Katy!
Yay! I'll be emailing you soon, Katy, to get your address. Congrats!
Katy!
Yay! I'll be emailing you soon, Katy, to get your address. Congrats!
Katy!
Yay! I'll be emailing you soon, Katy, to get your address. Congrats!
Exactly one year ago today, I was in the midst of choosing an agent to represent me--which meant I was a veritable mixing pot of emotions. One second I was on Cloud Nine, jumping up and down and screaming like Xena the Warrior Princess. But in the next second, I was utterly overwhelmed and completely afraid of making the wrong choice.
Ultimately, I was incredibly lucky to have signed with Jim McCarthy of DGLM, who's smart and funny and just about the quickest reader on Earth. I was so excited that I made my husband take a picture of me signing my contract.
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| Look at me! I'm so nerdy! |
Now, a year later, it has been fun to reflect on what I've learned and how I've changed since then. On one hand, I kind of miss the starry-eyed look that I had in the picture above. I was going to be a bestselling author! The next Rick Riordan! A superstar! (Ha!)
But on the other hand, I'm really grateful for the writer that I have become. I have thicker skin now. I'm more realistic. A bit more cynical perhaps? Yes, but I'm still very hopeful. (Although I no longer think I'll be the next Rick Riordan!)
Anyway, here's a list of lessons I've learned in the past year as an agented writer:
1.) An offer of representation can come at anytime. Back in March 2010, I was just about ready to give up on my middle grade sci-fi novel. I had been querying for about a year and I had collected dozens upon dozens of rejections, which made me want to stab my heart with a fork. But a month later I had three offers of rep! I was completely blown away. So yeah...keep your chin up! You never know when you will get The Call.
2.) Sometimes you won't talk to your agent for over a month. And that's okay. When I first signed with Jim, I didn't realize that agent communication would fluctuate depending on what was going on with my book. That's why I freaked out when I wouldn't hear from him for a week or two. Surely, he hated me! He despised my book! Woe, woe is me! But...this is all part of the business. Sometimes there simply isn't a lot to talk about!
3.) Reach out to other agented writers via blogging and Twitter. I'll be the first to say it: going on submission is tough. I'm not sure if it's as tough as querying, but it is definitely just as gut-wrenching and heart-hurting. During my own roller coaster ride of submissions, I've been really grateful for my agent sisters and writerly friends who can commiserate with me whenever I feel down in the dumps. Their support has certainly kept me going when I've wanted to give up!
4.) You can't control the market. Or trends. Or an editor's reading taste. The only thing you can control is your writing. That's it. So make your book as shiny as it can be and then move on to the next manuscript.
5.) Writing books is a creative pursuit but publishing is a business. Somehow, you have to marry these two ideas in your mind. Case in point: my YA dystopian. I've been working on this book on and off for about a year and I was hoping that it would become my second manuscript to go out on sub. But when I talked to Jim about this novel, he told me that dystopians are increasingly harder to sell since editors have become inundated with this genre.
This put me in a quandary: should I keep pursuing a manuscript that belongs to an over-saturated genre or should I work on something new? After a lot of thought, I decided to shelve my dystopian for the time being and work on a Shiny New Idea that has turned into my YA alternate history. At the end of the day, I thought it made more business sense to pursue a manuscript that would stand out in terms of genre. (Of course, I definitely plan on taking another look at my dystopian because the creative side of me can't let it go. It's my baby!)
Well, it's about 1PM now and I really need to get going! Perhaps I'll turn this post into a two-part series because there's a lot more I'd like to say. If you have any questions, please leave them for me in the comments! And if you have an agent, please tell me the lessons you've learned since signing your contract!
Dear Farter,
Look, we've all been in your situation before. I'm sure every one of us has felt a little gassy in a cramped space, whether it's an elevator or a crowded bar or (in your case) an airplane. It happens. Gas happens. Farts happen. I get that.
That's why I forgave you when you let one rip the first time. Hey, no worries! It's all good! Sometimes we don't have enough time to shuffle to the restroom.
But then you farted again--and that's when I got a little mad. See, your farts really stank. They stank so much that I thought someone had put a butt-scented helmet over my head. Still, I'm a forgiving person. And so, I forgave you for your stinky, smelly, poopy fart.
But then...but then...you did it AGAIN! At that point, I had had enough. I looked around the plane, hoping to shoot you the evil eye, but I couldn't find you. You're probably one of those people who enjoy the smell of your farts, aren't you? Aren't you?!
