Thursday Thoughts

Thoughts lately...

1) I was thinking the other day how insanely jealous I am of the people at the Louvre whose job it is to sit in a building surrounded by amazing art and answer questions from confused people occasionally. Then I realized that's exactly my own job description.

2) The early reviews for NOT A DROP TO DRINK are coming in, and quite a few of them have compared it to The Walking Dead, without zombies. I'm totally flattered, of course, but this also led me to think - wouldn't The Walking Dead without the zombies become simply... The?

3) I want a real house made out of Lego's. How much better would this be? No more kicking the shampoo and conditioner into the bathtub. No more knocking over flowerpots with my elbow. No more wondering where something went. It's right where I left it - because it's stuck there.

Interview with Liesl Shurtliff

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 fellow Class of 2k13 member Liesl Shurtliff, author of RUMP: THE TRUE STORY OF RUMPELSTILTSKIN. Liesl Shurtliff was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, with the mountains for her playground. Just like Rump, Liesl was shy about her name, growing up. Not only did it rhyme with weasel, she could never find it on any of those personalized key chains in gift shops. But over the years she’s grown to love having an unusual name—and today she wouldn’t change it for the world!

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

Both, but probably more of a panster. I don’t outline, but I do lots of pre-writing, exploration of characters and world-building, and sketch a basic idea of a beginning, middle, and end, but when I start drafting all sorts of things crop up, from problems to better ideas, and I have to go back, tweak things, and sometimes do complete rewrites of several chapters. My process is haphazard to say the least, but it’s how I roll.

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

I’m not certain I have a “typical” time-frame. I drafted RUMP in about 4 months and revised for another 5 months before submitting to agents. In my opinion that’s fairly quick for a novel. Other projects have taken me longer and right now I’m at the year mark of another project and I’m not even half-way. Pantsers are at the mercy of so many factors. Sometimes stories come more fully formed, and other times they need a lot more coaxing out of the dark corners of my brain. I don’t think either scenario is better or worse. It’s just the nature of things.

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

I used to be a one-project-at-a-time kind of girl, but now I’m a proud multi-tasker. I always thought that it was important to have tunnel vision on one project, pour all your creative energy into that baby, but recently I started working on two projects at once out of necessity, and I found it to be surprisingly good for my writing in terms of energy and productivity. Sometimes one project will give me fits but another one will be very compliant (much like my children) so it really helps to switch back and forth, giving natural resting periods to each project as I work on the other. This also naturally shrinks the number of “bad-writing days,” which is good because I hate those.

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

Yes. I was afraid that I was wasting my time, that I really didn’t have anything of value to say or share. There are so many great books in the world and so many books period. What makes me think mine belongs on the shelf? And here’s a little secret: I still have to overcome those fears. I have to tune out the voices of self-deprecation, give myself permission to do what I love, and give others permission to love or reject what I do. I still struggle with these fears and many others, but at least I consciously recognize that they’re evil.  

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

Two. I never queried either of them. (Wise.)

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

I quit on the two previously mentioned mss. The first was something I wrote years ago during the insanity we call NaNoWriMo. I revised for a very short while before I decided that it was just an exercise and really wasn’t meant to be anything more. It helped me build some endurance, get a feel for pacing and plotting and that’s it.

The second ms I absolutely loved (the idea at least) and really wanted it to be the novel I debuted with. I wrote and revised for two years, but it just never got to that place where I felt like it was good enough. I was still figuring out my process, finding my voice, figuring out pacing, characterization, and a myriad of other writing skills. I learned a lot while writing and revising this novel, but you can only revise a novel so much before it just gets overworked and mangled. It was with a heavy heart that I shelved it, probably very similar to the feeling one might have about breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend that you know just isn’t that great, but you’re so afraid to let go because what if there really isn’t anyone better? Worse, what if there’s no one? I can’t speak for boyfriends or girlfriends, but in terms of writing, your ideas really aren’t something to get too sentimental about. Sure, some are better than others, but at the end of the day it’s the execution of the ideas that matter, and you have to have faith that your powers of execution will improve with each book you write (if you’re deliberate about your practice.) It was hard for me to shelve that novel, but I’m so very glad I did.

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

My agent is Michelle Andelman of Regal Literary and I adore her. I cold-queried her (that means I had no previous connection) and she responded within a few days with a request for a full and two weeks later she made an offer. Seriously one of the best moments of my life next to “Will you marry me?” and “We’re having a baby!”

How long did you query before landing your agent? 

I queried about 30 agents for one month before landing my agent.

