Creating a Valentine: Writing Realistic Love Stories

Hi everybody! Happy Valentine's Day! I know a lot of people absolutely hate this holiday, but I definitely don't. Anyone who knows anything about me will tell you that an entire holiday devoted to hearts and candy and romance is right up my alley. So to celebrate, I'm going to talk to you guys about love... in your writing!

So often I see writers struggle with romance. Love stories are hard! Especially when you're trying to create a romance that builds in a genuine way. I can't even count the number of times I've been talking to a writer about their romance and they tell me, "I know what I want them to be like. I know that I want them to be special, but it just comes out like everything else out there."

And therein lies their problem. People, in general, tend to gravitate toward the mundane when it comes to romance. It's so easy to fall into cliches when writing a love story. The love interest shows up for the first date with a single red rose. They go to a candlelit dinner, and then stroll through the town, talking about their hopes and dreams. Then comes the built up first kiss at the door, and it's over. And none of these things are bad.

But they're not original either. What I'm talking about is creating moments between your characters that are uniquely them, and not just for their dates, or the things they do once they're together. From the very beginning.

Why do these two people love each other? Where does it start? WHY does it build? If you want a genuine romance, you have to give them something to connect to.

Let me give you an example. Let's say we have two characters. I'll name them... William and Lola. Now when this scenario here starts, William and Lola don't know each other at all. They're complete strangers, at the starting line, no previous contact. It's a blank slate.

So how do we get them from 0-60? From first meeting to true love? They could meet through a mutual friend. They could run into each other in the street. They could both reach for the last mimosa at a New Years party. They could meet up on an online dating service. Your options are almost limitless, which is part of the problem.

99% of those options probably won't mean anything to your characters.

Without that substance, without a reason to root for these two people, and tangible reasons for their feelings, there's nothing there but two people who fall in love for the sake of your story. And that'll never be enough.

In order to avoid this, you have attempt to create two characters with their own goals, their own paths within your story, and then make those paths cross in a way that makes sense. In a way that's theirs alone.

So, back to our example, what if William's last girlfriend died a while before the book begins, and he has to drive all of her stuff back home to her family? What if Lola is hitchhiking her way across the country during her year off from school to put some distance between her an an abusive ex? What if William see's Lola being hit on by a sleazy truck driver at a diner and then ends up offering her a ride? They're both struggling with things, but they're thrown together within the story by those things they're battling. It's not just a chance meeting of two people who are perfect for each other over a mimosa. It's the beginning of a story that's uniquely theirs. This battle to get over grief and heartache while on a journey across the country.

Complete with all the awkwardness a
journey like that would generate.

It's also about creating moments that are unique to them. Keeping with the same example, William and Lola could start off barely talking, and then William finds out they love the same band, and a few longing looks later, they're going at it in the backseat. But where's the substance there?

Insta-love is my most hated thing in books. I want to know WHY they feel that spark. I want to see it build into a flame, and then combust the both of them. I want reasons for their feelings. Insta-love cuts all of that down at the knees and it's incredibly frustrating.

Don't do this. You'll regret it when your characters are just two people who love each other because you said so. Make it difficult. Make them work for it. Love is often surprising to us, and half the time we don't even realize how hard we're falling until it's painfully obvious. One of my favorite Pride & Prejudice quotes is “I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.”

Give them a middle to find themselves stuck in.

The more unique your characters are, the more reasons you have for them to have this connection (and scenes where these reasons are shown and felt,) the more substance your story will have. Don't have William buy a rose at a gas station and hand it to Lola in the car. Show Lola always buying gummy bears and then (after an epic fight with her mom on the phone) William hands her a package to make her feel better. I mean, that's a pretty lame example, but it still makes my point. Show through Lola that William is paying attention. That he knows this little thing about her and makes it a point to use that to make her feel better.

