This is a topic that's been floating around in my head for the last week and it seems that everywhere I turn, there's another facet of the discussion. It's about what's been done, what hasn't been done, what to avoid, what not to avoid -- really, it's about being unique. Let me show you all the things I've been pondering...First, I was judging some contests (somehow, I have found myself inundated with contest entries this year. Note to self: keep track of obligations to not be so overwhelmed next year). Anyway, I've always said that you can learn a ton from judging contests and this one was no exception. Since I have more contests to judge I'll save the whole "what I've learned post" for later, but one thing really jumped out at me with these entries: the need for originality, to take a common and oft-used situation/set-up and make it their own. It really felt like a lot of these entries were falling back on the easy, weren't digging deep to really portray their character's life and setting as deeply as they could.Second, I read on Kristin Nelson's blog (she pulled it from Joelle Anthony) a "25 Things that show up repeatedly in YA literature" list. I've seen these lists before and I always read them and take them for what they're worth -- meh, not too much. I'm a firm believer that the story will triumph over all. And agents echo this all the time, that's why they're so hesitant to list things they're tired of seeing or that they would never be interested in: because even an idea that they might be tired of could be done in such a new and amazing way that they think "wow! gotta have it!"Third, JP wrote a really thought provoking post on his LJ that really tied everything up for me and made me understand what I felt was off about the contest entries I'd judged and the list I'd read. His post is very very worth reading -- short and to the point (with examples!). Essentially, his conclusion is "For me, the take away is that you don’t have to come up with the world’s most original plot to create a great story. You just have to tell the story in a unique way." Yes, though it is not a long quote, it deserves to be set off as such because it is such great wisdom! Reading that post was one of those moments when I was like "duh!" but where you need someone to tell you what should be obvious. And for some reason, it's not obvious enough!So, to backtrack a little, how does JP's little tidbit fit in with contest judging and the lists? As for contest judging, as I said, I felt like the writers could dig deeper. For example... contemporary teens go to school therefore a lot of contemporary YA books will deal with school. It's important when writing these school scenes to make them your own and not to fall back on the common cliches. We've all watched The Breakfast Club and Saved by the Bell and we all know that school isn't like that. It's really easy to fall into archetypes when writing in a school setting and my advice is to try to bend those archetypes. Don't always make the head cheerleader the witch/most popular girl who wreaks havoc for the poor protagonist. Give her some flaws. This actually reminds me of High School Musical and that scene where all the archetypes break out and sing about the things they do that don't fit with their "type" -- this only serves to deepen the character, to make him or her more complex.
I think it's easy when writing a school scene to fall back on the easy -- to make the teacher boring ('Bueller.... Bueller.... Bueller..."), to make the protag complain about having to take a test that won't help them later in life, etc. But this is just the picture of school we've been painted and to get it right, we have to remember that school isn't like that picture at all and we have to bring that stuff up in our writing. Plus, we have to remember that for most of us, school has changed a lot. If you're writing a contemporary school scene you have to address cell phones and iPods and security and stuff like that -- it's such a different world! And that plays back into the list that Kristin posted and which has caused many posts around the blogosphere (I only link to two out of sheer laziness...here and here). Yes things have been done and I'm sure done to death, but what's key is how you approach it, what new thing you bring to the table. So what your protag's mother is dead? The key is to make sure that her being dead means something to the book. Just because something on that list is in your book doesn't mean you have to rewrite your book, but you should examine why you chose to put it in there and what purpose it serves (you should do this for everything in your book, actually). I know I'm rambling on, but bear with me :) I remember a talk Suzanne Brockman gave a long time ago where she talked about how she analyzed the market to figure out what to write. She'd always wanted to blow romance out of the water, to do something totally and utterly original. I think one of her first books had a rock star as a hero (used to be a big no no). She didn't want to write the same old same old cop hero because there were so many books out there with the cop hero. But then she realized that people liked the cop hero, they wanted to buy books with the cop hero and that it wasn't about making the hero something totally wild, but about taking what people wanted and doing it in a unique way. It was all about the execution.I always think about that story when I'm pondering how to approach the market. Because I think we all want to be that visionary that breaks the mold and forges a new path. And so we come up with these awesome ideas but then maybe we find out that someone else has done something similar and so we think we have to go back to the drawing board. But in reality that's not always the case. As JP said so well, the take away is that you don’t have to come up with the world’s most original plot to create a great story. You just have to tell the story in a unique way.So when you find yourself slipping towards triteville or clicheopolis, remember to dig deeper, to think about what traits you can add to set your character or your setting apart. That's what will make your story stand out of the pack. At least, that's what I think :)
For an awesome story, click here. Yep, that's right -- the Manuscript Mavens had so much fun with the Halloween Choose You Own Adventure (CYOA)* that we've brought it back for Valentines day. Monday will be day four and you can catch up over at the Mavens site. While there are no zombies (yet), there's tons of action and I've cracked up every single day. I'm telling you, we've had some fabulous writing!! Here's a list of the guest authors:02/01/08Historical romance writer Colleen Gleason, author of the Gardella Vampire Chronicals.02/02/08Jody Wallace writes paranormal comedy, fantasy romance, and Southern women's fiction, including A Spell for Susannah. She has also written several novellas for Red Sage publishing under the pseudonym Ellie Marvel.02/03/08Amie Stuart writes erotic romance for Kensington Press and futuristic urban fantasy, including her upcoming book Nailed.02/04/08Multi-published author, renowned speaker, and National Reader’s Choice Award Finalist Debra Dixon, author of GMC: Goal, Motivation, and Conflict.02/05/08Deanna Lee is the author of numerous print and e-book titles, including Bounty Hunter.02/06/08Historical romance writer Karen Lingefelt, author of True Pretenses and past president of the Tampa Area Romance Authors.02/07/08Avon FanLit winner and Thursday Maven Lacey Kaye, president and webmistress of Seattle's East Side RWA.02/08/08Multi-published author for Steeple Hill Love Inspired, RWA Region 4 director, and RITA Finalist Terri Reed, author of Her Christmas Protector.02/09/08Friday Maven Jackie Barbosa writes both historical and contemporary romance with an erotic edge for Cobblestone-Press, including her May release Wickedly Ever After.02/10/08Mystery writer Julia Buckley author of The Dark Backward and the Madeline Mann series.02/11/08New York Times best-seller Virginia Henley, author of 25 historical romances, including Notorious and Infamous.02/12/08Agented, multi-contest finalist, and Monday Maven Erica Ridley, webmistress for the Tampa Area Romance Authors.02/13/08Debut Zebra author and Golden Heart Finalist Delilah Marvelle, author of Mistress of Pleasure.02/14/08New York Times best-seller C.L. Wilson, author of Lord of the Fading Lands and Lady of Light and Shadows and president of the Tampa Area Romance Authors.02/15/08 Grand prize drawing and title contest!There are prizes every day and you get to choose what happens next by voting in the comments. So stop by and get your action and laughter -- it's totally worth it!!*As always, the Manuscript Mavens would like to thank Chooseco for graciously letting us borrow the CYOA name. Choose Your Own Adventure is a trademark of Chooseco LLC, Waitsfield, VT. Check them out at cyoa.com. The trademark has been used by permission herein. Thanks, CYOA!
