When you start off writing, as I did, coming from a completely different field, you’re pretty susceptible to what other writers tell you. And so you should be. Who better to guide you along the long and tortuous journey to Authordom than other published writers, right? So I did my due diligence, read every writing, reading and publishing book I could get my grubby little hands on. I honed my skills, joined crit groups, solicited feedback, wrote and revised, and wrote and revised some more. And it’s all been great because I've learned a great deal about craft and people and life and myself along the way.
But there’s one thing that has always bothered the heck out of me.
Showing posts with label journey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label journey. Show all posts
Monday, August 1, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
December Monthly Rejection Roundup
Happy 2011!
OK, so still no news on the YA undergoing developmental edits. Expected to hear back by middle of Dec, but not surprised when I didn't, this being the holiday season. Even twitter has been quiet.
Some exciting news. Different MS that I'd thought was a no-go with another house turns out to still be alive and well. Reader report returned as very favorable. Editor requested revisions, which will be done end of Jan. So, I get to take that one off the R list and put it back in the active list.
Also, subbed a third YA to the Delacorte. Slim chance, but just getting it polished really improved it and brought out some great new tropes.
Not many R's; everyone's taking the holiday to catch up on important stuff, I guess. Like being with family.
Total manuscripts out: 16
Unique PB titles: 11
> New subs this month: 0
Unique MG/YA titles: 3
> New subs this month: 1
Total rejections: 1
Form/No response means "No": 1
> Personal*: 0
> Positive: 0
> Negative: 0
* anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 1
Offers: 0
PB: 0
Novel: 0
Change from last month: +0.4
OK, so radio-silence on the one YA, but a +0.2 after hearing back on another I thought was dead, plus a +0.2 on a new sub I'm very optimistic about.
OK, so still no news on the YA undergoing developmental edits. Expected to hear back by middle of Dec, but not surprised when I didn't, this being the holiday season. Even twitter has been quiet.
Some exciting news. Different MS that I'd thought was a no-go with another house turns out to still be alive and well. Reader report returned as very favorable. Editor requested revisions, which will be done end of Jan. So, I get to take that one off the R list and put it back in the active list.
Also, subbed a third YA to the Delacorte. Slim chance, but just getting it polished really improved it and brought out some great new tropes.
Not many R's; everyone's taking the holiday to catch up on important stuff, I guess. Like being with family.
Total manuscripts out: 16
Unique PB titles: 11
> New subs this month: 0
Unique MG/YA titles: 3
> New subs this month: 1
Total rejections: 1
Form/No response means "No": 1
> Personal*: 0
> Positive: 0
> Negative: 0
* anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 1
Offers: 0
PB: 0
Novel: 0
Change from last month: +0.4
OK, so radio-silence on the one YA, but a +0.2 after hearing back on another I thought was dead, plus a +0.2 on a new sub I'm very optimistic about.
2011 has got to be the year.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
November's Monthly Rejection Roundup
Happy December, everyone. Hope y'all had a great Thanksgiving.
YA book is undergoing developmental edits. Should hear back in a couple weeks. Yay!
Agent Two also rejected the MS, citing exactly what I thought was the reason Agent One gave me the R: publisher is small and likely not to budge much on terms. Double Phooey. Had hoped not to have to review and negotitate the contract alone (well, if it comes to that).
No new subs out. Nearly halfway through writing my YA fantasy (no, it's NOT not for NaNoWriMo!).
As always, most of the "rejects" are actually "no responses" on old subs.
Total manuscripts out: 16
Unique PB titles: 11
> New subs this month: 0
Unique MG/YA titles: 1
> New subs this month: 0
Total rejections: 5
Form/No response means "No": 4
Personal: 1
> Positive: 1
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 0
Offers: 0
PB: 0
Novel: 0
Change from last month: +0.1
Getting excited to hear back from publisher, tempered of course by the constant radio-silence on all my other subs. Looks like January will be another round of subs. So hate to do this after NaNoWriMo and PiBoIdMo Wondering if I should put on the envelope: "This is not a product of NaNoWriMo."
YA book is undergoing developmental edits. Should hear back in a couple weeks. Yay!
Agent Two also rejected the MS, citing exactly what I thought was the reason Agent One gave me the R: publisher is small and likely not to budge much on terms. Double Phooey. Had hoped not to have to review and negotitate the contract alone (well, if it comes to that).
No new subs out. Nearly halfway through writing my YA fantasy (no, it's NOT not for NaNoWriMo!).
As always, most of the "rejects" are actually "no responses" on old subs.
Total manuscripts out: 16
Unique PB titles: 11
> New subs this month: 0
Unique MG/YA titles: 1
> New subs this month: 0
Total rejections: 5
Form/No response means "No": 4
Personal: 1
> Positive: 1
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 0
Offers: 0
PB: 0
Novel: 0
Change from last month: +0.1
Getting excited to hear back from publisher, tempered of course by the constant radio-silence on all my other subs. Looks like January will be another round of subs. So hate to do this after NaNoWriMo and PiBoIdMo Wondering if I should put on the envelope: "This is not a product of NaNoWriMo."
