The Write Calling

Ebooks win, and so does "plain writing"

2011-05-19T14:54:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: "Icing on the Cake" by Stephen "Tin Tin" Duffy.

Ebook sales have now surpassed print book sales at Amazon--even after excluding free ebooks. It had to happen, folks, and anyone who's still thinking it will take a couple of years for ebooks to grab more than 20% of the market is in denial (ahem, nameless "analysts" in this CNN article).

And as a former college professor, I'm smiling at this little piece of news: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/19/plain-writing-act-to-take_n_864336.html. Long time comin'.

And this is why

2010-12-27T18:24:00.000-08:00

This is the bestselling product at Amazon. EVER.

And yes, I love mine.

Paper is great, it really is--but its time is limited. Maybe hardbacks will survive the next decade, but honestly, I'm starting to doubt even that.

A view from the future

2010-12-27T17:40:00.000-08:00

It's the present for Joe, but the future for many:

A Bedtime Story by J.A. Konrath

Self-publishing is not the right thing for every writer--particularly those who simply want to write and don't have an interest in all the other things (cover art, formatting, marketing) that become a self-published author's responsibility. The right path today depends on many things, including the type of book and the author's goals.

But down the road, viable businesses will spring up to handle such things for authors in an effective and affordable way that most current "author services" companies do not.

The future will be good. :)

Rant from a reader of self-help books: Authors, don't do this.

2010-12-23T13:41:00.000-08:00

Music I'm listening to: "Red Rose" by Alphaville.

Argh, I hate it when I read a healthy sample of a self-help book for the Kindle, like it, then buy the book--and the author continues for another third of the book trying to convince me how useful said book will be and how much I need their method of doing whatever it is. Look, if I'm able to get that far in the book, it's because I already bought the book.

Dear Self-Help Authors: I've already handed over my money. You don't need to convince me anymore. You just need to give me the information you promised in the sample.

That's right, the sample. Ask your publisher how much of the book they'll offer as a Kindle sample. This is becoming a very useful piece of information. It can and should affect what you write and how you organize the book. Yes, you'll have to consider how much front matter you have (title page, acknowledgments, table of contents, etc.), so your guess won't be exact, but you should still be aware of a reader's patience (or lack thereof).

If you self-publish, the sample will be 10% at Amazon and B&N, no more and no less. You can offer a different amount through Smashwords, but the bulk of your readers will come from the first two.

Heck, Mr./Ms. Author of the more traditional mindset, even if I were reading a print copy, do you think I'm going to stand around in the book store and peruse a full third of the book before making a decision?

Just get on with it, folks. No need to pad the page count--or waste the reader's time, which is likely as precious to her as her money.

Thank you in advance for being efficient.

A sign of the times

2010-12-13T12:54:00.000-08:00

The Guinness Book of World Records has released an ebook version. Change is here, folks...

The Battle of 2010: Digital Books are Winning

2010-12-12T15:23:00.000-08:00

Music I'm listening to: "Don't Do Me Any Favours" by a-ha (yes, a-ha still exists!)

What a crazy and wonderful year for authors.

It's my job to keep an eye on the publishing industry, and digital books are on the way to changing much of it—even though a good portion of the industry resists that truth.

I've been a Kindle owner since 2008. I don't like buying printed books anymore; ebooks are so much more convenient. The only time I'll buy paper is if I MUST have a particular book immediately and it hasn't yet made it to the Kindle, or if it's a book I know I'll want to make lots of notes in (certain books about writing, for example).

My Kindle has more than 600 items on it right now. Many are the free samples of books, so I can see if I'll like the voice and style before I purchase it. Kindle samples have become my TBR (to be read) pile. Two of my family members now have Kindles, too—including someone who doesn't read much.

When e-reader prices drop again in the next year or two, I think a huge swath of consumers will stop buying mass-market paperbacks and go for digital copies instead.

Authors are benefitting from the digital revolution, too. Many have gotten the rights reverted for their backlist books, then put those books up on the Kindle where they can continue to make money instead of withering into obscurity. New authors—people who have never signed a contract with a traditional publisher—are succeeding with ebooks in a way that was simply impossible before the current digital era. They also retain full control over their books.

Traditional publishing comes with many advantages, but there are also disadvantages (such as these). While I used to recommend a traditional approach for almost every new client, there's much more to consider these days.

Options make everything more interesting!

2010-11-30T10:34:00.000-08:00

Music I'm listening to: Moonshadow by Cat Stevens.

Hmm, I think it's time to fire up this blog again.

I've been focusing on my Write Now Quotes newsletter for the past year, and that's set up to be a brief format for encouraging writers. There have been so many developments in publishing lately (especially in digital publishing) and other things beyond the scope of WNQ that would be fun to discuss here.

So I'll be moseying my way back to this blog as well as continuing with WNQ.

Hello again, Blog World!

2009-10-23T07:13:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: "America" by Simon and Garfunkel. (I may be the 80s New Wave Queen, but I have an eclectic collection.)

Getting rejections and feeling a little low? Read this post by William Simon/Will Graham about your fellow rejectees. It'll soothe the ouchies.

You're welcome.

The new B&N Nook ereader; a taste of Write Now Quotes

2009-10-22T06:06:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: "The Love Parade" by The Dream Academy, followed by "Mr. Plain" by Nick Heyward (formerly of Haircut 100). Okay, you have to be a New Wave 80s junkie to know that one, but there you go.

Well, a day without email is no fun. One of my webhost's servers borked, and with it my website and my email. This glitch is happening just three weeks after the last lovely tech debacle, when my email (hosted by a separate company at that time) went down. Frustrated, I moved my email service back to my webhost...and now this. Have I been cursed by a god of technology? Hmm. Well, I won't sent this post out until all is well again. ::twiddling thumbs::

Ahh, there now, finally all better. Website is up and email is back. (Amazing how lost one feels these days without email...)

In other news, if you haven't yet signed up for my Write Now Quotes newsletter (what do you mean, you haven't!?), go here for a lil' taste of what you're missing.

WNQ will bring you motivation and inspiration for your writing. (Psst, a little secret: even non-writers will find the motivation useful.) And it goes out only once every week or two, so it won't clog your inbox. Win-win. Surf to http://women-ink.com/wnq.htm to subscribe.

On Tuesday, Barnes and Noble announced its new e-reader, the Nook. It's slated to ship on November 30, but is available for pre-orders now. As we get closer to the ship date and reviewers get their hands on the device, I look forward to the head-to-head comparisons with the Amazon Kindle--and to further innovations by both companies and the many others leaping into the e-reader market. Score for consumers and readers! (I looooove my Kindle, e-reader, as longtime readers will remember.) What do you think about the Nook and e-readers?

Hysterically funny link, yet a little too true

2009-10-18T16:46:00.000-07:00

Ah, the publishing business. It certainly has its...er, issues...in the modern age:

Subject: Our Marketing Plan

There ain't no muse?

2009-04-30T09:49:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Neighbors (Razormaid Mix) by Camouflage

Are you waiting for Inspiration to drop by for some tea and conversation?

First, partake of this food for thought by one of the most prolific authors out there: There Ain't No Muse: A Conversation with Nora Roberts

- Katey
Women-Ink.com

Fun with Publishing (Not)

2009-04-29T23:23:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: The ticking of my new wall clock. A little boring, but hey.

Publisher Hell stories, anyone? A couple of my clients, both debut authors, have new contributions for the pot.

One received an advance copy of her printed memoir last week. An exciting time for a debut author, yes? Sure, until she realized that her publisher had left out all the photographs. In a memoir. A horrifying deletion, not to mention that the photos were referenced in the text. My client was understandably shocked.

Things did not bode well. The publisher admitted the error was their fault, but said it couldn't be helped now. The book would go out to the stores completely photoless.

OH REALLY, said my client's agent. THINK AGAIN.

And wonder of wonders, the publisher finally caved and agreed to reprint the book. Quite an expense at their end, but now they're doing what's right. I hope all's well that ends well, and that the release date won't be shifted much.

Speaking of release dates, imagine being just weeks away from your first book's debut. You've sweated and slaved over that book for several years and told all your friends and excited colleagues when it's coming out. There's a page for it at Amazon with your name and a pre-order button and everything--it's real! It's the work of your heart and it's nearly here... Then imagine learning that your book has been rescheduled. Oh, and not just for a few weeks or months after the original release date, but for a year and a half after it. Um, unfun, right? Ah, but this client's story gets even better.

Her editor, the fantastic person responsible for loving, buying and committing to her wonderful book, is retiring before the new release date. Oh, yes. That editor will no longer be there to shepherd the book through the publishing jungle. My client is being "orphaned"--not uncommon in publishing, and something that introduces stress and uncertainty for the author and some risk for the book. I have my fingers crossed that everything will go smoothly with this transition, and that her new editor will love her book and be willing to push it just as much as the previous one did. She deserves that, and so does this book.

Oh, and there are far worse stories out there. Check out the Editor from Hell story, for starters. If you're feeling masochistic. :-)

A win for ebooks: Kindle 2 available for pre-order!

2009-02-09T08:56:00.000-08:00

Music I'm listening to: my own whoops of joy

My kindle 2 will be here on Feb. 25. Squeeee!

The brand-spankin' kindle 2 will be $359 (same price as the kindle 1, which they're no longer selling) and available for sale on Feb. 24.

The k2:
- is the same width as k1, is half an inch longer, but only a third of an inch think
- has seven times the original amount of storage space and 25% more battery life
- features 16 shades of gray instead of the original 4 (though external rumor has it that within a year or so, color e-ink screens will be possible)
- has better annotations (you no longer have to select an entire line to highlight one word)
- will offer location syncing between devices (in other words, it hold your place even if you're reading the same book on more than one device--wish I had two kindles to enjoy that feature!)
- and will even read a book to you (text-to-speech).

They've done away with SD card storage and a user-replaceable battery, though. I guess they couldn't squeeze those into the super-thin shape. The SD card storage isn't an issue for me, since every book bought through Amazon is on a "permanent bookshelf" for you. You can always download it to your kindle again for free.

Also, Amazon has been hinting that they'll allow users of other devices, such as mobile phones, to make e-book purchases through Amazon. No word yet on whether they'll allow it for other dedicated e-readers (competitors of the kindle)--I hope they do--and there's no expected date for this yet.

I'm also sad, though not surprised, that Amazon's kindles aren't supporting the ePub format (which, with luck, will become the standard e-book format--one format capable of being read on many devices). Unfortunately, Amazon has an interest in NOT supporting ePub, since Am owns the competing Mobipocket format.

