The Query

When I first started this process, the query letter made me a nervous wreck.  The whole process was scary.  In the beginning, just having the nerve to pick up pen and paper to write was not easy.  Then, came the big reveal to people in my life that I was indeed trying my hand at writing.  All along the way were stumbling blocks or big steps but I was finally able to begin querying agents.  

If you go on any agent site or author blog, you'll see post after post about the query.  Aside from the synopsis, it is probably the most difficult thing to master.  How to actually pitch your work to others in only one short letter.  I struggled, read samples, struggled some more.  My first query, simply put, sucked.  Can you say bori-i-ing?  It was like a letter to a business.  Too formal and no emotion.  I reworked it trying to insert some of my personality and voice and lo and behold I got some requests for pages.

Probably the best site out there for querying is Query Shark.  You get to see sample after sample after sample.  Not only do you see the samples but you hear what an agent thinks about them and see the process of making one better.  If you haven't already, check this site out.  It's, to say the least, eye opening.

I think I have the art of querying down.  I think;-/  As I've already said in previous posts, I'm not yet published but the query doesn't get you published.  If it works, it gets you requests for more pages.  It's your job and the job of your writing then to get you an agent and advance further.  The query gets your foot in the door.

It's your first impression and worth the hard work.  Make it a good one.

Editing, Part 2

When writing my last blog entry about editing, I had an idea.  Last year, I worked on a manuscript.  Finishing it at 83,000 words, I edited, made changes and edited again.  I thought I was ready to submit. After making a list of agents, I sent it out.  A couple of requests for pages and one nice rejection from a well-respected agent where she told me to work on my showing vs. telling.  Next, I edited again trying to apply the changes.  After more submissions with no luck, I put it aside while I worked on another manuscript and then another.

This weekend, I got that manuscript out again and read it from start to finish without making any changes along the way.  I felt I started strong and ended strong, but the middle meandered and went off course a bit.  Immediately, I got out a notebook and jotted ideas for changes.  I'm going to rework it and try to improve upon it.

I hadn't read that particular manuscript in nearly a year and despite all the editing I'd done at the time, it wasn't good enough.  I can see that now but couldn't then.  In a way, it's disconcerting.  Do I put them all aside for several months to a year and then come back to them only to realize the changes that need to be done?  Or are some of those early manuscripts just practice?

I don't know the answer but I liked this particular one enough to take the time now and rework it.  Hopefully, it will be even better.

Editing

When I finish a manuscript, I edit.  Edit again.  Then, I edit some more.  No matter how many times I read something I've written, I can always think of a way to change it.  I know you're supposed to polish your work before submitting it and I agree.  But...when do you finally step back from it and say enough is enough?  As I said, I could always think of changes, but does that mean I'm making it better?  Not necessarily.

We are our own worst critics.  It's never good enough.  It could always be better.  We have trouble seeing our own work objectively.  I have a handful of readers who I trust to tell me the truth about my writing.  I trust they will pick up on small mistakes here and there but overall, I want to know they enjoyed it.  I want to know they didn't necessarily care if I put form instead of from because they were so into my story they didn't even notice.  In my eyes, that's the true measure.  I'll keep editing until my eyes cross, but at some point, you do have to step back.  Trust you've given it all you've got and let it be.

Finding Your Voice

Voice...What is it?  How to define it.  Wikipedia defines it as "the individual writing style of an author, a combination of idiotypical usage of syntax, diction, punctuation, character development, dialogue, etc., within a given body of text."  Huh?  Basically an author's unique style of writing.  A beginning writer could take class after class and still never really identify their voice or make it unique enough to capture someone's attention.  I'm still trying to find mine or at least trying to convey it the way I want and feel comfortable with.

I feel restrained, like it's there just waiting to come out, and I need to let it.  I need to let it be natural, just as my vocal voice would be talking to a loved one or a friend I've known for years.  We all use different vocal voice for different audiences and occasions.  With my boss, I use one voice.  With my best friend, I use another.  If I could let loose and use my best friend voice in my writing, I think I would have it.  I think.

How do I accomplish this?  Practice.  I tell my kids all the time, "School is like practice for life.  The more you practice the better you get at it."  Every time I write, I like to think I become a little more comfortable, like with a good friend.  The more comfortable I get, the more my voice will flow.  Practice makes perfect.  At least I hope so.

