Standing At The Base Of Mt. Everest: The Realities of Submission and Revision

So...I apologize for being sort of M.I.A. for awhile but a lot has happened that I've been trying to figure out how to discuss here. Since the main objective of this blog is to document my writing journey and serve as a resource for fellow writers who are on the path, the truth is that I can't just share the good and the hopeful, but I need to share the negatives too. Because sadly, they are as much a part of writing as all the other stuff.

To be honest, the last six weeks have been pretty stressful. After many months of being on submission, getting wonderful feedback overall but no offers, and biting my nails to the quick, BAND GEEK is officially off of submission and did not sell. As you can imagine, this was a huge disappointment. It seems that editors did not think that their teen audiences would readily go for a book with a male protagonist that wasn't a book for boys, and while several even said that it would have been great if the protagonist had been a girl instead, none offered and gave me the chance to flip it and work with them to make it be more of what they were looking for. Editors today are truly looking for books that are already in absolutely perfect shape, which raises the bar ever higher. Fortunately, there is a pool of interest for whatever I write next and an open door to submit, so therein lies the silver lining.

The reality is, I'm not alone in the large group of writers whose first book did not sell. However, our egos always want to believe that we are the exception to the rule. Mine was no different. What kept me sane during the entire submission process, however, was the fact that I was busily writing a second book.

Which brings me to stresser/disappointment #2: I finished the second book, revised it to a place where I felt really good about it and sent it out to my beta readers. The feedback that came back was fairly consistent: It was a great read, very enjoyable and fun, and so tightly written that it was hard to find places to comment. This made me feel on top of the world, naturally, and so I eagerly sent it to my agent, confident he would feel the same. This book had all the positive elements of my first: the humor, the dialogue, a fun premise, plus a female protagonist. I felt like I couldn't miss. However, that was short lived because after my agent read it, he reported back that he felt it still needed a lot of work, and that a lot of missteps I'd made with the first book were present with the second. He suggested I work with a freelance editor/book doctor to help get the book into shape since he thought all the bones were there for a great story but it wasn't there yet.

I was crushed. My confidence and mojo were wiped out in a single blow. It was so unexpected, and perhaps it brought me back down to Earth that I still had much to learn despite how far I've come.

I began working with the editor/book doctor, who was wonderful, and gave me incredible insight into every aspect of my story that wasn't working and why. She helped me brainstorm ways I could punch things up to make them mesh better and be more logical and cohesive. Having now had a month away from the book, she suggested that the first thing I do before undertaking a revision was sit down and re-read the book with an eye to the comments both she and my agent had provided. And you know what? They were spot on.

While this was depressing as hell, it was also a tremendous gift. It gave me the chance to have distance and to rethink and rework and to make this book be the novel it deserved to be and the story I really wanted to tell. A story that at the end of the day actually mattered.

This summer at the SCBWI conference in Los Angeles, editor Elise Howard from Algonquin gave me food for thought like no other presenter when she said that she had a narrow list of titles but went primarily for "stories that matter." It made me reflect on my own writing and how although the dialogue was snappy and snarky and fun and the stories were light and romantic, they might really be missing that something that makes them stay with the reader. So I've been given the chance to do just that.

As I dive into this monstrous revision, I feel like I am standing at the base of Mt. Everest, but I know that in order to follow my dreams, I must embrace the climb. As Ray Bradbury says, "You only fail if you stop writing." So with that as my mantra, I take my first step forward. Admittedly, I'm terrified, but I also know that this is my passion and that I will get there. And I am incredibly fortunate to have an agent who believes in me and has faith in me, as well as a community of family, friends and fellow writers who will cheer me on to the finish line.

So wish me luck. If I'm on here spottily, it hopefully means I'm knee deep in revision and I will check in now and again. What better time to start than NaNoWriMo, right? I guess I picked the wrong week to give up coffee. *sigh*

My Adventures at SCBWI LA Writers Day

This weekend I attended SCBWI LA Writer's Day, which is always a fantastic event. It usually features about 3-4 authors, an agent and an editor, and allows for a more intimate atmosphere than the international conferences to ask questions and meet people. This Writers Day was especially important to me, because an editor who is currently considering my book was present, and it provided me with an otherwise impossible opportunity to connect a face to a name.

As I described to her upon meeting her, she's pretty much a rock star in my world right now. You hold on to a dream an entire lifetime and it finally makes its way to the desk of an editor you admire, and you realize that what it all comes down to is this: Whatever is meant to be will happen. I know, isn't that annoying as hell? But it's true. We can fight, kick, scream, joke to impress, come up with witty one-liners and pat ourselves on the back for making it through the conversation without making all our sentences blur into one out of sheer nervousness, but at the end of the day, it's the work that speaks for us loudest of all.

I also learned via a panel by award-winning author Lee Wardlaw that no matter how many books you publish, there is no guarantee that editors will continue to buy everything you write. She had a seven year lapse in between publication of two of her books, which prompted her now sixteen year old son to joke that he'd forgotten she was a writer. Therefore, it reminds us, as authors, that like any creative endeavor, there are no guarantees, and it is essential to keep producing new stories. We hope to establish long term relationships with editors, but they can change houses or retire or simply not be interested in your book at that time.

