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I haven’t really written much in weeks, probably a couple thousand words at the most for a new story that hasn’t really gone anywhere other than a few intro pages. It’s not that I don’t have inspiration, I do. I have a ton of cool story ideas from post-apocalyptic to magical fantasy to horror. The problem is that I find myself in a strange place after having written my last book, which was based on a completely different and unique idea. Now I am worrying whether it was too different.

Too different from what, you ask? Well, the market, or what agents and editors say is hot in the market (especially for debut authors). So here is the dilemma – agents and editors claim to want fresh but it’s fresh with a caveat. They want fresh but not so fresh that it’s not completely identical to everything else selling in the market. Does that sound like a contradiction of terms to you? That’s because it is. How do you find an idea that’s like everything else but still fresh?

I am starting to think that this doesn’t really exist unless I copy what one other young adult author revealed was her secret strategy – to take any (non-original) story and switch up the gender of the characters, giving publishers what they want but being “different” enough. But that doesn’t make it fresh to me, underneath it’s just the same old thing. Wouldn’t readers see right through that? Interestingly, it has worked for her – she’s a best selling author of two young adult books. So is that what agents and editors want, a mash-up of already done, already “proven” ideas? Sounds like it but I don’t think that that’s what readers want, at least I’d like to hope so. I’m a voracious reader myself and when I come upon a new book with an interesting unique different idea, I’m intrigued. Simply put, the world is a diverse place, we need diverse material. Pick any book from the Hugo Awards list and you’ll see some of the diversity I’m talking about.

Anyway, that’s only a snippet of my creative dilemma as I’m sure there are other implications tied in to this like the economic climate (editors not willing to risk their jobs for unknown authors or publishers looking for tried and true), the changing landscape of the publishing industry and the digital ebook revolution, or simple economics of the cost to produce versus sales return. More than likely it’s going to be the Indies (Independent Publishers) that are going to be the ones to find the new stuff or take a chance on niche markets/ideas, but still, that’s but a sliver of the whole. It’s an undeniably daunting prospect for any unconnected unknown writer. The odds are simply not in their favor.

That said, I’m debating whether to do a test project and write the book that fits the mold. Is that selling out? Not entirely sure…but if it means selling something, I don’t have anything to lose. What’s the alternative? To do it yourself and own the onus? That’s certainly an option but that’s a very complicated discussion meant for another time.

Just a quick post to say that the queries are out. Typically, every agency has rules but you know what, I’m a sales person at heart and I want to sell my product. So I’m out there trying to sell it, hard core. If this isn’t viewed as a business, then that agent is never going to be successful selling your book. They have to passionate about your work, as much as you are, and they have to have sales savvy. Plus of course have lots of contacts, and not the eye kind.

So you probably know by now from my extensive posts on querying agents (shame if you don’t), my query process basically means that I have a researched list of anyone looking for new clients in my category/genre, and then it’s “Hi yo, Silver, away!” That’s the Lone Ranger for you young’uns. Why the list, you ask? Well it’s such a subjective process. So go for anyone who would be a good fit for you and your book.  Seriously, what if you get someone on a bad day, and then you’re screwed from the whole agency? Come on. At the end of the day, they’re human  too, so make sure you cover your bases.

Repeat slowly – it is a business, and again. It. Is. A. Business. A business to make money.

Everyone in the entire publishing industry views it that way, so why shouldn’t you? I’m not saying don’t respect the rules, but bend them if you have to. I mean this is your dream, is it not? As my Aussie friends say, harden up. Push the limits. And remember, it’s the law of numbers – a rule I learned in Sales 101. The more you send out, the more responses you’ll get, and the greater chance for an offer, or maybe fifteen. I got 8 offers the last time so there’s something to be said for that law. And of course having stellar writing which comes in a close second. Or first. Seriously, that’s first.

Response has been fantastic so far. Lots of interest, so fingers crossed that it will just be about me connecting with the person who’s going to take me to the next level. My Mr. or Ms. Right-Agent. I can’t wait. Wow, this could be like an episode of the Literary Bachelorette or something. *Caution – too much query excitement can cause random delirium and some serious verbal vomit. Thank goodness it’s here and not in el query or el novel.

