Chris Eboch's Blog, page 45
February 11, 2011
Analyze Your Plot Arc for Subplots and Secondary Characters:
We are still working with that plot arc from several weeks ago. You know the drill by now -- use your outline to go over your plot and see what's missing and what's overdone.
Look at your subplots. Are they woven evenly throughout the manuscript? Do you need to give more attention to some, or space them out more evenly?
Can any secondary characters be combined or eliminated? The best way to do this is to use a different color highlighter is for each subplot and secondary character. That gives you a nice visual map of how often a person or plotline appears. For example, I did this exercise at the early outline stage for a book proposal I was developing. The main character was a 12-year-old boy. His slightly older brother, his major rival, held a strong role throughout the plot. Their litter sister had less of a role in the plot, but was still important to both plot and theme. By highlighting the chapters where she appeared in my outline, I noticed that she had little presence throughout the middle of the book. That warned me to find ways to include her in those middle scenes.
You can do this exercise after you have a complete draft as well, to find holes where you may have ignored a subplot or major secondary character for too long. (Note that you don't have to do this with every single person who appears in the manuscript. By secondary characters, I'm talking about those who still have an important role. If someone only appears once in passing -- a taxi driver or shop clerk, perhaps -- you don't need to mention them in your outline.)
For more help developing your secondary characters, see these earlier posts (you can also click on the "Secondary Characters" link to the lower right):
Not All Grandmothers Have White Hair (Making Minor Characters Fresh) Is Your Villain Evil Enough? Putting Secondary Characters First
Look at your subplots. Are they woven evenly throughout the manuscript? Do you need to give more attention to some, or space them out more evenly?
Can any secondary characters be combined or eliminated? The best way to do this is to use a different color highlighter is for each subplot and secondary character. That gives you a nice visual map of how often a person or plotline appears. For example, I did this exercise at the early outline stage for a book proposal I was developing. The main character was a 12-year-old boy. His slightly older brother, his major rival, held a strong role throughout the plot. Their litter sister had less of a role in the plot, but was still important to both plot and theme. By highlighting the chapters where she appeared in my outline, I noticed that she had little presence throughout the middle of the book. That warned me to find ways to include her in those middle scenes.
You can do this exercise after you have a complete draft as well, to find holes where you may have ignored a subplot or major secondary character for too long. (Note that you don't have to do this with every single person who appears in the manuscript. By secondary characters, I'm talking about those who still have an important role. If someone only appears once in passing -- a taxi driver or shop clerk, perhaps -- you don't need to mention them in your outline.)
For more help developing your secondary characters, see these earlier posts (you can also click on the "Secondary Characters" link to the lower right):
Not All Grandmothers Have White Hair (Making Minor Characters Fresh) Is Your Villain Evil Enough? Putting Secondary Characters First
February 4, 2011
Analyze Your Plot Arc for Emotion:
We've been working with the Plot Arc Exercise I posted three weeks ago. We looked at our plots for conflict and tension. Now it's time to check the emotion. I asked you to list the major emotions for each scene, and underline the primary one. If you have little emotion, or only happy emotions, you probably don't have a dramatic plot. In that case, you want to focus on making things harder for your characters.
Hopefully you have a strong emotion in every scene, probably a negative one—fear or grief or anger, for example. Strong emotions drive the story forward. But any emotion, no matter how strong, seems to flatten out over time. If you have a suspense novel where your character is on the run and constantly terrified, it becomes emotionally exhausting and even tedious, no matter how exciting the action. The emotion flows in a straight line, and straight lines become boring. Instead, you want ups and downs.
In Writing the Breakout Novel, Albert Zuckerman describes a scene from Gone with the Wind, where Scarlett is going to confess her love to Ashley. She's nervous but excited. She starts out hopeful. He doesn't respond as she wishes, and she starts to get anxious. She becomes determined and tries harder. He admits that he cares for her. She's elated! But then he explains why they can't be together. She flies into a rage. He leaves. She's devastated. Rhett Butler pops up from where he's been laying on the couch. She's humiliated that he overheard. He tells her she's too good for Ashley. She gets angry at Rhett....
See how many different emotions are in that one scene? And I'm going on memory here, so I may be missing some. Scarlett displays not only a variety of emotions, but strong ups and downs, from devastation to elation. Granted, Scarlett is an unusually emotional character, so your main character may not react with such extremes. You still want to make sure that he or she has a variety of fairly strong emotions. In that suspense novel, you want your character to feel relief, because she escaped. She's exhausted, she just wants to rest. But she's worried about will happen next. She tries to puzzle out the clues. She starts to get angry. Wait—what's that sound? The fear comes back... and then you lead into another action scene. The low allows your hero's—and your reader's—adrenaline to drop, so that the next rush is a more powerful experience.
This holds true even if you're not writing action books. Even a relatively "quiet" story about interpersonal relationships should still have a variety of strong emotions, though they may be expressed in different ways.
I recently finished an adult suspense manuscript. I tend to be a strong plotter, and I started with an extensive outline, so my first draft of a scene would have plenty of action and dialogue. Then I'd go back through and flesh out the emotion. I'd make sure I was giving my main character time to react and express her emotions, if only in her own head. On the surface, it might seem like this would slow down action scenes. But by fully exploring your character's reactions, you increase the drama and keep your reader invested in the main character's experience. We're not just seeing what happens, we're seeing how it affects our hero or heroine.
That's a long lead-in to a short (but important) section of the exercise. Go back to your Plot Arc Exercise and analyze your scenes as follows:
How many emotions do you have in each chapter/scene? Can you add ups and downs? (For example, your MC feels happy anticipation, then anxiety that things aren't going as planned, followed by a shock, which causes humiliation, then anger, then despair.)