We can't fight the universe on any of this stuff. The pool of agents is huge, but the pool of editors is actually quite tiny, and our shot at making it happen is actually terrifyingly smaller than I'd realized. The list of great writers who received representation only to make their first sale with their second, third or even fifth book are quite long. Hopefully, this one will sell, because I do believe in this story, and hope the right editor will connect with it as well. But it underscores the importance of why it is critical to always be working on something new and moving forward.

Predicting the Trends in YA for 2012

The blogs are abuzz with chatter post-Bologna 2012 Children's Book Fair from agents and editors alike talking about what the upcoming trends in YA will be. The truth is, it almost seems like it's anyone's guess, which is refreshing, and feels like it evens out the playing field for all. Perhaps there is a sense that today's YA readers are diverse, and not necessarily just young adults, but like young adults, their interests can vary and change. One minute they may want a good sci-fi novel and the next, curl up with a good mystery, and then get swept up in a good romance. Good news all.

If you watch the listings on Publisher's Marketplace as of late, there seems to be a plethora of books still being bought in the paranormal, dystopian and fantasy realms. However, buzz suggests that psychological thrillers and even science fiction are of particular interest, as stated in informative articles like this one from Publisher's Weekly Online. According to William Roberts, who handles foreign rights for The Gernert Company, dystopian has become "the d-word" and paranormal "the p-word." And agent Sarah Davies tweeted from Bologna that people want melty - as in make you melt into a puddle of goo - romances. Great news for people like me who write contemporary humorous romantic YA! Is the door at last cracking open with an interest to revisit this timeless genre??

Agent Kristin Nelson blogged today on her blog "Pub Rants" that she also didn't know what the next trend was, but she heard lots of people on the plane ride over that the next hot trend could be geeks in young adult fiction, which, of course, would be amazing. I mean, hello? My book is called BAND GEEK? Does it get geekier than that? And there's romance! Did I mention the romance?

On the other side of the fence, as an avid reader and lover of YA, I am excited that my reading choices will be broader. And as a writer, it reinforces in me more than ever the importance of writing what I love to read, because trends constantly change, and eventually what I write may have it's moment to be the flavor-of-the-month. Because I write contemporary romantic YA, it's timeless, and there are always teenagers looking to swoon and fall in love, even if it does not involve vampires, werewolves or zombies.

There's never been a more exciting time to write young adult. Even best-selling adult novelists like Phillippa Gregory and Jodi Picoult, to name a few, are diving in, according to USA Today.

So don't give up because you're feeling discouraged that what you write isn't what is "in demand." Right now, everything is wide open, and what is selling, at the end of the day, is quality writing. The stories that make you curl your toes, stay up late and keep turning the pages. A solid story with memorable characters, a strong voice, and a unique take on events stands out regardless of genre. Remember who you are writing for - yourself and your audience - NOT agents and editors. Write the story you want to tell, and believe that the reader will appear.

Switching Gears

This was a pretty crazy week. I was in the thick of writing my new work-in-progress and the words were flowing fast and furious, the momentum building, and then, mid-sentence, I got a phone call from my mother that my Aunt had passed away. It was unexpected, she was only 66, and suddenly my parents had more than they could handle to deal with alone. I shelved the book and in less than 24 hours found myself on a plane to New York City to help them take care of things. Not quite the trip to New York City I'd been planning and imagining for so long - the one where I finally get to meet my agent and have lunch with my future editor and explore the city. Instead, I got a close up look at the little things we miss when we immerse ourselves in our work "too much." Simply, life. What goes on around us while we are in our writing cave, busily immersed in a world other than our own, hoping to remain undisturbed to crank out our story.

I realized, as I sat on that plane, how little time of late I've actually spent with my parents, because I've been so consumed with writing and querying and savoring every precious minute my kids are gone to get that writing done. I realized, as I walked around that amazing city, how infrequently I actually get outside and breathe and take in the sights and sounds of all that is around me, and shake up my daily experiences. And I was reminded, yet again, of the fragile and temporary nature of our human relationships, and how moments of sadness can draw us close together and remind us of what is really important.

Upon returning from New York, I tried to re-hone my focus to dive back into my new book, but then word came from my agent that he wanted me to make a few revisions we had discussed before sending BAND GEEK out to some editors. Now, not only had I let go of this other book while fully immersed in it, but I was being asked to slip back into the skin of characters I'd already let go of. They talked different, they lived in a different world, they were funny and snarky and my new characters were much more intense and serious and dealing with big issues.

Turns out, this was a gift. Having been away from BAND GEEK allowed me to attack it with fresh eyes, and finding my voice and my footing turned out to be no problem once I got started. In fact, it was as comfortable as putting on your favorite pair of sweats after a long day. It was actually a much-needed break from the intensity of the other project, and yet another chance from the universe to make BAND GEEK as perfect as it can be, working with various feedback I've gotten along the way. In turn, it will ultimately give me distance from my current project that will allow me to return to it with a mind blazing full of ideas.

