2.20 Kristy's wisdom tips for finding your future novel on a shelf or something
Okay, first, 20 posts is actually pretty impressive for me, I'd like to take a second to whistle in appreciation of this many posts.
So, without more tithering about, today's topic is about my pro-tips. My pearl-necklace of wisdom.
I'm not going to talk about self-publishing in this. Self-publishing diverges from traditional publishing in step 2 of my 3 stage tips. Self-pub has just as many ups and downs and lefts and rights as traditional publishing. I see them both as pretty equal in terms of difficulty setting, but for different stages.
This should go without saying, but these tips are based on my style, my experience and my understanding. Your play-through may vary.
When it comes to the publishing industry, the 'gate' as it were, seems a lot more daunting than it actually is.
- Finish. You can't be rejected if your novel isn't finished. But you also can't be accepted.
- Focus. Don't revise while writing. I know some people are able to go back and forth, but they're usually very experienced or that works fine for their method. The difference is that a focused person finishes (see above). An unfocused person doesn't. As a rule of thumb- go forward.
- You are never too old, too experienced or too smart to listen to advice on how to write X Y Z. I constantly listen to podcasts, read blog advice and check how others recommend things; from genre specifics to excerise specifics (scene setting, dialog tips, etc.)
HOWEVER, and this is important, there is a common 'misnaming' of alpha readers and beta readers. And a super-common misunderstanding. If you are not an academic writer and come from internet roots such as fanfiction or forum writing, a beta reader is another writer you send your work to when it is in first or second draft and will give you valuable feedback. They function as per a critique partner (CP).
In academic circles, beta readers receive a book after it has been picked up by a publisher and are early responders, offering thorough insight and often 'one-liners' for the cover or back jacket. They are paid.
-For those thinking about submission and professional writing, the lifecycle of revision looks something like this:
Some authors boast 13 revisions to their work before it hit the shelves.
-I typically send my work to about 4-6 CPs. I try to find folk who are harsh but fair. I don't go in for hand-holding with early edits. Why so many? Because it's easier for me to find trends in their feedback, it gives a range of responses and at least 2 will typically fail to finish or get through the story for whatever reason.
I'll say it again. Use those blogs, information pages, etc. If you google 'how to get published' you will find literally hundreds of advice columns and articles about it.
Agents and editors encourage you to:
-Research the individual and their interests.
-Spell their name right
-Follow their rules (for example. most agents don't open attachments. their website says 'don't attach a document, copy and paste the first X pages into the email...... DO IT)
-Use the reasources they provide you to give yourself a leg up.
-Don't query over instant messenger.
As for reasources:
- #MSWL is amazing
- #tenqueries and #100queries will tell you the real main reason something gets rejected. I know form-rejections cut to the quick, but when you read these two tags you're going to start seeing why you didn't get a custom rejection very quickly.
-Twitter and Twitter pitch parties are a great reasource to find and stalk agents and editors. There are a lot of success stories for pitch parties and I will say they definitely work (I attribute #pitmad for the 4 different offers I received on the Nightmare Detective, even if two of them came from slush-pile before the event)
You are going to lose your mind 'a little' during the querying stages. It is nerve-wrecking, terrifying and anxiety inducing and it will make you stronger, but first it will crush your soul.
The first work I queried has a whooping 90 rejections.
Don't get caught up on the first 1-2 rejections (especially for genre work) as you are going to drive yourself insane. It's hard to break into the market. There's no quick solution, there's no magic formula other than following the rules and getting a little bit lucky with the right agents or editors at the right time.
And then there's the patience that comes after querying, which will also wear you down.
My only advice is to busy your brain with anything, literally, anything else. Focus on the next novel, take up any other hobby.
Creatives are not usually very good at selling themselves. We struggle with the concept and most of us seem to be clinging to an outdated belief that we can write a book, throw it on the websites and then go hide in a cabin in the woods while the book gains popularity and money rolls in.
The problem is that the game of gaining popularity, if you aren't already popular, has changed a lot and these days you need to 'exist' for agents and editors to find you.
All this is to say, you need to market more than just the words on the page, you need to sell your author brand.
A social media presence, a blog or website and a mailing list are the golden three that most authors making a living off the work have been able to recommend with absolute consistency.
So, without more tithering about, today's topic is about my pro-tips. My pearl-necklace of wisdom.
I'm not going to talk about self-publishing in this. Self-publishing diverges from traditional publishing in step 2 of my 3 stage tips. Self-pub has just as many ups and downs and lefts and rights as traditional publishing. I see them both as pretty equal in terms of difficulty setting, but for different stages.
This should go without saying, but these tips are based on my style, my experience and my understanding. Your play-through may vary.