Do the main character's emotions escalate over time? As events get more serious, and the stakes rise, the emotions should also increase. One caveat here—you want to avoid getting melodramatic. Remember, you want ups and downs, so quieter or less extreme emotions can provide some of those. Unless you're creating another Scarlett O'Hara, don't have your main character react excessively to everything. Save the powerful emotions for powerful events.
January 28, 2011
Novel Revision part 3: Tension
Two weeks ago I started this Novel Revision sequence by posting a Plot Arc Exercise. Last week, I explored how you could start analyzing your outline for conflict. Those questions focused on the overall plot arc, and also looked at the presence or absence of conflict in every section.
This week, go back to your Plot Arc Exercise outline and look at each scene or chapter in more detail. You may have identified some chapters where you had no conflict. But chances are you have some conflict in most chapters. But is it enough? And is it the right conflict?
Perhaps you have chapters where you have conflict in your subplots, but not your main plot. Perhaps your main character is facing a challenge, but it's not directly related to his primary goal or problem. You may choose to keep some of those scenes, but ideally, the story should never lose sight of the main character's primary goal or problem. Subplots should be tied into the main plot. Extra conflicts should relate to the main conflict. These questions will help you identify trouble spots.
Analyze plot arc for Tension:
Does each scene fulfill the synopsis goal?
Does each scene advance plot, reveal character, or ideally both?
Do your characters have a goal in each scene, such as a shorter term goal that helps lead to the final resolution of the problem?
Does your MC attempt to make progress toward his/her primary goal in every chapter, or are some chapters only subplot? If you have chapters of only subplot, can you weave them into other chapters with plot, or add plot progression within those chapters?
Can you make the stakes higher for any scenes?
Mark plot twists. Do you have several surprises/reversals? If not, can you add some?
Is the antagonist actively thwarting the hero throughout the book?
Does the tension rise over time, with the situation worsening? Can you increase the complications, so at each step, more is at stake, there's greater risk or a better reward?
EXAMPLE: The middle grade boy novel I mentioned last week at one point had an opening chapter where Jesse had an accident in the woods. I was trying to open with an action scene, but unfortunately it didn't relate to the main plot. I ultimately decided it was better to cut that scene and get to the main plot problem more quickly.
This week, go back to your Plot Arc Exercise outline and look at each scene or chapter in more detail. You may have identified some chapters where you had no conflict. But chances are you have some conflict in most chapters. But is it enough? And is it the right conflict?
Perhaps you have chapters where you have conflict in your subplots, but not your main plot. Perhaps your main character is facing a challenge, but it's not directly related to his primary goal or problem. You may choose to keep some of those scenes, but ideally, the story should never lose sight of the main character's primary goal or problem. Subplots should be tied into the main plot. Extra conflicts should relate to the main conflict. These questions will help you identify trouble spots.
Analyze plot arc for Tension:
Does each scene fulfill the synopsis goal?
Does each scene advance plot, reveal character, or ideally both?
Do your characters have a goal in each scene, such as a shorter term goal that helps lead to the final resolution of the problem?
Does your MC attempt to make progress toward his/her primary goal in every chapter, or are some chapters only subplot? If you have chapters of only subplot, can you weave them into other chapters with plot, or add plot progression within those chapters?
Can you make the stakes higher for any scenes?
Mark plot twists. Do you have several surprises/reversals? If not, can you add some?
Is the antagonist actively thwarting the hero throughout the book?
Does the tension rise over time, with the situation worsening? Can you increase the complications, so at each step, more is at stake, there's greater risk or a better reward?
EXAMPLE: The middle grade boy novel I mentioned last week at one point had an opening chapter where Jesse had an accident in the woods. I was trying to open with an action scene, but unfortunately it didn't relate to the main plot. I ultimately decided it was better to cut that scene and get to the main plot problem more quickly.
January 21, 2011
Novel Revision part 2: Conflict
Last week I gave an exercise for analyzing your manuscript's plot arc, either from an outline or a finished draft. If you missed that, start with the first Novel Revision post. Then move on to this questionnaire for analyzing conflict. In upcoming weeks, we'll also look at tension, Subplots/secondary characters, theme and more.
Analyze plot arc for Conflict:
Using your outline, put a check mark by each chapter/scene synopsis if there is conflict in that chapter. For chapters where there is not – can you cut those, interweave with other chapters, or add new conflict?
What is the main character's flaw? Do you use this throughout the story to add complications and make challenges more difficult? Should the character make a bad decision or lose hope at one or more points?
Is the main conflict resolved at the climax, and is the climax at the end of the book?
Where do we learn the stakes? What are they? Do you have positive stakes (what the MC will get if he succeeds), negative stakes (what the MC will suffer if he fails), or both? Could the penalty for failure be worse? Your MC should not be able to walk away without penalty.
What's the timeframe? Can you tighten it? Can you add a "ticking clock," where the MC has limited time to succeed?
EXAMPLE: This is an excerpt from a pre-revision synopsis of a middle grade boy novel my agent has submitted to editors.
Chapter 1: Jesse's family is getting breakfast, with teasing, nagging and grumbles. Simon read an article in the local weekly about a bank robbery a few towns away. The bank robbers are still on the loose. Jesse heads out for a hike, telling himself he is happier alone, but really missing the times he used to hike with Dad.
Chapter 2: Jesse is hiking, annoyed with his family. He sees tracks – three sets of footprints going up, only one coming down – and follows them curiously. He finds Maria and Rick, struggling to make a fire.
Chapter 3: Jesse helps. Maria is bubbly and wants to learn all about woodcraft, but makes an odd comment about how she's not allowed to have a knife. Rick is fidgety and tries to nudge Jesse on his way. They claim they are they are alone, but Jesse sees signs of a third person, in addition to the footprints. Shaw returns, startling them all.