Life demands that we be flexible and roll with the tide daily. Instead of looking at scenarios where you can't write as unfortunate, look at them as the gifts they are - allowing you distance that can in turn offer greater insight and perspective. What you see when you read your work after two months apart will be hugely different than just a week later. And as much as it feels like the pressure is on to write, write, write or you are wasting time, take a page from Ferris Bueller - "Life's short. If you don't look around once in a while you might miss it."

How Reading Craptastic Writing Makes You A Better Writer

There is absolutely nothing more satisfying to me than reading a fantastic book, being completely drawn in by the characters, description and dialogue and immersing myself in their lives. By contrast, there is nothing more frustrating, as a writer, and as a reader, than investing your time and the writing is just blah, the story pointless and the ending unsatisfying. However, there is just as much to be learned from utterly craptastic writing, if not more, than great writing.

Case in point: This weekend I read a YA novel that I had been looking forward to reading for some time. It is in the genre I love, the storyline had me completely hooked in, the author had written an earlier book that had been successful and this had received advance praise, and I anticipated a thoroughly satisfying read. Um, not so much. (Obviously, this is totally subjective and just my opinion - clearly the publisher took a different view, and you might as well.) Because I read so many books in this genre, I was immediately able to spot exactly wasn't working for me, and why, and make a conscious point when writing my own work to not employ any of these mistakes. (At least not consciously, and hopefully that's what crit partners and beta readers are for!) The purpose of this post is not to bash the writer or the book, but merely to serve as a template for showing how what didn't work can truly make or break a story for your reader. So, without further delay, here is my list of writing pet peeves, which an author-who-shall-not-be-named did an excellent job of bundling together in one book:

UNLIKEABLE CHARACTERS THE READER DOESN'T CARE ABOUT
This story primarily focuses on a relationship that evolves over the years between the male main character and his female best friend. At no point did I ever see or feel what bound these characters together, other than history, and both of them were fairly surface, if not unlikeable. Just giving your characters a few likes, dislikes and quirks does not give them a personality, nor does making them angst-ridden and moody make them "troubled" and make me care what happens to them. In fact, one of the characters was so completely "angry" that I wondered from early on why the hell the male main character didn't run like hell. Instead, he starts to fall for her, wanting to "save" her, and based on the way she talks to him and treats him, not to mention what a self-proclaimed stud he is, the reader can't imagine why. The thrill of the chase? Is he just that desperate? A masochist? It's one thing to draw wounded characters, but you must still give them some redeeming qualities that make the reader root for them and have compassion for them. Think of Matt Damon's character in the movie "Good Will Hunting."

DIALOGUE THAT GOES ON FOR PAGES AND PAGES WITH NO PURPOSE OR ACCOMPANYING ACTION
I love great dialogue, especially when it helps propel the story in a way description simply can't. However, I hate just reading page after page of characters talking about absolutely nothing. And just sitting at a coffee shop shoving food around on their plate with their fork over and over while doing it. For six pages. It's worth it to sit with long passages of dialogue and figure out what the objective of the scene is and how what the characters are saying to one another furthers the story. Otherwise, it just feels like filler.

OVER-DESCRIPTION
Nothing helps paint the picture of the character and their surroundings, or the action at hand, than great description. However, over-description can get boring and lead the reader to skim. Is the author just describing the same thing over and over in a myriad of ways? If so, it starts to feel like gratuitous words on a page, or a writer just enjoying hearing himself speak. When this pattern repeats itself a multitude of times over the course of several hundred pages, you isolate the reader.

ONE-DIMENSIONAL UNREALISTIC PARENTS
Parents come in all shapes and sizes, and can be integral characters in a YA novel or peripheral, minor characters. However much they make an appearance, the rules for creating them as three dimensional beings are no different than it is for the main characters. To have parents that say "sweetie, sweetheart, honey, sugar, etc." at the end of every sentence when addressing teens, particularly their own, seems stilted to me, unrealistic and one-dimensional. I may have talked like that to my daughter when she was three or five, but I don't talk to my sixteen-year-old or his friends that way. I I did, he'd probably ask me if I was feeling all right. :) If the character is going to talk like that, back them up with character traits that help explain why. Are they over-protective and always tend to treat the main character like a child despite their age? Are they medicated and spacey half the time? Self-absorbed and dismissive and not even really listening to what the teen is saying? Do you know a lot of people who talk this way in real-life? What are their personalities like? For some reason, I have noticed that giving parental dialogue the short shrift is not uncommon in YA, and I often give these passages of dialogue extra time and review in my own. Part of this has to do with the age of the writer as well. I know before I had kids, it was hard to write parental dialogue with the same ease and truth as it is now that I'm down and dirty in the trenches of it.

