Blogging from A to Z Challenge: Day 7 - Letter Q

You'd think the letter Q would be a tough one on the Blogging from A to Z Challenge - but I'm pretty sure quite a few of us writer's participating in the A to Z challenge, will be covering the same topic:

Query Letters and QueryTracker.net

There are many steps on the road to publication a writer must take. Of course, first you need to write something. This can take weeks, months, and even years - on the contrary to what many people think. 

Then you need to polish your manuscript until it's shining like a bright copper penny. Buff out the hard edges, sand out all the splinters, and fill in the gaping holes. Get critique partners and beta readers to rip it up and give you good, honest feedback - and take most of it, to heart; it's only going to make your story stronger.

Then do this step, all over again.

Believe me, you don't send out your manuscript the day after you've typed your last word (even though this is what I did, with my very first manuscript...no wonder it's locked away on my external hard drive, far, far, away!). 

But once your manuscript is ready to find a great literary Agent - it's not as simple as printing it out, wrapping it up in brown craft paper tied off with twine, and shipping it off to your top choice of agents. Nope. Not even remotely. Because you still have a few more steps you need to take - first of which, is write yourself a great query letter, so you can get the attention of said great literary Agent.

But what exactly is a query letter?

Plain and simple, a query letter is a one page cover letter, that pitches you and your story to those in the publishing industry. You have seconds to make a lasting impression, and only one page to do it all in. One. 

What it's not: a resume. Or page after page of how great and original your story is. Or how much better you write than that chick who wrote the vampire books. 

For the most part, your query letter should consist of the following: the hook, the mini-synopsis, and your writer’s biography. Many believe this should pack down into three tidy paragraphs - but I don't necessarily agree with that. As long as you keep all of the above to ONE page, I think it's fine, to say, have 4-6 small paragraphs vs. 3 long ones. But net/net, it should be roughly around 250 - 300 words total, from Dear Agent to Sincerely, Your Name. 

Agent Query posted a great article on How To Write A Query, which goes into more detail on all three of the above aspects, that make up the query letter - plus, they give great examples.

And I HIGHLY RECOMMEND taking a class on learning to write the perfect query: I don't believe C.J. Redwine teaches her workshop anymore (I took her query class a few years ago, and it was invaluable!), but I know she's published a book on the topic, which is worth checking out (just click on her name above for more details). I've also taken several classes through Writer's Digest - they always have guest agents that conduct them (I've taken a few from both Mary Kole and Sara Megibow, which were outstanding) - and you always get hands on advice!

So, what happens next?

Once you've landed on the perfect query letter - if you haven't already, it's now time to start researching the agents you want to query. There are MANY resources out there, for researching agents - Agent Query, Publisher's Marketplace, Twitter, and my all-time favorite: QueryTracker.

And what exactly is QueryTracker.net?

As posted on their site:

QueryTracker is not just another list of agents. In fact, our agent list is secondary to the real purpose and power of QueryTracker.

QueryTracker.net is a model for what I like to call "Social Data Gathering." Which means each QT user contributes data about their query and agent experiences. Alone, this data does not reveal much, but when combined with the data from our ever-growing membership, we can see trends and identify important aspects of an individual agent's actions.

But really, QueryTracker is an amazing data base, were other writers in the querying stage come to learn about agents, share who they've queried themselves, offer support, and understand many of the typical habits of most agents (response turn around time, average acceptance / rejection percentages, correct name and mailing address, etc.).

It truly is a valuable service to those ready to query an agent - and the best part? It's a free service (although for $25 / year, you can upgrade for more in-depth features, which are well worth it). Not to mention, Patrick - the King of QT support - is a-mazing! He's constantly monitoring the list of agents tracked to make sure none of them are on the Preditors and Editors list (aka, the agents that don't have your best interests at heart), is there to answer any questions - and overall, maintains the awesomeness that is QueryTracker. 

Head on over there and sign up, if you haven't already!

To sum it all up:

A query letter takes time - and lots of it. Sometimes it takes multiple versions, before landing on the right one. But to be totally honest, this is one of my most ABSOLUTE favorite steps of the writing process. I love writing queries - however sick and twisted that sounds - but I do. Synopsis on the other hand? Not so much.

I was going to post my query letter for THE LUCKY FEW, which netted the most success I've had in the querying process over all the years (5 weeks of querying: 17 agents queried = 10 fulls, 3 partials, 4 declines - and an exclusive rewrite with my top choice in agents) - but instead, I'd rather hear your thoughts on the whole process. If you have any questions or you'd like to share your query letter, I'd love to see it!

