The Single Best Piece of Query Writing Advice I've Ever Heard

 

There is so much writing advice out there, and particularly advice on querying, that you could literally spend forever trying to absorb it all. It can be overwhelming. You've written this entire novel, yet trying to write 2-3 stinking paragraphs about it becomes a seemingly impossible task.

 

I used to beat my head against my keyboard trying to figure out how to do it the right way. (And by the way, this need to write a query never goes away. Even after you're published, you have to write back cover copy and short synopses. So it's a skill that gets used over and over again.)

But then I stumbled upon this simple tip from Agent Kristin Nelson and the dark storm clouds parted. Suddenly, it all made perfect sense. And I haven't stressed about writing that snappy little summary again.

So what did she say?

The query should be about the first third of your book.


That's it. It's not a synopsis of everything that's happened. It's a teaser, it's a back cover style blurb. You give the set up, the main characters, the big conflict, and then a nice juicy foreshadowing/hooky sentence at the end. The purpose of it is to make the agent or editor say--ooh, I need to read these pages to see what happens or where she goes with this.

I'll use my back cover blurb for CRASH INTO YOU as an example:

 

Brynn LeBreck has dedicated herself to helping women in crisis, but she never imagined how personal her work would get, or where it would take her. Her younger sister is missing, suspected to be hiding from cops and criminals alike at a highly secretive BDSM retreat—a place where the elite escape to play out their most extreme sexual fantasies. To find her Brynn must go undercover as a sexual submissive. [<--All this is set up and intro of MC.] Unfortunately, The Ranch is invitation only. And the one Master who can get her in is from the darkest corner of Brynn’s past. [<--And here's your character conflict. This entire paragraph covers what happens in just chapters 1-3, that's it.]

 
Brynn knows what attorney Reid Jamison is like once stripped of his conservative suit and tie [Introducing second main character]. Years ago she left herself vulnerable only to have him crush her heart. Now she needs him again. Back on top. And he’s all too willing to engage. [Deepening their conflict. She doesn't want this, but he does.] But as their primal desires and old wounds are exposed, the sexual games escalate—and so does the danger.  Their hearts aren’t the only things at risk. Someone else is watching, playing by his own rules. And his game could be murder. [This last section is the hook to let you know that some serious stuff is going to happen once these two people enter into Act 2 and start their adventure. I don't tell you anything about the antagonist or why someone is after them. I don't go into why there is so much animosity between Brynn and Reid. I want you to want to read the book to find out.]

 

I hope that break down makes sense. Once you stop worrying about fitting in all that other stuff, the query no longer feels as daunting. Just give them your first act and get out. Save the rest of it for that other dreaded thing--the synopsis. : )

So have you heard this tip before? Have you ever received a simple tip that gave you an ah-ha moment (feel free to share those tips with us!)? What has helped you with your query writing?

 

 

"Revved up and red-hot sexy, CRASH INTO YOU, delivers a riveting romance!" --Lorelei James, NY Times Bestselling author of the ROUGH RIDERS series

 

CRASH INTO YOU is now available for pre-order!

Read an excerpt here.


All content copyright of the author. Please ask permission before re-printing or re-posting. Fair use quotations and links do no require prior consent of the author. ©Roni Loren 2009-2011 |Copyright Statement|

 

Query Writing: How Brief is Brief?

 

More Briefs

More Briefs by Alberto Alonso G

 

I've never been known for brevity. If you read this blog regularly, you know that I almost always break that "keep you blog posts under 500 words" rule. Pfft! Five-hundred words? I laugh in the face of that rule.

However, where the lack of brevity can really kill you is in that query letter. I recently posted about the Reasons Agents Gonged Queries at the writer's conference I attended, and by far, the biggest reason people got gonged is because they went on TOO LONG and tried to include TOO MUCH. The query is not a synopsis. It is a hook and a catchy paragraph to make the agent or publisher want to flip to the manuscript.

In essence, it is a back cover copy or a blurb for your manuscript. Pick up any book you have, that stuff on the back has one purpose--to make you want to buy and read the book. It is a marketing tool. And that's what you need to keep in mind when you query. You are SELLING your book, not explaining every person, plot line, subplot, theme, etc. Pick the things that are most important and hooky in your story and focus on that.

I thought I was pretty decent at this whole query writing thing. Every novel I've queried (even the REALLY bad one) got a good number of full requests. However, when I got my draft of my back cover copy this week, it was glaringly obvious that I could've made my query a lot shorter with a lot more punch. So I'm going to use mine as the example.

The summary section of my original query:
Since her mother’s murder, social worker Brynn LeBreck has dedicated her career to helping women in crisis. But when Brynn’s sister goes missing and is rumored to be at The Ranch, a secretive BDSM retreat for Dallas’ elite, Brynn must tackle her own traumatic past and go undercover as a sexual submissive to find her.  Unfortunately, she can’t get an invitation to the exclusive resort without the help of the one guy she never wanted to share air with again—Reid Jamison, the lawyer who recently defended her mother’s killer and the man who, ten years earlier, opened her heart and shredded her defenses, only to crush her trust when she was most vulnerable.

