Taking Care of Business: The Author Biography

When you’re an as-yet-unpublished writer, one of the most intimidating things you’ll face is your own author biography.

You’ve read countless bios of successful authors, with their lists of titles and bestselling charts and accolades. Then, there’s you, manuscript in hand, wondering how you can possibly get the attention of your dream agent when you don’t have what the others have.

You already know that the hook and blurb is vital to getting an agent to finish reading your query…so how do you keep their attention long enough to hit “reply”? What if they see your empty, unenthusiastic bio? Won’t they pass because no one wants to take a chance on an unaccomplished unknown?

Stop that right this instant. You’ll defeat yourself before you even get started.

You do have a bio inside you, even if you’re querying your first book. You are an accomplished writer who obviously has what it takes to go pro—because the act of querying is proof that you are ready to make this manuscript into a product. You are seeking a career. You are worthy of
publication.

You simply need to find the bio that’s waiting to be written.

Building a Bio

“This is my first novel.” Clean and simple. This statement is not a death wish. It’s simply the truth. Think of all the successful debut novels you’ve seen over the years. They were all first books. If you have nothing else to add, just leave it at that. Agents appreciate brevity. (And... just in case you have a trunk full of unsold manuscripts: nobody needs to know you have a pile of gone-nowhere projects. Just say it's your first novel.)

“I belong to a writer’s group.” This shows that you are already networking with other professionals and shows you have commitment to the craft. Join a local writers group at the public library. Join a state-wide group like Pennwriters (who have members worldwide). Join a national group, such as Romance Writers of America if you write romance.

“I have a platform.” Platform is such a lofty word, isn’t it? It doesn’t have to be. Platform doesn’t mean pedestal. Platform is simply the legs on which you stand. What experience do you have in real life that has inspired or supports your book? Writing about animals because you’re a vet or work for animal rescue? Bam—platform. Writing about Greek gods in contemporary settings because you’re a curator in a museum or have travelled to ancient archeologic attractions? Bam—platform. Writing a vampire love story because you are the Slayer and have been fighting the forces of the undead since you were a high school freshman and honestly believe that Slayers need love, too? Bam, bam, stake through the heart and bam—platform (as long as you can prove it.) Which brings up the warning—don’t make stuff up. Save that for your novels.

“I have previous work published.” Novels aren’t the only things that get published. So do poetry, short stories, and articles. Do you contribute to an established blog with wide readership? Have you been featured in ezines or print journals? If not, don’t despair—because those are things that you can start doing right now. You’re a writer. Publishing in smaller venues gets your name out there and builds a readership. And if there is one thing that agents love, it’s a writer that comes with an established audience.

“I’ve won a writing contest.” This is another thing you can start doing right now. Contests are perpetually being held, from local to online to national to worldwide. Just do a quick search and start picking which ones you’re eligible to enter. Since many contests charge fees, you’ll have to be choosy. Winning a contest or simply making finals is great for publicity and often a nifty prize. Personally, I value the blurb more than anything else. Calling my first book BLEEDING HEARTS a “Six-Time RWA Chapter Contest Finalist” is a huge deal for me…and that blurb went a long way to sell that book.


Chances are you already have an impressive bio inside you, just waiting to be written. If a job, an experience, an association, an accomplishment, or a skill is pertinent to you as an author or to your book, it may be bio fodder. Just be sure to state it succinctly and professionally—you don’t want to blow your honed-to-perfection hook with an inflated, irrelevant bio.

And remember…if you’re in doubt, just go with the clean and simple “This is my first novel”. If you’ve hooked the agent with your story, that’s all they need to know.

Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer who, despite having a Time Turner under her couch and three different sonic screwdrivers in her purse, still encounters difficulty with time management. She's the author of the urban fantasy trilogy The Books of the Demimonde as well as WORDS THAT BIND. She also writes for YA and NA audiences under the pen name AJ Krafton. THE HEARTBEAT THIEF, her Victorian dark fantasy inspired by Poe’s “The Masque of the Red Death”, is now available.

Category Romance First 100 Words Contest

NOTICE: Contest extended until August 17! 

This contest was announced last week, and is for category romance only, both adult and YA. 

Heather Howland, associate publisher and editorial director at Entangled Publishing LLC, has agreed to take a look at the first 100 words of manuscripts and brief (no more than a three-sentence long) pitches for category romance novels. Completed manuscripts are preferred, but partial works will be considered. Please read the descriptions of the imprints on last week's post and indicate under which imprint you believe your book falls when you fill out the form on contest day. 

Entries will not be posted and made public. The form will be sent directly to the judge. 

The number of winners whose material is requested for consideration will be determined by the number and quality of submissions. This will also determine how long it takes to judge the entries. 

Winners will receive requests to submit material to Entangled Publishing. 

This is a great opportunity to land that deal, so polish up those first 100 words and brief book blurb. (You can just shorten your query synopsis to 3 sentences.)

Specifics: 

Please do not submit works that have been self-published. Entangled is looking for new books that have not been out there already.  

First 100 words means the first 100 words at the beginning of Chapter One, not the prologue. If your sample goes a few words over or under in order to cut off at the end of a sentence, that is fine. Don't end mid-sentence. 

Though it is preferred that your manuscript be completed, partially completed manuscripts will be considered. You have two more weeks from today, so get busy and finish that book! 

Do NOT contact Entangled Publishing directly regarding this contest. If you have questions, post them in the comments. 

Winners' names will be posted when all the entries have been read. We do not know how long this will take or how many requests will be made because it depends on the number and quality of entries. 