Hoping for an early Christmas.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
October's Monthly Rejection Roundup
November already? Sent requested revisions back to publisher on my YA. Agent One replied with a turn down. :( Possibly because the publisher is small and likely not to budge much negotiating terms. Phooey. Still waiting on the other agent.
One new sub out. Dumped trying to outline my new dystopian (well, my old dystopian than I'm now getting back to) and started outlining a fantasy (not for NaNoWriMo).
Most of the "rejects" are actually "no responses" on old subs. Et... voila:
Total manuscripts out: 21
Unique PB titles: 13
> New subs this month: 1
Unique MG/YA titles: 2
> New subs this month: 0
Total rejections: 13
Form/No response means "No": 11
Personal: 2
> Positive: 2
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 0
Offers: 0
PB: 0
Novel: 0
Change from last month: +/-0
No change, even though I had to mark off nearly a dozen MS's as rejects due to no response (hate that) and even got a reject on one PB after a couple rounds of revisions; but positive news with publisher interested in my YA, so still in "wait and see" mode. Also, it's Thanksgiving month. Gotta be happy for that.
One new sub out. Dumped trying to outline my new dystopian (well, my old dystopian than I'm now getting back to) and started outlining a fantasy (not for NaNoWriMo).
Most of the "rejects" are actually "no responses" on old subs. Et... voila:
Total manuscripts out: 21
Unique PB titles: 13
> New subs this month: 1
Unique MG/YA titles: 2
> New subs this month: 0
Total rejections: 13
Form/No response means "No": 11
Personal: 2
> Positive: 2
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 0
Offers: 0
PB: 0
Novel: 0
Change from last month: +/-0
No change, even though I had to mark off nearly a dozen MS's as rejects due to no response (hate that) and even got a reject on one PB after a couple rounds of revisions; but positive news with publisher interested in my YA, so still in "wait and see" mode. Also, it's Thanksgiving month. Gotta be happy for that.
Will November will be the month?
ETA Dec 1, 2010: how did this not get published? Must have saved as a draft. Oh well. Better late than never.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
September's Monthly Rejection RoundUp
Well, yet another month has passed. Still waiting to hear from two agents. Finished upgrading my MG to YA (publisher requested revisions); just letting it sit for a few days before I go back and polish. Plan to send it to the Publisher by middle of October. Same MS is also being used to teach editing and revision at a major university's lit program this fall! Exciting. More details to follow. Also finished revisions on a second YA and critting my reading partner's MS.
No new subs out as I've been focused on revisions and outlining my new dystopian (well, my old dystopian than I'm now getting back to). Most of the "rejects" are actually "no responses" on old subs. Et... voila:
Total manuscripts out: 34
Unique PB titles: 20
> New subs this month: 3
Unique MG/YA titles: 2
> New subs this month: 0
Total rejections: 20
Form/No response means "No": 16
Personal: 2
> Positive: 2
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 0
Offers: 0
PB: 0
Novel: 0
Change from last month: +/-0
No change, even though I had to mark off a lot of MS's as rejects due to no response and even got a reject on one PB after a couple rounds of revisions; but positive news with publisher interested in my YA, so feels a lot like "wait and see."
No new subs out as I've been focused on revisions and outlining my new dystopian (well, my old dystopian than I'm now getting back to). Most of the "rejects" are actually "no responses" on old subs. Et... voila:
Total manuscripts out: 34
Unique PB titles: 20
> New subs this month: 3
Unique MG/YA titles: 2
> New subs this month: 0
Total rejections: 20
Form/No response means "No": 16
Personal: 2
> Positive: 2
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 0
Offers: 0
PB: 0
Novel: 0
Change from last month: +/-0
No change, even though I had to mark off a lot of MS's as rejects due to no response and even got a reject on one PB after a couple rounds of revisions; but positive news with publisher interested in my YA, so feels a lot like "wait and see."
Crossed fingers that October will be the month.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
August Rejection Roundup
Wow, is it September already tomorrow? Where did August go?
Actually, August was a pretty good month, all-in-all, even though it's still quiet. I finally got word back on an tween novel from a superstar agent; though she declined, she really liked it and offered some ideas on how to revise it and asked to see other material (which I took advantage of). The very next day, I got an email from a publisher on the same MS saying they were very excited about it and suggested only one very minor revision and would I be interested in revising and resending? You bet I would! Also, sent in two novels to fantastic agent who loved a PB I'd sent.
