Writing Lessons In The Form Of Stitches

So there was a thing that happened to me and the thing is that I put my arm through some plate glass. There was a screen door swinging shut in front of me, and apparently my kickboxing instructor has done a great job of teaching me how to identify an opponent's weakest points, because I straight-armed that door in exactly the right place to make it shatter. I watched it go, saw a huge piece dangling right above my arm and thought, Oh, this could be bad, and then it fell, guillotine style, and yes, it was bad.

Now, I've always kind of mocked heroes in movies who get shot and stabbed, then run a lot and win big prizes and often have sex shortly thereafter. I'm like, um no, that person is in pain. They are not doing any of those things. On the other hand I've been told that being cut by a very sharp object doesn't hurt, and have always been somewhat dubious of that fact.

I'm here to tell you it doesn't hurt. In fact, it's so misleadingly doesn't hurt that you think you're just fine until you hear the blood dripping off your elbow. I grabbed the boyfriend and bled through three kitchen towels, all while he told me not to look at it (I didn't tell him I already had, and found it fascinating) and tried to find the keys.

The conversation on the drive to the ER went like this:

B/F: How are you feeling?
Me: I'm fine.
B/F: Okay, keep your arm up.
Me: I am. I didn't know Family Dollar was open this late.
B/F: Are you sure you're okay?
Me: I'm fine.
B/F: Keep breathing.
Me: Um, okay.

Then my mom texted because I had texted her saying that I was headed to the ER and could she please come over and put all the pets out because I didn't want them running through broken glass. That conversation went like this:

Mom: WHAT HAPPENED?
Me: I broke the door with my hand.
Mom: WHERE ARE YOU?
Me: Almost to ER. I'm fine.
Mom: THERE IS BLOOD ALL OVER IT'S RUNNING DOWN THE CUPBOARDS (then she followed that up with heart emoticons. I don't know if she was asking if it was arterial blood or letting me know she loves me).
Me: Yeah I know, there's a bunch in the sink too.
(long pause)
Mom: MINDY YOU ARE NOT FINE.

I get to the ER and walk in, arm in the air, bloody dishtowels dangling, and am immediately redirected to registration even though boyfriend told the nurse I needed attention right away. She said since I walked in under my own power and could talk fine they'd rather I'd do the paperwork first. He tried to explain to them that I would probably walk and talk even if I'd been decapitated, and I was already done with the paperwork by the time he finished. (I did drop some nice big blood spatters on it to make a point though).

Got a room. Got a bed. Got my feet up. Got comfortable.

Then they took away the dishtowels and the nurse said. "Um..." and left, to reappear with a doctor who had me do some hand exercises and told me to stop looking at the wound while I did.

Me: Why?
Dr: Because you're cut down to the muscle. I can see it moving.
Me: Really? *leans forward*
Dr: Seriously, you shouldn't look.
Me: Too late.
B/F: I have no idea how you can be so calm right now.
Nurse: Her blood pressure hasn't even gone up.

I tried to get the boyfriend to take a picture of the open wound, but he refused. The doctor stitched me up (two internal, twelve external) and asked what I do for a living, and I explained and he just shook his head and said that made a weird kind of sense.

I was back home in 90 minutes, cleaned, stitched, and honestly, a little bored. My mom had cleaned up all my blood and the shattered glass, so there was nothing for me to do except go to bed, which seemed somewhat anticlimactic. But I did.

So I learned something. You really can be badly injured, lose a lot of blood, and maintain an even strain. I didn't defeat the bad guys after being wounded, but I did fill out a lot of insurance paperwork quickly and efficiently, so there's that.

And no, there's no pictures for this blog entry. I've been told some people don't like to look at injuries.

I don't understand.

Successful Author Talk with Tracy Edward Wymer & The 100 Queries That Came First

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 Tracy Edward Wymer, a member of the Class of 2k16 whose MG novel, SOAR releases July 5th from Aladdin / Simon & Schuster.

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

I’m both, or in between. I plan out with running lists or chapter titles, which I call a “Set List.” However, I don’t do too much planning. Finding out what happens next is what brings me back to every story. 

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

This can vary dramatically. It can take two years, it can take 6 months. I typically take longer than most of my peers, from what I can tell. 

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

I’m a multi-tasker. I’m usually working on a couple of projects; however, I tend to research for one project while drafting another. Drafting two novels at once doesn’t seem to work for me. 

