Professional Critique

For all you writers out there, I have an important question to ask you:

• Have you had a professional critique done on your manuscript?

If not, I strongly recommend doing this. When you pour over a manuscript day in and day out, you eventually become so close to the material it's hard to take a step back and see what needs improvement. Having someone critique your manuscript (I'm not talking about a friend or relative) will really give you some valuable insight. Jeff Herman's Guide to Literary Agents has a good list of independent editors. Or try checking out your local university--there may be some qualified editors there.

What you do want to ensure, of course, is that you seek this critique from a reliable source. Unfortunately, there plenty of scams out there on the Internet. But if you see a list of independent editors via a well-researched book such ast Jeff Herman's Guide, you should be okay. For safe measure, you should ask the editor for a couple of references. Speaking to people the editor has worked for in the past will give you an idea of the quality of the critique, the editor's timeliness and professionalism, and the person's overall satisfaction regarding the experience.

As far as price goes, each editor tends to arrange their fee schedule differently. Some charge by the hour, others charge per page. A lot of times it will depend on the length of your manuscript.

Be prepared that not every editor will feel your project is right for him/her. They may have certain specialties on the types of genres or writing styles they work with; for this reason, sometimes they will ask to see a sample before committing to taking you on as a client. This is also a beneficial excerise for you, the writer. After all, if you're going to spend the time submitting your manuscript to someone (and invest monetarily in "hiring" them) you want to make sure that particular editor is the right person for YOU--and that they are capable of providing the kind of advice you're looking for. Example: Someone who specializes in literary prose may  not be the right fit for reading and critiquing a Chick Lit novel. Or someone who specializes in YA fantasy may not be the right fit for a non-fiction project.

You may be wondering...So, what exactly can I expect from a critique?

Again, there is room for variation here. Some editors make line-by-line comments or changes, AND an overall critique where they summarize what they feel are your strengths and weaknesses. Others make page-by-page comments and do an overall critique. It really just depends. Evaluate what you think might be best for your manuscript--your goals and expectations for a critique-- then ask the editors if their approach matches yours. From there, you may be able to customize your own little package deal. It really just depends on how flexible the editor is on their approach. Rest assured, though, "It doesn't hurt to ask!" Because you know what?

You guessed it...."It never hurts to ask."

Best of luck to you on seeking a professional critique. I think you'll find it worth the investment.

Writing--No Matter What

We've all heard it before---you should be writing every day (or close to it) if you really consider yourself a writer. And especially if you want to become an author.

I can't tell you how true I think this statement is.

I used to write whenever the mood would strike--and usually, that mood would strike often. I loved to write. There was a huge part of me that had to write, much like some people have to go for a run. But there would be occasional times where I'd go a long time without that mood striking. Sure, I'd blame it on busyness, on work, on family obligations, etc. And while I wouldn't feel all that bad about it--because I knew, probably sooner rather than later, that I would go through another phase of writing a lot--they were still excuses. And that gap between writing a lot and going through a slow spell before hitting the keyboard again would really slow down my momentum.

I finally made a conscious decision to follow the advice I had been hearing for so long--to write every single day. When I made that decision--though I didn't realize it at the time--it was a step toward taking myself seriously. It was admitting that behind all those excuses, there was doubt--that I couldn't do it, that I would fail, that I didn't really have it in me.

I am happy to say that I stuck to it. My novel is complete. Complete!  Know what that means? My determination and discipline paid off. That gut feeling inside that had dared myself to believe in my story, my writing ability, myself WON over those little spurts of doubt. And now, after many, many revisions, after having qualified editors review my work, after more revisions, it's really real:

•  My novel.
• The potential of my novel to peak an agent's interest, then make it to a publishing house.
• The fact that I can truly say I'm a writer--not just one who jots down some stories now and then before getting busy and forgetting about them, not just one who has a dream of writing but no discipline to put that dream into action.

If you've felt the same thrill of being able to say those things--congratulations. It's a greet feeling, isn't it? The road to turning your manuscript into print will most likely be another long journey, don't get me wrong. But no matter how you slice it, you've still overcome half the battle. You've turned a thought, an idea, a few words on page 1 into a full written work.

If you're struggling with staying focused and following through---make up your mind that you WILL stay focused. You HAVE to, because otherwise you will always wonder if you were capable. Did you hear that? (Ok, I know you did but I think it's worth repeating.) You will ALWAYS wonder if you were capable.

Dare yourself to believe you are capable.

Yes, it will be hard. Yes, it will take up a lot of your time. And yes, there will be times when you'll hit a road block in your plot you hadn't considered--and that has to be resolved before the story can continue and still make sense. Or times where you'll spend 100 pages developing a character only to realize he/she just isn't fitting in or coming across as well as you had hoped. Or times when you have had a long day at work and really just want to watch a movie/promise yourself to work on your manuscript tomorrow. All of those things WILL happen.

My advice for you is to be prepared for those moments--and to push through them and stay committed to your goal. Because if writing is truly your passion, no matter how much you're tempted to call it a day and procrastinate for "when the mood strikes" you'll feel much more satisfied after getting your words down THAT day, EVERY day (even if it's only for 30 minutes or an hour ....or 2 pages or 10 pages or 50 pages--however you quantify it). And all those days will add up until one day....ONE DAY, your manuscript is complete.