ANALYSIS: Reviewing this using the questions above, I realized that while I had some tension and mystery, I didn't have a strong conflict in the first three chapters. I shortened the beginning, getting Jesse out onto the hiking trail by page 3. Then I added some bloodstains to the mysterious tracks, to give a greater sense that something could be wrong, and increased the suspicious behavior of the pair he meets in the woods. I also found other gaps in the outline where I didn't have enough conflict. I made sure the stakes were high enough, and that Jesse's internal flaw was contributing to his situation.
In this case, I had to do most of the work at the beginning of the novel. The middle had plenty of action and my climax was strong. Chances are, you'll discover some weak spots in your outline/ manuscript, but you'll probably also discover that you have strong sections that are working well.
RESOURCES:
Dear Editor has a list of questions to ask after writing a piece, to determine whether you're ready for polishing or need to do more major revising.
Analyze plot arc for Conflict:
Using your outline, put a check mark by each chapter/scene synopsis if there is conflict in that chapter. For chapters where there is not – can you cut those, interweave with other chapters, or add new conflict?
What is the main character's flaw? Do you use this throughout the story to add complications and make challenges more difficult? Should the character make a bad decision or lose hope at one or more points?
Is the main conflict resolved at the climax, and is the climax at the end of the book?
Where do we learn the stakes? What are they? Do you have positive stakes (what the MC will get if he succeeds), negative stakes (what the MC will suffer if he fails), or both? Could the penalty for failure be worse? Your MC should not be able to walk away without penalty.
What's the timeframe? Can you tighten it? Can you add a "ticking clock," where the MC has limited time to succeed?
EXAMPLE: This is an excerpt from a pre-revision synopsis of a middle grade boy novel my agent has submitted to editors.
Chapter 1: Jesse's family is getting breakfast, with teasing, nagging and grumbles. Simon read an article in the local weekly about a bank robbery a few towns away. The bank robbers are still on the loose. Jesse heads out for a hike, telling himself he is happier alone, but really missing the times he used to hike with Dad.
Chapter 2: Jesse is hiking, annoyed with his family. He sees tracks – three sets of footprints going up, only one coming down – and follows them curiously. He finds Maria and Rick, struggling to make a fire.
Chapter 3: Jesse helps. Maria is bubbly and wants to learn all about woodcraft, but makes an odd comment about how she's not allowed to have a knife. Rick is fidgety and tries to nudge Jesse on his way. They claim they are they are alone, but Jesse sees signs of a third person, in addition to the footprints. Shaw returns, startling them all.
ANALYSIS: Reviewing this using the questions above, I realized that while I had some tension and mystery, I didn't have a strong conflict in the first three chapters. I shortened the beginning, getting Jesse out onto the hiking trail by page 3. Then I added some bloodstains to the mysterious tracks, to give a greater sense that something could be wrong, and increased the suspicious behavior of the pair he meets in the woods. I also found other gaps in the outline where I didn't have enough conflict. I made sure the stakes were high enough, and that Jesse's internal flaw was contributing to his situation.
In this case, I had to do most of the work at the beginning of the novel. The middle had plenty of action and my climax was strong. Chances are, you'll discover some weak spots in your outline/ manuscript, but you'll probably also discover that you have strong sections that are working well.
RESOURCES:
Dear Editor has a list of questions to ask after writing a piece, to determine whether you're ready for polishing or need to do more major revising.
January 14, 2011
Novel Revision
One of the biggest challenges of revision is to keep the whole, overall plot arc and character arc in your mind while you're looking at individual pages. I developed a Plot Arc Exercise for a workshop I taught on novel revision. This is a powerful tool for seeing where you may have holes to fill in your manuscript, where you can cut boring parts, and where you need to make changes.
It's a lengthy process, so I'll be going over it for the next several weeks. If you have a manuscript ready for revision, dive right in! Otherwise, make a note of where to find this for when you are ready to revise.
Note: this exercise is also great for analyzing an outline before you ever start writing. I believe that by writing a detailed outline of my most recent work in progress, and analyzing it using this exercise, I saved about two drafts worth of revision. Not everyone works from outlines, but if you do, give this a try.
PLOT ARC EXERCISE
Write a one or two sentence synopsis for your manuscript.
Define your goal. For example, you might want to entertain boys who are reluctant readers, write a beautiful literary novel of the kind that wins major awards, explore a social problem and ways to address it, or write a quick, fun beach read.
Define your theme. It's all right if you aren't sure yet, but start narrowing your focus. Are you trying to say something about family? Romantic relationships? Taking risks? Finding the courage inside yourself? (I'll address theme in more detail in future posts.)
For every chapter (or scene, if you write long chapters with multiple scenes), write a sentence or two describing what happens. Note the number of pages in that chapter or scene. Leave three or four blank lines in between each chapter, for your notes.
For each scene/chapter, list the emotions you've portrayed. Underline or highlight the major emotion.
Look at your subplots – use a different color for each one and make a note of what happens in each chapter where they appear.
EXAMPLE: Here's an example from adult novel I recently finished:
Synopsis: When Joanna finds the clue that will lead her to a cave full of treasures lost in the American southwest for over a century, she's pulled into a world of action and danger beyond anything she's imagined in her quiet life.
Goal: to write an action-packed romantic suspense novel full of outdoor adventures in the New Mexico landscape, with a strong thread of romance.
Theme: You don't know what you are capable of -- or what you really want -- until you take chances.
Chapter 1: 10 pages
Joanna has found a clue to the treasure that will prove her historical theories. She calls Camie and makes plans to meet. She's on her bicycle when a black vehicle roars out of a side street and runs her off the road.
Excitement, joy, anxiety, terror.
Chapter 2, scene one: 5 pages
Joanna, semi-conscious, feels hands on her and hears vague voices, then the sound of an engine driving away. When she manages to open her eyes, she's alone.
