December Critique Connection

Every once in a while, I open up the blog comments to a Critique Connection, a post where you can hopefully meet some new critique partners. To participate, leave a comment on this entry with the following information:

Your genre (ie: fantasy, paranormal, realistic, historical, etc.)
Your audience (ie: picture book, MG, YA, etc.)
A little about your manuscript (practice your one-line “elevator pitch”)
What you want out of the experience (a critique of your XX,000-word mss., someone to read your first 3 chapters, help with your query letter, etc.)
Your email address for potential partners to contact you (I’d type it in the following format: mary at kidlit dot com, so that you avoid spam bots.)

Only post a comment for this entry if you are looking for a critique partner.

In other news, I am going to take a Blogcation the last two weeks of December and the first week of January, (Dec 19 to Jan 6) so there will be no new stuff on here during those three weeks on any of my blahblahblogs. However, I’ll ramp up my “From the archives” Tweets, so if you’re not following me on Twitter and Facebook, click those links and do so. I often pull out old articles that are still just as pertinent to writing and publishing as they were when I wrote them and broadcast the links to those who may not have been readers yet. I’ve got a blog full of material from early 2009 on, so there are a lot of posts to peruse!

Happy Thanksgiving!

With Thanksgiving coming up tomorrow, it’s important to stop and acknowledge how amazing it is that we’re all brought here together by the love of children’s books, creativity, and making something lasting that will inspire and teach others.

Meanwhile, I leave you with two of my favorite web comics. The first is about a common writing error and, if you haven’t seen it, you might want to check your pulse as you could very well be a ghost. I present, the Alot. (I often have to physically restrain myself from sending this link to people who make this mistake to me in email.)

The other perfectly encapsulates the existential malaise of social networking and building platform. You can find this “it’s funny because it’s true” bit of wisdom here. (Speaking of which, I just wrote about platform a few weeks ago.)

I wish you all the blessings of time spent together with family and friends this holiday season. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a turkey to brine…

Writing Questions?

Every once in a while, I cast around for writing questions that my readers have so I can know what’s on your minds. With my trip to Japan and Hong Kong coming up, I want to pre-load the blog with some Q&A. So what’s going on? What are you dying to know?

Do we want to talk queries? Craft? Publishing? Getting an agent? Anything. Just ask away in the comments.

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First Line Critique

Last week, when I posted about first lines, you all started doing something wonderful: you posted your own and asked for feedback from other readers. You didn’t just do it here…people were critiquing opening lines on my Facebook page, too!

So before we move on to successful first lines from the published shelves, I thought I’d give you all an opportunity to critique and get critiqued by other writers based on your first line. Here’s what you have to do:

Read and comment on three (3) first lines in the comments (this obviously doesn’t apply to the first handful of people to leave theirs).
Post your own first line and tell us if it’s a picture book, MG, YA, whatever.
When you’re responding to the first lines of others, make sure they know that you’re talking to them. I usually put their name and some dashes. Unfortunately, these comments aren’t threaded to do replies, so it will be a bit of a mess.
Check back and scroll through comments to see if anyone has commented on your work.
I will pop in occasionally and pick out a few to critique. The first line with the most comments about it will get a first page (250 word) critique from me!

I love it when my readers tell me what they need, when they just jump in and start a conversation.

ETA: I will be by the site a few times today to approve comments. If you haven’t commented before, your comment will be held for moderation. I’ll release them when I can. But don’t worry — your comment was received, it’s just waiting on me. No need to comment again.

Defeat

I’m admitting it. Only one day back in town between two long trips is just not enough time for me to blog. Catch you all on Monday. In the time you would’ve spent reading an entry today, go buy Bethanie’s book, BUGLETTE, THE MESSY SLEEPER!

Belated Inspiration for 2011

I promise not to get all weepy and new-age-y on you — I am Tough Agent Lady! (Some of the time…) — but there’s this amazing photographer called Meg Perotti who works in the SF Bay Area and she posted a wonderful, inspiring image on her blog to ring in the New Year. (MK trivia time: I love photography. I have written for a photography trade magazine called Rangefinder. I’m better at appreciating it than doing it myself, but I am an absolute sucker for a stunning photograph, especially portraiture, which is how I fell in love with Meg Perotti’s blog in the first place!)

