Interview with Sara B. Larson

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 Sara B. Larson whose YA Fantasy, DEFY, releases today from Scholastic. Sara is a mommy of three, lover of chocolate, desserts of all kinds, and Swedish Fish. Also good books.

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

I’m somewhere in the middle. When I get an idea for a book, I usually know the beginning and the ending, but I’m not always sure of the middle. I start writing, and just keep going and going, along with a separate document where I jot down notes or ideas for the plot/characters/etc. as I go. That usually lasts until about 15-20k words, and then I usually have to stop and put the rest of the book together in a loose outline. I don’t do a formal chapter by chapter outline (most of the time, though I have done that for a couple of books, too); it’s more of synopsis of sorts, where I just map out where everything is going, until I reach the end. 

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

I’m kind of a freak of nature, because I tend to draft really fast. Most of my books have taken me between 4-8 weeks to write. A couple were shorter and a few were longer. Basically, I get obsessive with my story once I hit a certain point and I can’t think about anything else until the story is out. Since that leads to me being a rather ineffective human being in any other way (much to my children and husband’s dismay), I usually sacrifice sleep until I get the story out of my head. 

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

I prefer to work on one at a time. But I can switch between projects if I need to—for example, I’m in the middle of my contract, so I’m promoting DEFY, while I’m in revisions on the sequel, and drafting another book, and revising a completely different project all at once. That’s always fun. 

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

Well, I’ve been writing ever since I could use a pencil to write words down on paper (I have notebooks from second grade with stories in them), and I’ve written books ever since. So I can’t say that I had any fears the first time I sat down to write, because I honestly don’t remember it! But I’ve had plenty ever since I started seriously pursuing publication years and years ago. And even after getting a book deal, the fears haven’t gone away. If anything, they’ve gotten worse. I’ve never had worse writer’s block than I got on my sequel to DEFY, for fear that my agent, editor, and future readers wouldn’t like it. But I just had to shut that internal critic off (or tell it that even if this book sucks, I have to at least get it out and then I can fix it), and just push through. And surprisingly, when I went back through the book, it didn’t suck quite as bad as I thought when I was writing it. In fact, I completely loved it. And my editor did too, so phew! ;-) 

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

Uh… do I need to count all the books I’ve ever written? Let’s just start from when I started trying to get published. I wrote four books before I nabbed my first agent. I was with her for two years, and while she is a lovely person whom I still count as a friend, ultimately we parted ways, because we weren’t the best match professionally. During those two years, I wrote another book and did a major revision of two other books (one was basically a rewrite). Once we parted ways, I started querying one of the rewrites, and in the meantime I got hit with two ideas very close together. I started both books, but decided to finish only one of them. I got super close to a few different offers, but nothing ended up coming through, so I went back to the other idea. I’d hit a major block with that book, but the characters wouldn’t leave me alone. Once I finally figured out that one them was hiding a major secret from me, the rest of the book flew out and I finished it in just a couple of weeks. That was in August. I polished and revised it and started querying it on a Monday in October, got a request for a full Tuesday night and received an offer on it the next day before lunch!! It was crazy. I ended up with more than one offer and within a couple of weeks I was on sub and a month later I had my deal with Scholastic! (Yes, that book was DEFY!) 

So, uh, how many books was that? I think that was a really long answer to what should have been an easy question. Ha. I always joke that I don’t know how to tell short stories, and that’s why I write books. 

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

The closest I ever came was with DEFY, when I’d hit that horrible block and I’d left my agent and hadn’t gotten a new one yet. But thank heavens I didn’t let myself quit and figured that story out! 

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

My agent is Josh Adams, and even though I’d been agented before and have lots of author friends, he was neither a referral nor a contact. I cold queried him. In fact, the offers I got on DEFY were all from cold queries. 

How long did you query before landing your agent?  

