Interview with Anne Blankman

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!

Today's guest for the SAT is a 2014 debut, Anne Blankman, author of PRISONER OF NIGHT AND FOG, coming from Balzer & Bray, Spring 2014. Anne may have been meant to be a writer because her parents named her for Anne of Green Gables. She grew up in an old house with gables (gray, unfortunately) in upstate New York. When she wasn't writing or reading, she was rowing on the crew team, taking ballet lessons, fencing and swimming. She graduated from Union College with degrees in English and history, which comes in handy when she writes historical fiction.

After earning a master's degree in information science, Anne began working as a youth services librarian. Currently, she lives in southeastern Virginia with her family. When she's not writing young adult fiction, she's playing with her daughter, training for races with her husband, working at her amazing library branch, learning to knit (badly), and reading.

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

Planner! Maybe it's my background as a youth services librarian, but I like being organized. Putting together an outline helps me keep the story on track. That said, my characters have surprised me...so maybe I'm a planner, with a side order of pantster. 

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

NIGHT'S EDGE is my first novel, so I don't have a "typical" time frame -- at least, not yet! This book took me about two years to write, from getting the idea to typing the last sentence, but I spent a lot of that time learning HOW to write a book, too. I also wrote in little drips and drabs, squeezing in an hour after work, or another hour while my baby was napping. Now that I'm more focused and experienced, my sequel is whizzing along.

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

I like writing one manuscript at a time, so I can stay in one character's head and world. Since I have a three-book deal, I'm writing one ms, and planning the next. 

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

Of course! I don't think the fears ever really go away -- they just change. Writers are always moving on to the next book, the next project, the next school visit, the next interview, the next new experience. Being a writer means you're constantly putting yourself out there. So, you start off wondering if you can actually write a book, to wondering if a publisher will want it, to wondering if any readers will buy it... I've learned to silence that self-doubting voice by reminding myself that I landed an agent and a book deal, so clearly I'm doing some things right. 

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

I wrote a horrible picture book a couple of years ago that was, thankfully, rejected. Then I wrote NIGHT'S EDGE, met an agent two weeks after finishing it (not that a book is ever really finished), and signed with her about a week later. The whole process felt like a very fast dream.

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

Sure. I've noodled a few ideas  recently, and knew within a chapter or two that they wouldn't work, for a variety of reasons. 

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

My agent is Tracey Adams of Adams Literary (also known as Dream Agent). I had signed up for a fifteen-minute critique session at the Mid-Atlantic SCBWI Conference in October 2012, hoping I would be matched with Tracey, my top choice for an agent. As I walked into the meeting (the last one of the day), I told myself that no matter what, I would at least get some great editorial suggestions. 

We hit it off immediately, and ended up chatting for over half an hour until the SCWBI regional advisor politely came in and murmured something about dinner (we were meeting in her hotel room). Not only did Tracey love the first ten pages and request an exclusive full submission, but I got the gift of meeting an agent in person. 

I thought Tracey had sounded great in all of the articles and interviews I had read about her, and I knew Adams Literary has a stellar reputation, but once I met her, I knew I wanted Tracey as my agent. She has such a great personality -- she's funny, smart, enthusiastic, passionate about what she does, and she's nice. That last part may sound corny, but I knew I wanted an agent who would be pleasant to work with, someone who could be tactful but firm when negotiating contracts. 

So, I shot off my full to Adams Lit, and tried not to check my email obsessively. When I got Tracey's email, saying she loved NIGHT'S EDGE and wanted to talk to me as soon as it was convenient, I replied (sounding very blasé, of course), "Sure. How about right now?", plunked my three-year-old in front of the TV, and tried to answer the phone without sounding as though my heart was about to explode. I signed with Tracey that night. 

How long did you query before landing your agent?    

I met my agent before starting the query process (Sorry! Ducking the glares from readers right now! Believe me, I know I was incredibly lucky, and my experience is not the typical one!). 

But I had a query strategy, in case Tracey hadn't liked my ms (did I mention I'm a planner?). I had already researched tons of agents/agencies, and divided them into groups of ten -- the first group being my top choices, second group my second choices, and so on. I'd compiled information on each agent -- about a paragraph or two long -- noting what the agent was looking for, some of the authors she represented, and any little bits I had gleaned from reading about her. That way, I was fully prepared to start sending out queries. I think it really helps if you have a plan for the next step, so a rejection doesn't stop in your tracks, and you have to flounder around and figure out what you're going to do now. You didn't want my ms? Fine. On to the next agent, or batches of agents. Keep moving.