So, you may have noticed that the blog looks a bit different, eh? Well, I did promise many months back that I would likely be ditching the chick-lit pink for something a touch more somber. I must admit, though, I loved that chick lit pink. Adored the way it brightened my day. And I would have kept it forever except... it was a huge jar when you linked over from my new website.Yes, that's right - NEW WEBSITE. www.carrieryan.com. Click Here. Seriously, can't be too many links to my new website for carrieryan.com. Author of The Forest of Hands and Teeth.* Carrie Ryan. Her. That girl.Of course, you eagle eyed viewers out there will recognize that the new website (carrieryan.com) is really only a placeholder. And that's very true. But it's a wonderful placeholder -- I LOVE it. It's very moody and slick and beautiful. I can't thank xuni.com enough for it! So I felt the need to change my blog so that it wouldn't be quite so jarring when you clicked over from the temp site. Oh, and I also updated my books read in 2008 list -- I'm up to 6!Let me know if anything is amiss with the new blog template -- anything hard to read with colors and whatnot. And feel free to link to me (though the permanent page won't really be up until Aprilish).I wish I could tell you that I found time to redesign my blog because I'm in that brief honeymoon period between turning in edits for one book before turning to the next book. But no. I have one last read through of FHT this weekend. (goal #1). My other projects for the weekend include writing the dedication (I already had that one), the acknowledgements (ack!) and the bio (ack!). I have a feeling I'm going to be spending a lot of time thumbing through the books on my shelves to see how they acknowledged all the people that helped support them. Maybe this will even necessitate a trip to the bookstore!I'd love to hear any words of wisdom y'all have about the bio, dedication and acknowledgements. Anything in particular you like to see? Hate to see? Curious minds want to know...*take that google search engines!
Last night my local bar (the lawyer type of bar, not the drinking kind) had it's first ever writers meeting. JP is the one that saw the announcement for it and we were both really excited and really curious. I've been trying to figure out if there's a writing scene in my city for a while (to no avail) and suddenly, not only is there a writers group, but one specifically for local attorneys! JP and I weren't sure what we'd find when we showed up -- would it be just the two of us, the special guest (Salisbury NC author and NYT bestseller John Hart) and the organizer?We were both surprised to show up and find that we had to move to a larger room because there was so much interest (maybe 15 people in all). The group is a collection of poets, short stories writers and novelists (both fiction and one non-fiction). Two had MFAs, a few had published short stories and I was the only contracted novelist. What was strange was to realize that I spend so much of my time around writers that are totally plugged into the community (you guys) that I'd forgotten just how much knowledge I take for granted about writing and the industry. All the writers I chat with on a daily basis know what a query letter is, how rejections work, how the process works, how long novels tend to be. Suddenly, I was in a group of people who had no idea and oddly, it was wonderful. Because I love sharing what I know and I realized that I can answer so many of their questions and be helpful!But I ramble, that's not the point of this post. The point is that the main speaker, John Hart, was a very interesting speaker. One thing he talked about was writing with fear and faith. Fear that what you're writing may not be good enough and faith that it is.* He said that it's only when you're writing from a state of fear that you truly write -- that you truly dig in deep and get to the heart of things.At first, I was skeptical of this. But then I thought about my own work. There's one scene in particular in FHT that when I was writing it I cringed. I thought "oh, this isn't going to go over well." Seriously, when I finished the scene I laughed in that "am I crazy?" way because I'd really pushed the envelope. I was afraid that readers would think it was too much -- I'd pushed too far, it was too out there. But they didn't, they all responded very well. Shocked maybe, but it worked.And then I thought of another work I read recently. The author was worried that a scene might be too much. But when I read it was amazed -- shocked in that wonderful way you get when an author has truly nailed something. Encapsulated a scene in that perfect way, and in a way that is truly no-holds-barred.In both instances, there were other ways to write those scenes. Ways that both I and the other author wouldn't have to worry, "is this ok? Is this too much?" But I don't think that would have been as powerful. Yes, sometimes what you write can be too much -- too edgy. But I think it's better to overshoot and tone it down rather than not make the mark at all. Also, I agree that sometimes, if you write from a state of too much fear the opposite happens: you play it safe, fail to take the risks necessary -- scared into writer paralysis.How to find the balance? No idea. I think that's sometimes why having CPs and early readers can be such a good help. You can take those risks, push the edge in ways that make you scared and then you can have others help to buoy your faith, to let you know if you've gone too far. It's hard advice, I think. Essentially he was saying that if you're embarrassed by what you're writing, you're probably doing well. My problem with that is that it's no fun being embarrassed by what you write. But then again, I'm the one who wrote a literary zombie YA book and then sent it out to friends to critique -- talk about embarrassing! I was terrified that my CPs would write back with a pat on the head and a "better luck next time *coughfreakcough*" So maybe he has a point.What do y'all think? * This is the way I heard and internalized what he said. I really hope I'm not taking his comments out of context and if I did, I apologize.