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

Not really. I’ve been writing since high school. Back then, I wrote poetry about famous athletes. Yeah, it was terrible. But I was writing and it felt good, even back then. 

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

I self-published a book called The Color of Bones. I then found an agent with my next book, which came to be known eventually as Soar.

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

I have several half-baked manuscripts. I know it’s time when I stop thinking about it. That’s my writer brain telling me to move on. If a story captures me completely, you can find me walking around in a fog, which is then not good for my other professional life. 

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

My agent is John Rudolph of DGLM. I sent a query to him for a novel called Bird Nerd. He loved it and I signed with him. We worked on the book for at least six months, then he submitted it to editors. We received two rounds of rejections. I then changed the title to Might Fly Away, right before the third and final round of submissions. I had reservations about Bird Nerd as the title, because the story was more “literary” than the title suggested. This time, the novel sold to Aladdin/S&S. Once the book sold, with the Aladdin team’s guidance, we changed the title again, this time to Soar.   

How long did you query before landing your agent?  

I sent over 100 queries for The Color of Bones. I had a lot of requests for my full manuscript, but no one ever wanted to represent me or that book. With Soar, I also sent at least 50 queries before an agent loved it. 

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

Keep querying. It’s a numbers game. Liking a story, or book, is one of the most subjective ideas on the planet. There’s the premise, the writing, the characters, the setting. There are so many moving parts, readers are bound to not like something about your story. Be persistent, but always remain professional. Don’t query the same agent with the same project more than once. That’s just being unprofessional. 

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

When strangers read your book, it is just that… a strange feeling. As far as seeing your book for sale, it’s an out of body experience, one I’ll probably never get used to. 

How much input do you have on cover art?

I asked my editor to not put a kid on the front cover. I’m not a fan of cartoony looking kids on covers. Now, silhouettes of kids on book covers are all the rage. I’m so happy that Brian (Biggs) and the Aladdin team created something different, a kid’s shadow, which also communicates a meaningful action. 

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

It takes a long time. Longer than you will ever think. 

How much of your own marketing do you?  

I connect with educators and librarians all the time. They are my people. I love talking books with teachers. I have a website and a Twitter account. 

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

You should be connecting with people professionally from day one. Don’t wait until you’re published. Entrench yourself in the writing and book communities. It will pay off when the time comes. 

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

Yes. Educators and book lovers are all over social media. You just have to spend time finding them. Then once you find them, you have reach out and make connections with people. Social media connects everyone, make it work in your favor. And always say positive. If you don’t have anything positive to say, bite your tongue. 

Inspiring With The Aspiring

I spent the weekend with the Buffalo-Niagara SCBWI group, a growing chapter in New York. It was a great experience, with editor Alyson Heller (Simon & Schuster), agent Brianne Johnson (Writer's House), and MG authors Dee Romito, Jennifer Maschari, Janet Sumner Johnson, and YA authors Kate Karyus Quinn, Demitria Lunetta, Janet McNally, and adult author Alyssa Palombo.

I've always been a fan of giving back, partly because I met an amazing group of authors on the forum AgentQueryConnect that were a step or two ahead of me, and were a great resource for me as I climbed to join them. Now, I can do that for others.

And while I went to the conference planning to be a giver, I ended up taking a bit away myself. I've been in a bit of a writing slump lately, having just finished a first draft and wrapped up an edit. I took most of May off to take a breather, but rolling into June I was still feeling a bit of a drag.

I've got to put an edit on that first draft, and I have to admit I'm not looking forward to it. I've taken the steps - ordered books to help with beefing up some research, compiled feedback from multiple critique partners. But I haven't taken the step were I actually read the words I wrote... mostly because I don't feel like doing the heavy lifting of editing.

What I needed was a reminder that writing is re-writing.

As I moved from table to table talking over multiple projects with aspiring writers, I watched their faces as they moved through the natural reactions that come with a little criticism.

1) Um, no.
2) Wait... I see what you're saying.
3) Holy crap, that could really improve my project.

From table to table, question to question (Why not make this MG? Are you sure that's picture book material? Can you age that character up / down? How married are you to the illness angle? Don't you think you're packing too much in there?) I watched different reactions, most people landing on that last place... one where you realize a suggestion from someone else could make a big difference in your work.

I left the conference much more open to some of the feedback I received from my critique partners, and reinvigorated to do the heavy lifting that I'd been putting off.

And I also mean that literally, since I haven't been to the gym in a week...