Beth Greenslade's Blog, page 130

How To Know It’s Time To Get A New Literary Agent

Leaving your literary agent is not a decision any author should take lightly. However, it is important to make sure that you do what is best for your writing career.

Being an author is like having a business, and sometimes difficult decisions need to be made to ensure that you continue to enjoy success.

If you feel you have problems with your literary agent, it is advisable to try and work through them first, as starting the process of finding a new one can feel arduous and be rather time-consuming too.

No one wants to fire their literary agent. However, only you will know if the working relationship needs to end. If you are considering doing so but aren’t sure whether it is the right time to say goodbye, take a look at these signs that maybe you need to think about moving on.

Communication becomes problematic. If your agent takes ages to return your phone calls or emails, you have a right to feel annoyed. As their client, they should be looking out for you, and you should feel confident they have your bests interests at heart. If they don’t communicate with you in a timely fashion, this can lead to you feeling frustrated and neglected and a realisation that perhaps they aren’t working for you as well as they should.

They promise but don’t deliver. If your agent keeps telling you that they can sell your book, or give your sales figures or financial estimates that continually fall short, then they clearly aren’t doing their job as well as they think they can. While it is useful for an agent to manage an author’s expectations if they continue to promise you the world but you never see this come to fruition, it might be time to reconsider your relationship.

They don’t move fast enough for you. So your agent has taken you on, you now eagerly await to hear news of what editors have said about your book, but when you ask your agent you find out they haven’t even sent your manuscript out yet. Or, perhaps they just never keep you up to date on what they are doing to try and sell your book, or dodge or dismiss your questions each time you ask.

If your agent doesn’t have a firm sales plan, one they are willing to stick to, and one where they can offer you proof and clear updates on what they are doing for you, perhaps you should find one that does.

You seem to be paying your agent a sizeable amount of cash, but getting no return. If you aren’t clear on what you are paying your agent for, and they aren’t willing to make it clear, then alarm bells should start ringing.

A reputable agent will take you on because they believe they can sell your work, and make money from it. If they can’t do this, yet you are still paying out, it might be they are just in the business to make a quick buck and have no real regard or interest in the success of their clients.

You compare your agent to others, and they don’t quite seem to match up. It can be difficult to know what you should expect from an agent, and what is ‘normal.’ Speak to other author friends and find out what their agents are doing or not doing. Chances are if you have a bad feeling about your agent when you talk to others, they simply won’t measure up.

If the above sounds like your agent, perhaps it is time to bite the bullet and try to find a new one. Of course, this can be challenging and stressful. Try to have clear reasons for your current agent as to why you think it is time to terminate the relationship, and if you do go on to query new agents be prepared to explain yourself to them.

You may be concerned about not getting a new agent at all, but if your agent is not working for you, ask yourself if it is better to have a bad agent or none at all? Chances are a bad agent will do your work more harm than good, and without them, you will be more successful, and will feel a lot better too!

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post How To Know It’s Time To Get A New Literary Agent appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Find The Right Book Editor To Make Your Book Shine

Finishing your book is a glorious feeling! However, as all novelists know, the hard work is not over yet.

The editing process can be long and arduous and for many authors this is the part that they dread the most. The elation and satisfaction of completing a book is wonderful,  but knowing you might have months ahead of editing, reworking, chopping up and re writing can feel very daunting.

Editing your manuscript is however, completely essential. This is true regardless of whether you are sending your book off to publishers or you intend to self publish your work.

However, all is not lost! One piece of advice that is often given is to hire a professional editor to do the hard work for you. There is a lot to be said for this. For, no matter how eagle-eyed you are you are unlikely to be able to spot all your mistakes and inconsistencies, you probably aren’t an expert on grammar, and are also too close to your work, the story, the characters, to be able to look at the story objectively and see what needs to be changed.

A good editor can offer you all this, and get your manuscript in fantastic condition so you can feel confident it has the best chance of success.

So, if you have decided to hire a professional editor, what’s next? There are a huge number of businesses and individuals out there offering editing services, and there is lots to take into consideration. Finding the right fit is crucial, and you need to be clear on the timeframe, costs and exactly what the editor is going to do before you sign anything or part with any of your hard earned cash.