Pain, confusion, determination.
(No subplots yet.)
It takes a while to write this kind of synopsis, so I'm going to stop here for now. Next week, I'll explore how to analyze your plot synopsis for conflict!
RESOURCES:
Blockbuster Plots for Writers suggests that "Stories can either be character-driven or action-driven…. The goal in writing a compelling story that brings pleasure to the reader or audience is to have a balance between character and action." You can take their test to determine whether your manuscript is stronger with "Character Emotional Development" or "Dramatic Action." That gives you guidance into where you need to spend your initial revision time.
See my post "Plotting Questionnaire" from 4/16
It's a lengthy process, so I'll be going over it for the next several weeks. If you have a manuscript ready for revision, dive right in! Otherwise, make a note of where to find this for when you are ready to revise.
Note: this exercise is also great for analyzing an outline before you ever start writing. I believe that by writing a detailed outline of my most recent work in progress, and analyzing it using this exercise, I saved about two drafts worth of revision. Not everyone works from outlines, but if you do, give this a try.
PLOT ARC EXERCISE
Write a one or two sentence synopsis for your manuscript.
Define your goal. For example, you might want to entertain boys who are reluctant readers, write a beautiful literary novel of the kind that wins major awards, explore a social problem and ways to address it, or write a quick, fun beach read.
Define your theme. It's all right if you aren't sure yet, but start narrowing your focus. Are you trying to say something about family? Romantic relationships? Taking risks? Finding the courage inside yourself? (I'll address theme in more detail in future posts.)
For every chapter (or scene, if you write long chapters with multiple scenes), write a sentence or two describing what happens. Note the number of pages in that chapter or scene. Leave three or four blank lines in between each chapter, for your notes.
For each scene/chapter, list the emotions you've portrayed. Underline or highlight the major emotion.
Look at your subplots – use a different color for each one and make a note of what happens in each chapter where they appear.
EXAMPLE: Here's an example from adult novel I recently finished:
Synopsis: When Joanna finds the clue that will lead her to a cave full of treasures lost in the American southwest for over a century, she's pulled into a world of action and danger beyond anything she's imagined in her quiet life.
Goal: to write an action-packed romantic suspense novel full of outdoor adventures in the New Mexico landscape, with a strong thread of romance.
Theme: You don't know what you are capable of -- or what you really want -- until you take chances.
Chapter 1: 10 pages
Joanna has found a clue to the treasure that will prove her historical theories. She calls Camie and makes plans to meet. She's on her bicycle when a black vehicle roars out of a side street and runs her off the road.
Excitement, joy, anxiety, terror.
Chapter 2, scene one: 5 pages
Joanna, semi-conscious, feels hands on her and hears vague voices, then the sound of an engine driving away. When she manages to open her eyes, she's alone.
Pain, confusion, determination.
(No subplots yet.)
It takes a while to write this kind of synopsis, so I'm going to stop here for now. Next week, I'll explore how to analyze your plot synopsis for conflict!
RESOURCES:
Blockbuster Plots for Writers suggests that "Stories can either be character-driven or action-driven…. The goal in writing a compelling story that brings pleasure to the reader or audience is to have a balance between character and action." You can take their test to determine whether your manuscript is stronger with "Character Emotional Development" or "Dramatic Action." That gives you guidance into where you need to spend your initial revision time.
See my post "Plotting Questionnaire" from 4/16
January 7, 2011
Making and Achieving Your Writing Goals
Whether or not you set official New Year's resolutions, a new year is a good time to review your writing goals. When we start writing, we may simply want to write good stories, or get published somewhere. As we find our strengths, we narrow our focus. We like fiction or nonfiction, books or magazines, one genre or age range.
Writers need another kind of focus as well. Where do you want to go in your writing life? Do you want to make a steady income? Or is it more important to write what you love, regardless of the market? Do you care more about winning awards or getting laughs? Goal setting should involve the entire career, from time management to craft to market research and submissions to publicity for published works.
Make your goals as specific as possible. For example, "Make money from writing" is a vague goal. Will you be happy with $10 from an online poem just so you can say you've been paid? Do you want to make an annual profit so you can claim writing as a business on your tax forms? Contribute a certain amount to the family income? Quit your day job?
You may also need to break down goals into short-term and long-term. Making enough money to quit your day job may be a 10-year goal. You can then set short-term goals to help you get there. You can't jump ahead to the end, but you can keep moving along the path.
My full article on "A Plan for Your Career Path" appeared in the September 2010 issue of Children's Writer. The article is not available online, but you can order Children's Writer.
I'm part of another blog with a group of speculative fiction authors. This past week, we've had a five-day roundtable discussion on goal setting as it relates to writing. Several talented authors shared their thoughts on whether or not goals setting goals is helpful, how to track goals, celebrating successes, and more. You can review the posts at The Spectacle blog.
Susan Uhlig, author of dozens of magazine stories and articles and a teacher through the Institute of Children's Literature, reviewed her 2010 goals on her website and explored what worked or didn't, and why, with advice for other goal setters. Here's an excerpt:
Some writers have word or page count goals per day. Others have a goal of finishing a chapter in a certain amount of time. Illustrators might have a number of paintings or sketches to accomplish in a certain time. What matters is to have what in the business world of project management is called a S.M.A.R.T. goal. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. A goal such as "get an agent" isn't really under your control. A goal of "submit so many queries to agents by this date" is under your control and measurable.
Read her entire post on her website.
Amy Houts has a helpful article called "Lists That Motivate!" on the Institute of Children's Literature website. It's targeted at Institute students, but contains an excellent example of breaking large goals into specific small steps.
