Resource Roundup

The second week of 2018 has been more productive than the first, at least. I'm working on my fifth read of the year. I've made a little progress on revisions (though not nearly as much as I'd wanted to by now). I made it to the first writing group meeting of the year. I finally have an idea for the LIBRARIUM story.

I also got hit with a new idea, which means that FETCH might get put on the back burner. Again.

Anyway, one of the things I wanted to do was make a list of all of the resources I've made use of in 2017. I thought about doing this in the last weeks of last year, but other things came up.

By which I mean I got distracted watching a truly staggering amount of Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super (Mommas, don't let your babies grow up to have Funimation subscriptions and '90s anime nostalgia).

I'm focused again now, so I figure it's time to share that list.

This year, I dug around on twitter and on the internet trying to find ways to improve my writing and tips on how to connect with others in the industry. I've cut up the list into categories: hashtags, websites, and podcasts.

HASHTAGS

• #MSWL--the official Manuscript Wishlist hashtag. This is a great place to get an idea of what agents are looking for, and to see if there's someone out there who's looking for a project like yours
• #pubtip--a hashtag where folks in the publishing industry share tips, advice, and insight into how the publishing industry works.
• #querytip-- similar to #pubtip, this hashtag tracks advice specific to the querying stage of the process
• #writetip--writers, agents, editors, and the like share advice on various aspects of writing--from structure, revision, and writer tool boxes to advice on dealing with imposter syndrome and the trials and tribulations of being published
• Various Twitter pitch parties-- there are several opportunities each year to pitch your project on twitter in the hopes of connecting with someone looking for the type of work you do. These hashtags are used on the day of the contest to direct agents and editors to pitches, but on non-contest days, you can sometimes find writing and pitching advice, critique partners, and a supportive community. A few of these hashtags are #PitMad, #DVPit (for diverse, Own Voices authors), #PitchSlam, #SFFPit and #PBPit. You can always do a quick Google search to find more or follow agents on twitter.

 WEBSITES

• The Manuscript Academy--This has been one of my most-used resources this year. Created by an author and an agent, The Manuscript Academy offers classes, critique sessions, and a database of agents and editors for writers to dig through. Whatever issue you're having with your work and whatever experience level you're at, there's something of use here. I've personally gotten query critiques, a first-page critique, a first ten pages critique, and a first fifty pages critique. The "faculty" are agents and editors with bios you can review before booking sessions. The feedback I've received through these sessions has be incredibly valuable. As much as I've complained about the reworks required for Project 2016, it's a much better MS than it was before.

• Writer's Digest--Maybe an obvious inclusion on this list, but Writer's Digest consistently shows up with useful tidbits, announcements, and contests. Here, you can find articles on the writing and publishing process, tips on how to deal with issues in your writing, announcements for new agents, information about writing conferences, and various short fiction contests. 

• The Plot Line Hotline--Where most of the resources listed here are curated by others, the Plot Line Hotline gives writers the opportunity to ask specific questions. Six writers run the website, fielding questions on aspects of the writing process--though they don't take questions on publishing.
• Wendy Heard's Critique Partner MatchUp--Finding feedback is one of the most important parts of revision. Speaking for myself, I frequently can't see the forest for the trees when it comes to judging my own work. I'm not great at finding the things that someone fresh to the story can see. But it is so hard to find someone willing to do a thorough read of 80,000 plus words. This site lets you put your name in to be matched with another author of similar experience and genre. You and your partner can serve as fresh eyes for each other's work. The next round of matches are being made this month, so this is a great time to get in on this.
• Writers Helping Writers (Bookshelf Muse)-- This blog is where the Emotion Thesaurus originated. Here, you can find articles on the craft of writing from plotting to revision and special entries on how to use unexpected aspects of the story to make your work more immersive and specific. 

• Query Tracker--A great resource for querying writers. This site has an easy-to-search database to help you find agents that represent your genre and to keep up with who is open to queries. Basic access is free (and all that I've used, personally), but premium access allows you to keep track of your responses, to view agent data, and track response time. Basic users can view comments and contact information on listed agents. 

PODCASTS

• Writing Excuses--A long-running weekly podcast hosted by a number of published writers. The episodes are short (fifteen minutes, per their tagline), which is great if you're busy. Though the hosts sometimes delve into the publishing industry and process, the main focus of this podcast is craft. Each season has a different theme. This year, the theme is character. Their (lengthy) backlog of episodes is available on their website.
• PubCrawl Podcast--Publishing Crawl is a blog chock-full of writers resources. The PubCrawl Podcast is a specific offshoot of this blog, hosted by an author and an agent. Episode topics range from the mechanics of the publishing industry (they have a whole series on contracts) to aspects of craft and frequently include recommendations for other resources. And books. 
• The Manuscript Academy--Connected to the website mentioned before, the Manuscript Academy podcast is hosted by the website's creators. The episodes range from query critiques, first page reactions, agent Q & As, and information about the publishing industry. 