So...um...please stop farting whenever you're flying. 'Cause it smells. Really bad. Like, really really bad. I didn't say anything to you this time around but the next time? You better watch out! If we're ever on the same flight again, I might have to put a stinky helmet on your head.
Sincerely,
Caroline
On this very day four years ago, Justin and I got hitched! Huzzah for marriage! To celebrate this momentous occasion of epic proportions, I'm giving away a copy of one of my favorite YA novels, Plain Kate by Erin Bow:
I read Plain Kate last fall and I simply fell in love with it. The inner-strength of Kate. The beauty of the prose. The intricacy of the world-building. And the CAT!
So I'm giving away a copy of this wonderful book! A few guidelines:
1.) To enter, please leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you in case you win!
2.) For an extra entry, please follow my blog!
3.) For another extra entry, please follow me on Twitter!
The contest will be open until next Wednesay, the 27th!
I read Plain Kate last fall and I simply fell in love with it. The inner-strength of Kate. The beauty of the prose. The intricacy of the world-building. And the CAT!
So I'm giving away a copy of this wonderful book! A few guidelines:
1.) To enter, please leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you in case you win!
2.) For an extra entry, please follow my blog!
3.) For another extra entry, please follow me on Twitter!
The contest will be open until next Wednesay, the 27th!
1.) There was a tornado warning in my county over the weekend! Yipes! Ever since I was a little girl (and ever since I watched that movie "Twister"), I have been absolutely terrified of tornadoes. Fortunately, we were only hit with some rain and wind. No scary wind funnels in sight!
2.) Oh, have I mentioned that I finished the rough draft of my YA alternate history? Yay! I spent the whole weekend holed up on my couch, editing and re-writing and tearing apart my little baby. Fingers crossed that I can send my beta readers the manuscript by mid-May and that I can pass it along to Agent Jim by the start of June! (Hmm, we'll see if I can make these deadlines...)
3.) Justin and I are celebrating our fourth wedding anniversary this Wednesday! Crazy, huh? I can't believe that four years ago, we were doing this:
Since Justin is in Indiana until the end of the month on a business trip, I'm flying up to see him this weekend so we can celebrate. One thing I plan on dragging him to this weekend: the Benjamin Harrison Historical Home!
4.) Who is Benjamin Harrison, you say? He was the 23rd President of the United States who hailed from Indianapolis. Justin's parents used to live in Indianapolis and whenever we visited them we'd often pass the signs for the Benjamin Harrison Home. I'm a huge history geek--and I studied various historical homes in college--so I've been nudging Justin to take me here for, oh, three years. And now we finally get to go! History nerds rejoice!
5.) Did anyone watch the premiere of Game Of Thrones last night? It was really good! (Although the incest kind of weirded me out.) The setting was absolutely gorgeous and the plot bodes well for a lot intrigue and betrayal. I'm super excited to watch this series unfold.
But, oh my, the boobs! Seriously, HBO loves naked boobies and I probably saw at least a dozen pairs of breasts last night. To be honest, this kind of irks me. Like, why are all of the women getting naked but the men are fully clothed? I'm an equal opportunity nudist!
6.) I forgot to mention that my friend Erin Bowman recently landed an amazing book deal! Her YA dystopian sold in a three-book deal to HarperTeen! Harper freaking Teen! I couldn't think of a nicer, friendlier, kinder person to receive such good news!
My local Border's is closing on Monday, which makes me all sorts of weepy. But the store is also having a grand clearance sale, which makes the penny-pincher in me very happy. As I strolled through the near-empty aisles today, I could have sworn I was suffering from bipolar disorder.
"Oh my goodness, this is the LAST TIME I will ever shop here. *Sobs*"
"But, ZOMG, look at all of the savings! *Grabs books by the fistfuls*"
Most of the store had already been picked through, but I ended up buying five books that only cost me $15. Woot!
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| Here I am, showing off some of my bounty. |
I ended up buying the last copy of Jennifer Donnelly's Revolution, which I've been hankering to read for many months. (Total score!) I also bought: The Clone Codes, Inside Out, Plain Kate, and The Mommy Myth: The Idealization of Motherhood and How It Has Undermined All Women. (Hmm, one of these books is not like the others...)
I already own a copy of Plain Kate but I thought I'd buy another one because it was too good of a deal to pass up. This novel is simply beautiful! The prose, the characters, the storyline, the CAT! It's one of my favorite YA novels and I plan on giving away my extra copy on my blog next week. So stay tuned!
So...I tip my hat to you, my beloved Border's. I shall miss sitting in your comfy black chairs. I shall miss perusing through your aisles. And I shall miss stopping by your YA/MG section on my way to shop at H&M. Le sigh.