GRATUITOUS DEVICES: I.E. CHAPTER NAMES THAT SERVE NO PURPOSE
I actually love when writers use funny chapter names that tie in to the context of the story. It draws me deeper in. In my own novel, BAND GEEK, each chapter of my novel starts with the title of a Beatles song. The main character is a ginormous Beatles fan, and the Beatles play a minor role in the story itself. Additionally, the "theme" of each chapter ties in nicely with the titles of their songs, so I used it. An editor or a reader may not agree, because using chapter names can also be viewed as a cheap or gratuitous device if not used effectively. Case in point: using a song title when the chapter has nothing to do with that song, or the idea the song brings, and not being consistent by using the song titles throughout each chapter. For example, if I titled the first three chapters after Beatles songs, then randomly titled a chapter "Dating For Beginners" and then the next "My Life As A Goldfish" and then the next was named after a Duran Duran song fro the '80's, it's distracting and makes the reader wonder, frankly, what the point is. Bottom line: Be consistent. Use it effectively, or don't use it at all.

What are some of the things that drive you crazy when you see them in books that you pay close attention to in your own writing?

The Do's and Don'ts of Using Song Lyrics In Your Writing

The main character in my novel BAND GEEK is a major Beatles fan, and I decided the perfect way to capture that and weave it together with the story was to start each chapter with a lyric from a Beatles song that encapsulated the action and essence of that chapter. Sounds perfect, right? Not as simple as it sounds. There's a little something that stands in the way of that called "copyright infringement." So what's a writer to do when you absolutely, positively must use that song but you don't want to be sued within an inch of your life, and further, what can you do legally?

Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater just yet. First of all, you or your publisher may indeed be able to obtain the rights to use the lyrics, but usually for a fee. Depending on the artist, this fee may range from minimal to larger, but it can add up quickly if you intend to use lots of them. For a newbie writer, this may not be worth the cost to you or your publisher because obviously any money spent takes away from the money made. If you are a more established writer with a track record, this may not be as big a deal and an investment your publisher deems worthwhile if it significantly helps your story.

The rights holder may let you use the lyrics for free on a temporary basis, provided the author is not making any money off of their use, but always contact them and check before just doing so. However, if you intend to circulate the work widely (i.e. contests, writing workshops, etc.) you should probably contact them and let them know the nature of how the work will be circulated, and know that if it sells you will need to secure permission to use those lyrics properly. Once it sells, you will need to contact them again and enter into a contract agreement, they will tell you what the fee is, and you move forward from there. There is no hard and fast fee schedule because fees can vary based on artist and also the amount of lyrics used. If it proves to be too costly, or your publisher is not willing to go there, you may have to scrap the idea entirely.

BUT - there is still something you CAN do. Since a song title cannot be copyrighted, you can use just the song title, surrounded by double quotes, provided the title does not use whole lines of the song. If it does, these songs can be the rare exceptions whose titles are protected under the copyright infringement laws, so the best bet is still to contact the rights holder in these cases to make sure you are still within the fair use guidelines.

So how do you go about contacting these rights holders? The best place to start is by performing a Google search using the title of the song and then the keywords 'sheet music.' The sheet music will often reveal the music publisher, but definitely look at several sources because sometimes songs can be produced in different arrangements by different publishers. You can then contact the publisher directly. If you are still unsure, look up the song in the databases for the major music rights holders such as ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. If you have access to a music lawyer, they can also be a great resource for helping you obtain permissions and make sure you're doing everything above board, but keep in mind they need to get paid too. Once you get the music publisher's information, write them and tell them you are looking to obtain a print license, and what song lyrics you are interested in using.

I, personally, opted to use just the song titles in my case, as it seemed like a very costly venture to go down that road since there were twenty or so chapters, but I will always wish I had been able to include the actual lyrics because they really did work so well within the context of the story. You have to decide what's right for you, not to mention what's in your budget.

So what's the worst that could happen if you don't do all this and you just opt to use the lyrics anyway? The music publisher could sue you and not only would you end up having to pay all those usage fees anyhow, but also court fees and maybe some other fees as well. In the end, it could end up costing you far more than the original cost of the usage fees and also damage your reputation as a writer. Not worth it.

And last but not least, how about using a song title as the title of your book? The good news is: because titles cannot be coyrighted, you're safe there, unless it infringes on a trademark or brand name. Many books are named after songs, but the gray area is if the CONTENT of your book is the story within the song. Then that would, indeed, be considered copyright infringement.

Bottom line: When in doubt, ask before acting!

The post where I get to announce I have an AGENT!!!!

Wow. I would be lying if I told you I haven't dreamed about writing this post. The thrill of actually finding a person that champions my story and my writing with as much passion as my mother does is, quite honestly, one of the most incredible feelings on Earth.

Two years. 9 revisions. Lots o'queries, the bulk of which were long before the book was truly ready to query. 16 Fulls, 3 partials, many rejections. I truly felt, at times, like I was on a roller-coaster. After all this time, and so many mistakes, the book was FINALLY ready and where I wanted it to be. But was it too late? And then, something happened that changed everything.

Do you ever meet someone and just know that they were brought into your life for a reason? Something about the moment you meet seems super-charged, as if the universe were orchestrating this moment into play for a very specific reason? I felt like that when I met YA author Jessica Brody at a writing workshop she led this past November. Our instant banter led to an easy friendship, and she was kind enough to pay it forward and offer me up a referral to her agent, Bill Contardi at Brandt and Hochman. She couldn't sing his praises enough, and she was also honest in saying that he had never once signed anyone she'd referred, but she encouraged me to go for it. I did, and Bill responded instantly, requesting the full, and then, last night, I got "the email", the one I'd read about on so many blogs where the agent says they loved your book and would like to set up a time to talk to you.