Stay tuned for more…

No kidding. It feels like everything is coming to boiling point. Writing a new book, a literary one mind you…no urban fantasy here, just evil masquerading as nice, normal individuals. Seriously, you don’t need to be a vampire or a werewolf to be inhuman. Strip away those top layers and sometimes you will be disgusted to see what you find in the very people around you. That’s not to say you don’t find good things too, but more often than not, there’s darkness lurking. It’s the human condition.

But I digress.

So between writing my third book, publishing the first one (hoping fervently that it will take off like a rocket), and getting a new literary agent for the second book (new series), it feels like my world is entering hyper-drive! But I’m not complaining! Don’t get me wrong…it’s just overwhelming. But oh so good!

If you’re interested on learning how to query an agent, check back to my links on that subject. I’ll keep you posted on progress of all three. Query-city next week!!

Someone once told me if you want something, you have to go after it hard. You have to give it everything inside of you, otherwise, it’s not something you really want. Ok, I just made the last part up. But the first part’s true. The problem is that it’s no cake-walk.

I ask myself, why isn’t it happening like those stories you read about? Instant success! 7-figure advance! 3-book deal! Well, after a lot of research and internal soul-searching, I have come up with a few answers, some lame and some that actually make sense. The most logical (and written-about) one is that the publishing industry is still recovering from the economic fallout and publishers just aren’t signing like they used to. They just can’t afford to take the risk so they go with tried and true, and books/authors that will sell. And well, 7-figure advances only come if you’re famous. Um…skydiving off the Empire State Building anyone? That would be 5 minutes of fame that may get me in the door. Kidding (but not really)! Another answer is that everyone and their mother (and father’s sister’s uncle’s cousin) is writing about the genre I am in – urban fantasy/paranormal. Including traditionally adult authors who want to cash in on the hot YA industry – the only area still growing like wildfire, which makes it incredibly competitive. The other (lame) answer is that maybe my books just aren’t good enough – but of course, that’s crap. If you ever get to read my books, you’ll know they are the farthest thing from crap. *dusts shoulder off*

It’s funny because I actually had one editor come back to me and use specific language that I have used in this blog to review one of the books she published. Sadly, it was not a great review, and yes, I paid the price when I saw her lovely rejection letter. I really didn’t like that book though, and still stand by what I wrote. There’s going to be a publisher out there who loves what I have done as much as I do.

So what’s the point of this blog post, you ask? I guess maybe it’s a bit of a self-pep talk, a pull-yourself-together talk. Despite all of the adversity, I have to pull some gumption from somewhere, and keep persevering. Most writers know that Stephen King was supposedly rejected tons of times before he sold his first novel. But did you know Gone With The Wind was rejected by 38 publishers before it was printed? Or Dune by Frank Herbert was rejected by 23 publishers? John Grisham was rejected by 16 publishers for A Time To Kill. There’s a great blog post from blogger Rachel Zurakowski from Books & Such, Why Are Great Projects Rejected? Interesting read.

Check out this great link for some more inspiration, 50 Iconic Writers Who Were Repeatedly Rejected.

You are not alone, and it will happen for you. All you need is one person to believe in you, as much as you do. So go after it hard. You can falter, that’s human…but as the singer Aaliyah said, dust yourself off and try again. Don’t give up. And remember, you can’t wait for opportunity to come to you, you have to chase it, put your back into it. Make it a life goal, and make the changes necessary to commit to your dream. It’s your dream.

It’s my dream.

The new novel went out to its first test reader after weeks of self-editing. As most of you would-be writers already know, this is very arduous task that can go against every emotional bone in your body because you are, after all, editing yourself. It’s as if you were a plastic surgeon staring at yourself in a mirror and making black markings all over your body for “trimming.” Terrifying image? You bet. Well, it’s just about the same. And you have to be as meticulous as you are merciless. If it doesn’t contribute in some way – plot development, scene description, character back-story, iambic pentameter (kidding!) – then it has to go. Brutal. My favorite book to assist in this process is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. It is a key tool in getting rid of some of your most adored (and more-likely crippling) writing habits. You’ll cringe to hit the delete button, but your work will be better for it.

