This is not the first time I will delve into pitches and queries. It will not be the last time. Last time, I posted a few tips and query fails as found on twitter.
Today, I will show you the singes and burn marks from passing a pitch to a willing victim... err... volunteer.
Meet the nice folks over at @Seagman on twitter. You never know if you are talking to Aaron or Scott, but they are both great folks with equally great senses of humor. Aaron was nice enough to be cornered and take some time out of his busy schedule to rip apart a query.
As my experience with queries is limited, I wrote a query specifically for the purpose of education. My education. Now, your education. As I am shameless, I will post the entire thing for you to learn from. There are some purposefully seeded #queryfail moments. (Which Aaron caught and lectured about. I guess it is a good thing that I have thick skin.)
Now, onto the query in question:
The query itself is 166 words long. This is also a #queryfail in a whole, but it was a first attempt at a serious query.
The first noted #queryfail is the fact that Aaron does NOT represent the science fiction and fantasy genres. He represents more along the lines of mysteries, thrillers and suspense. However, this is a common issue. I was astounded to discover just how many people would query out of genre. While this was a controlled experiment, done with Aaron's blessings, I strongly suggest that you do NOT do this. Learn from the ripping of this critique. These are the immediate thoughts of an agent reading the query. Do you REALLY want an agent thinking these things about your writing? I didn't think so.
When I wrote the query, I had not intended on including any manuscript with it. Why? This was an experimental query. That said, as I was about to hit send, I decided on sending a blurb along with it. Aaron seemed to enjoy ripping through it, so I'll share with you the importance of sending only POLISHED works to an agent. By polished, I mean, spit-shined polished. That manuscript better have more luster than a pearl. I am not including the entire section that I included with the query email. I don't think I could survive the embarrassment. Yes, it is a rough draft. No, I'm not happy with said rough draft. No, it was never meant to be sent to an agent. Ever. Ah, well. The things I do for the craft.
Dear Secret Agent Man Aaron,
In a single night, three hundred years of history burned to the ground.
Propelled by hatred and racism, Danar sought the annihilation of Kelsh and her people. Unprepared and undefended, the city of Heliash toppled, her inhabitants slaughtered, captive or on the run.
Mari had returned home expecting a warm reunion with her mother, father and siblings. Instead, she found plumes of dark smoke coiling towards the uncaring sky and the stench of death. Her decision to fight her way into the city to find her family's fate hurls her into a living nightmare.
Lost, alone and despairing, Mari discovers the Tower of the Rising Sun. Never found by those seeking it and never granting its power to those who desired it, the Tower was both legend and myth.
What Mari did not expect was the high price the Tower would demand.
Burdened with a pledge unbreakable even by death, Mari must stop the demons of Danar, even if it means the destruction of her soul.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Rebecca J. Blain
Faint screams drifted on the gusting winds of the Sariano plains. The acrid stench of burning flesh assaulted Kari, the force of it so great she yanked her horse to a halt. The dark mare tossed her head and snorted, ears laid back. Falling over the saddle’s horn, she clutched at her mouth with a hand, fighting the waves of nausea that sought to overwhelm her.
Kari blessed the stars and the sky that Luna was so well trained. Legs braced in place, the horse patiently stood as she struggled to sit upright. Kari’s lungs burned as she choked and coughed. While the smoke was not thick, the putrid odor was so vile that her stomach churned despite her best efforts.
Her throat swallowed and convulsed as she sat up. Days of sweat and dirt had a unique and disgusting scent of its own, but it bought her the precious moments to steel her nerve and her guts.
After all, days on the road without a bath gave her plenty of time to adjust to that smell.
With the dark tendrils of night falling over the plains, she did not dare kick her horse into a gallop to climb the hill and discover the source of the sounds and scent. Turning Luna into the wind, she settled on a sedate walk.
_Goddess above, what is happening here?_
Kari knew the stench of decay or of burning bodies but that did not make it any easier to endure. She had survived two wars that bore more death and hardship than she wished to remember. The smell was reminiscent of the aftermath, the sacrificial pyres of the dead so that the survivors might not die of disease even as they recovered.
--
Now, onto the critique.
Dear Secret Agent Man Aaron,
This should be just Aaron, or Mr. Montaine to impress my mom.
In a single night, three hundred years of history burned to the ground.
Nice opening line. No, really. I like it.
Propelled by hatred and racism, Danar sought the annihilation of Kelsh and her people. Unprepared and undefended, the city of Heliash toppled, her inhabitants slaughtered, captive or on the run.
This is kind of interesting, except . . . why? Besides the whole hatred/racism thing, why does Danar want to annihilate Kelsh? That's not something you hear every day. Also, is Danar male, female, a unicorn? Is Kelsh a city or a queen? And I'm not sure what Heliash has to do with Kelsh, Danar or the unicorn.
Mari had returned home expecting a warm reunion with her mother, father and siblings. Instead, she found plumes of dark smoke coiling towards the uncaring sky and the stench of death. Her decision to fight her way into the city to find her family's fate hurls her into a living nightmare.
Danar, Kelsh, Heliash and now Mari . . . I'm already getting dizzy. I suspect Danar took care of Heliash, and is now going after Kelsh, and Mari is, I assume, going to be the savior. I'm pretty sure most skies don't care, so to specify that this particular sky is "uncaring" is a bit of over-writing. Also, hurling into a living nightmare is not very specific or descriptive. Is she tortured? Raped? Forced to watch Dancing With The Stars? Those are living nightmares.
Lost, alone and despairing, Mari discovers the Tower of the Rising Sun. Never found by those seeking it and never granting its power to those who desired it, the Tower was both legend and myth.
This is a bit confusing since she's lost, yet finds a tower no one else has found. She should buy a lottery ticket. And if she finds it, it is technically no longer a myth. The language is nice, but it doesn't tell me anything. What is its power? Why does everyone want to find it? And since the House of the Rising Sun was a brothel, I can only assume the Tower of the Rising Sun is going to get busted by the cops any day now.
What Mari did not expect was the high price the Tower would demand.
Yeah, this is vague too. I get that Mari might have lost her family -- that's a big deal. Everything else is a nicely painted mish mash of nothing. I don't know what it means, and you really haven't given me a reason to care. I should care, I want to care, but I don't. Why should I give a hoot about Mari and her missing family if there are thousands of other people burning, dying, watching Dancing With The Stars? I want to give a hoot. I have too many and I'd hate to throw them out. But Mari? She doesn't deserve any of my hoots.
Burdened with a pledge unbreakable even by death, Mari must stop the demons of Danar, even if it means the destruction of her soul.
The most concrete part of your plot yet: Mari must stop the demons of Danar. But why? Okay, I understand they're demons, and stopping them is a good thing, but she must stop them? Who said? And what would happen if she didn't? Would that high price the Tower demanded get a 25.7% APR added to it? And if it destroys her soul, wouldn't that put a damper on family reunions? I mean, a soulless Mari would just sit there and eat all the Pringles.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Word count? (I know you don't have one yet, but it's nice to pretend.)
Rebecca J. Blain
Okay, gotta go. Dancing With The Stars is on.
But wait! There's more!
Faint screams drifted on the gusting winds of the Sariano plains. The acrid stench of burning flesh assaulted Kari, the force of it so great she yanked her horse to a halt. The dark mare tossed her head and snorted, ears laid back. Falling over the saddle’s horn, she clutched at her mouth with a hand, fighting the waves of nausea that sought to overwhelm her.
Is this part of the other thing? Because it's not helping. A "gusting wind" is kind of like a "smelly fart" -- redundant and highly reminiscent of my Uncle Olaf, who was gusty in many different ways.
I don't know how a stench can assault someone, since it can't hold a club. Unless you were referring to Uncle Olaf.
The last two lines are kind of confusing since the dark mare snorted, then apparently clutched at her mouth with a hand, which means this is one special horsie. I believe you meant Kari was about to barf, but that's not what it says.
Kari blessed the stars and the sky that Luna was so well trained. Legs braced in place, the horse patiently stood as she struggled to sit upright. Kari’s lungs burned as she choked and coughed. While the smoke was not thick, the putrid odor was so vile that her stomach churned despite her best efforts.
The second line is also confusing because it's not clear who is struggling, Kari or Luna. It gets cleared up in the next line, but the confusion is still there.
Her throat swallowed and convulsed as she sat up. Days of sweat and dirt had a unique and disgusting scent of its own, but it bought her the precious moments to steel her nerve and her guts.
Okay, we get it -- three paragraphs about stinky. And it's not quite clear how her own stink gave her nerve.
After all, days on the road without a bath gave her plenty of time to adjust to that smell.
Is this really how you want to start your novel and introduce your character? Kari The Smelly?
With the dark tendrils of night falling over the plains, she did not dare kick her horse into a gallop to climb the hill and discover the source of the sounds and scent. Turning Luna into the wind, she settled on a sedate walk.
If it's all so putrid, wouldn't she go downwind and around the hill so she wouldn't have to revisit her lunch?
_Goddess above, what is happening here?_
I don't know what those little underline thingies are doing there. Just italicize it.
Kari knew the stench of decay or of burning bodies but that did not make it any easier to endure. She had survived two wars that bore more death and hardship than she wished to remember. The smell was reminiscent of the aftermath, the sacrificial pyres of the dead so that the survivors might not die of disease even as they recovered.
Back to the stink? I know the creative writing teachers emphasize using the senses, but some of the others would be nice.
--
Can you smell burned feathers? Those are mine. Once again, let me comment on the importance of never, ever sending a draft to an agent. Many of the problems that Aaron points out here I correct in edits and revisions. The draft is just that: draft. It isn't meant to see the light of day.
There was a line I bolded and italicized. Why? It is my favorite.
You will get burned as you write your queries. Take a moment and learn from mine. You can also learn from @Janet_Reid and her awesome @queryshark. I strongly recommend following Janet, her shark, Aaron and Scott. You won't regret it.
You will see a mention of using _ rather than italics. I had been fussing with an easy way to find out where I was using italics in a file and they were throwbacks. I typically use italics! That said, look at your agent's submission guidelines. Some agents absolutely do NOT want to see italics. Others want to read it as they would read the novel. Watch your submission guidelines very closely. Remember, if you do not prove you are capable of reading their guidelines, the agent will not believe you are capable of writing.
As a fare-thee-well, I leave you with a gem from twitter:
@Seagman Will the owner of a query missing a name, address, etc, but sent from the email "ILoveMyShnookies" please claim it in dumpster. Thanks.
Showing posts with label publishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label publishing. Show all posts
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Help, I've fallen and I can't get up! (Or how to resume writing if you have stopped)
Before I begin with this entry, I wanted to extend a kind thank you to those who have started to follow this blog and for those who have linked to specific entries, or even the blog itself! Your support is greatly appreciated.
