Conference Highlights

This weekend I attended the DFW Writers’ Conference put on by DFWWW. It’s their second year and I thought it was a success.

Bob Mayer delivered the keynote speech at Saturday’s lunch and then hung around to present five workshops. Five! He’s a master of a no-nonsense, sensible approach to writing and the publishing business. Know what you’re up against and conquer it.

I got to hang out with my writing partner, Pamela, and a few critique partners, (Elizabeth, if you had a blog, I’d link you!), meet some new writers and enjoy what I love most—learning more about the writing process and talking about books.

Two agents had unfortunate emergencies that kept them away, but the remaining agents did double duty trying to make sure everyone got a chance to pitch. And they did so pleasantly.

Even though the agent to whom I pitched The Bodley Boys didn’t ask to see it now, he asked thoughtful questions which have prompted me to spend the last few days slightly tweaking the plot. He said if I could figure it out, he’d like to take a look. His suggestions were in line with my current revisions, so even though it set me back a bit, the book will be better in the end.

Tidbits I learned at the conference (many from Bob Mayer—sign up for his Dallas workshop at the end of May if you missed seeing him this weekend), or tidbits I knew but just had to hear again:

1. Can you state the original idea for your book in 25 words or less? If your pitch is a mess, chances are your book is too.
2. You don’t have to write what you know—write what you are passionate about. I knew this, but it’s always nice to hear again.
3. Write complex characters. Every character thinks the story is about them.
4. Book dissection—study the books and movies that work. I recently pulled apart The Thirteenth Tale and Ghostwalk and refer to my notes often.
5. The plot has to be logical. Even in a ghost story.
6. Don’t get caught up in the query/submission process and forget to keep writing. Write the next book, and be thinking about the one after that.
7. Keep your blog current. ☺
8. Keep the boot you wore when you broke your toe. You never know when you're writing partner's dog might slash her foot and leave her with stitches and a sore foot.

Animal Magnetism

Three separate, but related incidents, have me wondering: Was there was a full moon last night?

1. My husband went out the back door to the garage and a squirrel jumped from the fence and scratched his arm.

Here’s his account:

Day 1 at home - while opening the door to the backyard from garage, I am accosted by a rogue squirrel. My arm is scratched as the giant squirrel invades the garage. I leave the battlefield to apply medicine to my bloody arm (ok, maybe a couple of drops, there were at least two, I'm sure). I steel myself for the return to the scene of the surprise attack and to confront the mad invader. I bang and shake the masses of boxes and bags in the garage hoping to flush my foe from its hiding place. Finally! I spy the invader crouched in a dark corner waiting to spring. Approaching slowly, I seal off all but one of its escape routes, leaving only the door to the outside in its view. Thrusting into the corner with my trusty sword, um, broom handle, I prod the giant creature into the open! A mad scramble ensues! The beast is valiantly driven back into the Plano wilds. Peace and tranquility returns to the kingdom (and all before 9:00am).

Except that pesky part about the tetanus shot.


2. Pamela called me this morning to tell me she had a mishap with her dog’s nails and has a gash in her foot, possibly needing stitches.

3. Critique partner Elizabeth has a dead possum in her back yard.

Anyone else have an animal adventure today? I don’t know about you, but I’m looking out for wolverines. And lizards. (see previous lizard post!)

Appreciation

If you’ve been reading any agent blogs over the last few days, you’ll see that hundreds of writers came out to rant about their bad experiences with agents. After her agentfail post, Jessica at Bookends suggested we take a day to show appreciation for the positive experiences we’ve had.

Recently, after trading emails with one super agent, she asked me to call her for suggestions about revisions for The Bodley Boys. So excited by her offer, I’m sure I was hardly coherent on the phone. But I did take notes and am now reworking my manuscript. She might not agree to take me on when I’m done, but my manuscript is better because of her. (I’d mention her name, but I don’t want to jinx it.)

Sure, I’m frustrated because several agents never responded to partials and fulls (YES!), but I’ve received hand-written responses to queries and a personalized no-thank-you from an agent who was not even looking for clients. Class act.

Plenty of agents and editors blog (Janet Reid, Nathan Bransford, Moonrat to name a few). Sure they could spend more time reading our queries or partials, but with every one of their posts, I learn something new.

Kristin Nelson blogged today about Writer Beware and Preditors and Editors, both Websites that provide information on scam agents. Both sites are valuable research tools, and my final stop before sending a query.

I also visit Absolute Write, Newbie’s Guide to Publishing, Query Tracker, Writers Market and Agent Query (see sidebar for links helpful to writers searching for an agent or seeking general information about the publishing process).