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

Research, research, research. Your agent represents you and your work. She's the person who submits manuscripts to publishers, negotiates offers, and checks contracts . So she needs to be someone who's reputable, trustworthy, and communicates easily with you. 

And I can't stress this enough: Follow the agency's submission guidelines. They're not optional; they're there for a reason. Don't send your edgy paranormal YA fantasy to an agent who's looking for contemporary coming-of-age stories. You're wasting her time and yours. 

Personalize your query letter, too. Mention how much you enjoy her blog or her recent article around social media. Show that you've done some research on her. Then send it off and instead of sitting around, worrying and wondering when you'll hear back, start working right away on something else.  

How much of your own marketing do you?  

So far, I'm doing my own marketing, but I know that will change as I get closer to pub. date and begin working with my publisher's publicist. Right now I have a website - please watch the book trailer! I'm ridiculously excited about it. 

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

I think it depends on each writer's comfort level. I kept a low online profile before I signed with my agent, because I'd heard that no online presence was better than the wrong one. One of the main things, in my opinion, is to avoid the obvious pitfalls. No drunken pictures on Facebook. No rants in your blog about the agent who didn't offer you representation, and who therefore must be a horrible, soulless person who deserves only pain. Pretty obvious stuff (at least, I hope it's obvious!)

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

Absolutely! But there's a right way to do it. When it's used in an open, supportive community, social media can help you reach out to others and create interest in your work. 

Thanks for having me on the blog, Mindy! 

Interview with Kim Rendfeld

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!

Today's guest for the SAT (Successful Author Talk) is Kim Rendfeld, author of THE CROSS & THE DRAGON. Rendfeld grew up in New Jersey and attended Indiana University, where she earned a BA in journalism and English, with a minor in French. She was a journalist for almost 18 years at Indiana newspapers, including the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, The Muncie Star, and The News and Sun in Dunkirk, and won several awards from the Hoosier State Press Association

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

Pantster, mostly. When I started TC&D, I was so eager to get it on my computer screen. If I had started with an outline, I’d likely have gotten stuck and never written a draft of the story.

Upon seeing the draft, my critique group asked me to write an outline. I did, and it helped me get focused. And then I ended up throw two-thirds of it away as I made revisions.

Definitely not efficient, but this is the process that works for me when writing fiction.

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

This is a complex question for me to answer because my writing process is not continuous. With TC&D, I spent a year or two on the earliest draft and thought it was done. About a year or so later, I found a critique group who kindly informed me it wasn’t done, that it read like a very good outline but not a novel. And it was mired in back story. And the characters weren’t showing enough emotion. And there wasn’t enough conflict.

Two years later, I had another draft, which I was certain was ready for publication. Wrong again. Over several years, I sent out queries. When I got a useful rejection letter, I would revise the manuscript, setting other work aside.

If I were to total it up, I’d say five years.

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

I was going to say one project at a time because it would be difficult to write more than one novel. But as I thought more about this, I realized after I got my first manuscript done, I am more of a multi-tasker. I have a full-time job. On top of that, I was querying agents and working on a second manuscript. Even as I work to promote TC&D, I am trying to find time to work on its companion, The Ashes of Heaven’s Pillar.

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

I was a newspaper editor when I started on TC&D and encountered people who thought they could write well. I had to ignore the voice in my head that whispered, “How do you know you’re not one of those people, the ones who just think they can write?”

How long did you query before landing your publisher?

I began querying in earnest in 2003, the bad, old SASE days (stamped, self-addressed envelope for the acronym impaired). Most of the time, it was the equivalent of a cold call; a few times the query went to someone I met at a conference. I finally got an agent in 2007 through the query process. My agent was not able to sell the book and after three years had, for all intents and purposes, given up on me.

In early 2011, the saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results” came to my mind. I knew I had to do something different. I terminated my relationship with my agent and entered TC&D in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award competition.

I ended as a quarterfinalist and couldn’t have been happier with my prize, a positive review of the unedited manuscript from Publishers Weekly. I had another tool to promote myself to agents and editors. Just as important, the review gave me a boost in confidence when I really needed it.

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

My publisher is Fireship Press, a small press based in Tucson, Arizona. I decided to query them after reading a blog post from an author who had a bad experience with one of the Big Six and an agent but later connected with Fireship and was happy with them.