 

After a failed marriage and a crippling defeat in the LeBreck case, Reid needs a fresh start.  The first steps—move out of his family’s high-profile practice and construct his client’s appeal. But when he discovers he’ll be sharing an office with the woman he’s never been able to shake from his bones, the one who taught him how to embrace his dominant nature in the first place, the fresh start gains new meaning.  Being near Brynn stirs up the primal desires he hasn’t indulged in years, and he’s not going to let her “I-loathe-you” attitude stand in the way when he finds out she’s in search of a master. Only one man will get the privilege of calling her his, and that man is going to be him. 
The two can't find a future without facing the demons of the past, however, and some of those demons want to make sure Brynn and Reid are never together—even if it means one of them may not make it through their erotic weekend alive. 

 

 

See how long that is? It worked for me, but look at the difference between that and what we've come up with for the back cover copy...

CRASH INTO YOU back cover copy:

 
Sometimes the past can bring you to your knees...

Brynn LeBreck has dedicated herself to helping women in crisis, but she never imagined how personal her work would get, or where it would take her. Her younger sister is missing, suspected to be hiding from cops and criminals alike at a highly secretive BDSM retreat—a place where the elite escape to play out their most extreme sexual fantasies. There’s only one way to find her: go undercover as a sexual submissive. Unfortunately, The Ranch is invitation only. And the only Master who can get her in is from the darkest corner of Brynn’s past.

 
Only Brynn knows what attorney Reid Jamison is like once stripped of his conservative suit and tie. Years ago she left herself vulnerable only to have him crush her heart. Now she needs him again. Back on top. And he’s all too willing to engage. But as their primal desires and old wounds are exposed, the sexual games escalate—and so does the danger.  Their hearts aren’t the only things at risk. Someone else is watching, playing by his own rules. And his game could be murder.


Here's what I see as the differences:

 

1. Significantly shorter

2. Focuses on the two major plot threads
There is a romance between old lovers and there's a murderer out there. (romance and suspense, done.)

3. Backstory, just like in the book, doesn't have to be fleshed out in the query.
No mention of my MC's traumatic past, which is vital to the story, but not necessarily to the summary. No mention of my hero's backstory--his failed marriage, his job troubles, etc. We don't need to know that to want to read the book.

4. The hook is clear
Woman is in danger and has to find her sister, but the only way to do it is to give up control to the only guy who ever broke her heart.

5. Makes you want to read more (hopefully!) 
Neither my query or the cover copy tells you what happens, or who the villain is, or why someone wants someone dead. That's synopsis stuff. The query should leave you with the urge to find out what happens next. It's the appetizer.

QUERY HOMEWORK: So when you start to craft your query, go to the store or your bookshelves and pick out ten or so books in your genre and read the back cover copy. It should be books you've already read so that you can see what was included and WHAT WAS LEFT OUT. Train yourself to recognize what are the most important points in your story and what is vital to include in your query. And focus on hooking, not just explaining.

So what do you think? Do you struggle with brevity like I do? Does my back cover copy do a better job at hooking you than the query? Why or why not? Pick up a few of you favorite books, what are surprised was left out in the back cover copy?


AND A QUICK PSA for an AMAZING opportunity...


Author Ashely March is offering a FULL critique to an aspiring romance author! But you must enter by noon MST today. Go! Hurry! Full crit by a pubbed author people!


What Will Make an Agent "Gong" Your Query

 

gong

This weekend I had the privilege of attending the DFW Writer's conference. It was a lot of fun and I even got to meet some bloggy/twitter friends who I hadn't had the chance to meet before. Below is a pic of me with the lovely Genevieve Wilson and Dawn Alexander.

 

 


I went to a lot of different workshops, but one of the most entertaining and informative sessions of the conference were the two agent "Gong" shows. The setup was simple. Each agent had a gong, anonymous queries were read aloud, and agents would hit their gong when they would've stopped reading. It was quite hilarious, but I also learned a lot of things about what they are and are NOT looking for in a query letter. So I thought I'd pass some of those along.

 

 

WHAT COULD GET YOU "GONGED" BY AN AGENT

1. Opening with a question. 
Most of us have heard this, but there was still a query in the bunch that did this. It got instantly gonged.

 

2. Vampires
You have to be REALLY REALLY different to get them to even consider another vampire novel.

3. Cancer
In and of itself, it may be an important issue in a book, but there were at least four queries where cancer seemed thrown in to up the dramatic effect. "There's this and this and this! Plus, someone has cancer!"

4. Too many things/issues/characters/plotlines.
This was one that the agents said a lot. Stories that seemed to have too many different things going on, too many characters, or too many plotlines listed in the query lost their interest. Stick to the hook!

5. Describing your own writing.
Don't tell them in your query that your story is fascinating, fast-paced, touching, whatever. Show them the story, not what you think of your own writing. One agent gonged out when the first sentence said "This is a fascinating story of..."

6. Cliches and tropes
Overused and tired phrases in the query got you gonged. If you're using them in the query, the agents suspect they'll be in your book. "Her life will be forever changed"..."The last thing she expected was"..."love is blind"...etc. Plus, cliched storylines as well--girl finding a diary with secrets, person finding a portal, romantic suspense where the wife suspects husband is up no good, the woman who loses her husband and goes  a small town to rebuild her life, etc.

7. Inauthentic voice
There was a YA one that used "awesome" "buttload" and "stupid" all in the first two sentences. It sounded like an adult trying to do teenspeak. Didn't work at all.

