The Hurry-Up Offense

the hurry-up offense: In American football, an offensive strategy designed to gain as much yardage as possible while running as little time off the clock as possible.

the hurry-up manuscript: In writing, a strategy designed to put as many words on the page as possible while running as little time off the clock as possible.

If there is one thing I've learned thus far in 2010, it's that I am NOT good at the hurry-up manuscript. I admire those folks who can produce 5 or 6,000 words in a sitting, but I'm not one of them. Some writers can churn and burn, get a story on paper in a matter of days. More power to them. Seriously - wow! But I've found that when I try that, my story *feels* hurried, rushed. It has no breathing space. And I really, really like breathing space. I like luxuriating in words, letting them simmer and stew and fill my mindspace like how the smell of a pot of soup takes over your house after a few hours. This makes me a slow writer, but I've found I enjoy taking my time with a story. I don't have the opportunity to write every day, and allowing myself plenty of time with a story gives me the chance to think about my characters a lot, think about the best way to transition to the next scene, think about the path this story should take. So my promise to myself: commit no more hurry-up offenses.

How about you? Do you prefer to knock out a story quickly, while it's fresh, or let it simmer?

QueryMania!

Recently, the Guide to Literary Agents posted a query letter crafted by Sydney Salter that successfully landed her an agent. Inspired by the post, I offered to share a few successful query letters with members of the Midsouth SCBWI listserv. The response was so exciting that I decided to post the letters here!

First is a letter that I used to query Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different. In the interest of full disclosure, this query letter was ultimately *not* the path that led to Autumn's publication. (I was lucky/blessed to meet Autumn's SuperEditor at an SCBWI conference.) But this letter did result in a few requests for the full manuscript, so I feel like it might have worked on some level:

Dear Ms. Editor,

Autumn Winifred Oliver has defied death twelve times – “One for each year of my life,” she’d say. But when Gramps has a little brush with death? Mama up and cancels the family’s plans to move to Knoxville to be with Pop. Now they’re stuck in crummy Cade’s Cove - in Gramps’ house! Autumn discovers Gramps is working with some official-type folks up in Washington to bring a national park to the area. His plans will put Pop out of a job. Old Gramps is a real schemer, alright, but he’s no match for a bunch of slick politicians. He and all his neighbors lose their land in the formation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. After Gramps’ death, Autumn sees why this speck of a town has created such a hubbub. The ring of mountains surrounding the Cove doesn’t just keep the “new” out, it keeps the “old” in. It’s a town as perfectly preserved as a pickle. Maybe a national park is the only way to keep it crisp and spicy. “It’s true there’s just one road in and out of Cades Cove,” she writes her pen pal. “But a clever enough person ought know: saying there’s just one road ain’t the same as saying there’s just one way to get here.”

Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different is set in Cades Cove, Tennessee, in 1934 at the birth of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – the only national park formed from privately owned land. This story tied for fourth place in the middle-grade category in the 2005 SmartWriters.com W.I.N. Competition. Judge Alexandria LaFaye said, “Great title. Great Southern voice. Hilarious…”

My publication credits include Cricket, Spider, Guideposts for Kids, Wee Ones eMagazine, and Highlights for Children (from whom I recently received a Pewter Plate Award for Outstanding Arts Feature of 2005). I have written a number of children’s activity books for licensed characters such as Holly Hobbie, The Powerpuff Girls, Scooby-Doo, Strawberry Shortcake, and the Care Bears. My anthology, Freedom from Cruel and Unusual Punishment, was released by Greenhaven Press last year. I am a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. In 2003, I was selected as one of “Nashville’s Emerging Authors” by the Williamson County Council for the Written Word. For samples of my work, please visit www.creativefreelancewriting.com.

Would you like to see the entire manuscript for Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different? If so, please contact me at (phone number) or (email address). I’ll keep my fingers crossed that Autumn meets your needs!

My best,

Kristin O’Donnell Tubb

I tried to incorporate the voice of the book into this query letter, and I think that helped increase the number of requests I received for Autumn.

Next, here's the e-query I sent to Adams Literary for Selling Hope:

Ms. Tracey Adams

Adams Literary

Dear Ms. Adams,

I attended the SCBWI National Conference in New York in February, and was delighted to hear of your interest in historical fiction. Please find the first three chapters of Selling Hope, a young adult historical fiction novel, attached.