I sent an e-mail to a Fireship editor, along with the first chapters, as specified on their submission page. The editor liked what she saw and asked for more.

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

What helped me most in getting through query hell was writing another book. Of course, I still checked the mailbox (as I said I go back to SASE days), but pouring my creative energy into other characters and another story helped take some of the sting from the rejections. And I had a lot of them, enough to paper a large walk-in closet.

A couple more pieces of advice:

• If you get the rare response that tells you specifically why your work was rejected, pay attention. By acting the suggestions in the rejections, I made my book better, and ultimately publishable, in the end.

• While you should be patient—this industry is fraught with rejections—be mindful that these days, there is more than one path to publication. If it’s been several years and one path simply isn’t working, consider something else.

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

Dreamlike, as in wow, this is real!

I still am adjusting to the fact that my book is for sale on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It’s a heady feeling to see the novel for sale not only in dollars but also in pounds and euros.

How much input do you have on cover art?

Cover art is one of upsides about working with a small press. Not only did I get to suggest images for the cover art, I got to ask readers to help me and my publisher decide on a public domain image. My readers chose my favorite image, Rowland Wheelwright’s Enid and Geraint. They have great taste.

The cover artist did a nice job, and I got to approve it.

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

I was surprised by how much control I had in the process, another upside to a working with a small press. My editor’s suggestions for the story were minor but they improved the book. She and I also worked together on fonts for the cover and decorative elements of interior.

I could not be more pleased with how it turned out.

How much of your own marketing do you?  

For now, I do all my own marketing. Although it is taking time away from work my second book, The Ashes of Heaven’s Pillar, it will be worth it in the long term.

I’m all over the Web. I have a website, blog, Twitter account, as well as a presence on Facebook, Goodreads, and Amazon.

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

I built my site, blog, and Twitter platforms after I had written two manuscripts but long before publication. I’ll admit it. I was a skeptic about blogging. How was I going to find time? And who would care about what I had to say, anyway?

Yet if you’re a historical novelist, you have an advantage. You have done more research than you will ever be able to fit in one book. You can’t show it all off the novel. I’ve tried, and it just gets in the way. But you can show off your research in a blog, in short essays. If your period is not well known, mine is one example, this whets readers’ appetites.

I am glad I set up the platforms before I was published. (The Facebook fan page was after I signed the contract, and Goodreads and Amazon were after publication.) I was too busy making revisions and proofreading once the process gone under way.

It’s important to remember the novel should come first. My limit in most cases is one blog post per week, and I’ve started opening it up to guests. When I was in throes of the final proofread, I didn’t write in my blog for three weeks.

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

Oh yes. I’ve met so many nice people, and I participate in Facebook and Twitter promotion boards, where we post links to each other’s blogs. It is key to letting people know when you have a new blog post.

However, that doesn’t mean that the 300 friends you have on Facebook will result in 300 sales. And whatever you do, don’t bore them with “Buy my book, buy my book.” On my Facebook fan page and Twitter feeds, you will find promos for my posts, reviews, and interviews. You will also find links to other author’s posts, reviews, and interviews as well.

You still have to reach out. Review and interviews with book bloggers are a great way to let get your work before new audiences.

Thank you, Mindy, for this opportunity to share my writer’s journey.

Interview with Nicole McInnes

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!

Today's guest for the SAT (Successful Author Talk) is fellow Class of 2k13 member Nicole McInnes. Nicole is the author of BRIANNA ON THE BRINK. Nicole was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, received a Bachelor’s Degree in Literature (Creative Writing emphasis) from the University of California at Santa Cruz (go, Banana Slugs!). She also received a Master’s Degree in English (Creative Writing emphasis) from Northern Arizona University (go, Lumberjacks!).

BRIANNA ON THE BRINK is about a one-night stand that has life-altering consequences for popular, sixteen-year-old Brianna, who must then accept help from the one person closest to her mistake. Available now from Holiday House.

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

Actually, I think I’m a little of both. I like to keep careful notes on book ideas, but then once one of them “takes” I do like to let things percolate a bit and/or take me by surprise during the initial drafting. 

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

I’d say it typically takes about 8 months to get a fairly solid draft hammered out, especially if I can keep myself in a more-or-less productive work mode while writing the thing.