So, a big thank you to the many industry people who spend their valuable time trying to help writers.

Have you had an especially positive writing experience you’d like to share?

Revisions

I've been revising The Bodley Boys to resubmit to an agent. Last night, fueled by ideas that wanted out, I worked from 1:30-5:30am. I felt possessed, as if I were just a go-between to get the words written.

Today, my son and I were going through my father's WWII letters for a school history project. We haven't gotten very far, but I just found this bit in one of his letters:

July 16, 1945

“I wrote a short story today. After I edit it I think I’ll send it to a magazine just for the hell of it. Most of the guys think it is pretty good—but it really isn’t too hot. Maybe I can rework it.”

How timely, as I'm doing my own revisions to find this gem from the past. And to see a bit of my father's personality as well.

The Market Looks Good for Ghosts

Yesterday from Publishers Weekly:

“A weeklong, three-round auction culminated yesterday with Scribner editor-in-chief Nan Graham taking U.S. rights to Audrey Niffenegger’s second novel, Her Fearful Symmetry, for a figure reported to be just shy of $5 million…”

“Her Fearful Symmetry, is described as a 21st-century ghost story and centers on two American teenagers, identical twins, whose lives change when an aunt whom they didn’t know dies and leaves them a flat overlooking Highgate Cemetery in London. Feeling that their lives can finally begin, the twins have no idea that they’ve been summoned into a tangle of fraying lives, including that of their dead aunt herself, who never got over her estrangement from the twins’ mother, and in fact can’t seem to leave the flat.”

I have so many thoughts on this. First, WOW. Publishing is not dead. Of course the advance has something to do with her brilliant writing and The Time Traveler’s Wife selling a bajillion copies. However, it means publisher’s still believe books sell.

I was both elated and crushed at the plot details of Her Fearful Symmetry. You see, in my WIP, one of the characters lives across from Highgate Cemetery. Another shares a flat with a ghost. Yes, I started writing it ages before I learned about her book. In THE ARCHITECT AT HIGHGATE CEMETERY, an art restoration specialist uncovers objects hidden by a wronged nineteenth century architect, including design plans and a letter incriminating the architect of record of stealing more than ideas.

Several books have taken place in Highgate, Tracy Chevalier’s Falling Angels to name one. Interesting tidbit: While researching her book, Niffenegger ran into Chevalier, who was volunteering at the cemetery. Visit the cemetery’s official website here to learn why it’s such an intriguing setting.

Thanks to agent Nathan Bransford's “Negativity Week (which is actually short for How To Remain Positive in the Face of Negativity But That's Too Long of a Blog Title Week, or HTRPITFONBTTLOABTW for short)” I choose to look at it positively.

Yesterday, I got another agent request to read THE BODLEY BOYS. Indeed, the market looks good for ghosts!

Dreaming of Oxford

If I seem depressed in April, it's because in addition to not attending the London Book Fair, I'm also missing the Oxford Literary Festival.

Thanks to Stuck in a Book, (Masters student at Oxford and former Bodleian employee!) I just read about the event on his blog. Since completing THE BODLEY BOYS, I haven't done as much research on Oxford. I've even stopped listening to the Oxford podcasts, because I've been trolling London's Clerkenwell, Hampstead, and the incredible Highgate Cemetery via internet, all places the characters of my next book will inhabit. But now I'm dreaming of Oxford again.

In my fantasy, one of the agents now reading THE BODLEY BOYS falls in love with it, sells it to a publisher, and next year I'm packing for a literary trip to the UK.

As Gigi Dottie says, "Got our dreams, haven’t we?"

Success

I'm fortunate enough to have a core group of writer friends, a critique group, and Sophia Nash as a mentor. Her third book in The Widow's Club series, Love With the Perfect Scoundrel, just hit the shelves. Her books are intelligent, witty and sexy. I’m waiting for my copy to arrive in a brown box on my doorstep any day. Sophia’s clear focus on the business of writing inspires me and she’s always willing to share valuable insider tidbits. I know she’ll be thrilled when I’m published, she’s told me so.

Many of my writer friends are on the cusp of being published. When they are, I will push any jealous thoughts away (I’d be lying if I said I won’t have any) and celebrate their launch. I’m pretty sure they’ll do the same for me. After all, I’m a better writer because of every one of them.


Jennifer Jackson of the Donald Maass agency links to one of her clients blogs. Jay Lake mentions a situation of professional jealousy that ruined a friendship. He writes, “As a result, someone whose name should be in the dedications of all my books is instead someone I have not seen or spoken to in years, and probably never will again.” That's just sad.

He offers some wise words: “My friends are my friends, and their successes only magnify our friendships.”

I agree!