Well, it's started again. Cold feet syndrome. Every time I enter a screenplay contest, or submit a manuscript to my agent, editor, or beta reader, I can't help but be bombarded by worries that range from "What if they hate it?" to "Maybe I'm not as good a writer as people say." Most writers will understand this anxiety, although there are those who believe their first draft is perfect and how dare anyone ask them to improve it. I'm not one of them.
I think part of it is I'm struggling with my current manuscript, Serpent Fire, the sequel to Death Sword. Yeah, I blame Samael. Death Sword was meant to be a standalone, and he kept complaining he wanted to tell his story, which became quite detailed, enough for two more books, the third one being Devil Inside. However, even though I know the story arcs for both books, and the overall story arc, have even created a story bible, truth is, I'll probably have to combine both books. Maybe. Anyway, I'm resorting to the index card technique to help me get an overall view of the story.
My goal this year is to write two to four novels, a challenge I'm doing with a fellow author and friend. I plan to write the next two angelic assassin books, although I'd like to write three, and that would complete the series, the first one which I wrote for NaNoWriMo 2015.
On an unrelated note, I got a new laptop, and was able to hook up my old laptop's HD to it, and recover my files. Yay!
Oh, yeah, and about those cold feet? My agent's supposed to call me tomorrow. I'm bracing myself for the publishers' rejections.
Showing posts with label agents. Show all posts
Showing posts with label agents. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Mission: Improbable?
Last week I mentioned I landed an agent. Tomorrow I'll meet her for lunch. After that, I'm heading downtown with two friends to watch the Kentucky Wildcats in open practice. (I've got a basketball-themed mystery idea but I need to research the sport more before I write it.)
Anyway, I sent my agent the first three chapters of a book I'm working on, and also pitched another story I'd finished. Unfortunately, both are too short and I need to double their lengths. I'm working on one, and finding I hate my beginning. Openings are my bete noire, and I often end up writing different scenarios before finding one I like.
I'm debating putting this one story aside and working on revisions of the other one. Or maybe plotting a new book. But part of me doesn't like to give up on what I consider a challenge to my imagination.
Maybe a day away from the book will give me a new perspective. Maybe talking with my agent will give me some ideas.
Now if I could write faster.
Anyway, I sent my agent the first three chapters of a book I'm working on, and also pitched another story I'd finished. Unfortunately, both are too short and I need to double their lengths. I'm working on one, and finding I hate my beginning. Openings are my bete noire, and I often end up writing different scenarios before finding one I like.
I'm debating putting this one story aside and working on revisions of the other one. Or maybe plotting a new book. But part of me doesn't like to give up on what I consider a challenge to my imagination.
Maybe a day away from the book will give me a new perspective. Maybe talking with my agent will give me some ideas.
Now if I could write faster.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
I Got an Agent! Now What?
2015 started out on a rather momentous note. In January, I had shoulder surgery, from which I'm still recovering. (The entire healing process will take about a year, including physical therapy.)
I also landed an agent in January. The agency is small and new, but my agent has fourteen years of experience in the publishing world. Turns out she'd read a collection of my short stories and liked them well enough to ask me to submit something to her.
Now I'll be the first to tell you I never thought I'd get an agent. I figured my writing career would consist of submitting to small pubs and self-publishing. But that was until my small press publisher became an imprint of a New York publisher. So that adage about "never say never"? Yeah, I need to remember that.
What does getting an agent mean for me? First, I'll still submit to small presses and self-publish. But I will also be working on selling my writing to traditional publishers. (Or, more appropriately, I should say my agent will work on selling while I work on the writing part.) This means I have to do things that I hadn't had to do before, such as write longer books. It's funny, I can write short stories, and I've had fellow authors tell me they can't write short because they find it too difficult to distill a story down to its essentials. Me? I'm the opposite, and I've had to work hard to make my stories longer. But if I want to advance my writing career, I need to push the idea I can't do it out of my mind. Before, I never thought I could write a 100,000-word novel. Well, I did. Once. Granted it ended up being 35,000 words after all was said and done, but the point is, I did it. The third book in my Angels of Death series, Devil Inside, is 68,000 words and my 2014 NaNoWriMo political thriller clocked in at 65,000 words.
I can do this. That's what I have to keep telling myself. Because rehearsals are over and it's time for the main show.
I also landed an agent in January. The agency is small and new, but my agent has fourteen years of experience in the publishing world. Turns out she'd read a collection of my short stories and liked them well enough to ask me to submit something to her.
Now I'll be the first to tell you I never thought I'd get an agent. I figured my writing career would consist of submitting to small pubs and self-publishing. But that was until my small press publisher became an imprint of a New York publisher. So that adage about "never say never"? Yeah, I need to remember that.