8. Stuff Happens
Queries where there was a lists of events but no hook or central conflict described.

9. Teens and the elderly
This is a bit random, but there were a few queries that were pitched at YA where the story is the teen gaining wisdom from an older person. They shot these down. Teens don't want to read about old people. They don't care what older people have to say when they are that age and so they aren't going to want to read about that.

10. September 11th plotline
All the agents literally groaned. Some said it was still too close of a topic for them to personally work with. Remember, most of these agents live in NYC, 9/11 was a national tragedy but for those on the front lines realize that it's got to be even more traumatic to relive.

11. Going on and on and on....(kind of like this post :p )
They want to hook, the main character(s), and what's at stake. That's really about it. Do not give a synopsis posing as a query.

12. If you do the "it's this meets this" kind of hook, don't use two movies. Use at least one book in the comparison to show that you are well-read in your own genre.
And don't compare to the GIANT books. Twilight, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Hunger Games--they're used so much that the comparisons don't meant anything anymore.

13. And finally, MAKE EVERY WORD SERVE  A PURPOSE and BE SPECIFIC.
So many queries had a whole lot of words but said nothing. It's a tale of love and loss and redemption. Of good and evil. Of whatever other completely vague abstract concepts you can think of. That may be a theme in your story but that is not what it's about. The agents want to know what your story is specifically about. Do not waste words talking about abstract things. Every word must give them something that you haven't already said and that speaks to the uniqueness of your story.

I'm sure there were more, but those were the ones that stuck out most in my mind. So do any of these surprise you? What do you think of this feedback?

Guest Post: Author Miranda Kenneally - Querying Isn't Algebra

 

Today I have a special treat for you guys. Soon-to-debut YA author Miranda Kenneally! She's sticking with your theme this week and giving us the low down on queries and her own querying experience. AND, if that wasn't awesome enough, she's giving away query critiques to THREE lucky winners. So make sure you enter the contest AND LEAVE A COMMENT! :)

Now over to Miranda...


 
Thanks to Roni for having me today! I’ll be up front with you all. I’m a TERRIBLE blogger. Seriously. I only blog if I have something semi-important to say or if I need to rant about something. I can’t just sit down and blog. Unless y’all want to hear about Star Trek or Mexican food or wine or The Beatles. Or want me to write a long list of books I think you should read.
So, naturally, I had a hard time coming up with something to discuss today. Therefore I’m going to expand on a post I did several months ago about queries. My agent (Like Roni, I’m also repped by Sara Megibow) said she agrees with my thoughts 100%. I hope most of you haven’t read it. And even if you have, I have a surprise at the end of the post after some other random thoughts.
Querying Isn’t Algebra: There’s No Set Formula
Recently I participated in an online chat about queries. Everyone was throwing their ideas out, so I decided to give some opinions, based on what worked for me.
First, some stats. I sent out 17 query letters. Based on my letter and sample pages, I received 9 requests for a full. Also, I broke just about EVERY query letter “rule” there is: I wrote in first person; I used more than 500 words; I used a freaking split infinitive; and I wrote a long paragraph about myself.
So during this chat, I said:

“I think it’s a good idea to compare your book to other books. It will show that you read in your genre and that you understand the market. For instance, if you’ve written a book about angels, you should say, ‘My book is different from HUSH, HUSH and FALLEN because _____.’ Why? Because everyone already has their angel book, so yours really needs to stick out if you want to get pulled out of the slush.”
This piece of advice, which worked for me when I queried, just set people off. Other chatters said, “You should never compare yourself to other writers!” and “Comparisons like that make agents mad!” and “You should never say you’ve written the next HARRY POTTER or TWILIGHT!”
That’s not what I said.
I’m not trying to tell you what’s right or wrong in terms of querying, but what MATTERS. All that matters is that you’ve written a crazy awesome good book that people will want to read. Who cares what you write in your query letter as long as you show:
1) A powerful hook
2) Originality
3) Voice
4) A command of English grammar
5) A link to your website/blog/Twitter feed
6) You aren’t a complete nutjob
** Of course, follow the agent’s/agency’s guidelines.
This is just my opinion, but I’ve seen other people who’ve broken all the “querying rules,” and have ended up getting agents and book deals.
Query what feels natural and forget the formula.
Spend the time you use looking for the formula to edit and make your book even more awesome.
Here are some random thoughts on writing, querying, the publishing world, etc:
·         I don’t critique queries very often (NO TIME), but nearly every time that I have read one my first impression was that the book itself wasn’t ready to go to an agent. For instance, someone will have written a 50,000 word mainstream novel for adults and I have to say, “I think you need to double your word count. Add more themes or subplots or something.”  Not only should you know your audience, you need to know what books in that genre read like.
·         Another problem I’m seen is too much voice. I know you’re wondering how too much voice can be a bad thing. I struggle with this myself, so I like to point it out when I can. This is using three or more sentences to tell something that you could show in one. Example:
“And then he kissed me. I didn’t like it. He didn’t know what he was doing. I wish we hadn’t kissed in the first place, because he’s obviously never kissed anyone before. Ugh. Gross.”
“And then he kissed me. I might as well have been making out with an eel, and it was that particular eel’s first kiss ever.” (Terrible example, I know, but I hope you get what I’m saying.)
·         Know the market. Read, read, read. I read a ton. At this point, I actually read more than I write. For enjoyment, and to study. I study plot arcs. I study character development. I study plot twists and upping the stakes. This is going to sound ridiculous, and it might lessen your enjoyment of reading, but you need to get to the point where you can basically tell what is going to happen in a book. You need to know how to pick up on clues and how they fit in with the overall plot and the author’s themes. There are only a few authors who can pull a fast one on me (e.g. Courtney Summers, and geez, Beth Revis just totally threw me for a loop with her new book ACROSS THE UNIVERSE.)
·         Social networking is a must. However, working toward perfecting your craft is the most important thing you can do. I spent a long time writing and writing and writing before I ever got involved in Twitter and the writing blogosphere. If you want to break into publishing and you can’t write, none of the blogging/social networking matters. So write, write, write.
·         It does not get “easier” once you have an agent. Sure, your access to the publishing world is a whole hell of a lot better, but that doesn’t mean you can slack off or stop being original. If anything, I’ve had to work a lot – a LOT – harder since I signed with an agent.
Anyway, if you’re interested, I’m giving away a query critique to three people. But you have to fill out the form AND in the comments, recommend a good young adult book to read, and tell me why you loved it and what sets it apart from the rest of the market. Roni will pick the three winners at random.
Thanks for having me today! J
 Miranda Kenneally is the author of SCORE, a contemporary YA novel about football, femininity, and hot boys, coming from Sourcebooks Fire in late 2011. She enjoys reading and writing young adult literature, and loves Star Trek, music, sports, Mexican food, Twitter, coffee, and her husband. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook. Miranda is represented by Sara Megibow at Nelson Literary Agency.