The contest will open for entries Wednesday, August 13 at 8:00 am Eastern time, and end at midnight Eastern time Sunday, August 17. A link to the form will be posted on this blog at 8:00 on Wednesday, August 13. 

Remember: This contest is for category romance only. Be sure to review last week's post for descriptions of the imprints. 

***

Mary Lindsey is one of the founding members of the QT Blog. 

She writes young adult novels for Penguin USA and is the author of Shattered Souls, Fragile Spirits, and Ashes on the Waves. She also writes adult romance for Entangled Publishing as Marissa Clarke. Love Me To Death is scheduled for publication October, 2014. 

Mary is represented by Kevan Lyon of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency and can be found the following places: Twitter, Facebook, MaryLindsey.com and MarissaClarke.com. 

Going In Deep: Point of View (POV)

It’s time again for my semi-annual work-in-progress RWA chapter contest blitz.

Those not familiar with this somewhat threatening-sounding phrase should rest easy. It’s just my way of getting feedback on my manuscripts. Beta readers are critical to the editing process, and I have my own trusted circle of constructive critics. However, sometimes I need more than a reader’s opinion—I need to hear it straight from the pros.

That’s one of the reasons why I often enter my manuscripts into writing contests. I choose contests that encourage the judges to provide specific comments about various elements of a novel because, more than anything else, I want the feedback. I’ll enter a few contests, wait for the score sheets to come back, then start looking over them for similar comments among the returns.

And, as usual, my judges have come through. One specific comment kept popping up, so I knew I had to address the issue. (I also figured it would make a great writing craft post. See? When I lose contests, everyone wins. Just my way of paying it forward.)

That issue was deep point of view.

Going Deep

I’d just completed the third in a series that was written in first person POV. The heroine was an empath and, frankly, writing those books can be emotionally draining. When I started my new WIP, I knew I wanted some distance between my feelings and those of the character. The first thing I did was make her spellbound and magically restrained from experiencing any emotion. (Naturally.)

The second thing I did was write it from a third person POV.

This personal distancing wasn’t the only reason for choosing that particular POV. This book is a romance, and I wanted to be able to provide story from the hero’s POV at times. This was an option that was completely denied to me when writing the Demimonde series, because that story is told entirely in single first POV.

However, a few of my recent judges suggested I go into deep POV when writing the heroine’s chapters. Not entirely sure what these judges meant, I hit the books for another lesson on the craft of writing.

Deep POV is like a third person POV swimming pool. If third person has the character standing on the deck, deep POV is throwing the character into the water. The point is to write the story as if walking around in the character’s skin without using a first person technique.

Tips to Deepen the POV

Dialog tags: One of my judges pointed out that, in deep POV, a character doesn’t use many dialog tags. For instance, when having a conversation with your friend, you don’t mentally add things like "I said". You just say it. You don’t look at a person’s feet and think I wonder where she bought those shoes? You simply think Where did she get those shoes? (And, perhaps Why didn’t she get a second pair for me?) 

In a story, though, we still need tags to keep it clear which character is speaking. I like to substitute action for a "she/he said" tag. "That’s my pen," she said can become "That’s my pen." She marched over to him and snatched it from his hand. Better story, and you have no doubt who spoke.

Five senses: We experience the world through our senses. Likewise, your reader should experience the story through the character’s senses. Sensory details bring the reader deeper into the character’s POV.

Show emotions, don’t tell: The most valuable tip I’ve read so far is to forget the names of actual emotions and just describe their effects. She became angry when he yelled at her can be She fisted her hands and pinned them under her arms. If he didn’t knock off the yelling, she’d shut his mouth with a tight slap.

Filtering words: This would be the first time I can disassociate the words “filtered” and “purity” because filtered writing does not create a pure reader experience. When we use words like see, thought, hear, feel, decide, wonder, realize, or watch, we put up a barrier of sorts between the reader and the character. Eliminating those filter words deepen the POV by giving the details from a first-hand perspective.

He watched the dog jump onto the table becomes The dog jumped onto the table. You bring the action directly to the reader. She thought he was very handsome can become She resisted a long, low whistle. Wow. Talk about smoking hot.

See? No filters means less distance between reader and experiencing--and that is the essence of deep POV.

Deep Isn’t For Everyone

Writers ultimately have to decide what POV is best for their characters, their books, and especially their writing style. Not every book can be told in deep POV and not ever writer is comfortable writing in that style.

Sometimes, it’s a simple matter of genre. Romance works with a deep POV because the reader wants to experience the emotional journey of the heroine and hero. (However, romance still works without going deep. Single third is a common POV style for this genre.) I found this article to be a helpful reference on genre/preferred POV, so check that out if you need a primer (like I did).

Getting back to the judge feedback. Apparently, I nailed deep POV for the hero. He’s an emotionally volatile creature so it was all too easy to get into his skin. My heroine…not so much. My attempt to distance myself from this character was a little too successful because, not only was I distanced, but the reader was distanced, too.

That’s not something we want for our stories—we want readers lost in our books. While amazing plotlines and complex personalities are essential to a captivating story, writers can fine-tune the POV to create the ultimate reader experience.

Click to Tweet!

Deep POV deepens the reading experience #writingtips #fiction

Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer who, despite having a Time Turner under her couch and three different sonic screwdrivers in her purse, still encounters difficulty with time management. Visit Ash at www.ashkrafton.com for news on her urban fantasy series The Books of the Demimonde (Pink Narcissus Press) or stop by the Demimonde Blog at www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com .

Is Your Writing a Hobby or a Business?

A new year means a new headache for many Americans because it's the beginning of the dreaded tax season.

