Wednesday, April 30, 2014

She's Crafty: When to Query

Querying is a necessary but, at times, excruciating part of the writing (for publication) process. Gives me hives in my mind. I want to scratch but I can't. 

For me, the fun part is getting the story out of my head. Editing can even be fun because it gives the story depth and color. But querying is the beast. It's super subjective. I respect that but it also makes me paranoid, anxious, exhilarated, and mad. Straight mad. But all the best people are, right?

I'm currently querying a MG contempory adventure. Happy dance. And I'm getting requests. More dancing. I'd post a video but it isn't pretty. I've polished until my eyes wanted to bleed and I've sent what I hope is a great book that kids would love to read. 

But after I click send, the self-doubt editor inside me wants to rip each chapter apart because I believe you don't stop editing until the cover is bound around it. Then I found this fab checklist by ABLA agent Lara Perkins:


This calmed some of my self doubt and I would have loved this checklist before I queried my first manuscript. Rookie bucks spent in large rhetorical amounts. Brutal, brutal amounts. I'm grateful though, thickened my skin.

To manage the query madness that strips away the fun of writing, I'm writing another story. Too many characters fighting to get out and it helps a ton. The story consumes my thoughts and I prefer it that way. 

How do you soothe query madness?




Friday, April 25, 2014

The List: What I'm reading

So I binged again. It's a problem but I like it and my kids benefit. Here's what I bought:


 The Five Kingdoms: Sky Raiders by Brandon Mull (look at the mouth watering cover. can you taste the adventure?): LOVEd

The Shadow Throne by Jennifer Nielsen (for Lore, I heart this series): LOVED

Spirit Animals: Hunted by Maggie Stiefvater (for Bryn): This series is marketing genius. It has a website where you can do quests with your spirit animal. Bryn LOVED it.
The Twistrose Key by Tone Almhjell (again, the cover): Reading this weekend
I've read them all except The Twistrose Key. Mainly because Lauren got to it first. She's almost 12 and felt like it was too young for her. Bryn's excited to read it after me.

Wings of Fire: The Lost Heir by Tui T. Sutherland (for Bryn): It's okay. Bryn LOVED it. She loves dragons. I'm buying books 3 and 4 for her birthday.






YA:
Panic by Lauren Oliver...I didn't love it. Am I the only one?

What are you reading this weekend?








Saturday, March 15, 2014

Dear Lucky Agent Contest for Contemporary Middle Grade Fiction

What's up? It's been a while...for many busy boring reasons. I have a manuscript out with a few agents and now I play the waiting game. How to pass the time? (Besides more revision.) I started looking for some great new middle grade fiction to read and found this:

Dear Lucky Agent Contest for Contemporary MG over at GLA.

And I thought, right on. The contest ends on Tuesday, 3/18.  So if you have a finished manuscript, submit. You have nothing to lose...and if you're worried about failure, you haven't been a writer long enough. It comes with the job description. So put on your big girl panties and submit. I double dog dare you.

Also, if you've read some great Middle Grade Fiction as of late, I would love a great recommendation in the comments.

cheers