Living Well
I'm beginning to think reading other authors in my genre is a bad thing. For example, I have a lot of mysteries in my ten+ bookshelves that surround me in my work room. Most of the books in there don't start with a BANG, give a lot of description and backstory, and do all the things agents don't like, yet the authors got published. How do I explain this?
I can't.
What I can do is tell you how I got to this don't read idea...
One of the writing list servs I belong to has been buzzing about Miss Snark, Literary Agent, and her blog on blogspot.com
I'd pretty much decided not to procrastinate yet again and go to her web site, but this morning, maybe due to frustration with publishing events, Miss Snark drew me there.
Glad she did.
Miss Snark is indeed snarky, but in a good way. She even critiques 300 words of your ms and does so without resorting to the code used in the agent industry, e.g., "Not right for my list."
Miss Snark lambasts everything---unless of course it starts with a BANG, and doesn't overdescribe or give too much backstory. Some of her comments are forcing me to go back (yet again) to my stories and see if they start with a bang and don't give too much---well, you know.
Bye for now, I've got to get those ms fixed!
Keep on reading (you didn't really think I'd come out for real against reading, did you?) and writing,
Carolyn
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Monday, August 29, 2005
Let's Get Cozy
I've been trying to sell an agent on my cozy mystery for about two years. Any agent. I can't remember how many times I've revised the first chapter. Too many.
"The protagonist isn't nice enough," one agent says.
"The protagonist is too nice and old-fashioned," another agent says.
I'd almost given up on finding someone who might read the first couple of pages and like my protagonist. Now I've found that someone, and she's a well-respected agent, too.
So I've made the copies, packed up the forty pages and brief synopsis she's requested and put them into the mail. Along with a few prayers, angels, and whatever other positive things I could think of to send.
Does voodoo work with agents? What about black magic? White magic? Any kind of magic? If anyone knows, please fill me in on the details.
Meanwhile...keep reading and writing!
Best,
Carolyn
"The protagonist isn't nice enough," one agent says.
"The protagonist is too nice and old-fashioned," another agent says.
I'd almost given up on finding someone who might read the first couple of pages and like my protagonist. Now I've found that someone, and she's a well-respected agent, too.
So I've made the copies, packed up the forty pages and brief synopsis she's requested and put them into the mail. Along with a few prayers, angels, and whatever other positive things I could think of to send.
Does voodoo work with agents? What about black magic? White magic? Any kind of magic? If anyone knows, please fill me in on the details.
Meanwhile...keep reading and writing!
Best,
Carolyn
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
LOVE CHANGES...
Yes, I've been getting too many rejections. I've got umpteen novels out there circulating. Most of them come back with a twentieth copy of a form letter that's on the sheet crookedly and has not one shred of helpful advice. This is very disheartening.
But...once in a fortnight (is that two weeks)? If it is I mean once in a fortmonth (about twice a year) comes a rejection that is specific enough to give me really good advice.
That happened last week...only I didn't know it at the time. As soon as I read the words, "Thank you for sending me the first 75 pages of your novel," I knew what was coming next, and I wanted to rip and tear, but I restrained myself.
"I've now had the chance to read them, and regret to say," the letter read. This is where my heart started to lurch, "that I wasn't enthusiastic enough to want to represent the book for you," the agent continued. Your writing is good and this is cute in many ways, but I'm afraid I felt it went off in too many directions and changed focus too often. I didn't see a strong enough plot line and...
I stopped reading, threw it in a file and went away grumbling something like, "changed focus, didn't see a strong enough plot line...easy for you to say, did you even read it?"
Then last night I got an email from another agent I'd sent a query to way back. For some reason, I remembered the letter about changed focus and weak plot line and eureka! an idea came to me about how to link the plot together. It wasn't going to be a major revision either. I fixed the first 30 pages in an hour or so and sent it off to the second agent. Thank God for agents who live in the 21st century and will accept not only queries, but partials and even whole manuscripts. This way I don't have to wait to be rejected---I can send it and be rejected in the same day, sometimes in the same hour.
Now that I've sent out 30 pps, I wait to see if the first agent knew her stuff and if agent #2 agrees.
In this subjective business, who knows? But since about 10 agents turned it down the first way, and I could see how what I did strengthened the plot, it just might work!
More as the plot unfolds...
Keep reading and writing,
Carolyn
But...once in a fortnight (is that two weeks)? If it is I mean once in a fortmonth (about twice a year) comes a rejection that is specific enough to give me really good advice.
That happened last week...only I didn't know it at the time. As soon as I read the words, "Thank you for sending me the first 75 pages of your novel," I knew what was coming next, and I wanted to rip and tear, but I restrained myself.
"I've now had the chance to read them, and regret to say," the letter read. This is where my heart started to lurch, "that I wasn't enthusiastic enough to want to represent the book for you," the agent continued. Your writing is good and this is cute in many ways, but I'm afraid I felt it went off in too many directions and changed focus too often. I didn't see a strong enough plot line and...
I stopped reading, threw it in a file and went away grumbling something like, "changed focus, didn't see a strong enough plot line...easy for you to say, did you even read it?"
Then last night I got an email from another agent I'd sent a query to way back. For some reason, I remembered the letter about changed focus and weak plot line and eureka! an idea came to me about how to link the plot together. It wasn't going to be a major revision either. I fixed the first 30 pages in an hour or so and sent it off to the second agent. Thank God for agents who live in the 21st century and will accept not only queries, but partials and even whole manuscripts. This way I don't have to wait to be rejected---I can send it and be rejected in the same day, sometimes in the same hour.
Now that I've sent out 30 pps, I wait to see if the first agent knew her stuff and if agent #2 agrees.