I use the word "dreaded" very lightly, though, because I actually enjoy doing my taxes. (Don't judge me. Statistically, I cannot be the only person to admit that.) I use tax software to organize and file my yearly taxes but, even so, it still takes a working knowledge of tax preparation to do it right.

This year, I am filing with a new occupation: a writer. Are you?

It all comes down to whether your writing is a hobby or a job. Hobby Writers file differently than Job Writers. There are benefits and downsides to each of those positions so it is very important to determine where you stand.

I do not pretend to offer professional advice: so, here is my champion disclaimer. *Ahem*

Disclaimer:

Don't take my bizarre love for filing taxes as professional advice because I am definitely not an accountant. I am still learning as a writer and, for me, this is just one more lesson.

Please refer to www.irs.gov and their publications for the rules and regulations that govern this topic and ask a real accountant for advice.

(Just remember--I write speculative fiction. I lie for a living.)

Okay, now that we've established that, I want to let you know there are a lot of things you can consider when trying to determine your own position as a Hobby Writer or a Job Writer.

Do You Operate Your "Writing Job" in a Business-Like Manner?

For several years, I've been "grooming" my activities in preparation of becoming a Job Writer. Like any business person I, as a Job Writer, should do things to promote myself and my writing. These are some of the things I did to show I wasn't scribbling only for the fun of it.

• Joined a professional writing organization, such as Pennwriters, RWA, Pikes Peak Writers, the Maryland Writers Association, or the Science Fiction Poetry Association (to name some of my favorites.) 
• Entered contests, either for the prize or for feedback.
• Networked by distributing business cards, using social media, or maintaining a website or blog.
• Kept a file of what I've sent to editors and agents--even the rejections.
• Attended conferences, took online classes or seminars (even free ones), and read books on the craft of writing and publishing.

A Job Writer will keep records of all these things, often incurring expenses such as in the case of memberships and book purchases. A Hobby Writer may not be as interested in making substantial monetary investments or building a network.

Once you decide you are a Job Writer, you'll need to prove you can back up that claim. In the event of an audit, the IRS will look for key elements to determine your status. According to the IRS, an activity qualifies as a business if it is carried on with the reasonable expectation of earning a profit.

I pulled this from the IRS website:

In order to make this determination, taxpayers should consider the following factors:

• Does the time and effort put into the activity indicate an intention to make a profit?

• Does the taxpayer depend on income from the activity?

• If there are losses, are they due to circumstances beyond the taxpayer’s control or did they occur in the start-up phase of the business?

• Has the taxpayer changed methods of operation to improve profitability?

• Does the taxpayer or his/her advisors have the knowledge needed to carry on the activity as a successful business?

• Has the taxpayer made a profit in similar activities in the past?

• Does the activity make a profit in some years?

• Can the taxpayer expect to make a profit in the future from the appreciation of assets used in the activity?

Are You In It For The Money?

Do you write for the joy of it? Or because you want to see your work published and selling? Even if you are not yet earning royalties, you may still be a Job Writer. What it all comes down to is the time and effort you put into your writing--as well as a motive to earn a profit.

Before my novel was published, I was writing and submitting short stories and poems, while using Duotrope.com to track my submissions. Never knew it would come in handy at tax time, but it will--all because it shows nearly every submission and response I've ever sent. Likewise, my Query Tracker account is a record of all the agents I've approached. Both spreadsheets contain ample proof that I put serious time and effort into getting published.

Keeping a calendar will help, too, especially if you are big into events and activities. Mark the days and time for each activity you attend--and, while you're at it, mark off things like blog tours or days you devote to polishing your query.

Basically, keep a time card. Hobby Writers may not have an inclination to keep such records, but they provide valuable proof for Job Writers.

Do you depend on income from the activity?

I know I'm not ready to give up my day job yet, but that's not going to stop me from filing as a Job Writer. Every business starts off small and often incurs losses in the beginning--just as indicated in the next bullet point in the list. The point is, earning a living as a writer is my ultimate goal--and one day, I hope to support myself with my writing.

Losses and dry spells are to be expected, just like in any business. Besides, everyone in the publishing business starts off small. Think about that. Why would I be different?

Have you changed your methods to improve profitability?

What this basically means is: are you attempting to grow as a writer? Do you enter contests to obtain feedback? (Read more about that here) Do you take classes in person or online to improve your skills, learn new ways of promoting, or pick up new writing tips? Do you try different outlining or storytelling techniques, searching for a better method?

All of these things change the way we write and the way we attempt to get our projects noticed. If the ultimate goal is selling that novel, then those activities help you meet this requirement.

Do you have the knowledge needed to carry on the activity as a successful business?

Do not think this means you need a license or degree to be a writer. However, you do need to learn about publishing before you dive in. Lucky for you, there is a splendid place called the Query Tracker Forum, which is an excellent place to start toeing the waters. There is also a hoarde of fabulous publishing blogs and websites that help demystify the publishing process. The knowledge is out there, waiting for you.

You can also expand your knowledge through conferences, webinars, and reading newsletters from published authors. Even reading blog posts such as this one demonstrate your intent to learn more about the business of writing. (You're welcome, by the way. :D)

The last few bullet points discuss past, present, and future income.

These sound pretty straightforward to me.

I have yet to earn significant amounts from my writing, yet I have every intent to file as a writer. Why? Because I put a lot of money into my business last year--I went to conferences, I purchased tons of promotional swag, I paid for advertising, and I entered contests. What I spent far outweighed my income…and, hence, the day job comes in handy again. (Huzzah.)

