Well, Writer Friends, if you’ve been waiting for Nikki Overshare 2011 (re: my life as a hideously socially deformed teenager), your big day is here! Go and check out my post on the Dear Teen me blog, the uber-cool e-lovechild of Authors Miranda Kenneally and E. Kristin Anderson. I’m simultaneously horrified at having my history and middle school yearbook pictures exposed for all to see, and pleased at having been invited to participate.
Believe it or not, earlier drafts of this letter were much, much more explicit. I named even more names, and delved deeper into my teen-age angst at my lack of boobs.
I think I have to go eat an embarrassing amount of chocolate now.
I spent the morning surrounded by the boys I love most in the world, boys who gave me Lindt chocolate bars (thus proving their love for me), and now I’m spending the rest of it doing that thing I most love to do: Writing.
While eating chocolate, of course.
Just like I hope all of you will find someone who loves you like my sweet Valentine husband loves me – I hope you love your work as much as I do. Even on those frustrating, unproductive writing days, the work I have to do thrills me way down deep.
Does your writing give you a sense of purpose? Of connection? Of pride? Does it fill your dreams and your daydreams? Do you love it, truly, deeply?
I hope so, Friends. This Valentine’s Day, my wish for you is this: Do what you love. Love what you do. And eat as much chocolate as you need to to see you through the rough patches! xoxox
Y’all know how much I love my Suzie T., right? I’ve kind of gone on about her to most of my Writer Friends to the point where they long to shake me and yell “SHUT UP!” in my beaming face.
But they don’t, because they’re Writer FRIENDS.
I don’t just love her because she signed me, though. I have real, definable reasons* for loving her. I’m about to list some of them, and I want to say this: if you don’t think the agent you’re about to sign with – or the agent you just signed with – has these qualities? You might want to polish up that old query letter.
Note: Who knew all Suzie’s clients were writing their own individual love letters on their blogs this week? Lisa DesRochers, author of the amazing and sexy-hot PERSONAL DEMONS weighed in on her blog. Check it out. Nice post, Lisa!
Why Suzie Is So Awesome
1. Communication. Suzie returns emails and phone calls very, very quickly. Even the pathetic, needy ones from writers who can’t bear the thought of yet another revision. She shares all the submission information when you go out on sub, and makes sure to pass on editor comments and feedback as you go. Oftentimes on Friday, so you can more easily drown your sorrows in Chocovine.
2. Encouragement. Seriously, like your mom if your mom knew anything about the publishing world. Which mine doesn’t. Even when Suzie sends back a manuscript hemorrhaging track changes in all its tender margins, she make sure to include all the gushy, positive stuff. And she make sure you know what’s hot and what’s not, so you can write — oh, I don’t know, something an editor might possibly want to publish? Not to chase trends, but if you’ve got a bunch of manuscript ideas you can work on, why not make the next one something (NOT a dirty word) commercial? A good agent can guide you. Gently.
3. Honesty. Yeah, you know all that positive stuff? Sometimes you need to hear the other stuff, too. The “not ready yet” on a manuscript, when it’s (you know) not ready. She does the agently equivalent of telling you when you have toilet paper stuck to your literary shoe. Never underestimate the kindness of the gentle “no.”
4. Editorial Skill. As you can tell from the above comments, Suzie is what they call an “editorial agent.” Some writers say they don’t want one of these. I say that’s like saying you don’t want a unicorn pony that poops chocolate truffles. You can say it, but you don’t mean it. You can’t possibly mean it.
5. Knowledge and Connections. Your agents should be Twitter followers/tennis buddies/Facebook friends of other agents and editors. How will they know to whom to send your Gorgeous New Masterpiece if they don’t have sushi with those people every once in a while? And once they make the sale of your G.N.M., your agent should know all that other agent-y stuff about contracts and percentages and stuff.The stuff that makes me go like this.
6. Love. Your agent should love your work. She should (like Suzie does for me <3) write things like LOVE LOVE LOVE on your editing letters. Or she should at the very least sign those letters (if your work isn’t inspiring love this time around) with something sweet at the end.
Yeah, sweet. Because as you know, Writer Friends, this business has plenty of bitter.
So, now that you’ve read my love letter/list about MY agent, make the list of attributes you want in your own agent, and start looking. Good luck!
* the least important of which is she’s cute as a bunny. But she is!! Even if her agently powers make her resemble this bunny during negotiations.