With this in mind, here are some handy tips to help you decide if a particular editor is the right one for you.

Their editing style

Different editors will have different methods they use to edit, and also when they go through your manuscript checking grammar and punctuation they may well have differing opinions on what is correct! Ask potential editors which style they use and make sure it fits into your way of thinking. Look at their previous work and see whether you think they have done a good job. Your type of book will also play a crucial part. Different editors tend to specialise in different genres or types of book, so make sure you pick one that fits yours.

Cost

While it is not expected that an editor can give you a exact figure of how much it will cost to edit your work, they should be able to give you a good estimate, and explain how they have come up with that figure. A good editor might ask for a sample of your work before they estimate the editing cost. Costs will vary depending on how much work they have to do, the length of your manuscript and whether you are just asking them to edit for grammar, spelling and punctuation, or if you need them to look at your story structure, character development and so on. Have a budget in mind and stick to it, if you can’t afford an editor then you may need to look at cheaper alternatives. There is no point getting yourself into a sticky situation financially before you have even begin to sell your book.

How they communicate

At the end of the day, you need to be able to work well with your editor. Make sure that they listen to you, are receptive to your ideas, and understand exactly what you want them to do. If you feel they aren’t taking this on board, it might be better to look elsewhere. Also understanding how they prefer to communicate and making sure that fits in with your expectations is useful. If you like to discuss your work at length on the phone where they prefer going back and forth via email this could cause upset further down the line.

Hiring an editor is making an positive investment in your writing so you need to be sure you pick one that you feel confident will do a great job for you. Your book is no doubt highly important to you, therefore don’t make the decision to hire an editor in a rush. Shop around, talk to your fellow writers, get recommendations and do your research – that way when you do hire an editor you can be confident they will make your book shine!

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post Find The Right Book Editor To Make Your Book Shine appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Feeling Uninspired? Try These To Give Your Creativity A Boost!

As writers, creativity is a hugely important part of what we do. The ability to come up with new, fresh, exciting ideas, to use language to create fantastic stories and characters, to continue to learn and experiment with new writing techniques for different effects and test new styles of writing to try and find your own unique author voice – these all require creativity.

However, being creative all the time can be particularly demanding, and there are naturally going to be days, weeks, months even, where we aren’t feeling very inspired. Some call this writer’s block, some might refer to it as a creative slump, others may simply see it as a bad patch.

Everyone who works goes through stages in their career where they feel they aren’t productive, or the tasks they must get through don’t fill them with excitement. When it happens to a writer, it can be a more troubling problem. If we don’t feel creative, we don’t write, and if we don’t write we cease to make a living!

So if you feel as though you need a creative boost what you can do?

Try these techniques to refresh your mind, increase your energy and get those creative juices flowing one more!

Find a new writing space

We all have our preferred places to write. You might be disciplined and organised and have a good writing routine where you get up, look sharp and write in an office. Or, like me, you might have slipped into incredibly bad habits and write in your pyjama’s with a cup of tea in bed. Either way, however, if you find yourself a bit sluggish try upping sticks and working in an entirely new environment. Whether that’s taking yourself out to the park, heading to a local cafe, joining your library if you prefer peace and quiet, or just moving to a different room in your house. Sometimes a change of scenery is all we need to feel refreshed and inspired once more.

Take a writing mini-break

No, we don’t mean a break from your writing, we mean a break FOR your writing! Not all of us can afford or have time to head to a swanky writing retreat, but there is no reason why you can’t recreate one in your very own home. Set aside a weekend dedicated to your writing, allow for no distractions, buy lots of coffee. Take hearty country walks in between and treat yourself to a glass or two of wine and a good book in the evening and voila – a DIY writing retreat of your very own!

Make time for reading

Sometimes I find when my creativity slumps I suddenly realise it’s because I have stopped reading. Reading is crucial for writers; it’s our research, our inspiration, our motivation. Reading a good book can give you the boost you need to get back to your work or give you one of those ‘eureka’ moments when you realise exactly what you need to do to make that tricky part of your novel work out.

