Good Monday Morning to everyone. Happy March.
Some quick business first. Query Tally Stats have remained the same: 16 out, 3 partials requested, 1 rejected, plus four other rejections = 5 total rejections. 11 Queries still out. There is hope.
As I was blogging around this weekend trying to catch up on all the wonderful writing I marked for reviewing, I found several interesting things.
Chuck Sambuchino at Guide to Literary Agents is having another of those agent contests on his blog for Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. It's a fabulous opportunity to get your work before an agent. Prizes are amazing. Go Go Go check it out!!!!
Sarah Jayne at Writing in the Wilderness is having a contest for reaching 50 followers. Go check it out. Prize is a $20- gift card.
J.Koyanagi had a splendid post for name recognition, (as well as blogs or web-sites). She has given herself a crescent moon over her name as a logo, which is beautiful. I wish I'd thought of it first, but alas, I didn't. I don't know what, if anything I could put over my name for recognition as I write romance. I don't think a heart would do at all. Perhaps my family crest. Seems a bit silly. I'll have to think on it. For those of you who write fantasy or sci-fi, this might be a little easier, no? Question #1) If you wanted a logo, what would it be?
Elle Strauss at Elle Strauss Books is going to do a March Madness writing accountability fest. Kind of like a NANO but not. It's all about the accountability that you say you have for your writing -- finish a WIP, start a new one, 1000 words a day, whatever you want to be held accountable for. I think it's great and would love to do it, however I know I wouldn't be able to. My life is already madness and I don't write the way normal people do. But did I mention prizes, yes, yes there are, so go check it out.
Carolina Valdez-Miller at Carol-in-Printhas also mentioned she will be going on hiatus to finish up some edits before she sets out to query. I think gentle readers, that I will be doing the same soon. Masquerade has been sitting for quite some time. The first three chapters have been polished until they shine, and although the book is good enough to be accepted as a full, I have been worrying that it's not good enough to be published. Maybe it's my imagination or the fact I've been reading so many other great writers out there but I want it to be the best. Question #2) After you get to the end of the revisions, do you think your book is done? Is it good enough? Or do you go crazy trying to make it great?
Thanks again for all the great movie suggestions. I've forgotten about many of them (we don't have tv) so when I go to the cheap movie store, I'll stock up.
I'm also on the hunt for a book for Caroline at Carolinebyline. The Black Whippet by S. Sutton-Vane c1957. Right now it's going for between $30- and $125- on book sights. Which I can't believe, but it is an oldie but goodie. When you are cruising your used bookstores if you wouldn't mind taking a look for it. I got mine for $2- at a book fair. Let me know if you find it for really cheap and we can work out the details to get it to her. Thanks.
I also wanted to say that the little Something-Something I posted last week about the funeral has gotten into my head and won't leave. I've written another 3,000 words for it over the weekend with still more to come. I don't know what it means, it wasn't even anything I planned, but Kate won't leave me alone. Question #3) Do you find when you write a piece of, (I suppose for this post we could call it flash fiction) flash fiction that there is more to it than what it really is? Do you ever want to persue it as far as it will go? Does it drive you to the brink of frustration because you know you should be working on the "something else" that you're supposd to be working on?
I've also written another 3,000 words for Richard and Amanda's story. I think I've over written here and it will probably come out in the final revision but I won't be able to see it fully until the book is finished. I'm following my story arc but, well, I don't know. I think I might have to play around with chapter placements or something for the final draft -- you know, chap. 1 = Richard & Amanda, chaps. 2-7 Richard's story, chaps. 7-12 Amanda's story, chaps. 12-19 Ricahrd & Amanda, then the epilogue. I don't know though. We'll see. It wasn't how I envisioned the book but it might serve the purpose. Question #4) Do you ever do something to your book that was never in the way you originally saw it?
I also did another 2,000 words on the contemporary romance Genna & Tony which some of you may remember. (I really need to find titles for these.) I've also begun playing around with the query for this, well, because I can. I waited too long to write the query for Masquerade. Now I know how to write one, I think it might be easier to do it while the work is still in progress. Question #5) Do you ever do this? Write the query or synopsis before the book is even finished?
Okay gentle readers, I think I've said enough. Have a lovely day.
17 comments:
Wow. You've been busy. I'm impressed by how much writing you've done. :) And while I can totally understand how you would need some down time, I have to say that I'll really miss seeing you here everyday.
I think you should add Prolific and Awesome to your Piedmont Writer tag. I am always impressed by the things you write and today is no different. Good job on doing the work and staying on task, Anne. The question I'm answering from above refers to being surprised at the turns my stories take. I am always amazed when things I had never considered come flowing out onto the page. I love it when the muse strikes!
I'm with Sarah, holy cow, you've been busy! Good for you.
1) I don't know if I'd have a logo? Maybe a guitar to go with my current wip?
2) I go through stages--almost exactly like that link I posted to you a while back from Libba Bray. I'm at the 'it needs a total revision' stage right now, so we'll see.
3) Yes, I could never let a piece sit as flash fiction, I'd have to write out the entire story. Even if it was just an outline.
4) All the time. Two really big scenes in the current wip changed drastically from how I originally envisioned them. I mean drastically - changed the genre as a matter-of-fact.
5) Not yet. But I've heard a couple people mention that they do this. I don't know, it probably wouldn't work well due to my answer to #4, I suppose.
Thanks for the mention of my contest!
- Chuck
www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog
Thanks for all these links! WOW. So much to absorb here! Sounds like you've made great progress, and things are still really looking up for you!