I'm leaving for a birthday weekend at the beach in about five minutes! Before I go, may I present to you The Forest of Hands and Teeth, as told by kittens:
Yay for turning 30 (I guess)!! I had all these plans for taking this time to look back and reflect blah blah blah. But instead, I wanted to take a moment to tell you, once again, how much JP rocks. Yes, he rocks for helping me edit and being all around wonderful (and for getting up early to look over some last minute edits for me), but he also rocks because he is an amazing writer and I don't talk about that enough around here. Seriously, his writing has made cry before because it is so beautiful.
One of his short stories, Elohim, was just published in Ideomancer. I have loved this story since he first read it to me -- it's so complex and wonderful. He brilliantly captures the Southern voice in the same way as all of our great Southern writers have -- yep, that's right, I'm comparing him to Faulkner (if Faulkner had more of a speculative edge). Best of all, other people are starting to find out what a great writer JP is. Elohim was reviewed recently and I don't want to post the whole thing since it gets into the plot, but here are some choice tidbits: "Davis skilfully brings his characters and their situation to life, such that I was compelled to keep reading to find out how it would resolve." and "I found the story morally evocative without being heavy-handed."*
Yes that's right -- JP's got rave reviews! If only I can get reviews like that!
Seriously, go read Elohim here.
And if you want a faster treat, he has another piece that was the Editor's Choice at Flashquake called The Pirate, Landlocked. This is also a very poignant story -- I've always been amazed at how he can capture so much character and longing and history in such a short about of space (whereas I need a whole novel to do that).
JP's also had a bunch of pieces up at SixSentences.blogspot.com AND even more of them have been accepted for the new Six Sentences anthology (the trick is writing a short story in six sentences -- again it's pretty impressive that he can say so much in so little space). Here's a link to the three published so far.
Go forth and read him! Seriously, you will not regret it. Everything I write, I hope to reach his skill level -- he's definitely been an inspiration to me.
*Excerpted from here.
Reason number ten-gajillion why I love JP. This was his first totally free weekend in a looong time (no surgeries, holidays, family or day job to interfere) and he spent it reading The Forest of Hands and Teeth. For the third time. Giving excellent feedback and telling me again that it's great and allaying my fears. To top that off, we went for a walk on Sunday and he let me spend the whole time asking about things in my book, AND he helped me solve the FINAL three plot twinges I had. These were the three things that I knew needed changing (actually they were huge questions that needed to be answered and just... weren't) but that I didn't know how to fix and was just going to see if I could let them slide by.
Yep, he fixed them.
Plus, he only groaned a little when I told him he'd get to read the whole thing all over again once more before it is actually published.
I've said it before and I'll say it many times over: this book wouldn't be where it is without JP and I thank him and love him for it.
ps: No, I'm not quite done yet with the edits. They're all made, but I'm typing from the hard copy into the computer. And I have those aforementioned three things to change, but they're all so small.
Yes, it's been blog light around here. I'm starting to think that just might be my MO. During the week I think of all these fab things to write and then I get home and it's like white noise in my head. Plus, with the start of the year I've had billable hours to contend with and editing to do and all that fun stuff. There's something cruel about starting the year off with a holiday so that your first day back at work you're already down billable hours for the year...ANYways, my 30th birthday is on Tuesday. And I've had great plans to write my 2008 goals post and my "where am I now that I'm turning 30" post, but unfortunately I still have these edits to contend with. I would think that turning 30 would make me feel more like an adult, but no. Just yesterday I got sick (fever and everything!) and I called my older sister and asked her about it because, as an adult and a mom, she is now an expert on these things (ie: do I need to be worried because I feel like I've been knifed). Nothing makes you feel more like a kid than that :)So this weekend I have yet that same everlasting goal:- Finish edits on The Forest of Hands and Teeth.
At this stage, both JP and I are reading it, trying to look at it through readers eyes. This means that JP is currently playing a video game while I read the same paragraph over and over and over again trying to determine which word choice is better. Actually, JP is editing on his computer (this is like the 3d time he's read this book and not the last, bless him) and I'm editing on hard copy and then I have to put my edits into his version. Hopefully, taking the day off yesterday due to said illness (still recovering) has given me enough distance that I don't obsess quite as much. Once this sucker is turned in on Tuesday (yes, that would be the same day as my 30th birthday), I'm done! For a while. And JP and I celebrate! And then it's on to the next book...
So, let's not talk too much about those goals and what I've accomplished. Let's just say there were naps and it was a good weekend and boy do I still have some work to do!Anyways, I was just about to update my profile to add my first book read in 2008 (it's over there in the right sidebar) and I realized that I have yet to toot my own horn for reaching my goal of reading 52 books in 2007! Hurrah! I have to say, I really enjoy keeping a list of all the books I've read, it's so interesting to see my habits. Of course, I would say that about 80% of what I read these days is driven by my being a writer -- I read YAs not only because I love them, but also to keep tabs on the market. I also used to read a lot of books of authors whose agents I was interested in; now I read the books by my agent and editor's authors. I still read a lot of friends' books and books recommended by my friends. Then there's the odd book that my mom or sister suggests, something different when I'm feeling like none of my current books on the TBR pile will do. This year I started reading graphic novels and am really enjoying them, though I haven't branched too far into that field. Anywho, kinda cool to take a trip down memory lane with that list. And unfortunately, I know I've missed a book or two because I'm pretty slack about updating that part of my blog. And usually when I do update I have to scramble around the house (normally the pile on the floor next to my bed) to see what's there. It's sad and ironic, but I have a terrible memory for most books -- often I can't even remember what I've read. In fact, I was looking at a list of the classics, bemoaning how few I'd read when suddenly I started to get vague memories from high school and college -- turns out I'd read tons of those books, just could barely remember! So very sad.I've heard many people say that in order to be a good writer you have to read. I know that reading has helped me tremendously -- the pacing of plot, how much backstory to drop and when, POV, structure. These are things I feel like I absorb from reading. At the same time, because I pretty much limited myself to romance (and classics, apparently) growing up, I feel like I'm missing some things -- big group inter dynamics and journeying that you get from Fantasy, the tension you get from Horror, the details from SciFi. I know I should branch out more and I'm getting there. I know C.L. Wilson's books are shelved romance, but to me they're very fantasy and I loved them -- and learned. Anyway, I started this challenge two years ago because Diana was writing down the books she read and I think she challenged us to read 52 books a year. I'm sure I'd read just as much anyway, but it's still a great goal and one I'm going to stick to! So here's to another 52 books in 2008 -- who's with me?