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

I know my time in getting an agent is pretty darn fast compared to many, so it might seem that I did not go through enough of hell to give any advice. (Though it was hell. Absolute torture, no matter how long it lasts.) I’ll be the first to admit that a lot of that had to do with luck and timing. I found the right person at the right time for my work. However, as you’ll note in some of my previous comments, I wasn’t overeager to query—just the opposite in fact—I was terrified. I didn’t just write a book and say, what next? I was careful to make sure I really understood what “next” meant and what it took to get there. I worked on my craft for seven years before I got an agent. When I felt the time was right, I spent many hours researching agents, making a list of those I thought would be a good fit and taking careful notes of their preferences and submission guidelines. I studied how to write a great query letter, and made sure I was absolutely certain I was ready for this—for publication. It wasn’t just about landing an agent and getting a book published. Publishing is brutal. Even if you get an agent and a publisher, you still have to win over the world. The world can be a very mean place. So basically my advice is this: Know what it is you’re asking for and feel confident that you’re ready for it.

How much input do you have on cover art?

I felt very included in the process and that my publisher wanted me to be pleased with my cover. They asked what I envisioned and asked for some examples of other covers I thought were along the lines of what I wanted. I was thrilled when they showed me the artist they chose. Absolutely could not have chosen better myself. When the cover came through, I had some concerns about certain elements being an accurate reflection of my story, and they did make some changes based on some of my feedback. All in all I was pleased with how everything was handled and I adore my cover. It’s magical, don’t you think?

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

Honestly, what surprised me was that my opinions mattered to my publisher. One hears horror stories about the publisher always getting the last word about everything from covers and titles right down to the content, and never listening to the author’s opinion. So I had this idea that I just needed to shut up, be grateful, and enjoy the ride no matter the bumps. Maybe that is the case for some, but as I got into the process, I learned that books are a collaborative process and that collaboration included me, the author. I learned to articulate my opinions in a professional manner and if I felt emotional about something, (and it’s all too easy to get emotional about one’s book) I’d step back for a few days until I could calmly articulate what I thought was wrong and present a viable solution. And—Surprise!—most of the time they thought my solution was better than theirs. On the other hand, sometimes I didn’t always have a great solution or alternative, and I had to respect their wisdom and expertise. But I’m not a total peon. That was surprising.

How much of your own marketing do you?  

I do A LOT of my own marketing. I have great publicists both at my agency and publisher who do a lot of the legwork in scheduling events, reaching out to book bloggers, reviewers, schools, etc. I have a website, blog, Twitter, FB, so I guess most of the marketing I do is online social networking, or of course guest posts and interviews that I can’t allocate to someone else. I also took charge of any marketing materials such as bookmarks, postcards, etc.

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

I don’t think it’s every too early, taking into consideration that building your writing skills is far more important, at least for fiction writers. For non-fiction, the platform is essential and will have a lot to do with getting a contract, especially at a big house. For fiction, it’s not going to make or break you, but it’s still important and I think any amount that can be done before acquiring an agent or contract is helpful. Just don’t let it get in the way of building your writing skills. If you’re spending all your time blogging and tweeting instead of actually writing a book, then you might want to reconsider what it is you love to do.  

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

I don’t have statistic, but I would say yes, it does. People definitely won’t read your book if they don’t know about it and social media is just another medium of letting people know about your book. (A pretty good medium, I’d say.) Speaking from personal experience, the more I hear about a book through blogs and other social media, the more likely I am to read the book, or at least check it out and read a chapter to see if it’s my kind of book. So yes, social media does help, but I don’t think it’s the secret to making a bestseller. (I have no idea what that secret might be and I don’t think anyone else does either, no matter what they say.)

Interview with Justina Ireland

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 Justina Ireland, fellow Class of 2k13 member and author of VENGEANCE BOUND. Pitched as The Goddess Test meets Dexter, this edgy, compelling debut is about one teen’s quest for revenge… no matter how far it takes her.

Are you a Planner or Pantser?

Pantser all the way!!! I usually start a story with my opening scene and my final scene in my mind, and then it’s just a matter of getting everyone from A to Z. Of course, I always have a plot breaking point where I panic that everything sucks at about 30,000-40,000 words, and that’s the time I try to attempt some sort of hasty outline…

And then I usually toss it out the window at around 55,000 words.

So yeah, I am a complete and utter pantser.

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

Start to finish varies. It’s usually around two-three months (that includes the breakdown at 30,000-40,000 words). When I have my midpoint break I usually go back to the beginning and start revising, which ends up adding scenes and changing the overall story. If I were a planner I could probably write a completed novel in a little under one and a half to two months, but I’m not. So, three months is usually my drafting time. And that’s for a messy second draft (I revise right after finishing).

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

One at a time, thank you very much. I will write the first 10,000 words of something and then put it to the side to work on later, but when I’m actually drafting it is one book at a time. I like to really immerse myself in a character’s voice.

