Month: July 2012

To Agent or Not to Agent

| Amy

So you’ve finished a book, you’re writing a book, or you just want to write a book, and you’re wondering if you need an agent. Honestly, I don’t know. I will say this: a *good* agent is never a bad idea.

But allow me to tell you my story. There was a time in my writing career when I wrote secular romance. I wanted to sell to Avon–So. Very. Badly. Avon used to be very tight and for a long time only accepted agented manuscripts. So I set out to find an agent. I needed one to get into Avon and if nothing else, an agent would give me more credibility–an industry person in New York who believed in me.

So I made a plan and a list of potential agents. I went though the RWR and found names of credible agents. I also researched my favorite authors and their agents. Once I had my list, I sent out a mass mailing. I believe there were sixteen names in all. (Most agents won’t read unsolicited manuscripts and I’ve always been told to be leery of those who do.)  I wrote a query letter stating who I was, awards and contests I had won, my past publishing credits (I wrote true confessions for a while), and anything that would sell them on me as a writer. Then I put in a short synopsis about my manuscript, selling them on my book. I ended with the status of my manuscript–“complete and ready to send upon your request.”

Of the sixteen letters I sent, only one replied with a positive response–Mary Sue Seymour. Mary Sue has changed my career in ways I had never dreamed possible. Will you have the same experience with your agent? I honestly don’t know. But I’m glad that our relationship has worked out the way it did.

My question to you is what will/can an agent do for you? Why do you want agent? Why do you feel you need one? Okay, that’s three questions, but I think they are all valuable answers.

If you are successful on your own, I say keep going.  But on the heels of that, I’ll tell you that I was glad to have Mary Sue on my side come contract time. It was so nice to sit back and relax (and bite my nails) while she negotiated the movie rights clause and my advance. I would have never been able to do that myself. Not with the first contract for sure.

Please keep in mind that the above is my story and only my opinion. Everyone has a different take on the “to agent or not to agent” question. I have friends who are like me and likely wouldn’t have sold without an agent. I have a friend who is crazy successful without an agent, and then I have a friend who scoped out the agents, found one she liked but didn’t query until Harlequin called. JFTR–I totally disagree with this last method, you just did all the leg work for the agent and they’re still gonna take their 10-15%. Also your agent may have contacts that can further your career and if you don’t sign quicker than this, you may have just struggled through some totally unnecessary work. But who’s to say?

However you get there (or don’t) signing with an agent is a personal thing. Everyone’s career is unique. If it’s right for you, then do it.  It’s like the measure of success, only you can decide. But that’s a bog for another day.

Ethridge, Tennessee–part 1

| Amy

One of the first things I wanted to do when I went home to Alabama for our annual visit this summer was to travel to Tennessee to the Amish settlement in Ethridge. And I am so glad I did. For once the members of my family got to see first hand about the Amish and I got to visit a settlement that was ‘new’ to me.

I also planned to blog about this great experience, but realized when I sat down to tell you about it, that it was going to take more than one post. So I’m taking this in stages. First up, our wagon tour…

What a treat that we got to travel through part of the settlement in a horse drawn wagon! The young man who drove us down those dusty back roads was very knowledgeable about the Amish. There were certain houses he took us to who were friendly to the English, or non-Amish people.  We got to walk around one man’s wood shop where he made everything entirely out of cedar. I so wanted to bring one of the big wooden porch swings home with me. Ah, well, maybe next year.

We also got to see two very small girls take the family’s lunch scraps out to feed the goats. The girls couldn’t have been more than three and four, but they lugged the big five gallon bucket to the fence and called for the goats in their Pennsylvania Dutch. We were just driving away when the goats came running into the pen to be fed.

The Amish of Ethridge are very conservative, not even allowing their children to have a rumspringa or ‘run around’ time. They also would not let us take pictures of anything. And I mean anything. But how crazy must they think we are that we want to take pictures of their laundry. Or their wood-burning water heater. Or their endless rows of short popcorn stalks.

But being so conservative also means no phone shanties or phones in the barn in case of an emergency, no caution triangles on the back  of their buggies, and very little interaction with the outside community.

Still, the ones that we did get to visit with were very friendly, welcoming us into their world if only for a very brief time.

For more about the Amish settlement in Ethridge, TN, go to http://amishamerica.com/the-amish-of-ethridge-tennessee/

How to Tell that You Live with a Writer by Rob Lillard as told to Amy

| Amy

This post is for all the spouses out there. All the sisters, brothers and moms whose writing family member falls off the radar a couple of times a year. You don’t know if you are one of these abandoned loved ones? There are certain key indicators that you may live with a writer. In any given week, you may find yourself saying something like this…

Monday:

“Do we have any Q-tips?”

What do you mean you don’t know you have a book due?

“What’s for supper?”

“Well, I guess a sandwich is okay. Sure…I can make it  myself.”

Tuesday:

Did you go to the store today? We need Q-tips.

Sure I can make a sandwich for supper, but..we’re out of lunch meat.

I’m out of underwear and socks. Can you wash a load of whites for me?

I know you are under a deadline,  but you can write while the clothes wash.

Wednesday:

Did you remember to get Q-tips?

I know you have a book due, but it’s been three days since I asked you.

You went to the store to get coffee but you forgot Q-tips? Yes, I do believe Q-tips are just as important as coffee.

Can you wash some whites?

Thursday:

I’m down to my last pair of underwear and socks. Did remember you wash some bleach clothes?

Have you taken a shower today? This week?

Honey, setting partially opened cans of cat food in the floor is not really feeding the cat.

Yeah, take out is fine. Yeah…I’ll go get it.

Friday:

I’m going to Walmart. We need lunch meat, Q-tips, and new underwear and socks.

How much longer before you hit your deadline?

If you can say yes, that any or all of the conversation above has taken part at your house, then most probably you live with a writer. Never fear, this insanity usually occurs at this magnitude only around deadline time, but beware of plotting a new book/series.

And good luck to you all. Living with a writer can be a challenge. Yet rewarding as well. After all, they know how to  spell everything.

Why writers hate edits so much

| Amy

Once upon a time, columnist Red Smith was asked if writing a daily column was a difficult task for a writer. Red’s answer? A deadpanned “Why, no. You simply sit down at the typewriter, open your veins, and bleed.” *

And that is why writers hate edits so much. The End.

But seriously, I start off edits in a great frame of mind. I’ve got my editor’s fresh eyes looking over my work making sure all of the commas are in place and the pronouns are all correct. But some time during the editing process, the nice girl in me sort of…snaps and out pops this somewhat crazed, self-important ogre who can’t believe that there’s anyone alive that can’t see how brilliant that word choice really is. I mean, isnt it obvious? (Deep breath).

Ahem…What I mean to say is, writers are an insecure breed.  It’s hard to write a piece, even the less personal fiction, and put it out there for the world to see. Even harder when the ”world’ has a red felt-tipped pen. (Or Track Changes.)

But ‘putting it out there’ is a necessary part of the writing process. Most writers dream of being published. And being published means editors, which means edits, which means that ogre is going to show up now and again.

So when you see that post on Facebook or Twitter about your favorite author going through edits, be sure to hit the” like” button. Show them a little support and help them keep the ogre at bay.

BTW–I’m in edits right now, so I’d appreciate it if you would “like” this post. Please and thank you! :)

* taken from http://quoteinvestigator.com/2011/09/14/writing-bleed/