Join a writing group

We all need a little help and support at times, and what better way to achieve this then by joining a writing group near by? If you can’t find anyone to do this with you, then there are always online alternatives. Your fellow writers are super handy for bouncing ideas off, discussing problems with and getting useful feedback from. Being part of a group means you will force yourself to write even when you aren’t feeling like it – often just writing, just pushing through the slump is all you need to get your creativity back.

Try something new

If you are used to writing in particular genre, why not take a break from that and experiment with some others? If you only write fiction work, try writing a few articles, start a diary or set up a blog. You may just need a break from your current work to get you motivated once more, and you may find these other forms of writing inspire you to take your career in a new direction too!

Whatever you do, when you feel yourself getting into a writing slump you need to figure out how to change your mindset. Try these tips above, or let us know what you do to boost your creativity when you are feeling uninspired!

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post Feeling Uninspired? Try These To Give Your Creativity A Boost! appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Grow Your Email List And Sell More Books!

Every author knows that if they want to sell more books, they need to grow their readership. Unless you are fortunate enough to have a huge publisher to do your marketing or happen to have written one of those books which just seems to have a snowball effect and suddenly becomes a bestseller, then you need to grow your readership yourself.

When it comes down to it if people don’t know about your book they aren’t going to buy it, and that is one of the most challenging aspects of self-publishing. How do you get readers to not only find your book? And when they do to think ‘yeah I’ll give that a go.’

Unfortunately, there are no guarantees, but what is certain is that those authors who put work into building their fanbase are more likely to have success when it comes to selling their books and making their careers possible.

To let people know about your book, you need to be able to contact them. So how do you go from having zero contacts to a sizeable list? While there is no one approach that is a sure-fire route to success, there are several things you can try, and patience, persistence and perseverance are all key.

Here is what you can do:

Make your presence known

If you want more readers, you have to reach out to them. Getting the right sort of people to notice you i.e. the ones that would be interested buying your book is all about finding ways to connect with them. Writing a blog, keeping your social media accounts active, relevant and engaging, joining in online conversations, guest posting on high profile blogs, going to networking events and hosting events such as books tours (virtual or otherwise) will get your name out there. This part takes time, but if you consistently publish great content you name will start popping up, people will share your posts, like your social media accounts and begin to actively follow you and pay attention to what you have to say.

Give something back

Everyone is busy these days, too busy to sign up to yet another email list out of the goodness of their hearts. If you want people to sign up to yours why not offer them something in return? Some authors offer a free signed copy of their books to each subscriber – of course, not all of us can afford to do this so you could give them a short story, or free entry to a competition to win a copy of your book, or a discount if they do buy a copy. Those who don’t win will now have your book in their minds so when you next email them promoting it they are much more likely to want to click on that ‘buy now’ link.

Don’t give up!

Once you see your subscriber list start to grow is your job to keep them there – remember subscribers can just as easily unsubscribe, so now it is important to provide them with interesting, useful content and information – enough that they remember you but not so much they get sick of you! Make sure you thank every subscriber, ask them to connect with you on social media too, immediately give them a reward such as a free snippet of your new book (this will hopefully want to make them buy it too!). Make sure you let them know what you are up to, any events you have coming up and what you are working on. Keep your emails lighthearted, friendly and fun, and slowly but surely you will turn your subscribers into true fans.

Remember as with many of the strands of marketing a self-published book, the more time and effort you put into growing your email list the more likely you are to increase the number of people signing up for it. So just keep working at it and hopefully you will soon start to see results!

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post Grow Your Email List And Sell More Books! appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

5 Speedy Ways To Rework Your Writing

We all want to improve and learn when it comes to our writing. However, many of us simply don’t have the time to sit down and go through it all with a fine tooth comb. To read an entire book on ways to be a better writer, join a writing group or head off on a writing retreat to ‘find our voices’ and become truly inspired is simply a luxury many writers cannot afford!

If you are looking for ways to quickly spruce up your writing and get it in better shape, then read on. Here are some handy pocket-sized tips that are well worth remembering next time you sit down to edit your work, and your tired old writing brain needs something easy but effective to get you back into the swing of things.

Let’s take a look a five quick writing fixes that can do just that.

