to be spending this week just enjoying my family, resting up, and

readingabook2.

The girl in the picture has the view I’m missing, but at least I keep a steaming hot cup of luxury on my reading table. So I’m good.

Now back to the update on ACFW, one of the biggest writers conferences in the country and, if I base it on the experience I had, one of the best.

The worship was BEYOND amazing. Not just in the general sessions, but the entire time. God was so present my spirit just kept talking to Him and basking in Him throughout the day each day. It was rich and precious.

I didn’t meet a writer friend. I met many! A small cluster of us in different stages of our writing careers formed a critique group (super excited about that) and three special ladies–Caryl, Susie, and Ms. Susan–won my heart.

SusienTanara

I had two appointments. In the first I got wonderful feedback, direction, and insight. I left encouraged. The second was not the best experience, but a breakthrough came from it, so I can only be grateful.

There is a temptation among all writers–whether fleeting or something they struggle with throughout their careers–to write to the trends or what is most likely to sell or become a bestseller, etc.

I encountered that temptation. And in the same day God crushed it. May it stay forever crushed.

I took a writing class taught by Mr. James Scott Bell. The man is gifted. And funny. Now I’ve got all these crazy ideas about how I can challenge myself, improve my writing, make the lives of my messy characters even messier, and complex plots deep and unpredictable.

I might try some of it out on you all. Maybe another short story series like last year’s Truth or Fiction Tuesdays. Except this one can be a genre series where I sharpen my skills by writing in genres I’ve never done. We’ll see. The biggest challenge in a series like that would be the speculative/sci-fi/fantasy genre. Love to read the stuff; I’m amazed by the worlds those authors create.

Dreaming up a whole new world myself, in a short story less than 1,500 words…I’m…getting……nothing. Except unicorns. Oh, and scorpions. Yeah. We might wanna leave that alone.

But I digress.

In conclusion. ACFW was great. Your prayers were heard. God blessed me with more than I could’ve hoped for, confirmed the call He’s placed on my life, renewed my passion and my obedience, then brought me home to the most amazing man and precious little people in my world.

I’m grateful. I praise Him. And I’m ready to tell some stories.

To view pictures of my time in Indianapolis visit my Facebook page or Instagram :-).

The Elevator Pitch

26 Monday Aug 2013

Posted by in Writing and Pursuing Publication

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I wrote this almost a year ago. Now that my story is finally ready for the pitching stage, I thought it appropriate to share again :-).

elevator

The elevator pitch. In the writing world, it’s a short summary of your book that can be told to a prospective agent/editor/publisher in the time it takes to get from one floor to the next on an elevator. For a wordy introvert like myself (I’ve been known to counter my shyness with excessive talking) it’s an enticement to take the stairs.

An elevator pitch is just one of many tools a new writer must have in her belt. And I’m not talking about a cute belt. I’m talking a manly, well-stocked, durable belt that’s multi-pocketed and ready for the long haul.

When stepping out of the dream of one day becoming a writer and landing into the hard reality of pursuing publication, you quickly learn terms like elevator pitch, query letter, synopsis, and – somebody fan me – rejection letters. You start stocking the pockets of your belt with resources to enhance your ability, hammers to keep you pounding away on the keyboard, measuring tapes to keep you persevering, and salves to thicken your skin. And you don a hard-hat to keep you from getting discouraged when you learn that even with the best of tools many don’t make it in this business. And soon enough comes your moment of truth.

I’ve never been fond of rejection. And though I can take criticism, I’d prefer it gently if at all possible. As for putting myself out there (pitching, sharing my fears and failures, digging in and doing the writing) to think nothing may ever come of it…well, that’s altogether a very frightening prospect. As I learned about the odds and stared down my own inhibitions, I had to really ask myself: Am I up for this?

Answer? I am.

Though the publishing world is like a well established building – with bestselling authors and timeless books dressing it in grand arches, majestic steeples, and ancient friezes  – there’s always room for a new wing on the latest floor. And whether that wing be expansive, or cozy and closet-like, I think I can make good use of it. I have stories to tell and a world to tell them to.

So while the solitude of the stairs is a comfortable choice – and physically healthy in a literal sense 🙂 – this writer is training her introvert to come out of her shell, sticking her nervous Chatty Cathy in the timeout corner, sucking in a deep breath, saying a prayer (and another, then another)…and taking the elevator.

Image courtesy of Gregory Szarkiewicz / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Whadaya Mean There’s a Process? – Part 1

20 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by in Writing and Pursuing Publication

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I may be assuming a lot when I write this, but I doubt I’m the only writer who figured once they finally got around to finishing that first novel, all they would need to do is call up a few publishers, let them know the newest best seller was finally done, and whittle out the details of tweaking, setting a publishing date, scheduling book signings, etc., etc. Okay I’m joking about the presumptions of the newest bestseller from a no-namer. But seriously, I did not think the road to publishing would be such a long, difficult process. As a writer you think, “If they read it and love it, I’ll just have to be told where to sign. If they don’t love it, I’ll fix it until they do love it.” Then you write those blessed words – The End – and finally take a serious look into the publishing process (because up to this point you weren’t really sure if you would finish); and you find yourself confronted with an obstacle that never crossed your mind: your manuscript is the last thing a publisher wants to see! That’s one of the first rules in publishing. Publishers don’t read manuscripts. And they’re not taking your calls. Publishers are contacted by agents, not first time writers. And agents aren’t lining up to read your manuscript either. Not yet anyway. Stay tuned to find out what I discovered about the publishing process and, more importantly, what those discoveries revealed to me about myself as a writer.