I write this blog with no intent to profit or benefit from it beyond having taken the journey doing it. As you've probably noticed, I have not added ads to the blog, nor will I ever. I do not even have a donation button. So, that anyone has taken the time to respond to this blog at all is extremely valuable to me. I hope that you continue to enjoy and make use of the things I have learned.
In addition to this, I would like to point out -- once again -- that these are my opinions. I try to support my opinion with the opinions of other writers. Sometimes, I even find some facts out there on the internet! Please do not swallow every word I say with blind trust. I want every person who reads this blog to reach out and come to their own conclusions. If it happens to be inline with mine, that is wonderful.
Now, onto the real subject.
Something I hear about frequently is that a writer friend of mine has abandoned writing or has not picked up their pen in months. Some made the long haul for Nanowrimo and have since jumped off of the bandwagon. In some cases, they face-planted directly into a mud puddle. This often just adds insult to injury.
It causes a bit of pain to realize that I too have suffered from this syndrome. I think all writers do from time to time.
I have some insights that I have developed, oddly enough, without much influence from others. Writing is a very personal journey. For me, even more so. I'm fairly willing to hand out copies of my work to people who want to read if I have any trust in them whatsoever. However, until the moment I dedicated myself to posting to this blog as I became inspired to, I had not shared many of the details of the actual journey itself.
This post, I warn you now, is extremely personal for me. Because of this, I will be opinionated, stubborn and sometimes surly. I may even sound grumpy. (That may be due to the fact that it is 5:19 AM and I am looking at a draft with 61,661 words and I don't want to type a word because I really enjoy the look of that word count.)
Yes, I am procrastinating.
In order for this post to make sense, I will have to tell you a bit about two projects I am working on. This is relevant, because this is what I had to do to dig myself out of the latest hole I have buried myself in.
I will also warn you that this post meanders in all sorts of directions. If you're looking for the nice, neat and tidy posts you are used to. . . look away. Quickly. This is the union of a pig sty with chaos. This may sound angsty as well. In a way, it is. Emotions tend to be angsty things, and these are some of the darker emotions of writing.
The Projects!
Project One: My epic fantasy series. (As of yet, Untitled)
This is the novel series that I started with NaNoWriMo '09. I have 61,661 words to it at the moment. I have done some drafting, I have done some minor edits, and I have done a lot of world building for this story. I am writing slowly. After November, I admit to having done the inelegant face-plant directly into a pile of ....
... I'll let you imagine just what I fell into.
This story is my love child. It has been hard for me to write, however. I have strayed outside of my normal comfort zone and have not only pursued an epic, but I have pursued a story where people die. I have pursued a story that delves into grief, joy and difficulties. I have pursued a tale where a man must give up the things that he loves in the hopes of protecting them and giving them a future, only to find out that those hopes and those sacrifices meant nothing in the end.
I pursue a tale where men and women struggle for things that they believe in for the sake of people other than themselves. I pursue a tale where these same people then sacrifice those things they have fought so hard and long for in hopes of doing something purely for themselves.
This is a tale about building a future through a shroud of tragedy. It is a dark epic that finds glimmers of light in the oddest of places.
It is action and adventure paired with a little romance. And lust. (What is a good story without at least a little bit of lust, after all?)
I fell off the bandwagon on this story for a few reasons. As I mentioned before, it is difficult to write. I do not like writing of the deaths of people, even fictional. I have always been a fan of those stories where many people somehow manage to survive against all odds.
This time, I sacrificed those people. I let people die as is their fate. If someone is struck through the heart with an arrow, I allow them to bleed and become a statistic.
I have let main characters survive and die as necessary. After all, these people are but human, and humans are fragile.
So, I admit, I did get a keen sense of pleasure from killing off the random villages and describing their fates. There was something thrilling about the process. Also, there was something gleeful about making some of my friends squirm as I discomforted them.
I love a good, dark epic fantasy. So, this is my journey to write one. But I fell off! Woe is me.
Project Two: Ten Years Later (Tentatively titled: Darkest before the Dawn)
Yep. I revisited the world of the epic fantasy ten years later, on a different side of the continent that the main story takes place. Characters from the epic reappear. Ones who have not yet been introduced earn their keep. Ground work on "What Happened After?" is set into place. A few major players from the epic have minor roles, but are not the stars.
The star of this book is someone who does play a major role in the epic. However, she is not a major character, nor does she have a long term role. Her story did not begin until after she died and became a witch.
Er.. what?
In my world, in order to become a witch, you must first suffer fatal injuries. In a sense, it is a divine intervention of sorts. The powers of a witch are powers of nature, and a tie with nature that can only be completed once she (or he) has experienced all aspects of life. Including death.
If the person who dies is to be a witch, then he or she survives the injuries after walking through the shadows of death, of a sort. It is those "I have seen the light in the tunnel and somehow survived" type of people, who by all rights should have died. More people with the power to become a witch die than actually become a witch. It takes someone - or something - with a lot of dedication to keep one of these people from dying completely.
In this character's case, it was a bit of both.
This story is also a dark tale, at least at first. However, the main point of this story is a story of hope. It is the story of someone who has lost it all and has somehow survived despite that fact and has a glorious chance to take it all back. With an indominable spirit and a desire for vengeance, this witch goes on to not only serve justice, but to reclaim everything that she has lost.
It also touches into grief and healing, but is mostly a feel-good story about someone who does overcome those odds.
This novel was how I picked myself up off of the ground.
How I stood back up
After NaNoWriMo '09 ended, I think I wrote maybe 1,000 words a week total. Of which I deleted more words than I added. Very counterproductive, that. In furstration, I put it aside completely at the end of December, flailing in general. Who doesn't, sometimes?
I knew where I wanted to go with this story. I worked hard poking at it, but the inspiration that is still with me was having trouble coming to the surface. It is a form of writer's block, but somewhat different. I had the entire story, I knew what I needed to write, I knew what was happening in the scene. I just could not get myself to type the words onto the computer.
When coupled with a general sense of failure, this can result in tragedy for a writer. And the inability to put words to the page.
So, I asked my husband one day to buy me some writing journal or another. I wanted to jot down some story idea or another that was rattling in my brain.
He came out of the store with a pack of four 16 sheet journals.
Truly, these were the bestestestest things I have ever laid my eyes on. I squealed. There is a yellow, a blue, a green and a pink journal in each pack.
My creative juices had a collective freak fit and went into a state of catatonic shock. Who ever would have thought something so simple as a 16 sheet writing journal could make such a difference?
Armed with these journals, I began to write random stories. I had two false starts before I found project #2 kicking around in my skull.
The first 24 hours resulted in 6,400 handwritten words.
By the weekend, I had 12,800 and had the starts to a story I was really satisfied with.
After the shine wore off a bit, I found myself right back to where I had left off: saddened, discouraged and thinking I would never get a project properly finished, edited and out the door.
I took a step back, blogged a bit to motivate myself, and glared at my computer.
Then, I fell onto the solution of my problem.
Belief.
For one critical moment, I believed I could do this. I just had to figure out how. So, I made this expression at my computer and my writing paper: >:|
Project One is my dream novel(s). It is the story I wish to publish and share with the world. I had reached that precipice and stared into the abyss. The abyss stared back and mocked me.
No one is going to help pick you up when you fall. You must do it on your own. I realized this and started trying to find out just how to do it. I sat on my rump and reflected and found that I still had that critical belief in myself. It had just gone into hiding into some dark, dusty corner. It was a skeleton in my closet.
Just to repeat this: No one is going to help pick you up when you fall.
People will say kind things and try to help, but only you can help you get back up at the end of the day.
This is kind of painful to write about. And embarrassing. But, I am human, so there we have it.
Again, just in case the first two times weren't opinionated and stubborn enough:
If you want to be a writer, stop relying on other people to pick you up and start relying on you. People, like me, will tell you kind words or mean ones trying to motivate you. But at the end of the day, when you fall in the mud, you need to believe that you can stand back up. An agent may love your story, an editor may shower you with praise. A publication house may pick up your story. However, none of this will ever happen if you do not believe that you can make it happen.
Now, onto the next stage of recovery:
Remembering to Write
Life gets in the way. Some of the time, I just forgot to fit writing into my day. I got distracted by shiny objects or by how warm and comfortable my bed really was and how much I enjoyed sleeping.
I cannot tell you how to remember to write each day! I fail at it miserably enough. (I am one week in of non interrupted writing. I feel like I'm succeeding at rehab.)
One tip I can suggest: Never ever take a day off completely. Write one sentence at a minimum. Once I fail to do that, it is sometimes a month before I pick up my pen again, which is totally unacceptable if I wish to become a professional author, as I do wish to do.
Finally, making progress!
Once you have gotten back up, it is easier to stay on the horse than to get back on after you have fallen. Train yourself not to give up. Once you do, you have to go back and find those shreds of belief and motivate yourself. This is hard. Oh, is it ever hard. But if you sit there and tell yourself that you can do it AND you actually do it, good things will happen.
Oh, yes. Good things will happen.
Believe. Remember to Write. Make it Happen.
Three very simple things that are extremely difficult to do. But, I stand by it. Hindsight is rather good for me, and each time I have fallen off, this is exactly how I ended up getting back up on the saddle and riding off towards that gorgeous sunset.
Now, as soon as I submit this and drink some tea to soothe my frayed nerves, I will exceed that shiny 61,661 word count. I want 75,000 by Monday, and they will not write themselves down.
By Friday, I want 85,000.
Two weeks from now, I want 100,000.
Can I do it?
I don't know. But I'm back up on the saddle, and I refuse to fall just yet. If I do, I will get back up.
But, I can thank four little 16 sheet writing journals and Project Two for helping me get the courage to resume on Project One. I will continue to write Project Two as a reward, but I have rededicated my focus back onto Project One where it properly belongs.
I would like to note that I had five spelling mistakes in this entire entry. For writing at 5-6 AM, not bad!
Also, a piece of advice before I find some fancy schmancy quotes to share: Do not forget to take your tea bag out of your water. It leaves unpleasant surprises an hour later.
Quotes on Motivation, Inspiration and anything else I feel interesting at this hour:
I write this blog with no intent to profit or benefit from it beyond having taken the journey doing it. As you've probably noticed, I have not added ads to the blog, nor will I ever. I do not even have a donation button. So, that anyone has taken the time to respond to this blog at all is extremely valuable to me. I hope that you continue to enjoy and make use of the things I have learned.
In addition to this, I would like to point out -- once again -- that these are my opinions. I try to support my opinion with the opinions of other writers. Sometimes, I even find some facts out there on the internet! Please do not swallow every word I say with blind trust. I want every person who reads this blog to reach out and come to their own conclusions. If it happens to be inline with mine, that is wonderful.
Now, onto the real subject.
Something I hear about frequently is that a writer friend of mine has abandoned writing or has not picked up their pen in months. Some made the long haul for Nanowrimo and have since jumped off of the bandwagon. In some cases, they face-planted directly into a mud puddle. This often just adds insult to injury.