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

My main focus is always on one book at a time. That said, it seems inevitable that ideas for other stories, characters and titles come to me while writing. I try to always write these down for later use.

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

I’ve been writing since I was a little kid, and I started doing it because I first loved reading. I think starting from that place of excitement and feeling like there were no imposed rules or boundaries really kept me from being fearful back then. As an adult, of course, I often find myself at some point on the fear spectrum when sitting down to write. 

How many trunked books did you have before you were agented?

One

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

There was one manuscript I wrote after I had an agent that just never amounted to anything. While I still like parts of it, it was written during a time of huge upheaval in my personal life, and I think the writing was disordered as a result. I may go back and scavenge from it someday, though. You never know. Abandoned manuscripts are sometimes useful for parts if nothing else.

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

My agent is the extraordinary Stacey Glick at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. After my initial query letter, she contacted me requesting a partial and then, I *think*, a full. By the time she offered representation, I had another agent interested as well. As soon as Stacey and I talked on the phone, though, I knew I’d be a fool to not go with her. Thankfully, I listened to my gut, because she’s been wonderful not just in getting my work in front of editors but in helping me develop projects as well. 

How many queries did you send before getting an agent?  

While I don’t have an exact count, I’m pretty sure I still have a box somewhere up in my closet with a few dozen rejection slips inside. 

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

Sending out queries and receiving rejection after rejection can be such a brutal, disheartening process. I don’t know any successful way out of it other than through, and you’ll be shocked at how quickly you forget all those rejections when you get that first “Yes.” That said, this time before landing an agent is important. It matters. It’s teaching you things that will carry you through your writing career – things like persistence and how you’re going to choose to handle disappointment (both of which will be totally necessary skills after you sell a book, by the way).

Of course, professionalism and attention to detail are mandatory. You MUST adhere to the cardinal rules of querying, including knowing the names and preferences of agents who interest you. Do they represent the kind of book you’ve written? Are they taking new submissions? Do they have a list of pet peeves? It’s the Internet Age, so there’s no excuse for not doing as much research as possible to avoid wasting your time and theirs. Also, publishing is a remarkably small world. Don’t be “that guy” or “that gal” with a reputation for being unprofessional. People will notice, and they may well remember. It’s hard to be gracious when gnashing ones teeth in frustration over the latest “not quite right for us” note. Be gracious anyway. Don’t burn bridges.

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

Technically, the first time was when I saw the pre-order pages for BRIANNA ON THE BRINK on IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s, etc. It was amazing as one might suspect. A little surreal, too. 

How much input do you have on cover art?

Well, my editor (the amazing Sylvie Frank) called to ask me what sort of vision I had for the cover. Basically, I didn’t want any ball gowns (they wouldn’t have fit the story anyway), and I didn’t want a too-skinny, Photoshopped fembot-type model. Girls are already so bombarded with images of this sort of false “perfection”, and it was important to me that Brianna look like an actual human female. I was thrilled with the naturally beautiful model who was chosen, and I couldn’t imagine a better Brianna.

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

I was really surprised by how much I learned about story development and editing and the business of writing in between signing the contract and receiving my first copy of the finished book. I think I assumed that once an author sold a book, that was it. He or she was a master. Now I realize just how much I still have to learn to get my writing to where I want it to be. It’s truly a lifelong endeavor.

How much of your own marketing do you?  

I try to think of marketing as play more than anything, as a chance to connect with people and support other artists more than just as a place to hawk my wares. I’m on Twitter, tumblr and Facebook quite a bit, so I guess in that sense I maintain an online presence. Meanwhile, the heavy lifting is done by my wonderful publicist. I also have a writer's site.

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

When I first signed up for this writing-for-publication gig, mastodons still roamed the planet and there was no such thing as an online platform. There were literary journals and graduate theses, so that’s where I put some effort. Nowadays, it seems important to be findable online at all stages of the game – when searching for an agent, when having a book out on submission to editors and when waiting for your book to land in the hands of readers. At the very least, people are going to want to get a sense of who you are and how you might be to work with.

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

Oh, absolutely. What I love most about social media is the ability to share thoughts and laughs with people I’d otherwise never get to meet. And again, readers can get a sense of the writer behind the book this way. It’s not important to every reader, of course, and I suppose there are plenty out there who prefer to not know about authors, but I think a certain amount of curiosity is natural. Also, it goes both ways. It can be fun for authors to get a sense of their readership, to find out what types of people are into their books as well.