The Bucket List is an enjoyable and inspiring movie about two men with terminal cancer who try to live their dreams before they "kick the bucket." It's a good conversation starter for thinking about your own dreams. Facebook even has a "My Bucket List" app so you can share your goals with friends.
This article on "Creating a Bucket List - 100 Things to do Before You Die" contains some ads for the author's e-book, but also has an interesting breakdown into life areas where you may want to ponder goals (work, family, health, personal contributions, etc.) and extensive lists of ideas in each area, to help with brainstorming.
EXERCISE: Goal Setting
• What is my primary writing goal?
• What are my secondary writing goals?
• How can these goals work together? Do they contradict each other at all? Do they interfere with other career, family or personal goals?
• What steps do I need to take? Do I need to work on specific craft techniques, time management, market research, or submissions?
• Which steps come first? How can I schedule the steps to reach my goals?
Writers need another kind of focus as well. Where do you want to go in your writing life? Do you want to make a steady income? Or is it more important to write what you love, regardless of the market? Do you care more about winning awards or getting laughs? Goal setting should involve the entire career, from time management to craft to market research and submissions to publicity for published works.
Make your goals as specific as possible. For example, "Make money from writing" is a vague goal. Will you be happy with $10 from an online poem just so you can say you've been paid? Do you want to make an annual profit so you can claim writing as a business on your tax forms? Contribute a certain amount to the family income? Quit your day job?
You may also need to break down goals into short-term and long-term. Making enough money to quit your day job may be a 10-year goal. You can then set short-term goals to help you get there. You can't jump ahead to the end, but you can keep moving along the path.
My full article on "A Plan for Your Career Path" appeared in the September 2010 issue of Children's Writer. The article is not available online, but you can order Children's Writer.
I'm part of another blog with a group of speculative fiction authors. This past week, we've had a five-day roundtable discussion on goal setting as it relates to writing. Several talented authors shared their thoughts on whether or not goals setting goals is helpful, how to track goals, celebrating successes, and more. You can review the posts at The Spectacle blog.
Susan Uhlig, author of dozens of magazine stories and articles and a teacher through the Institute of Children's Literature, reviewed her 2010 goals on her website and explored what worked or didn't, and why, with advice for other goal setters. Here's an excerpt:
Some writers have word or page count goals per day. Others have a goal of finishing a chapter in a certain amount of time. Illustrators might have a number of paintings or sketches to accomplish in a certain time. What matters is to have what in the business world of project management is called a S.M.A.R.T. goal. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. A goal such as "get an agent" isn't really under your control. A goal of "submit so many queries to agents by this date" is under your control and measurable.
Read her entire post on her website.
Amy Houts has a helpful article called "Lists That Motivate!" on the Institute of Children's Literature website. It's targeted at Institute students, but contains an excellent example of breaking large goals into specific small steps.
The Bucket List is an enjoyable and inspiring movie about two men with terminal cancer who try to live their dreams before they "kick the bucket." It's a good conversation starter for thinking about your own dreams. Facebook even has a "My Bucket List" app so you can share your goals with friends.
This article on "Creating a Bucket List - 100 Things to do Before You Die" contains some ads for the author's e-book, but also has an interesting breakdown into life areas where you may want to ponder goals (work, family, health, personal contributions, etc.) and extensive lists of ideas in each area, to help with brainstorming.
EXERCISE: Goal Setting
• What is my primary writing goal?
• What are my secondary writing goals?
• How can these goals work together? Do they contradict each other at all? Do they interfere with other career, family or personal goals?
• What steps do I need to take? Do I need to work on specific craft techniques, time management, market research, or submissions?
• Which steps come first? How can I schedule the steps to reach my goals?
December 17, 2010
Happy Holidays
I'm going to take a couple of weeks off from posting. Please rejoin me for regular Friday posts starting in January--and bring your friends. I have plenty more to talk about, from novel revisions to genres to making a career out of writing. I may even get into promoting your work, writing your bio, networking and school visits. Please help get the word out if you'd like to see this blog continue!
Enjoy your holidays, and may the new year help your writing dreams come true.
Chris
Enjoy your holidays, and may the new year help your writing dreams come true.
Chris
December 10, 2010
Market Research: Making it Pay Off
This is my fourth post on market research--yes, it takes time! I've been discussing how to go beyond the market guide to do targeted research. Once you have all that market information, you can use it in your queries to show the editor that you understand her needs.
"My queries are always specific," says Molly Blaisdell, author of Rembrandt and the Boy Who Drew Dogs . "I met you at the XYZ conference. I read about you on XYZ blog. You edited XYZ book. I love that book and feel a connection to my work because of XYZ. I'm sending to you because you like XYZ."
"I made sure my submission fit their format," Janet Fox says of Get Organized Without Losing It . "They like email queries as opposed to snail mail. I learned the name of their submissions editor and used it. I tailored my cover letter to them. I let them know they were my first, and at the time only, choice for submission."
"I get a sense from the submission whether the writer or artist is familiar with Scholastic's Trade division," said Eleni Beja, who was then Associate Editor at Scholastic. "If they mention why they're submitting to Scholastic, and to me, and those reasons make sense, then they'll have my attention, and gratitude. If I love the project and choose to pursue it, my efforts to get support for it can only be helped by an author's convincing pitch."
She gives an example: "I know you're interested in politics and moviolas, and Scholastic published Hugo Cabret. So my illustrated novel about a girl who fixes radios, set against the backdrop of Watergate, seems like a perfect fit for you."
On the other hand, Dial Editor Alisha Niehaus said, "I don't need to hear about Dial or Penguin and what we publish—I know that. I want to know what makes your story exciting, original, and publishable, in as concise and entertaining a fashion as you can say it. For me, since Dial accepts full picture book manuscripts and the first ten pages of a novel, the shorter the cover letter the better." If you've done your research, that will speak for itself.