1. Break up your paragraphs

Breaking up your text into short paragraphs can make your writing so much easier to read. This technique works well for both fiction and factual pieces. Once you have separated your paragraphs, you can examine them individually. Each one should have something new to say, should capture a thought or a point or a moment. The last sentence of each one should make the reader want to read the next.

2. Revisit old work

Often writers are sitting on a whole wealth of interesting writing material, and they didn’t even know it. Snippets from old stories, a half- written article ideas, a story that you started but never quite got round to finishing? Keep all of them and look back on them from time to time to see if they can be dusted off and reworked into a new story, or simply take these ideas and see if they inspire you to add or change the story you are working on now.

3. Beg borrow and steal

Other writers work is there to be examined, and you shouldn’t be afraid to do so. Each story that has ever been written contains a whole world of themes and characters and ideas. The more you read, the more you can be inspired by these, the more you can capture the things you like and use them for your own stories, and the more you’ll know what you are naturally turned off by too, which can be just as helpful.

4. Get rid of your adverbs

Read through your writing and highlight every adverb. Each and every time you come across one ask yourself whether you need it. Be ruthless. Often taking away your adverbs gives your manuscript an instant face-lift and your writing feels fresher, tighter and more fast-paced straight away.

5. Go on a cliche ‘hunt and destroy’!

It is so easy to find ourselves writing in cliche’s – it’s not our fault, they are called cliche’s for a reason! However, being vigilant and spotting them in your work can help to change your writing. So avoid them like the plague and think outside the box otherwise your writing will feel as dead as a doornail!

Trying to improve your writing doesn’t necessarily mean locking yourself away in a room for hours and painstakingly going through your work. If you have a spare half an hour every now and again, you can use this to make a real difference to your writing. So next time you do, why not give these a go?

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post 5 Speedy Ways To Rework Your Writing appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

The Different Emotions Every Writer Goes Through

We writers are emotional creatures, and why shouldn’t we be? We can use our emotions to help write our fantastic stories after all! There are some feelings, however, that only writers can truly understand, whether they are worries and concerns, moments of joy and elation, or tear-your-hair-out frustration, we have all been there!

Being passionate, excited, nervous, angry, elated – writers can go through all these different emotions in an hour! While writing is, for the most part, a solitary experience, writers do tend to stick together, support one another, and help each other when asked.

Writers love to write, that is a given, and we are so lucky to be able to pursue our dreams. However, doing so isn’t always easy! All writers have their share of ups and downs – luckily we have one another to share them with.

Here are just some of the emotions that every writer will recognise.

The worry that you’ll stop being able to think of ideas

Remember the first time you had that ‘eureka’ moment? Where suddenly an idea popped into your head for a brilliant story that you couldn’t wait to write? Or what about when the novel you had been working on suddenly all just fit together, and you realised for the first time that it was going to work, that you’d found a way to get to the end? Pretty amazing right?

But then there are the hours spent wondering when those moments will start to get fewer, and when they might run out altogether. A writer needs to be confident they’ll keep being able to come up with creative and unique ideas – the worry that suddenly the creative part of your brain will close for business is a very scary one indeed!

Taking any criticism oh-so personally

‘You don’t think my book will fit on your list right now? How dare you rip my heart out you cruel, ruthless monster!’

‘You said one of my characters felt a little two dimensional? Why are you trying to ruin my life?!’

And so on.

It is incredibly difficult when you have poured your heart and soul into something to feel as though anyone who offers even the most constructive of constructive criticism isn’t reaching into your soul and punching it directly in the face. Unfortunately, this is something that continues endlessly as you keep writing. The more you write, the more potential you have to be rejected. However, it does get easier with time (sort of).

The feeling of being completely in the zone

You have been staring at your computer screen for about an hour. Suddenly your fingers get a life of their own and are flying all over the keyboard like little, frenzied sausages. You are officially on a roll, and the words come flying out of you, and you feel as though you could never stop. Then the door creaks open and someone, potentially a relative who you now no longer love, asks you something inane and unimportant. The roll is over. You return to staring at your computer screen and try not to weep.

The ‘I am a terrible writer’ emotion

Everything you write is basically appalling. You have no idea why on earth you had the arrogance and audacity to think you could do this. You spend your days reading incredible works of fiction occasionally making an exasperated sigh or guffaw as every single word is in exactly the right place and the story unfolds so beautifully, and there is no way you could ever write anything even a millionth as good as that. Yes, we have all been there. The good news is most writers usually get over this stage and going back to just been minority critical, uncertain and jittery. Hooray.