So...Query Letters and QueryTracker.net: how did YOU tackle the query process and what tools did you use? 

Additional resources:

The infamous Query Shark

Mary Kole - KidLit.com 

The polls are still open until April 23rd to vote for your favorite book blog via Goodreads! If you'd like to support my blog and all the book reviews I post (and thank you very much!), please click on the voting button over there to your left (just above my Twitter and Linky sections). Thanks again!! 

Blogging from A to Z Challenge: Day 16 - Letter P

It's time for the fabulous P in today's Blogging from A to Z Challenge - and my topic:

Poetry

I love poetry. Always have and always will. 

Some of my best memories growing up, are tied to many of my favorite poems: My sisters and I reading the wonderful rhyming words from the late-great Shel Silverstein, in WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS, THE LIGHT IN THE ATTIC, and THE GIVING TREE.

And recalling as if it were just yesterday, my mom reading one of my favorites from the fabulous Dr. Seuss:

Oh, The Places You'll Go! - Dr. Seuss (excerpt)

On and on you will hike.
And I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many stray birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with you left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent garanteed!)

KID YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Alenn O'Shea
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So... get on your way!

_____________________________

But after all these years, there is one that stands out from the rest of them. It's a poem I had to memorize in junior high English...which I then had to recite back in front of the entire class, as the boy I had the biggest crush on, sat and watched from the front row. Fifteen years later, he was the best man in my wedding.

And the poem? It's still my favorite: 

The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. 

_______________________________

Words, no matter how they're strung together, can mean more than just what's written down.

Poetry: What's your favorite - and what memory does it bring back for you?

The polls are open until 4/23 to vote for your favorite book blog via Goodreads! If you'd like to support my blog and all the book reviews I post (and thank you very much!), please click on the IBBA link - or the voting button over there to your left (just above my Twitter and Linky sections). Thanks again!! 

Blogging from A to Z Challenge: Day 15 - Letter O

Today's the magnificent letter O in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge - and my topic:

Outlines

Definitely one of the age old debacles for a writer - to outline or to not outline. 

Myself? I've always been a total pantser-style writer - letting my fingers fly across the keyboard with zero pause for censorship. At least that's what I thought...

But lately, I may have changed my tune. Which I actually find humor in, considering how much of a planner and list-maker I am in my day job. For five days a week, twelve hours a day, I'm owned by my to-do lists...and I actually relish in the satisfaction of filling in each tiny box next to all of my projects for the day, once they're done. Not to mention, I'm a huge Excel lover - and am fascinated with spreadsheets and the formulas that make the spreadsheets what they are.  

So why did I find it so hard to translate all of the above, into my writing?

Well, it's simple: Fear of losing my creativity.

While my job as a Creative Development Manager may sound creative (after all, it's actually in my title!), thanks to process, politics, and the need to get more done faster in less time, I've practically lost all the creative aspects that drew me to it, five years ago. Which is probably why in turn, my writing has picked up immensely, over the last five years.

I've always been a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of writer - believing that having to sit down and outline a story, took all the creativity out of writing it. And I wasn't about to put a damper on any of my creativity, with a silly ole' outline. 

But after realizing the potential for my book to actually become a series, I had to start thinking about all the legs it could have and how far I could take it. What would happen in book two, or even more so, in book three? And how would the ending I originally planned, morph into something even more involved, to encompass all that would happen across all three books?

Which led me to begin the outline for my story.

And wouldn't you know? The love I have for outlining my day, has translated into outlining my stories! Sketching out ideas on my giant white board, with multi-colored pens, is down-right gratifying - not to mention, fuels my desire to create. And now? Yeah, I think it's safe to say, that while I do love to write by the seat of my pants - it's almost just as much fun sitting down to outline the next steps. 

Does that mean I'll outline always? I'm not 100% positive on that. I'm also not sure I'll outline before I actually start to write something new - sometimes it's half the fun to just sit down and go...but at least now I know how great it can be to add an outline to a work in progress, and the benefits of what it can do!

Outlines: Are you a believer? 

The polls are open until 4/23 to vote for your favorite book blog via Goodreads! If you'd like to support my blog and all the book reviews I post (and thank you very much!), please click on the voting button over there to your left (just above my Twitter and Linky sections). Thanks again!! 