Fifteen-year-old Hope McDaniels wants to break free from the vaudeville circuit, and she sees opportunity blazing toward her in the nighttime sky: Halley’s Comet. On May 19, 1910, Earth will pass through the tail of Halley’s Comet. Many believe this to be the end of days. Hope believes this to be her jackpot. [She and pal Buster Keaton begin to peddle anti-comet pills.]

The passing of Earth through the tail of Halley’s Comet has been described as the world’s first case of mass hysteria. The “abundant” media, combined with the clashing of hold-over Victorian sensibilities with Industrial-age objectivity, created a spark that made May, 1910, one very interesting month. (And yes, there truly was an enterprising young soul who profited from the sale of comet pills!)

My middle grade historical fiction novel, Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different, will be released this October by Delacorte Press. I’ve also penned over a dozen activity books for children, many for licensed characters like Scooby-Doo, Lisa Frank, PowerPuff Girls and Holly Hobbie. I won the Highlights Magazine Pewter Plate award for Outstanding Arts Feature for “They’ll Be Back,” a story that appeared in the June 2005 issue of Highlights. My work has also appeared in Guideposts for Kids and Spider Magazine.

After reviewing your website, I was excited to see that your goal is to represent authors, not books. In that regard, I feel our goals are similar, and hope that we’ll have the opportunity to work together.

If Selling Hope interests you, please contact me at (phone number) or (email address). I will keep my fingers crossed that Selling Hope makes you smile!

All best,

Kristin O'Donnell Tubb

Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different, October 14, 2008 from Delacorte Press

Please visit my website: www.kristintubb.com

Please visit my blog: www.kristintubb.blogspot.com

It's a little embarrassing to see these two queries side-by-side, as they are so similar! But I suppose it worked: I am now represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary, or as I often refer to him, SuperAgent. And a few things to note: Selling Hope is now a middle-grade novel, with a 13-year-old protagonist. Thank you, Hopeful SuperEditor! Also, the bracketed portion above was edited from the original query letter - it was a bit of a plot spoiler! :-)

Also note: the sale of both Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different and Selling Hope went to editors I met at SCBWI conferences. Too, I queried Adams Literary after seeing Ms. Adams speak at a conference. A definite pattern! :-)

Query letters are an art much more akin to journalism than creative writing: put the most important information first (the lead, or "lede" if you're old-school), which is of course the plot of your book. (In the Selling Hope example above, I felt introducing myself first was appropriate.) Also like journalism: keep it brief, add the "who/what/when/where/why/how" of you and your book, then wrap it up. All in one page. Whew! :-)

If you're interested in getting feedback on your query letter, post it in the comments section and I'll be more than happy to give you my thoughts! Hope this post was helpful!

1910 vs. 2010

Happy New Year! 100 years ago, the talk on New Year's Day 1910 was likely, "Will Halley's Comet be the death of us this year?" Earth was to sail through the tail of the comet on May 18/19, 1910, and no one *really* knew what their fate might be. SELLING HOPE, which comes out this fall from Feiwel & Friends, is set against that backdrop. It sounds like an overreaction now, sure, but was 1910 really all that different from 2010?

1910: afraid that Earth traveling through the tail of Halley's Comet will bring about the end of the world

2010: afraid that the Mayan calendar ending in 2012 will bring about the end of the world

1910: vaudeville actors tap into this fear by writing skits and songs about the comet

2010: Hollywood taps into this fear with movies like 2012

1910: yellow journalists fan a spark of fear into infernos

2010: !!! (see any local newscast or paper to see if this changed)

There are more similarities, I'm certain, but I'm off to build a bomb shelter...

And now, the fun stuff: what are your writing resolutions this year? One of mine: to challenge myself by writing in a new genre. Care to share yours?

Happy 2010, all!

Below is a guest post from Cindy Hudson, author of BOOK BY BOOK: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO CREATING MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUBS. I had the honor of being included in the book after I contacted Cindy, asking if she'd like to review a copy of AUTUMN WINIFRED OLIVER DOES THINGS DIFFERENT for her club. Little did I know she had her own book in the works! I was beyond delighted when she asked if she could include little ole Autumn and me in her "Authors Who Are Book-Club Friendly" round-up. Thank you again, Cindy! And now, take it, Cindy:

Nearly nine years ago when I started my first book club with my oldest daughter, we weren’t worried about finding enough good books that would entertain us both. For years I had been reading classics out loud to both of my daughters. Charlotte’s Web and other E.B. White books were our favorites, as were The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum and Mrs. Piggle Wiggle by Betty MacDonald. But when we began to read as part of a group we started to look at the books we read in a new light. Suddenly it became important for us to choose books that moms and daughters would both enjoy reading and would give us things to talk about too.