Hello all! Yes, it's that time of the week again -- time for some goals! But first, let me tell you about the fast and free-wheeling lifestyle that JP and I lead. Last night, I left work a little early, came home and camped on the couch in front of the fire. JP came home shortly thereafter, we cooked dinner and then partied like mad! If you define partying like mad as laying on the couches in front of the fire and falling asleep no later than 8PM. Seriously folks -- we both feel asleep by 8PM on a Friday night. Woke up around 11, went to bed and read, and back to sleep by 2AM. Laaaammmee.In my own defense, I've been trying to give up caffeine for new years and have had a MONSTER headache since Friday afternoon. Seriously, I thought sleep would cure it, but it was still there this morning and has been getting worse. Hurts to even move my head now (and I've been drinking tons of water and tried taking Advil). Anyone have any suggestions? How do I get rid of this pain?So, the pain might interfere with goals, but I'm hoping it will go away by the end of the day. Thus, I will be optimistic:- Must read FHT like a reader. Straight through (still haven't accomplished this yet). I'm hoping substantive edits will be done Monday so we can send this sucker into copy-editing.
- Clean the house. We fried up a few things on NYE and cooked bacon this morning. Since we can't open windows (all painted shut right now), it's like walking into a grease pit. Plus, there's just stuff everywhere (including wrapping paper still under the tree).
- Maybe take down tree. Maybe.
- Get rid of stupid headache (that should be #1).
- Maybe take a walk if headache goes away and it's not too cold outside.
- Maybe some random errands, maybe a trip to the grocery store.
- Write goals post I promised.
See, this is the jet-setting life-style I lead! We all know I'll probably end up playing on the internet for another hour, napping, and then whining about my head some more if it's not better (stupid diet coke -- I only ever had one glass a day, that shouldn't have been enough to trigger withdrawal!!).
For some reason, I've been much more aware of the end of the year this year. I know that sounds crazy, but I feel as if everyone I know is taking stock and making plans for the coming year. And of course I am too. I'm just too lazy to post about them yet. As usual (you'll note my 2007 goals post was a bit late this year. Ahem).2006 was the first year that I began to take writing seriously (again). And it was a pretty big year for me even though I didn't have a ton to show for it. As I said in my 2006 round-up post, 2006 was the year that I made writing friends, re-learned about the market, got my feet wet all over again. I ended the year having written 171,701 words on at least 7 projects. It was the year I queried Dead Bodies and Debutantes (and go rejected).It was the year I started writing The Forest of Hands and Teeth.It was a building year. In 2007 I may have written less (prob about 90k words give or take). But boy have I accomplished a heck of a lot more. I signed with an agent. I sold a two book deal for more than I dreamed possible for a debut. But even more than that, I learned how to follow through, how to polish -- I mean REALLY edit -- my own work. I learned how to take criticism and work with CPs. I gotta say, 2007 was a helluva year for me :)It's also the year I did a ton of substantial legal work for a pretty complicated trial. It's the year I changed jobs, moving into a practice area that I'd always dreamed of working in (and for more money to boot!). The year we learned our dog had brain damage and learned how to deal with that (update on that coming soon -- we found a new home for her!). JP made his first pro-sale and sold some other (amazing) stories as well. We took a trip to Belize, JP won a slew of his own cases (including one today). I became a Manuscript Maven and learned how to use livejournal.I'm really looking forward to 2008. I still can't believe it's here already, but it should be full of interesting twists and turns. I really have to thank all of y'all for making my 2007 so special -- it's meant the world to me to have y'all to talk to every day (er... every week maybe?).Soon I'll start looking towards 2008 (it is the year I turn 30 after all... ahem...). But for tonight, I think I'll continue to revel in what 2007 brought. JP is cooking up a storm in the kitchen for New Years Eve... I think I'll go join him :)
So... my one weekend goal was to finish substantive edits on FHT. Right now, I'm on page 201/282 -- not too bad. Sure I'd love to be done, but thankfully I also have a day off on New Years to finish things off. What's surprised me the most with these edits? My ability to spend 10-20 minutes stressing over the most minute word choice. Seriously, in previous rounds I could cut whole swaths of work, re-write entire sections. Now? I've become iffy over the difference between "choice" and "free-will." Seriously, these are the things impeding my process.But at least I'm in the home stretch right now. What's funny is that I still think of this manuscript as being less than 250 pages. I forget that I've added over 16k words in revisions -- crazy, eh?Thus, I still have goals to meet over the next few days: - finish substantive edits
- read FHT as if I were a reader and not a writer/editor
- get JP to read FHT (again)
- critique CP's chapters pronto!
I'd wanted to clean my house so I could start the new year off right... but... well... that's the problem with having 2 full time jobs (or, as one of my day-job co-workers pointed out, I really have 2.5 full time jobs since our day job is about 1.5 jobs). JP has an AMAZING menu planned for New Year's Eve and wines to go with each dish. It's going to be a blast. What are everyone else's plans to ring in the new year?