Blogging from A to Z Challenge: Day 14 - Letter N

We've got N up for grabs in today's Blogging from A to Z Challenge - and my topic:

Naming Your Novel

So you've finally finished the last line of your manuscript. It's maybe even been through a dozen or so re-writes. Your critique partners have scoured over it - and your beta readers love it. But...what did you end up naming it? 

For some, the name just comes, as they write. For others, maybe it's at the end, when all is said and done. But for many, finding the perfect name isn't as easy as it would seem. In fact, it may have been easier to write those 80,000 words that make up your manuscript - but the few simple ones that will adorn the cover? Yeah, not so much.

Why is a title that big a deal?

A title is everything! It’s the first thing a potential reader sees - it's what will either catch an agent or editor’s attention or send all your hard work straight to the trash can. Just as your name represents you, the title of your book must be representative of your novel.

I've determined that titles can be separated into three groups: The good, the okay, and the not-so-good…

The first is the good: These are the titles that catch your attention right off the bat. They make a reader pick up the book, scan the front, turn it over and read the back...and ultimately, move on to the cash registers, with said book in hand. Examples: The Hunger Games, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, Slaughterhouse-Five, and The Lovely Bones.

The okay: These titles have a 50/50 chance of getting the attention of a reader - but that might only be because they had a great image on the cover, or maybe an impressive quote from the New York Times (or another reputable author). Examples: Twilight, Shiver, and Hourglass.

Then the not-so-good: Oy vey. If you didn't know a stitch about these books - hadn't heard any buzz what-so-ever...chances are, you'd walk right on by. Examples: The Road, Fallen, and Passion. 

So...how do you come up with a name?

It's all about being creative. 

Here are several tips that I use, when naming my novel:

Ah, my favorite: make a list:

1. List out all the names of your main characters.
2. Add all the major places in your book - school names, places of employment, locations.
3. Do you have any special talismans/objects that play a specific or important role? (for example: The Sorcerer's Stone)
4. Does your book contain any unique creatures, animals, or beings?

What is your story about?

1. What is the plot of your book?
2. Do you take your reader on a journey - and if so, to where?
3. Does your book relate to a current event or a trend?

When all else fails, turn to Google:

1. Search for pictures that represent your characters, your plot, maybe the school in your story - anything that represents aspects of your book. This is a favorite for me - and something I do from the very beginning of writing a story (and yes, I keep a spreadsheet of all my pics, so I can reference them later).
2. When you think of what other books your's would sit next to in the book store, what are their titles? This might get the creative wheels turning - but just make sure your title isn’t too close to another book already published!

Be creative and have some fun:

1. Pick out words that are unique to your manuscript - is there something there that can be played off of?
2. Use humor to help grab the attention your book deserves!
3. But don't forget - make sure your title is original. Don't be too quirky - but do pick something that's catchy.

Here are a few great articles I've found to help aid in finding a creative title for your story:

Writer's Digest posted a great article on the 7 Tips to Land the Perfect Title for Your Novel.

Absolute Write also posted a decent article, A Title for My Novel.

What's in a Name? Everything. So tell me, how did you come up with your title?

And just a reminder: the polls are still open to vote for your favorite book blog via Goodreads! If you'd like to support my blog and all the book reviews I post (and thank you very much!), please click on the voting button over there to your left (just above my Twitter and Linky sections). Thanks again!! 

Blogging from A to Z Challenge: Day 13 - Letter M

The letter M is up in today's Blogging from A to Z Challenge - and my topic:

Muses

Many authors believe in drawing their creativity from a devine source. A space perhaps otherworldly, that houses all the wonderful ideas of the universe - just waiting to flow through you, and onto your pages.

And you access this place of infinite creativity, by the works of the amazing muse. 

But what exactly is a muse?

According to The Free Dictionary.com, here is how they interpret the term muse: 

Muse  (myz)

n.

1. Greek Mythology Any of the nine daughters of Mnemosyne and Zeus, each of whom presided over a different art or science.

2. muse:

  a. A guiding spirit.

  b. A source of inspiration.

3. muse: A poet.
4. (Literature / Poetry) a goddess that inspires a creative artist, esp a poet

[from Old French, from Latin Mūsa, from Greek Mousa a Muse]

Many of our talented predecessors believed in the muse - and even included her in their works. For example:

Homer, in Book I of The Odyssey:

"Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns driven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of Troy." (Robert Fagles translation, 1996)

William Shakespeare, Act 1, Prologue of Henry V:

Chorus:
O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention,
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!

I am a believer in my muse. She's wonderfully talented and incredibly creative...but she also likes to vacation more than I do.