The ‘I have a real job’ fury

Trying to explain for the millionth time that your job is indeed a real job and yes you do it full time, and no you don’t do anything else, and no it is not just an adorable hobby and so on. It can be difficult to try to explain to some people who thrive in their stable careers why on earth you would risk everything to pursue a dream that, according to the odds is incredibly unlikely to bring you any kind of success. But just remember you are doing what you love, and that’s the most important thing.

The unbridled joy of finishing

There is no better feeling in the world than that of finishing your book. It is that perfect moment where the world seems so full of excitement and possibility. You got there; you did it! These are the moments we live for.

The school exam results feeling when you get a letter/ email/ phone call

Nervously waiting after you have sent your manuscript off to publishers and agents is a long and arduous time. However, there is nothing quite like that feeling where an email appears in your inbox with a response, or a letter comes through your door and you know it is from them.

As many writers know publishing contracts aren’t just handed out to everyone, but that moment just before you click on the email or open the letter you are on the edge, and cannot help but wonder ‘what if….?’

The emotional rollercoaster that is being a writer can be amazing, adrenaline pumping, arms-in-the-air kind of fin and also make you feel terrified and sick and want  to get off. Still we wouldn’t have it any other way!

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post The Different Emotions Every Writer Goes Through appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Need To Make More Money From Your Writing? Try These!

Being a successful fiction writer takes a lot of time and effort, and it can be incredibly daunting to give up working to become a writer full time. Whether you have landed a publishing deal, or are making money from self-publishing your work, unless you happen to be the next J K or similar you may find that there are some times where you have to tighten those purse strings to make ends meet.

There are, however, plenty of other ways that you can supplement your income as a fiction writer. So, the next time you feel those bills piling up, or could simply do with a little extra money for a special occasion or holiday, why not try some of these?

Copywriting

Good copywriters are consistently in demand, so why not put your writing skills to good use and try to land yourself some lucrative copywriting jobs.? While, if you have no experience and no portfolio, you may have to spend the first few months accepting lower paid work then you’d ideally like, if you persevere and do a good job you can build relationships with editors, businesses and publications and start to land higher paid work. You could pitch article ideas to your favourite magazines, write landing pages for websites or specialise in creating exciting email newsletters – find a niche and excel at it and soon you could be raking in the big bucks!

Start a blog

As a fiction writer, you’ll no doubt have a way with words and a creative imagination. So while you are in between books why not start your own blog and see if you can make money this way? If your blog gains momentum you could soon see businesses clamouring to advertise on it – ones that pay very well for the privilege. You could also pitch ideas to clients to help them write their own blog too.

Ghostwriting

Ghostwriting takes many forms but can be a good way to earn extra money as a writer. Of course, you have to accept that you won’t be credited as the author of your work. However, if you think of it as writing practice – practice that you are getting paid for no less, this can be a rewarding and enjoyable way to make more money.

Editing

As a fiction writer no doubt you will have spent a fair few hours editing your work. So why not turn all that practice into a money making venture? Setting yourself up as a professional editor can be a great way to earn some extra cash, and will again only help to further your own writing career at the same time.

A career as a fiction writer is many a writer’s dream. However, it is always nice to know you can bump up your income as and when you need to – so next time you want a little extra security, why not give these a go?

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post Need To Make More Money From Your Writing? Try These! appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Want To Write Full Time? Here’s How To Set Up Your Business

Becoming a full-time freelance writer can be a scary decision to make. This is particularly true if you already have a comfortable job, you know, one with a contract in place, a steady salary and all the usual ‘perks’ such as paid holiday, sick pay or maternity/paternity leave.

The idea of leaving that behind for a job where the onus is all on you might seem crazy. A job where if you fall ill and can’t complete your work you not only won’t get paid but might very well have a disgruntled editor breathing down your neck. One where if you fancy a long weekend you have to make up the time and make sure you fit in an extra days worth of work either before or after so you don’t lose out on any money. One where one month you might be doing lots of great assignments only to find the next month you are twiddling your thumbs and becoming increasingly concerned about how you are going to pay your rent.