We also realized that a lot of books geared to children were either too heavy or too light on the issues for our group taste. Like Goldilocks and her search for the just-right porridge, we wanted just-right books. We were not alone in our quest. While there are no figures to pin down the exact number of mother-daughter book clubs in the U.S., all signs point to their growing trend. New groups are forming in libraries and meeting in private homes. They are also gathering in bookstores and coffee shops. These clubs are all different in many ways, but they all have one common factor: two generations of readers who want to be entertained and engaged. Fortunately, book clubs have more than the classics to choose from, as there appears to be no shortage of authors currently penning new works that appeal to a wide age range.

What makes a book good for all ages? The best books for readers who range from elementary school students to moms and grandmas will have meaning on more than one level. This means the girls will be able to grasp parts of the story that resonate with them based on their ages, while the moms may be able to pick up deeper currents at work. For instance, when my daughter’s group read Millions, by Frank Cottrell Boyce, the girls identified with young Damien, who was trying to find his way in the world after his mother died. The moms could see Damien’s situation from a parent’s perspective, and we could also understand Damien’s dad’s struggle.

Timeless themes are interesting to most everyone. Friendship, family relationships, honor, self-reliance, moral dilemmas, and love are some of the issues most of us deal with at some point in our lives. It can be helpful to see how characters in a book deal with those same issues and then talk about them in a group. When my younger daughter’s book club read Bloomability by Sharon Creech, we were able to talk about a child’s fear of abandonment, making new friends, and finding self-confidence and independence.

Books with a range of issues are also more likely to appeal to the multiple personality types that usually exist among the younger and older generations in a group. And to some extent, disagreement about the issues is what makes for a lively discussion. If everyone in the book club has the same opinion of what they read, there’s nothing to talk about. This happened to us when we read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. We all generally liked it, but after the girls got through saying “Edward is the perfect boy,” and giving details about how they thought he was perfect, there was nothing left to discuss. Even though the moms wanted to talk about the dangers of giving up everything you know in life for a boy, the girls were not engaged in that discussion.

What else are mother-daughter book clubs looking for? When possible, they want to connect with the authors of the books they read. In my clubs, we’ve invited authors who live nearby to our meetings, and we’ve visited them at bookstore readings. Other clubs I know of connect through Skype, phone conference calls, and email. Club members love talking with authors, because they get insight into the characters and plot of the book. The advantage to authors? Feedback on how readers interpret what they wrote and ideas for the future. Authors may also gain loyal readers who are willing to pick up anything new that they write. I know we’ll continue to anticipate and buy new works from Gennifer Choldenko, Zlata Filipovic, Markus Zusak and Laura Whitcomb because we connected with them personally in our book clubs.

Authors looking to interact with mother-daughter book clubs can find them through local libraries and bookstores. They can also let book bloggers and others reviewing their books know they are willing to connect with groups. Personal websites are another way to encourage readers to get in touch. Book group members wanting to meet authors can read local news listing authors’ bookstore appearances, and they can often get in touch with authors directly through their websites.

The symbiotic relationship between mother-daughter book club members and writers has the potential to grow in the years to come. Both benefit when they connect over great books.

Cindy Hudson is the author of Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs (Seal Press, October 2009). She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two daughters. Visit her online at www.MotherDaughterBookClub.com and www.MotherDaughterBookClub.wordpress.com.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Writers often hear the advice, "Never, ever throw anything away!" I agree, and wanted to share a little bit about how I've reduced, reused, and recycled things from a writing perspective:

-In 2007, a nonfiction article I wrote about the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade was in Spider magazine. I had plenty of research on the topic, and decided to try my hand at writing an historical fiction picture book about the same subject. I'm proud of the story that resulted and feel like it has a really good chance at someday being in the hands of a reader! My critique group partner, Rae Ann Parker, has recently done this same thing with her research on the Natchez Trace. RRR Lesson: use your research for more than one project.