Also no word about whether the new kindle will have *folders* in which to organize all your books. The lack of folders was one of my peeves with the k1, as the only way to see all you had on the kindle was to look through a long list of every book on it--no organizing by genre, etc. I do hope they'll have this fixed on the k2, since it was one of the biggest user complaints. We shall see!

Anyway, go drool. It's what I've been doing this morning.

- Katey, eagerly awaiting Feb. 25

Happy February (mostly). And the E-book revolution?

2009-02-07T12:05:00.000-08:00

Music I'm listening to: my hubby watching TV downstairs and snow melting from the roof. Which means snow is sticking to the mountains high above us. YAAAAAY! *Katey smiles at her skis*

Today, however, I'm battling a cold (ugh) and spending my Saturday working out how to make my latest manuscript bigger in both length and plot. I love Donald Maass's Writing the Breakout Novel (and the workbook he wrote for it) and always find good ideas in there.

My break time is often spent trying to catch up with blogs in Google Reader, especially since I'm eager for the announcement of the new Amazon Kindle on Monday. Here's a juicy new post about ebooks and the future of publishing. I don't agree with all of it, but much of it seems spot-on. Change is on the way! Elgan: Here comes the e-book revolution

One of my fabulous clients, Jan Elvin, has written a terrific guest post for me about our work toward the sale of her debut book. The Box from Braunau: In Search of My Father's War will be published in hardcover this May. (Check it out!) I'll have her post up this week, providing I don't get buried under a pile of antihistamines and tissues.

And speaking of my fabulous clients, Leigh Brill sold her memoir about cerebral palsy and how her wonderful service dog, Slugger, forever changed her life. Leigh's book was originally scheduled to appear in stores just weeks from now (B&N still lists it that way), but the publisher elected to postpone until the fall of 2010 due to the overabundance of dog books on the market. Naturally, this was heart-wrenching for both of us, as no author wants such a delay. Meanwhile, we're hoping for more good news about Leigh's book down the road, and she's working on a fantastic series of children's books. (More to come as developments warrant.)

Readers, I hope you're healthy and happy--and writing!

Katey
Women-Ink.com

About publishing's failures...and the future

2008-12-22T14:43:00.000-08:00

Music I'm listening to: "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" by Loreena McKennitt

Some of you may have seen this already, but this article on the publishing industry by agent Richard Curtis is certainly food for thought:

E-Reads: Behind Publishing's Wednesday of the Long Knives

The future's nearly here, folks. I myself bought a Kindle last spring and loved it. I recently sold it, but only to prepare for the Kindle 2 (or another e-book device that will catch my fancy). Honestly, paper books now feel awkward to me. It's frustrating to have to hold them open (particularly since I'm often multitasking when I read--eating, brushing my teeth, etc.), and I hate breaking the spines of my books! Feels like a wee murder. I love the ease and practicality (no storage space needed!) of my e-books. They never yellow or get brittle, and I can lose myself in the story, instead of the format.

But DRM (digital rights management) is one thing holding me back from building a big e-library. I hope publishers and online retailers (ahem, Amazon) move to DRM-free books, or at least to ePub or another format that can be moved among the purchaser's devices of choice. I think Amazon will go that way eventually, based on its DRM-free .mp3 library and a strong hope that it smells the coffee, but we'll see.

Anyway, I do think big changes are ahead for the industry, for good or for ill. Let's hope for the good.

By the way, do you want to zoom forward with your writing? Could you use a support system for your publishing goals and a caring, personal guide to help you write and sell? Good, because now's the time. I'm running a half-off sale on book coaching for writers for the month of January! It's the first sale I've ever offered, and I may not ever do it again, but the new year is just around the corner and I'm inspired to help you succeed in 2009.

Go to Women-Ink.com/half.htm to read all about the sale, but remember--you must get in touch with me by December 31, 2008 and let me know you want the discount. Time's ticking. Go! :-)

Dear readers, one and all, may you have the happiest of holidays and a truly magnificent year ahead.

Katey

How to help the books we love

2008-11-19T10:47:00.001-08:00

Hello, writers one and all. Yes, I know, long time no see. (grin) I hope you've been having a creative and productive few months.

The economy is looming large and scary for many of us these days, so here's something to keep in mind as we approach the holiday gifting season:

Editorial Ass: C[r]ash Flow (Or What Went Wrong in October in Book Publishing)

Permission of sorts, yes? :-) My Amazon habit is delighted.

Katey
Women-Ink.com
Get free, motivational quotations for writers!

Mourning the loss of two spaces. (& blog pause)

2008-09-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

That's it, I'm switching over. I've been fond of using two spaces between sentences since I was a four-eyed kid in elementary school. (And if you've paid attention to my previous musical tastes, you can identify that decade.) I prefer the look of two spaces in manuscripts, and since I often read my clients' work before they submit it, I find two spaces marginally easier on my eyes when critiquing.

But for my own writing, it's become too annoying to switch back and forth from two (manuscripts, emails) to one (web work, e-newsletter). So I give up.

I will now be training myself to use one, lonely space after terminal punctuation. It's the end of an era for me. (sniff)

Although I'm switching so I can lessen my own writing frustration, whether you should do the same is up to you. I've judged many writing contests and never penalize entrants for spacing choices, as long as they're consistent about them. My agent uses two spaces, and a quick check of recent correspondence with editors shows that seven of those eleven New York editors also use two--so while there may be a trend toward using one space in publishing, it's hardly universal.

Bottom line: if a publisher specifies a preference about spaces between sentences, follow it when you submit there. Otherwise, no one much cares. Honest.

======

Now that Write Now Quotes is rolling (10 issues so far and going strong), I doubt I'll be posting here much. (Not, LOL, that this will be much of a change.) So if you'd like to hear consistent suggestions and advice from me, please join the free WNQ newsletter. I look forward to seeing you there!

Katey
Women-Ink.com

I'm blogging today at Casablanca Authors...come visit!

2008-08-21T14:35:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: CNN. (Yep, still a junkie.)

Today I'm hanging out with the authors from the Casablanca imprint of Sourcebooks. My post lists ways to keep your butt parked in the Writer's Chair and be productive, even when you just don't wanna write. Come read it and say hello! (Whoops, almost forgot to include the URL there. Ha!)

Katey

Women-Ink.com

RWA National

2008-07-28T12:42:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Um, CNN. [me=news junkie]

Preparing for the Romance Writers of America national conference is always a ton of fun, combined with a smattering of stress. (Have my coaching brochures arrived? Biz cards? Where's my favorite name tag holder, and that great pair of ankle boots? Is my laptop still acting up? Gah, I still have to get my hair cut!) I look forward to seeing those of you who'll be attending. Say hi if you see me!

Meanwhile, here's a scary article (in an editor's own words) about what happens to your lovingly crafted submissions. Warning: not for the faint of heart.

Katey Coffing, Ph.D.
Women-Ink.com

Speaking of my father-in-law...

2008-07-10T15:31:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: "Sleeping Satellite" by Tasmin Archer

My hubby just sent me an interesting web page. Vampire folk, this one's for you. (Plus, that's my father-in-law starring in the video, LOL!)

Katey
Women-Ink.com

I've been nudged

2008-07-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: "Blue Gene Vincent" by Havana 3AM

*Ahem* Thanks for nudging me, Mary R. :) Mary helped me notice I haven't been hanging around my own blog since March. Ouch. Right, then, I'd better get back into the groove!

First off, I've been contemplating a longish post about the Amazon Kindle. Yes, I now own one of these funky lil' e-book readers, and it's changed my thoughts about publishing's future in a BIG way. Not that the Kindle is all sweetness and light, mind you, and there are some drawbacks to it that give me major pause--but overall, I think the Kindle *or something like it* could thrust the slower-moving, slow-adapting parts of the publishing industry into quite a, um, situation. While I ponder my swirling thoughts, does anyone else out there have one of these goodies?

Second, one of the reasons for my extended absence is my latest project. Ta-da! (Imagine the curtains opening.) For all you busy writers who could use a little nudge yourselves, my Write Now Quotes is a short email newsletter featuring a single motivational quote each week and some brief commentary tailored for the writerly soul. I plan to get the next issue out tomorrow evening, so if you'd like to get it, best sign up now!

More to come in future posts here, including my current irritation with a previous love (Thesaurus.com, a website that has peeved me so greatly I won't even give it a link), and a gleeful party for yet another client who's sold her book. (Waving to Leigh--gal, drink some Chick-fil-A lemonade for me!) Meanwhile, I hope that despite my recent quiet, y'all are out there happily writing away. Right?

RIGHT?

*cracking whip*

:)

Katey
Women-Ink.com

The best software for writers (Mac/PC)

2008-03-13T04:10:00.000-07:00

This post has been a long time (and a lot of fun experimentation) in the making. If you're a writer and you live in the modern age, you probably want software that will make the writing process easier and more organized. Today's post includes some of my favorite little helpers, many of which have free demo versions you can try.

Take a look at the websites, screenshots and features, and then demo the ones you think would work for you. Writing software is a very personal thing, and software that suits one person well may just feel "off" to someone else. It's probably better to invest a little time now to see what suits the way YOU work best.

What I use:
I'm a HUGE fan of the Mac-only Scrivener. I prefer it to every other writing program I've ever tried, Mac or PC--and that says a lot. I was a happy beta tester during NaNoWriMo in 2005 and now rely on it for whole projects, not just my manuscripts. I adore Scrivener's structure and its many flexible features. An outline on the left side of the screen organizes your draft (and all your research, useful URLs, .pdf files...). In the right-hand pane you can do a split screen view (brilliant!) to look at your current scene plus a research document or two scenes at once. (Can’t remember what color the heroine’s dress was when she put it on four chapters ago? Go back and look, and the scene you’re working on is still visible!) Annotate/make comments, see your drafts in full screen mode, seamless exports to .rtf... I love, love, love Scrivener and recommend it to all my Mac-based coaching clients. It’s a beautifully thought-out program packed with useful features.

But different strokes for different folks; everyone has their own method of writing and their own preferences (not to mention computing platform), so I'm going to mention a few other apps worthy of a look. (And needless to say, there are many more good ones out there that aren't making it into this post.)

My PC-based clients are variously fond of:

- Liquid Story Binder, which (like Scrivener) can handle images in addition to text. In other words, if you find a great photo or image on the web, you can store that with your manuscript. (Great for research!) It seems to have a lot of other features handy for writers, too.

- PageFour, a newer program that seems to have a pleasant and uncluttered interface and a nifty Document Importer.