For those of you who may be recent readers of my blog (waves to LJ peeps), a while back I started posting my weekend goals in order to clarify for myself what I wanted to accomplish and also to hold myself accountable (that's where y'all come in!). I've not only found it to be really helpful, but it's also pretty cool to go back through my archives and see all the goals I've set (and met!).So, without further ado, my goals for this weekend:- Finish substantive edits on FHT.
Yep, that's it. Speaking of goals, though, pretty soon I'm going to be doing a 2007 goals recap and writing down my goals for 2008. This is really the first year that I ever wrote down my goals, so I'm pretty excited to be able to look back and reflect on them. I once heard and author -- I think it was Debbie Macomber -- say that you should go ahead and write down those crazy goals, those goals you think are almost impossible. Things like "NYT Bestseller" and "selling X copies of my book" or "selling a book for a Y figure advance." She said that she'd done that once and now, looking back on it, she's reached so many of those goals. Which I think is pretty cool! As for me, I make a few sets of goals. The first follows Erica's rules of goal-setting, for me the most important that they should be within your control (things like "I'll aggressively query my finished novel" rather than "I'll get an agent"). Then I write things that I'd like to achieve, that I think are possible, but are outside my control (that's where I put "I'll get an agent"). Finally, this past year I laughed and had fun and wrote my "wildest dreams" list, things like "I'll sell a book for X figures." Soon, I'll share what all those goals were and whether I achieved any (hint: the answer is yes!). But for now, I have edits calling!! However, if it's goals talk you're looking for, JP has already posted his recap of his 2007 resolutions -- I highly recommend reading it, very funny!
There's a great article in the RWR (Romance Writers Report) this month on revisions. Essentially the author reviewed a bunch of writers about their most memorable/painful revisions and essentially all the writers talked about how revisions are a part of the process. And it's true, they are.Recently, I've had a few people ask me about revisions. Usually it's them saying "you're still editing? I thought you turned those in last week?!" And usually my answer is "yes and yes."I've heard some true horror stories about revisions -- people asked to add characters, arcs, 20k words or to cut characters, arcs, or 20k words. Michelle Rowen once changed a book from third person to first person (or was it vice versa?) and she re-typed the whole book in order to do it. I think Jackson Pearce changed a book from third to first (or vice versa?) and from past tense to present too (or vice versa?). I know someone else who's written the same beginning from three (or was it four) different POVs multiple times -- very hard core!Clearly, I was anxiously awaiting my own editor letter, wondering what her prognosis for my book would be. And I have to say, so far so good. Right now we're on the third round which may seem excessive, but seems about right for me. We started two days after my book sold when Krista sent me an email with a few major points she wanted addressed, things like making one character more sinister or clarifying a relationship. All in all, things that I thought were addressed in the book, but clearly were better established in my head rather than on the page.And that's something the RWR article makes an excellent point about -- wait a day or two before defending yourself to your editor. Because inevitably, the first words out of your mouth will be "But...." and that's not necessarily the way you want to approach your edits. I'll always remember a blog post Justine Larbalestier wrote about how writers are very often way too subtle in the first few drafts... that's a lot of what your editor will be pointing out to you: things you think are very clear but just aren't on the page.Anyway, so I went through that first round of revisions and handed them in. Seriously, I felt like I was back in law school where you take one exam to cover the entire semester's worth of work. I had no idea if I was going to pass or fail -- if my edits addressed her issues, were too heavy-handed or too light.A few weeks later, Krista sent the second round of edits (I passed!) -- this time an editorial letter and the manuscript marked up to delete repeated words (I hate repeated words), streamline parts, and questions written in the margin. This is the round I took with me to Belize and the round it felt like my eyes were bleeding with at the end. I became so tired of my manuscript I didn't care what happened to it!Thankfully, I had a few days off to regroup while Krista read through the edits (I passed again!). I already knew there'd be another round, hoped there'd be another round. Because I knew that by the end of that second round I wasn't giving the best I could. I knew I needed another read with a clear mind. And to me that's the scariest part of finishing the big edits: the end of your chances to make substantive edits. That's it. The book is done. Finished. Any lingering issues need to have been addressed or they shall linger forever (or until you write a sequel :)But I'm not there yet. Right now I'm on the third round, clearing up those lingering issues, trying to spot anything that needs tightening, explaining, etc. Once I'm done with this, the book shall wend its way to copy-editing where the poor editor will inevitably have a heart-attack at my grammar (yay! commas as decoration!).So, that's why all the edits and lack of blog posts and sporadic emails. That and the fact that the end of the year is THE busiest time at my day job. I definitely have my hands full right now!! Anyone who thinks that revisions are done once you sell the book -- ha!
I hope no one is reading this blog and is instead enjoying time off with friends and family :) I'm in Atlanta with my mom, step-father, and sister Chris's family. We've been having a wonderful time with last-minute shopping, hanging out watching movies, tracking Santa through NORAD, and enjoying the holiday spirit. To me, Christmas has always been about family and tradition and I've been having a wonderful time starting new traditions and passing on old ones to a new generation. Tonight two of my nephews sang carols while the new baby girl smiled and tried to chase the patterns on the carpet. Times like this make me miss my other sister and her boys up in the tundra, but I know they're also having a wonderful time with even more family and traditions. I'll be back blogging soon enough with goals and reflections on the past year. Until then, enjoy the Holidays!!