In my WIP, I have a main character who starts collecting those teeny tiny seashells (the ones that are about the size of a pea) in a mason jar. When she's bored, she grabs her jar off the microwave, goes down to the beach, and sifts through the rocks for them. At some point, her love interest is in her house and asks about the shells, and she tells him about her little mission to fill it up before the end of the summer. From that point on, pretty much every time he sees her, he pulls a small handful of shells out of his pocket and hands them to her for the jar. This little inconsequential detail then becomes a thing between them, that carries through to the rest of the book. And it's not a cliche rose, or something generic. It's unique to my characters, and it means something more to both of them as the story builds too, and then later, when things sour, it's that mason jar that gets shattered in his driveway, like a symbol of them being "done." This thing they were building together is literally in pieces on the ground.

My point is, you need to find YOUR moments. The things that tie these people together, and not just because you said so. Their romance should be 100% theirs, even in a world where everything's been done before. It's the behind the scenes stuff, and that inner emotion, that'll make them stand out. Not grand gestures and romantic "type" things that happen. 

Roses don't make a love story. 

Your characters do, because...

So go forth, and dig into your own moments. List the reasons (and the moments) that build up these feelings for your characters. Why these strangers keep thinking about each other. Why these friends are suddenly feeling more than before. Why this online date is different than the others. 

Whatever your premise is.

Don't let William and Lola become generic. Don't leave them to the single red rose and the candlelit restaurant. Cover the car with candles in an apology. Leave a wildflower from one of their stops wrapped around the gearshift after they've split up, as a reminder of what's been lost. Throw the death of the girlfriend in there at the worst possible time.

And I'll say it again: MAKE THEM WORK FOR IT.

Sometimes, love can be simple. But nobody wants to read about the simple ones. They want to see love conquer things. To level mountains. They want the challenge. So give them the challenge. Throw everything but the kitchen sink at your characters. Let them struggle through these moments you've created, and by the end of it, you'll have created a love worth rooting for.

And if that's not the goal of a romance, I'm not sure what is.

Toodles!

(Also, if writing romance is something that you really struggle with in general, and this advice isn't enough, I also offer romance critiques through Wild Things Editing, where I break down your love story and work with you to direct your romance in the direction you want. So if this is something that you feel might be helpful to you, feel free to contact me through the link above. I love working on love stories, so I'd be thrilled to help get yours in the right place.)

An Open Letter To PitchWars Hopefuls...

As the mentee announcement approaches, I can't help but feel like these are the final days of hope for some people and I kind of want to kick that feeling right in the pants.

Because your lifetime writing goal isn't to get into Pitch Wars is it? If you don't make it in, does that mean you'll never get published EVER? Is this the only door open to you?

Want to hear a handful of reasons why I passed on some things? 

• Because the inner narration felt to me like more of a narrator than a teenager.
• Because the writing was AMAZING, but the concept involved something I wasn't super interested in.
• Because there was a technology element I felt I wasn't the mentor for
• Because the love interest didn't particularly appeal to me
• Because while I LOVE LOVE LOVED the book, there were issues I felt I couldn't tackle in two months.
• Because I didn't think the world building was as solid as I'd like to have seen it (and I'm not an expert on world building, so this wouldn't be the best problem for me to tackle.)
• Because it felt more middle grade than young adult.
• Same problem, but thought it was more of an adult voice.

And about 1000 other reasons. 

Do you know what the common theme there is? ME. It wasn't right for ME. And some of you might be saying, "Well you're just one person..."

AND YOU'RE ABOSLUTELY RIGHT. Mentors, agent, editors, we're just people, looking for the book that speaks to our hearts the most.

When I entered Pitch Wars I pretty much just sat around sweating for a week. I know how hard that is. It's not a small thing, and I know it sounds like a brush aside when you're faced with the possibility of not being chosen. "If you don't make it in, you're still awesome for writing a book!" It sounds like a consolation prize, right?

But it's not. The first book I wrote? Holy crap it was sad. The second one was... slightly better. The third one was where I found my voice, and that book got me my agent. Literally the only way you won't move forward from here is if you quit right now.

Submitting to Pitch Wars is a big thing. You submitted your book into a MAJOR contest to be JUDGED by the mentors you submitted to! Badge of honor. Participating in the community, finding friends, and CP's? Badge of honor. NOT making it and still trudging along? SEVEN THOUSAND BADGES!