-Also regarding Spider magazine, they once asked me to take a few characters I'd created and write several additional short stories with thoughts of possibly turning it into a book. While the book didn't pan out, they did end up buying several more of the stories, and Iggy and Sal, Pest Detectives, will appear in three issues in 2010! Yay! RRR Lesson: Good characters = series/serial potential.

-While I was writing SELLING HOPE (due next fall from Feiwel & Friends - yip!), I came up with a character named Glory. I fell in love with her - she's a special needs character who doesn't think twice about telling you The Truth As Glory Sees It. But she wasn't right for SELLING HOPE. So instead, I moved her to a WIP, an early middle grade mystery in which she became the protagonist's next door neighbor. The perfect fit! RRR Lesson: Good characters can find a home in a number of stories.

-I've had this metaphor stuck in my head since I wrote it in a journal in college (!) : two people who, like jigsaw puzzle pieces, seem to fit together perfectly at first, but then when you hold them up to scrutiny, you see that there are gaps where they don't meet and spots where the fit is simply too tight. (Too, pieces forced together like that are difficult to pry apart.) I've never been able to use it in a story, but while researching my latest MG novel set on Route 66, I've discovered that a popular tourist spot is a jigsaw puzzle factory! Maybe this one will finally make the cut! RRR Lesson: There is a time and a place for EVERY chunk of your writing.

-Blog posts seem like they would find a great home again in an SCBWI regional newsletter, or your church bulletin, or your alumni publications. RRR Lesson: Shop your words and see if you can build a larger readership.

So, you tell me: have you ever recycled your writing/research/characters? If so, how?

Fifty for Friends of the Smokies!

First, a big THANK YOU to everyone who commented on the post below; there were 39 valid comments (and one not-so-valid comment that has since been deleted!). I've decided to round up the dollar-per-comment total to an even $50 to Friends of the Smokies. Again, thanks for the thoughts/cheers/overall great vibes. I am blessed.

And, a thought for the Mad Men fans out there: as the characters on this amazingly written show demonstrate, everyone is a mixture of good and bad. In order to keep us rooting for these characters, we have to see more good than bad. But in order to keep watchers watching (or, in our case, readers reading), there HAS to be plenty of (believable!) bad. It's hard to get those good characters into tight spots, but we have to do that - get them dirty, have them make horrible, questionable choices, have us wonder how they can get out of these scrapes with dignity, grace, and above all, hope. Your characters have bad traits, just like every other person in the world. So, what are they? Do dish! ;-)

What I’ve learned in my first year as a published author

As of today, October 14, 2009, Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different (Delacorte) has been out exactly one year. Here’s what I’ve learned over the past 365 days:

-Your friends and your family will be your top salespersons. They will pass your name and title along to their bookstore/library/teacher. They will come to your booksignings. They will review your book on Amazon and in other places. We love them for doing this. Remember to say thank you. (Thank you, friends and family! J)

-At any given moment, it will be difficult to know how many books you’ve sold. Royalty statements come out twice a year. Too, publishing houses have four months to compile and mail these statements. So for my book that came out last October, I’ve received one royalty statement, reflecting sales between October 2008 and December 2008. But if you have an awesome editor (as I just so happen to have!), you can ask her intermittently for an update.

-The rankings on Amazon are as addictive as caffeine and should be avoided as such. I say this as a raving coffee addict. But seriously, they reflect only the ranking of your book as it relates to sales of other books IN THAT HOUR. There are sites that track your Amazon ranking over time, but these appear to take your average sales rank by day, not your top rank of the day. Stay *away* from the sales rank. If you can.

-Speaking of Amazon, many, many readers prefer to give their business to local, independent bookstores (yay, indies!) Support your indies by asking them to host your launch parties (see more below) and visiting and purchasing from them often. Too, link to www.indiebound.org on your website – give your site visitors the option to purchase from whomever they choose.

-Bad reviews sting and good ones make you feel like a superstar. You have control over neither.

-Book bloggers rock. They live to read and discuss books. Find them and talk books with them (and not just yours!). They are wondermous.

-Social networking sites rock. These are FREE outlets that help you promote your book and (more importantly) connect with others in the kidlit community. Utilize them. They are worth your time.