CONTEST CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT CENTRAL ON SUNDAY! Winners announced next Wednesday.




 

Guest Post: Literary Assistant Anita Mumm on Queries

 

Today I have a terrific guest for you guys. Nelson Lit's Literary Assistant Anita Mumm! There have been some posts lately about the dire numbers of clients signed from cold querying. In response to some of those reports, author/blogger Jody Hedlund recently asked: is the query system dying?

Well, I didn't really know the answer to that question. I did get to Sara via a client referral, so this made me wonder. But I figured instead of just pondering, I'd go straight to a source that could give us some insight. Anita is on the front lines of the slushpile at Nelson Lit, so I posed the question to her. Is there hope for a new writer to get an agent via a cold query? And now I'll turn it over to Anita for her answer.
IS THERE HOPE FOR YOUR QUERY?
There’s a rumor floating around cyberspace that agents don’t read blind queries anymore. That unless you’re already published, or recommended by Famous Author X, you might as well stuff your letter in a bottle and pitch it out to sea. The slush pile is dead.
Well, let me start by saying that if the slush pile is dead, I sure feel silly spending so much time wading through ours every day. *grin* On average, we get just over a hundred queries a day, and yes, we read them all. What we’re NOT looking for is an excuse to reject a query because it doesn’t contain enough name-dropping or publishing credits. Don’t get me wrong—those can definitely help, but they are not essential. When I read a query, I’m looking for a combination of the following: unique story, hot topic, strong voice (one that, we hope, mirrors what we’ll see in the manuscript), compelling characters, and an ability to be both thorough and concise—capturing the essence of the story in a couple of paragraphs is no small feat.
Here is an interesting statistic for you: 75% of our clients were cold queries (i.e. non-referrals). Yep, that means they were sifted out of the slush pile based solely on the strength of their writing in a one-page letter. Next, their 30-page sample made the cut, and we requested a full manuscript. Kristin or Sara fell in love, and the rest is history.
I can’t offer numbers from other agencies, but the fact that we frequently compete for the same hot manuscripts—from the slush pile—shows that we are not an anomaly here.
That said, I’d hate to mislead anyone by implying this is an easy process. Remember those 100 queries a day? So that means in a year we see…merciful heavens, that number is too scary for me to even think about writing! Makes my eyes bleed! And out of that scary number, our agents sign a tiny handful of new clients.  The odds are not in your favor.
But when have the odds ever been favor of wild, unrealistic dreams? Good thing JK Rowling and Suzanne Collins and Paul Harding didn’t waste time worrying about their chances. And neither did our clients, who have become NYT bestsellers, among many other honors. It started with a query letter.
Believe in your writing. Let it speak for itself. And by all means, learn how to perfect your pitch—that part doesn’t have to come naturally. Kristin’s query workshop on her blog (http://pubrants.blogspot.com/) is a great tutorial if you need a kick-start, and here is the link to some great examples of our clients’ original query letters: http://nelsonagency.com/faq.html#7
Happy writing.

 

Anita recently joined the NLA team as literary assistant. A compulsive book collector whose interests span the genres, she chose her current neighborhood based on the number of bookstores within walking distance. She received a B.A. in linguistics and French from the University of Kansas and an M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Illinois. She has taught English and creative writing to international students in the U.S., France, and China. Anita is thrilled to bring her love of language, writing, and other cultures to her new position at the Nelson Agency. She shares a cozy apartment near downtown Denver with a curvy kitty named Francine.









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Now Anita is generously donating a query critique for a prize, so don't forget to enter the contest. You'll also be included to win the other query crits up for grabs as well. But remember, you need to comment on both this post and friday's, and fill out this form to enter. :)

Thanks again, Anita!


