The game authors play more than any other. It starts with beta readers then agents then editors then publishers, etc. The best way to play the game? Keep yourself occupied.
I've been waiting to see if the agent with the query critique blog will select mine or not. I'm hoping she does, of course, but I'll be forced to move on if she doesn't. In the meantime, I went ahead and edited my book again. It's amazing how much I've learned since the last time I edited. Now that I'm happy with it, I have *pause for dramatic affect* started writing the next installment in the series. Yesterday, I started out strong writing 11 pages in 3 hours. I'm already developing my own voice in my writing and it's exciting to see how far I've come since I started my first book.
So, I'm keeping this blog short so I can get back to the writing. If you have any questions, comments or suggests for blogs, please leave a comment below, on my facebook fan page or facebook group page.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Taking the plunge...
Some of you may be wondering why I haven't said anything about sending out my next query letter. Well, I haven't sent it out yet. Besides having personal events that required my time and attention for a while, I've been researching the next agent on my list. Turns out she has a blog dedicated solely to critiquing query letters.
Here's how it works:
1. You read every single letter she's critiqued and learn as much as you can from them. There are over 150 people who have sent letters in and many of them have been critiqued 3 or 4 times.
2. You read the rules for how to submit your query letter. Very important because if you don't follow the rules, your letter gets deleted without being read.
4. You write your query letter.
5. A week later, you re-read your letter and make any changes you think need to be made.
6. You submit your letter... and wait.
7. She emails you when your letter is critiqued.
8. You read the notes she's made, make any changes that need to be made, and repeat steps 7 and 8 however many times you like.
There has been 1 letter that was perfect from the first draft and she asked for pages. There have been 7 more letter that went through revision a few times, but ended up perfect in the end... and she asked for pages. So, there's a lot of reading and studying on my part and even then, my chances of being asked for pages is like 1 in 19.
But, it is so worth it! I have no idea what I'm doing here. I've never done this before. This agent is basically giving people a chance to try again until they get it right. Of course, she expects the book to be as well written (if not better) than the query letter, so you need to apply what you've learned from her blog to your novel as well. But, I don't know of any other agent that gives you this kind of opportunity.
So, I've decided to send my query letter to her blog instead of straight to her. I wrote it about 10 days ago and have read over it again. Do I think it's good enough not to get a rejection letter? Probably not. But I have read and learned from every single query letter she has critiqued, and I've done the best I can. It won't hurt to try, right?
Wish me luck!
P.S. For any aspiring authors who want to know who this agent is and where to find her blog, please email me at odell.courtney@yahoo.com. For friends and family, sorry. I'd like to keep the humiliation to myself until she finally asks me for pages. I'm sure you understand. The blog redacts all personal information including my name, but you know enough from Dan's teaser to be able to figure out which letter is mine, being chopped to pieces for all to see. I'll be glad to post the finished product once pages have been requested.
Here's how it works:
1. You read every single letter she's critiqued and learn as much as you can from them. There are over 150 people who have sent letters in and many of them have been critiqued 3 or 4 times.
2. You read the rules for how to submit your query letter. Very important because if you don't follow the rules, your letter gets deleted without being read.
4. You write your query letter.
5. A week later, you re-read your letter and make any changes you think need to be made.
6. You submit your letter... and wait.
7. She emails you when your letter is critiqued.
8. You read the notes she's made, make any changes that need to be made, and repeat steps 7 and 8 however many times you like.
There has been 1 letter that was perfect from the first draft and she asked for pages. There have been 7 more letter that went through revision a few times, but ended up perfect in the end... and she asked for pages. So, there's a lot of reading and studying on my part and even then, my chances of being asked for pages is like 1 in 19.
But, it is so worth it! I have no idea what I'm doing here. I've never done this before. This agent is basically giving people a chance to try again until they get it right. Of course, she expects the book to be as well written (if not better) than the query letter, so you need to apply what you've learned from her blog to your novel as well. But, I don't know of any other agent that gives you this kind of opportunity.
So, I've decided to send my query letter to her blog instead of straight to her. I wrote it about 10 days ago and have read over it again. Do I think it's good enough not to get a rejection letter? Probably not. But I have read and learned from every single query letter she has critiqued, and I've done the best I can. It won't hurt to try, right?
Wish me luck!
P.S. For any aspiring authors who want to know who this agent is and where to find her blog, please email me at odell.courtney@yahoo.com. For friends and family, sorry. I'd like to keep the humiliation to myself until she finally asks me for pages. I'm sure you understand. The blog redacts all personal information including my name, but you know enough from Dan's teaser to be able to figure out which letter is mine, being chopped to pieces for all to see. I'll be glad to post the finished product once pages have been requested.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Pictures as Promised:
Here are some pictures from my acting experience. Enjoy!
Here I am driving. My "movie son" Trey is in the back seat pretending to sleep. It was important for us to make it clear to Trey that he just needed to pretend to sleep. He thought we really wanted him to sleep and he wasn't okay with that.
Here I am with the camera in my face. Talk about a close-up!
Kal and Tyler carefully operating this big pole (I should really know the name of).
Suzanne: couldn't have done it without her!
Here's a scene at an old abandoned gas station. Kal is walking away from me laughing because of a practical joke Michael had played on me. Kal couldn't keep a straight face and almost blew it... yeah right... I'm the most gullible person on the face of the planet. I totally fell for it!
Michael directing Trey through a very complicated scene. They both did a great job!
My beautiful cousin Teri keeping Trey company while the adults get their act together.
An emotional scene for me, hence the pursed lips and hint of a tear in my eye.