For Edward Necarsulmer IV, Director of the Children's Department at literary agency McIntosh and Otis, if someone mentions a book he agented, it makes an impression. You can use your research on publishers here as well, but only if you have something special to say. "I don't really care what the writer says about where they want to publish," Necarsulmer says. "But if you've met an editor at a conference or retreat, and they've asked about your work, absolutely tell me."
Marileta Robinson, Senior Editor at Highlights for Children, says, "Information that is useful in a cover letter includes any experiences or background that make the writer especially qualified to write the story or article, and reference to any research the writer did beyond the ordinary. Although we publish many first-time authors, a writer's published credits, especially in similar markets, make an impression."
Even extensive market research doesn't guarantee success, Blaisdell notes. "I think it is important to realize that we actually have no control over the sale of books. What we can control is who we offer our books to and the execution of those offers. I believe that this marketing focus will get you out of slush piles and open doors that would otherwise be closed to you."
EXERCISE: You may not have completed your market research, but it's not too early to draft a query letter. Working on it now will help you figure out which gaps you need to fill with more research.
MORE ON QUERIES
Guide to Literary Agents by Chuck Sambuchino, had a recent series of guest agents discussing query letters, synopses and proposals.
Miss Snark, the literary agent, stopped updating her blog in 2007, but it still informative and entertaining to browse her nearly 100 posts on query letters.
Query Shark lists actual query letters with comments from the agent -- often harsh, but but insightful.
WriteOnCon has a page on Writing A Query Letter by author Jodi Meadows
Molli Nickell provides 25 REALLY Dumb Query Letter MistRakes and How to Avoid them
"My queries are always specific," says Molly Blaisdell, author of Rembrandt and the Boy Who Drew Dogs . "I met you at the XYZ conference. I read about you on XYZ blog. You edited XYZ book. I love that book and feel a connection to my work because of XYZ. I'm sending to you because you like XYZ."
"I made sure my submission fit their format," Janet Fox says of Get Organized Without Losing It . "They like email queries as opposed to snail mail. I learned the name of their submissions editor and used it. I tailored my cover letter to them. I let them know they were my first, and at the time only, choice for submission."
"I get a sense from the submission whether the writer or artist is familiar with Scholastic's Trade division," said Eleni Beja, who was then Associate Editor at Scholastic. "If they mention why they're submitting to Scholastic, and to me, and those reasons make sense, then they'll have my attention, and gratitude. If I love the project and choose to pursue it, my efforts to get support for it can only be helped by an author's convincing pitch."
She gives an example: "I know you're interested in politics and moviolas, and Scholastic published Hugo Cabret. So my illustrated novel about a girl who fixes radios, set against the backdrop of Watergate, seems like a perfect fit for you."
On the other hand, Dial Editor Alisha Niehaus said, "I don't need to hear about Dial or Penguin and what we publish—I know that. I want to know what makes your story exciting, original, and publishable, in as concise and entertaining a fashion as you can say it. For me, since Dial accepts full picture book manuscripts and the first ten pages of a novel, the shorter the cover letter the better." If you've done your research, that will speak for itself.
For Edward Necarsulmer IV, Director of the Children's Department at literary agency McIntosh and Otis, if someone mentions a book he agented, it makes an impression. You can use your research on publishers here as well, but only if you have something special to say. "I don't really care what the writer says about where they want to publish," Necarsulmer says. "But if you've met an editor at a conference or retreat, and they've asked about your work, absolutely tell me."
Marileta Robinson, Senior Editor at Highlights for Children, says, "Information that is useful in a cover letter includes any experiences or background that make the writer especially qualified to write the story or article, and reference to any research the writer did beyond the ordinary. Although we publish many first-time authors, a writer's published credits, especially in similar markets, make an impression."
Even extensive market research doesn't guarantee success, Blaisdell notes. "I think it is important to realize that we actually have no control over the sale of books. What we can control is who we offer our books to and the execution of those offers. I believe that this marketing focus will get you out of slush piles and open doors that would otherwise be closed to you."
EXERCISE: You may not have completed your market research, but it's not too early to draft a query letter. Working on it now will help you figure out which gaps you need to fill with more research.
MORE ON QUERIES
Guide to Literary Agents by Chuck Sambuchino, had a recent series of guest agents discussing query letters, synopses and proposals.
Miss Snark, the literary agent, stopped updating her blog in 2007, but it still informative and entertaining to browse her nearly 100 posts on query letters.
Query Shark lists actual query letters with comments from the agent -- often harsh, but but insightful.
WriteOnCon has a page on Writing A Query Letter by author Jodi Meadows
Molli Nickell provides 25 REALLY Dumb Query Letter MistRakes and How to Avoid them
December 3, 2010
Market Research: Personal Connections
For the last two weeks, I've been discussing market research -- not just using a market guide, but studying the markets to find the best fit for your work.
Of course, it's hard to beat a personal connection. "A great way to make contact with editors, especially those that aren't generally open to submissions, is attending writers' conferences," says Marni McNiff, editor of Book Markets for Children's Writers and Magazine Markets for Children's Writers. "Spending the extra money for a one-on-one chat with an editor can be invaluable to a writer. It's their chance to jump from the slush pile, right into the editors hands."
Some writers make a special effort to attend conferences hosting an editor they want to meet. Most editors will give extra attention to submissions from conference attendees, but the best way to catch an editor's eye is to sign up for a one-on-one manuscript critique or pitch session. You'll find out if the editor is interested in your work, and if so, the editor will keep an eye out for your submission.
Keeping Connections
Even if you don't currently have a suitable submission, you might want to keep in touch if you make a personal connection with an editor. I met Mark McVeigh at a conference when he was an editor at Dutton. We had a good rapport, and continued to visit at conferences over the next few years. Some of my writing friends thought I should take advantage of the connection by sending him something—anything. But I was writing historical fiction and fantasy at the time, the two genres he dislikes.