This week, I posted at the Manuscript Mavens about what I've learned from the books I've written and set aside. One of the lessons I learned is to finish the #%$& book. Recently, there's been chatter on one of my loops about finishing books. Because of edits, I freely admit that I haven't had time to read all of the postings, so I could be totally misjudging the discussion. But the gist of what I read has essentially been: why finish the book when you don't have to?Generally, the reasoning behind this thought is that it takes forever for agents and editors to respond to queries and partials, so why not send the partial when it's ready and then finish the manuscript while waiting for the response or not at all. As the argument goes, this can cut down on the amount of time wasted working on an idea that just might get form rejected at the partial stage.Trust me, I understand how this is a compelling argument. Remember, I was there. I accidentally pitched my project when it was just a partial and I was stuck wondering whether to finish the book or just send the partial. I'm here to tell you: finish the book! There are tons of reasons why: because you won't know if you can finish a novel until you write the words The End; because you don't know what may come up in your personal life keeping you from writing (for me it was a new dog with a broken leg); because you don't know if your plot outline will work or if you'll be able to tie everything together until you do; because you don't know how long it will take to edit, or how long it will take your CP to read and get back to you.These are all good reasons to finish the book before querying, but for me, the ultimate reason is that you want to be able to send the book -- in the best possible shape you can make it -- the day you get a request for it.Take my experience with The Forest of Hands and Teeth: I started querying that book in mid-August and had a two book deal in mid-October. The day any agent requested the full, I sent it, hoping to capitalize on their momentum. My first request for a full came within 1-2 weeks of querying, I had requests for pages even before that. What I'm saying is that requests can come quickly and you want to be able to capitalize on them. You don't want to put the agent on hold and let them forget you while you scramble to finish your book and skimp on the editing and polishing. Furthermore, you want to take the time to really polish your book not only because it makes a better impression, but also because it can speed the process. Because I spent so much time editing before querying, my agent was able to submit the book rather quickly and my editor has bumped it up in the publication schedule.I know how hard it is to spend a big chunk of time working on a book when you're not sure if it will sell or grab the attention of an agent. I've been through that tons of times with various abandoned projects. But as I said in my Manuscript Maven post, with each book that you write and finish, you're learning skills that will make the next book that much better.
Hey everyone -- today is my day to blog over at the Manuscript Mavens. I posted about the lessons I've learned from previous writing (you know, like all those novels under the bed... or on a really really really old computer). Come on over and tell me what lessons you've learned from past writing experiences!
So I turned in my edits -- hurrah! Of course, there will be another round starting next week which I actually think is great. I feel like the manuscript is *this* close to being the best I can make it and I really do believe that another round will get it there. Because of my new-found freedom this weekend (amazing how having edits do just hangs over your head at all hours of the day) I spent yesterday cleaning, moving around furniture to make room for the Christmas tree, and pulling decorations down from the attic. Today, JP and I got our tree and I'm sitting here in front of the fire listening to X-mas music, waiting for the tree to dry out (it rained last night) before putting on the lights and decorating.Growing up, decorating the tree was always a big deal. We'd have a nice dinner, listen to Christmas music, and enjoy the time together as a family. My dad used to give my sisters and I an ornament every year with our names and the date on them with the intention that when we grew up and had our own trees we'd already have a nice collection of ornaments. Which of course means that all the ornaments for our tree have my name on them. We call it the Carrie Tree :)So later today I'll throw a roast in the oven and we'll open a nice bottle of wine and we'll laugh at all the Carrie ornaments while the cats lounge in front of the fire. To me, that's what Christmas is all about.In other news, The authors of Fangs, Fur & Fey have been posting their stories of how they rose from the slush pile. Now that my edits are done and I get to play on teh interwebs again, I've added my own story here. I have to say, I'm pretty proud of my story. I feel like more and more people these days want to know the short-cuts, how to get there faster. I've always believed that the first step is to write the best book you can, the second step is to query, and the third is to start on the next book. Now I'd add a 1.5 step: polish the manuscript to a shine -- I definitely had a lot of agents and editors commenting on how polished my manuscript was and that can only work in your favor.So for those who think that you need connections or a special hand-shake, I'm here to tell you that you don't.Finally, because I promised and because it was an amazing trip, here's a picture of the view from our place in Belize:
Hey everyone! Today is my day to post on the Manuscript Mavens. I wrote about subjectivity in agenting and how one agents form rejection may be another agent's sale. I promise more here soon... but first I must finish edits!!
Yes, I'm back and yes I had a fabulous time and yes I have pictures and stories to share.But not today. Today is all about The Forest of Hands and Teeth. Today, my only goal is to finish edits. This means starting from page one and reading the whole thing through making sure everything works. And there's one relationship that needs a fair bit of tweaking and a few things that I have to check for consistancy. Start your engines, we have a lot of ground to cover before the end of the day...
Tomorrow, JP and I head out for our first big vacation in two years. Yep, this time tomorrow we'll be in Belize! Scuba diving, reading, lounging, sleeping, editing, writing, drinking, eating, relaxing -- for a whole week!!!!! I can't wait! My bags are packed, I'm checked in online, passports are in my purse, and I have a fresh ARC of Mark Henry's Happy Hour of the Damned for entertainment.  Have I mentioned that I can't wait?! And that our resort's name is Xanadu?Ahhhhhhh.... bliss...I've already written my Tuesday Maven post on the myths we create that keep us from writing, don't miss it!Happy writing everyone!