It’s a bit small here but if you click on it, you can blow it up, print it out, and look at it often, because that’s what I’m doing. I know that New Year’s Eve was, like, a week ago, and everyone is already over it and back to work and slogging through and waiting for the next vacation, but, dang it, there’s too much that’s good and creative and powerful about life to let it streak by unnoticed!

Plus, it doesn’t hurt that the bottom of this picture is the beeeeeeautiful city of San Francisco, which I will be visiting next week.

I got a nice month’s break from traveling in December and now it’s back to the skies. I’m flying to ALA in San Diego today for some fun, meetings, and face time with my Southern California colleagues Kelly, Jen, and Jamie. Then on Monday I’m up to San Francisco to see family and friends and to meet with my NorCal colleagues, Andrea, Laura, and Caryn.

For a belated Christmas present, I’m taking my mom to go hear Elizabeth Gilbert speak next Friday. (I think this Gilbert lady wrote a book? Something about eating? Just kidding. It’s pretty hilarious, actually: my mom just discovered EAT, PRAY, LOVE. I’m all like, “Remember that whole collective ommmmmm hovering over 2006? No? Oh well!”) Then it’s back to NYC for a whirlwind!

On January 17th, I’m doing my last Learning Annex class for now. It’ll be in the evening, somewhere in midtown Manhattan, and you can find a link to the event here. If you’ve already gone to one, this will be the same material: an overview of the children’s publishing marketplace. Come out, see me, and get your work critiqued! Next weekend is the Writer’s Digest Conference (see you at the Pitch Slam!), then Digital Book World (more on this next week), and the NY SCBWI. (I’m not speaking or giving a workshop, I’m doing the roundtable critiques on Friday, so I’ll be around all weekend, but I’m not doing any Saturday or Sunday sessions that people can show up for. You’ll just have to find me. Hint: I’ll be near the coffee…) That’s all within two weeks, folks!

Whew! It’s no wonder I’m finding so much calm, solace, and inspiration from Meg’s lovely thought for 2011! I hope you all enjoy it. See you next week with ALA updates.

How Long Does It Take to Publish a Book? The Process Explained

How long does it take to publish a book? Ah, the eternal question. The book publishing process flummoxes even the most zen writers. (Oh, who am I kidding? It flummoxes everyone!) A few weeks ago, I got an email from Joni, an email like the kind I’ve gotten from many writers before her. It dealt with frustration and impatience in the process of getting a book published. The “all dressed up with nowhere to go” pain of just wanting to have a book out. This past weekend, while I was supposed to be away from the computer and having a life (ha!), I got a similar email from a client. Sorry, dear, but I’m going to quote it:

Okay, so I am working on my book, and I keep getting so worried that I’ve got SO FAR to go that I just close the document. I’m worried that after this round, it still has readers to go, and then another round of other readers and then I am so slow with revisions that it will be 3013 before it will be done.

How long does it take to publish a book? The book publishing process is not for the faint of heart.

How Long Does It Take to Publish a Book? Forever, So Quit Worrying About It

My advice for Joni and for my client is: dig in, get your eyes off the calendar, and do your work. The book publishing journey isn’t a matter of course. And it’s certainly not a matter of speed. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that publishing is slow in most cases. Slow. Sloooooooooow. Slow as molasses. Slow as frozen molasses. Slow as a cube of frozen molasses frozen inside a bigger cube of even slower frozen molasses. You get my point, I think.

When publishing finally decides to move — or if it moves quickly — it’s out of a writer’s control. Which house will buy what, which editor will love what, how much they’ll invest in a project, how much marketing they’ll give it, what the sales will be like, which readers/librarians/booksellers will respond to what and how, what will win awards, what will take off up the bestseller charts and what will quietly blip off the radar screen, etc. etc. etc.

If you think you’re freaking out now about just getting your work published, imagine the full-scale neurotic meltdown that awaits you once you have royalty statements to read, bookstore events where you always feel like the nervous hostess, wondering if anyone will show up, Goodreads/blog reviews to stress over, school visits and public speaking engagements, 24/7 access to your Amazon ranking and, now, BookScan numbers for your sales, organized every which way!