Nobody writes a book, gets an agent, and gets a publishing deal without someone passing on them. Not one single person in the history of ever. 

Mentors pass? 

Keep going. 

Agents pass?

You KEEP going!

Editors pass? 

KEEP FREAKING GOING.

Are you writing this down?

It's the only way to break through and find your place in this crazy difficult industry we've chosen to be a part of. 

Think of publishing like a GIANT (but also deceptively small?) shopping mall. There are multiple floors, multiple entrances, and thousands of people wanting to get inside and buy something. Some are going to flock to the same big doors, because they're well lit, and by the food court, and that's where everyone goes in. But if those doors were broken and wouldn't open, you wouldn't walk back to your car and go home! You find another door! 

Pitch Wars is just ONE door, and it's a door that doesn't allow many people through. Is it a great opportunity? Of course! But it's not the only great opportunity! I wouldn't be anywhere without my CP's. If I had to choose between them and Pitch Wars back in the day, I would have chosen my CP's, hands down. 

That's why all of us mentors have been stressing the importance of getting EVERYTHING you can out of Pitch Wars. After the announcement, come talk to us! Don't go away, and be sad. We're here for you! Visit the #Menteemates hashtag and find a CP, or join me for my next CP Matchmaker party on September 12th. (Details in the tab above.) Listen to whatever feedback you get from your mentors, and see what feels right to you.

Make sure the changes you make are ones you agree with! Revise, or get a critique, or send a query! The world doesn't stop just because you don't see your name on that list.

And this, right here, what I'm about to say, is the MOST important thing. Are you ready?

You are AWESOME. You're the perfect mix of stubborn and talent and perseverance, and you are not going to quit! You're going to brush it off and keep putting those words down, otherwise my heart will break into a thousand pieces. (Yes, I'm guilting you now.) Don't break my heart. Don't break your own. 

Keep writing, because I can't wait to see where you go from here. 

-Megan

Pitch Wars Wishlist!

It's finally Pitch Wars time, lovelies! (And if for some reason you have no idea what that is, you can go here and read all about it!)

I'm absolutely ecstatic to be a mentor this year. I participated as an alternate in 2013 as well as two #Pitmad events, the last of which resulted in me signing with my agent, the oh-so wonderful Mandy Hubbard at D4EO.

These things really work, guys, and I'm so thrilled to be involved.

A little about me:

In whatever shreds of free time I have that aren't immediately eaten up by writing, you can usually find me reading, laying out in the sun, driving too fast, or dream shopping for houses I'll never be able to afford. :-) I love tea, baking outrageous birthday cakes (and baking in general, really), skydiving, drizzly rain, and I'm pretty certain I'm not nearly as funny as I think I am.

And why should you submit to me, you ask?

1. Because I'm a plot ninja! In my critique group, when someone needs brainstorming help, they come to me. Sometimes I can't fix my own book to save my life but give me someone else's manuscript and I have about a million thoughts that at least spark some kind of new idea in whoever I'm working with.

2. I give really detailed edits. I like to start off with a big picture kind of chat about the book and the places I think need to be worked on. That's not to say you have to change everything I point out. This is more of a conversation about your book as a whole and what we both agree needs to be worked on. Every bit of the editing process should be working toward making your book better, but always staying within what YOU want it to be. It's your diamond, I'm just shining it up.

3. Once the big picture stuff is resolved I like to line edit, offering suggestions and comments as I go, and I LOVE pointing out the parts that made me laugh out loud or cry or scream at my computer. Like a running commentary on your book as I read it.

SIDE NOTE: If you're not ready to do some real revisions, please don't submit to me. My job is to work with you and make your book as perfect as possible in time for the agent round, not flatter you and tell you everything is fantastic just the way it is. Working with me requires actual WORK. :-)

4. I have a serious knack for romantic progression. It's not always easy to take two people from first meeting to falling in love without losing that... spark. If you feel that's something that might need to be worked on, I'm definitely your girl.

