Competition Update and So You Think You Can Write Bootcamp

Well, sad to say I didn't place anywhere in the Prima Flirty Fiction competition that I mentioned in a previous post. Obviously, it's disappointing but not necessarily surprising. From what I understand, they were swamped with entries so it was always going to be difficult. But it was still a good experience and it's good to have things out there, even if the chances are slim.

I've been trying to make an effort to enter more competitions and just generally submit things a bit more so far this year and, despite nothing having come of it at the time of writing, I'm still fairly pleased with my progress and efforts. It does at least make you feel like you're doing something towards the dream!

This week I also took part in the So You Think You Can Write boot camp  - this is an event that Harlequin holds fairly regularly. Throughout the day, there are various 'events' like a Twitter chat with editors, and another on the forum - allowing you to ask questions of the specific genre editors that you might not otherwise get the chance to.

During the day, you were also given the opportunity to send in the first page of a novel, of which 5 (which actually turned to 6) would be critiqued later that day on the site. I did enter this, again, for the challenge, but wasn't lucky enough to be one of the ones picked. Congratulations to those that did though, as it's a great opportunity - even a few short words letting you know as to whether you are heading in the right direction or not can make a world of difference.

It was a fun day, and I met a few other writers on Twitter through the event, so that was great. I don't know anyone IRL who writes, so it's great to connect with people in this way. The day starts at 5am EST, and some people in various parts of the world were up at an ungodly hour to take part. I would say that, if they stick to a similar schedule in the next one (June I believe), you can probably catch a few more hours sleep as everything stays on the site, and the first couple of events weren't time critical - just posts on the blog, etc. I'll certainly try and take part again next time though as I did enjoy it and the layout still lets you scoot off and get other things done as and when you need to.

If you also took part, I'd love to hear from you, and what you thought of it.

Until then, happy writing!

Writing Competitions

I've been entering a few writing competitions this year as another avenue of hoping to get that all important break. No luck so far - close but no cigar as they say.

I recently heard about the Baileys First Chapter competition and was really unsure as to whether I would enter this one. Taking someone else's start and building on that was quite different to anything I'd done. The other thing was the closing date.

By the time I saw this, actually on Twitter (a good source for discovery, I've found), it was only a couple of days until closing. Whilst the competition was only to write 800 to 1000 words, it wasn't a case of not being able to get it done. It was more a case of  'Eek! Where can I go with this?'. I ummed and aahed and almost didn't enter but in the end, sat down in the afternoon and got an entry done. It's gone in. I'm not sure that it's any good but either way, it was a good exercise, both on doing something a bit out of my comfort zone, and also on short deadlines.

Next on my list to enter is this one. Bit of a longer deadline on this one and as I've already had several attempts at Mills and Boon, this is another chance for some practice, if nothing else. I'm just trying to decide as to whether to use an existing idea from a couple that I've noted down, or think of something entirely new. I think I'll probably have a proper look at the ideas I have and see what I think - if I'm not totally in love with them, then it's probably best to start afresh.

Meanwhile, the agent hunt still goes on...

Happy writing

Maintaining The Search

So, just a quick update for you on the Great Agent Search.

The quest didn't get off to a great start when the first agent that I approached, one that in the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook mentioned their speciality as 'encouraging new writers' replied advising that they weren't accepting new submissions at present.

With that one out of the way, I tried my next favourite. I got a reply back from this company on Tuesday. Unfortunately, another rejection. Also unfortunately, the agent advises - as is often the case, that they are too swamped to go over the reasons as to why it wasn't suitable. I completely understand this situation but it can be a little frustrating to not know what areas may need some improvement in order to give the work a better chance. They did advise to try another agent because publishing is such a subjective business, but, as far as my experience goes, I think that's just a pretty standard final paragraph on a rejection letter.

Yesterday morning (Wednesday), I went back to the list I'd made and chose another agency before heading to their website to read up on them, and check their submission procedure. The first two both took about a week or so to get back to me, which is much quicker than when I was doing an agent search a number of years ago now for my first novel - the delights of the digital age! However, this one does warn of a longer waiting period, so I may well do as I'd mentioned in my previous post and get off another couple of submissions during the next couple of days as well.

That's all the news for now. Sorry I don't have anything more exciting to report! I hope all of your writing is going well, and if you are also in search of an agent, that your own quest is faring a little better than mine at present.

Happy Writing!

The Search Is On...

Well, it's that time all us writers love. Time to steel ourselves and develop a love/hate relationship with either the postman or the 'You Have Mail' sound on our phone/computer.

Yep, it's time to play Hunt The Literary Agent! The rules are quite simple. You send off the first few chapters of a work you've poured your heart and soul into and ideally receive a 'We love it' reply but more often than not, receive plenty of 'Not for us'. Or even worse, all you receive is silence. I know that editors and agents explain this as a lack of resources on their part and I completely understand how understaffed magazines and publishing houses, etc are these days. It's just so frustrating not knowing whether you should hang on just a little longer to see if you get a reply, or if your enquiry has been binned weeks ago!

When I was going through this process several years ago, it was the case that you could only apply to one agent at a time. I am sure there are still some agents that prefer this, but from what I've read, the norm is now to send out several enquiries at a time which at least means that you can cover more bases in one go.