Here I am driving. My "movie son" Trey is in the back seat pretending to sleep. It was important for us to make it clear to Trey that he just needed to pretend to sleep. He thought we really wanted him to sleep and he wasn't okay with that.
Here I am with the camera in my face. Talk about a close-up!
Kal and Tyler carefully operating this big pole (I should really know the name of).
Suzanne: couldn't have done it without her!
Here's a scene at an old abandoned gas station. Kal is walking away from me laughing because of a practical joke Michael had played on me. Kal couldn't keep a straight face and almost blew it... yeah right... I'm the most gullible person on the face of the planet. I totally fell for it!
Michael directing Trey through a very complicated scene. They both did a great job!
My beautiful cousin Teri keeping Trey company while the adults get their act together.
An emotional scene for me, hence the pursed lips and hint of a tear in my eye.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Dear Val...
I have plenty of ideas on things to blog about, but I want to write about things that interest you, my readers, so I figure until I am completely consumed by writing and such, I can take the time to answer individual questions from people personally. If you have a question or something you would like me to write about, feel free to leave a comment here, or on my Facebook fan and group pages, and I will be glad to answer them.
My awesome cousin Val wrote: Blog about your inspiration to write- the people that you've met in life that have influenced you.
Dear Val,
I'd have to say that my #1 inspiration has been my husband. Besides the fact that he reads a book a week, is very intelligent, and supports me to no end, he also turned me on to reading again when I had stopped completely. When we met, I wasn't much of a reader... felt like I had better things to do. He encouraged me through example, not words, which is more than I can say about anyone in my life who has ever tried to get me to read something. I love him even more for that because when you are a writer, reading is just as important as writing.
My second inspiration comes from reading a book. While I'm in a book, I feel like I'm really there. Like I know the characters and places. Like I can relate to them in some way or another. Like I care about them. That all-too-real feeling of having stepped into another world and having somehow gone through the trials the characters face is all consuming... to the point that when I finish reading a story, I feel sad about saying goodbye to the characters and places. I think that's how it is for most people. You develop a personal connection to the entire story and it's like you've left a part of yourself there when it's over. Which, I think, is why most people love series. Each installment brings you back to that part of yourself that you once left behind. It's a great feeling, and I will never stop reading again because of it. I want to give that feeling to people. Let them walk around in my imagined world and feel like they belong.
As far as influential people I've met, my husband is at the front of the line again, but there are many more. I've always known that my mother has a gift with words. She is a poet among other things and her talent has impressed me many times. There are also writers on my Dad's side of the family, Teri Robinson (one of the screenwriters of the film I was just in) is one, and very talented as well. Friends and family influence me more than I can say. The support that they provide, and even the ones who want to keep me firmly planted in reality by pointing out just how difficult it is to get published, in one way or another, you all play an important role in my writing.
I also think that the authors of the books I read influence me. Although I've never met most of them, I still feel like I have met them while reading their books... because I know from experience how much of yourself you put in the written words on the page. I was fortunate enough to meet one of my favorite authors, Richelle Mead. The experience was short, but nice.
I'd have to say everyone I've ever known, know, and will know, have the ability to influence my writing. Corny as it may sound, I am a student of life, always learning, growing, and most importantly, living. It would be impossible for me not to write a book without including life lessons I've learned. Everyone around has played a role in those lessons in some way or another. And, I'm happy to say, most people in my life have been positive.
My awesome cousin Val wrote: Blog about your inspiration to write- the people that you've met in life that have influenced you.
Dear Val,
I'd have to say that my #1 inspiration has been my husband. Besides the fact that he reads a book a week, is very intelligent, and supports me to no end, he also turned me on to reading again when I had stopped completely. When we met, I wasn't much of a reader... felt like I had better things to do. He encouraged me through example, not words, which is more than I can say about anyone in my life who has ever tried to get me to read something. I love him even more for that because when you are a writer, reading is just as important as writing.
My second inspiration comes from reading a book. While I'm in a book, I feel like I'm really there. Like I know the characters and places. Like I can relate to them in some way or another. Like I care about them. That all-too-real feeling of having stepped into another world and having somehow gone through the trials the characters face is all consuming... to the point that when I finish reading a story, I feel sad about saying goodbye to the characters and places. I think that's how it is for most people. You develop a personal connection to the entire story and it's like you've left a part of yourself there when it's over. Which, I think, is why most people love series. Each installment brings you back to that part of yourself that you once left behind. It's a great feeling, and I will never stop reading again because of it. I want to give that feeling to people. Let them walk around in my imagined world and feel like they belong.
As far as influential people I've met, my husband is at the front of the line again, but there are many more. I've always known that my mother has a gift with words. She is a poet among other things and her talent has impressed me many times. There are also writers on my Dad's side of the family, Teri Robinson (one of the screenwriters of the film I was just in) is one, and very talented as well. Friends and family influence me more than I can say. The support that they provide, and even the ones who want to keep me firmly planted in reality by pointing out just how difficult it is to get published, in one way or another, you all play an important role in my writing.
I also think that the authors of the books I read influence me. Although I've never met most of them, I still feel like I have met them while reading their books... because I know from experience how much of yourself you put in the written words on the page. I was fortunate enough to meet one of my favorite authors, Richelle Mead. The experience was short, but nice.
I'd have to say everyone I've ever known, know, and will know, have the ability to influence my writing. Corny as it may sound, I am a student of life, always learning, growing, and most importantly, living. It would be impossible for me not to write a book without including life lessons I've learned. Everyone around has played a role in those lessons in some way or another. And, I'm happy to say, most people in my life have been positive.
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