-Things that have not been worth the time (as far as I can tell):

---Mailing postcards to bookstores and gift shops in the area in which the story is set (but note here – contacting them in other ways, like via email, has been fruitful).

---Contacting media in areas in which you are doing a signing UNLESS this is done early enough to get on the community calendar (in other words, don’t expect the paparazzi at your signings).

---Agreeing to/trying to do too much – as in all areas of life, spreading yourself too thin means nothing gets your full attention.

-Getting your book into specialty stores is time-consuming, but can be worth it. Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different is an historical fiction account of the beginnings of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I’m grateful that the book is now available for sale in the park bookstores. But getting there took months of review and a unanimous vote from the buying committee. Be prepared for specialty stores (like tourist attractions and gift stores) to take a lot of time if you wish to break into them. Too, the salespeople within your publishing house have little if any time to devote to a location that *might* purchase 8 copies of just your book (understandably), so you will likely be doing much of this legwork yourself.

-Doing more than two bookstore signings in any one community might stretch your audience too thin. The first two signings I did in each community were well-attended; the third rarely was.

-BUT: do more than one launch party, if you can. I did two in my hometown, and one in the town where I grew up. All were wonderful; all sold out. I’m blessed with wonderful friends and family (see point one).

-Librarians rule the world. They love writers; I have yet to meet one who doesn’t. You can track your book in libraries throughout the world by visiting www.worldcat.org and clicking through individual libraries to see if your book is checked out! Too awesome.

-School visits are exhausting, but are so totally worth it. Kids love meeting authors, and you will never feel more like a rock star than when you do school visits. If possible, see if you can sell books at the visit, though honestly, many schools frown upon this (which is understandable – it’s difficult when not every child can afford a new hardback book). Always bring postcards to the visit (enough for each child in your presentation, even if that’s hundreds) and ask teachers to put these in the backpacks to send home. I’ve had many parents thank me for doing this; they want to buy the books of the author who visited their school, if they can.

-You can always do more. It can really stress you out at times, thinking of all the things you COULD do to promote your book. Be creative, have fun, but don’t let it sweep you away from the important things.

-All the work? It’s worth it when you get emails that say things like this:

---“I am by no means a professional book reviewer, but coming from someone who reads a lot of books for this age group, I LOVED your book! I started to tear up when Autumn heard those 53 bell rings and kept crying right up until the end!” Fourth-grade teacher from Kentucky

---“I really love reading your books and I really like the front cover.” Third-grader from a school at which I did a school visit

---“I like to write and thought that one day I might be an author like you. I have written a few stories. I have been wondering if you and I could keep in touch. I really liked your book!” Girl from a school at which I did a school visit

---“i loved your book autumn winifried oliver does things different….I loveeeeee tennessee, and i understand you live there. My mom grew up there and half my family lives there, but guess what i'm stuck here in georgia!!!!!" 10-year-old reader (my favorite part – look at how “Winifred” is spelled! :-) )

I love this job. I hope I am blessed enough to do this forever.

And NOW: in celebration of Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different’s one-year anniversary, I will make a $1.00 donation to Friends of the Smokies for EACH VALID COMMENT I receive in the comment section of this post between now and October 31. GO! :-)

Thank you again, friends and family.

Photos from the 2009 National Book Festival

I'm honored/delighted/ecstatic-to-the-point-of-obnoxiousness that Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different was selected by the Tennessee State Library to represent the State of Tennessee at the 2009 National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.! My dear friend Lauren Trew and her beautiful daughters Bess and Emma took these photos for me:

Above is the Pavilion of States, which housed all 50 states. Each state chose a single children's book to represent their state. Autumn keeps glorious company; my friend Hester Bass's book, The Secret World of Walter Anderson, was selected to represent the State of Mississippi.

And there she is! Autumn, hanging under a glorious "Tennessee" banner! I am a native Tennessean, and I still reside here. I am so honored that Autumn was chosen as its ambassador!

Keeping a To-Do List for Your Novel

When you write - especially, I assume, when you write often - you develop work habits unique to you.  At least, I *thought* that making a to-do list for my novel was my own little neurotic way of making sure all those plot strings got snipped or tied or woven somehow.  But in a recent #kidlit chat via Twitter (find past transcripts here), I discovered that others do this, too. 