That said and done, I am now awaiting the initial test-reader feedback with bated breath, and of course a “tiny” bit of anxiety.

Next step – jacket-flap/query outline for my agent. Here’s a teaser – it’s all about hell.

Although NaNoWriMo finished last November when my cumulative word total  was a mere 36,880, I wanted to post an update. Just because NaNoWriMo finished in 30 days didn’t mean that I stopped writing (nor should you if you did try the 30 day challenge). Plus writing something else definitely helps with the waiting (see my previous post on that subject).

At a current tally of 76,230 words, the new manuscript is shaping up to be something pretty cool, but then again I am biased. It’s still just a “shitty first draft” in Anne Lamott‘s eloquent words in Bird by Bird. That’s not to say that I’m not self-editing as I go. I find that writing this novel given what I’ve learned from the whole process of the first novel (still ongoing) is a lot different.

One, I am more aware of my target readership – have to keep in mind they’re young adults, and in my opinion, sophisticated young adults. As Krista Marino, Senior Editor of Knopf Doubleday Dell, says in an SCBWI article – Secrets of Voice and Plot: A Panel on YA Novels with Editors Krista Marino and Lexa Hillyer, “teens are not simple, and authors shouldn’t make teen characters simple.”

Two, I am more rigid with managing the number of points of view (learned that most publishers for young adult only like one or two).

Three, I am more aware of making sure my “world” has structure and believability which is critical for any reader, regardless of age.

Four, I am careful to build the action smartly and more aware of pacing.

So what’s this novel about? Well if I told you, I’d have to kill you. But when I get a little more confident, I’ll post a tidbit or two about it. Right now, it’s pretty much word vomit, although not the smelly kind which is a good thing.

I find the most stressful part of writing, although some may argue that sometimes it’s the writing itself, is the waiting. Waiting to hear back from an agent, waiting to hear back from an editor, waiting to hear back from a publisher…it’s excruciating. And then of course, probably even worse after all that waiting, is the dreaded no…the ugly kiss of rejection. Ok, so it’s more like a kick than a kiss, but that’s just semantics.

In my “day” job, I once had a boss who said – it’s a numbers game. The more cold calls you make, the greater your chance of getting an appointment, and ultimately getting a sale. Let’s apply: if you make 10 phone calls, you may get 2 appointments, and 1 second meeting (although 50% odds is aggressive). The chances that you will make a sale on that single second appointment is slim to none. Now, if you made say 100 calls, you may get 40 appointments, then 20 second meetings, then 5 VP level “buying” meetings, and 1 0r 2 actual, honest-to-goodness SALES.

This methodology can apply to getting an agent but it doesn’t really help in getting a publisher because you’re depending on someone else to make that sale for you, which means it’s out of your hands…hence the waiting game that you have zero control over. If you’re a control freak like me, that’s worse than torture. So you pretty much have to trust in the knowledge that the agent you selected you chose for a reason – because they are expert at what they do.

On American Idol last night, Ellen DeGeneres told one of the girls who begged to stay on after she’d been cut that “no” hurts now but it’s not the end of the world. Someday you’ll look back and say, that was just one no. She’s right. In almost any walk of life, rejection is unavoidable. But the silver lining in that is that at one point, if you don’t give up, it will just be your time.

In the NY Times today, there was another interesting article, “On Kindle’s List, the Best Sellers Don’t Necessarily Need to Sell.” This time it was about best-selling books on the Kindle, only the kicker was that these books are free. Yes, you read that right – they are free. According to the article, “more than half of the best-selling e-books for the Kindle are available at no charge.”

The thinking behind this stems from more unknown authors who want to create some buzz about their work – offer the e-book Kindle version for free a month before hard-copy release or perhaps create a fan-base for secondary title releases. The goal is to get readers to try out new authors, and get them hooked for future publications (that aren’t free).

Although the CEO of Hachette disagrees – “it is illogical to give away books for free.” Then again, his clients include James Patterson and Stephenie Meyer who only have a to sneeze into a book and people will buy it. Not so much for other less familiar writers who need to drum up some interest against such incredible competition. Trust me, I’m one of them.

