Chantele Sedgwick's Blog, page 7
November 1, 2012
Guest Post: Michelle Davidson Argyle
I'm thrilled to be part of Michelle's blog tour for her new book BONDED! I just love her. I've followed her blog for a very very long time. She's a beautiful writer and great friend. Anyway, here's Michelle! I asked her to talk a little about her decision to go with a small press. :)
CHOOSING A SMALL PRESS CAN BE A DIFFICULT, BUT REWARDING CHOICE
One of the wonderful things about publishing these days is authors have the opportunity to choose from a variety of paths. There is self-publishing, small publishers, and the traditional big publisher route via agent. The “big” publisher route can also include mid-size presses who work with agents only. I think one of the hardest things an author faces is deciding what is best for them and the book they want to sell. Here are some things I’ve learned along the way in my publishing career so far.
DIFFICULTY
No matter how you publish, it will most likely be a difficult road. I’ve self-published a novel and am now with a small publisher. Since I’ve done both, and also have many friends with agents and big publishers, I’ve seen the ups and downs and pros and cons with each type of path. And, quite honestly, I haven’t seen happiness or success come with a bigger publisher and more sales vs. a smaller publisher and less sales. In short, every single book and experience is different. It is not the path you take, but your attitude about where you are that makes all the difference.
DEPENDS ON THE BOOK
I happen to write fiction that seems commercial on the surface, but it’s something else underneath, something almost always just off the mark of what people expect. This doesn’t mean my writing is wrong or bad, but it’s one of the reasons I haven’t tried to get an agent so far in my career. The few instances where I’ve had agent feedback, it has always been the same thing: great writing, but not sure it could sell this in today’s market. I’ve kept my eyes open to what sells, where it sells, and how. I know my work fits with a smaller publisher … for now. My publisher is a perfect fit for the books I’m writing. In the future, I may move on to something else as my writing and career changes.
It’s important to take a step back and objectively look at your work and where it might best fit. I’ve known countless authors who have tried to sell big and ended up going the small publisher route after realizing their work fit better there. Going with a small publisher is NOT settling. Many authors get their start going small at first.
DEPENDS ON THE AUTHOR
I know some authors who could never be happy with anything less than a huge publishing deal and all the bells and whistles. But I also know some authors who could never be happy with anything less than self-publishing, where they maintain control over as many aspects of the publishing process as possible. It truly depends on your personality and what fits you. For some, a small publisher is a very happy medium. It is certainly a space I am happy with at the moment. As a good friend of mine said to me before I signed my first contract: “It’s a great way to get your feet wet!” And as I’ve realized over the course of the past year, it’s also only the beginning. Choosing one path only means you have taken the first step in an exciting career.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information about small presses, feel free to browse two series I’ve done on my site:
Should You Consider a Small Publisher?
Publishing Traditionally Without an Agent
Buy BONDED on Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Thank you so much for being here today, Michelle!
CHOOSING A SMALL PRESS CAN BE A DIFFICULT, BUT REWARDING CHOICE
One of the wonderful things about publishing these days is authors have the opportunity to choose from a variety of paths. There is self-publishing, small publishers, and the traditional big publisher route via agent. The “big” publisher route can also include mid-size presses who work with agents only. I think one of the hardest things an author faces is deciding what is best for them and the book they want to sell. Here are some things I’ve learned along the way in my publishing career so far.
DIFFICULTY
No matter how you publish, it will most likely be a difficult road. I’ve self-published a novel and am now with a small publisher. Since I’ve done both, and also have many friends with agents and big publishers, I’ve seen the ups and downs and pros and cons with each type of path. And, quite honestly, I haven’t seen happiness or success come with a bigger publisher and more sales vs. a smaller publisher and less sales. In short, every single book and experience is different. It is not the path you take, but your attitude about where you are that makes all the difference.