You’d have to be mad to do it, wouldn’t you?

The problem is, anyone considering a full-time career in freelance writing is probably doing so because it is their passion. It is what makes them happiest. It is all they want to do. If that is the case, after a while, it becomes pretty hard to ignore, and each day you spend sitting at your desk in your comfortable 9-5 office job makes you increasingly more miserable.

Happily, there are things you can do to make the transition easier, and give yourself the best chance of security and success. Working for yourself has many benefits, and if you are smart about it, your freelance writing business can turn into a very lucrative one indeed.

Here are some practical pieces of advice to help you begin to set up your freelance writing business.

Invest in a good programme to help you look after your finances.

As soon as you go freelance, you need to be aware of the money you are making, and if you don’t have a good system in place from the word go, it is very easy to become muddled quite quickly. You need to keep track of your work, how much you are getting paid, who you have sent an invoice to, who has paid you, who you need to chase and so on. You can use something as simple as an excel spreadsheet or invest in more sophisticated software such as Freshbooks or Quickbooks, or even hire an accountant to help you. Whatever you do make sure you are super organised about this as you need to keep your finances straight at all times.

Set yourself earning targets

Being a freelance writer, it is always important to set yourself goals both regarding your writing and how much you earn for it too. Just as in a regular job one might have a plan of how to work their way up the ranks, you should continuously be trying to improve. As a start you should work out how much you need to earn to survive and make that your goal, but as you get longer term assignments and gain experience you should be able to get better paid work and therefore push yourself to earn more. Make sure you spend some time developing good working relationships with editors and searching for longer term projects which will allow you to plan ahead and feel more secure.

Set up a website and reach out to potential clients.

Having a good online presence is so important when it comes to business success. Make sure you have a professional website set up where you can create a portfolio of work. Ask satisfied clients for testimonials and also use social media to reach out to your audience. Invite people to like your page, set up a Twitter account and join in relevant conversations. The more you can build a following and get yourself noticed the more influential, reliable and professional you will appear.

Create a schedule

It can be very easy when working for yourself to end up working far too much, or sometimes far too little! Try to view your new job as a freelance writer as exactly that – a job. You need to set yourself boundaries and make sure you give yourself breaks and time off, as well as ensuring you are productive and hardworking. Even when you don’t have writing assignments you can focus on pitching, and developing your business. Learn how to prioritise tasks strategically – a good move is to always force yourself to do the work you want to do least first – doing so means you will get it out of the way and then have time to focus on tasks you enjoy later in the day. If you do it the other way around, it will be much harder to tackle.

Setting up a freelance writing business can be challenging, but it is also an exciting new step in your career. Stay organised, remain positive and continually push yourself and you will give yourself the very best chance of success.

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post Want To Write Full Time? Here’s How To Set Up Your Business appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

Rejection – It Makes Your Better (Honest)

We have all been told a million times before that as writers we must inevitably face rejection and lots of it at that.

Whether you are sending your precious first novel out to agents and publishers or emailing a carefully crafted story pitch to an editor, when they respond with a ‘no,’ or perhaps, even worse, don’t respond at all, it can feel crushing.

However, we also know that persistence is key. If every writer who received their first rejection gave up, burnt their manuscript, threw their laptop out of the window and crawled into a dark hole of doom and despair while vowing never to write again, there would be a severe lack of creative writing and content out there!

Every time you send your work off you can’t help feel that flutter of excitement, which maybe, this time, you will get a positive response. This is what we live for; that hope that maybe our dreams will come true. Each time they don’t, we have to pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off and do it all over again. Some may call it foolish, rather like a fly banging into a window over and over again. I, however, like to think of it as determined, and brave.

It is a long road from sitting down to write to seeing your work in print. However being rejected over and over again is useful, and the more rejection you face, the more opportunity you have to improve.

The more you are rejected, the better you can handle it

Remember that first rejection you ever got? Pretty devastating right? Until that point you probably harboured that glimmer of hope that you, against all the odds, would be one of the few mythical authors who have their work picked up first time and have publishers fawning over them while battling it out with one another to be chosen to publish your work. However, when this doesn’t happen, it can rock your world, shatter your confidence and make you question everything.