I don't write the query or synopsis before I finish a book. I may in the future, but I haven't so far. I need to write a synopsis now, though. I'm super-stuck.
If you go on hiatus please still chat me with sometimes! I have news to share with you. :)
Wow, you've been tremendously busy.
I'm glad you're making so much progress with your story. I'm sort of in awe.
I'm, actually, currently in the place of doing something with my story that I didn't expect, since I'm rewriting and changing the whole ending.
Don't worry if what seems right now isn't what you originally expected. You know a lot more now than you did then, so you're idea might just have evolved with your experience.
Hi! I just added myself as your 40th follower! I love it when I can round out someone's follower numbers lol! Looking at your wip list on your sidebar, I am truly impressed. It's very motivating. Makes me want to work harder.
Wow, so much going on out there! Thanks for all the reminders.
And congrats on your query stuff! Good luck in the trenches. :)
Sarah Jayne -- Awww ain't you just the sweetest li'l thing. Just because I won't be posting every day doesn't mean I won't come to visit you. Especially if you keep posting those "Before Coffee" posts. LOL.
Roxy -- Prolific and Awesome??? NO, just crazy and schizophrenic I think would be the diagnosis. I can't get them out of my head! Yeah, I'm ALWAYS surprised when the story goes in a different direction.
Tara -- Yeah, I saw a review of Libba's book and holy cow, (Pardon the expression- no pun intended) that looks fantastic! Keeping busy is something I HAVE to do.
Chuck -- Anytime. You're the only agent I know that does rock n'roll.
Glamaliscious -- I'm always around to chat. I'll get a hold of you later. And if you ever need to, there is such a thing as e-mail you know. I always answer those.
Same goes for anyone else, if you ever wanted to talk to me, shoot me an e-mail, we'll set up a chat.
Dominique -- Busy, busy, busy, because once the weather breaks I have to start building my fence and re-doing the gardens. I want to get the books finished before the summer so I can edit them over it. Good Luck with your re-writes, I know how hard they are.
Karen -- Thanks for being 40. I wish I still were. And don't be impressed, it's really nothing compared to others I've seen.
Elana -- Thanks. I need all the luck I can get these days. Or prayers, whichever you prefer.
That's a lot of writing! Go you! It's certainly more than i've done in the last month
Sarah A -- Yes, but you've been waiting to do revisions so you get a free pass not to write. Gotta' store up the brain energy.
Wow! Thanks for the mention! You know, I gave it a lot of thought, this business of a hiatus. Ultimately, it came down to wanting to do the one thing that had gotten me blogging in the first place--writing. So though we'll miss you, I think there's no better reason or a blogging hiatus. Ok. questions:
1. I think my logo would probably be an angel wing. In fact, I hadn't even thought of it until I read your question! But I'd like to get a tattoo of one, so perhaps it's fitting. Thanks for aasking!
2. I never think anything I've written is done. There is always more to be done. Always. I think there just comes a point where you have to settle. It kind of stinks. Maybe that's different for others, but I've yet to pick up something I've written and think it's perfect. Blah. Wish I could.
3. I think the best pieces of flash fiction are the ones that feel like they can be made into longer stories! So I think you're on the right track! Go with the flow on this one, I say.
4. I think everything I've written has started out one way and ended up another. The story I wrote for The Love at First Sight Blogfest started out as a cutesy little love story and ended up as a personification of death...go figure. I think stories tned to write themselves if you let them. Don't fight it.
5. Now this I've never done, mainly because I don't ever really know exactly how a book will end up. BUT, I think you should do it if it feels right. It may very well help you to organize your thoughts on your story and help you to better write it.
Ok, congrats on all your progress! And thanks for the awesome links!
Hi, Anne. I thought I'd just post over here and make it easier for you to find. You asked what you were supposed to link to and that's the contest post itself. You've got the link to my blog which will have a new post up tomorrow, so just switch that link out for this one and you'll have 5 entries in my contest. Thanks so much and go!you!
http://writinginthewilderness.blogspot.com/2010/03/happy-march-monday.html
Lots of stuff here! Glad to see that it looks like you've had a busy week/weekend. I'll check out those links. Good luck with the queries -- keep us updated!
Carolina -- Yeah, the one thing I've always got in the back of my head is, "A man's got to do what a man's got to do." And if it means not posting for awhile, well, then, it's what I've got to do. And I love the idea of an angel wing. Now why didn't I think of that?
Sarah Jayne -- you betcha!
Shelley -- Lots of stuff, too much stuff I think, busy busy busy.
#1) If you wanted a logo, what would it be?
For years, I've always doodled a heart with the infinity sign over it. So probably that.
#2) After you get to the end of the revisions, do you think your book is done? Is it good enough? Or do you go crazy trying to make it great? I will drive myself crazy trying to make it great. Then when I'm completely satisfied. I will stop.
#3) Do you find when you write a piece of, (I suppose for this post we could call it flash fiction) flash fiction that there is more to it than what it really is? Do you ever want to persue it as far as it will go? Does it drive you to the brink of frustration because you know you should be working on the "something else" that you're supposd to be working on?
Sometimes I follow it but mostly, it's just that, a piece of flash fiction. I'm okay with that. I have too many other substantial idears.
#4) Do you ever do something to your book that was never in the way you originally saw it? All the time! Especially when I start writing out the synopsis and it morphs into something completely different from what I had originally planned.
#5) Do you ever do this? Write the query or synopsis before the book is even finished? Yes. I have. I am doing that now for my current WIP. I think it's a great tool to see where you have plot holes.
Great post!!
Thanks Hannah.
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