I have to be honest and say that I had to read the email three times at least before I screamed and called my family downstairs, because I'd grown accustomed to seeing, "I read BAND GEEK and I really liked it BUT . . ." This one said that too, but there was no BUT. Bill is an unbelievable agent. He not only represents Jessica, but Alyson Noel, who is one of my favorite YA authors, like, EVER! He's well respected and has worked in publishing for close to 30 years, including having a background in film and handling the film rights for clients like Meg Cabot and Ursula LeGuin. Holy cow!

The feelings racing through my brain and body were indescribable. How can you put words to that moment where suddenly everything you've worked for and dreamed of might possibly be one step closer to fruition?

Five minutes on the phone with Bill the next day, and I knew he was the right one for me. He loved the book, the voice, the character, and is as passionate about the project as I am. He has vision for where to send it and what it's future potential might be. In that moment, I got what all those blogs are saying. You shouldn't just sign with someone because they are interested in your project, nor should you mourn the ones that said no because you thought they seemed so perfect. You should go with your gut. The person you say yes to should be as excited as you are about your work, and not one iota less. And you can hope that when they send your work out into the world, their excitement can't help but be contagious. The "no's" are a gift, because they are clearing the path for the right one.

So the journey continues, and now the road merges in a new direction. I've never been so excited to hurry up and wait anew.

Immerse Your Senses and Jump Start Your Writing

I tend to be a very visual person. Perhaps it's from my film background, but I have to envision the whole picture when I write. In a film, one of the biggest contributors to mood setting is music. Can you hear "If You Were Here" by the Thompson Twins and not think of Molly Ringwald sitting on the dining room table with Jake Ryan and a birthday cake? Or "Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds and not think of all things "Breakfast Club"?

I cannot suggest enough that when you write, you create a playlist that echoes the different scenes and voices in your story. For example, when I wrote my novel BAND GEEK, I listened to "I've Got A Feelin'" by the Black Eyed Peas the entire time I wrote the Homecoming scene. It was perfect. It was loud and fun and noisy and made me picture a dark gymnasium awash with crepe paper and overly-hormonal teens dancing. It set the mood. And because I tend to write visually, the scene played out in my head much like a movie. The music alone can inspire images and ideas to spring forth. Often, I will hear a song and add it to my playlist for a particular book because I know it will be the perfect thing to listen to when I write the breakup scene, or a kissing scene, or a road trip scene. I try and create a separate playlist for each book I work on, and often I listen to it when I'm driving (since I'm probably schlepping my kids in the car when I'm not writing) in the hopes that it might spark something then too.

Another useful device for setting the writing mood and bringing you deeper into your story is any kind of aromatherapy. For me, it's scented candles. I have an, er, slight addiction to Bath and Body Works scented candles, I confess. Yankee Candle is pretty darn good too. They offer such a variety of unique scents like Winter Night, Mountain Leaves, Sand and Sea, Storm Watch, etc. If you are writing a scene that takes place in the forest, burning a Fresh Balsam candle can make you feel like you're there. And if that doesn't work for you, at least your house is going to smell really really good.

If your story takes place in an environment that is locally accessible to you, go take some pictures of the places you are writing about. Tack them up on a bulletin board and have them around you while you write. If you can't get there but the images you need are available on the internet, Google them and print them out.

In other words, immerse your senses fully in the experience.