What it does make you do is realise you can get over it, eventually. You sit back down; you start again. Then another rejection comes in; it knocks you back, but this time you get back to work a little quicker. This goes on and on until you are so well versed in dealing with rejection that you barely pause to read the letter before continuing with your craft. The long and short of it is you waste less time feeling sorry for yourself and more time improving your work.

You understand what editors are looking for

If you do get something published, it doesn’t that your next book or your next article will. What it does do however is give you that golden ticket, that insider knowledge. What did you write in your letter? How did you present your idea? What did you do differently to make it work? When you have a few acceptances and articles published you can build up a much better picture of what you need to say to get a positive response – you can develop a formula and increase your chances each time you try again. Every time you get a ‘yes’ you are more likely to get one in the future!

You resist and rework

Being rejected buys you time. You can go back and look at your work and figure out how to make it better. This is why it is a bad idea to send your work out to too many editors at the same time. Test the water first and, if what you are doing isn’t working then go back to the drawing board, change it, and try again.

You might just get helpful feedback

Occasionally editors will give you some feedback on your manuscript or pitches. Treat this like gold dust. They are they experts; they know what works and what doesn’t and if they have taken time out of their extremely busy day to comment on your work then use this information wisely.

You can never entirely take the sting out of being rejected. However, you can use it to make you a better writer. How do you deal with rejection?

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post Rejection – It Makes Your Better (Honest) appeared first on Writer's Life.org.

How Writing a Great Synopsis Can Help Your Book

Every author dreads writing their synopsis, and yet it is one of the most important parts to get right when it comes to approaching publishers and agents about your book.

Why is writing a synopsis so difficult? You know your story, and its characters inside out – you’ve written a whole book about them after all, so being able to sum it up in a few paragraphs should be easy… right?

Well, no, it’s really, really not.

Usually, the problem is precisely that – you know your book far too well and are far too involved in it to be able to condense 100 thousand words into a few paragraphs or even a few pages. How can you possibly leave out any detail without ruining the story or making it impossible to understand? If you don’t adequately describe your protagonist and their history how will the reader get a sense of their rich and tangled past?

The truth is that you don’t need to include every plot twist and every detail in your synopsis. By definition, a synopsis is an outline, a summary. As with most elements of writing and editing, producing the perfect synopsis takes practice. However, the great thing about it is once you do have a fantastic synopsis in hand not only will you significantly improve your chances of a publisher or agent looking at your work with greater interest, you will also improve your manuscript along the way.

Don’t try to write the perfect synopsis on your first attempt. If you start writing it and you know it is going to be way too long that’s OK. But when you have finished read over it and look at what you have decided to keep and which scenes or details you decided to leave out. Then ask yourself ‘do I need these scenes in my book at all?’ If you can write a lengthy synopsis without touching on them, are they that important? Do they actually enhance your story in any way? If they do perhaps you just need to revisit that scene or chapter and make it stand out more, make it more interesting and significant, give it a little more oomph.

Writing your synopsis can also reveal your books themes. When writing your synopsis you’ll be picking the most important details from each chapter – when you have gone through your entire book doing this; you should see pattern or theme emerging. This can be so helpful when it comes to defining your books genre and your target audience. Alternatively, it can show you that perhaps your book doesn’t yet have a theme – and this might be something you need to work on.

Your synopsis can become your plot outline and vice versa. Next time you are struggling to write your synopsis, why not look over your plot outline and see if it is not already written? If you are the kind of author who loves to plan your plot, it might be that your synopsis is already there. Alternatively, try writing your books synopsis before you start your story or even when you are halfway through it. It might just influence the outcome!

Writing a synopsis is never easy, but if you can look at it in a positive light – as a tool to help improve your work, perhaps next time you sit down to do it, it will feel more like a challenging but helpful writing exercise rather than something painful and laborious. At the end of the day we all have to do it, and so the sooner you can learn how to use synopsis writing to your advantage the better!

Bethany Cadman -author of ‘Doctor Vanilla’s Sunflowers’

The post How Writing a Great Synopsis Can Help Your Book appeared first on Writer's Life.org.