You shall be sorely missed!
Let's say God floats down from heaven today and knocks on your front door. He proceeds to give you a big hug and then He looks at you and says, "Hey, you got a minute? I think we should talk."
So you invite God into your house and you take a seat in your living room. "Um, thanks for coming!" you say, unsure if this is really happening or if you've having a relapse from your PCP college days. "What did you want to talk about?"
The Almighty gives you a sad look. "You know," He says, "I wanted to talk to you about this writing thing that you're pursuing. I've seen how hard you've worked. I know how much you want this. But I've seen the future, kid, and I'm sorry to say that you'll never get published. At least, not in this lifetime."
You take a deep breath. Well, that totally sucks, you think to yourself while you try not to cry in front of a heavenly being.
God gives you a warm smile. "Hey, keep your chin up! You've got other talents. Anyway, I better get going. Lots to do today, after all--fighting Satan and ruling the universe and everything else. See you in a few decades!"
POOF. Then He disappears, leaving you all alone in your living room with a lot to think about.
__________________________________________________________
Okay, that was kind of a weird hypothetical question...but it's something I've been thinking about lately. You see, I was hit with a major case of the Doubts last week, which stirred a serious conversation between me and my husband. Ultimately, the point of our discussion was this: do I write for the love of writing or do I write for the desire to get published?
And so, I've been thinking about this question quite a bit. Do I focus too much on that elusive book deal? Are my goals too singularly focused? Yet, it's really difficult for me to separate my passion for writing from my deep-rooted desire to get published. I mean, isn't that what we're all striving for? Yes, we love writing and we love improving our craft, but the reason why we put ourselves through countless revisions and rejections is to chase after that dream of seeing our books at a bookstore and sharing it with a wide audience.
Am I alone in this line of thinking? Maybe? Maybe not?
Anyway, that's why I set up this hypothetical question for myself. If I knew I would never get published, then would I keep on writing books? To be perfectly honest, I don't know. The dreamer side of me would say, "Why not? Writing is great!" But the practical side of me would wonder, "Well, what's the point? If this publishing thing is a bust, then I'd rather spend my time on something else. Like sloth breeding."
But at the end of the day, this hypothetical situation is just that: it's hypothetical. I have no idea whether or not I will get published. I don't have a crystal ball. I don't have God knocking on my door. But I do have hope. And that, I think, is why I keep on trying. Why I keep on drafting. Why I keep on revising. Why I keep on putting my heart out there.
Ah, hope. If none of us had it, then there wouldn't be too many writers out there. But we do have hope--it's the engine that fuels us to immerse ourselves in this crazy publishing world, even though it can break our hearts and hang us out to dry.
So that's what I'll do: keep on writing until my tank of hope runs out...
Have I mentioned that I'm a really hopeful person?
"After the Call" is a new feature on my blog! It chronicles what happens after an agent offers you representation: how to choose the right agent, how to communicate with your new agent, what the revision process is like, etc. For previous posts in this series, please see the "After The Call" sidebar to the right.
Yesterday afternoon, I had a fantastic lunch with an old college roommate of mine. We hadn't seen in each other in five years (!!!) and so we literally spent hours catching up on everything: marriage, kids, grad school, etc. At one point of our conversation, my friend asked me about my writing and she said, "So how often do you talk to your agent?"
I kind of froze up a little, unsure how to answer. "Hmm, it kind of depends?" I managed to say.
I know that's kind of a lame answer, but the answer to this question really does depend! Sometimes Agent Jim and I exchange multiple emails in a day. Other times I shoot him a quick note every month or so. It really all depends on what stage I'm currently at in my writing process.
Revising
From my own experiences, I've found that I talk to my agent most frequently when I first receive my revision notes. We would trade multiple emails daily, figuring out character arcs and world building. I'd also ask him questions like, "How many more words can I add to this manuscript?" and "When should I finish all of the revisions?"
But then our correspondence tapered down once I dove head-first into revisions. For one thing, the revision letter itself was very clear and organized so I didn't need to ask for clarifications. And for another, I tend to retreat into a revision cave when I'm editing and I didn't want any feedback until I felt satisfied with the revamped manuscript.
Submitting
Right before you go out on submission, your communication with your agent will definitely ratchet up. You may talk about specific publishing houses. You may talk about rejections (Do you want to read all of the rejections? Or just the more helpful ones?) And you may even talk about the submission letter itself. For instance, I know of one agent who asks her writers to compose the book summary portion of the submission letter.