Hi, y’all! Most of you know I’m a native Texan – but you may not know I’ve lived my whole life right around Austin. (I would say “in Austin,” but I’ve been a resident of Manchaca, Austin, Round Rock, San Marcos, Wimberley, and kinda sorta Dripping Springs. But close enough.) So I know a lot about this town.
Like where to go country dancing: the Broken Spoke and/or Gruene Hall.
That would be Bookpeople, the indie bookstore where I met my husband. The very same bookstore that hosted Cynthia Leitich Smith and Mari Mancusi’s book launches this weekend, that hosts the monthly SCBWI meetings, that has the most amazing staff… I could go on. Indie bookstores rock.
But the trick is, they don’t rock for long, if we don’t support them with our money. So, doing my part to show my indie love, I bought a few nice new titles at Bookpeople* this weekend. (BLESSED by Cyn, naturally, and — I tried but OMG I could not believe it they didn’t have it so I ordered one! — Allison Pang’s A BRUSH OF DARKNESS which looks oh-so-juicy and good.)
I have a manuscript to finish, however, and another to critique, and children who insist on being fed, etc. So I will resist the temptation to read all these lovelies. I will resist…
What are you reading, Friends? And do you have a lovely indie bookstore that you support? Tell me which one!
*Of course, I’m such a book junkie that I then bought Beth Revis’ ACROSS THE UNIVERSE at Costco. But only because it was the last copy they had. And I JUST could not resist – the cheesecake samples had some sort of mind-control thing in them, I swear.)
Hiya, peeps! I’m taking a short break from the busiest week EVER to point you in the direction of the Backspace Writer’s Conference in NYC. This conference was amazing – possibly the best one I’ve ever attended, and you know I’m a bit of a conference junkie. I was one of the winners of the query/pages contest two years ago, and met my lovely agent Suzie T. that way.
The contest went away for a year, but it’s back this spring! So, go here to see the deets on the contest. Do yourself a favor – try for this one. It’s kind of a game-changer, as I can attest.
Now, back to my overly hectic life. I’m actually breathing into a (metaphorical, but maybe soon-to-be literal) paper bag this week* to keep on my feet, so send up positive thoughts, please.
*Not a writing-related paper bag. More or less just Other Life Stuff.
Now go write something fabulous, Friends. Like an award-winning query. Hint, hint.
Um, I think I’m going to have to go with Highly Recommend on this one. What took me so long to get this amazing writer-booty-kicking book? Ah, yes. I had to wait for Xmas. Should have bought it sooner. Like, four manuscripts ago. Maass drew my attention to an aspect of the writing process I needed to consider: risk-taking. My stakes are not usually low in my manuscripts, but he’s got me thinking higher. Much higher.
Wow. Practical, mystical, secular, sacred. This is one of those quietly seductive books that keeps calling you back. Easy to read, and keeps you thinking long after you shut it. Don’t check this one out – buy it. You’re going to want to read it more than once, and over the course of weeks.
Just started this one – I’ll let you know how it goes. I’ve heard such amazing things, I had to buy it! Juicy so far.
Yes, I am reading these books simultaneously. I always do that! But you’ll notice none of them are in the same genre. I’m a serial book polygamist. Or whatever. Do you do that? Or does your brain go on overload when you juggle books?
Update on the WIP: I’m halfway through! And doing something I never, ever do: allowing friends to read parts of the MS before the whole is done. I don’t know why,it just felt like the right thing to do. And it’s working – every comment is making my focus tighter, refining the plot… and Donald Maass’ book came just in time to help me think the right thoughts about raising the stakes that itty bitty bit more.
Update on the retreat: I’m sending in my application for A Room of Her Own Writer’s Retreat at Ghost Ranch, N.M.! Thanks for your input. I think a week of writing with just a smidgen of social writerly time will be perfect.
Good morning, Writer Peeps! Just checking in to give you the status update and ask a question: What do you think I should do with my summer vacation? Specifically, I’m talking about the part where I Go Away (and Leave My Kids and Husband) to Write Somewhere All By Myself!
My mom sold the family home at long last, and gave me a bit o’ cash to spend in a very specific way (gotta love moms and those strings-attached gifts!). I am to spend it on a writing retreat or conference. So… where should I go?
No, I can’t go to Chautaqua – I’m booked that week.So, maybe LA SCBWI? Or maybe this retreat at Ghost Ranch? They’re very different – one is a famous conference full of lectures, fun and frivolity and the other a quiet retreat where I might be able to actually work on a project. *ahem*
I have one free airfare, and enough money for ONE of these if I eat cheap. 😉
So, weigh in!