What I've Learned Thus Far

So, here I am, two years in to this journey, and I do feel slightly farther down the path than when I started. Although I still have not found that perfect agent, nor had the thrill of holding my published book in my hand, I have learned so much, and in the end, it can only stand to make me a stronger, better writer.
JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE FOUND THE PERFECT AGENT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE PERFECT FOR YOU These past few weeks, a couple of friends of mine have taught me a lot about the realities of having an agent. When we're new, we query everyone we can in the hopes that someone will bite. Admittedly, we are just so excited to see our words in print and our dream realized that we are not truly as selective as we should be. Finding the perfect agent has been likened to a marriage - you want to be in this relationship a long time, so you should be able to look at the world the same way, to communicate effectively, to get along well and mutually get what you need from one another. You would not pick a guy to date simply because he's the next guy to walk through the door, so why should you pick an agent simply because they are the next name on the list? Take the time to research them, to know what kinds of books they like, to hear feedback on their personalities and the ways they communicate (or don't), and assess if they would truly be the right fit for you. THEN query. And what if you find your dream agent and they don't want YOU? That's the part that's the toughest of all - to remember that it may not be THIS project that brings you together, and that you must keep writing, and with each book comes a new opportunity to connect.
YOU MUST KEEP WRITING It's hard to let go of a project, or put it on the shelf, when you've invested so much time and energy into it. But sometimes it's necessary. The reality is, if you do not keep writing and have something new, when you get "the call," an agent is going to know what else you've got and if you have nothing, that may not be what they're okay with hearing. After all, at the end of the day, publishing is a business, and they can't make money if they don't have a project to sell. Nor can you. So, although some days I just want to dive in and re-tweak just one more scene, or just query, or not write at all, I remind myself of the harsh reality that THIS book may or may not be the one, and I need to keep moving. I currently have two books I'm working on, and we'll see which one makes it to the finish line first.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO SURROUND YOURSELF WITH WRITERS I cannot stress enough the importance of having writer friends and surrounding yourself with them, whether in person at the local coffee shop to write together, at a conference, or online in forums, on blogs, or any other social media site. We are a strange breed, and can understand each other and it often helps to have that extra boost of support when we need it most. They are a wonderful resource to find out about upcoming events, promotion of your work when it's ready, information about agents, publishers, and the industry in general. And when you're talking about writing or sitting and actually doing it together, you're much more likely to feel inspired and keep on keeping on. Writing is a solitary business, and it's easy to let the self-doubt creep in, especially in an industry where things move at a snail's pace and you might not hear a peep for months.
WRITE WHAT YOU LOVE If you write what you love, chances are, it will show in your writing. There is something authentic and true that shines through when a writer is passionate about their subject matter. Although I enjoy reading a well-written paranormal now and then, I write (and love) contemporary romantic/humorous YA. I like characters I can relate to, situations that I may have been in or would love to be in, young romance that makes me swoon like I was sixteen years old all over again. For many teens, a good book is an escape, and if I can make someone laugh or look at their world in a different way, I have done all I set out to do as a writer. I know where my strengths are. That said, it's not that I don't advocate moving out of your comfort zone to challenge yourself by writing something that isn't your norm - I think that's a GREAT exercise to do - but write for YOU. Write what you love. Don't worry about getting agented and getting published for now, or what the latest trends are and how to meet them. Like fashion, everything comes around again in its own time, so write what moves you.
DON'T GIVE UP One of my most prized possessions is the signed title page from Laurie Halse Anderson's novel TWISTED. Laurie did a one-on-one critique for me at the SCBWI LA conference, and she told me she absolutely loved my book and I should have no problem selling it. She told me I'd nailed the voice and the writing was nearly flawless. I laughed and told her from her mouth to an agent's ears. She made me promise I would never give up, that I clearly had talent as a writer and must remember this is a process, and a long one at that. And she signed her book for me "To Robin: Who is not allowed to stop writing Love, Laurie". Every time I feel that niggling self-doubt filling up the silence and the dead space, every time I stare at that blinking cursor and wonder what the heck I'm going to write next, every time I stare at that inbox longingly in the hopes it will light up with great news, I think about that. It may well be one of the greatest gifts anyone has unknowingly given me in my lifetime, and it is truly then that I realize how subjective it all is and press on.

Me with Laurie Halse Anderson, amazing writer and fellow band Mom, who continues to inspire me daily.

My summer vacation...writer style

Although my summer has been deprived of writerly events thus far like ALA and ComiCon, I have been able to live vicariously through the blogs of fellow writer friends who were there, and am excited for SCBWI LA, which is right around the corner. That event changed my life last year, introducing me to wonderful people and instilling me with confidence and strength I didn't even know I had to press forward and pursue this crazy dream.

I have spent this summer tweaking, revising, querying like a madwoman, working on not one but two WIP, and above all, reading. I have probably read close to 75 YA novels this summer, and while part of it was just to know what is popular, what is getting published and why, it has been the best education in writing I could ever hope for. There is much to be learned from both good AND bad writing. When I read, I will often sit there with spiral notebook and pen in hand, scribbling down passages where the author described something so perfectly, or wrote a witty comment that made me snort out loud. When I see how someone does something well, when faced with a similar situation in my writing, I can refer back to that and see how to incorporate those descriptions and word choices into my own to make it stronger. One of the biggest things I've learned is about showing, not just telling. Writing a line of dialogue followed by "he said" is far less effective than writing the line of dialogue preceeded or followed by a description of the expression on the character's face or what was in his/her head at the moment. The reader can still tell who is doing the talking but they are drawn deeper into the story and the emotions of the moment by this one small change. (Thank you Stephanie Perkins, especially, for that one!)

The agent search still continues, and this summer has shown a flurry of interest, which has been equally exciting and nerve-wracking. It's hard to keep in perspective sometimes just how long this road is, and that you need to keep the three P's in mind: Positivity, Persistence and Patience. I think the last one might be the hardest for me. I'm from a long line of impatient women. :)

Summer is winding down, and soon my kids will be back at school and quiet will return again, restoring my house to my writing sanctuary where I can blast my playlist and write uninterrupted by the strains of Disney Channel or Xbox or making lunches. I'm trying to savor the moments in between with my kids, because truly I learn so much from them and infuse it into my writing as well. They are ten and almost sixteen, and I am blessed with the rich opportunity of being able to re-live those ages again daily through their stories and experiences (minus the acne and the bitchy girls).

I am savoring every minute of the journey, and eagerly await the next chapter.

Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans....