It’s a handy revision tool, a to-do list, and it reads like, well, my Saturday afternoon chore list might.  So presented below, part of the to-do concocted when going through the first round of revisions for Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different (there were four rounds total).  What’s interesting to me is that some of this content never made it into the book, and other parts were edited out completely.  For instance, I decided against having Autumn be a “ghost child” – that is, having her brush with death scare everyone.  It detracted too much from the focus of the plot.  But other parts most assuredly made it in, and some of them are my favorite scenes in the book.

Autumn to-do list

-2 new chapters:  both, bridging the gap between pro-park and anti-park. 

-Next chapter:  list (see white notebook sheet) and write Rockefeller. 

-Chapter after that:  town meeting, under schoolhouse.  (See nrw notes)

-beef up ending: 

-but these old mountains aren’t as strong as they used to be.  Airplanes, weathered down

-no panthers, no chestnuts, no Cherokee, no gramps…maybe this place is changing, after all

-perfectly preserved as a pickle (see synopsis here)

-looking at gravesite – knowing right and wrong didn’t seem to take.  Can’t always tell what’s right and what’s wrong. 

-aunt Lydia still mad at me for leaving her in the dog trot

-mention cody’s rock collection at least one more time, and earlier

-after tilly’s proposal – have other widows in crowd mad cause they didn’t think of it first.  Gramps is kinda a big shot around here, being a widower and his dealings on the park.  Will likely be rich someday.  A good catch

-play up autumn being a “ghost child” more – not everyone knows she’s still alive.  Have them pinch her, etc.  when they see her

-look to increase the struggle over the move in with gramps – maybe mama doesn’t want to move to Knoxville…

-play up the food scene with gramps to show more of mama’s relationship with him.  Gramps eats during prayer.  Katie in here, too – show some likeability

-end of star scene – maybe take autumn’s approval of cody out?  She’s quick to judge him.

-hint earlier – park going awry, autumn is only one who knows.  She suspects col. Earlier?

-make col. More evil by having him break one of the superstitions.

-look back at earlier version (chapter 26, then) when cody has fit over gramps’ treatment of peter…add back in? 

-emphasize the chestnut trees disappearing…

-make gramps feel responsible for losing everyone’s homes, though no one blames him.

-double-check that FDR was standing in 1934.

-include picture of pine trees in Gramps’ coffin

-make sure there are markets in nyc on 53rd

-beef up letters chapter – see nrw notes – more scenery, etc. 

-eliminate all mention of “donation” in end notes

-last few chapters – keep her worried about jobs, homes!

-Introduce lawyer – Gramps hires with his own money to fight for everyone.  Spends his entire savings. 

-(chapter 16)HERE:  NEED GRAMPS TO GATHER AND SELL STUFF TO SAVE HIS FAMILY NAME; PAY FOR FANCY LAWYERS, GIVE TO FOLKS TO PAY BILLS, ETC (second part below…).  INTRO LAWYER HERE.   

-be sure and include that they don’t know what’s going to happen, or when.  They might get to stay there forever, or they might get kicked out next week.  The hard part was not knowing. 

Whew!  Looking back, that looks like the whole book! J  Once I completed the item, I crossed it off in my computer using a strike-through over the font – very satisfying!  Every one of those items was crossed off in some manner.  I used this same technique for the upcoming Selling Hope.  I’m starting a new novel now, and looking at the list above reminds me just how much work (and fun!) lies ahead.

So, do *you* keep a to-do list for your works-in-progress?  If so, care to share a snippet or two from it?  

Autumn Comes to Life!

My talented and uber-supportive illustrator friend, Alison Davis Lyne, does "Visual Book Reviews" - she reviews titles by illustrating scenes that appeal to her from the text.  And totally cool - she reviewed Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different!  Click through here to see Autumn brought to life!  

Thank you, Alison!  What a fantastic idea, and how truly wonderful to see Autumn in all her messy glory!  :-)  

Check out the rest of Alison's site here.  Her paintings are so detailed, and the colors pop right off the scene.  Alison, you have a true gift.  

WHY "show, not tell"

I was recently reading a short story that just didn't keep me interested, and I finally figured out why:  the story was full of TELLING details, instead of SHOWING details.  I'm (kinda) paraphrasing here, but the protagonist thinks at one point, "I'm sad that I hurt my wife.  She deserves better."  