With my first agent, between all the books I wrote a queried, I probably sent out over 200. Maybe even 300. I stopped counting a long time ago. With DEFY, I’d just barely started querying, so I only had fifteen queries out when I got my offers and made my choice. 

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

DON’T GIVE UP. Everyone told me if I didn’t give up, eventually I’d make it. I’ll admit after years of writing and querying, and hundreds of rejections I was losing faith. But I knew I couldn’t quit; it was my life-long dream and I couldn’t give up on it. So I kept going, and it turned out everyone was right. Also, this might sound dumb, but exercise. Get out and do something with your body. Those endorphins helped me fight through the lows of rejections. And it just feels good to be able to push yourself to do something that you have total control over. Also, chocolate. Lots of chocolate. ☺

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

I haven’t seen it yet, DEFY is on sale January 7, but I can imagine it will be an overwhelming combination of excitement, disbelief, elation, and a whole bunch of everything. And I’ll probably cry. 

How much input do you have on cover art?

None! My editor sent me the cover one day out of the blue, and I loved it so much I screamed and jumped up and down (and totally scared my kids to death)!

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

How amazing it has been to work with an editor. I knew it would be have to be great, because he or she would love my book enough to buy it; but there was always a fear that they’d want me to change major things or not “get” my stories. I feel so incredibly lucky to have Lisa Sandell—she’s been absolutely incredible to work with. Her insights have helped me shape my book into the best it can possibly be. The collaborative process has been way more fun than I thought it would be. I’ve been (very pleasantly) surprised to not have only gained an absolutely brilliant partner in my writing career, but also a dear friend. 

How much of your own marketing do you?

I try to do as much as I can without feeling so overwhelmed that I can’t find the creative energy to still write and to be able to still take care of my family and personal life. I do have a blog and I’m working on setting up an actual website. Hopefully soon! I am also on Facebook and Twittter.

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

It depends on the person and their book. I’m not really an expert on platforms. I just try to do what feels natural to me. 

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

I think social media can help, but ultimately, it’s going to depend on your book, and the readers that love it and tell their friends and family. I’ve seen people with huge followings have books that didn’t do nearly as well as expected, and people who aren’t even on social media become bestsellers. I’ve also seen the opposite. So you just never know, I guess. That’s why I think you should only do what you’re happy and comfortable with. And focus on what you CAN control: writing the best book you know how.

Interview with Bethany Hensel

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 Bethany Hensel, a woman so accomplished that if I listed everything cool about her it would be longer than the interview itself. Born in Seoul, South Korea but adopted when she was young, Bethany was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and is one of fourteen children. As a child, she performed with the Pittsburgh All-City Honors Jr. Strings Symphony and the Pittsburgh All-City Honors Orchestra. She is an avid animal rights activist and works with the Western PA Humane Society and its adoptable pets. Bethany also runs an excellent arts and entertainment reviews & interviews site, and most importantly - is the author of UNSTOPPABLE.

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

I would say that I’m more of a planner, though most of my outlines end up changing so drastically that I sometimes think it’s pointless to plan anything. But I like nothing more in the writing process than opening a brand new notebook and uncapping a brand new pen and just splashing the ink all over. 

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

Oh, what a question! It takes me a couple weeks to a month to write the first draft of a book—and I stress the words first draft. After that, it takes anywhere from half a year to…let’s see...four years to whip the manuscript into shape and have something entertaining and whole to share with the world.

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

I used to only be able to work on one story at a time, but recently, I’ve found that if I’m disciplined and focused, I can have several things happen within the same timeline. For instance, I’m writing book 2 in the Unstoppable series, I’m revising a YA book, and I’m outlining a contemporary romance that takes place in modern day Pittsburgh and Italy. I’m also still keeping up with my reviews and interviews for my arts and entertainment site. So yes, I suppose that was just a long way of answering that I am a multi-tasker!