Not a lot of new subs out (only 3), but the ratio of personal positive rejections to forms is very good (3 personals:4 forms), so I'm pretty happy about that. Here be les numéros:
Total manuscripts out: 54
Unique PB titles: 24
> New subs this month: 3
Unique MG/YA titles: 2
> New subs this month: 0
Total rejections: 7
Form/No response means "No": 4
Personal: 3
> Positive: 3
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 3
Partials: 0
Fulls: 3
Offers: 0
PB: 0
Novel: 0
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 3.7
Change from last month: +1.2
Even though August was a quiet month (everyone still getting over the summer conference schedule and back-to-school), the positive feedback more than made up for it.
Actually, August was a pretty good month, all-in-all, even though it's still quiet. I finally got word back on an tween novel from a superstar agent; though she declined, she really liked it and offered some ideas on how to revise it and asked to see other material (which I took advantage of). The very next day, I got an email from a publisher on the same MS saying they were very excited about it and suggested only one very minor revision and would I be interested in revising and resending? You bet I would! Also, sent in two novels to fantastic agent who loved a PB I'd sent.
Not a lot of new subs out (only 3), but the ratio of personal positive rejections to forms is very good (3 personals:4 forms), so I'm pretty happy about that. Here be les numéros:
Total manuscripts out: 54
Unique PB titles: 24
> New subs this month: 3
Unique MG/YA titles: 2
> New subs this month: 0
Total rejections: 7
Form/No response means "No": 4
Personal: 3
> Positive: 3
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 3
Partials: 0
Fulls: 3
Offers: 0
PB: 0
Novel: 0
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 3.7
Change from last month: +1.2
Even though August was a quiet month (everyone still getting over the summer conference schedule and back-to-school), the positive feedback more than made up for it.
Hope to be back next month with good news.
Monday, August 30, 2010
On Being a Good Storyteller – Luck and Perseverance? Instinct? Gift? Or Skill?
There’s an old saw that posits, “Stick a million monkeys in front of a million typewriters for a million years and they’ll type every book in the Library of Congress.” Every book, huh? Does that include every single revision of every book? Because I’ve written about a million revisions of each of my own stories. Multiply that by the 130 million books already published and you’ve got 10e6 x 130*10e6 or about 130 trillion possible books and their revisions. (Of course, if you disregard all the ones Sarah Palin hasn't banned - they can't be that good if she thinks they're okay - then the number of good books is probably closer to 100 trillion.)
It’s got me thinking about what it takes to be a good storyteller, if maybe it’s just chance and persistence, that if you work long enough at it, a good story will eventually be produced. Because, yeah, sometimes I do feel like little more than a monkey, picking away for hours at my unworthy manuscripts. Obsessing over one particular word or phrase. Correcting misspellings. Inserting commas and colons and removing misappropriated apostrophes. And that’s not even talking about any major structural edits.
Persistence? Okay, I got that. Patience, too.
Luck... well, if it’s like flipping a coin, then there’s nothing you can do about it anyway.
Okay, but what if you don’t have a million monkeys and a million typewriters and a million years to write a good book. What then? The answer to that question haunts me.
Many others before me have talked about our natural proclivity to tell stories. It’s part of our social DNA and is woven into our evolutionary fabric as human beings. But does that mean anyone can be a good storyteller? And if so, what’s keeping each one of us from doing so? Societal blinders? Self-censorship? The third grade teacher who told you lacked the skills to write a decent obituary? I don’t feel like an instinctive writer. In fact, if I had to pay for every letter I typed and retyped, I’d be in as much debt as Bill Gates is worth.
Maybe it’s a gift. Maybe you either got it or you don’t got it. Honestly, though? I don’t even want to go there. I don’t like thinking that there’s nothing I can do to control whether I can write a good story. Outside of renting a few million monkeys and typewriters, that is. No, I can accept that for some people, writing comes naturally, but I refuse to believe the rest of us are just flapping our gums in the wind.
So that leaves skill as the last resort of the determined storyteller. Well, I can deal with that. Skill is just something you acquire by dedicating yourself to becoming better at something. I once asked an old buddy of mine who had this amazing ability to run a pool table— that’s how he made his living— what it took to be a good pool player, and he told me, “Skill, simple as that.”
“Yeah, but what exactly is this thing, skill?” I asked.
“Dude, skill is nothing more than luck, perseverance and instinct. Oh, and you have to have been born with it.”
Great. Anyone know where I can rack up a million monkeys?
What do you think? What does it take to be a good storyteller?
It’s got me thinking about what it takes to be a good storyteller, if maybe it’s just chance and persistence, that if you work long enough at it, a good story will eventually be produced. Because, yeah, sometimes I do feel like little more than a monkey, picking away for hours at my unworthy manuscripts. Obsessing over one particular word or phrase. Correcting misspellings. Inserting commas and colons and removing misappropriated apostrophes. And that’s not even talking about any major structural edits.
Persistence? Okay, I got that. Patience, too.
Luck... well, if it’s like flipping a coin, then there’s nothing you can do about it anyway.
Okay, but what if you don’t have a million monkeys and a million typewriters and a million years to write a good book. What then? The answer to that question haunts me.