I did eventually secure an agent that first time round which was an amazing feeling. I can still remember the phone call! Sadly they weren't able, in the end, to get a publishing deal for me and after a few years we parted ways due to them moving back abroad, and us also being on the move abroad.

So, having spent the afternoon yesterday with The Writers' and Artists' Yearbook I now have a short list for the first batch of enquiries. It would be so nice if this was the only batch of enquiries I have to make - all we can do is hope!

In the meantime, I just have to write the 'intro' letter. I swear that such things as this, and synopses, are more difficult than writing an entire novel!

Good luck to anyone else currently on the same safari!

Happy Writing!

Disappointments

The lot of a writer is often interspersed pretty frequently with disappointments. Today was one of those days.

Today was Shortlist Announcement Day for publishers, Choc Lit and their 'Search For A Star' competition. Sadly I wasn't on it.

Of course I know I need to just take it on the chin and move on to the next door and give that one a knock. And I will. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to flail around down here on the mat for half an hour. I really like my book and someone else didn't. Not a new concept for any author, successful or not. You can't please everyone. I know that. But it doesn't make it any easier. Not right now anyway.

Going back to that previous paragraph, what I pick up from that is that I like my book. And I do. Getting it prepared for that submission meant, as we all know, reading it through many times. And I still enjoyed it. I like my characters and wouldn't kick my hero out of bed. I think that's a pretty good start. It might not have been right for Choc Lit but that doesn't mean it's not right for someone else.

But I will get up, brush myself, and my book off and try again. Just not tonight.

Are Self Help Books Helpful?

I know! A post. An actual post! Wow, right? I've had the draft of this post written for ages but somehow it just didn't get as far as here. I've had my head down working on something else and this got a bit neglected. Sorry about that. I'm still beavering away on the other thing but I decided that this post is definitely going up today. So here we go.

I have a shelf entirely dedicated to 'How to Write' type books. A couple of them cover individual genres, and the rest are a varied selection including the always to be recommended, Stephen King's  'On Writing'

Admittedly, with exception of the latter, and a couple of specifically recommended ones, most of them were bought many years ago almost in bulk in a Writing Magazine book sale. Although the knowledge I hoped that these tomes would impart was a significant reason for placing the order, I cannot truthfully say that knowing a box would soon turn up, filled entirely with books, did not also hold some sway.

I still have not read them all. Don't get me wrong, I didn't order hundreds - possibly six or seven, and I have read others around them, including a couple I found in a wonderful bookshop in London's Charing Cross Road. This, at a time, when there were many more there than there are today. The shop was all angles and stairs and I spent a good long time in there, mooching about. I've no idea if it survived the swing of the Amazon blade (a blade I admittedly help sharpen), but I'd like to think it has.

But back to the books. The funny thing is, and I realise there is nothing especially new in this thought, but sometimes 'how to' books - on any subject - can be a double edged sword. Reading them is time you could actually be writing your own words. I know of people who spend ages reading such books, websites, articles, etc but never write a word. Only they can answer the question as to why that is the case for them, but it's no secret that such books can certainly be a distraction.

So, perhaps the trick is finding a good balance. Because there's no doubt that some of the information contained in these books is most helpful. Some, as previously mentioned, are extremely helpful and regularly recommended by writers from all levels on the success scale. Reading them can really motivate you. They can really make you believe that, yes, I can actually do this!

And there's the key - you need to actually do this. It's not going to be great immediately. That's why it's called a First Draft. It's ok. As had been said before, it's pretty damn hard to edit a blank page, so at some point you need to put down the self help books and pick up your pen. Information is great. But sometimes too much information can be just that - too much. Sometimes we just have to jump in and flail around a bit. And it's amazing what can be learned during that time, however inelegant it looks to start with.

What's your opinion on How To books - help or hindrance, or a bit of both? I'd love to hear!

Happy Writing!

Another Submission

Yes, I hope you were sitting down for that one! I have indeed sent off another submission. And this time it was actually a novel!

As you know, I've been umming and aahing about sending this off - or rather about who to send this off to. I've been through the whole trying to find an agent thing previously, although not with this book admittedly. I did actually secure an agent way back then too, but although I got some good feedback from a few of the publishers, no deal was ever struck.

In the meantime, I had been working on other things, as one is meant to do so I wasn't just sitting waiting by the phone, but when it came time to send this baby off into the big, bad world, that experience was still in the back of my mind.

I realise it's not a unique to me experience either. That's not what I'm getting at. It's just that whole big waiting game thing. And sometimes you don't even get an answer so it's hard to know whether the agent has read it, binned it or even received it. I did send postcards with a mss previously but that doesn't really solve the 'have I left it long enough to contact them' dilemma.

Anyway, in the end, it became irrelevant because as I was pondering the problem, I happened to see a competition being run for novels. It was already close to the final day for submission but as my book was all ready to go, I thought it might be worth a shot. I know the date that decisions are being made so if I don't hear from anyone then, I'll also know I didn't make the cut. At that point, I can resume along the original path but, for the moment, this felt the right thing to do.

So, wish me luck and I'll most definitely keep you posted.

Congratulations to all of you who completed NaNoWriMo. I hope that it proved useful for you and that you're now taking a well earned couple of days rest.

Happy Writing!