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

Oddly, the fear doesn’t come when I first sit down to write. At that point, I’m eager to dig into a new world and explore it. I think I’m most anxious when I’m right in the thick of it, when I’m at the thirty-thousand or forty-thousand word mark and I still have a ways to go and I’m afraid of writing myself in corners or finding that the entire structure and frame of the universe I’ve created is unstable. That’s when I can genuinely say I eat my weight in chocolate. 

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

I actually got agented on the first book I wrote, though to be clear, I wrote and revised that book about thirteen times, no exaggeration. I was very stubborn with that story. I loved it very much, and still do. However, I have since parted ways with the agent and have since trunked that particular tale. I have every intention of one day releasing it.

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

I’ve never quit on a manuscript. I like that sense of satisfaction of writing The End on a story too much. Also, I suppose I just fall too in love with the characters to leave them hanging. I’m a Scorpio. Loyal to the end. 

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

It was wonderful! The Amazon page and Barnes and Noble page and all the other retailers that had it on their site made it look wonderful. It was a thrill.

How much input do you have on cover art?

Tons! I worked with the fabulous Kim Killion of The Killion Group and she was outstanding. She created a real work of art for me that reflected so much of the story. I love the fire (which reflects the incredibly hot temperatures in the story, as well as the volatile atmosphere the characters are thrust into), I love how the guy is pushed more into the flames than the girl, and I love how there’s a bit of sensuality to the image, but it’s not too shocking—which is very apropos to how the story is written.

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

Hmmm…I was lucky in that there were people who had done this before me and were so open with their advice on how they published and what the process was like. I read a lot of posts from Hugh Howey, Cora Carmack and Jamie McGuire and others. I’ve also been a long time follower of blogs like Pubrants and Literary Rambles. And then I have a wonderful group of friends who are authors and have traveled the path before me and could guide me through the many inroads and detours that make up a publishing journey. Not saying that there weren’t speed bumps and sudden stops, but I felt pretty well-informed about the process and was just so excited to jump in.

How much of your own marketing do you?  

I do have a Twitter account and I may get a Facebook account but I'm still on the fence. However, my main online hub is my website. I post almost daily. The website is also home to my arts and entertainment site, where I interview a plethora of artists and review dozens and dozens of shows and books a year.

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

I think JA Konrath was right when he said that you go on the internet to be informed and entertained. One of my favorite sites is Buzzfeed. I go on there and I chuckle, I laugh. I leave satisfied. That’s what I think an author’s social media should do. It should give satisfaction to your current readers, and by default, bring in more. (I can't tell you how many people I've told about Sara Megibow's Twitter feed. It's sincere, kind and informative.)

At the end of the day, social media is amazing because it gives everyone a voice. Just remember to be genuine in that voice. Be real. To quote an oft-used phrase: To thine own self be true. If you use social media just to sell, it's never going to work. Instead, use it to laugh, use it to share, use it to build friendships.

Interview with Victoria Aveyard

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 Victoria Aveyard, a member of the Freshmen Fifteens and author of THE RED QUEEN, coming from HarperTeen in 2015.

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

Full disclosure, I had to look this up. I guess I’m sort of in between – I started TRQ with about a ten page outline and a few more pages of background world info, then I dived into the story. I despise outlining, but love worldbuilding, and made a conscious effort to rein myself in from worldbuilding too much and killing my drive outright. I’m a big believer in letting the story and the characters take you where they want to go, and the second act reflected this the most. I like to know my first and third act down cold, and then let the characters knit the two together with their own actions and growth.

With other projects, I’m definitely a Pantster. Last night I wrote about 2k words of a story and I had no idea where it came from or where it was going, I just know it wanted to come out.

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

I had never finished a novel before TRQ, so I can only go by that particular project. The first draft was 160,000 words, and took six to seven months to write. Another two months to revise with my agent Suzie, who took a very well-wielded machete to my mammoth of a manuscript. Basically, I wrote the first sentence of TRQ in late June 2012, and we sold to HarperTeen in April 2013.