Not that she doesn't deserve a good vacation, because when she's here to work, she rolls up her sleeves, ties her laces tight, and is ready to run - often times allowing me to easily crank out anywhere from 20,000 - 30,000 words in a weekend. It's almost as if my fingers are unattached from my own body, as they fly across the keyboard and craft this potentially wonderful story - just waiting to be polished and fine tuned. 

But when my muse has packed up her bag and is off traveling to who knows where, here are a few tips that help me get through the funk:

1. Read. Read as many books in your genre, as you possibly can. A writer can never stop learning the tricks and trades of the business - and like a fine wine, the craft of writing only gets better with age.

2. Step away from your work. Sometimes you've been staring at the same chapter, same page, same paragraph, same sentence - same word - for who knows how long...but it's obvious that it's been long enough. Walk away from your writing - take a break and let your mind drift. Because when you try to force it, your Muse will never come out to play.

3. Spend time doing one of your favorite hobbies - go for a run, take a yoga class - perhaps an art lesson? Often times it's when you're participating in something else creative, that tempts your muse to come on home.

4. Talk to your writerly friends / CP's / Beta Readers - they understand what you're going through, sometimes better than your family. And sometimes, it's just what you need to get the creative juices flowing again. 

5. Jump on-line. Check out your favorite writer / author blogs. Stop by and read the latest post from a site you haven't been to in awhile. Stay connected.

My muse is kinda hanging out right now - she's patiently waiting in the cozy chair in the corner, feet tucked up underneath her, and reading a gossip magazine (she likes to do that, as do I). We're waiting for some feedback from Mr. Agent Man in the next week, to really dive in to all those re-writes I have ahead of me. I wonder if there's a way I can get her to write them for me. :)

So, do you believe in the writing muse? What do you do when she's not around? 

By the way, I wrote this post from the Maple Valley library. Yep, I said I'd come here today - and I did. And it's a beautiful space - not to mention, nice and quiet (although their YA section - while bigger than I expected - could still use a little help!). Plus, the view from my cozy table is so pretty - check it out:

And just a reminder: the polls are still open to vote for your favorite book blog via Goodreads! If you'd like to support my blog and all the book reviews I post (and thank you very much!), please click on the voting button over there to your left (just above my Twitter and Linky sections). Thanks again!!

Blogging from A to Z Challenge: Day 12 - Letter L

Today's hot topic starts with the letter L on the Blogging from A to Z Challenge - and my topic:

Libraries 

I happen to have two absolutely a-mazing libraries within a 5 square-mile radius from my home, in Maple Valley, Washington - and in the past nine years we've lived here (I can't believe I'm even going to admit this), I've never been into either of them, once.

I've been to other libraries, several times over the past few years...just neither in my own neighborhood - and I have no idea why.

That's down right embarrassing to say out loud - I mean, after all, I'm a writer! How could I not have been to visit either library - ev-ver? 

They're both beautiful - the architecture alone, is pretty spectacular:

Maple Valley Library

Covington Library

But then there are all the wonders both of them contain - all of those books, shelved perfectly, according to Mr. Melvil Dewey (organizational genius extraordinaire)...books just waiting to be plucked off the shelf and read. 

And if all of that wasn't enough - then there's the peace and quiet. Beautiful silence. The quiet hush. The sound of...nothing. What better place to take my laptop, grab a seat, and dive into those massive rewrites I've got ahead of me?

Which settles it.

I'm going to my library THIS WEEKEND. I'm packing up my laptop and I'm going. And in fact, maybe I'll go to the Maple Valley library on Saturday, then the Covington location on Sunday. Done and done. 

So how about you?

Libraries - have you been to your's lately? If so, what do you use the space for - writing? Reading? Relaxing? 

The polls are still open to vote for your favorite book blog via Goodreads! If you'd like to support my blog and all the book reviews I post (and thank you very much!), please click on the voting button over there to your left (just above my Twitter and Linky sections). Thanks again!!

And I successfully participated in yesterday's #RocktheDrop - hosted by the amazing peeps over at Readergirlz and Figment, to support Teen Lit Day. What a super fun activity - and one I'll definitely participate in again next year! A big thanks to Jessica Love for recommending it!

Here are pics of the books I dropped:

THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by Carrie Ryan and THE DEAD-TOSSED WAVES (sequel to THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH), also by Carrie Ryan

Outside the Issaquah, WA. Public Library

And THIRTEEN REASONS WHY by Jay Asher:

Bench in front of Great Harvest Breads, Factoria, WA.