Four years into my writing life, I'm still finding my voice.  Still practicing.

Writing Like a Man

One of the things I found hardest in the beginning of my writing was male dialogue.  Two guys bantering back and forth, things a man says to a woman in the heat of the moment, and realistic displays of love were all examples of finding the nuances of manly communication.  I still struggle with it at times.  I'll occasionally stop mid-sentence, look at my husband and ask, "What would a guy say here?" or "What word would a man use in this scenario?"  In the beginning, he looked at me like I was nuts but now throws out examples.  Another reason why I love him so much;-)

Mostly, I have to worry about pleasing other women with my writing as that is my target audience, but everyone wants their writing to seem realistic.  It would be distracting if I used awkward phrases.  Not to mention voice.  Voice is one of those things that could take up an entire blog entry in and of itself.  Your voice will never sound appealing or natural if you can't write authentically.  Your characters' personalities, as well as their gender, have to be obvious to the reader.  Their dialogue is a perfect way to convey this.

In some of my manuscripts, the main hero is often a military man of some sort or a cop.  Frequently, they sit around in groups with other men talking.  This is when it's particularly challenging.  I've bought books about these subjects, written by men, and studied them to gain some understanding of the male mind and mannerisms.  Hopefully, I'm getting it.  In the end, he has to be appealing to other women and that's where I can take liberties.  We all want a man to say certain things to us and that's where I have fun with writing like a man.  I can make them do whatever I want.  Alas, if only the real world was the same:-)

Writing Trends

It's hard to stay true to yourself in many aspects of life and writing is no different.  When I first started this process, I researched trends.  It's not too difficult to see where they are these days.  YA, YA and more YA!  Fantasy, dystopian, and erotica are tops in fiction right now.  Don't get me wrong, I like to read anything and everything (if it sticks to my happy ending rule and even then, I'll read things that don't).  Still, none of the above are my niche.  I write contemporary romance blurring the line with women's fiction.  I like some spice in my love scenes but only to a point.  There's still a place for me out there, I guess, but I don't know if my style is the hot thing right now.

Should that matter?  You tell me.

I thought about writing a fantasy but quickly nixed the idea.  World building is not my strength.  Same with dystopian.  I even flirted with a cozy mystery but again, I kept gravitating toward the romance side of it more than keeping up with the clues, timelines and plot points of a mystery.  When I think about writing a trend, my mind always wanders back to what I like and know.  Romance, romance, romance-hence the name Romantic Writing Diva (although my husband likes to tell me I'm no diva).  I enjoy fun romances set in a fun locale with fun side characters.  So, I've scrapped any idea of trying something different, for right now, and I write contemporary romances set in Louisville or some other Kentucky town.

I read once, and I'm paraphrasing here, that you shouldn't write what you think someone else will like, you should write what you want to write-what you need to write.  Sure, you want your characters to be likable and relatable so others would want to read about them.  You want your plots to be easy to follow so others don't toss your book aside in frustration.  But, write the story you want to tell.  Remember, a fantastic YA story about vampires and werewolves wouldn't be the it thing if Stephenie Meyer hadn't written it in the first place.  Women wouldn't be carrying around their worn copies of Fifty Shades of Grey proudly without E. L. James writing what she wanted to read.  These authors started trends.  Maybe I, or one of you, can too someday.

In my dreams:-)

Reading to Write

Since beginning my own writing, I find my reading has changed drastically.  This change is both good and bad.  I find it hard now to lose myself in a book the way I used to.  Instead of guessing where the characters will end up next, I find I pay more attention to the way the author writes.  Word usage, dialogue, showing versus telling.  These are the things I pay attention to when I'm reading.  I hate to say it, but in a way my writing has ruined my joy for reading anything and everything I can get my hands on.

A few months ago, there was a book everyone was talking about.  I don't want to say the name because I wish everyone success in his or her career.  I read it because everyone else was and I absolutely hated it.  It took everything I had to get through it from beginning to end.  I couldn't get past some of what I considered unrealistic dialogue and the word choice.  It didn't feel natural to me.  This distracted me so much there was no way I could simply enjoy the characters and nuances of the story.