If I was better informed before now, I would have filed sooner--I've been running a "writing business" for a few years now but I let my lack of reportable income keep me from filing as a Job Writer. I could have been deducting my expenses for as long as I've been a member of Query Tracker, because that was the year I decided I would pursue publication. Last year, however, the hobby officially became a job, so my own path was clear.

It's a tough decision that I had to make for my own reasons--and so must you, if you are still in the unpublished phase. You should become familiar with these IRS guidelines because you can get your "business" in order and look ahead to the future. Even if you aren't ready to declare yourself a Job Writer now, one day, you might. These points may help shape you as a professional writer and may even point you in a new direction of growth.

It's never too soon to get your business in order.




Ash Krafton is a speculative fiction writer. Visit Ash's blog at www.ash-krafton.blogspot.com for news on her urban fantasy "Bleeding Hearts: Book One of the Demimonde" (Pink Narcissus Press 2012) and the follow-up "Blood Rush" due May 2013.

May YA Contest Winners!

Agent Roseanne Wells from the Marianne Strong Literary Agency judged our last QueryTracker Blog contest on May 9, 2011. We had 244 Young Adult entries. We will contact the winners directly as well as posting them below.

Ms. Wells chose three winners to receive a critique of their first 10 pages!  We will be listing those winners below, as well as contacting them directly and supplying them with an email address to which they should send their pages.

Ms. Wells also found a few entries that intrigued her enough that she is going to be contacting the authors directly to request material.  If you are one of these people, you will get an email directly from Ms. Wells by Saturday, June 4th. Please do not contact her to inquire whether you are on that list -- you will get an email from her if you are.


WINNERS: Please send your first 10 pages (QT will provide you with the address in an email).

On to the winners of the 10-page critiques -- drumroll please!

Winner 1. Darkest Light by Rebecca Sutton (YA Paranormal)

First page:

"Hi, my name is Ava and I'm," I say, pausing to pick at a splinter sticking up from the wood podium.


"Hi, Ava." The crowd responds in a monotone unison.


I know I'm supposed to continue. But what's the point in me saying it? We all know why I'm here. One of the tracks of fluorescent lights flickers and I look up. The ceiling of the church basement, filled with brown water stains, sags with age. The smell of one of those gross flavored coffees (hazelnut or creme de nasty) and mildew make me want to gag.


Someone coughs in the front row. A clear your throat kind of cough meant to get attention. Leonard, the man who runs the meetings is staring at me, his eyes bulging, nodding for me to continue. Beads of sweat collect at the top of his shiny, bald head.


From the moment I met the guy he was pushy. Play by the book, stick to the schedule. Trust the system. If it weren't for him I wouldn't even be up here introducing myself like this is some goddamn AA meeting. At first glance, this meeting looks like a regular support group, but it's far from it.


Ignoring the fact that Leonard's practically falling off his chair to get my attention now, I take a deep breath and say,"...and I'm here because I made a deal with the Devil."


Winner 2. Seeing by Nik Johnson (Quinn) (YA Paranormal Thriller)

First page:

I didn't know who she was, or what the f--- she was doing in my room, but she was naked. The shirt I was holding slipped from my hand and I stopped short.


She was in front of the window with her head cocked to the side, looking right at me, like she had been waiting for me. White-blonde hair, parted in the middle, fell to her waist. Her left breast was covered, but the other one, I could see. My eyes drifted lower. She was shaved. No hair. None.


"Who"--I took a breath and began again--"who are you?"


"My name's Alice," she said. I glanced up at her face and she smiled, straightening her head."Don't be afraid, Eden."


Alice seemed like a nice name. A girl named Alice wouldn't hurt me. I wasn't afraid. I was more focused on the fact that my jeans were getting tighter. Normally, I guess I'd be embarrassed getting hard in front of someone, but she was naked; we were past that.


My mind wasn't working right ... I couldn't really piece together my thoughts. I didn't know her. I'd never seen this girl before. I thought of walking back out of the room; instead, I stepped into the room and closed the door.

Winner 3. The Silent Sister by Megan Macijauskas (Paranormal)

First page:

It is eight-oh-six a.m. Visiting hours have just begun but the waiting room is empty. I sit in a squeaky plastic chair as my mother fills out my release papers. The nurse behind the plexiglass divider slides a bottle of pills across the counter. Mom shoves them in her handbag without looking at them.


The nurse's voice is high-pitched and annoyingly bright. I hear her say things like psychotic break and catatonic state and sink low in the chair. If she knew what I was capable of, she would not be signing over my freedom so cheerfully.


I'm wearing the standard-issue white t-shirt and gray sweatpants that everyone wears here. They take the strings out of the pants, but the elastic is so tight, an angry red groove digs into my waist. I don't know how the extended stay patients endure it. No wonder they're crazy.


When my mom is finally done with forms and instructions, she turns to me and jerks her head toward the door."C'mon. Let's get out of here."


Outside, the morning sunlight is hard and white and makes me ache everywhere. It's not warm. Or comforting. It burns my eyes, which are used to florescent lights and darkened windows.


The second we are out the door, my mother grabs me by the shoulders and shoves me against the hospital's brick wall. I stop breathing. Her face is inches from mine. She bunches one hand tight in my t-shirt and pulls it right up to my chin. Her knuckles are as white as the cloth they're wrapped around. Behind her, a startled bystander mumbles under his breath and quickly shuffles away.


"Do you have any idea what you've done?" My mother's voice is a brittle shard."You can't ever, ever lose control like that. Do-you-understand?" She draws out each syllable of the question through clenched teeth.

* * * 

A huge congratulations to all the winners, and thank you again to Ms. Wells!

Vanilla is under-rated

What does an apple pie contest have to do with writing a novel? Something it took me about twenty years to learn.

