My good friend, Kelley, asked me to write a post for her blog, Scribbleweed. To read about why I would or would not do NaNoWriMo...please visit her site and feel free to make a comment :)
Thanks!
Have a great week and happy writing.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Monday, October 21, 2013
Which shoe are you?
Rejections. I know, lovely word, right? I'd say most, if not every, writer has been there. It's part of the process, but it doesn't have to be a negative thing. When an agent gets your query and you get a rejection, it's not about whether they are rejecting you. They don't even know you! It's just not a right fit.
Let's go shoe shopping for a minute. We walk into a shoe store, smell the leather and instantly start to browse. Right away you see a pair of alligator high tops with stiletto heals and...your lunch threatens to come back up. Someone else might like them--in fact, there's another shopper dying to buy a pair--but you know right away that they are not for you. Are you rejecting the person who designed them? No. They just aren't for you.
Right next to the alligator getup is a pair of bright red pumps. You like pumps. And you like red. But...this red is a little too, oh...fruit punch? You're more of a velvet cake type of red lover. So, you considered it, but after a short time you knew it just wasn't going to work. Rejection.
You abandon that shoe stand and meander to the back of the store where you find a pair of black flats, genuine leather, stiff soles. Right away you're interested. It fits your style, so you pick it up. They're not too heavy, not too light, the leather is smooth yet worn enough to know that it won't take too long to break in. In thirty seconds, you've found a chair, kicked off the oldies, and slipped on the flats. At first they seem to fit just perfect, but then you stand up. Three steps later, you know your toes are going to suffer and your ankles will need something short of physical therapy after extended wear. Rejection. Not instant, but in the end, they just weren't right for you.
You're about to give up, walk out, stop wearing shoes, but then you see the pink cowboy boots. Just the right mix of three parts red with one part white--yes, you like your pink a little dark. Your friends can't stand the shoes, but what do they know? The shoes are quite similar to something else you own, but different enough that you'd be an idiot not to consider them. Before you can even say cowb--they're on! And they feel just as good as they look. No, they are a hundred times better! You love them enough that you don't even take them off to purchase them. That's when you know you've found the right pair of shoes.
The others weren't bad. They might have been perfect for someone else...but they just weren't the right fit.
And that's the key. You want an agent the's a right fit just as much as they want a writer that's right for them. Rejection can be hard. But don't take it personally. You'd hate for an agent to pick you only to realize after a few days that maybe you weren't the right fit.
Do your homework and sale your shoes at the right store. Find the agent that's right for you. And if they like what you've created, they might not ever let you go :)
Let's go shoe shopping for a minute. We walk into a shoe store, smell the leather and instantly start to browse. Right away you see a pair of alligator high tops with stiletto heals and...your lunch threatens to come back up. Someone else might like them--in fact, there's another shopper dying to buy a pair--but you know right away that they are not for you. Are you rejecting the person who designed them? No. They just aren't for you.
Right next to the alligator getup is a pair of bright red pumps. You like pumps. And you like red. But...this red is a little too, oh...fruit punch? You're more of a velvet cake type of red lover. So, you considered it, but after a short time you knew it just wasn't going to work. Rejection.
You abandon that shoe stand and meander to the back of the store where you find a pair of black flats, genuine leather, stiff soles. Right away you're interested. It fits your style, so you pick it up. They're not too heavy, not too light, the leather is smooth yet worn enough to know that it won't take too long to break in. In thirty seconds, you've found a chair, kicked off the oldies, and slipped on the flats. At first they seem to fit just perfect, but then you stand up. Three steps later, you know your toes are going to suffer and your ankles will need something short of physical therapy after extended wear. Rejection. Not instant, but in the end, they just weren't right for you.
You're about to give up, walk out, stop wearing shoes, but then you see the pink cowboy boots. Just the right mix of three parts red with one part white--yes, you like your pink a little dark. Your friends can't stand the shoes, but what do they know? The shoes are quite similar to something else you own, but different enough that you'd be an idiot not to consider them. Before you can even say cowb--they're on! And they feel just as good as they look. No, they are a hundred times better! You love them enough that you don't even take them off to purchase them. That's when you know you've found the right pair of shoes.
