Michelle Witte's Blog, page 6
January 2, 2012
Caveat writer
December 19, 2011
If God had self-published the Bible . . .
December 16, 2011
No SOPA for you
December 10, 2011
Spammity spam
November 14, 2011
Social overload
November 13, 2011
How many queries to get an agent?
November 9, 2011
What's in a name?
October 20, 2011
But it needs a comma
Grammatical explanation
A comma should proceed a conjunction separating two independent clauses.
What it means
When you put a "but" between two phrases that could reasonably be made into two sentences, there should be a comma.
He went to the store, but she went to the store.
equals
1. He went to the store. 2. She stayed home.
How to remember it
Use a comma only if the "but" has a noun (person, place, or thing) following it.
I hate turnips, but my mother insists on cooking them.
Also
The comma never goes after the "but."
Also Also
It works the same for "and" and "or" when they're used as conjunctions.
July 19, 2011
Can I query an unfinished manuscript?
Can I query an agent when my manuscript isn't completed?
NO
Oh, you were expecting a longer answer? Okay then.
NO CAUSE YOU HAVE TO FINISH YOUR BOOK FIRST.
That better?
Oh, fine. Here's an appropriately long answer. (As a bonus, I'll throw in a hard truth no writer wants to hear.)
Agents don't want to see unfinished projects because, honestly, how many books have you read that started out oh this is so great! and then started to peter out before ending at someone save me! Yep. Too many. How can anyone tell if the story is strong throughout if it isn't complete?
And what's to prevent a writer from getting 2/3 through a book before realizing it needs to go a completely different direction . . . but he's already queried agents. Now he has "No" responses from every agent because they don't accept unfinished projects. What's to motivate him to finish that book and go through several rounds of revisions to make it perfect? Nothing, really, because he's discouraged before the book is even finished.
Literary agent Jennifer Laughran answered this question on her blog a short while ago. Here's (part of) what she has to say:
I am not making a match between your random, unwritten notions and a publisher, much in the same way that modern matchmakers generally make the match between two consenting adults, and don't marry off unborn children.
Now for the hard truth writers don't want to hear.
No matter how much you want to believe that your first book will be perfect after a quick proofread and spellcheck, it won't be. I guarantee it. Oh, I know how it is when you have this sparkling new baby of a book that is bursting with life. I thought much the same when I finished my first book. Now I look back and laugh (hysterically) when I think of my naïveté. Hoo boy! was I a silly young writer.
Thing is, even after four or five rounds of revisions, reports from test readers, and numerous sessions with critique partners, my first book wasn't ready for publication. I thought it was at several points along that path, so I queried and got rejected plenty of times, but I can see now that it wasn't nearly ready publication. Where is it now? you ask. At the bottom of my metaphorical drawer where it will sit until it's cannibalized for future projects.
Some writers are lucky and sell the first book they write. They are much in the minority, and for good reason. First books are learner books. Writing a novel can't be taught any more than parenthood can be taught. No matter what anyone says, your experience will be completely different than theirs. The only way to figure it out is by doing, and often that means doing it poorly.
No matter what I say here, you will probably think you're better than that, that the book you have is so amazing and incredible, agents will be throwing themselves at your feet. There's nothing I can say to convince you otherwise, but if you're willing to listen, let me clue you in on a little secret: Every writer thinks that about his book.
So if everyone is an exception, why aren't there more huge colossal debuts with billions of dollars in sales? Because Stephenie Meyer(s) and JK Rowlings(s) are so rare they happen once every decade or so. Rowling got the 90s, Meyer the 00s, while Jeff Kinney gets the 10s. That means you have at least another nine years to wait until you can possibly become a huge million billion selling debut sensation. Sorry.
Instead of focusing on how easy it's going to be, why don't you expect it to be hard and dig in your heels now. Getting a book published will be harder than you can imagine, but if you stick with it, it can also be one of the most rewarding things you do in your life. Don't let it discourage you, either. Consider it your life's challenge, then get out there and do your best to prove me wrong. Either way, promise me you'll at least finish the book before you start querying. 'Kay?
Writing to trends
Last week agent Dawn Frederick interviewed me for The Red Sofa Literary Chats, and an interesting question came up in the comments. She's kind enough to let me repost it here, though I'd recommend hopping over to see some of the other great questions writers asked.
Lorcadamon asked: How closely should authors write to the "trends" in publishing, or should we just stick to our heartfelt stories? I have a writer friend who is getting blasted by fellow writers for publishing an erotic short story in order to "pay the bills." It's selling very well, although it's not what she wants to write forever. She's been called a sell-out and a "word whore" for writing what she can sell. Thoughts?
My response:
Honestly, writers need to spend more time writing their own books than criticizing other writers. What does it matter to them if she writes to pay her bills? That said, she needs to learn that their criticism means nothing about her or her writing. If she lets their negativity hurt her, it only makes it harder for her in the long run. While it seems insensitive to say that writers must have a tough skin, it's true.
I generally tell people to write the stories that speak to them most, because those will be the best and most honest ones. When I offer that advice, it is usually to writers who have jobs or other means of financial support. Those writers can afford to take time writing the best work they can because they won't starve if their book doesn't get published immediately.
The example you give relates more to career writers, professionals who write to earn money as their primary income, than to writers who consider it their personal calling. Things are different when it goes from being a passion to the sole means of supporting yourself.
It's generally understood that nonfiction can be written to order and may not be the writer's top choice in theme or topic, but the merit of what they write isn't called into question. However, fiction is often viewed differently because writers sometimes consider it a calling, something they must do.
Writing as a passion is different than writing as a career, though they're easily confused. Just because a writer wrote a magnificent work of art doesn't mean a publisher is going to turn it into a product or that readers will buy it. That's the thing about publishing that passionate writers hate: it's a business. Publishers are in it to make money, and a product that doesn't sell is a failure.
Likewise, just because a book is published doesn't mean it's a literary masterpiece. It could well be pulp fiction (which nowadays tends more toward romance novels and YA fiction*). There's nothing wrong with either of those; it's when the two are considered the same thing that problems arise.
Writers lambasting your friend for being a word whore** are upset that she's getting paid for writing something that isn't her life and breath and blood in the form of words on a page. In the end it doesn't really matter to readers if a book is written to a trend, so long as a book well-told, engaging, and just a good story. The market will determine when it's done with that trend. Once readers get bored, they'll stop buying those books. Until then, writers will get paid to write what people want.
To sum up: if it's possible for you to write whatever you want for however long it takes you, do it. Write that magnum opus. I'm envious that you can devote yourself so passionately to one project. I wish I could. But also realize that what other writers do has no affect on you or what you write. Leave them to their writing as you focus on yours.
*My concern with many of the recent paranormal teen romances isn't that they're written to a trend; it's that they aren't completely fleshed out. The stories tend to falter midway through (often sooner), even though the concept is great or the writing is clean. If you do write to a trend, make sure the story is as well-written as the one you do because you love it.
**Seriously? Come on, children. Name calling didn't work on the playground, either.
