Interview With Elana Johnson & A Query That Worked

I'm lucky (or cunning) enough to have lured yet another successful writer over to my blog for an SAT - Successful Author Talk. SAT authors have conquered the query, slain the synopsis and attained the pinnacle of published. How'd they do it? Let's ask 'em!

Elana Johnson’s debut novel, POSSESSION, came out on June 7 from Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster). Her popular ebook, From the Query to the Call, is also available for download. School teacher by day, Query Ninja by night, you can find her online at her personal blog or her website. She is a co-organizer of the popular online children's conference WriteOnCon, a founding author of the Query Tracker blog and a contributing author of the League of Extraordinary Writers.

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

Pantser, through and through. Though I like the term “discovery writer” over pantser. ☺

How long does it typically take you to write a novel, start to finish?

Less than 30 days for the first draft. Once I’m drafting, I’m DRAFTING, you know? It’s the revising/editing process that takes months.

Do you work on one project at a time, or are you a multi tasker?

One project at a time. In my younger writing days, I could write one project and edit another. Now, I focus on one thing at a time. I don’t have enough hours in the day to do more than that.

Did you have to overcome any fears that first time you sat down to write?

Are you kidding? Absolutely! I still have to overcome the I-Suck Monster every single time I sit down to write. I don’t think that ever goes away, and if it does, I need the secret!

How many trunked books (if any) did you have before you were agented?

Well, depends on what you mean by “trunked.” I had queried and shelved one novel. Possession was my third novel, but my second one was so bad, I didn’t even try to fix it and query. Same for #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9 and #10. I was finishing my 11th novel when I signed with my agent. By the way, novels #4-10 all stink.

Have you ever quit on an ms, and how did you know it was time?

Yes, see answer above. For my queried novel, I knew it wasn’t the one, but it was my first novel, and I managed to push that feeling away. I queried a lot of agents, and basically had no choice but to shelve it.
For the other novels (#4-10), some of them have potential, but would need to be completely rewritten from blank pages. Some of them are finished, but with huge holes and fatal flaws. I do have about 3 partially finished novels. As a discovery writers, sometimes you find yourself in a corner you can’t get out of…

Who is your agent and how did you get that "Yes!" out of them?

My agent is Michelle Andelman at Regal Literary, and I cold queried her with my query letter + ten pages. She requested the full, and things progressed from there. So I’m a slush pile success story!

How long did you query before landing your agent?

I queried my first book for 8 months. I queried Possession for 8 months. I sent 189 queries for POSSESSION, and over 50 partials/fulls.

Any advice to aspiring writers out there on conquering query hell?

Don your thick skin, find someone who can (hold your hand) cheer you on, and go for it.

How did that feel, the first time you saw your book for sale?

Amazing! Utterly amazing! I literally couldn’t stop smiling.

How much input do you have on cover art?

Not much, as is pretty typical. It’s a good thing I loved it!

What's something you learned from the process that surprised you?

Things happen much slower than I would like, but they DO happen! I mean, we all know publishing is notorious for being slow. But I never actually thought things would happen, and THEY DID. That was surprising.

How much of your own marketing do you?  

I’d like to think I do a lot of marketing. I have a blog, where I post five days a week. I also blog once a week for The League of Extraordinary Writers, a debut dystopian/science fiction blog. I also organize WriteOnCon, a free online writer’s conference, and I started out blogging for QueryTracker in late 2008. So I’ve been doing the whole platform-social-media thing for a while now. I tweet too, and I have a Facebook fanpage that I maintain.

When do you build your platform? After an agent? Or should you be working before?

I definitely think before. Like I said, I started with QT in late 2008, and I didn’t sign with my agent until November 2009, and my book didn’t come out until mid-2011. But no matter when you start, just start!

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

Definitely! You never know who’s going to retweet something you said, or blog about something you said, or whatever. And that goes out to their readership, and theirs, and theirs… So yeah. Cast your net wide, and don’t burn bridges.

Elana was kind enough to share her winning query for POSSESSION, below:

I used different versions. Sometimes shorter and sometimes longer. Sometimes I compared it to THE GIVER and sometimes to UGLIES. But here’s the one I sent to Ms. Andelman, who later offered representation:

I believe you would be interested in my young adult novel, POSSESSION.

In a world where Thinkers brainwash the population and Rules are not meant to be broken, fifteen-year-old Violet Schoenfeld does a hell of a job shattering them to pieces.