So it's been forever and then some since I've updated this blog. In that time, I revised the novel completely and then re-entered query hell. I tried to embrace it as a process rather than something to be dreaded or feared. This was an essential step - putting the book (and myself) out there, knowing that just as in life, some people would think it's terrific and want to hang out more and others would decide it's not for them and move on. I keep reminding myself that I have yet to meet an author who wasn't rejected hundreds of times before landing their agent or their first book deal, and this is part of the journey.

And at the end of the day, all it takes is one yes.

And then, a blip occurred. I lost a close friend of mine, and suddenly my proverbial snow globe was shaken up. I couldn't even begin to think about querying, let alone working on the new novel I'd started, and with each passing day, I lost the resolve I'd worked so hard to build.

Then, a light bulb went off.

It's okay. It's important to take time to grieve, to take in all these feelings, to fully feel this experience, and somehow know that one day, this will be useful. Because the truth is, we write best what we know. And as painful as this experience has been, it can only ultimately add depth to my writing, to make it more authentic, and provide me with yet another topic which I can write about with authority and honesty. I'd rather it wasn't in my list of life experiences, granted, but I knew that I was starting to feel better when suddenly what I was feeling was also sparking ideas of how to exorcise that pain through my writing. The story is not fully formed, but it lays in it's embryonic state, waiting to be fleshed out when I am ready. I know that there will be healing in writing it, and ultimately, it too may move or touch someone.

It's hard not to feel discouraged when you're on a linear path pursuing what you want and life throws you detours and roadblocks, but the most important thing is to realize that sometimes your story can actually lie in the detours and roadblocks even more than on the path you originally envisioned. Be open to the world around you and take in your experiences, big and small. You never know where your story lives and only you can tell it.

The Highs and Lows of Rejection

Summer is over, the kids are back to school, and once again my house is filled with the sweet sounds of silence that mean only one thing - time to get writing again. Mug of coffee at the ready, check. High carb salty snacks with a chocolate chaser. Check. Inspiration and motivation. Now where'd I put that again?

This is an interesting part of the journey for me. I started writing Band Geek a year ago at this time, and every day the words flowed as if channeled from somewhere else. No writer's block. I felt certain when I started writing again, this book would come the same way, but no, apparently not. Instead, two stories showed up, each fighting for my attention, one middle grade and one YA. I started one, then flip-flopped to the other. Now I'm writing both simultaneously, and trying to maintain my sanity while awaiting the response to my partial and full requests that are dangling out there. It's daunting to start a new project without the first one having been sold, let alone agented. It eats at my resolve, especially each time my inbox lights up with another rejection, and I have to remember, this is part of the process. I can do this.

At first, the rejections felt personal - how could they not? I tried to remind myself that writing is subjective, and just as I do not fall in love with every movie or book that critics love, so will it be the same for my own work, but I have to have faith that one day, someone will read it and connect. Instead of making a bonfire with rejection e-mails and toasting marshmallows and throwing myself a pity party, I realized that maybe these rejections were actually doing me a huge favor. Maybe they were forcing me to take a step back and put some time and distance between me and my book and let me come at it anew with fresh eyes and a list of comments and suggestions from those few agents and fellow writers who had graciously taken the time to offer them up.

Recently, I went to a meeting of my local SCBWI chapter, and one of the authors there said that "Your book is never done. Even when it's published, it's never perfect. You can always find things you want to go back and change." True that. Just because my book is "done" doesn't mean it's ever really "done". If an agent falls in love with it, chances are they will have a take on what they feel it needs to make it even better, and the publisher will have an even bigger list. In many ways, rejection almost has more value than praise for a writer. I think it makes us BETTER writers. Sure, it feels good for someone to say your work is wonderful, don't get me wrong, but when someone really takes the time to tell you what DOESN'T work, that is actually the greatest gift of all. It gives us the building blocks to rework our stories in ways that can serve to make them stronger that we may be too close to the work to see.

I'm thankful for each and every person that has had the courage along the way to be honest and take time out of their busy lives to help me make my work the best it can be. The old saying goes "That which doesn't kill us only serves to make us stronger." Well, I'm still alive and kicking, and though I may be down for the count momentarily each time a new "no" comes, I know if this is what I want, if this is what I'm passionate about, if this is what I MUST do, then I always have to get back up again.


So don't give up. Keep writing. Keep moving forward. There are many stories within each of us.

My first SCBWI conference...a.k.a. What It Felt Like To Be A Real Writer For 48 Hours

It's been awhile since I've posted as summer has hit and I've been in mommy mode rather than up to my neck in query letters and writing and revising (and revising again) the synopsis and the novel. At this moment, I am entering week 8 of a 6-8 week window of hearing back from an agent who has my full manuscript, and got to meet him at my first SCBWI conference and told him "Dude, you owe me a manicure - I've bitten off all my fingernails," which, thankfully, made him laugh.