Many others before me have talked about our natural proclivity to tell stories. It’s part of our social DNA and is woven into our evolutionary fabric as human beings. But does that mean anyone can be a good storyteller? And if so, what’s keeping each one of us from doing so? Societal blinders? Self-censorship? The third grade teacher who told you lacked the skills to write a decent obituary? I don’t feel like an instinctive writer. In fact, if I had to pay for every letter I typed and retyped, I’d be in as much debt as Bill Gates is worth.
Maybe it’s a gift. Maybe you either got it or you don’t got it. Honestly, though? I don’t even want to go there. I don’t like thinking that there’s nothing I can do to control whether I can write a good story. Outside of renting a few million monkeys and typewriters, that is. No, I can accept that for some people, writing comes naturally, but I refuse to believe the rest of us are just flapping our gums in the wind.
So that leaves skill as the last resort of the determined storyteller. Well, I can deal with that. Skill is just something you acquire by dedicating yourself to becoming better at something. I once asked an old buddy of mine who had this amazing ability to run a pool table— that’s how he made his living— what it took to be a good pool player, and he told me, “Skill, simple as that.”
“Yeah, but what exactly is this thing, skill?” I asked.
“Dude, skill is nothing more than luck, perseverance and instinct. Oh, and you have to have been born with it.”
Great. Anyone know where I can rack up a million monkeys?
What do you think? What does it take to be a good storyteller?
Thursday, July 29, 2010
July's Rejection Roundup
Back by popular demand, the Rejection Roundup. I've decided to go once a month as things have been moving ve-e-e-e-ry slowly this summer.
I reported in my last post that I'd turned down an offer to pub one of my PBs. Since then, I've subbed a bunch more (over 30 new subs went out). Here be los nombres:
Total manuscripts out: 54
Unique PBs: 23
> New subs this month: 36
Unique MG/YA: 2
> New subs this month: 0
Total rejections: 15
Form: 12
Personal: 3
> Positive: 3
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 0
Offers: 0
PB: 0
Novel: 0
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 2.5
Change from last month: +1.7
(Last month was a low point, but I'm convinced I made the right decision. +0.5 for that. Another +2.0 for getting out another 30+ subs. -0.5 for not hearing anything back from anyone. IS EVERYONE AT CONFERENCES? Also, -0.3 for not going to #LA10SCBWI)
I reported in my last post that I'd turned down an offer to pub one of my PBs. Since then, I've subbed a bunch more (over 30 new subs went out). Here be los nombres:
Total manuscripts out: 54
Unique PBs: 23
> New subs this month: 36
Unique MG/YA: 2
> New subs this month: 0
Total rejections: 15
Form: 12
Personal: 3
> Positive: 3
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 0
Offers: 0
PB: 0
Novel: 0
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 2.5
Change from last month: +1.7
(Last month was a low point, but I'm convinced I made the right decision. +0.5 for that. Another +2.0 for getting out another 30+ subs. -0.5 for not hearing anything back from anyone. IS EVERYONE AT CONFERENCES? Also, -0.3 for not going to #LA10SCBWI)
Been a busy month with the kids, too, so I'm not feeling I got much writing done. Once the kids go back to school, that'll change.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Weekly Rejection Roundup
Okay, skipped another week, but that's because I have a good excuse. really. I do.
After the excitement of getting my first contract on a PB, the past two weeks have been rather quite the downer. That's because I turned the offer down. I'll explain why tomorrow. Anyway, here're the nombres:
Total manuscripts out: 33
Unique PBs: 17
> New subs this week: 0
Unique MG/YA: 2
> New subs this week: 0
Total rejections: 2
Form: 2
Personal: 0*
> Positive: 0
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 0
Offers: 0
PB: 0
Novel: 0
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 0.8
Change from last week: -3.5
(-2.0 for what I went through that led to my declining the PB offer; -0.2 for the form rejects; -2.3 for having whooping cough and not getting anything done; -1.0 for not having written a damn thing for the last month)
After the excitement of getting my first contract on a PB, the past two weeks have been rather quite the downer. That's because I turned the offer down. I'll explain why tomorrow. Anyway, here're the nombres:
Total manuscripts out: 33
Unique PBs: 17
> New subs this week: 0
Unique MG/YA: 2
> New subs this week: 0
Total rejections: 2
Form: 2
Personal: 0*
> Positive: 0
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 0
Offers: 0
PB: 0
Novel: 0
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 0.8
Change from last week: -3.5
(-2.0 for what I went through that led to my declining the PB offer; -0.2 for the form rejects; -2.3 for having whooping cough and not getting anything done; -1.0 for not having written a damn thing for the last month)
Barely managing to stay on the plus side of total apathy. If I don't get some positive news or accomplish something positive in the next few days, I'm really not going to be that nice to be around.
Just sayin'.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Weekly Rejection Roundup
Erm, actually, this would be the Semi-Weekly Roundup. After a week at the Happiest Place on Earth, I returned with a nasty case of whooping cough. Four days straight in bed and saved only by prescription-strength cough medicine. I feel funny....