Most of the time, I don't find myself hating the book but I still rarely read simply for enjoyment anymore.  Rather, I read to learn.  By reading others' works, I learn new things about my own writing.  I learn what I like and what I don't like.  For instance, I don't like sad or tragic endings.  I can't enjoy it. For me, reading is escaping from the mundane and terrible things real life may bring along the way.  I don't need to experience more such things in my reading.  I need happy.  I need love.  I need humor.  These are the essentials for me.  For me.  I know everyone is different.  We all enjoy different things.  Like the hundreds of thousands or even millions of people who enjoyed the book I mentioned above.  It was a best seller for a reason, but I just didn't get it.

Of course, I have my go-to writers.  A couple of names I've mentioned in previous blog posts.  Their books are the ones I pick up when I need to relax.  When I need to live in someone else's head for a while.  And I find I can lose myself, if only for a little while:-).  Finally, I can read to enjoy and not just to learn to be a better writer.

Frustration and Writing

I wrote about ebbs and flows in writing last time around and I wanted to elaborate on that just a bit.  Sometimes once a month-or even a couple of months at a time-I go through a dry period.  My head seems to go blank (no jokes please:-)).  For the life of me, I can't come up with ideas, or when I do, they feel completely mediocre.

I know I already said as much last time, but one thing I didn't focus on was that sneaky little voice inside my head who says things like this.  Why bother?  You're no good at this.  Just give up.  You're wasting your time.  The seeds of self-doubt.  I struggle with them often, more than I'd like to admit.  Perhaps it is this particular struggle that keeps me from shouting from the rooftops as I said in my first blog post.  What if I'm terrible?  What if people make fun of me for saying I'm a writer?  Don't you have to be published to call yourself a writer?

The first time one of my good friends read my manuscript, I was a nervous wreck.  I waited on pins and needles for her to finish it.  Surprise of all surprises, she loved it!  She even cried during one pivotal scene.  Finally, I thought maybe I can do this after all.

The self-doubt still rears its ugly head.  Too often:-(  Like right now for instance.  I haven't submitted in more than a year.  I received some promising feedback on that manuscript but after I went through my list of agents, I put it aside and started on another and then another and still another.  I have three novel-length manuscripts I should be polishing.  Reading, correcting and reading again, but I don't.  Why?  Because I'm not sure they're good enough and more ideas keep circling through my head begging to be written.  I tell myself the next idea is a better one and I should finish it first.

Today, I'm setting a goal for myself.  Take a second look at manuscript 1.  Edit if needed and resubmit. Flesh out manuscript 2 and edit and edit some more.  Write the ending of manuscript 3 to tie up all the loose ends and go through the same process as the others.  Put aside manuscript 4 until I've finished up the others.

Wow!  My head is spinning just thinking about it and still those pesky ideas keep coming.  And to those doubts, I say go away!  I've got work to do!

Ebbs and Flows

My writing, like many things in life, moves in ebbs and flows.  Somedays, I can sit down with this computer and the words and story ideas flow from me like water from a spout.  Other times, I sit down with it and stare at the screen.  When I do come up with words or dialogue, it feels wooden or not natural.  Often on these days, I snap the computer shut in frustration but most of the time try to keep going, thinking I can always polish it later.  I tell myself every day of writing is practice and makes me better, even if it's bad writing:-).  The good thing is now I can pick out my own bad writing and work to make it better.

On the good days, I can barely stand to set my computer aside to do the most basic of things, like brush my teeth or feed my kids.  I know that sounds awful, but I feel I have to get everything I can written while my creative juices are flowing.  I exhaust myself and wake up with a bad back the next day, but when I look back at what I wrote it's-dare I say it-pretty good. 

In case you hadn't guessed, I'm having a bad writing day.  I'll probably look back at this post and others the longer I blog and think, Ugh, why didn't I just leave the computer closed?  Everything's a work in progress, even this blog.  So, bear with me readers and wait for a good day!

My Writing

What do I write?  I realize I've talked about a lot the last few days except my actual writing.  You know how I got started.  You know how I researched writing.  Now, you know my view on to be agented or not to be agented.  I write what I like to read.  Contemporary romance and women's fiction are what I read the most.  My favorite authors are Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Nora Roberts.  I'll read anything they write and anything by similar authors.  Currently, I'm reading Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.  I love how she wrote it, switching back and forth between the two points of view.  But, for the most part, I stick with light-hearted fair with a happy ending.