It causes a bit of pain to realize that I too have suffered from this syndrome. I think all writers do from time to time.
I have some insights that I have developed, oddly enough, without much influence from others. Writing is a very personal journey. For me, even more so. I'm fairly willing to hand out copies of my work to people who want to read if I have any trust in them whatsoever. However, until the moment I dedicated myself to posting to this blog as I became inspired to, I had not shared many of the details of the actual journey itself.
This post, I warn you now, is extremely personal for me. Because of this, I will be opinionated, stubborn and sometimes surly. I may even sound grumpy. (That may be due to the fact that it is 5:19 AM and I am looking at a draft with 61,661 words and I don't want to type a word because I really enjoy the look of that word count.)
Yes, I am procrastinating.
In order for this post to make sense, I will have to tell you a bit about two projects I am working on. This is relevant, because this is what I had to do to dig myself out of the latest hole I have buried myself in.
I will also warn you that this post meanders in all sorts of directions. If you're looking for the nice, neat and tidy posts you are used to. . . look away. Quickly. This is the union of a pig sty with chaos. This may sound angsty as well. In a way, it is. Emotions tend to be angsty things, and these are some of the darker emotions of writing.
The Projects!
Project One: My epic fantasy series. (As of yet, Untitled)
This is the novel series that I started with NaNoWriMo '09. I have 61,661 words to it at the moment. I have done some drafting, I have done some minor edits, and I have done a lot of world building for this story. I am writing slowly. After November, I admit to having done the inelegant face-plant directly into a pile of ....
... I'll let you imagine just what I fell into.
This story is my love child. It has been hard for me to write, however. I have strayed outside of my normal comfort zone and have not only pursued an epic, but I have pursued a story where people die. I have pursued a story that delves into grief, joy and difficulties. I have pursued a tale where a man must give up the things that he loves in the hopes of protecting them and giving them a future, only to find out that those hopes and those sacrifices meant nothing in the end.
I pursue a tale where men and women struggle for things that they believe in for the sake of people other than themselves. I pursue a tale where these same people then sacrifice those things they have fought so hard and long for in hopes of doing something purely for themselves.
This is a tale about building a future through a shroud of tragedy. It is a dark epic that finds glimmers of light in the oddest of places.
It is action and adventure paired with a little romance. And lust. (What is a good story without at least a little bit of lust, after all?)
I fell off the bandwagon on this story for a few reasons. As I mentioned before, it is difficult to write. I do not like writing of the deaths of people, even fictional. I have always been a fan of those stories where many people somehow manage to survive against all odds.
This time, I sacrificed those people. I let people die as is their fate. If someone is struck through the heart with an arrow, I allow them to bleed and become a statistic.
I have let main characters survive and die as necessary. After all, these people are but human, and humans are fragile.
So, I admit, I did get a keen sense of pleasure from killing off the random villages and describing their fates. There was something thrilling about the process. Also, there was something gleeful about making some of my friends squirm as I discomforted them.
I love a good, dark epic fantasy. So, this is my journey to write one. But I fell off! Woe is me.
Project Two: Ten Years Later (Tentatively titled: Darkest before the Dawn)
Yep. I revisited the world of the epic fantasy ten years later, on a different side of the continent that the main story takes place. Characters from the epic reappear. Ones who have not yet been introduced earn their keep. Ground work on "What Happened After?" is set into place. A few major players from the epic have minor roles, but are not the stars.
The star of this book is someone who does play a major role in the epic. However, she is not a major character, nor does she have a long term role. Her story did not begin until after she died and became a witch.
Er.. what?
In my world, in order to become a witch, you must first suffer fatal injuries. In a sense, it is a divine intervention of sorts. The powers of a witch are powers of nature, and a tie with nature that can only be completed once she (or he) has experienced all aspects of life. Including death.
If the person who dies is to be a witch, then he or she survives the injuries after walking through the shadows of death, of a sort. It is those "I have seen the light in the tunnel and somehow survived" type of people, who by all rights should have died. More people with the power to become a witch die than actually become a witch. It takes someone - or something - with a lot of dedication to keep one of these people from dying completely.
In this character's case, it was a bit of both.
This story is also a dark tale, at least at first. However, the main point of this story is a story of hope. It is the story of someone who has lost it all and has somehow survived despite that fact and has a glorious chance to take it all back. With an indominable spirit and a desire for vengeance, this witch goes on to not only serve justice, but to reclaim everything that she has lost.
It also touches into grief and healing, but is mostly a feel-good story about someone who does overcome those odds.
This novel was how I picked myself up off of the ground.
How I stood back up
After NaNoWriMo '09 ended, I think I wrote maybe 1,000 words a week total. Of which I deleted more words than I added. Very counterproductive, that. In furstration, I put it aside completely at the end of December, flailing in general. Who doesn't, sometimes?
I knew where I wanted to go with this story. I worked hard poking at it, but the inspiration that is still with me was having trouble coming to the surface. It is a form of writer's block, but somewhat different. I had the entire story, I knew what I needed to write, I knew what was happening in the scene. I just could not get myself to type the words onto the computer.
When coupled with a general sense of failure, this can result in tragedy for a writer. And the inability to put words to the page.
So, I asked my husband one day to buy me some writing journal or another. I wanted to jot down some story idea or another that was rattling in my brain.
He came out of the store with a pack of four 16 sheet journals.
Truly, these were the bestestestest things I have ever laid my eyes on. I squealed. There is a yellow, a blue, a green and a pink journal in each pack.
My creative juices had a collective freak fit and went into a state of catatonic shock. Who ever would have thought something so simple as a 16 sheet writing journal could make such a difference?
Armed with these journals, I began to write random stories. I had two false starts before I found project #2 kicking around in my skull.
The first 24 hours resulted in 6,400 handwritten words.
By the weekend, I had 12,800 and had the starts to a story I was really satisfied with.
After the shine wore off a bit, I found myself right back to where I had left off: saddened, discouraged and thinking I would never get a project properly finished, edited and out the door.
I took a step back, blogged a bit to motivate myself, and glared at my computer.
Then, I fell onto the solution of my problem.
Belief.
For one critical moment, I believed I could do this. I just had to figure out how. So, I made this expression at my computer and my writing paper: >:|
Project One is my dream novel(s). It is the story I wish to publish and share with the world. I had reached that precipice and stared into the abyss. The abyss stared back and mocked me.
No one is going to help pick you up when you fall. You must do it on your own. I realized this and started trying to find out just how to do it. I sat on my rump and reflected and found that I still had that critical belief in myself. It had just gone into hiding into some dark, dusty corner. It was a skeleton in my closet.
Just to repeat this: No one is going to help pick you up when you fall.
People will say kind things and try to help, but only you can help you get back up at the end of the day.
This is kind of painful to write about. And embarrassing. But, I am human, so there we have it.
Again, just in case the first two times weren't opinionated and stubborn enough:
If you want to be a writer, stop relying on other people to pick you up and start relying on you. People, like me, will tell you kind words or mean ones trying to motivate you. But at the end of the day, when you fall in the mud, you need to believe that you can stand back up. An agent may love your story, an editor may shower you with praise. A publication house may pick up your story. However, none of this will ever happen if you do not believe that you can make it happen.
Now, onto the next stage of recovery:
Remembering to Write
Life gets in the way. Some of the time, I just forgot to fit writing into my day. I got distracted by shiny objects or by how warm and comfortable my bed really was and how much I enjoyed sleeping.
I cannot tell you how to remember to write each day! I fail at it miserably enough. (I am one week in of non interrupted writing. I feel like I'm succeeding at rehab.)
One tip I can suggest: Never ever take a day off completely. Write one sentence at a minimum. Once I fail to do that, it is sometimes a month before I pick up my pen again, which is totally unacceptable if I wish to become a professional author, as I do wish to do.
Finally, making progress!
Once you have gotten back up, it is easier to stay on the horse than to get back on after you have fallen. Train yourself not to give up. Once you do, you have to go back and find those shreds of belief and motivate yourself. This is hard. Oh, is it ever hard. But if you sit there and tell yourself that you can do it AND you actually do it, good things will happen.
Oh, yes. Good things will happen.
Believe. Remember to Write. Make it Happen.
Three very simple things that are extremely difficult to do. But, I stand by it. Hindsight is rather good for me, and each time I have fallen off, this is exactly how I ended up getting back up on the saddle and riding off towards that gorgeous sunset.
Now, as soon as I submit this and drink some tea to soothe my frayed nerves, I will exceed that shiny 61,661 word count. I want 75,000 by Monday, and they will not write themselves down.
By Friday, I want 85,000.
Two weeks from now, I want 100,000.
Can I do it?
I don't know. But I'm back up on the saddle, and I refuse to fall just yet. If I do, I will get back up.
But, I can thank four little 16 sheet writing journals and Project Two for helping me get the courage to resume on Project One. I will continue to write Project Two as a reward, but I have rededicated my focus back onto Project One where it properly belongs.
I would like to note that I had five spelling mistakes in this entire entry. For writing at 5-6 AM, not bad!
Also, a piece of advice before I find some fancy schmancy quotes to share: Do not forget to take your tea bag out of your water. It leaves unpleasant surprises an hour later.
Quotes on Motivation, Inspiration and anything else I feel interesting at this hour:
- Dreams are extremely important. You can’t do it unless you imagine it. – George Lucas
- A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams. - John Barrymore
- The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore. - Dale Carnegie
- Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will. - Mahatma Gandhi
- The world is full of willing people, some willing to work, the rest willing to let them. - Robert Frost
- The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination. - Tommy Lasorda
- The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand. - Vince Lombardi
- One’s best success comes after his greatest disappointments. - Henry Ward Beecher
- Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps. - David Lloyd George
- A man's doubts and fears are his worst enemies. – William Wrigley Jr.
- Failures are divided into two classes - those who thought and never did, and those who did and never thought. - John Charles Salak
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Statistics and Writing
Twitter is quite an amazing website, especially if you are interested in learning about the in depth details of certain industries. I peek at twitter a few times during the course of the day, which spawned an interesting conversation. Thanks go to Jane Smith and Carole Blake for bringing this subject up to my attention. If you have a Twitter account, I suggest that you follow both of these ladies. Carole is a writing agent, and Jane is a writer and editor who has a little blog that you can find here.
The article in question can be found here. I suggest you read it so that you are aware of what I am speaking of.
There are many, many opinions on the writing world, which in turn includes the discussion of publishing through a publishing house (see Tor, Penguin, DAW, Random House) or through a self-publishing agency (see Lulu). Both have their advantages, both have their disadvantages, and both have those supporters who believe one or the other will be the death of the publishing industry.
For the sake of argument, publishing houses are oranges and self-publishing agencies are apples. We all know that comparing apples and oranges can cause problems. Mixed together, they can make a delicious drink. In this case, they only cause problems. Perhaps the self-publishing agencies should be milk in this example. Then you could see how milk curdles when you add orange juice to it.