Anyone who has ever read a book on the craft of writing or attended a writing conference has likely heard the piece of advice, "show, don't tell."  For instance, the sentence above *could've* been more along the lines of, "Thinking about what I did to her... no!  I can't even think about it.  It makes me sick to my stomach."  We understand through showing details that he feels remorse. 

But why is showing more powerful than telling?  It occurred to me, when I read this story, that no one is so in touch with their emotions that they can pinpoint what they are feeling at any given moment.  In other words, when your spouse leaves a coffee cup half-filled with coffee in his office for three days >ahem!<, you don't think to yourself, "I'm so angry at him!"  No, instead you think, "Honestly?  Does he know where the sink is?"  

Showing is more honest, and honesty in fiction is power.  Showing allows us to *be* the main character, rather than *hear* him/her.  Showing doesn't hit you over the head with an emotion ("I'm sad."), it allows you to feel that emotion.  And nothing rewards your readers more than that.  

Deciding What to Work on Next

I'm on the second round of edits for SELLING HOPE, and *should* have them back to my editor this week.  But then, what next?  I've been researching two stories simultaneously, one a middle-grade road trip tale, the other a nonfiction picture book.  I've concentrated more on the mg story to this point, because, well, it's what I know - I lurve middle grade historical fiction.  (This one is half contemporary/half historical.)  My heart is in this project, but I'm currently struggling with the plot. Sometimes that can be good - some of my best solutions have come only after wrestling with the plot.  And authors are constantly told that writing 3 or 4 books of a similar type (ie, middle grade historical) is smart in order brand oneself.    

But my head says that the picture book can be researched faster (yes, even though it's nonfiction) and I have a very good feeling about its marketability (in other words, I think publishers will really like the idea.)  And it's not that I'm totally emotionless about this book - far from it.  The idea of it, and how I picture it being executed, gives me that itchy writer's feeling of "Yes! That must be written!"  And, too, maybe it would be nice to change gears for awhile - you know, get the sparks flying from a different piece of flint.     

So - which one to work on next - the heart or the head? The sloppy, messy, heart-driven book, or the practical, marketable change-of-pace?  How do *you* decide what to work on next?  And by all means, voice your opinion on my next project in the comments section!  Please?  ;-)  

On Running Out of Ideas

Every writer gets asked the question, "So, how do keep from running out of ideas?"  The funniest (and truest) answer I've read in response is from author Martha Bennett Stiles: 

"By not dying.  I have more ideas that I had meant to get to than I have time left."

Perfect!   Ideas are everywhere, inspiration in everyone.  

(This quote originally appeared in BORDERLINES, the quarterly newsletter of the Midsouth SCBWI.  Martha Bennett Stiles is the author of DARKNESS OVER THE LAND, THE STAR IN THE FOREST, SARAH THE DRAGON LADY, ISLAND MAGIC, and the upcoming SAILING TO FREEDOM, THE RUNAWAY ADVENTURES OF ALLIE AND RAY, Henry Holt, 2011.  Watch for it - Ms. Stiles is an incredible writer and a wonderful human being.)

Greetings, Amazon!

I have a blog.  Why not announce that fact from atop the largest stump in the world?  Greetings, Amazon shoppers!  Please swing by my blog and tell me how *you* do things different!  

The Hidden Benefits of Having an Agent

In the world of children's publishing, it isn't necessary to have a literary agent in order to get a book published.  Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different sold without the assistance of an agent.  Not to say I didn't *want* one - it just, well, happened that way.  And I've loved every interaction I've had with Delacorte.

But now I have an agent.  And not just any agent - SuperAgent.  But I digress.  My reason for this post is to point out that there are many reasons why having an agent is a good idea, beyond the "hey, maybe they can get me more money" and "they have some pretty great contacts" and "agents know contracts." All good reasons, yes, but there are others:

-Agents make the wheels turn FAST.  Before I joined forces with SuperAgent, I was accustomed to waiting anywhere from 3 to 9 months for a response.  Through an agent, the response time has narrowed to - 3 weeks?  Sometimes not even that.  

-Agents can submit electronically to their contacts.  When submitting to houses prior to having an agent, I was spending hundreds of dollars a year in postage and printing costs.  Now I email manuscripts to SuperAgent, who forwards them accordingly.  Verr niiice.

-Agents are great at helping you figure out your career priorities.  I love all kinds of writing.  All kinds.  It's nice to have someone who can help me focus my energies onto the projects that sound most promising.