 

Lessons from Queryfest

 


One of the most helpful workshops I attended at RWA was a two-hour event called Queryfest.  The premise was pretty simple. Queries were collected from the audience, then a panel of five agents listened to the queries read aloud by a moderator and gave feedback.

 

For the first few, they listened to the full query before commenting.  Then, about halfway through the workshop, they switched to a format where each agent would say "Stop" when in normal query reading, they would stop reading and reject the person.

I know, brutal right?  I have mad respect for those people who submitted their queries to the gauntlet.  But the experience was rather eye-opening. Even I started to say "stop" in my head when I would hit the point that I'd lost interest or got confused.

So here's what I learned:

Do not put your title, genre, and word count at the bottom of the query.

I always did this.  It was usually my last paragraph because I wanted my hook at the top.  But every agent on the panel agreed it was better upfront.  After hearing the queries aloud, this suddenly made total sense to me.  When you don't know the genre, reading the query can be confusing because you're constantly trying to place what kind of story it is.  Then sometimes you get in your head it's A and then the query drops the bomb that it's actually B or Z.  (There was actually a gasp from the crowd after one query that sounded like adult urban fantasy turned out to be YA.)  So first line should be something to the effect of "I am seeking representation for my 70,000 word historical romance, TITLE."

 

 

Don't bury your hook.

Okay, I know I just said you should have genre up at the top and I still mean that, but then you need to drop in your hook as soon as you start talking about your story.  And let it stand out.  Some people had a great hook and then they went on and on AND ON.  By the time the query was done, we'd all forgotten what the story was about and that sparkly hook.  So use your hook and then get to the guts of your summary, but keep it brief!

 

 

Agents like accurate comparisons.

I've heard mixed things on this topic, but all four agents on this panel liked the idea of the comparison pitch.  I.e. Glee meets True Blood.  Okay, so that story probably wouldn't work, but you get the idea.  The one query that did this had the agents requesting they send material on the spot--FROM  JUST ONE LINE. Seriously.

 

 

Know your genre.

Many of the queries seemed to be labeled with the wrong genre.  There were queries for romances that didn't talk anything about the primary relationship of the book.  There were also a few that tried to merge too many genres.  You can't pitch an urban fantasy, historical, inspirational, middle grade, cross-over paranormal romance.  The agents wants to know where you would be placed in the bookstore.

 

 

Voice is always vital.

Beyond hook, voice was what sold them on things.  So make sure you inject the voice of your prose into your query.

 

 

Agents don't care about your personal information if it doesn't relate to the book.

They don't care if you've been writing all your life, wrote your first book at age five in crayons, and that you love to water ski in your free time. Writing credentials aren't necessary for fiction, so don't fluff that paragraph if you don't have any.  However, if you DO have something relevant: contest wins, previous publications, write articles for a magazine, etc. then put that in there.  Also, this is where you can put in that you blog.

 

 

They assume overwritten query means overwritten manuscript.

Some of the queries had adjective soup, like the person was trying to SOUND like a writer.  Don't do this.  Many assume the sins of the query will be the same sins in your book.  (And not all of them jump to the sample pages to find out.)

 

 

They are human--everyone likes to be kissed up to a little.

Personalize those queries.  Let the agent know (in a very brief way) that you have researched them and consciously selected them--not that you're just throwing spaghetti on the wall to see what sticks.  Maybe you saw them speak at a conference, maybe you love their blog/twitter, maybe you admire their clients.  Be genuine and tell them why you are interested in their representation.

 

Alright, those are the main points I gleaned from the talk.  Hopefully, these tips helped.  We'll see if they helped me soon since I'm now actively querying my latest novel, lol.

So did any of these tips surprise you?  Have you incorporated these in your query? What other tips have you heard?  And am I the only one that has a HORRIBLE time trying to come up with those comparisons?

**Today's Theme Song**
"Ice, Ice Baby" - Vanilla Ice (I couldn't resist, sue me)
(player in sidebar, take a listen)


 

WIP Wednesday: Facing Down the Query


So I've been productive this past week after a few weeks of banging my head against the wall.  I finished the chapter that was giving me fits.  Then, I realized because of how that chapter worked out, I needed ANOTHER chapter.  It was starting to feel like the neverending draft.  But anyway, I banged out both, added a scene I needed somewhere else and ended up adding 4k words to the manuscript.

That means I can finally say that this sucker is D-O-N-E done at 88k.  Now I'll just be editing and revising as I work through it with my betas.  And I'm facing down the super fun task of writing the query letter and synopsis.  I'm hoping to have a query letter at least drafted before I leave for RWA Nationals next week, so that when I come home (with my head chock full of information and the agents I want to query), I'll have something to work with.

On the flipside, I'm hoping that I don't come home after going to all those workshops and want to change everything about the book, lol.  Sometimes too much information can be dangerous.  :)  But we'll see.

So, hopefully I'll be entering the query wars soon.  It's been a while, so I'm looking forward to it.  I just want to make sure everything is ready to go before I hit send.  I've learned the hard way that you need to have everything all set before querying.  My first novel, I received a full request one week after querying and they wanted a synopsis.  So I don't ever want to be rushing like that again.