The Book Publishing Process Is Largely Outside of Your Control

Conversely, learning and practicing and revising are the only things you can do to take control of the process. If you’re just honing your writing, it’s probably a good thing that you’re not out there as a full-fledged author yet. Think about not just the shiny publishing contract and the spike in Twitter followers and the glory of realizing your dream. There’s a whole career and business element, too, most of it amazing, some of it challenging and anxiety-making. It’s okay that you haven’t gotten there yet. You have to really be ready for this sort of thing, and thinking you’re reading and actually being ready are two different things.

This is as much of a pep talk for me as it is for Joni and for my client and for countless other writers out there who are feeling similar frustrations. Do you think I sit around saying, “Well, I think I’ve sold enough books. Time to pack it in and rest on my laurels.” Absolutely not. I am the most impatient person I think I’ve ever met (my mother would definitely agree with me here).

Once I get an offer, I immediately want another one. If I sign an incredible client, I go back to my slush pile the very next day and keep an eye out, because the submissions don’t stop coming. If I close an auction, well, I have a nice stiff celebratory dance-off first, of course, but then I want to jump in to the stress and exhilaration all over again a few minutes later. If an hour passes without an email from an editor, I start to wonder if there’s something wrong with my email client and then bang on my laptop to make sure it’s working properly.

Well, here is the number one piece of advice I can give about how long does it take to publish a book: be patient. It goes hand in hand with the idea of resilience and not giving up and constantly generating new ideas (all discussed in my “Dealing With Rejection” post). And as much as I talk about the publishing business/agents/queries/submissions on the blog, here’s my other advice: it really is all about the book idea to execution. In other words, the craft.

Keep reading, keep writing, don’t stop trying…but also spare yourself the paralyzing anxiety of the ticking clock.

If you want to take your destiny into your own hands while you wait, hire me as your manuscript editor and revise your way to the strongest project possible.

Finding Another Literary Agent

Here’s a question from an anonymous reader about finding another literary agent:

I have an agent but I am not sure if we’re the best fit. I would like to think about changing agents, but I don’t know if it’s kosher to put my feelers out while I still have one (is that like looking for a new husband while I have one?). I’m planning to go to a conference soon, so I thought that might be a good opportunity to meet agents, but what if I wanted to put out some casual feelers to a few friends of friends or something? What’s your take on that?

finding another literary agent, changing literary agents — Thinking about changing literary agents? Cut ties with your current agent first.

The husband analogy this reader uses is apt. While some people do look into changing literary agents while they’re still attached, and while more than one relationship has been forged that way, it’s not something I would do or recommend. Sure, we all want to leap out of an iffy or bad situation and know that there’s something better (we hope) waiting for us, but that’s not how it works.

Finding Another Literary Agent: Break With Your Current Agent First

If you make the decision to break with your spouse or your representation, you do have to get it over with, and only then can start the process of finding another literary agent. You may have contacts from when you were first querying, you may have contacts from conferences you’ve attended or people who you do want to reach out to, but the time for that is after you part ways. I don’t know of a lot of agents who will be enthusiastic to talk to you while you still have representation. It may make them think…hey, would this writer go behind OUR backs in times of trouble, if they’re going behind their current agent’s back?

It would be nice, of course, to have the safety net of other interest, but it is a bit sneaky and underhanded to put feelers out before you terminate your relationship. That’s life, though. You have to make the hard decision and do the right thing before moving on to the better situation that you want.

Low-Key Research is Okay While You’re Still Represented

Sure, you can read blogs, follow Publisher’s Marketplace, and do research while you are still represented. You’ll want to be prepared once you’re free from your existing agent, and I understand that. But I wouldn’t make contact, nor would I start combing your network or discussing this with writer or Internet friends. Keep your situation on the down-low until you have a chance to end things in a professional way with your current representation. Keep your integrity and be honest throughout the process. Not only is it good karma (for those of us who believe in that sort of thing), but it will make you feel good about finding another literary agent and keep any possible guilt at bay.

Changing literary agents is a tough process. Still, you’ll want to do this the right way, or it could end up being even more difficult than it has to be. (For more info about matching with agents, check out my post on how to select a literary agent.)

Did you find this practical advice useful? I am happy to be your manuscript editor and consultant for writing and publishing advice that’s specific to your work.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Can you believe Thanksgiving is upon us?!