- WriteWay Pro. I liked WWP one a lot, and wrote some of my 2005 NaNoWriMo novel on it. (Yes, I was bilingual then.) WWP was created by the husband of a novelist, so it has a lot of smart features (character profiles, goals & productivity tracking, etc.) that novelists will like. Alas, the interface is pretty ugly (circa Win98), and there's no autosave, so you'd better save at regular intervals. (Which is always a good move, anyway.) The installation might seem a little tricky, since it requires an additional, free piece of software from Microsoft that you may or may not already have on your computer, so be sure to read the installation instructions.

- RoughDraft is free, has a good reputation and is well-liked by a lot of writers. It doesn't have the most modern interface, but it's been around for a few years--and being free, it's certainly practical.

Several others worth a mention: Writer's Blocks, WriteItNow, and
PowerWriter.

Have fun exploring and seeing what kind of interface feels good and intuitive to you. Here are some questions that might help as you look through these programs:

(1) Does it organize manuscripts in a way that will be easy for you to find scenes/sections, add to them, and move them around as needed?

(2) Will it let you name scenes/sections (or otherwise identify them) so you can find them quickly?

(3) Does the program make it easy to save your work and back it up?

(4) Does it feel fast (so you won't waste time when working with a big manuscript)?

(5) Are there any special/unique features of this program that would be particularly handy for you and the way you like to work?

(6) Do you enjoy the layout and feel of the program (since you'll be looking at it a LOT)?

I look forward to hearing what you prefer, so feel free to discuss your choice in the comments! Have fun and enjoy exploring.

Katey
Women-Ink.com

Special deal on writing software for the Mac

2008-03-07T11:10:00.000-08:00

Available today only: MacZot has a writing software program, StoryMill, available for a deep discount.

I haven't played with StoryMill yet--another Mac-based program, Scrivener, is my super-mega-ultra favorite writing program--but StoryMill's price break through MacZot makes it worth a timely mention.

Coming up: a post on my favorite software for writers (both Mac and PC).

Are you avoiding writing?

2008-01-24T19:49:00.000-08:00

Music I'm listening to: Micaela by La Sonora Carruseles (yep, it's BOOGIE TIME)

If you find yourself saying "I want to get my book finished...but gee, I just don't feel like writing right now," check out this post by Theresa Ragan at the Wet Noodle Posse blog. Theresa writes about a great little trick that can get you back on track TODAY.

Keep writing!

Katey
Women-Ink.com

New Year's Reminiscence

2008-01-01T17:14:00.000-08:00

Music I'm listening to: Ricky Martin's Olé Olé Olé (a.k.a. "The Cup of Life"). An odd but perfect coincidence.

My reminiscence for New Year's Day 2008:

One year ago today, I was in the hospital with a deadly kidney stone and sepsis, and about to shake the Grim Reaper's hand. Today I'm happy, healthy, and fully hydrated--thanks to great medicine and support, and some serious determination on my part.

Take-away message: Have a goal? Don't let anything stop you.

I'm sending each of you wishes for a fantastic 2008, full of joy and success.

Keep writing! :)

Katey
Women-Ink.com

NANO!

2007-10-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

Hooray, it's almost time time time... for National Novel Writing Month (also known as NaNoWriMo, or just NaNo). I've signed up again, as have several clients, critique partners, and friends. Come join us! Write 50,000 words on a novel during a month of craziness and end up exhausted and triumphant.

And hey, don't worry about editing or making your prose perfect. Ha! (Showin' my age: is anyone else now remembering Lwaxana Troi teaching Alexander about the "laughing hour"? Ahem.)

Anyhow, revisions are for LATER! During November,

JUST WRITE.

What it takes to have a best-seller

2007-09-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

Check out agent Nephele Tempest's comments on how best-sellers are made (luck and timing being strong components).

A Client's SALE

2007-09-13T09:56:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: White Lines by Grandmaster Flash

::doing the Happy Inky Writer's Dance::

One of my clients (and they're such wonderful people, every last one of 'em!) just accepted a five-figure deal for a memoir, sold on proposal. And she got the news while taking a vacation in lovely Ireland. How's that for a fun sales story?

More details to come sometime down the road, after the contract is signed. :)

Sometimes life bites, and sometimes...there are kittens

2007-09-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

Music: Inspiral Carpets - Two Worlds Collide

Life squashed us a bit flat over the last couple of weeks. Some of you will remember that a year ago on Labor Day weekend, we lost one of our beloved kitties to cancer. Well, this year another followed suit--we don't know that it was cancer (two different vets weren't sure of what caused the illness), but I have my suspicions. At any rate, my baby boy (he was fifteen, but still my baby) is now waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge.

A few days later, we found out that another of our kitties may soon join him, due to a downward spiral of his bad kidneys and complications in the rest of his body.

To celebrate the lives of our furry loved ones, we went to the local animal shelter to adopt a kitten, or two. (Normally we would have adopted an adult--there were so many wonderful ones there, and they need homes just as much as kittens--but we considered our "kidney cat" and felt kittens would lessen his stress and objections to interlopers on his established territory.)

We didn't just come home with one or two kittens, but three.

What could I do? When I raised my logical objections to adding three littermates to our home (the extra food, litter, and VET BILLS, which were already outrageous this month), my husband made the best argument ever: "Okay, which of these kittens will you leave here at the shelter?"

Ouch.

So yep, all three snuggled together in their new carrier on the way home. And I wouldn't trade 'em for the world. They're even providing our kidney cat with some entertainment.

So YAY for kittens!

Software for Getting Things Done

2007-08-27T22:20:00.000-07:00

This post may get technical, folks--just warning you. :)

In a fit of organization (masking, of course, a bout of procrastination), I spent time last week looking for a new method of organizing my to-do list, which is always insanely long and thoroughly intimidating. Since January I've been working the "Getting Things Done" system (see book by David Allen) and liking it. To me, GTD is a useful philosophy for clearing your head, getting your commitments listed and organized, and then getting them completed.

Unfortunately, my GTD implementation (a classic one, with each task on a separate sheet of paper, and hanging folders to organize my list by month and by day) just wasn't working for me. My computer is my lifeblood, and my files and to-dos were all in a desk drawer behind me. Maybe that shouldn't have mattered, since they were all of two feet away--but it disrupted my computing. It didn't fit how I worked, or thought.

So, like many people who are familiar with GTD, I spent some hours looking through the growing list of productivity software dedicated to (or compatible with) GTD. As a Mac person (I'm bilingual, but prefer my Mac), I had quite a few good choices, though most seemed to lack something here or there I thought critical. Since much of the available software is still undergoing development, things may change. My top favorites were Midnight Beep Softworks' Inbox, iGTD, and ToodleDo. I also considered Todoist, Tasks, TaskToy, Frictionless, ThinkingRock, GTD Inbox for Gmail, Nozbe, Remember the Milk, and many others, though they didn't make the final cut so I won't discuss them here.

Midnight Beep's Inbox is a slick piece of software--easily the prettiest to look at, and definitely innovative. It's smart enough to let you collect potential tasks from your documents AND e-mail, automatically. I also loved the two-minute timer, which helps you finish email messages and other tasks quickly (so you can focus your precious time where it's most needed). I see a lot of promise for Inbox. Unfortunately, the current version works best with Apple's Mail program, and I'm a dedicated Gmail user. I also want an app that will let me import and export my to-do list without much trouble if I end up wanting to move to (or from) another app. I'm not even finished writing down all my to-dos, and my list already has 166 tasks. I'd hate to retype all of those into Inbox! I reluctantly removed Inbox from contention without giving it a thorough test...but I'd be happy to take another look down the road when it permits easy import/exports. The developers apparently have a lot of great ideas for version 2.0.

ToodleDo is web-based, so it's available for ANY computer, Mac, PC, or Linux, with an Internet browser. Some reviewers were concerned about potential security/server issues (i.e., having all your data stored on a server you don't own/can't back up)--but a web-based to-do list is much more convenient for me, since I use several different computers each day and could log in on each and see the same list. ToodleDo also has fantastic import/export capabilities, so you're free to backup or move your data as often as you like. I nearly went with ToodleDo. I appreciated how easy it was to create new tasks (and even add notes), liked its Goals area, and loved the Hotlist of high-priority and urgent tasks at the top of the page--which gets emailed to the user every morning. Awesome! But ToodleDo doesn't let you choose to show just the "next action"--the next item in each project/folder that needs to get done. In the end, it was a gut feeling--I couldn't figure out how to interact with ToodleDo in the way I wanted. But, I'll keep an eye on it and may go back if it develops further.

My current winner: iGTD. It's a flexible program, and the developer seems to be adding new features all the time to keep it working well for different user preferences. I'm still learning its many useful features and keyboard shortcuts. It handles recurring tasks well, and you can assign priorities, anticipated effort, start dates and due dates to each task--or not, as you like. You can even "flag" tasks, a feature I'm using for things that I want to complete each day. iGTD lets you hide tasks that aren't due yet (which unclutters my head and reduces my stress level). I appreciated being able to create projects and sub-projects to organize my tasks, plus you can create notes for your tasks AND projects/subprojects. So far, iGTD seems to be working well for me, and I'm starting to trust it to handle everything. There are a few little quirks to get used to, but nothing annoying, and I love its speedy interaction. It doesn't have as many import/export options as ToodleDo, but enough to satisfy me, and it can quickly create backups of its data. It's already a very handy app, and with the ongoing development, it should only get better.

I have my fingers crossed that my newly computerized to-do list will keep me both productive and relaxed. Happy GTD, everyone!

Harry

2007-08-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

Just finished HP7. For those of you who haven't started HP7 yet, I reread 1-6 before digging into 7, and I'm doubly glad I did. It heightened all the joy, excitement, and tension.

To J.K. Rowling: Thank you. What a magnificent ride.

Crazy Month; Agent Contracts

2007-08-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

First RWA National, then catching a bad cold there, then my husband catching a bad cold (I'd like to think it wasn't from me, but...), and now another trip, though fortunately this one's a vacation. July was a bur, and 2007 is whizzing by. Yow!

So, just a quick little post before I head out. For those of you on the agent hunt (and Clients O' Mine, you know who you are!), Kristen Nelson has a great series going about finding an agent and examining the agency contract. Check these out:

Agent Shopping (why even having a publisher's offer doesn't mean she'll rep you)

Evolution of An Agency Contract (should you have a lawyer look it over? And check the comments for more goodies!)

And several posts about contract clauses:
Anatomy of an Agency Agreement--Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Have fun this week, everyone--I sure hope to!

LOL, just when things are going well...

