Querying

A year ago I had my MS done and all ready to push to the publishing world. Carol Lynch Williams offered to give it a final look-over.

As if that wonderfully crafted piece could be found to be deficient.

It was.

My writer’s group has been poring over it ever since and I now find myself ready to share it with the world. As I’ve learned a bit on this next aspect on the writing adventure, perhaps others would like a primer on querying.

The information below applies to agents more so than editors. I’ve come to understand that most editors would prefer to work with agented writers and thus, I choose to concentrate my efforts there. I assume the same suggestions would likewise apply to publishers. 

Rule number one is to write a killer book. That’s a tough one. There is some very good kid lit out there. Is mine Newbery award caliber? Okay, at least it’s a darn good story and I’m proud of it. I think I’ve got voice, good characters, and a nice story arc. I am biased, but think it is worthy.

Rule number two is to write a killer query. That, too, is a tricky one. It doesn’t take nearly as long to write as the book, yet many writers cringe at the thought of it. There are differing opinions on the format it should take. AgentQuery.com has a three paragraph formula and they say “don’t stray from this format.” Interviews with agents suggest straying. Some like cutesy and clever (you do want your query to stand out from the multitude), others want it to look professional. 

As Nathan Bransford says, “A query letter is part business letter, part creative writing exercise, part introduction, part death defying leap through a flaming hoop… In essence: it is a letter describing your project.” What most agents want to see in a query is the genre, word count, a short summary, and information on your writing credentials. A hook, or teasing information similar to a book’s jacket cover is not uncommon. A synopsis would cover major plot points and how they are resolved. The goal of the query is to pique the agent’s curiosity and get them to ask to see more.

Research, a vital step in the query process, should not be skipped. It is important to know if you and your work will mesh with the agent and agency. Before wasting an agent’s time with something they are not interested in, learn what it is they and their agency represents. Determine what their submission policy is. There is variety within them. Along with the query, they may request a synopsis, the first five pages, first three chapters, first twenty pages, a writer’s bio, a book proposal etc., either attached or pasted into the body of the email. You don’t let the great American novel never see light of day because the query, unread, hit the trash folder on a technicality. Representation is a business decision. You want get a feel for how you and the agent will work together will move the project along toward publication. 

This a scant look at the query process. Below are sites one can go for in-depth understanding. Don’t fail to follow the links found on these pages. Sites, in addition to those mentioned above, include: Query Tracker, Preditors and Editors, 

Once you’ve written the perfect novel, Nathan Bransford says to “write the best letter you can, be yourself, don't overthink it too much.” I believe I’ve done that.

Except for the overthinking it part.

(This article also posted at http://writetimeluck.blogspot.com)

Social media for authors: Facebook

I’ve been working with Elissa Cruz, our local SCBWI chapter Assistant Regional Advisor, looking ahead to a potluck social this summer. (It is Friday, July 18 at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City, by the way.) As it is a “social,” we were thinking social media and how it impacts writers would be the theme for the evening.

Publishers are more interested in taking on authors who have a strong social media platform with which to help promote their books. It stands to reason that establishing an online presence is something writers would want to do. But how does one go about that?

In the next few weeks, this very question will be examined. Being woefully deficient in this phenomenon, others better qualified to lead such a discussion will be referenced. Of course, your comments and suggestions on the matter are appreciated.

Various internet articles discuss the specific social media sites best to use and the general consensus seems to be Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Goodreads, Google+, and Linkedin. Facebook is the granddaddy of them all and it would be prudent to ride along its coattails. I was surprised Goodreads came up on several sites as I subscribe to it just for the reading suggestions it makes. One site declares Goodreads and Facebook as mandatory in the writer’s social media inventory. 

Let’s start with Facebook. I’ve had an account for a while but rarely went there. Then people kept telling me my brother is a funny guy on FB. I started checking out his page and yes, he is. Who new? Now I’m lurking there more frequently, occasionally “liking” something or leaving a comment. 

So, what am I supposed to do now, start spouting writerly things on Facebook? Probably only my family would notice and they wouldn’t care. 

Nathan Bransford, whose blog I follow, has posted twice on the subject. He says it is possible to have multiple pages on FB so you can keep your personal connections separate from your author pages. One of his posts, Facebook for Authors - How to get Started was written in  2011, but is relevant today. Bransford suggests authors create two pages, one an author fan page to create now and a book page once you have a cover for it. Admittedly, the fan page is presumptuous if one isn’t a celebrity. But, he says, you should create a fan page now even if you aren’t yet a publish author.

Want to set up a fan page? You can follow his link and he gives directions on how to do that. I just created one and it was fairly simple. Scott Rhoades created one for this Utah Children’s Writes blog. You can access it here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1441614632721608/

I still have few things I’m not sure about. Bransford says  if you want to “promote your book stuff,” you should turn on subscriptions, thus allowing people to subscribe to your public posts. Do I want to do that? Not sure. I tried to edit settings and got stymied by the instructions. Nathan Bransford’s post also has more information on optimizing your page with Like Buttons, something I need to look into.

Nonetheless, I now have an online writing presence. My page is here: https://www.facebook.com/brucethewriter. If more of us create fan pages then share, we could “like” and help build each others’ platforms. 