Agent Advice from Rachelle Gardner

Literary Agent Rachelle Gardner has a great blog, which she updates regularly. Today her post has particularly good advice for first time authors. Check it out!

http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=50

Agent Credibility

When I'm thinking about who to query, an agent's website speaks volumes to me. There are two big things I'm looking for:

1) Does it look professional?

If the answer is yes, that tells me that other parts of the agency are probably run in a professional manner  as well. If the answer is no and the website gives off a sloppy vibe, I probably won't send my query letter there. Why should I? There are hundreds of other agents out there who DO have professional looking websites. Not that the website is everything. But it is a first impression. And just like a query letter, it should be in the best shape possible.

2) Do they provide a list of authors and/or books they represent?

Whether it's an actual list or a rotating scroll of book covers, I absolutely want to see this. It shows me--upfront with no games--who the agency represents. Meaning...

• I can go online or go to the bookstore and validate that indeed they are legit.
• If I recognize a few titles or authors, that's great. I just might put that agency on the top of my wish list.
• I can be "wow'ed" by how truly awesome this agency is.
• If this agency happens to sign me, my name/book will be featured on the website too

When agencies do not provide a list like this, it makes me curious --why wouldn't they?

• Do they have something to hide?
• Do they rest on their laurels and just assume everybody knows they're awesome/they represent so and so?
• Are they so against random queries/ solely interested in referrals that they don't feel the need to share this information?

Query Numbers

If you've researched the query process at all you've heard that the odds aren't exactly in your favor, that literary agents are swamped and that the slush pile is exactly what it sounds like---slush.

It makes you wonder what ARE the odds...doesn't it?

Tip: Many agents post their query stats on their blog. I have found this to be very helpful. You can see how many queries they received in a month, how many they requested a partial or a full from, etc. Sometimes the numbers are pretty discouraging, but they are informative and worth viewing. One agent in particular who posts this kind of information on a regular basis is Kathleen Ortiz at Lowenstein Yost Literary Associates. Visit her blog: http://www.kortizzle.blogspot.com/ and check it out.

Best of luck to beating the odds! (And we do know that happens!!!)

Form Rejections

If you've just started the query process, more than likely you've received your first few "form rejections."
Depressing, I know.  The first few I got were so sad--so simple and...empty. All that effort to re-word my query 500 times until it sounded PERFECT....all that effort to find a good, solid agency, read all the bios of the agents, carefully choose the "right" agent for my kind of work, study the submission guidelines and format my materials accordingly, re-read and re-read and re-read my final package before clicking "send"........then WAIT (i.e. check my email 100 times a day) for that. That little, utterly empty response.

It stinks--any way you look at it.

But let's not get off on the fact that form rejections are impersonal, therefore we hate them. (I see this on a lot of other blogs.) It's true--they ARE impersonal. But let's be honest...what really hurts is the fact that we have to go back to the drawing board:  re-read our query (that we probably have memorized by now), take another look at our sample pages (also practically memorized by now), and try to figure out what was missing. This is something that's VERY tough to do when you've been working on a manuscript/concept/pitch for a very long time--on average, I would say a year--and honestly, by this point you're so close to it you can't see the flaws.

Sound familiar? You start to think how you've poured your heart and soul into this, analyzed it to death, taken a break, then analyzed it to death some more. It was supposed to be perfect. It was supposed to work. All may be true...but don't get discouraged.

You've got passion. That's what drove you to write the darn thing to begin with. And that is what will help you persevere through receiving these form rejections. Eventually--if it's true that your query letter and materials are in tip top shape--you should begin to receive some requests for partials or fulls. If you don't receive those requests, I recommend visiting http://www.queryshark.blogspot.com/ or http://www.pubrants.blogspot.com/ for some tips on query letters and submissions. Oh, and a glass of wine. Or two.  : )

QueryTracker

QueryTracker is a great resource for aspiring authors. http://www.querytracker.net/

I've gotten the most use out of this site by visiting the forums. You'll see that many of the questions you have or the issues and questions that are on your mind will already be posted, with plenty of people offering words of wisdom from past experience, or simply commiserating together.

It's amazing how much commiserating together really helps!! The road to getting published is a long one, and seeing that other people have been there/feel your pain goes a long way in giving you that extra boost to "stay the course."

Query Tracker is also useful for looking up information on agents---how to contact them, what they represent, if they're open to submissions, etc. There are various stats available on their response times as well. I'll admit, I'm not sure the accuary on some of those. But they are worth looking into!

Fresh Page, Fresh Thoughts

As a writer, I love the thrill of a blank page. Who knows what it can become?

Now don't get me wrong--a blank page can also be overwhelming. (So many thoughts, but how to get them all down the way you want them!!)

I intend for this blog to be about the ups and downs of writing and the journey of trying to get published.

Your feedback along the way will be much appreciated. Thanks for reading my first post--a fresh page. We'll see where this blog leads!