I have a few issues that i have with the article that I linked above for your reading pleasures. Above all, he compares apples to oranges and expects grape juice as a result.
What do I mean by this? Let me show you.
As Jane Smith mentioned on her twitter:
Para numbered 5: "The average book in America sells about 500 copies"
Paragraph numbered 8: "And the average new book generates only $100,000 to $200,000 in sales"
From that we can assume that the average book price in America is $200-$400. See the problem?
Apples and Oranges, ladies and gentleman. I preserved her tweets as they were in their form, only switched around so that they are easily read. (Twitter organizes by time published.. so it reads backwards according to regular logic.) This is directly from our discussion.
In the self-publishing world, it is true that the average book will sell somewhere between one hundred to five hundred copies.
In the publishing house world, a book is not viable for publication unless it can pay for the advertising and the editors that work on each book. As such, they need books to sell significantly higher in order to be viable. Because of this, the quality of writers for these publishing houses is also higher. After all, most self-publishing agencies do not require quality checks in order for a book to be printed with them. This is the beauty of print on demand. However, this lack of quality control is exactly why many of these books never make it onto a book shelf.
If you are a writer and wish to become published, just as I wish to become published, open your eyes, take that pinch of salt, and swallow it. While I try to expose the in depth world of writing to you even as I take that journey myself, you need to make certain that your sources are reliable.
Every advice, every grain of knowledge, you should approach as if it were a spider. Sure, some spiders are harmless, but others are quite poisonous. Some spiders even enjoy being pet! Others will put hairs in your eyeballs if you even think of trying it.
Even publishers have opinions. Just because an agent or a publisher states something is so, it is your responsibility to check your sources. If a publisher states something? Find out just what type of publisher that they are. Every genre is different. Harlequin, for example, functions far differently compared to Tor.
I might suggest you buy salt in bulk. It will save you a little money down the road.
Now, I will approach the meat of this, and go into what I feel are some of the misleading aspects that you should in turn research for yourself and make your own conclusions on.
Point 1: On Book Growth.
Truth: Self-Publishing has picked up phenomenally.
Misleading: Self-Publishing number focus does not indicate the health of the standard publishing industry. It just shows that people are willing to dip into their own pockets to see their book in print in any form.
Point 2: On Book Sales
This is misleading. First, he doesn't account for aspects like the recession. Inflation aside, that there was any increase at all % wise is phenomenal. That means people are still spending money despite that fact that many people have lost their jobs and have less money to spend in the first place. Second, he does not mention if the sales are by book or by retail value of the book. These numbers are rather meaningless in the long run. Nor does he account for whether or not these are publishing house or self-publishing sales. These are two totally different industries.
Point 3: Book Sales, by the book
Read this carefully. Then, I refer you to Jane's commentary above. She says it best.
Point 4: On Stocking.
Once again, I return to the differences between self-publishing and a publishing house. Of course many books will never make it on the shelf. Most people who purchase a self-publishing option acquire an ISBN. This allows them to be put on the shelves. This does not mean that the bookstore will be willing to carry a book from an unknown author without the backing of a legitimate publishing company. That would be like putting a blindfold on and driving 95 miles per hour down a busy highway. Someone is going to crash. The bookstore would be making a rather stupid error if they took every single self-published novel and stuffed them on the shelf. They want novels from the major publishers that have a good chance of being sold.
Point 5: How hard it is to sell books...
Of course it is hard to sell books. It is much harder to sell a book unless you have a name for yourself or you have a reliable company vouching for you. I don't know about you, but I choose TOR and DAW books over other publishing houses because that is the type of writing I enjoy reading. I am certain many other people have similar preferences.
... to be blunt, I have made it to the half way point and I am spluttering. There are many misleading details. Each one of these points could have their own blog post of notable length to the entire blog post in question just clarifying where these numbers come from.
Statistics, ladies and gentleman, are often assumptions that support your opinion. When someone mentions a statistic, I get nervous.
When someone mentions a statistic without specifying which of two very different industries it comes from... then I get disgusted.
Please be careful about what you believe. A nice presentation does not necessarily mean that something is true or completely accurate.
Personally, I will judge the publishing industry by one simple fact: There are books on the shelves that I have not read and wish to buy. So I continue to buy books.
Until the day comes where I cannot find an interesting novel or four to buy in a bookstore at any one given time, I do think the publishing industry is safe enough. Especially if you go with a reliable publishing house.
The article in question can be found here. I suggest you read it so that you are aware of what I am speaking of.
There are many, many opinions on the writing world, which in turn includes the discussion of publishing through a publishing house (see Tor, Penguin, DAW, Random House) or through a self-publishing agency (see Lulu). Both have their advantages, both have their disadvantages, and both have those supporters who believe one or the other will be the death of the publishing industry.
For the sake of argument, publishing houses are oranges and self-publishing agencies are apples. We all know that comparing apples and oranges can cause problems. Mixed together, they can make a delicious drink. In this case, they only cause problems. Perhaps the self-publishing agencies should be milk in this example. Then you could see how milk curdles when you add orange juice to it.
I have a few issues that i have with the article that I linked above for your reading pleasures. Above all, he compares apples to oranges and expects grape juice as a result.
What do I mean by this? Let me show you.
As Jane Smith mentioned on her twitter:
Para numbered 5: "The average book in America sells about 500 copies"
Paragraph numbered 8: "And the average new book generates only $100,000 to $200,000 in sales"
From that we can assume that the average book price in America is $200-$400. See the problem?
Apples and Oranges, ladies and gentleman. I preserved her tweets as they were in their form, only switched around so that they are easily read. (Twitter organizes by time published.. so it reads backwards according to regular logic.) This is directly from our discussion.
In the self-publishing world, it is true that the average book will sell somewhere between one hundred to five hundred copies.
In the publishing house world, a book is not viable for publication unless it can pay for the advertising and the editors that work on each book. As such, they need books to sell significantly higher in order to be viable. Because of this, the quality of writers for these publishing houses is also higher. After all, most self-publishing agencies do not require quality checks in order for a book to be printed with them. This is the beauty of print on demand. However, this lack of quality control is exactly why many of these books never make it onto a book shelf.
If you are a writer and wish to become published, just as I wish to become published, open your eyes, take that pinch of salt, and swallow it. While I try to expose the in depth world of writing to you even as I take that journey myself, you need to make certain that your sources are reliable.
Every advice, every grain of knowledge, you should approach as if it were a spider. Sure, some spiders are harmless, but others are quite poisonous. Some spiders even enjoy being pet! Others will put hairs in your eyeballs if you even think of trying it.
Even publishers have opinions. Just because an agent or a publisher states something is so, it is your responsibility to check your sources. If a publisher states something? Find out just what type of publisher that they are. Every genre is different. Harlequin, for example, functions far differently compared to Tor.
I might suggest you buy salt in bulk. It will save you a little money down the road.
Now, I will approach the meat of this, and go into what I feel are some of the misleading aspects that you should in turn research for yourself and make your own conclusions on.
Point 1: On Book Growth.
Truth: Self-Publishing has picked up phenomenally.
Misleading: Self-Publishing number focus does not indicate the health of the standard publishing industry. It just shows that people are willing to dip into their own pockets to see their book in print in any form.
Point 2: On Book Sales
This is misleading. First, he doesn't account for aspects like the recession. Inflation aside, that there was any increase at all % wise is phenomenal. That means people are still spending money despite that fact that many people have lost their jobs and have less money to spend in the first place. Second, he does not mention if the sales are by book or by retail value of the book. These numbers are rather meaningless in the long run. Nor does he account for whether or not these are publishing house or self-publishing sales. These are two totally different industries.
Point 3: Book Sales, by the book
Read this carefully. Then, I refer you to Jane's commentary above. She says it best.
Point 4: On Stocking.
Once again, I return to the differences between self-publishing and a publishing house. Of course many books will never make it on the shelf. Most people who purchase a self-publishing option acquire an ISBN. This allows them to be put on the shelves. This does not mean that the bookstore will be willing to carry a book from an unknown author without the backing of a legitimate publishing company. That would be like putting a blindfold on and driving 95 miles per hour down a busy highway. Someone is going to crash. The bookstore would be making a rather stupid error if they took every single self-published novel and stuffed them on the shelf. They want novels from the major publishers that have a good chance of being sold.
Point 5: How hard it is to sell books...
Of course it is hard to sell books. It is much harder to sell a book unless you have a name for yourself or you have a reliable company vouching for you. I don't know about you, but I choose TOR and DAW books over other publishing houses because that is the type of writing I enjoy reading. I am certain many other people have similar preferences.
... to be blunt, I have made it to the half way point and I am spluttering. There are many misleading details. Each one of these points could have their own blog post of notable length to the entire blog post in question just clarifying where these numbers come from.
Statistics, ladies and gentleman, are often assumptions that support your opinion. When someone mentions a statistic, I get nervous.
When someone mentions a statistic without specifying which of two very different industries it comes from... then I get disgusted.
Please be careful about what you believe. A nice presentation does not necessarily mean that something is true or completely accurate.
Personally, I will judge the publishing industry by one simple fact: There are books on the shelves that I have not read and wish to buy. So I continue to buy books.
Until the day comes where I cannot find an interesting novel or four to buy in a bookstore at any one given time, I do think the publishing industry is safe enough. Especially if you go with a reliable publishing house.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The Stereotypes and Cliches of Fantasy Writing
First, I'd like to thank Ian T. Healy (spelled correctly this time..) for the subject of today's blog post. His original post is as follows: @rebeccablain "Fantasy: more than dark elves, demons, and magic"
There is so much more to this subject than just dark elves, demon and magic... so I thought it would be a good time to do the post on the whole lot of them.
Let us first be honest with ourselves. It is very difficult to write a 100% original fantasy piece. With thousands of fantasy novels on the shelves, many of the ideas held within those volumes are twists on cliches or stereotypes of some sort until they are no longer cliche or stereotypical.
However, there are a lot of writers who stick with the cliche / stereotype. This is a shame, but it is not really avoidable. After all, you must border on true genius in order to totally escape having these elements in your novels.
With that said, I will start by regurgitating a very insightful post from a short story publisher of the science fiction and fantasy genres. If you are not aware of this publisher, you should be. Allow me to introduce you to Clarkesworld Magazine. The below is an except from their submissions page. This content is a direct copy paste and used for educational purposes. It in no fashion belongs to me. I only wish I were this brilliant.
Let us go through this list and pursue just why these are stereotypical, cliche, or hard to sell.
Reason: Well, first, anything timid or meek isn't really a challenge. Second, give us a better villain, something more interesting, please! Granted, this is just my interpretation, but I wouldn't be interested in reading this.
I have done a few of them... you can figure out the rest.
Dark Elves, Dragons and Dungeons, Oh my!