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

Nope. I was one of those authors who thought the first thing they wrote was going to be BRILLIANT!!! It was only when I got to the soggy middle of my first book that I realized telling a coherent story for 80,000 words is hard. Telling a coherent story that people will actually give two shits about is even harder.

It’s funny, but I have way more anxiety about my writing now than I did in the beginning.

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

Just one. A hot fairy mess called IGNITE. I entered it in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award and it got to the semi-finals, but now I realize that manuscript had SOOOOOO many problems. And really, everyone should have a stinky first novel to look back on and think “Wow, glad I got that out of the way first.”

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

Yes, although I usually quit an MS because I lose interest in trying to fix it, not because it was time. I have the attention span of a hamster on crack, so if the story doesn’t come together easily I put it to the side. I might come back to it later, maybe not. 

I have about 15,000 words of maybe six books. So, yeah. I’m a fantastic quitter.

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

My agent is Elana Roth of Red Tree Literary. I queried her the good old fashioned way. At the time she was with another agency, and she passed my query off to another agent who was a better fit. I worked with the other agent for a year or so, and when she quit agenting Elana picked me up.

So, yeah, queries work.

How long did you query before landing your agent?  

I’d been querying off and on for about a year before I got an agent. I’d queried my first book and worked on the second. I really only stopped querying the first book when the second was ready to go out. The first time I went out (with my first book) I sent around seventy or eighty queries, with about a ten percent request rate. The second time I went out I sent thirty or forty queries with a request rate of around twenty-five percent. Even I could tell my second book was vastly superior to the first, and it really showed in my stats.

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

Don’t query until your manuscript rocks. I know so many people query too soon. You shouldn’t even think about querying until you’re on your third or fourth round of revisions. And I mean REAL revisions, not just changing a character’s name. Change things, rework plot points! Delete characters, write new characters! Make your work shine!

It doesn’t matter if you have an amazing query if your MS is shit. And don’t polish just your opening. Work on the entire story. I got quite a few rejections that were basically “Your story fell apart in act two.” No one wants to hear that. Save yourself some grief and make sure the story is amazing before you go out.

And be prepared for rejection, lots of it at every level. Publishing will break your heart.

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

It was kind of “Oh, that’s weird.” I think I was more excited to get my first pass pages (when they put your book in the typeset the final book will have and send it to you as loose pages for correction) than anything else. That was the first time my Word document looked like a book, and it was just really amazing.

How much input do you have on cover art?

None for Vengeance Bound, but my editor for my second book, Promise of Shadows, did ask for input for that cover. I’ve already gotten a rough comp of the cover, and it is amazing. But it could still change.

Remember, cover art isn’t for you as a writer. It’s for marketing your baby to your perceived audience. Big difference. Pretty covers are nice, but publishers would rather have book sales.

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

How many times I’d have to reread my book. It’s exhausting re-reading second-guessing yourself so many times.

How much of your own marketing do you?  

Yup. I have a blog which I rarely update, a tumblr, a website, and a Twitter. I really love Twitter, it appeals to my extrovert personality. I don’t blog unless I really have something to share because I find it boring. Most of my thoughts can be expressed just fine in 140 characters (see earlier comment about short attention span).

Tumblr is fun because of the gifs. I figured out how to make them and now when I get bored I go do that. I’m lame.

I’m not sure I do a whole lot of marketing. But I do like interacting with folks. I really think that’s the point. No one wants to follow a huckster.

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

Meh, I’m not sure you really need to do anything. If you like blogging, blog. If you like Twitter, do that. If you hate social media, make a website and hope for the best.

S&S (my publisher) didn’t tell me to do anything to build a platform. When you’re writing fiction I think you just need to write the best story you can. A compelling idea/story sells itself. A platform will get people interested in you and spread the word about your existence, but if your book sucks it won’t make a lick of difference. Look at Suzanne Collins. She doesn’t have a twitter, tumblr, anything.  I don’t think it’s hurt her sales too much.

I honestly think focusing on having a platform too early is just another distraction from writing. Work on writing. Get good at that. You’ll have plenty of time for all that other noise later.

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

Eh. Again, I’m not sure it helps build your readership. I think it’s nice for readers to be able to connect with you in that way if IT’S SOMETHING YOU’RE COMFORTABLE WITH. I can’t stress that enough. If you hate what you’re doing, find some other way to accomplish the same thing. Maybe you don’t like Twitter. So don’t do it. Write a blog instead. Hang out on Facebook. Or just don’t do social media. Crazier things have happened.

Twitter followers don’t always result in book sales. Ditto for blog readers. If you’re doing social media just to try and sell books, you’re doing it wrong.

Just write a great book. Or write a mediocre book with an exciting premise. Either way, if people are interested in your story they’ll buy it/get it from the library. Writing something that makes people sit up and take notice is really the only secret to success.