How is your WIP going?  Have you ever gone to a workshop that made you want to change everything about your story?  Is anyone else going to RWA Nationals next week?


**Today's Theme Song**
"The Letter" - The Boxtops
(player in sidebar, take a listen)

...In Which I Wait and Try To Maintain Sanity

 


It's officially been eight months since I sent my original query/partial to Harlequin.  Six months since they requested the full.  And one month since I received an update letter letting me know I was on top of the editor's to be read pile.  This wait is not out of the ordinary and compared to some agents/publishers, not even a drop in the bucket.  I know these editors and agents have crazy workloads, so I totally understand why it takes so long.

 

However, can I just admit that the wait is KILLING me?  I try not to think about it.  I blog, I work on my WIPs, I critique, I enter contests, I stay busy.  However, it's always there, niggling at the back of my brain.  Every time the phone rings or I check the mail, it's there.  I try not to get my hopes up, try to keep perspective, but it's hard.

This is basically an exclusive submission.  The other places I would send this manuscript are limited because it's category length.  So if Harlequin turns me down, I'll have to revisit the manuscript and beef up the length before sending it out to anyone else.  Therefore, I have eggs-in-one-basket syndrome at the moment, which makes the wait even more excruciating because if it ends in a "no", I will be at square one again in the querying process.

So that's my confession.  Patience is not my virtue.

I guess this experience is a good lesson for me because I know that if I'm lucky enough to make this my profession--it's all about the waiting.  And I know that it's a lot quicker for an editor/agent to say "no" than to say "yes", so I try to convince myself that the wait is a good thing.  :)  Nothing like good ol' fashioned rationalization, right?

So, how about you?  What do you do to get through the waiting process?  Are you able to block the pending queries/partials/fulls out of your mind or is the thought always swimming around your brain?

**Today's Theme Song**
"Wait" - White Lion
(player in sidebar, take a listen, everyone needs a little 80s hair rock sometimes)


!!!Just realized I totally whiffed Beta Club today.  With the Memorial Day holiday (and my depleted brain cells from a weekend of stomach flu for all members at the Griffin household), I had it in my head today was Monday.  The Beta Club entry that was supposed to go up today will go up on Thursday.  Apologize for any confusion.!!!!


 

Face Off Friday: Should You Query a First Novel?*

 Today I'm asking one of the more hotly debated questions in the writing blogosphere - should you put your "baby" (first novel) in a drawer for a while or should you send it out to the world once you're done editing? Some say that you should not query your first book until you've written a second.

(It's too soon if) It's your first novel. No matter how hard it is to hear and follow this advice, it's probably the best advice I'll ever offer: write a second novel before you query on the first one. You'll learn so much while writing that second novel that you'll go back and either revise or discard Novel #1. AND you won't have all the baggage from those damn form rejections to weigh you down --agent Janet Reid
Others argue that it's silly to do that, some first novels get published. You've done all that work, so go for it. So, I thought this would make a great debate for a Face Off Friday.
I have to say that in my case, I queried my first novel too soon. It was before I was blogging, before I had quality beta readers, before I knew what the heck I was doing. (Although, I thought I did.) I had three biggie agents request fulls, which were eventually met with rejections (albeit one was personalized and encouraging.)  After I received these a few months after querying, I already knew that my book needed work. Since querying, I had learned so much. I now want to smack myself in the head that I jumped too soon on sending out those letters.
I've since parked that YA under the bed with plans to completely rewrite it one day. And, thankfully, my second novel turned out much better (at least based on publisher interest and contest wins.)
But patience is my least favorite virtue and is often my downfall. So I understand when others want to do the same as I did. And perhaps they will have better luck than me. But here are some points to consider:
Querying Now vs. Later

In defense of immediate gratification...

  • You've worked really hard on your novel and the thought of not seeing what it could do out there is driving you crazy
  • Some first novels sell
  • You've revised the book ten ways til Sunday so it's not "technically" your first effort
  • Publishing follows trends and your vampire/fairy/angel/werewolf book may not be "in" if you wait too long
  • You can't focus on a second book unless you know if this one is going anywhere
  • Your family has been hearing about your writing this book, now they keep asking you about the results
  • You love this book and can't bear the thought of tucking it away for a while

For love of patience...
  • If you write a second, you will have learned so much more that you will look back and see the flaws in your first effort that you missed the first time
  • It's already too hard to keep up with trends since publishing is a slow process, so you have to take comfort in that if it's a great book, it will still be great in six months
  • You'll have time to detach yourself from the first book and have a more unbiased opinion later
  • You won't burn bridges with agents
  • If one book sells, you'll be able to tell the agent you have something else already finished and ready to go as well
Alright, so I'm picturing myself reading this a year and half ago. I would have read the points for patience and been like, yeah BUT BUT BUT... and figured out all the ways that this did not apply to me.

So, I know that some of you are probably doing the same thing. Therefore, I'll include a little checklist to look over if you want to query your first novel and know that you're not going to be able to wait until you finish a second.

If you can't wait, make sure...