What does getting an agent mean for me? First, I'll still submit to small presses and self-publish. But I will also be working on selling my writing to traditional publishers. (Or, more appropriately, I should say my agent will work on selling while I work on the writing part.) This means I have to do things that I hadn't had to do before, such as write longer books. It's funny, I can write short stories, and I've had fellow authors tell me they can't write short because they find it too difficult to distill a story down to its essentials. Me? I'm the opposite, and I've had to work hard to make my stories longer. But if I want to advance my writing career, I need to push the idea I can't do it out of my mind. Before, I never thought I could write a 100,000-word novel. Well, I did. Once. Granted it ended up being 35,000 words after all was said and done, but the point is, I did it. The third book in my Angels of Death series, Devil Inside, is 68,000 words and my 2014 NaNoWriMo political thriller clocked in at 65,000 words.
I can do this. That's what I have to keep telling myself. Because rehearsals are over and it's time for the main show.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
On agents
There’s a growing attitude that authors don’t need agents now that electronic publishing’s starting to take the world by storm. Nothing could be further from the truth.
While it’s quite possible for an author to navigate their career without the help of an agent, especially among the small presses where publishers are more hands-on, agents are, in my opinion, still going to be playing a role in the publishing industry in the future.
Yes it’s true that the industry is experiencing a massive revolution at the moment, with a shift in emphasis toward electronic publishing. I’m excited to see not only the emergence of so many small presses but also some of the bigger players showing a greater interest in electronic publishing and opening their doors to unsolicited queries.
This is good. It means authors are getting more opportunities to prove themselves and get a foot in the door. It means authors will be able to build a readership and a proven track record in sales based on a start in electronic and print on demand publishing.
These are good things. Those authors who rise to the top will be marketable assets to savvy publishers who know a good thing when they see it. And, in my mind, that’s where agents will prove their weight in gold.
Agents do so much more than read queries and sell books. They are valuable negotiators who are not only qualified to offer advice about where to sell your book but also decipher the often cryptic details in contracts. Trust me, nothing makes my eyes glaze over faster than those pages with all the fine print.
And, if you’re hot property, it means you’re going to need an ally by your side to make sure that no one gets you into a bind with a bum contract. A good agent will have her finger on the pulse, negotiate a better deal for you and will be well connected to put you in a position where you can concentrate on what’s important to you: crafting stories.
So, if you’re still on the query-mill with regard to agents, don’t give up. Query often. Work on your writing to make it better with each story you publish, even if it’s “only” with the small presses. Don’t despair if you don’t have an agent just yet. As I’ve learnt in the past, no agent is better than a bad agent. Be patient. Work hard. And enjoy your writing.
* * * *
Want to keep up to speed with my writing? "Like" my author page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nerine-Dorman-author/173330419365374?v=wall
While it’s quite possible for an author to navigate their career without the help of an agent, especially among the small presses where publishers are more hands-on, agents are, in my opinion, still going to be playing a role in the publishing industry in the future.
Yes it’s true that the industry is experiencing a massive revolution at the moment, with a shift in emphasis toward electronic publishing. I’m excited to see not only the emergence of so many small presses but also some of the bigger players showing a greater interest in electronic publishing and opening their doors to unsolicited queries.
This is good. It means authors are getting more opportunities to prove themselves and get a foot in the door. It means authors will be able to build a readership and a proven track record in sales based on a start in electronic and print on demand publishing.
These are good things. Those authors who rise to the top will be marketable assets to savvy publishers who know a good thing when they see it. And, in my mind, that’s where agents will prove their weight in gold.
Agents do so much more than read queries and sell books. They are valuable negotiators who are not only qualified to offer advice about where to sell your book but also decipher the often cryptic details in contracts. Trust me, nothing makes my eyes glaze over faster than those pages with all the fine print.
And, if you’re hot property, it means you’re going to need an ally by your side to make sure that no one gets you into a bind with a bum contract. A good agent will have her finger on the pulse, negotiate a better deal for you and will be well connected to put you in a position where you can concentrate on what’s important to you: crafting stories.
So, if you’re still on the query-mill with regard to agents, don’t give up. Query often. Work on your writing to make it better with each story you publish, even if it’s “only” with the small presses. Don’t despair if you don’t have an agent just yet. As I’ve learnt in the past, no agent is better than a bad agent. Be patient. Work hard. And enjoy your writing.
* * * *
Want to keep up to speed with my writing? "Like" my author page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nerine-Dorman-author/173330419365374?v=wall
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)