Later, McVeigh moved to Simon & Schuster as Editorial Director at Aladdin. When I again saw him at a conference, he said he was looking for original paperback series. I had just finished one and quickly sent him the proposal and first manuscript. A month later, he called to express his interest in the Haunted series, and the series debuted in 2009 with The Ghost on the Stairs, quickly followed by The Riverboat Phantom and The Knight in the Shadows. In this case, networking paid off—but only because I waited until I had something he wanted, and didn't waste an editor's time with a string of inappropriate submissions, just because we had met. (When McVeigh founded his own literary agency, he e-mailed me asking if I wanted to become one of his first clients, so the relationship continues even as the specifics change.)
Edward Necarsulmer IV, Director of the Children's Department at literary agency McIntosh and Otis, says that in order to maintain good relations, he is careful not to send submissions to the wrong editor. He typically sends picture books exclusively, and may send a novel to a handful of editors at a time. If you think your project is right for 50 different publishers, you're not being realistic. Necarsulmer says, "Meeting with editors, reading the catalog, studying what's out there, all leads to that ah-ha moment that this is right for a specific editor."
EXERCISE: If your budget runs to attending a writing conference this year, check out the SCBWI website or other appropriate writing organization site, to see when and where they are holding conferences in the next year (SCBWI is working on the 2011 pull-out calendar for the Bulletin now). Some will already have the speakers listed. Do some research on those editors and agents to see if they might be a good fit for your work. If the closest conference doesn't sound appealing, look at neighboring states, or anywhere you have family and friends you might want to visit as a combined business/pleasure trip. Figure out the cost so you can start saving now.
TIP: The largest conferences aren't necessarily the best for networking. Though they may have more publishing professionals attending, your chances of meeting those people aren't as good. At a regional conference, you're more likely to be able to sign up for a critique with your preferred editor or agent, or to have a chance to chat with them over coffee or lunch. Plus, regional conferences are often more cost effective.
Of course, it's hard to beat a personal connection. "A great way to make contact with editors, especially those that aren't generally open to submissions, is attending writers' conferences," says Marni McNiff, editor of Book Markets for Children's Writers and Magazine Markets for Children's Writers. "Spending the extra money for a one-on-one chat with an editor can be invaluable to a writer. It's their chance to jump from the slush pile, right into the editors hands."
Some writers make a special effort to attend conferences hosting an editor they want to meet. Most editors will give extra attention to submissions from conference attendees, but the best way to catch an editor's eye is to sign up for a one-on-one manuscript critique or pitch session. You'll find out if the editor is interested in your work, and if so, the editor will keep an eye out for your submission.
Keeping Connections
Even if you don't currently have a suitable submission, you might want to keep in touch if you make a personal connection with an editor. I met Mark McVeigh at a conference when he was an editor at Dutton. We had a good rapport, and continued to visit at conferences over the next few years. Some of my writing friends thought I should take advantage of the connection by sending him something—anything. But I was writing historical fiction and fantasy at the time, the two genres he dislikes.
Later, McVeigh moved to Simon & Schuster as Editorial Director at Aladdin. When I again saw him at a conference, he said he was looking for original paperback series. I had just finished one and quickly sent him the proposal and first manuscript. A month later, he called to express his interest in the Haunted series, and the series debuted in 2009 with The Ghost on the Stairs, quickly followed by The Riverboat Phantom and The Knight in the Shadows. In this case, networking paid off—but only because I waited until I had something he wanted, and didn't waste an editor's time with a string of inappropriate submissions, just because we had met. (When McVeigh founded his own literary agency, he e-mailed me asking if I wanted to become one of his first clients, so the relationship continues even as the specifics change.)
Edward Necarsulmer IV, Director of the Children's Department at literary agency McIntosh and Otis, says that in order to maintain good relations, he is careful not to send submissions to the wrong editor. He typically sends picture books exclusively, and may send a novel to a handful of editors at a time. If you think your project is right for 50 different publishers, you're not being realistic. Necarsulmer says, "Meeting with editors, reading the catalog, studying what's out there, all leads to that ah-ha moment that this is right for a specific editor."
EXERCISE: If your budget runs to attending a writing conference this year, check out the SCBWI website or other appropriate writing organization site, to see when and where they are holding conferences in the next year (SCBWI is working on the 2011 pull-out calendar for the Bulletin now). Some will already have the speakers listed. Do some research on those editors and agents to see if they might be a good fit for your work. If the closest conference doesn't sound appealing, look at neighboring states, or anywhere you have family and friends you might want to visit as a combined business/pleasure trip. Figure out the cost so you can start saving now.
TIP: The largest conferences aren't necessarily the best for networking. Though they may have more publishing professionals attending, your chances of meeting those people aren't as good. At a regional conference, you're more likely to be able to sign up for a critique with your preferred editor or agent, or to have a chance to chat with them over coffee or lunch. Plus, regional conferences are often more cost effective.
November 26, 2010
Market Research: A Reader's Approach
Last week, I talked about the importance of going beyond market guides when researching potential publishers for your work. Since most authors are also devoted readers within the genre they write, your reading time can be part of your research.
Molly Blaisdell, author of Rembrandt and the Boy Who Drew Dogs (Barron's Educational Series, 2008), starts market research with "a reader's approach. I have a book journal [with notes]. I learn about books all over—networking at conferences, going to bookstores, chatting with folks online. I don't look at trends. I don't care how much the advance was. I only look at what I like. Did I care enough to read this book? If I did, I might want to do business with these people."