After committing her eighth crime (walking in the park after dark with a boy, gasp!), Vi is taken to the Green, a group of Thinkers who control the Goodgrounds. She’s found unrehabilitatable (yeah, she doesn’t think it’s a word either) and exiled to the Badlands—until she demonstrates her brainwashing abilities. That earns her a one-way trip to appear before the Association of Directors.

Yeah, right. Like that’s gonna happen. She busts out of prison with sexy Bad boy Jag Barque, who also has no intention of fulfilling his lame sentence.

Dodging Greenies and hovercopters, dealing with absent-father issues, and coming to terms with feelings for an ex-boyfriend—and Jag as a possible new one—leave Vi little time for much else. Which is too damn bad, because she’s more important than she realizes. When secrets about her “dead” sister and not-so-missing father hit the fan, Vi must make a choice: control or be controlled.

A dystopian novel for young adults, POSSESSION is complete at 75,000 words. Fans of Michael Grant’s GONE and Suzanne Collins’ THE HUNGER GAMES will enjoy similar elements, and a strong teen voice.

I am an elementary school teacher by day and a contributing author to the QueryTracker blog by night. If you would like to consider POSSESSION, I’d be happy to forward the complete manuscript to you. I have included the first ten pages of the manuscript in the body of this email.

Thank you for your time,

Elana Johnson

Jenny Martin & The Massive Glory of the Internet

I'm lucky (or cunning) enough to have lured yet another successful writer over to my blog for an SAT - Successful Author Talk. SAT authors have conquered the query, slain the synopsis and attained the pinnacle of published. How'd they do it? Let's ask 'em!

Jenny Martin and I crossed paths on the massive glory that is the internet because we have kinda similar interests (ahem - YA librarians and writers) - and then we lost each other.  Some time passed.  I got an agent.  She got an agent.  I signed up for Twitter and pretty soon somebody named Jenny Martin followed me.  I twiddled my thumbs for a bit, cause being named Jenny Martin isn't exactly like being named Paolo Bacigalupi.  It could be her, it could not be her.  I finally bit the bullet and sent a DM that said something like, "Hey - I think I know you, right? Didn't we talk to each other about library stuff? Or are you reading this thinking, uh... UNFOLLOW the creepy chick."

And Hooray! It was indeed the right Jenny Martin, who agreed to do an SAT that I have tweaked a bit to cover the oh-so-important topic of critiquing.  In addition to writing novels, Jenny’s a librarian, a baker, and a certified Beatle-maniac. She sometimes answers to the name SCARLET WHISPER, Librarian/Rockstar/International Jewel Thief. As a librarian, Jenny is a member of the ALA, TLA, and AASL. As a writer, she’s a member of DFW Writers’ Workshop. As a Beatle-maniac Baker, she belongs to the imaginary Fab Four Stickybuns Society.

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

Oh, I’m definitely a planner. Now, I don’t do a bunch of character studies or charts or outlines. I just free write basic plot and character ideas before I start a book. It’s just a messy word document that evolves as the book grows. I call it a story skeleton. It is the skariest skeleton you’ll ever meet, actually.

How long does it typically take you to write a novel, start to finish?

Since I have a super busy day job in the library, I really only have to time write on evenings and weekends. And I don’t write every single day. I write in bursts, a few pages or a few chapters here and there. If I start a book in August, I can easily finish it by April. In the summer, I have way more time and can write faster.

Do you work on one project at a time, or are you a multi tasker?

I pretty much work on one project at a time. Although I do jot down ideas for other books. I do that all the time. Sheesh. I don’t know how people can bounce back and forth between books. I suspect my pistachio sized brain couldn’t handle a day job plus more than one book at a time.

Did you have to overcome any fears that first time you sat down to write?

Yes. Call me Eeyore. Really. I am my own worst critic. I have NEVER had a moment when I felt absolutely confident about my writing. I’m always plagued by self-doubt. But maybe that’s not such a terrible thing. The angst drives me to improve. I’m always trying to learn and get better.

How many trunked books (if any) did you have before you were agented?

Um, none? Sorta? I guess? Although I signed with my agent for my second book, at least one offer of representation was for both my first and second book. (But seriously, I must disclose that my first book is TERRIBLE. I shall never let anyone this side of Antarctica read it. Ever.)

Have you ever quit on an ms, and how did you know it was time?

I quit on revising my first book when I began to query my second. Although I had gotten a lot of requests for it, and a lot of detailed agent feedback, I finally realized it just wasn’t good enough. I was (and am still) an emerging writer. I needed to let that book go. My advice? It takes time and practice to develop your writing voice. Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid to walk away from a project that’s not working. Just write the next book and keep working at getting better. I see many a writer who won’t let go of his or her first novel.  These scribblers are too close a project to see that it’s just. not. working.