A rather up and down two weeks. And, no, I'm not just talking about the rides at California Adventure. Here's the tally (pay attention this time, because there's NEWS):
Total manuscripts out: 35
Unique PBs: 18
> New subs this week: 0
Unique MG/YA: 2
> New subs this week: 0
Total rejections: 7
Form: 5
Personal: 2*
> Positive: 2
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 0
Offers: 1
PB: 1
Novel: 0
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 4.3
Change from last week: +1.1
(-0.5 for the five form rejects; +0.2 for the nice personal rejects; -2.3 for having whooping cough and not getting anything done; +3.7 for getting an offer)
A rather up and down two weeks. And, no, I'm not just talking about the rides at California Adventure. Here's the tally (pay attention this time, because there's NEWS):
Total manuscripts out: 35
Unique PBs: 18
> New subs this week: 0
Unique MG/YA: 2
> New subs this week: 0
Total rejections: 7
Form: 5
Personal: 2*
> Positive: 2
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total manuscript requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 0
Offers: 1
PB: 1
Novel: 0
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 4.3
Change from last week: +1.1
(-0.5 for the five form rejects; +0.2 for the nice personal rejects; -2.3 for having whooping cough and not getting anything done; +3.7 for getting an offer)
Woot!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Weekly Rejection Roundup
Going radio silent until Friday (taking the kids to the Happiest Place on Earth to deal with the Grumpiest Parents on Earth).
Another slow week. Feels like the dark side of the moon. Here's the tally:
Total manuscripts out: 42
Unique PBs: 21
> New subs this week: 0
Unique MG/YA: 2
> New subs this week: 0
Total rejections: 1
Form: 1
Personal: 0*
> Positive: 0
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 0
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 3.2
Change from last week: +/-0.0
Another slow week. Feels like the dark side of the moon. Here's the tally:
Total manuscripts out: 42
Unique PBs: 21
> New subs this week: 0
Unique MG/YA: 2
> New subs this week: 0
Total rejections: 1
Form: 1
Personal: 0*
> Positive: 0
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total requests: 0
Partials: 0
Fulls: 0
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 3.2
Change from last week: +/-0.0
Still ruffling feathers; still plugging away.
Keep on RoadTripping!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Weekly Rejection Roundup
A so-so week. No snail mail or ejections, but I marked off two subs as soft rejections based on the "No word means no interest" policy of those houses. Won't list all the numbers, as there's been so little change.
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 3.2
Change from last week: -0.1
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 3.2
Change from last week: -0.1
Took a -0.2 drop due to expiration of two subs, but a +0.1 raise as I figured out what was tying me up with my WIP.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Weekly Rejection Roundup
Happy Mother's Day!
A good week, all in all. Here's the tally:
Total manuscripts out: 47
Unique PBs: 21
> New subs this week: 4
Unique MG/YA: 2
> New subs this week: 1
Total rejections: 2
Form: 2
Personal: 0*
> Positive: 0
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total requests: 3
Partials: 2
Fulls: 1 (YA)
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 3.3
Change from last week: +0.1
A good week, all in all. Here's the tally:
Total manuscripts out: 47
Unique PBs: 21
> New subs this week: 4
Unique MG/YA: 2
> New subs this week: 1
Total rejections: 2
Form: 2
Personal: 0*
> Positive: 0
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total requests: 3
Partials: 2
Fulls: 1 (YA)
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 3.3
Change from last week: +0.1
Feel like I'm gaining momentum.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Everything I Know About Writing, I Learned in Kindergarten
Here's a challenge: write a story in 600 words or less, one that'll make me laugh or cry (or, even better, make me do both in quick succession). One with fully developed characters, a mature plot and a complete story arc. And then make it the kind of story I'll want to read six dozen times in as many nights, laughing or crying each and every time.
That's what makes writing a good children's picture book so challenging.
It's also what has helped me become a better novelist. No writer agonizes over every single word - not just the meaning and appropriateness of the word, but the sound of the word as well - as the writer of the successful picture book. No author is so attuned to the melody of a story, the tightness of the plot, the bare essentials-yet-completeness of the characters.
Now, to be honest, I don't give my novels the same level of scrutiny as I do my picture book manuscripts. It would be impossible to finish anything if I did. But the habits I learned in writing picture books have conditioned me to more readily recognize weaknesses in my longer works, to listen to the sounds of the language, to write tightly.
Writing is, to mangle a phrase, ten percent inspiration and ninety percent constipation. We all know how hard it is to produce good writing. For me, developing the skills and habits to write a good picture book has helped (ahem) loosen the process of writing novels.
And if you don't believe me that shorter is harder, then why is it so damn difficult to synopsize your novel in just a few pithy sentences? Well, PBs are pretty much like that.
That's what makes writing a good children's picture book so challenging.