The others weren't bad. They might have been perfect for someone else...but they just weren't the right fit.
And that's the key. You want an agent the's a right fit just as much as they want a writer that's right for them. Rejection can be hard. But don't take it personally. You'd hate for an agent to pick you only to realize after a few days that maybe you weren't the right fit.
Do your homework and sale your shoes at the right store. Find the agent that's right for you. And if they like what you've created, they might not ever let you go :)
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Attitude
I can't go a single season without mentioning NBC's singing contest called The Voice. It relates so much to writer's querying agents! I love it :)
And on last night's episode, Christina Aguilera said something that really stood out to me. None of the four judges turned a chair for one of the contestants. And instead of the contestant getting mad and throwing a fit, they were really appreciative of the opportunity they had to go on the show.
Christina's response was,
"It's beautiful to have that attitude."
And it really is. Having a good attitude can never be a bad thing. Being positive can affect the world around you. Positive people are naturally beautiful because they look happy...and most likely, they are. When we're negative, it can pull us down in a well of self-doubt and can ultimately drown out our potential to do something great.
So...in the light of that quote. Be happy. You may not get your big break today, you may not get it in the next month, or even in the next year. But being positive can fuel you to learn more, be better, and forge your path to doing the best you can.
Happy writing!
And on last night's episode, Christina Aguilera said something that really stood out to me. None of the four judges turned a chair for one of the contestants. And instead of the contestant getting mad and throwing a fit, they were really appreciative of the opportunity they had to go on the show.
Christina's response was,
"It's beautiful to have that attitude."
And it really is. Having a good attitude can never be a bad thing. Being positive can affect the world around you. Positive people are naturally beautiful because they look happy...and most likely, they are. When we're negative, it can pull us down in a well of self-doubt and can ultimately drown out our potential to do something great.
So...in the light of that quote. Be happy. You may not get your big break today, you may not get it in the next month, or even in the next year. But being positive can fuel you to learn more, be better, and forge your path to doing the best you can.
Happy writing!
Thursday, September 12, 2013
PitMad right now!!!
PitMad is going on right now on twitter! Go post your 140 character pitch and cross your fingers for a request :)
For anyone coming from PitMad, here is more about my book, Changing Fate.
All Kate wants is to stay alive. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at the age of two and battling its effects every day is hard enough. But when her mom uproots them in the middle of her senior year to live closer to the hospital, Kate’s determined to isolate herself. Not only does she have a secret to keep, but making friends means losing them when her disease finally wins the constant battle.
When her backpack is stolen on the first day of school, Kate fights to get it back but her lunch is gone. Even though she doesn’t want friends, her hunger drives her to accept food from an upbeat extrovert named Giana. Her resolve to be alone falters even more when she hears the smooth voice of freckle-faced Kyler, whose sweet melodies give Kate hope and make her lifelong dreams of visiting Paris feel like reality. Between Giana’s persistent friendliness and Kyler’s soft touches, Kate struggles to keep her emotional walls in place.
As her health rapidly declines, Kate begins to realize the people she pushes away may also be the ones who give her a reason to keep living. But what if it’s too late?
Basically, that's my query in a nutshell...or in a blogpost! Thanks for stopping by!
For anyone coming from PitMad, here is more about my book, Changing Fate.
All Kate wants is to stay alive. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at the age of two and battling its effects every day is hard enough. But when her mom uproots them in the middle of her senior year to live closer to the hospital, Kate’s determined to isolate herself. Not only does she have a secret to keep, but making friends means losing them when her disease finally wins the constant battle.