DEPENDS ON THE BOOK
I happen to write fiction that seems commercial on the surface, but it’s something else underneath, something almost always just off the mark of what people expect. This doesn’t mean my writing is wrong or bad, but it’s one of the reasons I haven’t tried to get an agent so far in my career. The few instances where I’ve had agent feedback, it has always been the same thing: great writing, but not sure it could sell this in today’s market. I’ve kept my eyes open to what sells, where it sells, and how. I know my work fits with a smaller publisher … for now. My publisher is a perfect fit for the books I’m writing. In the future, I may move on to something else as my writing and career changes.
It’s important to take a step back and objectively look at your work and where it might best fit. I’ve known countless authors who have tried to sell big and ended up going the small publisher route after realizing their work fit better there. Going with a small publisher is NOT settling. Many authors get their start going small at first.
DEPENDS ON THE AUTHOR
I know some authors who could never be happy with anything less than a huge publishing deal and all the bells and whistles. But I also know some authors who could never be happy with anything less than self-publishing, where they maintain control over as many aspects of the publishing process as possible. It truly depends on your personality and what fits you. For some, a small publisher is a very happy medium. It is certainly a space I am happy with at the moment. As a good friend of mine said to me before I signed my first contract: “It’s a great way to get your feet wet!” And as I’ve realized over the course of the past year, it’s also only the beginning. Choosing one path only means you have taken the first step in an exciting career.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information about small presses, feel free to browse two series I’ve done on my site:
Should You Consider a Small Publisher?
Publishing Traditionally Without an Agent
Buy BONDED on Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Thank you so much for being here today, Michelle!
October 29, 2012
Finishing a Draft
I'm two chapters away from finishing my sequel. Two. I'm seriously so happy. Of course it's sort of a mess right now, but I've almost finished another whole book. My 6th to be exact. :) And that is something to be proud of.
Finishing a draft can feel so daunting. When I start writing a book, I look at how far I have to go and get very overwhelmed. I never think I'll finish, since looking at my word count and realizing I only have 1,000 of my 50-60,000 words stresses me right out. But somehow I pull through. So when I finish a draft, I do something to celebrate. Like eat a lot of Halloween candy. Which is what I'll be doing in the next few days when my draft is finally finished. ;) Good thing I have kids to "borrow" their candy from, eh? Ha ha.
I had a little writers retreat this weekend and seriously, those ladies kicked me into gear. We did sprints, (writing as many words as you can for 45 minutes straight) laughed, talked and just had fun spending time together. I love other writers. I love how supportive my friends are. We are all in different parts of our writing journeys, and we still lift each other up. No one looks down on anyone else. Seasoned writers, traditionally published, self-published, large presses, small presses, just barely starting out. It's awesome. And it's amazing what being around other writers can do for your own writing.
I wrote 6,000 words on Saturday before I had to leave early. That's how much I usually get done in a week when I'm home with my kids. It was awesome. So, I'll most likely finish my draft tonight or tomorrow and be ready to start NaNo on Thursday. Revisions can wait until December. ;)
How are you preparing for NaNo? And when you finish a draft, how long to you step away from that particular manuscript?
Finishing a draft can feel so daunting. When I start writing a book, I look at how far I have to go and get very overwhelmed. I never think I'll finish, since looking at my word count and realizing I only have 1,000 of my 50-60,000 words stresses me right out. But somehow I pull through. So when I finish a draft, I do something to celebrate. Like eat a lot of Halloween candy. Which is what I'll be doing in the next few days when my draft is finally finished. ;) Good thing I have kids to "borrow" their candy from, eh? Ha ha.
I had a little writers retreat this weekend and seriously, those ladies kicked me into gear. We did sprints, (writing as many words as you can for 45 minutes straight) laughed, talked and just had fun spending time together. I love other writers. I love how supportive my friends are. We are all in different parts of our writing journeys, and we still lift each other up. No one looks down on anyone else. Seasoned writers, traditionally published, self-published, large presses, small presses, just barely starting out. It's awesome. And it's amazing what being around other writers can do for your own writing.
I wrote 6,000 words on Saturday before I had to leave early. That's how much I usually get done in a week when I'm home with my kids. It was awesome. So, I'll most likely finish my draft tonight or tomorrow and be ready to start NaNo on Thursday. Revisions can wait until December. ;)
How are you preparing for NaNo? And when you finish a draft, how long to you step away from that particular manuscript?