Back when I first started getting a local small-town paper, I'd read the whole thing because, well, it was a small town. After the heart-stopping excitement of an apple-pie contest, they wrote an article about it, with the recipe and an interview with the winner.

Scanning the recipe, you'd find all the usual suspects: flour, water, salt, shortening, apples....vanilla extract?

The winning contestant explained in the article that she didn't normally make an apple pie this way. For Thanksgiving and Christmas, the vanilla extract stayed in the bottle. But with a contest (and this is a rough paraphrase, but we'll pretend it's a quote,) "I know the judges are tasting dozens of apple pies, so in order to win, I need to add something to make mine taste just a little different. Just different enough that they remember, and that's why my pies win."

Now, how would our winning baker write a novel? She'd think to herself, "This is a fine story just as it is. But the agents and editors of the world are looking at a hundred manuscripts a week, so I need to make mine taste just a little bit different."

This is especially true for writing contests, but it's also true for querying. Your piece sits alongside ninety-nine others. Where's your vanilla?

I'm not talking about adding a dragon, of course. (Nor gimmickry either; imagine using green food coloring on the crust. Yuck.) And although it's tempting to douse one's manuscript pages in vanilla extract for a little aroma-therapy, as a professional I have to recommend against it.

These are the elements of a good apple pie query: Professional presentation. A query that tells the agent what the story is about. A brief bio. Your writing sample.

Now for the vanilla: Your voice. Your details. A take on the story that only you could have written. A character you understand inside and out. If there are only twelve plots in the world, you'll have to infuse  your apple pie novel with your heart and your perspective. Your vulnerability. Your humanity. The love you have for your own story.

(By the way, I make my own vanilla extract. Shove a bunch of vanilla beans into a bottle of vodka and steep it five months. The alcohol draws all that yummy vanilla into the tasteless vodka. Think about it.)

We're not writing only for ourselves. We're also writing for our readers.

In the end, your readers will walk away from their slice of apple pie enjoying that lingering taste of vanilla, a subtle question mark bringing them back to the story again and again, and leading them to tell others about something they just can't get out of their minds.

Isn't that what we all want as writers? So go. Go deep and find your vanilla.

---

Jane Lebak is the author of The Guardian (Thomas Nelson, 1994), Seven Archangels: Annihilation (Double-Edged Publishing, 2008) and The Boys Upstairs (MuseItUp, 2010). At Seven Angels, Four Kids, One Family, she blogs about what happens when a distracted daydreamer and a gamer geek attempt to raise four children. She is represented by the amazing Roseanne Wells of the Marianne Strong Literary Agency.

Agent-Judged YA Contest Is Now Open for Submissions!

Our agent-judged Young Adult fiction contest began today, Monday, May 9th at 9:00 am Eastern Standard Time. Agent Roseanne Wells from the Marianne Strong Literary Agency is judging the contest.

The contest entry window is 24 hours and will end at 9:00 am Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, May 10th.

You may only enter one project. Please be certain all projects are complete, edited, and polished enough to present to an agent.

Submissions must be made via our online submission form. (A free QueryTracker.net membership is necessary to use the form and can be accessed from the form page.) Only entries received through the online form will be accepted. Entries emailed directly to the agent or agency will be disqualified.

This contest is for YA fiction only, so no MG or Adult projects in this contest, please.

Ms. Wells wants to see the first page of your manuscript (+ or – half a sentence. Don’t just end mid-sentence).

Details for this contest were posted in the Publishing Pulse last Friday, and have been in the contest widget in the sidebar for over a week.

The response time and announcement of the winners (who will receive critiques of their material from Ms. Wells) will depend on the number of entries. The more entires, the longer it will take--one of the pitfalls of not having an entry cut-off. Ms. Wells hopes to have the results within two weeks. I'll give updates as to her progress and the winners will also be notified directly via email.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post them in comments!

Best of luck to everyone and special thanks to Ms. Wells for judging!

* Please note: Sometimes the email notifications from this blog do not go out right when the post is published. Therefore, if you are an email subscriber, this email might arrive after the contest has begun. This is due to a Google Blogger issue we cannot control.

Agent Judged Contest Has Begun!

Our agent-judged one-line pitch contest began today, Thursday, March 3rd at 9:00 am Eastern Standard Time. Agent Weronika Janczuk from the D4EO Literary Agency is judging the contest.

The contest entry window is 24 hours and will end at 9:00 am Eastern Standard Time on Friday, March 4th.

You may only enter one project. Please be certain all projects are complete, edited, and polished enough to present to an agent.

Submissions must be made via our online submission form. (A free QueryTracker.net membership is necessary to use the form and can be accessed from the form page.) Only entries received through the online form will be accepted. Entries emailed directly to the agent or agency will be disqualified.

This contest is for ADULT fiction only, so no MG or YA projects in this contest, please. The genres include science fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller, and romance.

Ms. Janczuk wants to receive one-line pitches and the first 100 words of your manuscript (+ or – half a sentence. Don’t just end mid-sentence).

Details for this contest were posted yesterday and have been in the contest widget in the sidebar for several days.

The response time and announcement of the winners (who will receive requests for additional material from Ms. Janczuk) will depend on the number of entries. The more entires, the longer it will take--one of the pitfalls of not having an entry cut-off. Ms. Janczuk hopes to have the results within two weeks. I'll give updates as to her progress and the winners will be notified directly via email as well.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post them in comments!

Best of luck to everyone and special thanks to Ms. Janczuk for judging.

Agent Judged Contest Begins Tomorrow!