Jenny Martin's Very Accurate Query Thoughts:

With both my books, I wore out google during the search for an agent. I research agent interviews and blogs. No way was I going to toilet paper Manhattan with my query. I was very targeted in approaching agents and I queried in small batches. With my first book, there were a LOT of small batches. With my second book, I only sent a few.

My advice? If you’ve sent out sixty or more queries and you’re not getting a lot of requests and a lot of feedback, then you need to seriously re-evaluate your project and/or your query. It very well may be a sign you need to move on and grow by writing something new.

Who is your agent and how did you get that "Yes!" out of them?

My agent is Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger Agency. I queried Sara after reading her blog. I had originally noticed that she represented Lisa Schroeder and I’d read I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME a really poignant novel in verse. Since I loved Lisa’s book so much, I suspected I might like the agent behind the project, too. As luck would have it, I was right! I cold queried Sara, and she requested my second book.

I feel very fortunate to have Sara as my agent. Although I’d worked with another agent before (a terrific professional and a super cool friend, I might add), Sara was one of the first agents to show interest in my work. I’m so glad she took me on! My journey as a writer has taken a few unexpected twists and turns, but everything has worked out so well.

A “just right” fit with an agent is priceless. And Sara is that “just right” agent for me. She’s terrific--a true pro with an amazing track record. She always seems to know just the right thing to say to encourage and spur me on. I can’t say enough about how hard she works. Her commitment and industry savvy are unmatched.

How long did you query before landing your agent?

For my first book, I queried for months and months. I e-mailed queried lots of agents, but I realize now that my first book was…icky. With my second book, I sent about two dozen queries. Out of that number, I had eleven full and partial requests which led to a few offers within a month’s time period.

Any advice to aspiring writers out there on conquering query hell?

Stop worrying so much about that blasted query and start focusing on your writing! I know, I know, I can see you rolling your eyes out there. I hear you groaning. But listen up: no amount of query magic will conjure an offer if your book isn’t amazing. With my first book, I had an amazing query, but my novel was absolute rubbish.

But you know what? I didn’t rewrite the same query three thousand times. Instead, I started writing something new. I started reading ON WRITING by Stephen King, WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL by Donald Maass,SECOND SIGHT by Cheryl Klein, WRITING GREAT BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS by Regina Brooks. And I also joined a local writers’ group called DFW Workshop. All those things helped shape my work. All those things helped me to develop my writing voice and conquer the query process.

And here’s the thing….if I had just kept beating the dead horse that was my first novel, I’d still be…well, I’d be sitting in the corner mumbling and weeping. And I’d still be a terrible writer. But look at me now! Now I’m only semi-terrible. Ish.

How much of your own marketing do you?

I have a blog. It’s semi-pathetic, so feel free to stop by and heckle!

When do you build your platform? After an agent? Or should you be working before?

I began blogging and reviewing as a librarian before I finished my first book. I also started tweeting as @jmartinlibrary. Twitter works really well for me.

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

Yes…but I think every writer should choose what’s most comfortable for them. I tweet and blog, but that’s just what I enjoy. If you try to blog, but you don’t really write about anything but your 100% organic cat hair knitting projects, it’s just not going to work. If you’re not comfortable with blogging or tumblr or twitter, then don’t do it. Find what works for you.

Another thing, for the love of Foo Fighters, *don’t* call yourself a “social media expert.” And don’t just tweet and post about yourself. “Hey, for the sixth time today, let me tweet and link you to my new kindle e-book, A Series of Unpleasant, Eye Stabbing Adverbs! PLEEZ RT!”

DUDE. Don’t be THAT GUY. Just interact and be a nice, interesting person. Be real. That’s what builds a platform and develops connections.

Do you use betas and if so, how did you find them?

I actually don’t use a lot of betas. I only have a few regular critique partners and I found them through writers’ workshop. I know a lot of people who really get a lot out of online critique groups, but I trust my crit buddies at workshop more than anything. They rock!

From my agent sibling Jeff Hirsh, here’s the world’s best blog post on giving and getting critique. It’s a must read.

What’s your process when digesting the crits?

First I do nothing. For three days, I do not pass go, I do not open that word document. I just let the crits sink in. After three days, I get to work. Also, if the crits come from my agent, I pretty much go with it. If they come from a trusted crit partner, I almost always seriously consider them. If they are from some random McCrazypants bystander, I run far, far away.

