New at Writing? Query Rejection? Don't Hit Yourself!

Rejections letters should never be taken negatively. You wouldn't hit a baby, would you? Then why hit yourself in the first ten years! Let me explain.

Most rejections as a group just mean you're WRITING is not there yet. Everyone complains about the process at first, but the truth is you aren't ready to be published until you write and study craft for five years.

Five years...take that in...five years.

Ok now get ready to hear you probably won't be published for another five.

Give the baby ten years and treat your writing like a growing child. Not a particular novel but you're writing as a whole. We all start with one novel. The novel isn't the baby your writing is. Remember to handle your writing with care.

If you write YA, check out this magazine:
http://rookiemag.com/

Tiger's Curse - Home

Tiger's Curse - Home

Try this new read. The second book to come out in the series soon.

First Draft Rose Colored Glassed

I keep hearing the same song about first drafts, "Put it in a drawer." Well, my first drafts are always perfect and that is why I will have fifteen "just's" and twenty "so's" in the first fifty pages. I'm not getting any younger and no offense imaginary person neither are you sooooooooooo here are a few tips this amateur (that would be me) has learned along the past four years of reading crafts books and blogs on writing.

1. Write a rough outline you don't have to stick to and rush through the rough draft to FINISH the book.
2. Don't show anyone your first draft. (Put the puppy face away because your first draft isn't fooling anyone.)
3. Pick your favorite computer voice under system preferences/speech and have the computer read your first draft to you.
4. Dream of being famous...
5. Brain storm a second novel that has nothing to do with your first drafted book.
6. Dream of being famous...
7. Read first draft out loud. (If you can read it and don't get bored then go on to step 8 otherwise write rough draft for step 5.)
8. Have someone that is not a family member/best bud read it all the way through. Feel free to use bribery.
9. Have a few QUICK reading questions for them. Do they get the premise?
10. Bribe another to read your book and compare and contrast answers. Trust me, the same problems will come up and if they don't, someone is being too nice.

****NICE DOESN'T GET YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. IF A CRITIQUE DOESN'T HURT THEN IT IS A WASTE OF YOUR TIME. YOU HAVE TO HURT TO LEARN***

If you don't laugh at this...well...good luck then.

From newbie to professional (Query Readiness Part 3)

Here is the emotional response when you don't understand those in publishing:

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2010/09/you-cant-make-this-up.html

He not only sounds unprofessional, but a newbie and is not ready to be published. No literary agent wants to hold your hand and wipe your tears through acquisitions. Don't forget those edits too.

I beg you, don't query until your skin is ready. You might want to query that same agent another book in a year or two when you have better perspective on the industry.

Also, THINK before you respond to an agents rejection letter and then don't. If you don't have anything nice to say then shut the hell up. You're making it harder on the rest of us.

Research gives you the professional edge. Go to conferences, blog, twitter, tumblr, and get creative writing books at the library. Trust me, you can't go wrong.

The PEOPLE in Publishing (Query Readiness Part 2)

Yesterday, I blogged about how doing my research, prepared me emotionally for query rejection. Understanding the PEOPLE in the publishing industry will take the sting away, making it not personal but business.

Here are two perfect examples of that research:

http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2010/09/behind-scenes.html

http://bookendslitagency.blogspot.com/2010/09/day-in-life.html