It's also what has helped me become a better novelist. No writer agonizes over every single word - not just the meaning and appropriateness of the word, but the sound of the word as well - as the writer of the successful picture book. No author is so attuned to the melody of a story, the tightness of the plot, the bare essentials-yet-completeness of the characters.
Now, to be honest, I don't give my novels the same level of scrutiny as I do my picture book manuscripts. It would be impossible to finish anything if I did. But the habits I learned in writing picture books have conditioned me to more readily recognize weaknesses in my longer works, to listen to the sounds of the language, to write tightly.
Writing is, to mangle a phrase, ten percent inspiration and ninety percent constipation. We all know how hard it is to produce good writing. For me, developing the skills and habits to write a good picture book has helped (ahem) loosen the process of writing novels.
And if you don't believe me that shorter is harder, then why is it so damn difficult to synopsize your novel in just a few pithy sentences? Well, PBs are pretty much like that.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Weekly Rejection Roundup
Last day of April. Can't believe it's May already. Yikes!
Not a bad week overall. Here's the tally:
Total manuscripts out: 44
Unique PBs: 22
> New this week: 0
Unique MG/YA: 2
> New this week: 0
Total rejections: 7
Form: 4
Personal: 3*
> Positive: 3
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total requests: 1
Partials: 0
Fulls: 1 (YA)
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 3.2
Change from last week: +0.1
Not a bad week overall. Here's the tally:
Total manuscripts out: 44
Unique PBs: 22
> New this week: 0
Unique MG/YA: 2
> New this week: 0
Total rejections: 7
Form: 4
Personal: 3*
> Positive: 3
> Negative: 0
* meaning anything that directly references my submission by more than title
Total requests: 1
Partials: 0
Fulls: 1 (YA)
Mood Meter (on a scale of -5 to +5 with -5 being downright rotten and +5 being ecstatic): 3.2
Change from last week: +0.1
Getting more feedback, all positive, and the req for a full is a great boost, but feeling strangely unproductive.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Total Face Transplants and the Art and Artifice of Revising
Last week, Spain announced that it had performed the first total face transplant. Shucks, I've been doing them for years. Whole body transplants even. Everything from minor cosmetic surgery to replacement of all vital organs and systems, right down to the heart and spleen.
Okay, admittedly, my transplants weren't on actual human beings, but it doesn't mean my subjects weren't soulless either. I'm talking about my WIPs.
I've always sort of thought of the revision process as the messy underworld of writing, the thing everyone knows about but doesn't really care to think about how it's done. Sort of like embalming. I mean, as writers, we think of ourselves as artists - or, rather, artistes. A work is produced by sheer creative force, a process as wonderful and painful as giving birth - or, in my case, passing kidney stones. It's a beautiful thing.
The process of revising is not beautiful. It's messy. It's - yes, I'll say it - mechanical. We take a completed work of art, the Draft, and descend upon it with hammer and chisel and we begin to chip away, patch, discard, replace and otherwise disfigure until the next iteration may or may not look anything like the original.
And yet, it's better. And because it's better, we make another go at it. And another. And another. To take the analogy one painful step beyond reason: For me, the writing and revising process is like starting out with the idea of sculpting Napolean on a horse, coming up with SpongeBob SquarePants sitting astride Gary the Snail and then, after revisions, getting George Washington crossing the Potomac. What happened to the original vision?! It's still there. It's the soul of a work.
Not a single one of my writings has escaped this process. True, I have stories that retain the heart or vision of the original idea and so are fully recognizable as the work I set out to create, having perhaps only changed in a few minor ways. But the vast majority of my writing undergoes iteration after iteration of revision where pretty much every word has been changed at least once, every sentence painstakingly agonized over, every paragraph, scene and chapter pulled out and replaced. It doesn't feel like art, it feels like surgery.
But surgery is a skill.
And as with any skill, you can only refine it by doing it.
Okay, admittedly, my transplants weren't on actual human beings, but it doesn't mean my subjects weren't soulless either. I'm talking about my WIPs.
I've always sort of thought of the revision process as the messy underworld of writing, the thing everyone knows about but doesn't really care to think about how it's done. Sort of like embalming. I mean, as writers, we think of ourselves as artists - or, rather, artistes. A work is produced by sheer creative force, a process as wonderful and painful as giving birth - or, in my case, passing kidney stones. It's a beautiful thing.
The process of revising is not beautiful. It's messy. It's - yes, I'll say it - mechanical. We take a completed work of art, the Draft, and descend upon it with hammer and chisel and we begin to chip away, patch, discard, replace and otherwise disfigure until the next iteration may or may not look anything like the original.
And yet, it's better. And because it's better, we make another go at it. And another. And another. To take the analogy one painful step beyond reason: For me, the writing and revising process is like starting out with the idea of sculpting Napolean on a horse, coming up with SpongeBob SquarePants sitting astride Gary the Snail and then, after revisions, getting George Washington crossing the Potomac. What happened to the original vision?! It's still there. It's the soul of a work.