Let’s be realistic though. Not every new author wants to give away free books. After all, it’s their blood, sweat and tears. But if something like this in a promotional vein means generating buzz…then it starts to develop a little bit of a silver lining. Word-of-mouth these days, especially with the internet and the flux of social media like Facebook and Twitter, has become viral. So why not leverage the visibility? I would.

On the personal front, one of the literary agents I had the pleasure of meeting was Richard Curtis, founder of E-Reads. Well-known and highly respected in the fields of literary agenting and publishing, Mr. Curtis had it down pat. The world of books is evolving and he’s right there with it.

According to the NY Times article, e-books represent about 5% of the book market. And that is a growing number. Just ask Amazon who refuses to release actual sales figures for Kindle sales (theory is they’re going for market share and not for profit). Either way, it’s an upticking trend. Take a look at an article about their projected earnings from MarketWatch for the fourth quarter – not too shabby!

The trick is to stay ahead of the curve. With handheld gadgets like the iPhone or iPod Touch or the PSP becoming more popular, this is where the curve is heading. I’d predict that more and more people, myself included, will capitulate at some point and pick up a Kindle. I haven’t yet – I’ve always been a big fan of actually touching the pages of a book and reading actual print. But I’m on a PC every single day so maybe in the not-too-distant future, I’ll be a convert.

See this article in the Larchmont Loop.

Back to editing (see my last post on Slice and Dice Time). My new question is how and when do I know that enough is enough? Do I err on the side of caution or on the side of just-delete-it? I am finding myself in a curious spot, and my question is, can one actually over-edit?

Self-editing sucks because it’s like staring at yourself in the mirror and deciding which pieces of yourself to cut off or erase. So you start with the relatively painless things like a couple finger-nails, maybe an eyelash or two. But what about when you get to more major amputation? Like an ear or a knee, or even worse, an actual limb? I repeat. It sucks.

For the ‘literalists,’ my example above is an analogy. I’m not really cutting parts of myself. But that’s what editing feels like to me. Shakespeare knew what he was talking about in Hamlet, or in my case, the pain of editing versus the uncertainty of selling to a publisher. So I guess the moral of this post is, editing may be bad, but not getting published would be far worse.

So you paid $400 to attend a 3 day writers’ conference. Now what? I’ve been to a few of these conferences, and I’ve learned a couple things. If approached properly, it’s one of the best investments you can make in building your writing career. That said, you have to be prepared to talk about your work, especially if you are an unpublished writer. Standing like a wallflower at a seminar that you paid an arm and a leg for is a complete waste of your time and money. So before you get there, do the 3 P’s – PREPARE, PRACTICE & POLISH.

Develop a 30 second elevator pitch. In the sales world, where I’ve spent the majority of my career, an elevator pitch is the time in which you have just about 30 seconds to sell whatever product it is you’re selling to a prospective buyer. Think of your book as the product you’re trying to sell, so basically that means you need a hook and a good one (never forget you have tons of competition!) Write it out first – what is your book about? What’s the thing that makes it unique? Characters, plot, genre? A couple key sentences are really all you need.

Once you’ve got your pitch, practice it in front of a mirror or a friend. Be confident. Enunciate and try lowering your voice (for a woman, lowering your voice slightly can sound more professional and confident – don’t ask why, but it worked for me in sales for years). Your goal is to present yourself as talented, confident, creative, and professional. Now get on the conference website and look for the attending agent/editor list. Research them all – with the ease of use of Google, you really have no excuse. Do it, because if you get a moment to talk to an agent, you want to be prepared to talk about books they’ve sold or specific areas of professional interest to them. Agents are people too – they feel flattered if someone has genuinely taken the time to learn about them.

Finally, line up the candidates that match your work, find a photo if you can so that you can recognize them at the conference. Don’t be afraid to single them out (btw, this doesn’t mean you should stalk them, but do find them at the right time like during a break or a mingling session), and remember that they are there because they are looking for new talent (yes, that means you). Get yourself noticed in a good way – ask questions during a seminar or introduce yourself to as many people as you can during breaks. Participate in author/agent sessions. Be friendly and personable. In any business, people connect with people.

