The Writing Life #3

This week, while writing…well, I didn’t do much writing this week. I have been out doing that “living a life” thing. I headed East from Chicago to Philadelphia, New York City, and New Jersey, where I’m lucky to have family and lifelong friends. And pretzels.

I didn’t even take my laptop.

I did though, take my Kindle, my iPhone (hello, on-going lists!), and my army of notebooks and pens. Because even when I’m not writing, I’m a writer.

So, let’s kick this into a collaborative effort.

Below, I’ve pasted a link to a draft of my potential first scene for my possible novel four. Please note the qualifiers. DRAFT. POTENTIAL. POSSIBLE. You might read this novel in 2019 or so, and not recognize it. Hell, I might not recognize it, but this is, indeed, it’s seedling.

Remember, if these were the first pages of a published novel, you’d have seen a cover to set the mood. You’d have read back cover copy, or at least have it available to you. You may have read reviews, talked to friends, or “heard” about the book in one of eleventy-seven different ways one hears about books.

But you have none of that. (It would be fair to mention here, that THIS is what agents (and some editors) do every day. They read blind. Cue the makes-no-literal-sense music!)

THIS IS ABOUT SETTING EXPECTATIONS.

Another time, we can talk about living up to those expectations.

Tell me, Women’s Fiction Writers, do these pages set specific expectations for this story?

That’s what you need to know for your own stories, as well.

I’m putting this out there because it’s one of the main issues of my writing clients. And because it’s a main issue for me, but since I know about it, I’m able to address it before my agent, editors, and readers get their hands on it.

Until now.

Amy xo

P.S. Want feedback on the first scene of your work-in-progress from the WFW community? First, it must be women’s fiction. Second, you must agree to have a thick skin. Third, you must email me at womensfictionwriters@gmail.com with your name and Vonnegut in the subject line, and offer it up as if it’s your first born (and it might be)! All I ask is for a quick blurb/elevator pitch so I can determine if it falls under the women’s fiction umbrella as I define it. I’ll choose ONE at random and we’ll go from there. Maybe we’ll do it again. Maybe we’ll do it for eleventy-seven of you! (My blog, my rules.) Hope to hear from you soon!

CLICK TO READ THE FIRST SCENE*

*If you read, please comment. The more the merrier. No judgment. No prizes either.