Do you run your ms past betas before taking it to your agent, even though you’re already repped?

Not really. I mean, I let my husband and my best friend read it. But other than that, I pretty much just send it to Sara. I trust her. If something needs work, she’ll have good advice.

Gennifer Albin Shares Her Query That Worked

I'm lucky (or cunning) enough to have lured yet another successful writer over to my blog for an SAT - Successful Author Talk. SAT authors have conquered the query, slain the synopsis and attained the pinnacle of published. How'd they do it? Let's ask 'em!

So I've got a success story here that is going to make you soooo jealous.  But don't hate Genn because she's beautiful; hate her cause she gained her agent after querying for less than a week! :)  BUT - she's also the kind of success-awesome that spreads the love.  Genn has graciously agreed to share this Query of Rockin', which can be found at the bottom of the SAT.  But don't read ahead, cause there's lots of great advice crammed between here and there.

Gennfer had a misspent youth in theatre and the National Forensic League, where she developed a penchant for the dramatic. In college, she studied literature and vowed to write a book in grad school (and before she had kids). A couple years of teaching and two babies later, things clicked and writing became a way of life.

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

Both. I like to run with the first draft, but I'm more organized with revisions.

How long does it typically take you to write a novel, start to finish?

CREWEL is my first finished novel, and it took 6 months writing 3 hours a day 5 days a week. I'm hoping the sequels will come faster since I have a better sense of the world and characters. I'm aiming to have both sequels done by next May.

Do you work on one project at a time, or are you a multi tasker?

I may scribble ideas for a new project, but I need to stay focused so I can get the most out of my writing time. It can be hard when a new shiny idea comes along, but its worth it when you're looking at the finished draft.

Did you have to overcome any fears that first time you sat down to write?

I think I was scared I wouldn't finish or that the book would suck, but the excitement overcame any real fear I felt. Plus my husband had started teasing me about not finishing, and I'm super competitive.

How many trunked books (if any) did you have before you were agented?

None. I'd jotted down notes for several books and written a couple first chapters, but never finished another book.

Have you ever quit on an ms, and how did you know it was time?

Like I said I started a lot of books but was never serious enough to devote the time to writing they needed. I did have one book I really tried to write before I started CREWEL, and I just had no idea where it was going. I like to think of it as a warm-up project.

Who is your agent and how did you get that "Yes!" out of them?

I'm represented by Mollie Glick of Foundry Literary + Media. I nudged Mollie after I got an offer of representation. I had just started querying the week before, and I wanted to let my list know. Mollie got my email, found my query in her inbox, and called me based on the sample pages. She wanted to feel me out and ask to send the full. We spoke for a while. I sent her my full, and three hours later she asked for a phone call in the morning. We spoke for an hour and a half and then she asked to fly out and meet me. She came in to Kansas City and we spent the afternoon getting to know one another and talking about my book. I had six other enthusiastic offers, but Mollie's passion won me over.

How long did you query before landing your agent?

I queried for a little less than a week before my first offer. I tried to reach every agent when I got my offer, but I'm still getting responses asking for fulls or rejecting me.

Any advice to aspiring writers out there on conquering query hell?

Don't get caught up trying to summarize your whole book in your query. Stick to the first 30 pages or inciting incident. Read a lot of jacket copy. Write a query that makes people want to read more, even if it breaks some rules. And once you start querying, its a great time to exercise. It's hard to obsessively check your email while lifting weights.

How much input do you have on cover art?

One of the reasons I chose Mollie is because she's successfully fought for better covers, more PR, and just knows her stuff all around

How much of your own marketing do you? Do you have a blog / site / Twitter?

I am on Twitter and I have a website & blog that I built.

When do you build your platform? After an agent? Or should you be working before?

I started dabbling in blogging before my agent, but writing came first. Now that I have an agent, I plan to get my ass in gear and blog more.

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

Absolutely. Social media is modernized word-of-mouth. I think some of the most successful authors today built their readerships by being "available" to fans online.

Genn's Query That Worked (Big Time - Like, In a Week):

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.

That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail.

Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested.

Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight.

Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape.

Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

Complete at 78,000 words, CREWEL is a YA dystopian novel that follows Adelice's fight for autonomy and redemption in a world of femme fatales, steel looms, and towered compounds. It can be described as J.J. Abrams meets Mad Men.

I hold a Masters in English Literature from the University of Missouri. I also served as a student editor for Pleaides and The Missouri Review and did some time teaching literature to college students.