October 16, 2012
Choosing a title
I don't know about you guys, but I HAVE to have a title before I start writing. I've done it with every single one of my books. If I don't have a title, the book doesn't feel real to me. Or something like that. I can't explain it. lol This has happened with all 7 of my books.
Until now.
I can't for the life of my think of a good title for my current project. It's a YA thriller/contemporary with ghosts. How's that for a mouthful? I don't really want to shop it as a paranormal, since agents look at those lately and just move on to the next query. :P Anyway, I have no idea what to call it. And I'm about 20,000 words in. This has never happened people!
How do you guys pick a title? Do you have to have a working title as you write? Or can you finish a whole book without having one?
Also, check out this teaser from Not Your Average Fairy Tale over at Stuck in Books today. :)
And a fabulous review at Book Briefs!
Until now.
I can't for the life of my think of a good title for my current project. It's a YA thriller/contemporary with ghosts. How's that for a mouthful? I don't really want to shop it as a paranormal, since agents look at those lately and just move on to the next query. :P Anyway, I have no idea what to call it. And I'm about 20,000 words in. This has never happened people!
How do you guys pick a title? Do you have to have a working title as you write? Or can you finish a whole book without having one?
Also, check out this teaser from Not Your Average Fairy Tale over at Stuck in Books today. :)
And a fabulous review at Book Briefs!
October 11, 2012
Guest posts and interviews
Hey guys! I hope everyone is having a fabulous week! I've been busy writing, which is awesome. I haven't gotten this much done for 9 months! Anyway, my villain Dax is being interviewed over at Angie Cothran's blog today. He's all kinds of creepy and dare I say it ... hot? Ha ha! :)
Also, my character Sam is giving dating advice over at Mostly YA Book Obsessed. Go check it out! He really knows what he's talking about if you ever have the urge to date a magical creature. :)
Also, my character Sam is giving dating advice over at Mostly YA Book Obsessed. Go check it out! He really knows what he's talking about if you ever have the urge to date a magical creature. :)
October 8, 2012
Are you NaNoing?
NaNoWriMo. It's kind of like a swear word to me. Ha ha. I admit it. I've started it two years in a row and I've never finished.
This year WILL be different! I'm finishing my sequel this month and starting on a new book for NaNo. The good thing is, I'm a pretty fast drafter now. I can type out a first draft in a few weeks. (If I have the time...)
So, anyone want to join me? My username is Chantele. I think.... :) We can cheer each other on and report back once a week on our progress next month!
My blog tour is still going strong. Stop by My Guilty Obsession for an awesome review of Not Your Average Fairy Tale! :)
This year WILL be different! I'm finishing my sequel this month and starting on a new book for NaNo. The good thing is, I'm a pretty fast drafter now. I can type out a first draft in a few weeks. (If I have the time...)
So, anyone want to join me? My username is Chantele. I think.... :) We can cheer each other on and report back once a week on our progress next month!
My blog tour is still going strong. Stop by My Guilty Obsession for an awesome review of Not Your Average Fairy Tale! :)
October 5, 2012
Random Thoughts From This Week
1. I have an addiction to Pinterest. Especially for story ideas. You know that saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words?" True story. If you're on Pinterest, look me up! :D
2. I also have an addiction to Oreos. I didn't realize how much I loved them until now. They are seriously so bad for you, but SO worth it!
3. I'm not sure if I'm ready for cold weather yet... I hate having to bundle the kids up to go ANYWHERE. Oh well. That means it's getting closer to Christmas! Yay!
4. Speaking of Christmas ... I'm done shopping for my kids! I guess I need to get like 2 more things, but isn't that awesome? And a little insane? Ha ha.
5. I'm so much happier now that I'm writing again. Seriously. I went through withdrawals for almost 9 months. Yay for writing!
I'm over at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer today. She interviewed me with some fun questions if you'd like to check it out. And don't forget to enter to win a Kindle! :)
Have a fantastic weekend!!
2. I also have an addiction to Oreos. I didn't realize how much I loved them until now. They are seriously so bad for you, but SO worth it!