Then, if your book garners interest from editors, communication will speed up even more. That's when the phone calls start: "Editor Awesome loves your book and wants to make an offer!" "Editor Coolness wants to make a counter-offer!" Your agent will keep you abreast about everything that's going on and will make sure you haven't fainted on the other end of the line.
Drafting
Sometimes you won't talk to your agent for month-long stretches at a time. This usually happens when you're working on a new manuscript because your first book didn't sell or if you're still waiting to hear the editors' responses. Don't worry, this is normal! The publishing industry can be infinitely slow so sometimes there simply isn't any news to share. Just keep plugging away on your new WIP and try not to stare too wistfully at your phone. :)
But if a month goes by and you haven't heard from your agent, you can always send a short-but-sweet email. That's what I do. I'll tell Jim how my new manuscript is coming along and then I'll ask him for a quick update from submission-land. Easy as pie!
Anyway, if you have anything to add, please do so in the comments! And definitely feel free to ask any questions you may have!
Yesterday afternoon, I had a fantastic lunch with an old college roommate of mine. We hadn't seen in each other in five years (!!!) and so we literally spent hours catching up on everything: marriage, kids, grad school, etc. At one point of our conversation, my friend asked me about my writing and she said, "So how often do you talk to your agent?"
I kind of froze up a little, unsure how to answer. "Hmm, it kind of depends?" I managed to say.
I know that's kind of a lame answer, but the answer to this question really does depend! Sometimes Agent Jim and I exchange multiple emails in a day. Other times I shoot him a quick note every month or so. It really all depends on what stage I'm currently at in my writing process.
Revising
From my own experiences, I've found that I talk to my agent most frequently when I first receive my revision notes. We would trade multiple emails daily, figuring out character arcs and world building. I'd also ask him questions like, "How many more words can I add to this manuscript?" and "When should I finish all of the revisions?"
But then our correspondence tapered down once I dove head-first into revisions. For one thing, the revision letter itself was very clear and organized so I didn't need to ask for clarifications. And for another, I tend to retreat into a revision cave when I'm editing and I didn't want any feedback until I felt satisfied with the revamped manuscript.
Submitting
Right before you go out on submission, your communication with your agent will definitely ratchet up. You may talk about specific publishing houses. You may talk about rejections (Do you want to read all of the rejections? Or just the more helpful ones?) And you may even talk about the submission letter itself. For instance, I know of one agent who asks her writers to compose the book summary portion of the submission letter.
Then, if your book garners interest from editors, communication will speed up even more. That's when the phone calls start: "Editor Awesome loves your book and wants to make an offer!" "Editor Coolness wants to make a counter-offer!" Your agent will keep you abreast about everything that's going on and will make sure you haven't fainted on the other end of the line.
Drafting
Sometimes you won't talk to your agent for month-long stretches at a time. This usually happens when you're working on a new manuscript because your first book didn't sell or if you're still waiting to hear the editors' responses. Don't worry, this is normal! The publishing industry can be infinitely slow so sometimes there simply isn't any news to share. Just keep plugging away on your new WIP and try not to stare too wistfully at your phone. :)
But if a month goes by and you haven't heard from your agent, you can always send a short-but-sweet email. That's what I do. I'll tell Jim how my new manuscript is coming along and then I'll ask him for a quick update from submission-land. Easy as pie!
Anyway, if you have anything to add, please do so in the comments! And definitely feel free to ask any questions you may have!
Gulp.
I drove past my old high school the other day and the sudden realization hit me... Holy cow, I'm gettin' old! I graduated ten years ago, which means I'm currently 28. Which also means that there are high school freshmen who are literally half my age.
Egads!
Sometimes I get a little hyperventilate-y about how quickly the last decade has passed me by, but it's also fun to reminisce about my teenage years. You know what I love to reminisce about the most? My days singing and dancing in my high school rock 'n roll revival show, "Blast From The Past." (It was a lot like Glee actually!)
Happily, my high school still does a Blast From the Past production every year so my best friend Amanda and I are going to watch it this weekend. Back during our high school days, Amanda and I OBSESSED over our productions: about the songs we got to sing, about our costumes, about the cute boys we had crushes on. Ah, memories...
If you're interested, here's a video of the opening song from Blast 1999. If you watch closely, you'll see my nerdy self at the 0.59 and 2:46 minute marks... Go ahead and laugh at me. Yes, I'm totally wearing a denim vest. And yes, I totally winked at the camera. What was I thinking?!
Okay, now that I've showed you an embarrassing moment from my past, you have to spill one of your less-than-proud moments from your high school days!
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