And that's my list! Hopefully, some of these resources can help you on your writing journey. What are some of your favorite writing resources? Let me know in the comments!

Events, Workshops, and Appearances

This summer has been hectic.

Though things have slowed down in terms of my day job, I've still been doing work. The summer class I'm teaching lasts until the end of the month. I've had the worst month in terms of migraines that I've ever had. I've had two pieces due on deadlines (both are out the door now, thank goodness). And I've been going back to Project 2016 trying to get it in the best possible shape (I've about decided to call in a professional editor to take a look at it--I think I've hit the end of what I know to do to clean it up).

So I've had a fair amount on my plate. But, as I've mentioned before, my ability to use moderation in the creation of my schedule isn't the best. I'm trying to take breaks and get some rest, but I promised myself that 2017 would be the year that I did everything in my power to further my writing. Part of this is wrapped up in working on the writing itself. Part of it is working on promoting the work that I've already got out there. In the coming months, I've got a few workshops, events, and appearances on the schedule. If you want to find my work, check out a workshop, or meet me, check the schedule below.

JULY

July 29--Indies in Indy, Carmel, IN

I won't personally be attending the Indies in Indy event, but Evin's publisher, Foundations, LLC, will have a table. Copies of Evin will be available for purchase. Be sure to say hi to Steve and Laura and to check out the other Foundations books at the event.

AUGUST

August 12-- LitPow Author-Prenuer Workshop, Huntsville, AL

I wrote about going to the Alabama Writers Workshop back in February. That event was an excellent experience, and I noted at the end of my post about it that it was a shame I wouldn't be able to do many similar events.

And then one got scheduled right next door.

Where this workshop differs somewhat from the ALAWW is that there's more time given to platform building and getting a career started. This and the opportunity to get feedback on my first page and to hear what agents are looking for has got me pretty excited for the workshop.

August 19-- Southern Authors Expo, Huntsville, AL Library Main Branch

This day-long event is a combination of panels by authors dealing with different aspects of writing and publishing and a writers market. I'll be there all day with copies of Evin for sale. I'll also be signing copies, so if you're local and have already bought one, bring it by. If the event works the way it has in the past, there will also be door prizes and chances to get your own writing reviewed and critiqued by the participants.

I'll be posting more events as they're scheduled. If you want to keep up with what I'm doing, you can follow me on Twitter or Facebook or check out my website.

ALAWW

Normally my Fridays are spent in my office grading papers, doing course prep, meeting with students, and doing other generic academic grunt work.

But this week I took a day off--from academic work, at least.

As I mentioned in last week's post, I signed up for the Alabama Writing Workshop. The meeting was Friday, so I rescheduled my office hours and, instead of spending the day on campus, I spent it at a hotel in Birmingham, schmoozing with other writers and meeting industry professionals.

I'm a nervous person in general. My anxiety brain never stops coming up with potential scenarios for disaster--which can be great for writing, but is considerably less great when it comes to trying to make a good first impression. I spent a pretty significant portion of the day reminding myself that the goal was to learn more and if that was all I accomplished that would be a victory. I also spent a pretty significant portion of the day reminding myself that I had to do things like breathe and blink and maybe drink some water. My hands shook when I met new people. I tripped over my words and stuttered.

It was awesome.

As someone who's spent the better part of fifteen years trying to make something of my ambitions to write professionally and to get my stories out into the world, I went in with a solid body of background knowledge. I knew about some of the resources mention (I've actually plugged some of them in different blog posts--I'll go back through and make a full list to post soon). I had done a fair bit of the recommended prep work. But even at that, hearing the professionals name check the resources I've been using was encouraging. I frequently feel--and I imagine other writers in positions similar to mine also feel--like I'm treading water. Now, though, I've got a sense that I'm at least treading the right water.

The seminars were led by agents and editors. They dealt with topic ranging from seeking out representation for work, improving writing, making use of social media, and what happens after a book deal is signed. It was a ton of information, and I took pages of notes (and, thankfully, the speakers provided outlines and resources for their talks, so I should be able to review and find what I inevitably missed). And those were just the talks.

The session that met right after lunch was, to me, one of the most informative. It wasn't so much a talk as it was a review. Attendees were told they could bring copies of their first page (sans names, of course) and the panel of agents would read through them--or parts of them--and give critiques. Essentially, the panel members would indicate when a page lost them, when they'd stop reading. My page didn't get read (and I'm actually glad it didn't since this panel was before my scheduled pitching time), but the issues that were pointed out in the pages that were read gave me some insight into how to improve mine.

It was a fantastic insight into how quickly some of these decisions can get made--how vital a strong first page is. It was also an opportunity to learn where the mileage varied for the specific agents on the panel. When they found something that didn't work, they said why. Sometimes it was an issue with the structure, but sometimes it was more subjective. And when panel members disagreed, they said so and explained why.