2007-07-26T10:38:00.000-07:00

I had a FANTASTIC time at the RWA National Conference. It was a delight, as always, to room with my critique partner and close friend who lives at the opposite end of the country, and to catch up with members of my online writing group and my many sister RWA Golden Heart(R) finalists. I also had a wonderful time every day talking to agents and editors, and then hanging out on the Awards night with two rockin' ladies I hope to see again long before next year's conference. (Hi Julie and Kate!) I wish I could go to this conference every week--well, except for the exhaustion augmented by lack of sleep, plus the inevitable cold I picked up and that slammed me into bed the first day I got back.

And no sooner had I recovered than my husband got a cold, and now both of us have excellent lung congestion. It's been a Puffs Plus household for gaining on two weeks now.

Anyway, here's a shout-out to all of you--and may your health be better than ours!

Off to National

2007-07-09T12:51:00.000-07:00

I leave for the Romance Writers of America conference tomorrow at the ungodly hour of 4:45 a.m. (Imagine my lip curling here, since my brain will definitely be low-functioning at that time. Thank goodness for a husband willing to drive me to the airport before the sun has the decency to show up. Honey, you're awesome.)

The conference should be great fun. I haven't seen my roommate and longtime critique partner since last year's conference. (I hope we manage to get to sleep before 4 a.m. this time. Well, I at least hope that if we don't, that the chats are completely worthwhile, just like last year's.)

I have a smaller suitcase packed full and nestled in my bigger suitcase like Russian dolls, just so I'll have room for all the free books. I'm going as a Golden Heart finalist (which yes, thank you, Linda, does mean I get to be treated like a rock star! :-D ). I am still awaiting the UPS man, who might--I hope--be delivering the dress I want to wear to the Golden Heart/RITA awards. If he doesn't, I'll take a lighter suitcase and wear a black pantsuit and matching pashmina and shall look (I hope) oh-so-casually chic. Manicure done, and I'm just hoping not to nibble on it in the course of the next few days (fat chance).

I'm waving hello to everyone I'll see and meet there, and also waving hello to all those who won't be going this year (hi Kendra & Geniene!) but who will make it someday--and with luck, to the San Francisco conference in 2008.

Happy travels to all!

Nailing the Book Cover (aka, Cover Magic)

2007-07-09T12:33:00.000-07:00

Jennie Crusie, NYT Bestseller and writing goddess, has clout with her publisher. She can push for great covers and get people to listen--which is not always the case for a mid-lister, much less new authors. But three of her recent blog posts are terrific step-by-step info guides on what makes a great cover appropriate for your book AND the market. Two of the books were "romantic adventures" co-written with Bob Mayer, and so needed to display a different "take away" message than her romances. Learn from the evolution of her covers for these three books:

Agnes and the Hitman
The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes
Don't Look Down

And I mustn't forget...

2007-06-29T01:30:00.000-07:00

Big, belated congratulations to my client Jan, who now has a well-respected agent to market her "Band of Brothers" meets "On Golden Pond" father-daughter memoir. You GO, girl! (And just keep writing!)

Aw, you missed me :)

2007-06-29T00:26:00.000-07:00

(sniff) Thanks for the sweet inquiry, Anonymous Readers. I'm okay, just quiet lately, finishing up a book, catching up with some of the Life I'd put off while doing that, and preparing for the Romance Writers of America national conference in a couple of weeks.

And fortunately, we don't live near the Tahoe fire, though we have friends of friends who have lost their homes. I can empathize. When I was eight, a kitchen fire (due to a short in the stove) burned much of our house and smoke-damaged the rest and everything in it. Recovery's a long road, even with insurance. I'm sending thoughts and good wishes to all those affected--and to the firefighters and emergency crews who risk their lives to keep the rest of us safe.

Anyway, folks, I'll get back to the swing of things with this blog. Thanks for letting me know it's made a difference to you. :)

Friday Agent Tips

2007-04-27T08:10:00.001-07:00

Music I'm listening to: "Freedom" by Erasure

Several good agent blog posts recently, so check 'em out:

Rachel Vater gives some questions to ask an agent prior to signing, plus how to know if you have an agent who's right for you.

Jessica Faust has three recent posts about whether you should choose a Big Name Agent, fielding multiple agent offers, and things to check in an agency contract before you sign (read the useful comments, too). (Also, she had a wee slip of the fingers on that one—the AAR is the Association of Authors' Representatives.)

Finally, Kristin Nelson has a little insight on what an agent can do for you before the sale.

Happy Friday, y'all.

The Good News Express!

2007-04-13T08:42:00.000-07:00

Music on iTunes: The Beloved's Sweet Harmony

What a great spring, dear readers! (And after nearly dying from a misdiagnosed kidney stone in January, I appreciate great times even more.)

My latest fantasy romance, THE KISS OF FATE, has been named a finalist in Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart contest for unpublished manuscripts. For those of you who don't know RWA, suffice it to say this is a big deal. Woohoo! The winners are announced in July at the RWA National Conference. (And now I have a great excuse to go gown shopping!) I've had my head down working on revisions, since I've rearranged plot lines and two of my original subplots would happily take over the book if I'd let them. (As in, they were weighing in at a good 100 pages, yow.) The changes are taking a lot longer than I'd hoped (ugh ugh ugh), but I'm delighted with the ones I've made so far. In a few weeks, I'll be shipping the whole thing off to my wonderful agent.

The fabu Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell of The Renegade Writer have asked me to be the expert book coach for the third winner of their Renegade Writer Makeover Contest, Ginny Williams. And it one of those little life oddities, Ginny and I share the hideous experience of having a home ravaged by a fire. Ginny, I look forward to talking to you and helping you write the book of your heart. (And three cheers for resilient women!)

By the way, folks, if you're thinking about freelance writing and haven't bought The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success, jump-start your career by reading it. It rocks.

The ski season's finally over, alas. (All right, technically some of the Tahoe resorts are still open, rocks and all--but I live up here, so I'm picky.) Still, despite the season having a serious dearth of snow (plus my additional frustration during the recovery period from that whole nearly-dying thing), I had a great Last Day on the Slopes. Can't wait for next year. I hope we get freshies in October!

The gist: Life's good over here. May yours be just as wonderful!

Why do editors choose to become agents?

2007-03-09T17:37:00.001-08:00

People in the publishing industry tend to play musical chairs. Agent Kim Lionetti of BookEnds, LLC explains why she left Berkley Publishing and become an agent at BookEnds, LLC three years ago. Her post has good insights about agents' motivations and some of the lesser-known pitfalls of being an editor. If you read my previous post, "A publishing industry history lesson," this one adds food for thought about compensation in the industry...

A publishing industry history lesson

2007-03-06T20:15:00.000-08:00

In the age of video games, iPods and the Nintendo Wii, how can we make sure books stay products of value? This is a question the entire industry is wrestling with, and I haven't yet seen the answer.

Agent Jane Dystel (of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management) has a new blog post with insights about the publishing industry, then and now. Since marketing/publicity seems to be "king" these days, check out her plea to those in charge of publishing houses on behalf of authors and their books.

A workshop on the male psyche

2007-03-04T18:56:00.001-08:00

I know women and men both read my blog. Men, you may now stop reading today's post. (Just trying to save you some time, guys.)

Dr. Debra Holland is a psychotherapist, a talented writer, and a friend of mine. She's giving an online workshop for women writers titled "Understanding The Male Psyche" starting this Tuesday, March 6. She and I first met at a similar workshop she gave at the 2002 RWA conference, and I highly recommend this course.

For more information, click here and scroll down to March 2007.

Happy learning—and writing!

Do you feel this way sometimes?

2007-02-10T19:11:00.000-08:00

I just saw this post, Love/Hate relationships, from a friend of mine. I tend to be practical (meaning both empathetic and hard-assed, as needed) about the difficulties of the publishing biz—and I'm fortunate to have a marvelous agent after much trial and error—but hooooyeah, we can all empathize with the frustrations. (And haven't most of us been there a time or two, or twenty-nine?)

BTW, music I'm listening to: kitty purrs and snores, all at once, from the dueling feline twins.

Critique Partners and Revisions

2007-02-08T16:48:00.000-08:00

Greetings from the land of clouds. I just hope the clouds bring snow to the mountains (yay, skiing!) and leave those of us in the valley alone. (I hate driving in snow. Especially considering some of the drivers around here. =-0 )

I'm revising my latest WIP. It's taking forever. And driving me nuts. And if I didn't have my fabulous critique partner, I'd be paddling by hand up a very disgusting brown creek.

So here's a wee roundup of articles about dealing with critique partners and critique groups. (You have one of those, don't you? If not, do consider finding one. We're all a little blind when it comes to our own work.)

Shelly Thacker Meinhardt's The Gentle Critique: How to Survive (and Thrive) in a Critique Group

Carolyn LaFever's A Brave New World: An Online Critiquing Primer

Terescia Harvey's The Critique Partner from Hell, or One Hell of a Critique Partner

and finally, even if you're in a crit group or partnership, and especially if you go it alone, take a look at agent Vivian Beck's Be Your Own Critic.

An Agent's Dos and Don'ts

2007-02-04T08:28:00.001-08:00

The Magical Musings blog has a new interview with agent Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown, LTD. The subject is how to pitch your manuscript to Ginger, and it includes some handy tips on how NOT to commit social gaffes at a writers' conference.

I would hope all the readers here would have the common sense not to do these things, but writers have been known to lose their higher brain functions in the heat of the moment. And no one wants to be the crazy nutter everyone laughs about for years afterwards.

Agent Opinions

2007-02-01T19:38:00.000-08:00

Here's a tidbit dedicated to my wonderful clients Jan and Leigh, who are deep in the agent query stage. Lori Perkins mentioned in a recent post that her agency gets 30,000 queries in a year. Yep, that means an average of 2500 unsolicited queries a month, or 125 each workday... That's enough mail/email to make even John Wayne shudder.

(J&L: 30,000! All that competition... So doesn't this make the good news and requests you're getting all the sweeter? :-D )

Lori's post also has an interesting take on snailmail vs. email submissions to editors in The Modern Age.

Speaking of agent queries, Jenny Rappaport shares a useful list of what she wants to see in a query (and what she really doesn't!). I love her examples of bad and good hooks. Read, enjoy, and learn.

Organized!

2007-02-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

Good evening, folks! After my near-acquaintance with Death last month, I confess I'm a little behind on tackling my New Year's resolutions. (How are you doing with yours, dear readers?) Fortunately, I'm happy to report I now have two clean desks, a visible office floor, a dining room table empty of all extraneous piles (just in time for hubby's Superbowl party on Sunday), a daily to-do list short enough to actually complete each day, a new organizational and filing system that rocks, three terrific new clients (hooray!), and my blissful infatuation with the revisions to my WIP. Life is good!