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

I generally like to multitask, but when I’m down and deep in a project, I work on that and that alone. During TRQ, that was the only idea I worked on, and I’m currently trying to get back into machine writing mode.

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

I started the book about a month after I graduated college, where I spent four years in writing workshop styled classes for my screenwriting BFA. I’d basically been writing every day for years at that point, and sitting down to write wasn’t an issue. It was creating something I was proud of, that I actually liked reading, and that surprised even me when the characters developed minds of their own.

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

Never finished a manuscript before, but I have five feature screenplays that will probably never see the light of day. I’m proud of all of them, but they are definitely staying locked away on my computer.

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

I guess the first manuscript I quit on was a picture book about an escaped princess I started when I was six and promptly forgot about ten sentences in. Since then, I tried my hand at Tolkien-esque high fantasy too many times to count, and always got bogged down. They were derivative, clichéd and eternally flawed, and I knew it. But the experience was nice!

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

My warrior princess agent is Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media. I came to her untraditionally, and, judging by what I’ve heard about querying, I’m so glad I never had to face down that firing squad. Long story short: I pitched the idea of writing a kickass YA novel to the talent management company Benderspink in Los Angeles. They brought me in to pitch pilots and screenplays, and the little voice in my head told me to do this instead. They liked the idea, I wrote TRQ, and in January, the company passed on my manuscript to Pouya Shahbazian at New Leaf. He had sold the movie option to The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos in conjunction with Benderspink, so they had a working relationship. Pouya thought TRQ was up Suzie’s alley and, against all odds, she read it the weekend she got it. After a revision, she offered representation.

I never spoke to any other agents and I’m so glad I landed where I did. I honestly had no idea how publishing worked or what good agencies were – and somehow I ended up at one of the best! I honestly think I must have been crucified and/or killed by Mongol invasions in a past life to earn this one.

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

Everyone comes in differently. Weird things happen. What works for someone else might not work for you and vice versa. And above all things, do what suits you best, not someone else. Just because so-and-so blasted 80 queries out in a week and got repped off it doesn’t mean you will. It could just take one, or 100, or 1000, or none at all. There’s no set path for this – you can only make your own.

How do you think it will feel the first time you see your book for sale?

I’m expecting to faint and/or set up camp in my local Barnes & Noble to pet my book when it comes out.

How much input do you have on cover art?

My wonderful editor Kari Sutherland at HarperTeen has just gotten the ball rolling on the cover process. We’ve started discussing, and my ideas were definitely welcome, if not encouraged. I’m so excited to see where we end up!

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

How nice everyone in publishing is. From the agents to the Twitter followers, people are absolutely grand. I spent four years learning how to break into the film agency and it was full of horror stories of awful, shark-like, Ari Gold people who I would probably punch in the face. Instead, I’m now working with people I consider real friends both in publishing and in film. They’re so genuine, and they let me ramble about Game of Thrones. They even join in!

How much of your own marketing do you?  

I’m most active on Twitter, mostly because it gives me an outlet to vent my sports/Game of Thrones/boring feelings and complaints. I also blog occasionally (I’m terrible at keeping up with it), and more so at Tumblr because it allows me to reblog funny Game of Thrones gifs. I’m very much a fangirl. As for true marketing, this is my first ever interview, and I expect things to intensify when we get closer to my publishing date in 2015.

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

I didn’t have a platform/probably still don’t properly have one. I don’t do much more than tweet my feelings about odd things I find in Target (VELVET SUNGLASSES), but I do finally have a Goodreads author account, and TRQ is on there as well! It magically appeared overnight, probably because of a fairy.

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

I hope so, but I assume it won’t be the end all to be all. Hopefully after people read my book, they go hmm, I wonder what that Victoria lady is like, and find my Twitter full of Game of Thrones theories and derogatory things about the New York Jets (PATRIOTS 4 LIFE). Then they’ll shrug and be happy I found a job that keeps me away from real people.