When it comes to the publishing industry, the 'gate' as it were, seems a lot more daunting than it actually is.
1. The act of writing
- Challenge yourself. Don't cop-out the easy solutions to establishing love interests.- Finish. You can't be rejected if your novel isn't finished. But you also can't be accepted.
- Focus. Don't revise while writing. I know some people are able to go back and forth, but they're usually very experienced or that works fine for their method. The difference is that a focused person finishes (see above). An unfocused person doesn't. As a rule of thumb- go forward.
- You are never too old, too experienced or too smart to listen to advice on how to write X Y Z. I constantly listen to podcasts, read blog advice and check how others recommend things; from genre specifics to excerise specifics (scene setting, dialog tips, etc.)
2. The act of revising and critiquing
- So this might seem weird, but I've never paid someone to critique or beta my work. I find the idea of someone paid for this a little odd, because the general consensus of the writing community I have grown up with (authors, fanfic writers, etc who's blogs I've read) is that such things should be a peer exchanged, revised by the author, then ready for sub.HOWEVER, and this is important, there is a common 'misnaming' of alpha readers and beta readers. And a super-common misunderstanding. If you are not an academic writer and come from internet roots such as fanfiction or forum writing, a beta reader is another writer you send your work to when it is in first or second draft and will give you valuable feedback. They function as per a critique partner (CP).
In academic circles, beta readers receive a book after it has been picked up by a publisher and are early responders, offering thorough insight and often 'one-liners' for the cover or back jacket. They are paid.
-For those thinking about submission and professional writing, the lifecycle of revision looks something like this:
-Finish manuscript
-Revise manuscript
-Send to your alpha/beta readers and Critique Partners
-Revise manuscript
-Revise manuscript
-Send queries
-Receive a yes on a query and typically receive agent edit suggestions
-Revise manuscript
-Receive a publishing offer and receive Developemental edits
-Revise manuscript
-Receive Copyedits
-Revise manuscript
-Receive last minute changes, etc from either editor. Receive beta reader edits
-Revise last few picks
-Publish
Some authors boast 13 revisions to their work before it hit the shelves.
-I typically send my work to about 4-6 CPs. I try to find folk who are harsh but fair. I don't go in for hand-holding with early edits. Why so many? Because it's easier for me to find trends in their feedback, it gives a range of responses and at least 2 will typically fail to finish or get through the story for whatever reason.
3. Entering the querying game
Use the resources that agents and editors provide.I'll say it again. Use those blogs, information pages, etc. If you google 'how to get published' you will find literally hundreds of advice columns and articles about it.
Agents and editors encourage you to:
-Research the individual and their interests.
-Spell their name right
-Follow their rules (for example. most agents don't open attachments. their website says 'don't attach a document, copy and paste the first X pages into the email...... DO IT)
-Use the reasources they provide you to give yourself a leg up.
-Don't query over instant messenger.
As for reasources:
- #MSWL is amazing
- #tenqueries and #100queries will tell you the real main reason something gets rejected. I know form-rejections cut to the quick, but when you read these two tags you're going to start seeing why you didn't get a custom rejection very quickly.
-Twitter and Twitter pitch parties are a great reasource to find and stalk agents and editors. There are a lot of success stories for pitch parties and I will say they definitely work (I attribute #pitmad for the 4 different offers I received on the Nightmare Detective, even if two of them came from slush-pile before the event)
4. Patience
It took 2 months of querying before I had an offer for the Nightmare Detective. That, my dear padawans, is insanely fast turn around. Most authors query for 6-12 months and especially for genres, they acrue 40+ rejections.You are going to lose your mind 'a little' during the querying stages. It is nerve-wrecking, terrifying and anxiety inducing and it will make you stronger, but first it will crush your soul.
The first work I queried has a whooping 90 rejections.
Don't get caught up on the first 1-2 rejections (especially for genre work) as you are going to drive yourself insane. It's hard to break into the market. There's no quick solution, there's no magic formula other than following the rules and getting a little bit lucky with the right agents or editors at the right time.
And then there's the patience that comes after querying, which will also wear you down.
My only advice is to busy your brain with anything, literally, anything else. Focus on the next novel, take up any other hobby.
5. Marketting
Creatives are not usually very good at selling themselves. We struggle with the concept and most of us seem to be clinging to an outdated belief that we can write a book, throw it on the websites and then go hide in a cabin in the woods while the book gains popularity and money rolls in.
The problem is that the game of gaining popularity, if you aren't already popular, has changed a lot and these days you need to 'exist' for agents and editors to find you.
All this is to say, you need to market more than just the words on the page, you need to sell your author brand.
A social media presence, a blog or website and a mailing list are the golden three that most authors making a living off the work have been able to recommend with absolute consistency.
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