Novel or short story writing is not without entering into the world of stereotypes and cliches. I have stated this before, I will state it again in the future, I am certain. What will determine whether or not you are a good writer is what you do with the stereotypes and cliches you come up with.
There is nothing stating that you cannot use a cliche or stereotype. However, in order to succeed, it is up to you to make certain that you somehow twist it so that it becomes something new. Making something unique is truly a difficult task. It is very difficult, as a writer, to separate yourself from the things that inspire you. Writers who read and enjoy a certain series will often pick up aspects of that series in their own writing. It is so very common. The key is that you catch yourself doing it and transform trash into gold. Until you make it your own, those elements are trash. Just accept that, it will make you a better writer in the long run.
Is there more to fantasy beyond the stereotypes? Of course there is. Make your Dark Elves distinct by stepping away from the normal evil elves and go into a world where these elves separated from their lighter skinned brethren for a good purpose. Have them just be a genetic mutation and no different than their lighter counterparts. Get rid of the lighter counterparts altogether. And for the love of all that is pure, don't make them look and act like a cookie cutter. Make them dark skinned humans with an ear mutation. Do something to make them different than opening a Dungeon Master's Guide and reading about it.
Dragons? There are lots you can do with dragons. The best concept I've heard for a dragon? Make them stupid and dislike hoarding things. That will make people stop long enough to go "What the heck is this?"
The instant you make your reader ask questions is the moment that you are stepping away from the stereotype. Fantasy need not be cookie cutter. If you find your concept in another book, add or take away until your concept becomes unique. Then take it and make it your own. Only then will you surpass the cliche.
I cannot give you a template on making sure your races and people are not stereotypical. That is something personal you have to conquer on your own. However, we have all dealt with it. If you find a truly unique concept, work with it. It may just go somewhere really pleasant.
There is so much more to this subject than just dark elves, demon and magic... so I thought it would be a good time to do the post on the whole lot of them.
Let us first be honest with ourselves. It is very difficult to write a 100% original fantasy piece. With thousands of fantasy novels on the shelves, many of the ideas held within those volumes are twists on cliches or stereotypes of some sort until they are no longer cliche or stereotypical.
However, there are a lot of writers who stick with the cliche / stereotype. This is a shame, but it is not really avoidable. After all, you must border on true genius in order to totally escape having these elements in your novels.
With that said, I will start by regurgitating a very insightful post from a short story publisher of the science fiction and fantasy genres. If you are not aware of this publisher, you should be. Allow me to introduce you to Clarkesworld Magazine. The below is an except from their submissions page. This content is a direct copy paste and used for educational purposes. It in no fashion belongs to me. I only wish I were this brilliant.
Though no particular setting, theme, or plot is anathema to us, the following are likely hard sells:
- stories in which a milquetoast civilian government is depicted as the sole obstacle to either catching some depraved criminal or to an uncomplicated military victory
- stories in which the words "thou" or "thine" appear
- talking cats
- talking swords
- stories where the climax is dependent on the spilling of intestines
- stories where FTL travel is as easy as is it on television shows or movies
- time travel too
- stories that depend on some vestigial belief in Judeo-Christian mythology in order to be frightening (i.e., Cain and Abel are vampires, the End Times are a' comin', Communion wine turns to Christ's literal blood and it's HIV positive, Satan's gonna getcha, etc.)
- stories about rapist-murderer-cannibals
- stories about young kids playing in some field and discovering ANYTHING. (a body, an alien craft, Excalibur, ANYTHING).
- stories about the stuff we all read in Scientific American three months ago
- stories where the Republicans, or Democrats, or Libertarians, or the Spartacist League, etc. take over the world and either save or ruin it
- your AD&D game
- "funny" stories that depend on, or even include, puns
- sexy vampires, wanton werewolves, or lusty pirates
- zombies or zombie-wannabes
- stories originally intended for someone's upcoming theme anthology or issue
- stories where the protagonist is either widely despised or widely admired simply because he or she is just so smart and/or strange
- stories that take place within an artsy-fartsy bohemia as written by an author who has clearly never experienced one
- your trunk stories
Let us go through this list and pursue just why these are stereotypical, cliche, or hard to sell.
- stories in which a milquetoast civilian government is depicted as the sole obstacle to either catching some depraved criminal or to an uncomplicated military victory
Reason: Well, first, anything timid or meek isn't really a challenge. Second, give us a better villain, something more interesting, please! Granted, this is just my interpretation, but I wouldn't be interested in reading this.
- stories in which the words "thou" or "thine" appear
- talking cat, talking swords, talking.. anything.
- stories where the climax is dependent on the spilling of intestines
- stories where FTL travel is as easy as is it on television shows or movies (time travel too)
- stories that depend on some vestigial belief in Judeo-Christian mythology in order to be frightening (i.e., Cain and Abel are vampires, the End Times are a' comin', Communion wine turns to Christ's literal blood and it's HIV positive, Satan's gonna getcha, etc.)
I have done a few of them... you can figure out the rest.
Dark Elves, Dragons and Dungeons, Oh my!
Novel or short story writing is not without entering into the world of stereotypes and cliches. I have stated this before, I will state it again in the future, I am certain. What will determine whether or not you are a good writer is what you do with the stereotypes and cliches you come up with.
There is nothing stating that you cannot use a cliche or stereotype. However, in order to succeed, it is up to you to make certain that you somehow twist it so that it becomes something new. Making something unique is truly a difficult task. It is very difficult, as a writer, to separate yourself from the things that inspire you. Writers who read and enjoy a certain series will often pick up aspects of that series in their own writing. It is so very common. The key is that you catch yourself doing it and transform trash into gold. Until you make it your own, those elements are trash. Just accept that, it will make you a better writer in the long run.
Is there more to fantasy beyond the stereotypes? Of course there is. Make your Dark Elves distinct by stepping away from the normal evil elves and go into a world where these elves separated from their lighter skinned brethren for a good purpose. Have them just be a genetic mutation and no different than their lighter counterparts. Get rid of the lighter counterparts altogether. And for the love of all that is pure, don't make them look and act like a cookie cutter. Make them dark skinned humans with an ear mutation. Do something to make them different than opening a Dungeon Master's Guide and reading about it.
Dragons? There are lots you can do with dragons. The best concept I've heard for a dragon? Make them stupid and dislike hoarding things. That will make people stop long enough to go "What the heck is this?"
The instant you make your reader ask questions is the moment that you are stepping away from the stereotype. Fantasy need not be cookie cutter. If you find your concept in another book, add or take away until your concept becomes unique. Then take it and make it your own. Only then will you surpass the cliche.
I cannot give you a template on making sure your races and people are not stereotypical. That is something personal you have to conquer on your own. However, we have all dealt with it. If you find a truly unique concept, work with it. It may just go somewhere really pleasant.
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Rejection Letter
The rejection letter is something that everyone faces every now and again. In fact, some believe it is not possible to be a true writer until you have been tempered by the flames of the rejection letter. Whether or not this is true, there are a lot of things to learn about this letter, from how to cope with the fact you have been rejected to what you can gain from the rejection.
I have received far more rejection slips than acceptances, this much is for certain. However, I am one of those who enjoys receiving rejection slips. I am very curious to see what is contained within, and try to discover what I have learned from them. In fact, I have written stories and submitted them to important markets just to receive a rejection.
But, why would I do this? First, once you get one or two under the belt, they do get a little easier to accept having received. Using this logic, I would rather have my first faltering steps be done in a controlled fashion. While I expect my fantasy series to receive a rejection, it would not be so great a thing if it was the first rejection I ever received.
Know yourself. Would receiving a rejection on your prized story or novel send you for an emotional roller coaster that results in your cart leaving the rails? If so, grow some thick skin by experiencing rejection in short stories you do not care so much about. It will still hurt, but you will learn from it and grow from it, if you so choose.
I can not teach you what the standard rejection looks like. There is no standard. It is by slush reader or by editor and by publishing house, e-zine or magazine.
So, this guides us to the fun part of this post! The collection of sites dedicated or making mention of the rejection letter. I will have plenty of comments and opinions, both on editors and on writers, but this will wait until after you have had a chance to read the rejections.
Rejection Sites:
Rotten Rejections - A Reference to a Book
Literary Rejections on Display
Rejecting Rejection
Famous Author's Rejections Surface
Making Light: Slushkiller
Dallas Woodburn's Writing Life: Rejection Letters
Susie Smith's Children's Stories Famous Rejections
Rejection Letters before they were Famous
Collection of The New Yorker rejections
Ursula K. LeGuin: A Rejection Letter
Resources on Rejections:
Why you get Form Rejections
How to deal with Rejection Letters
Wikipedia's Rejection Letter Entry
There are obviously many, many more sites than I have listed here. This list will grow over time, but here is a good start.
The most important thing to remember is that the individuals who are reading your story do not have enough time to be personally offended by your writing. When you receive a form rejection, you story simply does not fit what they are looking for. This may be caused by poor writing quality or a story that simply does not suit them. The unfortunate part of the form rejection is that it is impossible to know exactly why your piece of writing failed.
This is where the handwritten or personalized rejection can be a double edged sword. Frankly, it is easiest to accept a form rejection. There is nothing personal in the rejection. Your story was not what they wanted, and that it that. When they personalize it, it is much easier to get personally offended by what the editor has to say.
Especially if it is because your editor felt the story was so poorly written they couldn't leave it alone and had to mention it. Unfortunately, without seeing what you submitted, it is impossible to say whether or not an editor is justified in saying this. However, there are ways to find out if the editor was just having a bad day or if there is really something needing changed with your submission.
First, if the same piece gets several really bad, personalized rejections from different editors, then you should seriously start looking at the reasons why. There will be editors who are having a bad day and take it out on you. Accept that now, your pride might be a little more intact at the end of the day. However, like I said before, most are too busy to spend the time to do so.
Live and learn. If your writing skills need improvement, start your next book and continue improving. Keep submitting, keep writing, and keep learning until defeat turns into victory.
On the flip side of the coin, there will be stories that editors notice, they like, and just simply cannot buy for one reason or another. This will spark into the 'good' rejection. It is personalized, but it is complimenting you! Some smaller publishing houses will always send some form of personalized reply. However, most are just too busy to do so, especially the larger houses. I suggest you mount those rejection letters. They are few and far between, and are worth their weight in gold, so far as I am concerned.
But, if your story is good enough to get a 'good' rejection, why were you rejected in the first place?
Publication is a business. I suggest you drill this into your head now. A publishing company has no interest in catering to your 'fantastic new concept that has never been done before, sure it is weird, but it is different and interesting'. They are interested in what sells. You need a story that toes their comfort lines while providing something new to the market. This is a lot easier said than done. You need a story that grips them, fits into their business, and can be sold. High writing quality and a good story have a good chance of getting published. A talented writer who knows their market *and* has writing quality *and* a good story *will* find a home for their stories or books.