  • You have read writing books, blogs, etc. on a regular basis.
  • Each important character has a clear internal and external Goal, Motivation, and Conflict. And by clear, I mean you do not have to explain it to others who have read your book.
  • Your novel is high concept (if that's what you're going for) so you can boil the plot down to a sentence.
  • Your opening chapter hooks the reader and is not loaded down with backstory.
  • You are able to write a 1-2 page synopsis. If you can't, there may be a problem in the book (according to Janet Reid).
  • Your novel has been read by at least three beta readers/crit buddies who are NOT your personal friends or family members. You need people who are writers themselves, have knowledge of the craft, and aren't afraid to be honest.
  • Even if you're not writing a second novel yet, let the manuscript stew for at least a month to gain some distance from it.

Alright, so that's my take on it. The links I included are former posts on all these issues. Feel free to disagree as always.

So what's your opinion? Should you follow the path of patience or jump into the shark tank? For those of you who have more than one novel under your belt, how do you see your first novel now? And has anyone out there had success with first novel querying?

**This is a revised reposting of an Oct. 2009 post.  My kiddo is sick and I'm running on two hours sleep, so I didn't think I could be coherent enough today to come up with the post I had planned.  However, I look forward to hearing everyone's thoughts on this issue.**

 
**Today's Theme Song**
"Patience" - Guns 'N Roses
(player in sidebar--go ahead, take a listen)

 

Somehow, this makes me feel better...

 


Agent Kristin posted her stats for this year:  38,000 queries, 55 full requests, 6 new clients.  The numbers are daunting but somehow give me comfort.  This means .00016% of the queries got representation if my math is correct.  So if you get that rejection in the mail, remember it doesn't necessarily mean you suck (although you certainly could), it just means you weren't the lucky one in 6300 to get an offer.  I guess agents aren't lying when they say they have to absolutely fall in love to make an offer.

 

Also, thanks for all the well wishes from everyone.  My husband's knee surgery went well, so now it's just the journey of getting through the recovery phase.  And playing nurse with a rambunctious two-year old trying to "help" with everything is very interesting, lemme tell you.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

 

**Today's Theme Song**
"#1 Crush" - Garbage

 
 

(player in sidebar if you'd like a listen)

 

Face Off Friday: First Novel Querying

Abby Annis over at Evolution of My Neuroses had a post yesterday on whether or not she should put her "baby" (first novel) in a drawer for a while or send it out to the agent world. Some say that you should not query your first book until you've written a second.

(It's too soon if) It's your first novel. No matter how hard it is to hear and follow this advice, it's probably the best advice I'll ever offer: write a second novel before you query on the first one. You'll learn so much while writing that second novel that you'll go back and either revise or discard Novel #1. AND you won't have all the baggage from those damn form rejections to weigh you down --agent Janet Reid
Others argues that it's silly to do that, some first novels get published. You've done all that work, so go for it. So, I thought this would make a great debate for a Face Off Friday.
I have to say that in my case, I queried my first novel too soon. It was before I was blogging, before I had quality beta readers, before I knew what the heck I was doing. (Although, I thought I did.) I had two biggie agents request fulls, which were eventually met with rejections (albeit one was personalized and encouraging.) After I received these a few months after querying, I already knew that my book needed work. Since querying, I had learned so much. I now want to smack myself in the head that I jumped too soon on sending out those letters.
I've since dramatically revised and rewritten that YA book and the new version is still out with a two agencies, so I haven't given up hope. But I think it would have served me well to wait on anything until I finished my second, which I've now done.
But patience is my least favorite virtue and is often my downfall. So I understand when others want to do the same as I did. And perhaps they will have better luck than me. But here are some points to consider:
Querying Now vs. Later

In defense of immediate gratification...

  • You've worked really hard on your novel and the thought of not seeing what it could do out there is driving you crazy
  • Some first novels sell
  • You've revised the book ten ways til Sunday so it's not "technically" your first effort
  • Publishing follows trends and your vampire/fairy/angel/werewolf book may not be "in" if you wait too long
  • You can't focus on a second book unless you know if this one is going anywhere
  • Your family has been hearing about your writing this book, now they keep asking you about the results

For love of patience...

  • If you write a second, you will have learned so much more that you will look back and see the flaws in your first effort that you missed the first time
  • It's already too hard to keep up with trends since publishing is a slow process, so you have to take comfort in that if it's a great book, it will still be great in six months
  • You'll have time to detach yourself from the first book and have a more unbiased opinion later
  • You won't burn bridges with agents

Alright, so I'm picturing myself reading this a year ago. I would have read the points for patience and been like, yeah BUT BUT BUT... and figured out all the ways that this did not apply to me.

So, I know that some of you are probably doing the same thing. Therefore, I'll include a little checklist to look over if you want to query your first novel and know that you're not going to be able to wait until you finish a second.

If you can't wait, make sure...

  • You have read writing books, blogs, etc. on a regular basis.
  • Each important character has a clear internal Goal, Motivation, and Conflict and external GMC. And by clear, I mean you do not have to explain it to others who have read your book.
  • Your novel is high concept (if that's what you're going for) so you can boil the plot down to a sentence.
  • Your opening chapter hooks the reader and is not loaded down with backstory.
  • You are able to write a 1-2 page synopsis. If you can't, there may be a problem in the book (according to Janet Reid).
  • Your novel has been read by at least three beta readers/crit buddies who are NOT your personal friends or family members. You need people who are writers themselves, have knowledge of the craft, and aren't afraid to be honest.
  • Even if you're not writing a second novel yet, let the manuscript stew for at least a month to gain some distance from it.