-Agents can go to bat for you when you're freaking out.  Most writers know this is a good reason to have representation, but imagine if you were the writer described here.  Danke, agent!  

-Agents don't just "know people" - they are match-makers.  They want to pair writers with publishing houses in a way that creates careers.  They, like you, want the publishing house to want your next book.  And the next.  And the next.  

I know there are reasons I've missed, but these are the reasons why I'm thankful for SuperAgent *this* week.  :-)  Please, list any reasons I've overlooked!  

SELLING HOPE update!

Hi, all!  I just recently found out that Selling Hope: Or, Gaining Glorious Asylum from Mr. Halley's Fiery Beast has been bumped UP to be a Fall 2010 release!  Woot!  And Hopeful Editor even mentioned starting on the cover art! Cover art! *swoons* I love this crazy publishing biz!  

Marketing eBooks: Or, Will Booksignings Go Bye-Bye?

There's been a rumbling about ebooks on a couple of my favorite blogs this week:  check out Nathan Bransford's post about releasing a text in electronic format only *after* it's been in hard back for a few weeks.  Also, check out a great (new!) blog called Pimp My Novel, which discusses the $9.99 price point for ebooks.

All interesting.  But all this echatter started my wheels turning in *this* direction:  if ebooks truly are our future, how does an author best promote his/her titles?  As (correctly) pointed out to me by "AM" in Mr. Bransford's comment section, an author can cost-effectively reach thousands of potential readers through blog tours and websites.  And there are many wonderful ones out there, but the King is, of course, the distributor:  Amazon.  And if all authors are competing for space on the Almighty Amazon, who do you think will win?  Prolly not debut authors, when Stephen King has a new kid on the block.  Prolly not a midlister, when Stephanie Meyer waxes poetic.  

I don't mean to sound bitter, I'm truly wondering how it might work.  Limited distribution channels mean limited opportunities for author promotion.  

And, too, taking this to an extreme:  will booksignings fall by the wayside?  I insist on stubbornly clinging to the idea that readers *like* meeting an author in person.  And getting something signed.  

Because as much as I love my Kindle, I love my signed books even more.  

Please, weigh in!  :-)  

Taking a Vacay from Writing Rules

It’s peak vacay season, and in the spirit of all things sunscreeny and coconutty, I thought it’d be fun to compile a list of all those pesky writing rules we writers would like to break away from every once in awhile (grammatical structure of previous sentence included in said vacation – ahem!).  So, here are some rules to think about breaking on a “writing rule vacay:”

-Mixing Metaphors.  As welcome as a soft chair at the end of a touchdown.

-Clichés.  Why think outside the box when cookie-cutter solutions are staring you in the face?

-Subject/Verb Disagreement.  Because sometimes the expressions that we pour our heart into just needs freedom. 

-Exclamation Points!  In excess!!!  Because you CAN!!!!!!

-DITTO ALL CAPS!!!!

-Sentence Fragments.  Yeah.  Went there.  Did that. 

-Adverbs.  Who among us doesn’t truly, wholly, and thoroughly miss them? 

-Overwrought Phrases.  Just the thought of them makes my pulse quicken, my heart race, and tears of joy leap into my once-dead but now – maybe, now? – glistening, glimmering eyes.

-Passive Verbs.  Because those sentences were constructed by us to be that way, that’s why. 

-POV Hopping.  You shouldn’t have to stay in one person’s head the entire time.  I rather enjoy knowing what other people think.

-Plotlessness.  Because following a story that never goes anywhere can be

-Two-Dimensional Characters.  For real – don’t we all know someone we suspect is really 2D in the privacy of his/her own home? 

And finally:

-Rhetorical Questions.  Why not?

Do you have a few you’d like to add?  Please, comment away!  J  

Word of the Day

"chert:" waste that is removed from mines.  Think piles of rock dragged out of a hole and heaped in far-away fields.

Kinda reminds you of the revision process, right?  Digging through that first draft, getting rid of piles of rock you don't need, in order to find the gems.  

Chert. It has to be there, and you have to get rid of it.   

Revision Tips at Cuppa Jolie

Jolie Stekly, writer and all-around cool person, has a great blog called Cuppa Jolie.  Drink it up here.  I was recently asked to give my favorite revision tip.  Hop on over and check it out!  :-)