Ah, speaking of New Year's resolutions, as well as my dance with Death (if one can be said to dance when laid out cold on a hospital gurney), here's a useful site that's helped me shed some pounds AND keep track of my water intake. (Water tracking is very important for those of us blessed—shyeah—with kidney stones.) Basic membership is free free free.

Not free, but certainly worthwhile :) are the changes I've made to my coaching packages for writers. (I changed them some time ago and kept forgetting to blog about the new prices and options. How silly is that?!) Check out the good stuff here at my main website, Women-Ink.com.

Contracted Books and Options

2007-01-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

Music I'm listening to: The Baroque Masters station at Live365.com.

Jessica Faust of BookEnds, LLC has started a discussion of options on books, particularly when the publisher is one you've realized DON'T want to work with again. Good advice, and you'll see it pays to keep a hawk's eye on contract language, even when you're thrilled to be getting that first book published!

A new blog from an experienced agent

2007-01-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

Lori Perkins is my own agent's boss and the author of The Insider's Guide to Getting an Agent, a book I've mentioned here before. The Insider's Guide reveals great info about agenting, publishing, and how to enhance your writing career, and Lori has 20 years of experience in the biz, so she has a lot to share with her readers. Check out her new blog and welcome her to the blogosphere.

What happens to your publisher submissions...

2007-01-11T17:21:00.000-08:00

Today was a pretty good day. I got the chance to speak with clients after my Hospital Ordeal, and I definitely have more stamina and lung resources than yesterday, so my recovery is progressing nicely.

As part of my sorting and purging through my inboxes, I found this little gem of a blog post from editor Anna Genoese of Tor. In it she talks about what actually happens to your precious pages when you submit them to a publisher.

New Year's Eve Hospital Hell

2007-01-10T23:14:00.001-08:00

Dear Blog Readers:

I'm really hoping you've all been having a better 2007 than I've had so far. On New Year's Eve, a nightmare of a kidney infection smacked me. I spent the next ten days in the hospital, including four in the ICU. I nearly died. (Yeah...um, I don't think I've 100% processed that yet.)

I finally got home yesterday. To anyone who tried to contact me during my hospital ordeal (and can I just tell you HOW MUCH I never want to see the inside of a hospital again???), I apologize. I'm climbing back in the saddle and will be culling through emails and voicemails.

Meanwhile, I hope the sparkly new 2007 has been kind to you!

- Katey, grateful for being alive to write this post

For those of you who write out of order

2006-12-29T16:44:00.000-08:00

And you know who you are, because you often feel self-imposed guilt about it, even though it's a perfectly workable method!

Here's an article that will (1) reassure you that you're in good company, and (2) give you tips for enhancing this natural writing style: Survival Kit for Writers Who Don't Write 'Right' by Janet Hunter.

On Procrastination

2006-12-27T19:52:00.000-08:00

Are the holidays driving you crazy yet? Yeah, me too. =)

The end of a year is a chance to look over the year gone by and the new one ahead, and that's the part of December I love. I usually find myself digging into books on organization, procrastination, and productivity during this month. In that spirit, here's a great article I've just run across on procrastination.

Overcoming Procrastination by Steve Pavlina

It gives terrific explanations and tips in a short space, which means it won't take long for you to get some good "Oh!" moments from it.

A bright and shiny year is on its way, dear readers. What do you want to accomplish this year? And how will you make those things happen?

Start with your writing goals. Figure out what they are, decide what you'll need to do to achieve them, and begin.

Want help? :)

Visit me at Women-Ink.com.

What a week! :-D

2006-12-16T01:30:00.000-08:00

HUGE congratulations to two of my clients, Jan and Leigh, who both received terrific (and well-deserved) news this week. After working hard to write and hone their nonfic book proposals, each received a request from the very first agent she contacted. Yahoo!

I'm SO very proud. Both agents are highly respected, and while there are never any guarantees, this kind of hole-in-one from the first contact is a lovely validation. Leigh told me how delighted she was that the care and effort we invested in her query letter and proposal have more than paid off. (Thanks for the compliments, Leigh—I was grinning for hours afterwards.) Jan got her request based on some very savvy networking on her part, and was then able to use her wonderfully reworded (and still virginal) query to rev up the intro of her proposal. Ladies, the revisions you've made in the last few months rock—and so do the two of you. I'm so jazzed to be able to help bring your wonderful books to life.

In short: You GO, Girls! There's a long road ahead—the publishing world can be a bitch that way—but may this happy news be a sign of a marvelous future for you and your manuscripts. Hugs all around!

LA Story

2006-12-09T12:38:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've blogged. I didn't intend my hiatus to be this long! So, this will be a bit of a "catch up" post, and one that leans toward the personal. Apologies for any rambling--it's getting late and it's been a long (though excellent) day.

November was a highly interesting and often stressful month as I drove toward my writing deadlines. I'm happy to report that I accomplished those goals (yay)! Big thanks to the Sprinting Club for the support and mutual butt-whipping as we all raced toward our finish lines--here's a happy shout-out to Frieda, Maire and Mary! And FedEx made some good profits from me last week (sigh).

With my goals met, I was due some R&R time, and my dear husband, who sweetly put up with my tunnel vision for the past couple of months, was due some pampering. Since it was his birthday this week, we've come to LA to celebrate completed projects and birthday fun among friends and family. We're now lying in our hotel room in Los Angeles, watching the local news. (Why we're watching the local news, I don't know. I can't stand local news even when it's MY local news...Oh good, DH has finally fallen asleep, and I've confiscated the remote and switched to CNN.)

Since we arrived in LA, we've found ourselves dropping into bookstores to roam through the aisles. We've averaged 1.5 stores per day so far, without even planning it. Yes, there are bookstores at home, but this is our vacation, and we'll spend our time the way we like, heh heh.

Oh, and today turned out to be Celebrity Sighting Day. I never get the memo on these things, so it only became evident after the fact. Some background: before moving to the Tahoe area, I lived in LA for a total of 4 years, and only saw one celeb the whole time I was here--John Lithgow, who was walking his dog on the UCLA campus. Which wasn't too surprising a sighting, considering his wife and I both taught there. Oh, wait, two celebs--I also saw Edward James Olmos on campus once, backstage at an event during the LA Times Festival of Books.

Anyway, today we walked into a shipping store so my father-in-law could mail a bunch of packages, and there was Allison Janney (C.J. Cregg from The West Wing). I believe in telling people when they've done a great job--heck, I complimented a woman yesterday just for wearing some really cool boots--and I loved the C.J. character and would have liked to thank the actress who made her so delightful. But Ms. Janney was mailing her own set of packages and was wearing a "private face," clearly trying not to attract attention. So, I'll just leave my thanks here and let the universe take care of the delivery.

Tonight, DH and I went with his parents to a delicious birthday dinner at Koi in West Hollywood, which is a favorite restaurant of the in-laws. Michael Bolton showed up, and about five minutes later, so did Nicolette Sheridan of Desperate Housewives fame. (I think they're engaged or something, so the proximity makes sense.) I didn't get a good look at M.B.--my stepmother-in-law was much faster on the draw on that--but N.S. looks just as gorgeous in person as on the screen. And she is a TALL woman, folks. (So, come to think of it, is Allison Janney, but that's not much of a surprise, if you ever saw her onscreen standing next to Martin Sheen.)

Okay, it's way past midnight now and time to go hit the sheets. Tomorrow it's Korean BBQ (yum!), a Korean spa (ooooh, cheap scrubs and hot saunas), and then Benihana (DH's favorite) and--if we are still moving by then--some salsa dancing. I'm trying to get DH hooked on salsa, but the Reno/Tahoe area offers only slim pickings. We head home on Sunday, through what looks to be some snow. (Snow is a lot of fun to ski on, but not as much to drive through.) Next week I dig into edits on a WIP, help a client perfect a newly requested book proposal (big congrats, Jan!), and dive into some new possibilities and fun changes for Women-Ink.com.

Best of luck with your writing this coming week, folks! I'll be back to my own BIC (butt-in-chair) time on Monday, so just know you won't be alone.

A Drive-By Hello & Agent Stuff

2006-11-10T18:31:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the lengthy silence; I'm gunning for a writing deadline, so please excuse me while I have my head down for a few more weeks. The following posts caught my eye, and I'll pop up when I find more good stuff to share.

First, J.A. Konrath has a post on his agency's blog about what to look for in an agent—and how to be a good client.

Speaking of agents, Kristin Nelson discusses what happens at those lunch dates they have with editors—and how these contacts help you, the writer.

These remind me of an excellent book by agent Lori Perkins, The Insider's Guide to Getting an Agent. She's the lead at my agency (IOW, my agent's boss), and I read the book when I signed on. It's fantastic! Extremely helpful, all sorts of information about what an agent's day is REALLY like, and exactly what goes on behind the scenes in publishing. There's a lot of smart advice about how you can help your agent (and thus your own career). Definitely worth putting on your bookshelf, and I'd feel that way even if I were with another agency.

Okay, back to the grindstone for me. My nose is getting nice and shiny from it. :)

Happy writing, folks!

And the blogroll lengthens

2006-10-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

New agent & publishing-related blogs for your infotainment:

Dystel & Goderich Literary Management, a self-proclaimed "opinionated bunch". They've posted good stuff so far, so it's worth perusing.

The Rejector, an assistant agent. The peon speaks. For the love of all that's holy, listen to her gripes so you'll understand how important assistants are to YOU and your publishing career.

Agent007 on Publishing. "A book editor becomes an agent and tells it like it is." If you want verifications of that statement, read this...

A Newbie's Guide to Publishing by J.A. Konrath. An author gives you the honest truth about marketing.

NaNoWriMo

2006-10-21T12:25:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Riding on the Metro—Berlin.

For those of you who haven't heard of National Novel Writing Month (and there are fewer of you each year, since NaNo's growing), heads up! Here's your chance to bash out 50,000 words in a month and prove (especially to yourself) that you CAN write a lot and do it fast. You'll never be the same again. NaNo is fun, scary, and a lot of work—and when you hit 50K, it's all worthwhile. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

I signed up and succeeded in 2005, but won't be joining in this year. I'm completing and polishing a manuscript I've already been working on for several months. (With NaNo, you're supposed to begin a brand new work.) But I'll be cheering all of you on as I go through my own deadline hell. :)

If you sign up for NaNo, Chris Baty's No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days is a useful companion book.