5. I have a quick email turnaround, and I'm a huge fan of Google Hangouts. I'll be available pretty much always to answer questions, brainstorm, vent to, whatever, because I know what it's like to be on the other side of things and have worries about the contest or how things are going to work.

6. I plan to give feedback to everyone who submits to me. With so many people entering and so few slots available (especially this year, since there are no alternates) I want to be able to offer something to everyone who takes the time to send their writing my way.

ANOTHER SIDE NOTE: Feedback may take a while to put together depending on how many submissions we're talking about, but I'll eventually get to every single person. Just be patient with me.

7. I give some great pep-talks (and lets face it, who doesn't need one of those every once in a while?) Contests and agents and querying can all be stressful and I've got your back through it all.

Okay! Now for the wish list.

I am mentoring YOUNG ADULT ONLY. I'll have to automatically pass on anything else. :-(

In YA, I'm looking for gritty, intense plots, terrifying unexpected twists, sudden deaths, original characters, and achingly beautiful love stories fleshed out in rough circumstances. I'm a sucker for a fantastic love story. Forbidden romances, love triangles, secrets, kick-ass kissing scenes, and super sexy love interests, in all forms. But it's not just about the sexy. Show me characters WORTH falling in love with and you'll hook me.

Give me psychics that prey on people’s dreams, terrifying plantations and chases through swamps, or serial killers picking off teens at a Halloween party. Give me epic, fantastical worlds that are seriously messed up. Give me dark and twisted. Give me heartbreak, and misunderstandings, and betrayals.

Bonus points if you make me gasp, cry, laugh out loud, or jump for joy.

More specifically:

Horror/Thriller- The book that got me my agent is a YA horror about a demon train that abducts its passengers from all over the world and tortures them with their worst fears. Horror is my go-to genre. Give me ghosts, urban legends, cults, psychos, hauntings, possession, the occult, southern gothic (I LOVE southern gothic!). I'm interested in horror based in reality as well as more fantastical twists and settings (like my train.) However, I steer clear of gore/slasher/mutilation type horror, where people are chopped up and tortured for no reason other than the shock factor. I want to be creeped out, not disgusted.

Concerning thrillers, I'd rather see manuscripts that embody the psychological side of things, rather than the heist/mystery/hunted-by-a-secret-government-organization kind of stuff. Think Vanishing Girls, The Tenderness of Thieves, etc.

Fantasy/Magical Realism/Steampunk- New approaches to magic, especially when it's there but not the whole focus of the book (a la, The Scorpio Races.) All original urban fantasy, alternate histories, portals. I want super creepy high fantasy worlds, truly terrifying antagonists, new twists on old tropes, and jump-off-the-page, gritty settings that feel as real as the characters.

*I have a soft spot for pirates too. The more original the concept the better.* 

Historical- Historical thrillers (again, psychological), original approaches to time travel, retellings, and historical fantasy. I love, love, love magical/paranormal elements in historical settings. (ex- The Infernal Devices or Pirates of the Caribbean.) 

*Bonus points for Regency era or anything resembling Pride and Prejudice but with a paranormal twist.*

But Most Importantly: Sometimes I don't know what I want until I see it. I don't know how many times I've read a synopsis for an upcoming book and thought "Holy crap that sounds good" and it's something I normally wouldn't have gone looking for on my own. When in doubt, ask me. I'm very active on Twitter.

And at the end of the day, if your book embodies this quote, I'm probably game:

Things NOT for me:

• Dystopian, mystery, or science fiction.
• Novels told in verse.
• Vampires, werewolves, angels, or any other played out magical creature. If I roll my eyes, you’ve lost me.
• Books involving graphic rape scenes, clichéd boarding school type settings, or torturing babies/children.
• Your bubbly, happy, contemporary about true friendship might be a future bestseller, but it’s also not for me.

And that's it! Check out all the other awesome mentors below and then send me all those amazing manuscripts! :-)

You know you want to...