After gathering this information, Blaisdell keeps it organized with a submission spreadsheet. "I start a new line every time I learn the name of a new house or editor that I am interested in. After some research I will add the title of my book that I think best connects with that house. I gather hard concrete evidence about what these editors and agents like: books, genres, etc. That stuff goes in the comments. If I glance down my spreadsheet, my last 20 submissions all led to personal responses [such as] requested manuscripts or at the least a wish to see more work."
Blaisdell gives an example of how market research worked for her. "I wanted to write an art book. I looked into what houses sell those kinds of books. Then I heard a tip at a conference, from a writer, that one house was considering publishing more art books. I wrote a one paragraph query letter on the basis of my research and that conference tip. I was able to convey in very few lines that I knew the exactly what kind of books this house published and I was aware of the publishing house's goal." The query led to the sale of Rembrandt and the Boy Who Drew Dogs.
Online or at the Library
All this research can sound overwhelming, but, Blaisdell says, "You have to be pretty lazy these days to not target houses. Just Google the editor's name! Don't know the editor? Google the name with 'editor' and the book title and the author's name. Nine times out of ten you are done. Research has become very simple. I have several bookmarked websites that I check on a regular basis. If the editor or agent that you are interested in has a blog, you need to become a faithful reader and post on it sometimes."
Don't neglect old-fashioned research either—at the library. Shutta Crum, a retired librarian and author of A Family for Old Mill Farm (Clarion, 2007), says, "I am always amazed about how little some writers use their public libraries for research. Not only are the important titles, like the Literary Market Place, in most reference collections, but many libraries subscribe to databases that are worthwhile for authors. Often these databases are available to home users by simply inputting their library card number and a pin number."
Is market research starting to sound exhausting? It is a lot of work. With all the information available, beware of getting carried away by market research. "The tricky thing is not wasting your time," Blaisdell says. "You should be working toward creating a list of targeted editors. Do not collect any information about anyone that is not a real connection. Do not put a name in your spreadsheet without a reason!"
EXERCISE: Take the list of publishers you developed last week and start doing further research, either online or at the library. Make a short list of books from each publisher—ones in the same genre and age group as yours, which you've read or plan to get and read.
Next week: We'll discuss how the value of personal connections—how to use them and not abuse them.
Research Help
World Catalog lists books in collections around the world (non-fiction and some fiction). Do a subject search to see what has already been written on your topic.
Books in Print and Books Out Of Print, by Gale Research Company, available through many libraries, are also good places to check on titles and subjects.
NoveList is a fiction database with reviews, annotations, and more, searchable by author, title, plot and series. It's available at many libraries.
CYNSATIONS has fabulous editor and author interviews.
Robin Friedman has more editor interviews.
Verla Kay's message board is a popular site for networking and information.
Molly Blaisdell, author of Rembrandt and the Boy Who Drew Dogs (Barron's Educational Series, 2008), starts market research with "a reader's approach. I have a book journal [with notes]. I learn about books all over—networking at conferences, going to bookstores, chatting with folks online. I don't look at trends. I don't care how much the advance was. I only look at what I like. Did I care enough to read this book? If I did, I might want to do business with these people."
After gathering this information, Blaisdell keeps it organized with a submission spreadsheet. "I start a new line every time I learn the name of a new house or editor that I am interested in. After some research I will add the title of my book that I think best connects with that house. I gather hard concrete evidence about what these editors and agents like: books, genres, etc. That stuff goes in the comments. If I glance down my spreadsheet, my last 20 submissions all led to personal responses [such as] requested manuscripts or at the least a wish to see more work."
Blaisdell gives an example of how market research worked for her. "I wanted to write an art book. I looked into what houses sell those kinds of books. Then I heard a tip at a conference, from a writer, that one house was considering publishing more art books. I wrote a one paragraph query letter on the basis of my research and that conference tip. I was able to convey in very few lines that I knew the exactly what kind of books this house published and I was aware of the publishing house's goal." The query led to the sale of Rembrandt and the Boy Who Drew Dogs.
Online or at the Library
All this research can sound overwhelming, but, Blaisdell says, "You have to be pretty lazy these days to not target houses. Just Google the editor's name! Don't know the editor? Google the name with 'editor' and the book title and the author's name. Nine times out of ten you are done. Research has become very simple. I have several bookmarked websites that I check on a regular basis. If the editor or agent that you are interested in has a blog, you need to become a faithful reader and post on it sometimes."
Don't neglect old-fashioned research either—at the library. Shutta Crum, a retired librarian and author of A Family for Old Mill Farm (Clarion, 2007), says, "I am always amazed about how little some writers use their public libraries for research. Not only are the important titles, like the Literary Market Place, in most reference collections, but many libraries subscribe to databases that are worthwhile for authors. Often these databases are available to home users by simply inputting their library card number and a pin number."
Is market research starting to sound exhausting? It is a lot of work. With all the information available, beware of getting carried away by market research. "The tricky thing is not wasting your time," Blaisdell says. "You should be working toward creating a list of targeted editors. Do not collect any information about anyone that is not a real connection. Do not put a name in your spreadsheet without a reason!"
EXERCISE: Take the list of publishers you developed last week and start doing further research, either online or at the library. Make a short list of books from each publisher—ones in the same genre and age group as yours, which you've read or plan to get and read.
Next week: We'll discuss how the value of personal connections—how to use them and not abuse them.
Research Help
World Catalog lists books in collections around the world (non-fiction and some fiction). Do a subject search to see what has already been written on your topic.
Books in Print and Books Out Of Print, by Gale Research Company, available through many libraries, are also good places to check on titles and subjects.
NoveList is a fiction database with reviews, annotations, and more, searchable by author, title, plot and series. It's available at many libraries.
CYNSATIONS has fabulous editor and author interviews.
Robin Friedman has more editor interviews.
Verla Kay's message board is a popular site for networking and information.