BTW, Karen Wiesner's First Draft In 30 Days: A Novel Writer's System for Building a Complete and Cohesive Manuscript is also a handy guide for jump-starting your novel—BUT the "first draft" of her title is really an extended outline, and probably wouldn't count by NaNo rules. That's your own business, though.

Either way, get ready for a productive November.

Are you ready?

Ah, the joys of writing

2006-10-14T13:03:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Anuraag, an Internet station that plays Indian classical music. This is perfect background music for my current WIP.

Sometimes writing feels just like this. (I laughed so hard while watching it, I actually cried.)

Just a little crowing

2006-10-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Hmm, it's TV, actually. The Colbert Report.

Sitting back to watch TV is my reward for a day of fabulous writing. The pages I've written may or may not be fabulous, but the fact that there were *20* of them today makes me dance.

All of which shows, just in case you were wondering, that I do follow my own advice. :-D

Being Edited: A Little Death

2006-10-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Alphaville's Forever Young. This is a candidate for the Best Damn Song Ever. Holy frijoles, does it bring back memories of early high school, and even college... Those of you who want to know how old I am, have fun correlating that.

I've been pacing myself on this blog because of a major project in my life: a new manuscript I'm gunning to complete before Thanksgiving. My fave critique partner has been helping me hone the first fifty pages. All I can say to her is: thank you, you blessed saint, for putting up with me when I whine about your editing suggestions.

J. A. Konrath's post describes just how I feel.

WTFB--The Hardass Message

2006-09-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Fascist Groove Thang by Heaven 17

I am many things to my clients. Some need their writing coach to give gentle nudges, others want companionship and commiseration, some seek help with the nuts and bolts of the craft, and some need a hardass to stand over them with a whip until they finish their books. My goal is always to do what is best and most helpful for each of my clients, whatever that may be.

Ahem. This message is for those needing the hardass whipcracker. You've been warned. Proceed at your own risk.

- - - - - - -

WTFB: Write the f***ing book.

An incredibly talented friend has been waffling about whether to continue writing. Frankly, her writing is so good that she makes other talented writers drool. The Goddess of Prolific and Swoon-Worthy Prose has rung her doorbell on many an occasion. Yet at times, I've had to drag my friend by her lovely locks to the scary Writing Chair, shackle her to it, and go open the door for the Goddess—otherwise, my friend would be feigning deafness and cowering under the duvet.

It's the darnedest, most contrary thing I've ever seen. And yet it's perfectly understandable to anyone who's spent time in That Chair.

Dearest readers, I was "blocked" for many years—which, for me, is really shorthand for I was too scared to try. Let me tell you, the pain of NOT writing, the guilt and shame of wasting creative dreams, is MUCH worse than the pain of actually writing.

And yet some people choose to take on the greater pain.

Why is that? Often it's because of that old saying: the demon you know is better than the one you don't. (Or at least that's what the D.Y.K.—the demon you know—insists, often and loudly, and right in your ear.)

Demons? Sure, they're out there. Call them what you will: D.Y.K., Inner Lizard, Bitchy Inner Critic, AntiMuse. But whatever you name yours, ignore its whispering. Or duct tape its mouth and lock it in a soundproofed closet. It will only lead you back into the pain of Not Writing.

So sit down and WTFB. Do it or don't. Because either you want to be a writer, and you're willing to do what it takes to make that happen, or you're not.

You decide.

Now go WTFB and make your coach proud.

Best of all, go make yourself proud.

Standing by an agent's coffee cup

2006-09-13T12:16:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Step On by Happy Mondays

Check out agent Rachel Vater's musings on a day's queries. This hammers home the importance of a good novel opening!

Greatness, continued

2006-09-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

By the way, Amazon has The Lions of Al-Rassan at a bargain $4.99 price...nudge, nudge...

Just for fun, here are a few more of my favorite authors to round out a top ten.

C.S. Lewis
James Herriot
J.K. Rowling
Nora Roberts
Ursula K. Le Guin
Madeline L'Engle
and Wendy and Richard Pini, the creators of the ElfQuest graphic novels.

A quick look at this and the last post makes clear my leanings toward fantasy, and the honored place of some novelists I first read in high school and continue to adore.

When a book you loved as a child is just as wonderful when you re-read it decades later...well, that's just beautiful.

So, may we all write such books!

Honoring Greatness

2006-09-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked to name my personal heroes. Though I had to think for a moment, it wasn't much of a surprise to realize they're my favorite novelists.

J.R.R. Tolkien
Anne McCaffrey
Guy Gavriel Kay

I'm currently re-reading Guy Gavriel Kay's The Lions of Al-Rassan. If I ever meet Kay, I hope I don't crumple to the floor and grovel at his feet. He'd deserve that, but still, a little embarrassing for me.

Kay is a master of story, and he does it with an eloquence that makes me weep. Add in the rest of his brilliance at emotion, description, dialogue, tension, pacing, everything—sheer genius.

And I've never found a writer as adept at the art of magnificent surprises.

I hope someday to write a novel I love as much as The Lions of Al-Rassan. If I manage it, just kill me then. I'll die in glory.

I just bought a copy of Lions for my critique partner because I simply HAD to share this with someone. In a few weeks, we'll sit down together and study the book to figure out how Kay has created this jewel. But first, I just want to enjoy the story again. No, to bask in it.

And that is the mark of a great novel.

Agents and Idea-Stealing

2006-09-08T14:39:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: ABC's How to be a Millionaire

Today I held a consultation with another smart and successful woman—and a blog reader! (waving hello)

She has some great ideas, as well as manuscripts that have been lying around in the beginning stages for years. She wants focus and accountability, and I'm excited to help her get her manuscripts completed and submitted. Have I mentioned how much I love my job? :)

Lots to catch up on with the blog, so here's the first part. My new client had a good question, one I often hear from people newly come to the publishing world: how can a writer protect her book ideas from theft? After all, in other business areas, confidentiality agreements are standard practice.

In the U.S., it isn't possible to copyright ideas (and I'd assume this is true elsewhere). This makes sense for books, because the real value of a good idea is in the execution of it. Any two people with the same book idea would necessarily write two different books. So, your job is to finish a damn good novel (or nonfiction proposal) and send it out into the world. As long as you're submitting to reputable agents or publishers, there's no need to be concerned.

In the interest of being thorough, here are some more Web resources.

The simplest answer came from agent Rachel Vater, who's now with Lowenstein-Yost.

For a snarkier answer, read #4 here.

There are no posts at Miss Snark's stellar blog that address this in a nice way—but hey, we ARE talking about Miss Snark, so let's not feign surprise. (g) Here you go.

Also, here's an article at the SFWA website that might fill in any gaps about copyright.

I hope this helps!

Rest in peace

2006-09-02T14:39:00.000-07:00

Today my husband and I had to put our ailing kitty to sleep.

We were glad that we were able to talk to her and hold her as she drifted off, here in the home she ruled. :-) She had a great life for 15 years, and an especially good day today, when we let her (a strictly indoor cat) go outside and lie around in the real sunshine without a window filtering it. She purred almost the whole morning.

Rest in peace, baby girl.

Query letters: Don't be a bad date.

2006-09-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: The TV is on, actually. A Friends rerun. Comfort TV.

If you keep up with Miss Snark's blog, you've seen this link already. Otherwise, this is Kit Whitfield's take on why bad query letters come across like bad dates.

Kitty update: she gained two-tenths of a pound in two days—then lost three-tenths. :( I'm trying to tempt her taste buds with new flavors every day. Oddly enough, she hasn't lost her greed for Cheetos...

About that cover art...

2006-08-27T15:59:00.000-07:00

Irene Gallo, Art Director for publisher Tor/Forge, has an interesting post about how cover art is created. And the comments mention some bloopers. :)

And let's not forget the famous three-armed lady cover on Christina Dodd's Castles in the Air.

A New (to Me) Agent Blog

2006-08-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: The Hipdrop station (belly dance music) on Live365

I just ran across another agent blog, this one from Rachel Vater of Lowenstein-Yost. Check it out.

On blogging issues, the FeedBlitz feed reader has become my friend. I tried Squeet for a while, but given the number of blogs I subscribe to (and I'm not able to tackle reading the feeds every day), my email inbox slid into serious overload. I have been able to bring my inbox from 300+ messages after RWA National to 60-something, and with luck that number will continue to shrink.

On personal news, I spent 10+ hours yesterday revising a single scene. Ugh. But worth it!

Alas, our 15-year-old sick kitty—who may or may not have lymphoma (pathology reports have been inconclusive) has lost even more weight. At her heaviest, she was 16 pounds (and too fat to give herself a proper bath). A good, healthy weight for her is around 10 pounds.

She's 6.2 pounds now. And has lost half a pound in three weeks. We've tried all sorts of things to tempt her appetite—kitty treats, new cat foods, sliced ham, chicken, even ice cream. She'll happily eat the new food for a couple of days, then it's as if she stops liking it. It might be nausea—she's throwing up about once a day, though she's always yakked up a lot. She may be associating the food with the stomach troubles. (Oh joy.) It's hard to know if the chemo drugs she's getting are only making things worse. The good thing is that at her last checkup after chemo began, the mass did not seem to have grown. The bad thing is that at this rate, she'll be dead of anorexia soon.

I can't even think about that without choking up. This cat is essentially my furry child. 15 years. I've only known my parents and a couple of friends for longer than that.

Please send her healing thoughts.

What Does That Rejection Letter Mean?

2006-08-17T09:27:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Silence. Okay, the whirr of my computer and the tick of my "Hero's Journey" clock.

Former NYC editor Louisa Edwards is asking authors to send some rejection letters so she can translate the editor-speak and help writers understand the nuances. Check her blog for more.

More Submission Tidbits

2006-08-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Desert Oak from Laliya. This is fabulous. I heard it on The Smiling Ear and just had to own it. Check Laliya out at their website, where you can listen and download.

Two more useful posts:

Agent Kristin Nelson on a particular query letter that worked for her and why.

Agent Jessica at BookEnds writes on why to include the first three chapters in your requested submission. This should go without saying for novel partials, but it's true even for nonfiction, folks.

Submission Tidbits Time

2006-08-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Sweet Lullaby by Deep Forest, on The Smiling Ear at Live365.com.

A new week is upon us (yes, I'm aware that it's Tuesday), and I feel like rounding up more useful articles and links.

A Kossack's Guide to Book Publishing is a seven-part (so far) crash course from a multi-pubbed author and former NYC editor and book packager. I have a couple of very minor quibbles with bits of it—for example, if you're sending book chapters to an agent or editor and don't have an offer yet, I suggest you don't include your SSN. They'll get that from you if they take you on. (Short stories, though, can be a different animal.) Anyway, this is a good article series for newbies, and has important gems for the more initiated, too.