3. I'm not sure if I'm ready for cold weather yet... I hate having to bundle the kids up to go ANYWHERE. Oh well. That means it's getting closer to Christmas! Yay!
4. Speaking of Christmas ... I'm done shopping for my kids! I guess I need to get like 2 more things, but isn't that awesome? And a little insane? Ha ha.
5. I'm so much happier now that I'm writing again. Seriously. I went through withdrawals for almost 9 months. Yay for writing!
I'm over at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer today. She interviewed me with some fun questions if you'd like to check it out. And don't forget to enter to win a Kindle! :)
Have a fantastic weekend!!
October 4, 2012
Blog Tour Stop and an Excerpt!
Hey guys! The next stop on my tour is at Leigh Covington's! She's all kinds of awesome! :) Be sure to check it out and tell her hello.
I also woke up this morning with a fun surprise! I'm over at YA Bound for their Swoon Thursday! Go check out my excerpt along with some other awesome authors! :D
I hope everyone is having a good week!
I also woke up this morning with a fun surprise! I'm over at YA Bound for their Swoon Thursday! Go check out my excerpt along with some other awesome authors! :D
I hope everyone is having a good week!
October 2, 2012
When Do You Give Up On a Book?
I'm writing my 6th book right now. And my 7th. The only book I have actually gotten published is my 3rd. Here's a little breakdown of my books.
1: The Last Heir: Wrote in 2008: YA classic fantasy
2: The Solindran Stone: Wrote in 2009: YA contemporary fantasy
3: Not Your Average Fairy Tale: Wrote in 2010: YA contemporary fantasy
4: Bound: Wrote half in 2010 and half in 2012: YA urban fantasy
5: Inbetween: Wrote in 2011: YA paranormal
6: Not Your Average Happy Ending: Writing now: YA contemporary fantasy
7: Super Secret Project: Writing now
So, out of all of those, only one is published and one its sequel is under contract.
What do I do with all the leftovers?
I really want to re-write book #1. It's so overwhelming right now though, so that won't happen for a while. I wish I could re-write #2, but some books can't even be re-written to save. That one will never see the light of day. Unfortunately.
Believe it or not, sometimes you have to write a crappy book and then dissect the good scenes and put them in another book. In my case, that's exactly what happened. Book #2 has a bunch of scenes in it that I pulled and stuck into book #6. Never throw anything away. Especially an old manuscript.
Book #4 I've always had a love/hate relationship with, and I've finally figured out that I hated the main character. I loved the love interest though and he may make an appearance in book #7 instead.
Book #5 was written at the wrong time, since no one is taking paranormal anymore. Maybe someday.
It makes me kind of sad to have that many books written but most of them aren't published. But then I think about how much I've learned and how far I've come in writing all of them. I've gotten better with each one. I can tell and my readers/crit partners can tell. Each book is a part of me and a great learning experience. And you never know. A few of them may be published someday. It's just not the right time at the moment.
I've recieved plenty of rejections over the past few years. Most of my books weren't ready to query, but when I was a newbie I didn't know that. Even now that I know more about writing, I still get rejections. The bottom line? This business is super hard. REALLY HARD. But I keep writing my books, hoping that an agent will love one of my ideas and take a chance on me. Someday.
Don't give up. Even if you've shelved 5 manuscripts like me. Perfecting your craft takes time. No need to rush it. :)
Check out my blog tour stops for today! Don't forget to enter to win a Kindle!
Fire and Ice
Jolene Perry
1: The Last Heir: Wrote in 2008: YA classic fantasy
2: The Solindran Stone: Wrote in 2009: YA contemporary fantasy
3: Not Your Average Fairy Tale: Wrote in 2010: YA contemporary fantasy
4: Bound: Wrote half in 2010 and half in 2012: YA urban fantasy
5: Inbetween: Wrote in 2011: YA paranormal
6: Not Your Average Happy Ending: Writing now: YA contemporary fantasy
7: Super Secret Project: Writing now
So, out of all of those, only one is published and one its sequel is under contract.
What do I do with all the leftovers?