Surviving the rejection letter is more easy than it sounds. Accept it, learn from it, and move on.
For now, enjoy the rejections and feel free to link any rejection sites you find amusing or useful, and I will add them to this post.
I have received far more rejection slips than acceptances, this much is for certain. However, I am one of those who enjoys receiving rejection slips. I am very curious to see what is contained within, and try to discover what I have learned from them. In fact, I have written stories and submitted them to important markets just to receive a rejection.
But, why would I do this? First, once you get one or two under the belt, they do get a little easier to accept having received. Using this logic, I would rather have my first faltering steps be done in a controlled fashion. While I expect my fantasy series to receive a rejection, it would not be so great a thing if it was the first rejection I ever received.
Know yourself. Would receiving a rejection on your prized story or novel send you for an emotional roller coaster that results in your cart leaving the rails? If so, grow some thick skin by experiencing rejection in short stories you do not care so much about. It will still hurt, but you will learn from it and grow from it, if you so choose.
I can not teach you what the standard rejection looks like. There is no standard. It is by slush reader or by editor and by publishing house, e-zine or magazine.
So, this guides us to the fun part of this post! The collection of sites dedicated or making mention of the rejection letter. I will have plenty of comments and opinions, both on editors and on writers, but this will wait until after you have had a chance to read the rejections.
Rejection Sites:
Rotten Rejections - A Reference to a Book
Literary Rejections on Display
Rejecting Rejection
Famous Author's Rejections Surface
Making Light: Slushkiller
Dallas Woodburn's Writing Life: Rejection Letters
Susie Smith's Children's Stories Famous Rejections
Rejection Letters before they were Famous
Collection of The New Yorker rejections
Ursula K. LeGuin: A Rejection Letter
Resources on Rejections:
Why you get Form Rejections
How to deal with Rejection Letters
Wikipedia's Rejection Letter Entry
There are obviously many, many more sites than I have listed here. This list will grow over time, but here is a good start.
The most important thing to remember is that the individuals who are reading your story do not have enough time to be personally offended by your writing. When you receive a form rejection, you story simply does not fit what they are looking for. This may be caused by poor writing quality or a story that simply does not suit them. The unfortunate part of the form rejection is that it is impossible to know exactly why your piece of writing failed.
This is where the handwritten or personalized rejection can be a double edged sword. Frankly, it is easiest to accept a form rejection. There is nothing personal in the rejection. Your story was not what they wanted, and that it that. When they personalize it, it is much easier to get personally offended by what the editor has to say.
Especially if it is because your editor felt the story was so poorly written they couldn't leave it alone and had to mention it. Unfortunately, without seeing what you submitted, it is impossible to say whether or not an editor is justified in saying this. However, there are ways to find out if the editor was just having a bad day or if there is really something needing changed with your submission.
First, if the same piece gets several really bad, personalized rejections from different editors, then you should seriously start looking at the reasons why. There will be editors who are having a bad day and take it out on you. Accept that now, your pride might be a little more intact at the end of the day. However, like I said before, most are too busy to spend the time to do so.
Live and learn. If your writing skills need improvement, start your next book and continue improving. Keep submitting, keep writing, and keep learning until defeat turns into victory.
On the flip side of the coin, there will be stories that editors notice, they like, and just simply cannot buy for one reason or another. This will spark into the 'good' rejection. It is personalized, but it is complimenting you! Some smaller publishing houses will always send some form of personalized reply. However, most are just too busy to do so, especially the larger houses. I suggest you mount those rejection letters. They are few and far between, and are worth their weight in gold, so far as I am concerned.
But, if your story is good enough to get a 'good' rejection, why were you rejected in the first place?
Publication is a business. I suggest you drill this into your head now. A publishing company has no interest in catering to your 'fantastic new concept that has never been done before, sure it is weird, but it is different and interesting'. They are interested in what sells. You need a story that toes their comfort lines while providing something new to the market. This is a lot easier said than done. You need a story that grips them, fits into their business, and can be sold. High writing quality and a good story have a good chance of getting published. A talented writer who knows their market *and* has writing quality *and* a good story *will* find a home for their stories or books.
Surviving the rejection letter is more easy than it sounds. Accept it, learn from it, and move on.
For now, enjoy the rejections and feel free to link any rejection sites you find amusing or useful, and I will add them to this post.
Friday, December 4, 2009
The General Writing Process
Writing a novel, whether it is science fiction, fantasy, romance, non-fiction or any subject in between, is not an easy process. Many people are overwhelmed just on writing a novel. This is a normal response, as writing a novel involves a great deal of dedication. However, if you want to publish a novel, it is important that you understand the entire process from start to finish. This will help ensure that you have the best chances of possible of seeing your book on a shelf.
The ways of writing a novel are as numerous as the authors who write them. Each and every person writes their novel a different way. There is no one correct way to write a novel. So, how should I present the novel writing process to you then? This is simple enough. I am going to present to you how I go about the process as well as introduce methods that I do not use but have attempted in the past. I have tried many different styles of novel writing trying to settle into a method that suits my personality and needs. This is a journey that you must go about, although you can use my suggestions as guidelines for your attempts. Just remember: It is your novel. Write it how you see fit.
The following is my process for writing a novel.
Step One: Idea Conception.
The muse is rarely so kind as to present to me an entire story in a gift wrapped package. I will not claim that this has not happened to me before. It has. The current series I am working on was presented to me by my muse on a silver platter. I had every idea required to make this story happen.
What then, classifies as required ideas? This varies from person to person. For me, it means I have a beginning, a middle and an end. Huh, fancy that.
It is a little more complicated than that. In order for my story to have a beginning, it must have a conflict. I am the type of writer who needs to have characters actively facing conflict or be approaching a point where conflict will come to them. If there is no conflict, I do not think there is much of a foundation for a good story. Every story I have liked has involved some form of conflict within the first five to ten pages of the story. By pages, I mean standard manuscript format pages. For quick math, 5x250 to 10x250 words. When I read, I tend to lose interest if there is nothing holding my attention.
Please note that conflict does not have to be physical. It can be mental / emotional. Do not make the mistake that thinking that mental conflict can not engross a reader. It totally can.
Once I have a conflict, I have to have characters that are involved with my conflict. My stories are driven by characters. These people make mistakes, they are human. (Well, most times human.) Sometimes, conflict is bred from the very mistakes those characters have made. Without conflict and characters, there is not much of a story to tell.
And so, I have the beginning idea for my story. Once I have this, I can usually start writing. This can take me anywhere from one hour to a week to figure out. If it is in a world I have already written about, I can usually jump right in to writing. However, on a new series or a new world, I have to do some world building. I classify world building in the beginning portion of the idea. After all, there has to be a land for my characters to stand on. Depending on how desperate I am to write, I may only develop the village, town or city my characters are starting in and piece it together from there. However, this involves a lot more editing work later. I typically try to get a rough idea of the entire continent, the kingdoms on the continent, and as much information on the trades as my patience allows. (When the muse strikes, however, she typically provides me with decent starting information in this regard.)
That leads me to the mentioning of the muse. Many people blame the muse on their failures and successes. The muse, for me, is nothing more than an amusement. I write my novels on my own creativity. There is no outside force that makes me write a novel or gives me an idea. They are all mine. It just sounds nicer to say 'muse' rather than sound snotty and impressed with myself. Sometimes writers can be humble. Sometimes.
Step Two: First Draft Writing
Now that I have a world, a beginning, a middle and an end, I begin to write. The first draft is never a masterpiece, but I try to write with some quality in mind. This is where I am flushing out my characters and allowing them to grow. There are many things that need to occur, especially in an epic fantasy. Science fiction is little different, although there are rarely the 3.3 million word monster series in science fiction as there are in epic fantasy.
Since I am currently working on an epic series fantasy, I will be throwing out a lot of commentary in regards to how I approach this. While I have written science fiction in the past, it is not my forte.
If you are planning to publish, this is the draft where you begin to put your craft to the test. It is important, however, that you tell the story. Quality is important, but it is vital that you express your story. Now is the time to make mistakes and experiment with your plot. The first draft will be edited and changed. While there are some who can write publishable works on the first draft, do not make the error of believing you are one of them. Edits will occur, get used to the idea now.
When I am writing, I try to view all of my characters as real people. Real people make mistakes. Real people overreact to things. Real people make decisions that aren't always logical. Many writers try to have these perfect characters who never make a mistake. These books, frankly, are boring. Don't be afraid to have your characters do something stupid as you write. Who knows, you might even have fun with it!
Also, people die. It is natural. It is remarkably easy to kill a human. If you have a situation where someone is at high risk of death, they probably won't survive. This should carry on through your novel. If you have them live, you need to suspend disbelief and prove to us why they should live. This is your job as a writer.
If you have not noticed yet, I do not plot out my first draft. I write it. That is for the next phase.
The first draft writing phase should not end until book 1 has come to a close. Don't continue to book 2 of your series. Stop at the end of book 1. I will explain why shortly.
Step Three: Plotting.
Question: What? Why am I plotting after I have written the first draft?
Answer: Because I have to do a second draft OR major edits, and I do not want the important plot points to be missed.
So, how does one go about doing this?
You read your novel. As you read each and every scene, do the following:
Characters Present:
Location(s):
Major Plot Points:
Minor Plot Points:
Corrections Required:
You may have more or less on your list. This is what I use. I may have character deaths listed in a different field, if there are enough of them. In my current series, there are enough of them to justify the listing in some chapters.
You may wish to use note cards to do this. Note cards can help you keep things organized in such a way where you can see a lot at one time. You may also wish to do a character biography at this point. If you do, here is the sort of information you will need.
Name:
Gender:
Age:
Eye Color:
Hair Color:
Height:
Weight:
Build:
Talents:
Weaknesses:
Basic Personality:
Spouse/Children:
Enemies:
There are many things you can add for this section. Do as much as you need to succeed at keeping your characters organized.
Once you have done this, there is one final plotting aspect that you may wish to do. This is the overall plot line. I find this is best done with a storyboard of some sort. A cork board is fantastic for this if you can afford one. Take the major plot points from your scene cards, and put them on small scraps of paper. Lay them out on your cork board, then read them. If your plot makes sense in the order you have presented it, the plot checks. This is a great way to identify plot holes.
Do this with your minor points as well. Your minor points should tie in with your major plot in some form or another.
Now, you are prepared for step four.
Step Four: Edit or Rewrite.
You have a draft, you have a plot line. Now, you need to take what you have written and turn it into a work of art. Editing a novel is hard work. If you thought Step Three was intensive, Step Four may break your brain. But, stick with it.
You are a writer, and by extension, you are an editor. It is time to bring your editor out of the closet and let them work. If you rely on your 'muse', fire him or her. They are going to get in the way here. Now is typically not the time to add in a new plot line or do major revisions to the story, *unless* you discovered in Step Three that this course of action is required. If it is required, this will be a rewrite phase rather than an editing phase. If you are rewriting, return to step one. If you are editing, please proceed.