Alright, so that's my take on it. The links I included are former posts on all these issues. Feel free to disagree as always.

So what's your opinion? Should you follow the path of patience or jump into the shark tank? For those of you who have more than one novel under your belt, how do you see your first novel now? And has anyone out there had success with first novel querying?



**Today's Theme Song**
"Patience" - Guns 'N Roses
(player in sidebar--go ahead, take a listen)

 

WIP Wednesday, an Award, and the Elaine

 


I did it. Yes, I did. In the last two weeks I've finished both my query letter and my synopsis. Halle-freaking-lujah. I think those two things are more difficult than writing the book itself. Hopefully, I did a good job on both so that the publishers just fall over themselves trying to get to me. *snort* Okay, so I'd be happy with them requesting pages, but I'm trying to think positive. I'm really happy with my story right now so I guess that's all I can do. The rest is in the hands of the decision makers.
This will be a new experience this time because I'll be submitting directly to publishers. With the first book, I'm querying agents. But with a category length romance, I've heard it's better to just go direct. I haven't run across many agent sites that say they handle category romance, so I'm thinking this must be the case.
Alright, so in honor of completing the synopsis, I'll provide another dance this time. The query got me to do the Carlton, the synopsis gets the Elaine.
Patti over at Book Addict has awarded me with the Heartfelt Award! Thanks, chica! Since I will be nominating both men and women, I decided to break the rules a bit and added an alternative image. I'm sure the dudes out there don't want a teacup hamster in their space, lol. So feel free to adopt the traditional image for this award or the alternative one.
Do you reach for a cup of cocoa or tea when you're relaxing, seeking comfort, sharing a plate of cookies with family and friends? You know the feeling you get when you drink a yummy cup of cocoa, tea, or a hot toddy? That is what the Heartfelt Award is all about, feeling warm inside. Rules:Put the logo on your blog/post. Nominate up to to 9 blogs which make you feel comfy or warm inside. Be sure to link your nominees within your post. Let them know that they have been nominated by commenting on their blog. Remember to link to the person from whom you received your award.

My Nominees are new blogs I've discovered recently and enjoy:

Catherine Kariaxi at Work in Progress
Jeannie Campbell at Where Romance Meets Therapy
Amber Tidd Murphy at Musings of Amber Murphy
Sierra Godfrey at Sierra Godfrey

Alright, that's not nine, but seven is pretty good. Go check these out, you'll be glad you did.

So how is everyone's WIP going? Also, has anyone else heard what I heard about going directly to publishers for category romance? And which part of the process do you dread the most: revising/editing, writing query and synopsis, or something else?

**Today's Theme Song**
"I Want You to Want Me" - Cheap Trick
(player in sidebar--this is dedicated to those agents and publishers out there.)

 

Subjecting Myself to Public Opinion (cringe)

 

Today's post at Public Query Slushpile is my query letter for my first novel Shadow Falls. I am feeling a little self-conscious about subjecting myself to public opinion, but I figure it can only help me improve.

Come over and give your opinion. I'd love your feedback (good, bad, or ugly).
Also, Blogger was having issues yesterday, so if you haven't voted in my poll from yesterday, please do. It's located in the right sidebar at the top ----->
Tell me what you want to see for Friday's theme.
Thanks and have a great weekend!

 

Mourning the Death of the First Novel

 

So I finished my first novel, Shadow Falls (paranormal YA) a few months ago. (Well, my first one that counts. The one in high school, well, a novel it was not.) I toiled and tweaked and edited and obsessed. I wrote and rewrote my query, frantically checking query shark to make sure I didn't make any well-known mistakes. I went through a crisis of self-esteem before hitting send on my first agent query--the oh so attractive, sweaty, shaky, I-obviously-can't-put-two-words-together-so-why-am-I-even-bothering stage. This stage was quickly followed by the "is my email working? is my spam filter too strong? why is it not dinging with new emails from agents?" phase. Yes, I know they say to expect a response no sooner than a few weeks or months, but I plugged my ears and sang show tunes to avoid accepting that knowledge.

To my surprise, many responded within two weeks, which made the immediate gratification monster inside me very happy indeed. Unfortunately, most of those responses were form rejections. However, to my great delight (and surprise), I received two request for partials and two requests for fulls pretty quickly from biggie, dream agents. Of course, I was already picturing my book on the shelf despite knowing my chances were still slim. After a few weeks (two months was the longest), I received three form rejections. Total bummer. Looped back to low self-esteem phase.
Then, this week, I received my rejection on the final full I had out. However, this time the agent personalized it. The lovely note contained the words "you are clearly a very talented writer" (woo-hoo) and that my story "had lots of teen appeal" (kickass). However, the story wasn't different enough from what was out there in a now saturated teen paranormal market. (sigh) Then, she asked that if I didn't find an agent this time around, she hoped I would query her on my next project. (Backing away from the ledge).
So, I'm considering the rejection a victory. I still have a few queries floating around, but my hope meter for this first book is definitely on low. I am mourning it's gentle death and will be burying it in the drawer soon. Perhaps it can be resurrected another day with some rewrites. In the meantime, onward and upward. I'm halfway through writing the first draft of a romance novel.
Lessons learned from novel #1: a) I don't totally suck b) I can write a query letter and c) I can handle rejection (mostly)