Macy Beckett's Blog, page 5

Making magic in the bedroom. Or on the treadmill.

Many years ago, I visited a friend and her husband in their new home. While giving me a tour of the place, the husband stopped in the master bedroom, swept his hand toward the king-sided bed, and said, "This is where the magic happens." My friend rolled her eyes, seemingly unimpressed by her husband's abracadabra, and I felt like a dirty perv because I couldn't stop picturing them together. Pass the brain bleach.

What does that have to do with today's topic? I want to know where the magic happens for you, as a writer. Do you work best in an office? On the sofa? Custom-build treadmill desk?

I've staked out a corner of my bedroom for an office, and I'm most efficient there. Just pretend you don't see twitter on my laptop screen.

And here's my writing companion, Fredo. Hard at work, just like me.

What about you, writer friends? Where does your magic happen?

Content Copyright 2011 Macy Beckett. All rights reserved.

My journey to find a literary agent: The details.

Ever wondered how many query letters I sent? Or how many times I revised my manuscript? Want to read my query and the back cover blurb for the book that's now on submission?

"Yes, to hell with work! Tell me more!" you say?

Well, friends, you're in luck. The superfab folks at querytracker posted this interview with yours truly, covering topics such as how long it took to write my book, how I stayed motivated when I felt like giving up, how I chose which agents to query, and whether I'm an outliner or a pantser.

In other news, HOT AND HEAVENLY is on sub, and I'm taking neurosis to a whole new level while waiting for the responses to trickle in. Please keep your fingers crossed and pray for my sanity.
J

Content Copyright 2011 Macy Beckett. All rights reserved.

I've pulled a switcheroo on 'ya.

Hello, all!

Just a quick note to alert you to some minor changes here at The Unrepentant Escapist. My contemporary romance is about to go on sub, which means I'm handing this blog over to my alter ego, Macy Beckett. She pens my adult work…the kind of reading that's not entirely appropriate for a YA audience. (For more information, visit Macy's website.)

If you take a moment and glance up, you'll see the URL for this blog has changed. Same goes for my twitter feed. (Follow me, by the way! Poor Macy's twitter page is buck naked!)

So, those of you who know me as Melissa will now see me posting here as Macy. Melissa's YA blog is under construction, but you can follow there as well, if you'd like to stay updated on the progress of my YA sci-fi.

Thanks for your support, and have a great pre-weekend!

Content Copyright 2011 Macy Beckett. All rights reserved.

What do we think about contests?

Good morning, all!

First, a teensy update: I'm still revising, and I've added so much new material to my manuscript I'm getting sick of my own characters. But the end is near, and I don't mean the apocalypse! I anticipate the book will be on submission within another week or two. Then I'll start revising the YA sci-fi until I'm sick of those characters, too.
Okay, today's topic: contests!

I've had very limited, but very positive, experiences with contests. As you can see, my YA sci-fi is currently a finalist in the Dixie contest, which means Leah Hultenschmidt at Sourcebooks has my first two chapters. My adult contemporary romance is a finalist in Cleveland Rocks, so Laura Barth at Harlequin has that partial. Really, these RWA contests serve two purposes: get my work in front of an editor, and garner feedback from other authors (the first round judges).

Now, anyone who's 'been there, done that' knows the feedback you receive is a craps shoot. Some of my judges' comments were encouraging and helpful, but then one random judge offered no feedback to explain the very low score she awarded my romance. (Luckily for me, the discrepancy between the first two judges was so great they brought in a third judge, who absolutely loved my work.) Oh, and let's not forget the expense involved. You can expect to pay at least $25 per entry. That adds up quickly, especially if you have multiple manuscripts.

So, tell me about your experience with contests. How often do you indulge? Has a final round judging led to bigger and better things for you?

Content Copyright 2011 Macy Beckett. All rights reserved.