Editing may involve rewriting certain sections. Just do steps one to three for those sections. This will provide your checks to ensure clarity throughout your novel. Yes, this is hard work. Don't whine about it, just do it.
Please note the bold. This is the heart of being a novelist. It is *work*, not play. Get used to it. There is no easy way out. No one said you couldn't have fun doing it, but... even if you don't use my way of writing, there is no way to avoid the hard work portion.
I find the easiest way to edit is to read out loud and record what I am reading. It is slow, but it can often point out sections that I am missing when I'm just reading. Of course, I do read and edit as I go, but I read out loud to myself and record. And no, it isn't because I like the sound of my own voice.
Because I am masochistic/sadistic, I will do an edit example of my own writing below.
First draft example:
Demons were real, that much Laelia knew. It had not been that long ago that someone had attempted to create a demon from the bodies of a bear and a boar and had succeeded. The creature was nothing but beastial fury bred to unholy delight in the kill. Unlike a chimera, which was a more peaceful blend of several animals, the demon had been created for one purpose only: slaughter.
Editing examples:
Demons were real, that much Laelia knew. It had not been that long ago that Yetritris had birthed a demon from the bodies of a grizzly bear, a wolverine and a boar. His success was bestial fury bred to unholy delight in killing. Unlike a chimera, which was a peaceful blend of several animals, the demon had been created for one purpose only: slaughter.
Notes: This needs more work, but its just a quick example of how a few word changes can completely alter the mental images associated with a paragraph. Not only must you edit for the single paragraph in mind, you must do it with your scene and plot in mind. This can be difficult, but it is not impossible.
I find the editing process to take significantly longer than the drafting process. I typically do not do a full rewrite, but revisit steps one to three as needed for specific scenes. If I have a major plot revision, I may spend a great deal of time in one to three, but I don't typically scratch a first draft unless I do not plan on revisiting that story. Granted, there have been a few instances where a draft has not been salvageable. I put those drafts into my Hall of Shame and write a new story. I may use the same basic idea and the characters over again, but it is a new story.
Editing is vital. Take your time with it. Your novel should be sparkling and perfect before it ever leaves your home.
Step Five: Manuscript Format
So, you have survived steps one to four. Great work. Now, you need to put your story in manuscript format.
I am not the greatest of teachers on manuscript format, so I will let the masters teach you instead.
Tor | Forge Manuscript Format
Holly Lisle's Guide to Manuscript Format
William Shunn's Guide to the Manuscript
BBC's Guide to Manuscript Format
If you know a good resource for the manuscript format, please feel free to leave a comment. I will add good references at later dates. The starting posts I have added should be sufficient for understanding the format.
You will also need to write a query letter. The letter will often include information about your novel and your series, if applicable. Every publisher has different requirements, so take the time to do your homework. The query letter may or may not be required in order to submit your novel. If you are submitting chapters, the 'query' letter is very much the same as if you were not. Here are some resources on the query letter:
Holly Lisle's Guide to Querying an Agent
Manitoba Writers' Guild Query Letter Sample
Gail Eastwood's Query Letter Do's and Don'ts
Step Six: Submit.
SASE. Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope. Never. Ever. Ever. Forget. This. Let me repeat: Never, ever, ever forget this. Always include a SASE with your manuscript for the reply and return of your manuscript. Never submit your original manuscript. Be patient, and make certain you mail it. After all, you can't be published if you never try.
Do NOT include bribes, art or anything or that nature. Do NOT bind your manuscript in anyway. Stuff it in an envelope in numeric order, do not embellish, and mail it. Get a tracking number. Most companies will not send you a notice saying they have received it until the date it is opened and review has started, and only if you include a postcard that is SASE'd.
Step Seven: See Step One.
What? See Step One? What does this mean?
Your novel is completed. Start a new one. If you are working on a series, you should be working on book two now. Wait patiently for a reply to your submission. By the time that horrible six month wait is over, you should be in process of editing book two.
You will probably get a rejection. However, good books will find a publisher. Keep trying.
Good luck. This is the basics to the novel writing process. Every writer is different, so please remember that this is how I do it. Enjoy.
The ways of writing a novel are as numerous as the authors who write them. Each and every person writes their novel a different way. There is no one correct way to write a novel. So, how should I present the novel writing process to you then? This is simple enough. I am going to present to you how I go about the process as well as introduce methods that I do not use but have attempted in the past. I have tried many different styles of novel writing trying to settle into a method that suits my personality and needs. This is a journey that you must go about, although you can use my suggestions as guidelines for your attempts. Just remember: It is your novel. Write it how you see fit.
The following is my process for writing a novel.
Step One: Idea Conception.
The muse is rarely so kind as to present to me an entire story in a gift wrapped package. I will not claim that this has not happened to me before. It has. The current series I am working on was presented to me by my muse on a silver platter. I had every idea required to make this story happen.
What then, classifies as required ideas? This varies from person to person. For me, it means I have a beginning, a middle and an end. Huh, fancy that.
It is a little more complicated than that. In order for my story to have a beginning, it must have a conflict. I am the type of writer who needs to have characters actively facing conflict or be approaching a point where conflict will come to them. If there is no conflict, I do not think there is much of a foundation for a good story. Every story I have liked has involved some form of conflict within the first five to ten pages of the story. By pages, I mean standard manuscript format pages. For quick math, 5x250 to 10x250 words. When I read, I tend to lose interest if there is nothing holding my attention.
Please note that conflict does not have to be physical. It can be mental / emotional. Do not make the mistake that thinking that mental conflict can not engross a reader. It totally can.
Once I have a conflict, I have to have characters that are involved with my conflict. My stories are driven by characters. These people make mistakes, they are human. (Well, most times human.) Sometimes, conflict is bred from the very mistakes those characters have made. Without conflict and characters, there is not much of a story to tell.
And so, I have the beginning idea for my story. Once I have this, I can usually start writing. This can take me anywhere from one hour to a week to figure out. If it is in a world I have already written about, I can usually jump right in to writing. However, on a new series or a new world, I have to do some world building. I classify world building in the beginning portion of the idea. After all, there has to be a land for my characters to stand on. Depending on how desperate I am to write, I may only develop the village, town or city my characters are starting in and piece it together from there. However, this involves a lot more editing work later. I typically try to get a rough idea of the entire continent, the kingdoms on the continent, and as much information on the trades as my patience allows. (When the muse strikes, however, she typically provides me with decent starting information in this regard.)
That leads me to the mentioning of the muse. Many people blame the muse on their failures and successes. The muse, for me, is nothing more than an amusement. I write my novels on my own creativity. There is no outside force that makes me write a novel or gives me an idea. They are all mine. It just sounds nicer to say 'muse' rather than sound snotty and impressed with myself. Sometimes writers can be humble. Sometimes.
Step Two: First Draft Writing
Now that I have a world, a beginning, a middle and an end, I begin to write. The first draft is never a masterpiece, but I try to write with some quality in mind. This is where I am flushing out my characters and allowing them to grow. There are many things that need to occur, especially in an epic fantasy. Science fiction is little different, although there are rarely the 3.3 million word monster series in science fiction as there are in epic fantasy.
Since I am currently working on an epic series fantasy, I will be throwing out a lot of commentary in regards to how I approach this. While I have written science fiction in the past, it is not my forte.
If you are planning to publish, this is the draft where you begin to put your craft to the test. It is important, however, that you tell the story. Quality is important, but it is vital that you express your story. Now is the time to make mistakes and experiment with your plot. The first draft will be edited and changed. While there are some who can write publishable works on the first draft, do not make the error of believing you are one of them. Edits will occur, get used to the idea now.
When I am writing, I try to view all of my characters as real people. Real people make mistakes. Real people overreact to things. Real people make decisions that aren't always logical. Many writers try to have these perfect characters who never make a mistake. These books, frankly, are boring. Don't be afraid to have your characters do something stupid as you write. Who knows, you might even have fun with it!
Also, people die. It is natural. It is remarkably easy to kill a human. If you have a situation where someone is at high risk of death, they probably won't survive. This should carry on through your novel. If you have them live, you need to suspend disbelief and prove to us why they should live. This is your job as a writer.
If you have not noticed yet, I do not plot out my first draft. I write it. That is for the next phase.
The first draft writing phase should not end until book 1 has come to a close. Don't continue to book 2 of your series. Stop at the end of book 1. I will explain why shortly.
Step Three: Plotting.
Question: What? Why am I plotting after I have written the first draft?
Answer: Because I have to do a second draft OR major edits, and I do not want the important plot points to be missed.
So, how does one go about doing this?
You read your novel. As you read each and every scene, do the following:
Characters Present:
Location(s):
Major Plot Points:
Minor Plot Points:
Corrections Required:
You may have more or less on your list. This is what I use. I may have character deaths listed in a different field, if there are enough of them. In my current series, there are enough of them to justify the listing in some chapters.
You may wish to use note cards to do this. Note cards can help you keep things organized in such a way where you can see a lot at one time. You may also wish to do a character biography at this point. If you do, here is the sort of information you will need.
Name:
Gender:
Age:
Eye Color:
Hair Color:
Height:
Weight:
Build:
Talents:
Weaknesses:
Basic Personality:
Spouse/Children:
Enemies:
There are many things you can add for this section. Do as much as you need to succeed at keeping your characters organized.
Once you have done this, there is one final plotting aspect that you may wish to do. This is the overall plot line. I find this is best done with a storyboard of some sort. A cork board is fantastic for this if you can afford one. Take the major plot points from your scene cards, and put them on small scraps of paper. Lay them out on your cork board, then read them. If your plot makes sense in the order you have presented it, the plot checks. This is a great way to identify plot holes.
Do this with your minor points as well. Your minor points should tie in with your major plot in some form or another.
Now, you are prepared for step four.
Step Four: Edit or Rewrite.
You have a draft, you have a plot line. Now, you need to take what you have written and turn it into a work of art. Editing a novel is hard work. If you thought Step Three was intensive, Step Four may break your brain. But, stick with it.
You are a writer, and by extension, you are an editor. It is time to bring your editor out of the closet and let them work. If you rely on your 'muse', fire him or her. They are going to get in the way here. Now is typically not the time to add in a new plot line or do major revisions to the story, *unless* you discovered in Step Three that this course of action is required. If it is required, this will be a rewrite phase rather than an editing phase. If you are rewriting, return to step one. If you are editing, please proceed.
Editing may involve rewriting certain sections. Just do steps one to three for those sections. This will provide your checks to ensure clarity throughout your novel. Yes, this is hard work. Don't whine about it, just do it.
Please note the bold. This is the heart of being a novelist. It is *work*, not play. Get used to it. There is no easy way out. No one said you couldn't have fun doing it, but... even if you don't use my way of writing, there is no way to avoid the hard work portion.