To me, though, valuable as all of the sessions were, the best part was meeting in-person for a one-on-one session with an agent.

The one-on-one was an addition to the conference--an extra event with an extra fee, and each instance of the fee got one sit-down with one agent. This was another instance where my background research came in handy--adjunct pay isn't great, so I only had enough funds to sit down with one agent. I reviewed the list, checked their websites and MSWL and Publisher's Marketplace (and availability--I registered last minute, so some slots were sold out). The sit-down was a ten-minute conversation, an opportunity to do a quick elevator pitch of the project and to ask and answer questions.

I spent the whole day nervous, but this is where the butterflies got out of hand. I managed--I made it through my pitch without too much word vomit. My hands (and voice) shook the whole time, but not so much that I couldn't be understood. I lost the thread of what I was saying for a second, but I got back on track, and the conversation didn't seem to suffer for it. The agent that I spoke with really did more than politeness demanded to ease my nerves (seriously, she was the nicest person I talked to through the conference--which made pitching that much more pleasant).

I didn't walk away with an offer of representation or a full manuscript request--I didn't expect to. But I did get an invitation to send a sample of Project 2016. And, after my pitch, she asked about other projects related to Project 2016 (some of the things I said in my pitch, she said, suggested that there were more stories)--which she asked for brief pitches for in my submission packet. There are never any guarantees--she liked the idea of the story, but it's still totally possible that my writing style won't be what she's looking for or that the draft flat-out isn't strong enough. But I am so glad--so glad--that I took the chance to talk to her face to face about the project.

It's the most promising lead that I've got so far, and even if it doesn't work out, I know where the strengths and weaknesses of my pitch are better now than ever before. I've got new tools to use as I keep working.

I won't be able to do many of these conferences--again, adjunct pay leaves a lot to be desired--but if I have the chance to go to another, I think I will. If you've been working on a project and are considering a conference, I hope you go. Worst case scenario, you still win--you still come out with more than you had when you went in.

Writers' Conference

This week, I took a big step in furthering my writing career.

I signed up for my first writers' conference.

I've been to conventions before, of course, places where indie authors host panels on different aspects of writing and publishing (self-publishing and small press publishing, usually) and sell their wares.

These experiences have certainly been valuable, but more often than not, the people I've met at conventions are in the same place I am. They've been writing for years. They've sold a few pieces to presses of various sizes, usually on the smaller end of the spectrum. They aren't agented, usually--in fact, I think I've only met one author with an agent at a convention. I've made some good connections at these events, and they're how I first heard of my two current publishers.

But as far as making the transition from being an indie author selling to small presses to deals with larger publishers that won't review a submission from an unagented author, conventions haven't given me what I need.

I've written in the past about my attempts to get an agent so far, where my struggles and successes have been and what I've learned from the process. I've been largely self-educating through this process. I look up articles on how to pitch, I dig through lists of agents trying to find ones who represent my genre and who sound like they might be on the same wavelength as I am. I peruse Manuscript Wish List and I keep up with the Writer's Digest blog looking for new ideas of people to query and tips on refining my pitches.

I've been doing what I can, but what I really want, what I think I need, is guidance. A chance to talk with the people on the other end--to the agents and editors I'm trying to get my work in front of. I want a chance to hear what they themselves have to say and to ask questions, maybe even to sit one-on-one and talk about my pitch, specifically.

There are meetings all over the country that offer opportunities like this--writers' conferences (conferences, not conventions--one's focused more on the craft where the other is a little more sales and entertainment oriented) and writers' workshops hosted by agents and editors that offer panels on querying and critiques and short sit-downs with agents.

But these events tend to end up where there are communities to support them--which tends to translate to larger cities or places that tend to draw a lot of tourists and conventions (and so tend to have better infrastructure for dealing with the influx of people). Which is fine.

Unless you can't afford to travel and live in places that aren't exactly hot spots for convention hosting. Most of these meetings have been out of my price range and too far out of town for me to reasonably make the trip.

So I was pretty excited when the Alabama Writers Workshop was announced. It's close enough to me that I can get to it and, because it's a slightly smaller meeting, it's price tag isn't as big. And it happened to coincide with a pay increase (also a workload increase, but that's another story).

I signed up. I paid my registration fee. I dropped the extra money to get a one-on-one with one of the agents that will be there. Now I've got a little less than a week to iron out my verbal pitch, print copies of my first page for review, do more background research on the agent I'm meeting, and figure out what specific questions I'm going to focus on finding answers to.

I'm not anticipating that I'll walk out of the convention next week with a manuscript request (though wouldn't that be awesome?). But I hope I'll at least leave with a better sense of where I am and what work I need to do to get my project out into the world at the level that I want. I don't know what exactly the experience will bring, but I'm looking forward to it.

And I imagine I'll tell you all about it next week.