In my own writing, I gravitate toward ensemble pieces.  Many times, I'll start a manuscript with one heroine in mind but soon find myself interested in what the sister's story is or the best friend.  I don't have a sister, but for some reason, I enjoy writing about the dynamic of sisters.  I think that's why I like the above authors so much.  There's typically a cast of characters surrounding the heroine and hero of the story.  The side characters provide humor and camaraderie to the sometimes heavy story of the main characters.  Nobody does it better than Susan and Nora;-)

I've read fantasy and I like it, but I don't think it's my thing as far as my own writing goes.  Same with historical or YA.  I feel most at ease with adult characters falling in love, often times in Louisville or some nearby town, surrounded by eclectic side characters.  That's what I write.

Write what you like and what you know.

Agents

I touched on finding an agent during my last post and how to avoid the not so reputable ones out there. I need to say, alas, I currently don't have an agent but am seeking one.  Why?  In this world of e-publishing and success in self-publishing, why do I still want an agent?

There are many reasons which I plan to outline here tonight.  Mostly, I want-wait!-I strongly desire the assistance of someone who knows how to navigate this industry.  From what I'm reading on other blogs and websites out there, it sounds like even those who self-pub eventually seek an agent as they become more and more successful.  I'd like to start with someone from the get-go and have their help navigating through the complicated and fascinating world of publishing.

Call me naive, but I envision a partnership (maybe eventually even a friendship) where I can bounce my ideas off someone and know if I'm on the right track or not.  I'm not talking about whether my heroine should or should not end up with bachelor number one or two.  I'm talking about whether I should try my hand at a suspenseful subplot or whether my multiple point of view novel would work better as a single point of view.

Lastly, I didn't major in business.  Didn't even take a single business class in college.  I don't know how to market on my own or which publisher is particularly looking for a multi-POV contemporary romance.  My agent would know these things and then some.  I would welcome any advice and constructive criticism I could get.

I've now written three full length novels which I have submitted to numerous agents over the last three years.  With each one I feel I've gotten better.  I currently have two finished ones I'm polishing and the ideas keep flowing.  None of them are published because simply put, they weren't ready.  I wasn't ready.  I learned that only through my submissions.

To prove my point even more, I can quickly relay the story of my third novel.  I'd submitted to several agents without hearing a word.  Just polite no thank you's or my story didn't fit with what they were looking for.  One agent at a prestigious lit agency in New York asked for more pages.  Yay!  She ultimately passed but it was my best experience to date.  Why?  Because she told me she liked my idea but I needed to work on showing vs. telling.  Now, I pour over everything I can instructing how to do this.  It's not as easy as it sounds but I work and work and work.  Without this particular agent's advice, I would never have known what my writing was lacking.  If I hadn't known what it was lacking, I would never progress to the next level.  My beta readers can't tell me this.  Critique partners, sure, but only an agent knows what's being looked for and who's looking for it.

Call me old-fashioned.  I don't care.  I'm continuing my search for an agent and taking any scraps of criticism they throw my way to make my writing better.

Research

As I touched upon yesterday, research has been key for me in both learning how to write and then what to do with a finished product.  There are SO many websites and guides out there for new writers.  Very early on, I stumbled across a website called the Passionate Pen.  Maybe some of you have heard of it, maybe not.  I'm not sure if the author behind the website has updated it recently but it had so much valuable information I felt I had to mention it.  You can still find it by simply googling the title above.  She has links to information for new writers such as articles, agents (mostly in the areas of romance and women's fiction specifically) and publishing companies.  In the links, I discovered Preditors and Editors.  A fabulously wonderful site devoted to protecting writers.  I probably look at this site daily when I'm ready to submit a manuscript.  Essentially every agent and publisher is on their lists which are divided alphabetically.  Each listing is ranked with a number of descriptors such as "recommended" or "not recommended" among others.  Their mission seems to be to personally shut down fraudulent and dishonest persons seeking to take advantage of new and inexperienced writers.  If you do nothing else in your research of agents and/or publishers, check out Preditors and Editors.  You won't be sorry.  There are many other good ones including:  Absolute Write, Writer Beware, and Query Tracker to name a few.  Publisher's Marketplace will provide you with sales histories for agents, what they're seeking and how to contact them.

I know many of you who may stumble across my humble blog already know this stuff, but on the off chance someone like me just starting their career finds it, I hope this is helpful.

Good luck to all you fabulous writers new and experienced and never give up.  I know I won't.  Now, off to play in the snow with my kiddos.  Aren't snow days awesome?