Update: I’m writing at least a thousand words every single day these days, so the New Novel is coming along apace. I have one of three Betas’ MSs returned, and am working hard on those others. Don’t be sad if I haven’t finished yours yet! It’s coming. *mwah*
This weekend is the local SCBWI meeting, where the incomparably lovely Jessica Lee Anderson will give a talk. I can’t wait! Now, I have to go to the dentist. That should give me lots of suppressed pain and anger to torture my characters with later today… Write Well, Friends!
What does it for me? Well, really great music. And baking, of course. But on my worst days, the only thing that can really pull me out of a funk — and keep me out — is writing a wicked* awesome new manuscript.
Which, Writer Friends, I am SO TOTALLY DOING RIGHT NOW!!! SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!
I hope your manuscripts are giving you this much joy! Or that something or someone in your life is. If not, maybe it’s time for some ballet flats, a metric %$#@ton of glitter, and ModPodge. Or Chocovine. You pick.
* Um, actually, this one is wicked. As in, EVIL and TERRIFYING and also FUNNY.
Today I’d like to talk about resolve. The noun, that is, not the verb – all these people around me “resolving” to lose ten pounds or write every day make me tired.
Also, not Resolve the cleaning solution that gets dog pee out of my carpet, although that is a very, very important kind of resolve to have around here, what with the new puppy and all.
No, I want to discuss the necessity of resolve — defined as “a firmnessofpurposeorintent; determination” — in the Writing Life.
I know many, many writers. (Mostly because of the Internetz, but also because writers cluster at book signings, book launches, bookstores, and anywhere that has free food and people willing to hear all about your New Novel Idea.) Some of these writers are published, some are New York Times Bestselling Poobahs, some are brand spankin’ new, and some are like me – somewhere in between.
Some of them actually do write every day, without any need for a New Year’s resolution. I’m getting there.
Although my published Writer Friends have oodles of talent, I have to say that some of my Unpublished WFs have just as much. Talent aside, the published writers have one thing that not all of the other ones do: resolve. They are determined – probably always have been — to see their words in print, to write enough, to practice enough, to research and sweat and cry and think enough to let their stories, like water behind the dam the publishing world presents, find an outlet.
Craft? Sure. Technique’s important. Practice, practice, practice. But at some point, every Writer has to dig deep and find the resolve – the persistence, perseverance, call it what you will — to keep on going, even when you fall down.
Even when the novel you sign with your agent on goes on life support, like mine did last summer.
Even when the final rejection comes in on it, like mine did a few weeks back.
Even when your agent doesn’t think novel #2 is commercial enough. *cough, cough* Been there, done that.
Even when the revisions of novel #3 threaten to drive you mad.*whimper*
Even when you have three more novels in a drawer that aren’t anywhere near ready to see the light of publishing day. *sigh*
Even then, Writer Friends, you have to have something more than the desire to see your name in print, to be able to tell your doubting circle of non-writer friends that you’re An Author, to sneak into Barnes and Noble and turn all your copies face-out on the shelf. More than the desire to be legit.
So, sure, make your resolution to write every day. I think that’s awesome. But think about this — maybe you should resolve to foster some resolve, so that when the Writing Life gives you a major smackdown (oh, hello, 2010!) you’ll have the one ingredient you really can’t do without.
I know for darn sure I couldn’t have made it this far without resolve. And you, Dear Writer Friends, let’s never forget You.
Happy New Year! Let’s kick 2011’s booty down the block.
Oh, Writer Friends. I am having So Much Fun today. The kids are burning their little retinas out with unlimited screen time, Dave’s at work, and I am writing a New Novel.
A very creepy, dark, funny, horribly inappropriate novel for small, impressionable, unsuspecting children to read. It’s got a possessed doll, a hypochondriacal main character with a yen to live dangerously, and a sweet little homeschooled neighbor girl who happens to be the daughter of one of Satan’s most trusted minions.
I’d be ashamed if it weren’t so fun to write.
Why a new dark and creepy one? Well, La Agent Extraordinaire tells me that’s what she thinks is going fastest these days… and I just so happen to be in the mood to supply that demand.
So, anyone else out there finding yourself “going dark?” Is it the zeitgeist? Is it the Muse? Or is it middle grade kid lit being infected by the YA darkness? (Why do I see the Nothing when I write that?)