I really want to re-write book #1. It's so overwhelming right now though, so that won't happen for a while. I wish I could re-write #2, but some books can't even be re-written to save. That one will never see the light of day. Unfortunately.
Believe it or not, sometimes you have to write a crappy book and then dissect the good scenes and put them in another book. In my case, that's exactly what happened. Book #2 has a bunch of scenes in it that I pulled and stuck into book #6. Never throw anything away. Especially an old manuscript.
Book #4 I've always had a love/hate relationship with, and I've finally figured out that I hated the main character. I loved the love interest though and he may make an appearance in book #7 instead.
Book #5 was written at the wrong time, since no one is taking paranormal anymore. Maybe someday.
It makes me kind of sad to have that many books written but most of them aren't published. But then I think about how much I've learned and how far I've come in writing all of them. I've gotten better with each one. I can tell and my readers/crit partners can tell. Each book is a part of me and a great learning experience. And you never know. A few of them may be published someday. It's just not the right time at the moment.
I've recieved plenty of rejections over the past few years. Most of my books weren't ready to query, but when I was a newbie I didn't know that. Even now that I know more about writing, I still get rejections. The bottom line? This business is super hard. REALLY HARD. But I keep writing my books, hoping that an agent will love one of my ideas and take a chance on me. Someday.
Don't give up. Even if you've shelved 5 manuscripts like me. Perfecting your craft takes time. No need to rush it. :)
Check out my blog tour stops for today! Don't forget to enter to win a Kindle!
Fire and Ice
Jolene Perry
October 1, 2012
IT'S PARTY TIME!
I'm excited to kick off my blog tour today! It will run October 1-19th, minus Saturdays and Sundays. Be sure to check out the stops! I'm giving away a Kindle and some e-books at the end of the tour, so be sure to enter on one of the blogs!!
All of my tour stops are on the side of my blog. Thank you SO much to all of the bloggers that were willing to host me! I'm excited for my first stop over at Squeaky Books today. I've known Enna for a long time. She was one of the first book reviewers I met when I was a book reviewer a few years ago. Head over and give her a follow! She's awesome!!
September 28, 2012
Random Thoughts From This Week
1. Having four kids isn't as hard as I thought it would be. It probably helps that my little guy is a really good baby and my older two are in school. My 2-year old is such a great helper when they're gone. I do dread night time though. You never know how many times he's going to be up...
2. Hubby and I have watched all of the Avenger movies this week. Tonight we're finishing them off with Captain America and tomorrow we'll watch The Avengers. Woo hoo! I'm such a dork, but I don't care! :D
3. My son informed me that he wants to be Anikan Skywalker for Halloween again this year. His reasoning? He doesn't want to go to the store to pick out something different. Not sure if I should be worried or proud that he doesn't like shopping...
4. If you haven't discovered Hans Zimmer on Pandora, you're missing out. LOVE his music.
5. My blog tour for NYAFT kicks off on Monday! I'm excited! Be sure to check it out! I'm giving away a Kindle and some copies of my book at the end of the tour. Also, the talented Gisells from Xpresso Reads, made me this beautiful blog tour banner. It's awesome! She does really great work. Thank you Giselle!
Have a great weekend everyone! See you next week!! :)
2. Hubby and I have watched all of the Avenger movies this week. Tonight we're finishing them off with Captain America and tomorrow we'll watch The Avengers. Woo hoo! I'm such a dork, but I don't care! :D
3. My son informed me that he wants to be Anikan Skywalker for Halloween again this year. His reasoning? He doesn't want to go to the store to pick out something different. Not sure if I should be worried or proud that he doesn't like shopping...
4. If you haven't discovered Hans Zimmer on Pandora, you're missing out. LOVE his music.
5. My blog tour for NYAFT kicks off on Monday! I'm excited! Be sure to check it out! I'm giving away a Kindle and some copies of my book at the end of the tour. Also, the talented Gisells from Xpresso Reads, made me this beautiful blog tour banner. It's awesome! She does really great work. Thank you Giselle!
Have a great weekend everyone! See you next week!! :)