Not a single one of my writings has escaped this process. True, I have stories that retain the heart or vision of the original idea and so are fully recognizable as the work I set out to create, having perhaps only changed in a few minor ways. But the vast majority of my writing undergoes iteration after iteration of revision where pretty much every word has been changed at least once, every sentence painstakingly agonized over, every paragraph, scene and chapter pulled out and replaced. It doesn't feel like art, it feels like surgery.
But surgery is a skill.
And as with any skill, you can only refine it by doing it.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Picture Books, PB Writers and the Chicken Little Syndrome
Elana Roth of Caren Johnson Literary wrote yesterday what I felt was a rather reflexive post about the disparity between the attitudes of children's books writers in their career development and the realities of the publishing market for those books. Heartfelt? Absolutely, but it missed the point.
She expressed shock that PB authors, even well-established ones, would eschew representation, but then she went on to provide reasons why it's so hard to gain representation in the first place. Having thus identified the real reason for this (poor financials for publishers, authors and agents all around), Ms. Roth then pondered why so many writers choose to write the dang things, and why we push so hard to get them published.
The easy answer is that we're driven to do it. We derive pleasure from writing those little nuggets. We relish the feeling knowing that our words will engage and entertain and excite readers and listeners. The realities of the market - all doom and gloom - do not and will not ever change that.
Okay, I also accept that pretty much anyone who doesn't write PBs (and even a large number of writers who do) thinks that to write a picture book story is proportionately easier than writing longer works. Yes, those who cling most avidly to that belief provide the bulk of the grist subbed over the transom. I know most of it is garbage. Or otherwise unmarketable. But you know something? This is not a phenomenon unique to the picture book market. It's not likely to change either.
So, Picture Book Writers, the end is not near - or no nearer than it has been in the past, anyway. Sure, if you're one of those who thinks this is easy, pull your head out of the, um, sand. But most importantly, don't give up. Continue to write and revise and submit. Get better at all of these things, and your dream will come true. And if you decide to get an agent and are lucky enough to sign with one, well, kudos to you. But if you don't, just remember this: The sky is not falling.
At least, not today.
If you want to read Elana's post, it's here.
She expressed shock that PB authors, even well-established ones, would eschew representation, but then she went on to provide reasons why it's so hard to gain representation in the first place. Having thus identified the real reason for this (poor financials for publishers, authors and agents all around), Ms. Roth then pondered why so many writers choose to write the dang things, and why we push so hard to get them published.
The easy answer is that we're driven to do it. We derive pleasure from writing those little nuggets. We relish the feeling knowing that our words will engage and entertain and excite readers and listeners. The realities of the market - all doom and gloom - do not and will not ever change that.
Okay, I also accept that pretty much anyone who doesn't write PBs (and even a large number of writers who do) thinks that to write a picture book story is proportionately easier than writing longer works. Yes, those who cling most avidly to that belief provide the bulk of the grist subbed over the transom. I know most of it is garbage. Or otherwise unmarketable. But you know something? This is not a phenomenon unique to the picture book market. It's not likely to change either.
So, Picture Book Writers, the end is not near - or no nearer than it has been in the past, anyway. Sure, if you're one of those who thinks this is easy, pull your head out of the, um, sand. But most importantly, don't give up. Continue to write and revise and submit. Get better at all of these things, and your dream will come true. And if you decide to get an agent and are lucky enough to sign with one, well, kudos to you. But if you don't, just remember this: The sky is not falling.
At least, not today.
If you want to read Elana's post, it's here.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Gleaning Hope on the Overcrowded Publishing Highway
Jim Milliot of Publishers Weekly posted some interesting numbers today about how self-pubbing is overtaking traditionally pubbed books. I was shocked to see that that ratio is nearly 3:1 with a total of over a million titles published last year. Wow.
My first impression that there's a hell of a lot of people out there who want to see their name on a cover. Yes, I have a bias, but it's been my experience, so I think it's safe to say - and I know I'll catch heat for this - but a lot of self-pubbed stuff is total crap. No, I don't deny that traditional houses don't publish crap, too, but when you have agents and editors filtering through it all, it does tend to raise the overall quality. Not sure where the trend to self-pub is going and what it'll mean for the future of publishing as a whole, but one downside of having access to so much is it tends to have a numbing effect on us.
Which makes me wonder: How are people supposed to find the best titles to read? I suppose there are processes in place to help, professional readers whose opinions we learn to churn through the muck, raising the cream to the top (to mix metaphors). But how well will this work when the publishing pond becomes an ocean?
I did find some encouraging news in the numbers. Areas that saw growth in titles sold last year include children's books (up 6%). Presumably, this includes all ages and genres. Well, I think this only substantiates what agents and editors have been telling us for the past 18 months. Let's hope the trend continues.