What do we do when we're not writing? I just read a post by Michelle Rowan (http://www.michellerowen.com/blog/index.html - Tues Nov. 27, 2007 -- I couldn't figure how to permalink) about the excuses we make not to write. She cites laziness and fear. As I said in the comments, when I got to the end of her post I wanted to shout out "Amen Sister!!" She totally nails it: what really stops us from writing? If writing is what we really want, why do we let anything stand in the way? Back when JP and I decided to really go after our dreams of writing, we made some big changes in our life. The biggest is that we stopped watching a lot of TV (thank goodness for the DVR -- the biggest friend a writer can have!). Growing up, the default in the evening was always TV. Come home from school/work, eat dinner, watch the shows. At first, it was hard to give this up, but now I can honestly say I don't miss it. These days, we come home from work, eat, maybe watch one show, and then it's into the living room to sit in front of the fire and write. Only, I haven't been writing. I've been doing other stuff. Reading, blogging, blog-hopping, etc. All things that I can honestly say do help me in my writing life, but still, not writing. A while back a few writers had a discussion on one of my loops about what "counts" as work when writing. I argued that it's like billing time as a lawyer: if I'd bill the client for that work, then it counts as "writing" even if it isn't technically writing. So doing research counts. Editing counts. Blogging counts. All of these things are geared towards my career. On the other hand, reading blogs is like reading trade magazines -- helpful but not billable. Same with fiddling with the blogger template for the 100th time. I've been spending a lot of time recently (since April when I wrote The End) doing stuff that I think counts towards writing, but isn't writing. Most of it has to be done (editing, keeping up with industry trends) but a lot of it I use as an excuse. I'll spend 2 hours on the internet catching up with writers, writing life, etc., and feel like I've accomplished something. But have I really? Don't get me wrong, I lurve the internet community and I'm not about to give it up, but what does it help me to read a discussion between two strangers on AbsoluteWrite about some obscure writing craft tidbit that doesn't affect me? I think I'm getting off on a tangent here... I think what struck me most about Michelle's post was the fact that so many people out there really want to write and to be writers, but who don't actually write. It's like dieting -- so many people want to lose weight and get in shape but just... don't. The difference is that it's easy to delude yourself into thinking that you're "writing" or working on a "writing career" but it's really hard to delude yourself into thinking that you're eating healthy when you've got a candy bar in your fist. If we know what we want, what is stopping us? Why aren't we just sitting down and writing every day (probably the same reason that I'm not on the elliptical runner every day :) Why isn't it a given like brushing our teeth, going to work, taking out the trash. Actually, why isn't it something that we're craving to do every day -- why aren't we coming home from work, changing into comfy pants and shouting "Finally! Time to write! I'm so excited!"What do you think keeps us from writing if that's what we really want?
Today I'm over at the Manuscript Mavens discussing POV and author voice (and trying to figure out how to untwine the two). Come join us! Oh, and if it seems like I've been a bit quiet around here, blogger has been mad at me and refuses to let me comment :(
I have much to be thankful for over the past year. In thinking about it all this week, I think what I'm most thankful for is friends and family to share everything with. People say that writing is a solitary life, but I've found it to be just the opposite. I've met amazing and supportive people in the past year who have totally enriched my writing experience. These friends are always there to give advice, to listen to my fears and vents and questions, and just to gab about life and writing and everything in between. I'm so thankful for the online writing community and everyone who has accepted me with open arms.I'm also thankful for my family who I think screamed louder than I did when they found out I'd sold my book. Who continue to ask questions about it and who are such big supporters. Who sat down and read my book even though zombies and YA isn't quite their thing. And who will plot with me :) I'm thankful for my agent and editor who constantly blow my mind with their support and thoughtfulness. They really are amazing and I'm loving every minute of it.I'm thankful for my new job, for finding that day job in the practice of law I've always wanted. Everyone I work for is so nice and helpful and friendly. I love feeling like a part of this team!And of course, I'm thankful for JP. There are so many moments in life that I get to share with him. I could go on... but I think there are some leftovers that need devouring :) So thanks to all of you for being a part of my community and for reading and commenting and supporting. Y'all make it all so worth-wile!!!
Today is JP's and I four year anniversary; as of today, JP and I have been dating for four years. We met in law school. In fact, we emailed before law school when people were looking to set up carpools and we lived in the same apartment complex. Then I was at the pool one day and he sat down and we spent a long time talking about writing and cats and being from South Carolina and all sorts of other things.It was one of those conversations where it was way too easy to feel like you'd known the other person for years and consequently you felt like you could spill all your secrets. Law school being what it was at the time, we never spent a lot of time together after that. He was dating someone, I needed to get to know myself better, etc etc. Then, during our second year I wrote an article for the law school newspaper. It just so happened that he was the editor of the section I was writing for. We started emailing and one day (I remember this SO SO clearly) I was standing in the library when I got an email from him and it cracked me up. I couldn't stop laughing. I'd sit down, do work, and then end up going back to check the email again just to get a good chuckle. You know how sometimes someone does something that makes you look at them in a new light? Well, that's what that email was. Suddenly, I saw JP all over again. I started flirting (and boy are there some funny stories about that) and eventually we got together (more funny stories about that).Growing up, even though I was an avid reader of romance novels and a romance writer myself, I'm not sure I really truly believed in true love. I certainly always believed that in real life, you settled. JP has proved me wrong. Four years later he's my best friend, my biggest cheerleader, my editor and he still cracks me up every day. And he's a damn good writer :) I am a lucky lucky woman. Thanks JP!!
Hey y'all! Sorry for the late announcement, but surprise -- I'm a the newest member of the Manuscript Mavens!! You can read my first post (as an official Maven) introducing myself a little, here. Today over on Fangs, Fur & Fey, Caitlin Kittridge has a great post up about talking to agents at all stages of the relationship. You know, when to follow up on partials, fulls, etc. I think it's a great post (though I think you should give an agent at least a week to get back to you when you let them know you have another offer of representation).As I posted in the comments, I think the biggest key to a good agent/author relationship is communication. I'm not sure how my agent would feel about me comparing him to my boyfriend, but there is one rule that holds true in both dating and agent/author relationships: no one but you knows what you're thinking/expecting and it isn't fair to expect things from significant others/agents if you haven't told them you're expecting things.Seriously, apply this rule to all areas of your life. I know, I know, most of us grew up on romance novels where the hero always knew what the heroine needed and just gave it to her without her having to ask. We all saw the Sex in the City episode where the ring Aiden picked out for Carrie was a test of how well he knew her. See, we all have these unspoken expectations. And it isn't fair to get mad at people because they don't know about those expectations. And just sometimes, we use these expectations of tests (if he really loved me he'd know that I liked my eggs sunny side up and not scrambled) and that's really not fair (unless you've really clearly expressed your egg preference and even then, that's not really a measure of love). I hear stories of so many authors who are terrified of their agents. Who refuse to call, refuse to follow up, refuse to tell an agent how they feel or what they need. Now, I'm not advising that you go to your agent with a list of demands or that you shed tears next time you're on the phone. But if something bothers you, bring it up in a professional manner. Let them know what will help you be better at your job and figure out a mutual way of working together that will get the job done.At the same time, be willing to listen to what the agent says will help them work. If you want a quick turnaround on a proposal, ask the agent if they can tell you when they'll be able to read it and then work towards that deadline. But hold up your end of the bargain and turn that proposal in on time.Bottom line (and I know I've said this before) an agent/author relationship is a business relationship and should be approached professionally. But it often turns into so much more and you have to figure out a way to make it work for both of you. And the best way to do that is to communicate and express your expectations and come up with a way of satisfying both of you.Of course, lots of things are easier said than done, but it's something to think about at least :)
 Yes, we all knew I'd be a big dork and wait to take a picture while I signed the contract. Thus, without further ado, here you have it: It was a surreal and wonderful and amazing moment, seeing my name on a Random House contract. 