It’s also helpful to carry a synopsis or two of your work, and maybe the first 3-5 pages. Don’t be afraid to talk about your work and your goals as a writer. If you’re afraid to pitch yourself, then why are you there? Seriously. It’s not a big deal, don’t hyperventilate – unless you make a complete fool or yourself (which you won’t) or you impress the heck out of someone (which you will), you’re just a face in the “I wanna be published” crowd. So stand tall, take a deep breath, and put on your GAME FACE. Dress the part. I’d advise against jeans and a T-shirt unless it works for your platform, but looking professional gets you automatic “impression” appeal.

You’ve prepared, practiced, and polished. Now it’s game time. Get in there! Believe in yourself and your work!

Finally, the last key thing after you’ve wowed a bunch of top NY agents, don’t forget to follow up with anyone you’ve met after the conference. If you’re querying an agent who told you to query them, mention when and where you met them in your query. On the flip side of this, NEVER make up that you’ve met someone because they have ways and means of finding you out. Trust me, you don’t want to be that person. Even if you don’t query a specific agent/editor/author that you’ve met, still send them an email to say thanks or that it was nice to meet them. I cannot stress how important networking is in this business (in any business for that matter). See my post on networking.

Now give yourself a pat on the back, you’re on your way!

What am I doing today? You got it – I am editing, editing, editing.

So what have I learned during this round of editing? The use of the ‘comma’ – I definitely needed an extra pair of eyes for that one. I couldn’t believe how many times I either didn’t use a comma where I needed one or misused it altogether. My advice for aspiring authors – it doesn’t hurt to brush up on the appropriate and correct use of punctuation. This is a critical part of polishing your manuscript.

Nothing is ever perfect, nor is it really ever going to be. That doesn’t mean however, that you can’t get close to perfection. In the case of manuscript perfection, the key is in editing, as in good “improve your manuscript” editing. Prior to agent submission, I did most of my own editing and also had a good dozen people proofread my book. I was also lucky to sign with an agent who believes in my manuscript enough to contribute her own line by line edits. Not all agents will do this – in fact, some may send you to editors (and yes, you’ll need to pay them), in some cases, with no guarantees that they’ll take on your book post-editing (and post ‘you’re-now-out-$500′). That, of course, is your choice. However, it’s my opinion that while a good editor may indeed make your book better, it’s still a “subjective” process as that editor’s vision may not be in line with another editor, publisher, agent, or even yourself. So think wisely. I’d say that if a lot of people are saying “it needs work,” well then you’d probably be better off getting it professionally edited if you have the money, and see where that takes you. Otherwise, you can take a stab yourself as a first step. Here are some books that helped me along the way with the self-editing and writing process.

1) Self-editing for fiction writers – Browne & King

2) How I write – Janet Evanovich

3) The first five pages – Noah Lukeman

4) Bird by bird – Anne Lamott

5) On Writing – Stephen King

First of all, remember this is a process. If I told you it was going to be easy, I’d be lying. I was on the verge of giving up more than once. And even now, I’m still not there yet. Rejection is a part of the process, and a part of your eventual success. Stephen King used to pin his rejections slips by the dozen to the wall in his bedroom. So think of rejections as your battle scars, and by the way, it’s ok to feel terrible…rejection sucks ass, but toughen up – they may sting but they won’t kill you. And you know what they say, if something doesn’t kill you, it only makes you stronger. Dust yourself off and do it again.

Be prepared – most of the time, you’ll receive a form generic “no thanks” response. However some agents will take the time to let you know why they are passing. Take their advice. Robin Rue’s assistant from Writers House told me about the 100,000 word guideline. When I had submitted to her, my novel was 142,000 words – way more than any publisher (far less agent) would consider for a first time author. I listened and edited….and sent more queries out.

It will be hard but don’t get discouraged – the best things in life don’t come easily. Put yourself in the right mindset and stay positive. A former very wise boss once told me, “this is a numbers game, the more you put out there, the greater your chance of getting interest.” For every 10 queries you send out, you may get 2 or 3 back requesting a partial or full. Out of those 3, a fraction of an agent will be interested. A fraction folks….as in a hand or an ear or a toe. So you know what that means? If you want to get an actual “whole” agent, you need to….query, query, query. Increase your chances of success by thorough research and being professional in your query. And most of all, don’t give up.

It will happen.