The SCBWI conference was amazing. I met so many incredible authors doing exactly what I want to do, and hearing their individual stories of the road to get where they are today echoed my own, which gave me lots of hope. I attended some amazing panels and breakout sessions led by bestselling YA authors and top agents, and garnered information that was invaluable and I will put to use every time I sit down in front of my computer to write for the rest of my life. But most of all...for 48 hours...I felt like a real writer. I cannot recommend this experience enough to any writer at any stage of their career. The people I met were so welcoming, despite the fact that they were all published and enjoying their respective successes. They were absolute cheerleaders for where I was at, having been there not so long ago themselves. A couple offered up referrals to their agents, which can make all the difference in the world for getting one's foot in the proverbial door. The key to any real success, the kind that really matters and makes you well respected within your community of peers, is remembering the importance of paying it forward. Sitting amongst a sea of 1100+ people, all doing or wanting to do exactly what I've wanted to do all my life, I felt exhilarated, inspired and all the more motivated to thicken my skin and press on, because if they can do it, why can't I?

I woke up today and sent out six more query letters (and got one rejection back right off the top but that's okay!) I realized I can't just sit around waiting for things to unfold, I have to press on and be proactive, and much like throwing pasta against the wall, eventually something is bound to stick.

Now my mind is swirling with ideas for the next book. Originally I intended to write a YA romance/road trip book but now my mind is buzzing with ideas for a middle grade story, as that seems to be the newest trend the marketplace is hungry for. That said, I'm not one who ever really wants to chase trends - I write because I can't not write. I write the stories I want to read, the kind of stories I loved as a kid about real kids in contemporary settings that I could relate to, that made me laugh, that made me root for them, that gave me hope. When I wrote as a kid, I never wrote for others - I wrote for myself, and the words flowed. It's tempting to write for others - but at the end of the day, I think we need to write for ourselves, the stories we NEED to tell and want to tell, because that authentic voice will shine through.

The waiting is the hardest part

5/24/10

Hi everyone! I decided to join this century and set up my own blog to help chronicle my road to publication (positive thinking!), discuss great new books I've been reading, music I can't stop listening to, links to writing tips and websites I think are invaluable for the writing process, and most of all, a place to vent! Welcome!

So as anyone who has known me for a while can tell you, I've wanted to write since I'm about three. At 13, I wrote a novel that I submitted to the then editor-in-chief of the children's division at Putnam Publishing Comapny, and that got me a meeting with her in New York. I remember walking into the marbled and esteemed lobby of this incredible place with my mom, thinking myself very dressed up in a tan blazer and pleated cords, overwhelmed by just how much I wanted to be a part of the writing world. The editor told me I was not quite ready for publication but handed me a stack of books by writers whom she said wrote in a similar style to myself, and suggested I read them and study for them, and above all else, keep writing and feel free to send her anything I wrote without even a query from that point on. Naturally, at that point I was a teenager, and shortly thereafter became more interested in boys and a social life than writing, so I sadly let this opportunity slip away. The dream of being a writer, however, remained a constant. It was just simply...dormant.

I wrote here and there over the years, went through the UCLA Screenwriting program and completed a screenplay, but when I finished it, I was nearly nine months pregnant with my daughter Katie, so I opted not to shop it around, and then once again, life had other plans and I devoted myself to being a full-time stay-at-home-mom. However, I turned 40 last year and it was like something hit me hard. It was time. This could no longer be back-burnered. It was time to stop dreaming about being a writer and do the work. A famous writer friend of my parents once said that "You're not a writer unless you're writing." I didn't like that answer, and so it helped to propel me forth and face my biggest fear in the whole process - rejection.

I started writing "BAND GEEK" in the fall of 2008. I wrote the first 11 pages and put it away. I took it out again in the fall of 2009 and committed myself to a writing routine of writing Monday through Thursday from 8:45-1 while the kids were in school. It worked. I completed the novel in seven months, and honestly, I never once experienced a day of writer's block. The words just flowed. I think part of the reason was because I'd never had a story idea delivered to me in one piece like this before - characters so clearly developed, a unique hook and an ending. Ironically, as I wrote the book, the ending changed, and I hope the one I came up with will satisfy the reader far more.

I started making revisions, passed it around for feedback, and when I felt it was tight and solid, began working on the dreaded query letter. Oh. My. God!!!! Writing that was waaaaay harder than writing the actual book. It was so incredibly daunting to boil down 303 pages to two paragraphs and include all the key details, let alone figure out how to format in Apple Mail from a Microsoft Word document, which apparently remains one of life's greatest mysteries along with where the other missing sock went , so I'm in good company. And then...the synopsis!!!! Hang me from the tallest tree right now. That was even worse!! And the most frustrating part is...these two documents, which barely capture the flavor and voice of the book enough to do it justice, are what will win over an agent and/or an editor. I've got basically 45 seconds to wow them and then they turn off my spotlight.

I got my first rejection a record 43 minutes after I sent the first query (thank you Nathan Bransford!! I still think your blog is awesome!!!) and several others followed suit ranging in response time from hours to weeks to the dreaded not at all. And so...I wait. I continue to query, I sit on my hands, I bite my nails to the quick, and I hope beyond hope that my chance will come, that someone will believe in what I wrote and think it's fantastic. At least, someone that isn't a blood relative