In this subjective business, who knows? But since about 10 agents turned it down the first way, and I could see how what I did strengthened the plot, it just might work!
More as the plot unfolds...
Keep reading and writing,
Carolyn
Friday, August 19, 2005
Kid's Novel and Chinese Food
Yes, I eeked out 7 pages for my kid's novel this morning. I hope when I go back to read it tomorrow it's not mush, which is what my head feels like.
Actually, it's kind of fun because it's a fantasy and I got to release mine on the pages. Whether anyone else will like it---that's another story.
Out for Chinese buffet with my husband and a good friend. Have you ever had sesame balls? Fantastic. The shrimp in lobster sauce wasn't bad, either. I love using chopsticks and eating fortune cookies.
Write on....
Carolyn
Actually, it's kind of fun because it's a fantasy and I got to release mine on the pages. Whether anyone else will like it---that's another story.
Out for Chinese buffet with my husband and a good friend. Have you ever had sesame balls? Fantastic. The shrimp in lobster sauce wasn't bad, either. I love using chopsticks and eating fortune cookies.
Write on....
Carolyn
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Time Flies When You're Having Fun
Living Well
Time really is flying. I can see it whizzing by with little wings on it.
My menopause book is out, my menopause self-help packets I'll be giving out at my signings are just about ready. (See About Me to the right for my schedule.) I have books to sell/sign and books to give out to one lucky person at each library talk/signing I do.
Yes, I'm having fun! Yes, time is flying.
When my eyes can no longer focus on my computer screen, I go outside for a walk and a little physical work. I've been weeding and collecting pine needles for mulch.
Is this summer the hottest ever, or does it just feel that way? Been eating bananas, drinking water and shakes like crazy and taking potassium tablets to ward off the effects of heat.
My kid's story is coming along. I figure if I can keep up writing 7 pages a day, it'll be done in a month.
Meanwhile, after meeting with my critique group, I've gather mucho suggestions for making my forensics novel better. Now, if I could just find the time to make the changes.
Write on...
Carolyn
Time really is flying. I can see it whizzing by with little wings on it.
My menopause book is out, my menopause self-help packets I'll be giving out at my signings are just about ready. (See About Me to the right for my schedule.) I have books to sell/sign and books to give out to one lucky person at each library talk/signing I do.
Yes, I'm having fun! Yes, time is flying.
When my eyes can no longer focus on my computer screen, I go outside for a walk and a little physical work. I've been weeding and collecting pine needles for mulch.
Is this summer the hottest ever, or does it just feel that way? Been eating bananas, drinking water and shakes like crazy and taking potassium tablets to ward off the effects of heat.
My kid's story is coming along. I figure if I can keep up writing 7 pages a day, it'll be done in a month.
Meanwhile, after meeting with my critique group, I've gather mucho suggestions for making my forensics novel better. Now, if I could just find the time to make the changes.
Write on...
Carolyn
Friday, August 05, 2005
Seventh Heaven
Living Well
The days go by so fast. Is this a function of aging or just trying to do too many things a day? Do I need more gingko?
Only two things help me remember how fast life speeds by---the age of my grandchildren and the fact I haven't blogged in more than a week!
Shall I be punished? NO!
Because...
Yesterday, I spent all day in Seventh Heaven. For two reasons.
First reason: I received the first two "hot-off-the-presses" copies of my book, LIVING WELL WITH MENOPAUSE: WHAT YOUR DOCTOR DOESN'T TELL YOU...THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
and...
My nonfiction agent agreed to take on a mystery of mine that I'd sent first to my nonfiction editor, who had to turn it down---although she liked it and said it made her laugh out loud in a few places, even---and so my nonfiction agent was so impressed he e-mailed the whole book early yesterday morning (while I was still sleeping) to 5 top editors of NYC publishing houses and one even said she'd read it off the screen and not ask for a hard copy.
Did you get all that? Sorry, I revert to run-on sentences when I'm in Seventh Heaven.
Seventh Heaven...that means there are at least six other Heavens. Does anyone ever get there from earth---except by dying? How come we can only get to the seventh one? Are the others on stops we don't have passes for?
If anyone knows, please tell me, I'll probably be working on this problem for sometime, which will keep me from writing and blogging and doing all the things I was put on this earth for.
Stay well and keep reading and writing,
Carolyn
The days go by so fast. Is this a function of aging or just trying to do too many things a day? Do I need more gingko?
Only two things help me remember how fast life speeds by---the age of my grandchildren and the fact I haven't blogged in more than a week!
Shall I be punished? NO!
Because...
Yesterday, I spent all day in Seventh Heaven. For two reasons.
First reason: I received the first two "hot-off-the-presses" copies of my book, LIVING WELL WITH MENOPAUSE: WHAT YOUR DOCTOR DOESN'T TELL YOU...THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
and...
My nonfiction agent agreed to take on a mystery of mine that I'd sent first to my nonfiction editor, who had to turn it down---although she liked it and said it made her laugh out loud in a few places, even---and so my nonfiction agent was so impressed he e-mailed the whole book early yesterday morning (while I was still sleeping) to 5 top editors of NYC publishing houses and one even said she'd read it off the screen and not ask for a hard copy.
Did you get all that? Sorry, I revert to run-on sentences when I'm in Seventh Heaven.
Seventh Heaven...that means there are at least six other Heavens. Does anyone ever get there from earth---except by dying? How come we can only get to the seventh one? Are the others on stops we don't have passes for?
If anyone knows, please tell me, I'll probably be working on this problem for sometime, which will keep me from writing and blogging and doing all the things I was put on this earth for.
Stay well and keep reading and writing,
Carolyn
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