I certainly can’t. My mind is still halfway in sticky NYC August or cool, colorful September. What are these boots and jackets? What is this Christmas music piping into the coffee shop? Why are stores opening at 3 a.m. this Friday (!!!) to entice shoppers with big bargains? Where did fall go?!

Maybe time flew so fast because I’ve been doing so much flying, myself. From Florida to Illinois, from South Dakota to Wisconsin, from Louisiana to Ohio, I’ve checked off a lot of new states on my “Places to Go” map and met a lot of writers, organizers, and new friends in the process. (I’ve also eaten cheese curds, lobster, beignets, buffalo, and enjoyed a whole lot of wine!)

This week, I’m happy to be back in California for a while to enjoy friends, family, and my wonderful colleagues. The ABLit team will be congregating at Big Sur next weekend. (If you missed out on planning for December, March spots are still available for this intimate writers workshop with a great student/faculty ratio (and a gorgeous setting!). To find out more, click here. We’ve got the ABLit agents teaching, as well as big NY editors and beloved children’s book writers and illustrators. Marla Frazee’s going to be there in December! Squee!)

As for the blog, I’m taking today and Friday off to just hang out and relax after my hectic fall adventures. I’ve read a lot of great manuscripts, I’ve picked up a few great clients, I’ve sold some fantastic projects, and now it’s time to sit back and check in with myself and plan for next year.

This is, of course, the season of giving thanks, and I wouldn’t be anywhere without the love of my family, my friends (west coast, east coast, and everywhere in between!), my inspiring colleagues and amazing mentor, Andrea, and all the other meaningful relationships in my life. And Sushi, who is my little furry ray of sunshine. I’m grateful for my readers, too, who challenge me and ask the right questions and spread the word and make what I do on this website so fulfilling and interesting. I read my old posts all the time — to update them and post them as “from the archives” features on Twitter and Facebook (click the links to follow me or add me as a friend) — and it’s been really interesting to see how the blog has changed, how my opinions have shifted, how I’ve grown in the last year.

Not all changes have been for the best, though. From talking with colleagues and other friends in the agenting business, I know that the second year can be one of the most frustrating, especially with all of these fundamental shifts in the business and the bad taste of a recession still in the mouths of many publishers. I feel like I’m still finding my way, honing my judgment, getting the most accurate read on the industry and my own place in it. These are not new experiences for any agent, but this fall has seen projects I love go unsold, manuscripts I love go to other agents, and clients become former clients.

This, of course, is part of building a career, and I’m keeping my usual longview perspective. I’m also reinvesting time and energy in myself and my passion for writing, teaching, and publishing. This spring, I’ll see the wonderful milestone of the first actual books I’ve sold hitting shelves! (The months are March and May and the books are PELLY AND MR. HARRISON VISIT THE MOON by Lindsay Ward and BUGLETTE, THE MESSY SLEEPER by Bethanie Murguia.) I think that will help a lot with this odd in-between feeling.

Just like writing is a journey, and life, it should come as no surprise that agenting is full of ups, downs, lessons, and revelations. I hope to share some of those as the blog moves forward, and as I wrap my head around them!

As for December, I have loads more questions to answer from the last time I reached out for question ideas. I’ve also been reading a lot, so I will recommend some books that I think are especially wonderful from fall and from the upcoming spring season. My travel schedule in the next few months is nowhere near as hectic, so look forward to an engaging and tranquil December, with regular posts. For all of you finishing up NaNoWriMo novels…good luck sprinting to that 50k finish line!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all who read, enjoy, and support kidlit.com. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Questions?

I periodically interrupt my scheduled programming to probe my readers for questions that they want answered. It seems like I have a lot of new readers these days — a lot of my comments are from first timers who have never commented before — and so I want to stay on top of what you want to know.

Leave your burning questions about children’s books, the agent search, writing, querying, publishing, etc. in the comments and I will use them to spark future posts.

Also, my Writer’s Digest webinar is tomorrow! Registration is still open and I am offering a quick writing sample critique to everyone who signs up. You can register for it by clicking here. Even if you can’t make the time or date, all registered students have access to a recording and notes from the webinar for one full year. (For all of those readers asking about critique submission instructions, those are emailed to you after you register.)