Editor and blogger Anna Genoese (who's a hoot—I met her in the bar at RWA National in Denver or NYC eons ago, and sat in on Tor Spotlight she and the hilarious Melissa Ann Singer did at this year's National.) Anyway, Anna has an excellent post dissecting rejection letter wordings. Be sure to delve into the links to get all the goodies.

Speaking of goodies and rejection letters, this Slushkiller post from Teresa Nielsen Hayden is fabulous. As writers, we all think a rejection letter (and I prefer to call them declines) is the end of the world, at least for an hour or two—but do make sure you don't act like the poor sods mentioned here. The world does go on. Really.

What it takes to finish a book

2006-08-13T20:48:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Okay, you caught me, it's another Star Trek: The Next Generation episode. I can get five hour-long episodes a day on our local cable provider. (grin)

Ah, I've been putting off blogging. Shame on me. The good thing—well, for me, anyway—is that's I've been so busy thinking about, plotting, and writing my latest manuscript (still revved up from RWA National) that my hubby has had to pry my plotting notebook out of my hands (even on vacation).

Here's a great little post I just found on "How to Finish a Book: Guaranteed!".

Rejection from an agents' POV

2006-08-04T13:11:00.000-07:00

I know I still owe you more info about RWA National, but in the meantime, my agent has this to say about what she goes through with rejections.

The Romance Writers of America National Conference, Part I

2006-08-02T21:57:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: The Sun Always Shines on TV from a-ha

First, I'm happy to report that America Airlines has returned my final suitcase, after it spent two days at O'Hare without me. Huzzah!

Now then: NATIONAL.

Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous.

I traveled there on Tuesday, which took most of the day because of a stopover and the time change from the West Coast. My mom had driven up from Florida to meet me there and do her own thing in Atlanta, so we stayed with one of her friends that night. (Hi Mom!)

Travel always does me in, so I didn't wake up until around 9 a.m. Wednesday morning. I checked my email and was delighted to see a great message from my agent about the partials I'd sent her. She had some terrific ideas, and I got to mull them over at the conference, which is always a creative time.

Mom drove me to the hotel, and the first stop was—if you know my fast food habits, you've guessed this already—Chick-Fil-A. OMG, yum. I'd been drooling over the thought of The Best Chicken Sandwich in the World for months. You have to understand that I grew up in Atlanta, and that leaving behind any access to Chick-Fil-A shoves my taste buds into mourning. I got my sandwich, waffle fries, and a just-as-delicious-as-I-remember-it lemonade brimming with juicy, sugary pulp. Yes, I am a nut.

Oh, I also realized I'd left my notebook on the plane—dang it!—and my lipstick was lying on my bathroom counter back home, not doing me any good. Thank you, CVS, for supplying both, even if you didn't have my favorite Max Factor long-wear lipstick line (grrr).

At the hotel, I had one of the biggest delights of the entire conference: getting to meet my longtime critique partner (and one of my best friends), Shelby Reed, for the first time EVER. Shelby, Dahling: you ROCK.

I'd been trying to get to the special ScriptScene chapter workshop at 3, but Shelby and Mom and I were having such a great time talking that it just didn't work out. I'm pretty sure the workshop wasn't taped, either. :( Oh well. By that point I had been rushing for two days, and needed a chance to slow down.

I went downstairs to put my "Life Coach for Women Writers" brochures into the Goody Room and on the bulletin board. Shelby and I soon ran into two of our other critique partners, Gina Ardito and Amber Green. We got funny pics of everyone together. Alas, I didn't use my camera during the entire trip—but if I get copies of good photos, I'll post 'em.

The literacy signing was terrific. It was Shelby's second one, and I kept running back to her to make sure she was having fun. I also caught up with so many folks I'd been looking forward to seeing again—fab writer and friend Robin D. Owens, agents Dia Cornier and Paige Wheeler, Louise Ahearn (my editor for the year I wrote a motivational column for OCC), Janet Miller/Cricket Starr, Mardi Ballou... Wow, the list goes on, and at some point my brain started leaking out my ears, because now I can't remember everyone. Mea culpa!

Later that night was The Gathering, a special meeting of one of my favorite groups, the Futuristic, Fantasy, and Paranormal chapter of RWA. I dragged Shelby along and made her join the chapter, since she writes paranormal. Yummy nosh food, plus good little chats from agents and editors about what they're currently seeking. I'd been hoping to meet Leah Hultenschmidt of Dorchester, since my agent is about to send her one of my manuscripts, but if she attended The Gathering I must have missed her. Her colleague Chris Kessler was there, though, so we chatted for a little bit about his baby, the new Shomi line.

When The Gathering was over, Shelby and I went back to our room, and though we'd thought we'd be heading to bed, we stayed up chatting about plots, writing, and life in general until 4 a.m. After six years of knowing each other but the first time meeting, we still had a lot to say. :D

This post is getting long already, and I've only covered Wednesday...so, more tomorrow!

I am FINALLY home from RWA National

2006-08-01T08:39:00.000-07:00

National was a blast, and I'm going to tell you all about it soon. The only rotten aspect was my return trip home from Atlanta, which took a day longer than it was supposed to, thanks to American Airlines. Let me just say that I had some execrable customer NON-service experiences with their Chicago O'Hare ground staff. And I still haven't received one of my two checked bags, two days now after my originally scheduled flight home. Grrrr.

Fortunately, the actual RWA National Conference was fantastic! RWA Nationals always are, but this one was better than usual thanks to all the terrific people I got to chat with, and my roommate par excellence. I'll write about it all in more detail later. Meanwhile, I have a backlog of mail, packages, and email to catch up on, and a number of great clients to meet with today.

Happy Tuesday!

Guest PostGetting the Manuscript Requested

2006-07-24T22:33:00.000-07:00

From one of my fabulous clients, Laura Armstrong, who recently got a request for her full romance manuscript. (You GO, girl!)

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"When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." Well, I was squirmingly ready, and, hallelujah, Katey Coffing did appear.

In 2004 I stumbled into a pitch to a well-known editor and staggered out with a request for a partial. Dumb as they come, I thought the editor was being nice to everyone that day. The problem was further complicated by my pitch being better than the manuscript. "No problem," I chirped to myself, "I'll fix it."

2005 = hacked up manuscript and me with a sinking feeling that I was in deep doo-doo. Procrastination is a cover for one emotion: fear. I found myself dragging that manuscript around with me like an anchor, realizing every day that if I didn't get published, it was my own darn fault. I was afraid of getting it done and having it rejected, not getting it done and being a "could-have-been," or—new one, here—getting it done, getting it published and then having people I knew read it! Argh!

Enter the lovely Katey. With a gentle but firm hand, she pushed, encouraged, prodded and cajoled me through the following (among many other things): 1) how to finish a manuscript for the second time; 2) how to write a synopsis, short, long, one-page, 3) how to write a blurb that would roll off my tongue whenever someone asked, "what's your story about?; 4) how to hold my head up in my local RWA chapter (yes, Nora is a member—no pressure there) because at least I had my PRO pin finally, and 5) how to pitch when you know what this is really about this time.

2006 = I just sent off my first requested full manuscript to a wonderful editor. Katey, knowing me so well by now, emailed me a smiley and said, "Let me know when it has ACTUALLY LEFT YOUR HANDS." I was sliding back into the "well, let's take one more little look at it to make sure it's just perfect" routine, i.e., procrastination, aka FEAR.

Once it disappeared from my mailbox, I got a little Zen about it. At what point does a manuscript cease to be part of its author and become an entity onto itself? Or does it ever? I felt as if I'd pushed my baby bird out of the nest. I can only hope it remembers what I said about the cat.

But let me bask a moment—I finished it. It was requested. I sent it. Please, dear Universe, may I take the next logical step? I promise I'll answer the Call, lickety-split—

(And thank you, Katey!)

--------

Aw, shucks, Laura. You got me blushing, grinning, and puffing up like a proud mama all at once!

Everyone who reads this, please wish Laura the best of luck!

RWA National Craziness :-D

2006-07-24T22:08:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Um, CNN doesn't really count as music. And these days it's damn depressing, too. :-(

My clothes are packed, along with my business cards, my new brochures (ooh I LOVE this set!), and computer. The cat instructions have been left for the hubby, and there's just one more night to get kitty and hubby cuddles before I head to Atlanta.

I'll be visiting with my mother (yay!), and then on Wednesday I'll be meeting my CP in person for the first time—after six years of stories, edits, personal chats and a ton of shared girlie laughter. Can't wait to hug ya, Shelbs!

To those of you going to the conference, I look forward to seeing you! To those who aren't going, just go there in spirit. We'll miss you—but use the week to write! And we'll bring back tips and tidbits to share.

Happy Writing to All,
Katey

P.S. Special Guest Blog Post coming up...

Ah, That Crucial Opening Paragraph...

2006-07-20T10:43:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: International Bright Young Thing by Jesus Jones

POD-dy Mouth has a new post about the opening paragraphs of recent print-on-demand reads. Granted, most of these openings beg for ridicule...but a few of them (2, 9, and 11) make me want to KEEP reading. Yes, I'm easily amused.

It's Agent Day at the Blogs

2006-07-15T11:26:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: "Forever Young" by Alphaville.

And now, for your reading pleasure, here's a roundup of the latest agent-related blog goodies.

How important is an agent? Evil Editor illustrates his opinion with fruit. Yum, I'm going to go forage in our fridge now...

Should you only target agents in New York? Miss Snark knows the answer.

The BookEnds, LLC agency intern gives her tips and gripes about submissions to her agency.

Agent Jennifer Jackson comments on
rejection etiquette—author etiquette, that is.

Now go write that fabulous query letter!

RWA National Conference Heads-Up

2006-07-13T22:24:00.000-07:00

For those of you who'll be attending (or even just going there in spirit), there's a new blog with plenty of links and info to get you jazzed.

I'll be there (in both my writer and coach capacities) and loving every minute of it, so if you see me, do say hi!

Writer's Karma: Addendum

2006-07-13T22:04:00.000-07:00

Author M.J. Rose has a timely post on the effect of blogs (and thus, word-of-mouth) on book sales. Check it out.

Writer's Karma: Read and Share

2006-07-11T13:12:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Duran Duran's The Chauffeur. (Oh, what a crush I had on Nick Rhodes...)

