Author & Editor Jess Verdi On Personalizing Queries

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!

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Today's guest for the SAT (Successful Author Talk) is Jessica Verdi, author of Jessica Verdi author of young adult novels and children’s books about identity, family, acceptance, and love. Jess received her MFA in Writing for Children from The New School and is a freelance editor of romance, women’s fiction, chick lit, YA, and kid lit.

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

A little of both! I start new projects as a pantster, writing down whatever comes to mind, then I pause to try to put those thoughts and ideas into some sort of coherent form or story arc, and then I go back to pantsting (is that even a word? haha) for the actual writing of the scenes. 

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

It really, really varies, depending on the project and my schedule at any given moment, but on average I’d say a year.

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

Usually just one at a time. Sometimes I have to multi-task if different projects are in different stages and there are deadlines involved, but I tend to do much better if I can give my full attention to one story at a time.

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

Yes, definitely. I had this preconceived notion that the only people who could be authors were the people who had been writing stories since they were two years old, and had a degree in comparative literature or something. I was a singer and actor at the time, and all I wanted was a creative outlet that didn’t require auditioning or getting cast in a show. So even though I had major imposter syndrome, I made myself sit down and figure out how to tell a story on a page. And I fell in love with it!

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

Two complete manuscripts. I guess third time’s a charm!

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

Yes, quite a few times, actually. I usually know it’s time to move on to something new when the current project feels like it’s missing passion. Even though writing is hard, and it can often feel like pulling teeth, I know a project is worth pursuing when I feel that little spark when I think of it being a complete, finished novel.

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

My agent is Kate McKean, vice president and agent at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency. I was referred to her by two friends of mine who are also clients of hers.

How long did you query before landing your agent? 

I queried a completely different project before querying the book that became my first published novel, so the query process lasted a couple years for me, on and off.

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

I am also an editor at Crimson Romance, a digital romance imprint at Simon & Schuster, and I read queries all day every day. So, from that perspective, I’d say definitely do your research—don’t just send mass queries to a bunch of agents at once. Address the query with the person’s name, and include a line at the beginning about why you chose to query that agent (you read an interview with them where they said they were looking for projects like yours, or you think your book is a comparable title to another book they represent, etc.). Also make sure your query is succinct, proof-read, and zeroes in on what is unique or different about your book. 

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

Wonderful! It’s such a special feeling, to know that there’s a piece of art out there in the world that came from your own brain. No one will ever be able to take that away from you!

How much input do you have on cover art?

Almost none, haha. In my experience, the design team does their thing, and only shows the author near-finished concepts. They will change something if the author has a concern about something being misinterpreted or offensive, but otherwise the author doesn’t get much of a say in the overall cover concept.

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

Something that always surprises me is how people who don’t work in publishing often have no idea what the editing process is really like. They often think “editing” means “copy editing” (fixing grammar, punctuation, etc.), and are shocked to learn how many story revisions a book will go through, and how long the process really takes, before the book is ready for publication. 

How much of your own marketing do you do?  

I do as much as I possibly can, as I do think it’s important for an author to help get the word out about their book, but I also don’t have a ton of time and resources to dedicate to marketing, especially when I’m trying to write the next book. I do have a website and social media (@jessverdi on both Twitter and Instagram), and I’ve found school visits are a good way to get the word out about a book too. 

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

I think it doesn’t hurt to establish yourself on social media beforehand, so that if an agent looks you up they can see that you’re professional and friendly. But don’t worry about getting thousands of followers or anything!

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

I’m honestly not sure. It certainly doesn’t hurt! But I also don’t think most readers rely on Twitter to find new authors or books—some social media is good, but don’t let it distract you from writing your next book! That’s the most important thing. 

The Danger In Place Names

Reality is part of what makes good fiction work. From literature of place to a post-apocalyptic view of a well known city, those little details can be part of what really drives a piece of fiction home.

Or... it can be what completely pulls the reader out.

I was recently reading a book set in Ohio, my stomping grounds. I've been here my whole life, and while I can't say I know everything about it, I do know what kinds of trees are here, what wildlife you can expect in certain parts of the state - and also what simply wouldn't be there. I know the lay of the land - literally. From the Appachian foothills in the south to the flat plains in my part of the state, I have a pretty good general idea of what Ohio looks like, where.

So when the character in the book I was reading encountered a toll road in a part of the state where there simply isn't one (it's not hard to spot - there's only one), I was completely taken out the book. Was there a toll road I didn't know about?

A quick Google search told me that no, there wasn't. And while I can't claim that it ruined the book for me (it certainly didn't), what it did do was put a speed bump in my way. I was jolted right out of the story, the narrative was broken, the fictional world I'd invested in shattered based on a simple mistake.

And that's what it is - an easy, simple mistake. I've made more than a few in my own books, so I'm not faulting the author. What I did take from this experience was the solidifying of something I've suspected for a long time... it's just easier to make shit up.

I usually set my novels in fictional towns, the generalities are covered - regional area, state, etc. - but I tend to avoid specifically stating a town or city where my characters are... and this is exactly why. I want my readers to stay invested in the world I've built around them, which is a fictional one. When what I'm trying to paint for them doesn't jive with what they know as fact, it throws a wrench in the very tenuous spell that fiction weaves.

This is personal opinion, and there are great - and true - arguments for using real settings in your fiction. If that's what you prefer to write, I completely support that.

Just make sure you know where the toll roads are.

Wednesday WOLF - Flip Your Lid

I've got a collection of random information in my brain that makes me an awesome Trivial Pursuit partner, but is completely useless when it comes to real world application. Like say, job applications. I thought I'd share some of this random crap with you in the form of another acronym-ific series. I give you - Word Origins from Left Field - that's right, the WOLF. Er... ignore the fact that the "from" doesn't fit.

Flip your lid means to explode with anger. My understanding has always been that the saying has its origins with teakettles. A teakettle left boiling too long holds a tremendous amount of steam pressure and the lid can literally flip or blow off (some people say blow your lid).

But that seemed too simple so I dug a little deeper and a lot of people seem to think that flip your lid originates with the song "Little Deuce Coupe" from the Beach Boys:

She's got a competition clutch with the four on the floor
And she purrs like a kitten till the lake pipes roar
And if that aint enough to make you flip your lid
There's one more thing, I got the pink slip daddy

Well, it's definitely there, but I kind of doubt that the Beach Boys made it up, since teakettles were around a little before they were. I'm guessing they borrowed it, and perhaps cemented the usage as a common idiom?

I can't give you a totally solid answer on this one, but my money is on the teakettle.