This weekend, I edit. Of course, I was up early and what have I done for the last hour? Blog hop. Post on writing forums. Seriously, how do I kick this addiction?!?Oh, and for those of you who like sports, ESPN College Game day will be coming to you live from my college -- Williams!! Today we play our big rivals (we lovingly refer to them as The Defectors). Go Ephs!!
So, my agent sent me my final contract today. I read it through, still mongo impressed by all of it (he did a fab job negotiating). All day I was thinking about how I was going to print it out and bring it home to sign and then just as I was leaving work I thought "oh, need to remember to print contract to take with me," but then thought, "why would I do that when I'd just need to bring it back to mail? I'll just print it tomorrow and send it straight off."Forgetting that I wanted a picture of me signing the contract. It just feels like one of those milestones, you know? And I'd feel like a dork asking someone at work to take the picture... So do I put off sending the contract back just to get the photo op? Decisions, decisions...
Why is it that I have fantastic ideas of blog posts all day and then I get home, sit down at the computer for some hard core procrastination and I come up with nothing? I really want to write about how I came up with the idea of The Forest of Hands and Teeth and all about writing it, but I'm so tired right now I don't want to make it sound all boring and dull.* So, I'll hold off on that story for now...Instead, you get a nice, boring update :) So... where are things now, you ask? I got an email from suber-uber agent Jim McCarthy today with a draft of the contract with Random House. What an amazing experience to open that up and see my name up there. And I still find it strange that no one is talking about book two. I'm sure we'll get there soon enough (and I already have an idea for what I want to write and another idea in case they don't like that one). So in my contract it's just "Untitled Book 2." And I feel like it's this pink elephant in the room cause... uh... they paid good money for that book and they know nothing about it. I try not to think about this, though, because I don't want to freak myself out.I turn in edits to my editor, who really is super fun and enthusiastic and so amazingly great to work with, on Monday. According to her, we'll do a few back and forths and then it will hopefully go into copy-editing in mid-December so that it can come out in Spring 2009. If we miss the December deadline (and technically, my contract deadline is after that) then it's summer 2009 for us. But we're both really excited about it coming out in the Spring so I plan to do my part to make it so.I was floored when my editor got me her editorial suggestions -- get this -- two days after the book sold. Super quick!! I'd heard so many horror stories about the editorial letter: pages and pages of single space issues to deal with. I'd heard of writers adding 20k words, adding new characters and sub-plots. My letter was like a dream! Only 6 points along the "give us more information about X" lines and to add more physical description (which I already knew was a weakness). I'm sure I'll have killer letters in my future, but so far things have been great. Of course, we'll see if I was able to address all the concerns once my editor gets a chance to read the new draft :)So that's where things stand now. Just in case you were interested in what happens after the call. Now that I know the contract will be signed this year I'm busy planning ways to spend my advance (all on perfectly legal business related deductible items, of course). I found out that they'll want my author photo around February soooo... looks like I'll have to power up the old elliptical runner that we haven't used since we bought the house even though it takes up a good chunk of our den (lets hope it still works!).JP has declared it NaStoWriMo -- National Story Writing Month -- and has pledged to write 25k words of short stories. He's doing awesome so far (though he's too lazy to use a word count meter) so go over and nag him/cheer him on. Seriously, comment on his blog and demand word count accountability!!_________* Plus, I started Jennifer Lynn-Barnes' book Golden and want to get back to it!!
As you can see, the blog looks different. That's because I updated it to the new google blogger easy to fix stuff template. See, most of the lists, colors, etc., were things that I'd gone in and coded by hand. I'm not good at coding. So with the update went my colors. At least I was able to save some of my lists!The main reason I did this is so that it will be much easier to add links, books read, etc. I'll tinker in the code and get it looking all purty again soon, no worries. So for now, please pardon the dust. It was a rash decision made in the throes of procrastination :)
For long time readers, you will remember that I used to use this blog as a quasi accountability system. I'd post my goals at the beginning of the weekend and then whether I'd met them or not, hoping that y'all would chastize me for falling short.
Well, it's time to start that up again! So, without further ado -- the weekend goals:
- the most uber important, if I get this goal none of the others matter: finish editing The Forest of Hands and Teeth (I'm so used to typing FHT or WIP that I forget I can actually type the title now - yay!!). I want to send this sucker to my editor on Monday! Still working on it...
- clean house; done (ish... well at least some of it is done)
- spray porch down; forgot about water restrictions - no spraying for us!
- take down AND put away Halloween decorations; JP took care of this -- he rocks!
- write blog posts;
read (doing some fun reading in anticipation of perhaps fun new project!). this was the easiest goal to meet!I'd really like to participate in NaNo, but we all know the rules: FHT comes first. So I don't get to start NaNo until FHT is edited. Sigh... So what did I spend my morning doing? Reading this rant (and all 300+ comments!). What am I doing right now? Waiting for JP to finish editing a story so we can go drink Pumpkin beer. Natch, they were out of Pumpkin beer. Sigh. Off to a wondrous start, eh? Oh, and happy wedding day Diana and SB!!!
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