Agent Weronika Janczuk from the D4EO Literary Agency will be judging our March contest, which opens at 9am EST tomorrow  (Thursday, March 3rd) and will run for 24 hours, until 9am EST on Friday (March 4th). A form will be activated and a link will be posted on this site at the start of the contest tomorrow morning. There is no advantage to being one of the first to enter as we will accept all entries submitted within the 24-hour window.

This contest is for ADULT fiction only, so no MG or YA projects in this contest, please.  

Ms. Janczuk wants to see a one-line pitch and the FIRST 100 words (plus or minus 1/2 sentence--don't just cut it off mid sentence) of COMPLETED science fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller, or romance novels.

A free QueryTracker.net membership will be necessary to use the form and can be accessed from the form page. Only entries received through the online form will be accepted. Entries emailed directly to the agent or agency will be disqualified.

To help you get ready:
The how-to of one-line pitches:
http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2009/04/dreaded-pitch-what-to-include-in-that.html

Examples of excellent pitches:
http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2009/04/one-line-winners.html
http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2010/05/from-chris-richman-winners.html
http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2010/04/from-jason-yarn-winners.html

Please note: Sometimes the email notifications from this blog do not go out right when the post is published (a Google Blogger issue we cannot control). If you are an email subscriber, please realize this email might arrive after the contest has begun.

March Contest Coming Later This Week: Adult SF/F/H, Thriller, and Romance

March Contest: Adult SF/F, Horror, Thriller, and Romance

Agent Weronika Janczuk from the D4EO Literary Agency will be judging out next contest, which opens at 9am EST on Thursday of this week (March 3rd) and will run for 24 hours, until 9am on Friday (March 4th).

This contest is for ADULT fiction only, so no MG or YA projects in this contest, please.  

Ms. Janczuk wants to see a one-line pitch and the FIRST 100 words (plus or minus 1/2 sentence--don't just cut it off mid sentence) of COMPLETED science fiction, fantasy, horror, thriller, or romance novels.

Submissions MUST be made via an online submission form that will become available starting at 9am EST on Thursday, March 3 (don't worry, we'll post a link so you can find it)! A free QueryTracker.net membership will be necessary to use the form and can be accessed from the form page. Only entries received through the online form will be accepted. Entries emailed directly to the agent or agency will be disqualified.

To help you get ready:
The how-to of one-line pitches:
http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2009/04/dreaded-pitch-what-to-include-in-that.html

Examples of excellent pitches:
http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2009/04/one-line-winners.html
http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2010/05/from-chris-richman-winners.html
http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2010/04/from-jason-yarn-winners.html

Please note: Sometimes the email notifications from this blog do not go out right when the post is published (a Google Blogger issue we cannot control). If you are an email subscriber, please realize this email might arrive after the contest has begun.

Publishing Pulse 11/27/09

Contest Update

Anna Webman is hard at work judging nearly 500 pages of material that was submitted in our very successful YA Contest. (Thanks, Anna!) We will be announcing the winners next week.

New Agents

Whitney Lee with The Fielding Agency represents books of all genres in both fiction and nonfiction, taking on books she feels passionate about.

Robert Kirby with United Agents represents books of all genres in both fiction and nonfiction. He is based in the UK.

Kent Wolf with Global Literary Management's interests include literary fiction, smart thrillers, women's fiction, memoirs, pop culture, and off-the-wall narrative nonfiction.

Justine Wenger with the Emma Sweeney Agency is looking for literary fiction, short story collections, and food/lifestyle nonfiction.

Contests

WOW (Women on Writing) is holding a flash fiction contest that closes November 30th. Entries will be judged by Noah Lukeman of Lukeman Literary Management. There are many fun prize packages. Entry fee is $10.

Writer's Digest's short short story competition has a $3000 first prize. Entry fee is $15 and entries are due by December 1st.

Delacorte Press will award publication for the winner of the First YA Novel contest. Deadline is December 31st.

Writers of the Future will publish winners of their contest, which is for prose of up to 17,000 words. Contest closes December 31st.

On the Web

Guide to Literary Agents had a great article, 7 Reasons Agents Stop Reading Your First Chapter.

Agent Kristin Nelson offered a great tip about What's Hot Now in YA fiction.

I loved Everybody Has a Book Inside on the Kiersten Writes blog.

And last but not least, thanks to Beth Revis for spotlighting the QTblog.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Agent-Judged Contest Announced!

Some of you may remember the series of agent-judged contests we hosted on the QTblog earlier this year. Great news - one of our contest winners went on to sign with the agent who judged the contest, and his book is now on submission. Contests are a great way to get your work noticed!


We are pleased to announce yet another contest. Literary agent Anna Webman of Curtis Brown Ltd. wants to see your stuff! She has generously agreed to peruse the first five pages plus a synopsis of your YA novel. What a great opportunity! Here are all the details:

• This contest is for completed Young Adult novels only. (All the genres that fall under the YA umbrella.)


• The contest will open this Tuesday, November 10th, at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. (That's 6:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.)


• You will need to submit the following: Your first five pages AND a single-spaced one-page synopsis.


• A free membership on the QueryTracker main site is required.


• Submissions will be accepted through the official form on the QT main site ONLY.


• Only one entry per person will be accepted.


• Due to the high word count of the materials being submitted, we will be capping the number of entries at 70.
  

So now you're probably thinking (gasp!) not the dreaded synopsis! Never fear, Heather has two fantastic posts that will help you make yours shine:

• Quantum of Synopses: Novel Synopsis Basics


• In Short: Writing a Novel Synopsis That Rocks

Watch for a special post Tuesday morning with a link to the submission page, and then a post Tuesday evening announcing the contest's opening.