I find the easiest way to edit is to read out loud and record what I am reading. It is slow, but it can often point out sections that I am missing when I'm just reading. Of course, I do read and edit as I go, but I read out loud to myself and record. And no, it isn't because I like the sound of my own voice.
Because I am masochistic/sadistic, I will do an edit example of my own writing below.
First draft example:
Demons were real, that much Laelia knew. It had not been that long ago that someone had attempted to create a demon from the bodies of a bear and a boar and had succeeded. The creature was nothing but beastial fury bred to unholy delight in the kill. Unlike a chimera, which was a more peaceful blend of several animals, the demon had been created for one purpose only: slaughter.
Editing examples:
Demons were real, that much Laelia knew. It had not been that long ago that Yetritris had birthed a demon from the bodies of a grizzly bear, a wolverine and a boar. His success was bestial fury bred to unholy delight in killing. Unlike a chimera, which was a peaceful blend of several animals, the demon had been created for one purpose only: slaughter.
Notes: This needs more work, but its just a quick example of how a few word changes can completely alter the mental images associated with a paragraph. Not only must you edit for the single paragraph in mind, you must do it with your scene and plot in mind. This can be difficult, but it is not impossible.
I find the editing process to take significantly longer than the drafting process. I typically do not do a full rewrite, but revisit steps one to three as needed for specific scenes. If I have a major plot revision, I may spend a great deal of time in one to three, but I don't typically scratch a first draft unless I do not plan on revisiting that story. Granted, there have been a few instances where a draft has not been salvageable. I put those drafts into my Hall of Shame and write a new story. I may use the same basic idea and the characters over again, but it is a new story.
Editing is vital. Take your time with it. Your novel should be sparkling and perfect before it ever leaves your home.
Step Five: Manuscript Format
So, you have survived steps one to four. Great work. Now, you need to put your story in manuscript format.
I am not the greatest of teachers on manuscript format, so I will let the masters teach you instead.
Tor | Forge Manuscript Format
Holly Lisle's Guide to Manuscript Format
William Shunn's Guide to the Manuscript
BBC's Guide to Manuscript Format
If you know a good resource for the manuscript format, please feel free to leave a comment. I will add good references at later dates. The starting posts I have added should be sufficient for understanding the format.
You will also need to write a query letter. The letter will often include information about your novel and your series, if applicable. Every publisher has different requirements, so take the time to do your homework. The query letter may or may not be required in order to submit your novel. If you are submitting chapters, the 'query' letter is very much the same as if you were not. Here are some resources on the query letter:
Holly Lisle's Guide to Querying an Agent
Manitoba Writers' Guild Query Letter Sample
Gail Eastwood's Query Letter Do's and Don'ts
Step Six: Submit.
SASE. Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope. Never. Ever. Ever. Forget. This. Let me repeat: Never, ever, ever forget this. Always include a SASE with your manuscript for the reply and return of your manuscript. Never submit your original manuscript. Be patient, and make certain you mail it. After all, you can't be published if you never try.
Do NOT include bribes, art or anything or that nature. Do NOT bind your manuscript in anyway. Stuff it in an envelope in numeric order, do not embellish, and mail it. Get a tracking number. Most companies will not send you a notice saying they have received it until the date it is opened and review has started, and only if you include a postcard that is SASE'd.
Step Seven: See Step One.
What? See Step One? What does this mean?
Your novel is completed. Start a new one. If you are working on a series, you should be working on book two now. Wait patiently for a reply to your submission. By the time that horrible six month wait is over, you should be in process of editing book two.
You will probably get a rejection. However, good books will find a publisher. Keep trying.
Good luck. This is the basics to the novel writing process. Every writer is different, so please remember that this is how I do it. Enjoy.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
The Basics of Writing
The dream of many writers, both young and old, is to one day walk into a bookstore and see their published novel sitting on a shelf. But, this dream is often smashed through ignorance and a lack of realization on just how difficult the publishing industry is.
I am working towards submitting a novel manuscript to Tor | Forge. This journey started when I was somewhere between ten or twelve years old and I picked up a copy of A Wrinkle in Time. Until I picked up this book, I was functionally illiterate. Sure, I could sort of read and write, but I had no interest in it. I was more interested in seeing how far I could hit a softball or trying to determine just how high one really could jump when using a trampoline. I am entirely unsure how my parents survived my antics, or even how I survived them unscathed. But, I owe a great deal of thanks to Madeleine L'Engle for doing what an author does: writing.
In the years since I first picked up a pen and begged my mother for notebook paper on which to write, I learned one thing painfully quick. In truth, I knew nothing at all about writing. In a detour that did me far more good than not, I began to read every fantasy novel I could get my grummy paws on. My first piece of advice to those who wish to write? Read, read, read. Then, just as you feel that your brain is full to capacity, please read some more. Learn from the mistakes of the published. Learn to identify what errors that they do not make.
Then, lay your own writing out before you and compare it to those who have come before you. There are reasons that these writers are published and you are not. This is a very good first step.
This blog is not meant to make you feel happy. I will try to be as blunt and honest with you as possible, because these are my experiences. These posts will also delve into resources that I find extremely useful. As a writer, I do a great deal of research. The blame for this is on my work as a freelance author. While I am specialized in search engine optimization, I have ghost written several non-fiction books. Unfortunately, due to the very nature of ghost writing, I cannot mention the titles of these books. However, I will say, if you do not have a high threshold for punishment, avoid the freelance market like the plague. You will make more money at McDonald's.
Because I am interested in the science fiction and fantasy fields, this blog will be specialized towards providing information on these two genres.
Back to the meat of the subject: writing. If you wish to be published, there is one very important thing that you must have: a manuscript. When editors discuss a book or a short story, the term manuscript will come up often. Manuscript format is often intimidating for those who are not familiar with it. Every publishing house has their own guidelines for submission, as well as their own opinion on what manuscript format is. Here is Wikipedia's entry on the manuscript format. Here is Tor | Forge's submission guidelines. I suggest you read both and make yourself comfortable with them. There will be a future post dedicated to the manuscript format, but this is a good start. Tor | Forge is very clear about what they want. Not all publishers are, so beware.
Do not feel like you need to write your novel in manuscript format. There is time for formatting after the story is written if you do not have a firm grasp on the right formatting yet.
If you want to write a novel but have not started yet, I suggest that you learn the basics of plotting. While many successful novelists can write a draft without a plot line, knowing how a plot functions is a fundamental part of writing a marketable novel. Even if you do not write the plot line explicitly, you need to ensure that the elements of a good story are present.
Yes, if you clicked the above link that reads plot line, you will quickly determine that it is referring to plays and screenwriting. This is intentional. Your novel may have many plot lines, but every line you draw should reach some form of logical conclusion and contain the elements found within, even if they are not necessarily meant for science fiction and fantasy. Every good book, no matter the genre, has the elements of the plot line as described above.
If you have the basics of a plot line, characters that your reader can associate, and a strong desire to succeed, novel writing is far from impossible. However, expect the journey to be long and hard. You will fall down. What matters is that you get back up and try again.
For now, I leave you with Writer's Beware. Writer's Beware is a part of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, or the SFWA. If you are interested in publishing, have a manuscript, and want to see your work in print, this site is for you.
I will be doing a future post dedicated to Writer's Beware, as well as the scams that you may encounter on your journey towards publication.
For now, I leave you with a decent supply of reading material. Enjoy!
I am working towards submitting a novel manuscript to Tor | Forge. This journey started when I was somewhere between ten or twelve years old and I picked up a copy of A Wrinkle in Time. Until I picked up this book, I was functionally illiterate. Sure, I could sort of read and write, but I had no interest in it. I was more interested in seeing how far I could hit a softball or trying to determine just how high one really could jump when using a trampoline. I am entirely unsure how my parents survived my antics, or even how I survived them unscathed. But, I owe a great deal of thanks to Madeleine L'Engle for doing what an author does: writing.
In the years since I first picked up a pen and begged my mother for notebook paper on which to write, I learned one thing painfully quick. In truth, I knew nothing at all about writing. In a detour that did me far more good than not, I began to read every fantasy novel I could get my grummy paws on. My first piece of advice to those who wish to write? Read, read, read. Then, just as you feel that your brain is full to capacity, please read some more. Learn from the mistakes of the published. Learn to identify what errors that they do not make.
Then, lay your own writing out before you and compare it to those who have come before you. There are reasons that these writers are published and you are not. This is a very good first step.
This blog is not meant to make you feel happy. I will try to be as blunt and honest with you as possible, because these are my experiences. These posts will also delve into resources that I find extremely useful. As a writer, I do a great deal of research. The blame for this is on my work as a freelance author. While I am specialized in search engine optimization, I have ghost written several non-fiction books. Unfortunately, due to the very nature of ghost writing, I cannot mention the titles of these books. However, I will say, if you do not have a high threshold for punishment, avoid the freelance market like the plague. You will make more money at McDonald's.
Because I am interested in the science fiction and fantasy fields, this blog will be specialized towards providing information on these two genres.
Back to the meat of the subject: writing. If you wish to be published, there is one very important thing that you must have: a manuscript. When editors discuss a book or a short story, the term manuscript will come up often. Manuscript format is often intimidating for those who are not familiar with it. Every publishing house has their own guidelines for submission, as well as their own opinion on what manuscript format is. Here is Wikipedia's entry on the manuscript format. Here is Tor | Forge's submission guidelines. I suggest you read both and make yourself comfortable with them. There will be a future post dedicated to the manuscript format, but this is a good start. Tor | Forge is very clear about what they want. Not all publishers are, so beware.
Do not feel like you need to write your novel in manuscript format. There is time for formatting after the story is written if you do not have a firm grasp on the right formatting yet.
If you want to write a novel but have not started yet, I suggest that you learn the basics of plotting. While many successful novelists can write a draft without a plot line, knowing how a plot functions is a fundamental part of writing a marketable novel. Even if you do not write the plot line explicitly, you need to ensure that the elements of a good story are present.
Yes, if you clicked the above link that reads plot line, you will quickly determine that it is referring to plays and screenwriting. This is intentional. Your novel may have many plot lines, but every line you draw should reach some form of logical conclusion and contain the elements found within, even if they are not necessarily meant for science fiction and fantasy. Every good book, no matter the genre, has the elements of the plot line as described above.
If you have the basics of a plot line, characters that your reader can associate, and a strong desire to succeed, novel writing is far from impossible. However, expect the journey to be long and hard. You will fall down. What matters is that you get back up and try again.
For now, I leave you with Writer's Beware. Writer's Beware is a part of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, or the SFWA. If you are interested in publishing, have a manuscript, and want to see your work in print, this site is for you.
I will be doing a future post dedicated to Writer's Beware, as well as the scams that you may encounter on your journey towards publication.
For now, I leave you with a decent supply of reading material. Enjoy!
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