Also insightful, nonfiction (technical) rose by 11%. I think this is across the spectrum, from children's books to adult, but I'm wagering that if you write children's NF on a technology subject, you'll stand an easier chance of finding a home for it. It doesn't surprise me that tech should fare well, given how rapidly it's evolving. Just make sure the subject you're writing about is as up-to-date and forward looking as possible, or else it'll be out-of-date before it hits shelves.
Now, I think I'll go work on that emerging medicine series for children I've been thinking about...
My first impression that there's a hell of a lot of people out there who want to see their name on a cover. Yes, I have a bias, but it's been my experience, so I think it's safe to say - and I know I'll catch heat for this - but a lot of self-pubbed stuff is total crap. No, I don't deny that traditional houses don't publish crap, too, but when you have agents and editors filtering through it all, it does tend to raise the overall quality. Not sure where the trend to self-pub is going and what it'll mean for the future of publishing as a whole, but one downside of having access to so much is it tends to have a numbing effect on us.
Which makes me wonder: How are people supposed to find the best titles to read? I suppose there are processes in place to help, professional readers whose opinions we learn to churn through the muck, raising the cream to the top (to mix metaphors). But how well will this work when the publishing pond becomes an ocean?
I did find some encouraging news in the numbers. Areas that saw growth in titles sold last year include children's books (up 6%). Presumably, this includes all ages and genres. Well, I think this only substantiates what agents and editors have been telling us for the past 18 months. Let's hope the trend continues.
Also insightful, nonfiction (technical) rose by 11%. I think this is across the spectrum, from children's books to adult, but I'm wagering that if you write children's NF on a technology subject, you'll stand an easier chance of finding a home for it. It doesn't surprise me that tech should fare well, given how rapidly it's evolving. Just make sure the subject you're writing about is as up-to-date and forward looking as possible, or else it'll be out-of-date before it hits shelves.
Now, I think I'll go work on that emerging medicine series for children I've been thinking about...
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
The End of Publishing?
The end of publishing? Here's a take on that subject from the UK branch of Dorling Kindersley Books. Here's the YouTube link.
Not sure this is absolutely true, but it's good to know that this is how the publishing industry perceives things.
Not sure this is absolutely true, but it's good to know that this is how the publishing industry perceives things.
Monday, March 29, 2010
The Listing WIP and Whether to Correct It
No, this is not a post about speech impediments, rather writing impediments. Namely, what happens when your inner and outer muse start to fight.
I'm working on an MG right now that is supposed to be a total comedy/fantasy/unrealistic story about a boy at war with his dad. Really. Like, his father is an evil super villain and it's up to the boy to save the world. Problem is, all these serious feelings and issues and subplots keep intruding, wanting to be part of the story. I thought I could get away with supressing them by adhering to a strict regimen of Comedy Central and a well-developed story outline.
Right. My story keeps veering off to the side, straying off into those murky waters of adolescent angst.
So, last week I decided to let it ride, see where things would take me. Or, at least, that's what I thought I was doing. Actually, I was just humoring my subconscious while still pretending to write the story I set out to write.
Talk about Jeckle and Hyde. The thing reads like Percy Jackson meets Nate the Great. Ugh.
So, what to do? I really like the idea of writing a funny, quirky tale that doesn't try to be serious about anything. But I guess what I need to write is the serious one first. Which bothers me, because I don't like the feeling of having something I need to exorcise. And yet I know it'll be therapeutic. So, that's what I'm going to do. Oh, my MC is still at war with his father, whom he still believes is a secret super villain bent on destroying the world. Sounds silly, right? But, when you think about it, isn't that really the premise of a lot of serious stories?
What do you do when your inner and outer muse start to fight? Which do you go with?
I'm working on an MG right now that is supposed to be a total comedy/fantasy/unrealistic story about a boy at war with his dad. Really. Like, his father is an evil super villain and it's up to the boy to save the world. Problem is, all these serious feelings and issues and subplots keep intruding, wanting to be part of the story. I thought I could get away with supressing them by adhering to a strict regimen of Comedy Central and a well-developed story outline.
Right. My story keeps veering off to the side, straying off into those murky waters of adolescent angst.
So, last week I decided to let it ride, see where things would take me. Or, at least, that's what I thought I was doing. Actually, I was just humoring my subconscious while still pretending to write the story I set out to write.
Talk about Jeckle and Hyde. The thing reads like Percy Jackson meets Nate the Great. Ugh.
So, what to do? I really like the idea of writing a funny, quirky tale that doesn't try to be serious about anything. But I guess what I need to write is the serious one first. Which bothers me, because I don't like the feeling of having something I need to exorcise. And yet I know it'll be therapeutic. So, that's what I'm going to do. Oh, my MC is still at war with his father, whom he still believes is a secret super villain bent on destroying the world. Sounds silly, right? But, when you think about it, isn't that really the premise of a lot of serious stories?
What do you do when your inner and outer muse start to fight? Which do you go with?
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