Happy social media platform building.

And: WIFYR is still accepting writers wanting to improve their craft.

(This article also posted at http://writetimeluck.blogspot.com)

Synopses

Many agree that the synopsis is one of the hardest parts of the writing process. After penning a 300 page story, authors often are daunted by the task of composing a three page synopsis. 

That may be because there is no real agreement on what the thing entails. While the query letter has a set format, the synopsis, other than to reveal all important plot points, has none. Opinions vary on length, anywhere from one to four pages. Everybody has a different idea what it should look like and, according to Nathan Bransford, there is no one way to write a synopsis.

The general consensus is that a synopsis should tell all, leaving no questions as to how the book ends. The query letter is the place to dance the mystery and intrigue of the story. With a synopsis, an agent or editor is looking to see how each story and character arc plays out. 

YA novelist Marissa Meyers loathed the process. Rather than remain intimidated by it, she decided to embrace the synopsis writing challenge and figure out a method to creating one. The New York Times best-selling author of The Lunar Chronicles shares, in six steps, what she came up with. The full article can be found here. 

Step 0, Meyers says, is to write the book. Otherwise you would be writing its outline.

Step 1 - Skim through the manuscript and note the important events, boiling down each chapter to one or two sentences. Show each plot and subplot arc.

Step 2 - Embellish the beginning and give the reader a foundation to stand on. Give the same set-up as the first chapter provides, supplying the setting, protagonist, and their problem.

Step 3 - String together the short chapter summaries, using standard synopsis format, which is: written in 3^rd person, present tense, with first mention of each character’s names in all-caps.

Step 4 - Read through the notes with a focus on plot. This self-discovery process can allow the author to see plot holes and insure a natural progression of events.

Step 5 - Read through again, this time with a focus on character arc. Insure that your MC evolves as a result of events in the story. Look for those big moments that change their attitudes and goals and show how they effect the protagonist emotionally.

Step 6 - Trim and edit. Like the novel itself, remove excess words and phrases that don’t help tell he story and choose descriptive words carefully.

Piece of cake, right?

On another topic, WIFYR registration is now open. Check it out here.

(This article also posted at http://writetimeluck.blogspot.com)

Character or plot

A friend asked what is my greatest weakness as a writer. There are so many to choose from, yet the nature of the question eliminates a long diatribe.

As I thought about all the things that go into a good story, I wasn’t sure if the weakness is one of plot or of characterization. The two of them are inter-twined. Nathan Bransford calls them inseparable.

The problem I have with character is my people are too simple, not multi-dimensional. They don’t seem to show the growth that is supposed to accompany the lessons learned from facing an adversary.

Bransford says a compelling character is one who starts off seeming normal but events soon show personality traits that were previously unknown to them (think Luke Skywalker or Harry Potter) or someone battling internal demons. A normal person observing a crazy world also makes for a compelling character. At the heart of every compelling character is “conflict, more conflict, and still more conflict.” He says to reveal conflict through plot. What interesting character isn’t doing something? “Plot tests a character and forces them to make choices. Plot is what makes the character interesting (because the character is tested) and character is what makes the plot interesting (because we’re learning about the character).” The plot changes the character. Every compelling character starts in one place and ends up in a different one. How they get there is plot.

MJ Bush of WritingGeekery says “strong characters are complex enough to carry the story, pull in the reader, and give a sense that there’s more going on under the surface.” She has four cornerstones of strong characters (fear, a secret, a flaw, and a quirk). They help establish character dynamics and the unfolding of the plot. Major characters should have two to four of these, and are best served with all four. Fear propels the story. Without fear, readers would wonder why the MC doesn’t just ignore the problem. High stakes make for good story and fear causes the high stakes. Secrets: everybody has a dark side, which they never show anybody, and the MC has one, too. What do they have to hide and how does that clash with the external events of the story? Everybody has flaws, as well. What kinds of mistakes does the character make, and what circumstances cause the flaw to surface? Quirks are there to create symbolism for something she calls the character theme.

So, my biggest weakness is my characters. Or my plot.

(This article also posted at http://writetimeluck.blogspot.com )

Writing and lying

Nathan Bransford does a writing blog I like to check in with. A while ago he wrote a post about how writing and lying have a lot in common. For both, you are using words to try to get someone to believe something that is not true.

Both a good story and a good lie need details and believability to succeed. A liar needs to spin the tail with minute details. They have to do so in such a way to make perfect sense, to make it believable. Branford says a good liar can “make you feel the sun on their face and the cool splash of water on their arms as they're catching the big one that got away.” A good writer can do the same.

With a well-written story, you tear up at the death of a green 900 year-old Jedi warrior, or reel when Dementors fly overhead. Readers suspend belief when first entering a story. To stay there is difficult with a poorly crafted piece.

An author must establish the reality of illusion. The illusion is maintained through the many facets that make a story: the prose the writer uses, the authenticity of characters and their emotions and motivation, the dialogue, etc. If not written well, the reader is pulled out of the story, the lie is exposed.

If you want to be a better writer, you should learn to be a more believable lair.

(This article also posted at http://writetimeluck.blogspot.com )