I've been on an Indian novel kick lately. (To clarify, Asian Indian.) That's one thing that attracted me to my agent—she mentioned M. M. Kaye on her first website. I had just started reading Kaye's wonderful The Far Pavilions after loving John Shors' Beneath a Marble Sky: A Novel of the Taj Mahal.

The current tome on my nightstand (and I do mean tome!) is Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy. If I'd realized it was almost 1500 pages long, I probably wouldn't have ordered it. Now I'm glad I didn't see that in the Amazon fine print. I find myself taking this novel downstairs to read during lunch, keeping it open as I brush my teeth, and falling asleep with it late at night. While it doesn't have the bullet pace of some other novels I've read lately, it's full of the quiet moments of truth in people's lives—the contradictions in character, the changes of direction and mind from one moment to the next. I still have 1150 pages to go, and I look forward to every one of them.

If you've read any books you'd like others to know about—ones that floated you into another life or culture without thought of the clock, tell someone. Or tell the whole world. Think of it as karma, as paying it forward. We're writers, but we write because we love books. So do a good deed for other writers by shouting your reading pleasures to one and all.

The Book Team

2006-07-06T14:32:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Time Zone's World Destruction. (I always boogie to this song. It's guaranteed to make me stop typing and fling myself around the room for a few minutes.) Ahem.

Agent Jennifer Jackson has a new post at Romancing the Blog. She writes about many of the people important to giving your book life and getting it into the stores. (Naturally, I'll add that a great book coach can be crucial, too. ;-) )

Anyway, when you're holding your gorgeous book in your hands at long last, keep these folks in mind for "thank you" notes.

Agenting 101

2006-07-05T08:23:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Marc Anthony's "I Need to Know." This makes me miss salsa dancing. :-( Why oh why can't I find any out here?

This week, agent Kristin Nelson is blogging about what an unagented author should do if s/he gets The Call from a large, NYC publisher. Read and learn.

Happy 4th; New Blog Tools

2006-07-04T16:27:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Something or other on my hubby's WinAmp tuner, I know not what. I recognized Harvey Danger a few songs back, though.

For those of you in the U.S., Happy Independence Day!

Hubby and I spent a fun twenty minutes on our roof, watching the fireworks. We had the best view in town, though our cats thought it bizarre that we were crawling in and out of the window.

Okay, I finally joined FeedBurner (and the modern age) and have put an easy-to-use "subscribe" link on the blog.

Writing Conference Packing List

2006-07-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

I'm listening to: CNN. I'm a bit of a news junkie.

Time for me to gear up for the annual Romance Writers of America National Conference. I LOVE this conference—smart and motivated women writers, great workshops, and enough excitement to fill the heart of any novelist. This year, the conference is in Atlanta (my former hometown), and I'll get to visit with my mother, not to mention hang out with friends and critique buddies. In fact, after knowing my favorite critique partner and wonderful friend Shelby Reed for the past six years online, we're finally going to meet in 3D and be roommates for the conference.

All this energy makes me doubly careful not to forget anything. (Besides, I'm an anal listmaker.) So I love articles about what to bring. My own list is ten times longer than any other list I've seen, but again, I'm anal. And no, for me it's not about clothes. I have only two or three comfortable and spif conference outfits I bring every year. (grin) Anyway, here's an article to help out writing conference first-timers.

The "Right Way" to Write...

2006-06-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

I just read a wonderful article by Diana Gabaldon (of Outlander fame). The article was about how to structure novel chapters—granted, not an engrossing subject—but it's terrific because it contains the following quote, which should be inked onto every writer's computer monitor:

"Once the book is printed and bound, nobody can tell how you wrote it. Did you work with an outline? Did you write it backwards? Did you work on it every day, or once a week? NOBODY CAN TELL. All they can see is that here's a book, period.

Which means that you can do it any dang way you want. Anything that lets you get words on the page is the Right Way to write."

Read the rest of the Gabaldon article here.

The Author-Editor Relationship

2006-06-24T10:28:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Blue Nile's Tinseltown In The Rain on Generation 80s)

Vicki Hinze has a great new post about editorial styles and why having the right editor—and being the right writer—are equally important. She gives insight on what can go wrong, and how to be the best partner you can.

Alas, Vicki doesn't seem to have her blog posts sorted by date, so the link will only send you to her main blog page, but look for the 6-24-06 entry.

The WRONG Way to Get An Agent

2006-06-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

I'm going to toss my cookies. Click to learn about the latest scam targeting unsuspecting writers.

In short: don't pay to get an agent.

Those Dreaded Form Rejection Letters

2006-06-22T15:27:00.000-07:00

Has an agent or editor declined your manuscript with one of those blah form letters? Did you gnash your teeth and wonder what the heck it really meant?

"Thanks, but no thanks" is all you should take out of it. Nothing personal. It doesn't mean your manuscript sucks. It doesn't mean you suck, either. (Though that's the way most writers take it, especially when the envelope's just been opened).

If you keep getting declines, hire a writing coach like me or ask a good critique partner to check what you're sending out. Make sure it's the very best you can make it—then move on to the next set of names on your query list.

Evil Editor has a good blog post about rejection letters. Check out the comments after E.E.'s post, too.

"Do those manuscripts get read?"

2006-06-22T12:36:00.000-07:00

A writing buddy once inserted a paper clip between the pages of a novel manuscript requested by an agent. The idea was that if the manuscript came back with the paperclip still in place, it meant the agent hadn't read that far.

It's certainly understandable to want more information, more control over the publication process. But for your own sake, please don't bother with these kind of tricks. Agents and editors know all about 'em, so you probably won't even get the correct answer. Besides, if you get a decline, whether it got read past page 10 (or whatever) is no longer relevant. Just make sure you have the best submission you can, then send it somewhere else. Onward and upward.

That being said, this is a ridiculous business. You knew that, right? :-) My friend may appreciate this confirmation.

Sad Personal News

2006-06-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

I took two of our cats to the vet, one to check on that possible urinary tract infection, and another for a simple three-month follow-up after irradiation therapy for hyperthyroidism.

Well, the Pee Guy apparently doesn't have a medical problem, so his going outside the box is a behavioral issue. Oh joy. But much worse: our girl probably has cancer--a lymphoma--and perhaps only 1-2 months to live.

I'm shattered. She's an older cat, and I always knew she'd have to go sometime, but I also knew it would be hell when she did. I've had many kitties in my life, but she and I have always had an incredible bond. She's whip-smart, and though she was always pushing the limits of acceptable cat behavior, that only made her more beloved. She'd try anything she wanted, because she knew exactly when we weren't looking.

In 2000, she developed a fibrosarcoma. I had a difficult choice to make then, but I loved her like no other, and was determined to nurse her through. She survived and thrived through two rounds of surgery and chemo, and she kicked cancer's butt to be my little Stinkerbell again. I was graced with her presence for another six years.

Today we'll go in for an ultrasound, and if the vet feels she do it, an ultrasound-guided biopsy to confirm the lymphoma diagnosis. If it really is cancer, then from what I've read about GI lymphoma, the treatments out there could only extend her life for maybe 6-9 months anyway. She's almost 15, and has already had a long and happy life. Without a better chance of long-term survival, I wouldn't want to put her through additional trauma just so I can have her around for a few extra months. She's given me more than enough love for a lifetime, and I can only hope I've always done the same for her.

Please wish us both luck.

Blogger Ills?

2006-06-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

Ugh, Blogger seems to be having connection problems this morning. Ditto when I tried to upload my last post. (Or is it just me? Joy.) At least today I was able to get through, with only a duplicate post to deal with instead of a lost one. Duplicate now deleted.

Maybe it's just Monday.

Meows and StyleWriter

2006-06-19T08:29:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the delay in blog posts, folks. One of our kitties has been peeing on our carpets, tile, towels, clothes, etc. Ugh. Worse, we couldn't tell which kitty was the perp. We finally have that figured out—we hope—and have a vet appointment today to see if it's a medical issue. (Frankly, we hope it is, though one that's solvable with prescriptions/treatment. From everything I've been reading, a strictly behavioral problem will be a LOT harder to mend. Sigh.)

In writing news:

As a writer and a coach for writers, I love checking out new software and tools. Although I'm a Mac devotee, I'm PC-bilingual, so I bought StyleWriter (Windows-only, dang it) last week. I ran four chapters of my latest novel manuscript through it, and though it didn't do the one thing for which I'd bought it—yes, ironic—I found it an interesting and perhaps worthwhile piece of software. More about that in a later post.

For now, please wish us luck at the vet's.

Point of View

2006-06-12T22:14:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Silent House by the Dixie Chicks.

I get a little bored with the usual articles about POV (point of view), so here's something different—an amusing romance satire with some handy POV hints.

Pacing The Da Vinci Code

2006-06-08T22:55:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Blissful silence.

With The Da Vinci Code at the box office, people are talking about the movie. The talk is not, for the most part, complimentary, but there you go.

I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed the book. It did its job and kept me up all night. (It helped that I had the illustrated version. This meant that I, an admitted art heathen, didn't overtax my time or my Internet connection looking everything up.)

Check out this article for writers that explores why Dan Brown's pacing worked.

Tools for Description

2006-06-05T09:57:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: Propaganda - P-Machinery (via Generation 80s on Live365.com)

I have a friend, the aforementioned author Shelby Reed, whose lush first-draft prose makes my fourth-draft stuff seem like it was written by a slightly literate beagle. I gnash my pearly teeth at her abilities. (However, as her critique partner, I'm delighted to read her work without cracking open a fresh red pen).

I'm no slouch with words, mind you. School spelling champ in fifth grade, National Merit Scholar, a Ph.D. from one of the finest universities in the country, yada yada. But finding just the right word doesn't come as easily to me as to Ms. Perfect Prose. >:-p

This is why I use the right tools.

A few favorites:

Thesaurus.com, which has a near-permanent tab in my browser.

If need a great 3-D, on-the shelf thesaurus, the best one is Rodale's The Synonym Finder. Yes, I say that categorically. The best. It's wonderfully thick, so do yourself a favor and splurge for it in hardback rather than the shorter-lifespan paperback.

The Describer's Dictionary by David Grambs. While it's far from perfect (sorry, David), the sections on color terms and modifiers, gait, and facial expressions make it handy.

Speaking of colors, check out the color-sorted lists in "Writing with Color" by another friend and C.P., Gina Ardito. Thanks, GinaBabe!

Market(ing) Tidbits

2006-06-02T00:20:00.000-07:00

Music I'm listening to: The Vapors' Turning Japanese

Two little morsels tonight:

Book cover blurbs from a marketing (and realism) perspective

and

the growing romantica market.

Now I'm off to get some snoozing.