Let me know if you have any questions in the comments of this post. Good luck!

Suzy

Publishing Pulse 6/26/09

Agent Posts of Interest

The powerhouse ladies of BookEnds are in the middle of a week long Twitchfest. Follow their twitter feeds for an opportunity to pitch your novel in 140 characters or less!

If Carolyn's Platform post got you wondering how to improve your blog traffic, Guest Blogger Jennifer Fulwiler gave some great tips on Rachelle Gardner's blog.

Agent Kae Tienstra posted some inspiring thoughts on Productivity.

Andrew Zack started an interesting conversation on the value of Bookscan data. The comments on that series of posts are worth reading.

Publishing Points of Interest

Anonymous editor Moonrat gave us her thoughts on salaries and class status in publishing.

Perseus announced layoffs and title cutbacks.

The motion picture of Jodi Picoult's best-seller, My Sister's Keeper, starts today. The New York Times ran a piece examining her success and the public's fascination with "child-peril" lit.

The Book Depository is reportedly headed for America.

And if you're an Ohio resident, you might want to rally in support of your library system.

Just for Fun

If you're familiar with Twitter (and if you aren't you probably should be!), you must read this all-tweet version of Jane Austen's Pride and Predjudice. I could not stop laughing!

Have a great weekend!

Elevator Pitch Winners per Agent Mollie Glick!

Mollie Glick of Foundry Literary + Media was kind enough to serve as judge for our most recent contest on elevator pitches.

After carefully considering all of the fabulous entries, she's selected her 11 favorites.

These lucky winners will be asked to submit their partial manuscript to Ms. Glick!

Drumroll please...

And the winners are (in alphabetical order by username)

acarthur (YA)

Krystal Bentley has a crush and he’s everything she ever wished for, he’s movie-star cute, laughs at her dry humor and listens to her rantings about her divorced parents without judging. There’s only one problem—he’s dead.

alh719 (narrative fiction/memoir)

On December 7, 2007, I was slugged by a drunk frat boy. In that instant, I realized that living with 65 college women wasn't as glamorous as I thought it would be.

SORORITY HOUSE MOM is the tale of my two-year romp as the house director for a female version of Animal House. While celebrating all that is good, magical, and enchanting about sorority life, it also tells what can happen when things go terribly wrong.

auntpeapie (Adult Fiction)

Olivia Howard transitioned from obedient Air Force brat to dedicated wife and mother, but her orderly life is disrupted when she learns her teenage son and his girlfriend are expecting a child. When the idea of adoption is mentioned, she supports their choice, but no one anticipates her proposal to raise the child as her own—a suggestion interpreted as selfless to some, yet selfish by others, including her husband. AN IMAGINED LIFE explores how her decision threatens to unravel the stability she’s endeavored to achieve.

bgheald (Adult Fiction)

Shelby Holt knows she can’t trust her heart but when she meets Chad Graham she doubts she can trust her head either. The new ranch hand looks uncannily like the man she loved--a man whose death she’s determined to prove was no accident.

collie (Literary Gothic)

After her sister's suicide, Doril is sent to care for her reclusive and delusional great grandmother in Swale Hall on the edge of the Yorkshire moors. She becomes immersed in the old woman's imaginary world, gets to know the still passionately loved, long dead,Tristrum, and discovers the misconceptions that caused such anguish in their relationship.

fictionwriter (YA)

A fifteen-year-old American boy vacationing in Paris stumbles into a murder attempt, and plays a dangerous game to solve a puzzle and prevent an international crisis in THE FOGGED MIRROR.

kerribookwriter (YA)

When troublemaking fifteen year old Tina Lilly is sent to live with her grandmother, she has trouble adjusting to the slow way of life in small town Texas . Things suddenly take a turn after she discovers an old journal in the attic which reveals a murder her grandmother committed fifty years earlier.

In this “My So-Called Life meets Veronica Mars” coming of age romantic suspense novel, Tina will learn that sometimes living a lie is the only way to survive the truth.

kph555 (Adult Fiction)

HUNGER IN THE HEART OF GATOR TOWN is a Southern literary novella, with a finished sequel, about a young boy coming to terms with the consequences World War II has had on his family.

His beloved, shell-shocked, and unpredictable, father stages continual games of war to train his son, his bigoted, alcoholic mother blames the misfortune in her marriage on the black soldier whose life her husband saved, and his manipulative, cantankerous grandfather stirs up constant trouble between the two, while Coleman Puttman Bridgeman, III, is in the center of it all, fighting a personal war of survival.

When the boy’s father is suspiciously shot and killed, his grandfather accuses his daughter-in-law, and a bitter estrangement between Coleman and his mother is set in motion, tempered only by the family’s wise gardener and a neighbor girl with family problems of her own.

lauramcneal (Mystery/Suspense)

A young woman is kidnapped and disappears without a trace; three years later, a senator dies mysteriously, their paths linked by fate and the colliding ambitions of others – the head of the state lottery who will stop at nothing to become the next governor and the missing woman’s sister, whose relentless quest to find the truth threatens to bring him down.

Number_One (YA)

With his dad unemployed and money too tight to buy the comic books he pores over with his friends, Prentis Porter thinks eighth grade at his lousy new school can’t get any worse -- until a deadly cafeteria shooting not only leaves him questioning how he mysteriously survived, but his father’s miraculous appearance as it all ended.

His parents now constantly arguing as more losses pound his family, the imaginative teen finds himself increasingly alone, struggling with sometimes terrible revelations about his best friends, teachers, and family as he pursues the greatest secret of all -- the one he's begun to believe his father holds. Is it even possible, or is Prent the victim of his own imagination:

Is his father some kind of real-life superhero?