When her backpack is stolen on the first day of school, Kate fights to get it back but her lunch is gone. Even though she doesn’t want friends, her hunger drives her to accept food from an upbeat extrovert named Giana. Her resolve to be alone falters even more when she hears the smooth voice of freckle-faced Kyler, whose sweet melodies give Kate hope and make her lifelong dreams of visiting Paris feel like reality. Between Giana’s persistent friendliness and Kyler’s soft touches, Kate struggles to keep her emotional walls in place.
As her health rapidly declines, Kate begins to realize the people she pushes away may also be the ones who give her a reason to keep living. But what if it’s too late?
Basically, that's my query in a nutshell...or in a blogpost! Thanks for stopping by!
Monday, September 2, 2013
Go get yours!!!
One of my friends and critique partners just published her book!
Gorgeous cover, right? The story is equally beautiful! If you're into romance, this won't disappoint! It's a sweet story of a princess who falls for a rugged boy...who doesn't love a good rebellious relationship? You can order your e-copy or paperback here!
To learn more about Annette K. Larsen, visit her website :)
Have a great week!
Thursday, August 15, 2013
WriteOnCon hangover.
Wait. You don't know what WriteOnCon is? Really? Please tell me you're kidding. If not, get over here right now and check out the awesome posts by industry professionals. The content will be available for...I think a long time? Long enough that you can read it all, respond, learn, and grow! I'm trying to give WriteOnCon some love since they're so generous to offer a free conference. Yes, you heard that right. Free!
And this year I have to say my all time favorite thing was the google hang outs where we got a chance to see agent's first response to twitter pitches. I loved hearing their reasons for either requesting or rejecting. Seriously, if you ever doubted if querying is subjective...go watch these! There are so many reasons for them to reject your project. It doesn't mean they're necessarily rejecting your writing, your premise, or you as a person. That's why it's so important to keep on trying. The only person who can stop you is yourself.
And now that my brain is fried, in a good way, I'm going to try to clean up the tornado that crashed through my house these last two days. Really. My kids are super sad it's over. What? They have to actually do something instead of staring at a screen for longer than healthy limits? Yeah, that's life.
Happy writing! I can't wait to put the polishing touches on my query and send it out to the agenting world!
Friday, August 9, 2013
FLASHBACK TO VINTAGE ...
I should've written this post while these memories were fresh on my mind...but I didn't. Let's pretend my summer wasn't crazy and that my kids didn't get sick. And that this is the perfect time for this post :)
While visiting my parents, I read this book.
I loved dipping into the sixty's and going vintage with the characters. With my own issues of technology taking over real life conversations and face to face connections, this was right up my alley!
And to make my experience even better, I spent the week going through old fashioned things taken from my grandma's house. Here's the photodump of vintage awesomeness.
Yes, this is a Better Homes and Gardens Magazine from 1963! Awesome, right?
We also found dresses my grandma wore back in the day.
If you haven't read it, do it! I love Lindsey Leavitt's books.
One more thing. Have you heard of WriteOnCon?
If not, go here right now. Like NOW. It's awesome and right around the corner. You certainly won't want to miss this FREE writing conference filled with great advice from industry professionals. The crit forums are open and are a great way to polish your query and first pages!
See you there!
While visiting my parents, I read this book.
I loved dipping into the sixty's and going vintage with the characters. With my own issues of technology taking over real life conversations and face to face connections, this was right up my alley!
And to make my experience even better, I spent the week going through old fashioned things taken from my grandma's house. Here's the photodump of vintage awesomeness.
Yes, this is a Better Homes and Gardens Magazine from 1963! Awesome, right?
I absolutely loved these ads. Ice cream in Cream of Wheat? Sure, why not?
We also found dresses my grandma wore back in the day.
This is of me in her homemade wedding dress! So much fun!
It was a great week made even better by reading Going Vintage and finding these vintage things from my personal past.
If you haven't read it, do it! I love Lindsey Leavitt's books.
One more thing. Have you heard of WriteOnCon?
If not, go here right now. Like NOW. It's awesome and right around the corner. You certainly won't want to miss this FREE writing conference filled with great advice from industry professionals. The crit forums are open and are a great way to polish your query and first pages!
See you there!
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