StevenLevy (YA)

President Lincoln was stabbed to death before being reelected – that’s what history books would say were it not for two daring, clever, and accidentally reeking children from our own time.

Ted and Carin, preteens living with their emotionally broken father in rural Washington State, find an antique key that opens the door on a sweltering afternoon in the other Washington (DC), where the Civil War is raging and conspirators are plotting to kill the president. Somehow, between stumbling into the sewage-ridden Washington Canal, sneaking into the loosely guarded White House only to lose each other in the vast building, and dodging a soldier still angry over his war wounds and a medium who claims she can reveal their future, these two children, out of place and out of time, must stop a murder that would change history – and find their way back home.

Ms. Glick also compiled a list of honorable mentions. They include:

aliciamuhlestein (YA)

Sent to live with her grandmother at Tamlin Manor, Anika learns that someday she will assume her role as heiress of Tamlin and caretaker of the earth--Mother Nature.

When William Shakespeare sends his son to take over his responsibilities at Tamlin and an Arthurian knight is spotted spying, Anika finds herself in the middle of a few mysteries, an ancient love story, and an admirer who is sworn to a secret not even the myths can know.

Amanda_Sullivan (Narrative Non-Fiction)

Families with children diagnosed as having “mental health issues” such as Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, or any of the other devastating names that are becoming so common to our vocabularies, tend to become lost in the psychological community. Usually they have searched for years looking for answers and they are tired and confused by the lingo, the meds, the social difficulties, the entire family feels it and suffers. This book is a parent’s “guide” through counseling and a Pollyanna approach to finding the true beauty in their child.

aprilannerwin (Adult Fiction)

Kianna Ravencamp’s dream has always been to find The One – but being plus-sized is a real hindrance on the romance market; add in the fact that every relationship around her is dysfunctional and she gives up hope that true love like her parents’ is still possible. Instead, she focuses on the next best thing, her dream of being a songwriter. God has bigger things in mind though – like Nick, Jason and Derek - and her journey to fulfill one dream may just upset everything she believes true about romance, herself, and The One.

chazley (YA)

High school holds as many secrets as a UFO crash site, and no one keeps her mouth shut better than Em Hopkins, a lone shape-shifter in a world of ordinary people.

Em can be anyone you want, from Barack Obama to Avril Lavigne; when the need to shift engulfs her, she can be anyone but herself. HOWEVER YOU WANT ME is a novel about identity, lies, and falling in love with the Hawaiian boy next door (or his brother).

cncurtin (YA)

THE UNICORN TAMER is where Greek mythology meets Pokémon, a young adult fantasy about a 13-year-old girl named Emma Brown, whose destiny is to rehabilitate all the endangered species - from the ordinary blue whales to the extraordinary griffons. The problem is her destiny clashes with a Hunter named Theron, who's destined to wipe out the animal race and prove that man is the most powerful beast of all.

When Theron kidnaps her parents, Emma attempts to rescue them and, in the process, inadvertently discovers a leprechaun city, saves a baby unicorn, and changes the fate of all endangered species - ordinary and extraordinary.

dutchhenry (Adult Fiction)

The cancer is winning, and she'll be gone by fall -- but they have one last summer. One hot summer to consummate a lifetime of love, to cry together, laugh together ... remember together. But when a troubled young girl and an injured horse turn to them for help, Mary and Sam Holt's eloquent final goodbye will embrace the labors of lovingly nursing the horse and leaving an enduring, healing mark on the girl.

harriet (Romantic Suspense)

A sgian dhub dagger links the murder of a handsome 34-year-old man in present-day Boston to a vow made by a Scottish ancestor 700 years earlier. The victim’s widow and his wealthy, powerful best friend are determined to uncover the reason for the senseless killing and avenge it. United by a mutual goal, the two find it increasingly difficult to resist a powerful attraction to each other.

LorettaWheeler (Historical Paranormal Romance)

It is the 1800’s in the heart of New Orleans, where above ground graves guard their secrets with moss cloaked tenacity, and where Deidre Devereaux has not only inherited a plantation, but something more…something wicked…something long dead; something that wants her, and her soul.

LynnRush (YA)

Maybe if Emma Martin hadn’t witnessed vampires kill her first true love, she’d be more willing to fall in love again. Despite her best efforts to resists him, Jake Cunningham steals Emma’s heart. But when his family starts triggering her mystical tattoo, which detects the undead, she may be forced to hunt them.

Congratulations to all! Winners, please email me at the address in the sidebar for details on your submission prize.

Big thanks to Mollie Glick for serving as judge, and thanks to everyone who entered. Remember, even if you didn't win our contest you can still query Ms. Glick with your complete and polished project!

Mollie Glick

After graduating from Brown University, Mollie began her publishing career as a literary scout, advising foreign publishers regarding the acquisition of rights to American books. She then worked as an editor at the Crown imprint of Random House, before switching over to "the other side" and becoming an agent at JVNLA (The Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency) in 2003. Mollie's list includes literary fiction, narrative non-fiction, and a bit of practical non- fiction. She's particularly interested in fiction that bridges the literary/commercial divide, combining strong writing with a great plot, and non-fiction dealing with popular science, medicine, psychology, cultural history, memoir and current events. She's very hands-on, working collaboratively with her authors to refine their projects, then focusing on identifying just the right editors for the submissions. In addition to her work as a literary agent, Mollie also teaches classes on non-fiction proposal writing at Media Bistro, and a copy of her instructional article on non-fiction proposal writing will be featured in this year's edition of the Writers Digest guide to literary agents.