RANT: Beware Of Pushy "Agents"

So... there was some talk on Twitter yesterday, about a certain "agent" condemning authors who had the audacity to ask her to wait for a response on her offer of representation until the author heard back from the other people who had their manuscript. I tweeted about it for a bit, but I want to expand on that a little more here, where my tendency to be longwinded didn't make that a problem.

Okay, let’s spin a little scenario for you here, so I can better illustrate how insane this is (and downright predatory when you take into consideration the number of writers who wouldn't question this stupid request because they'd have no idea that this isn't the industry standard!)

Say you’re a relatively “new” writer. You’ve worked hard, you’ve toiled, and done everything you could to make your book as perfect as it can possibly be. You love this book. It’s the thing born from all your struggles, and abandoned ideas, and late nights typing away while everyone else had fallen asleep.

You decide, this is the one. This is the book you’re going to send out into the world. You compile a list of agents, you sweat over a query letter, and after psyching yourself up for more time than you really think you should need, you hit send.

What happens next is a spiral of emotions. Excitement. Fear. Anxiety. Worry. Every single time your phone makes that incoming email sound you leap on it like it might scamper away from you. And every rejection breaks your heart a little bit more.

Then, that magical day comes. You open your email and there’s something from an agent you queried, or one who requested pages from you during a contest. Finally, you read something other than “This just isn’t for me.” They’re interested! They want to talk! It's "THE CALL!!"

And then they tell you they want an answer right away. 

“Don’t bother notifying the other agents who have your book."

RED FLAG.

"Just sign with me right now, it's unprofessional to ask me to wait for you." 

RED FLAG.

"Don't waste my time.”

RED FLAG. 

You stare at the email and think this is great…. right? They want to work with you. But a little voice inside of you is screaming that something’s not right with this. And if it’s not, it definitely should be!

Agents are great people. They’re understanding, competent, awesome professionals who take things like this beloved book of yours and fall in love with it just as completely as you have. They want the best for you AND your book.

They also understand that what’s best for you, might not be them. That’s why any reputable agent out there won’t bat an eye when you ask for a couple weeks to make your decision. Time to let everyone else with your manuscript know you’ve had an offer of representation. Hell, most of them will even come right out and tell you to do this.

Anyone who says otherwise, or asks for special liberties with your book, or demands to have a response right that second, doesn’t have YOUR best interests in mind. They're concerned about them, and what they want. They don't give a crap about you.

Do yourself a favor. Don’t sign with someone just because they make an offer. Talk with them, talk with anyone else offering, mull it over, sleep on it, make sure that when you say “yes” it’s to a person you’re 1000% confident in.

Your agent doesn’t just sell stuff for you. They advise you on your next book, on the path of your career, they talk you down when you’re convinced everything sucks, they read your manuscripts over and over, and advocate for you on a daily basis.

It's a big job, and it's not something you want to put into the hands of someone who will make the publication process harder. Going from an unknown author, to an agented author, to a published author is a LONG process and it’s stressful enough without feeling like you haven’t got a single person in your corner. Your agent should always be that person.

It’s been said a million times, and it’ll continue to be said because it’s the truest of truths:

NOT HAVING AN AGENT IS BETTER THAN HAVING A BAD ONE.

Write that on a post-it and stick it to your computer. Paint it on the wall. Skywrite it. Dream about it. Whatever it takes for you to keep that at the front of your mind while querying.

If you have even the slightest feeling the agent interested in your manuscript isn't right for you, walk away. Trust me, you’ll regret it if you don't.

Do your research, take your time, and make informed decisions. There are people out there who WILL try to take advantage of the insecurities felt by undiscovered writers. Don't let them. Push back, and take control because there are so many genuine, absolutely WONDERFUL agents who are always eager to advocate for talented writers.

Good luck!

Megan. 

A Matter Of Opinion

*DISCLAIMER: I'm about to rant.*

I have a huge issue with judgmental writers. Thankfully, I haven't come across too many since I made my way into the writing community, but they're out there, and they irritate the hell out of me.

The people who tell you you're a terrible writer, doomed to fail, because you had a couple "telly words" in your third chapter.

Those who say there's only one right way to describe an emotion/character/setting.

The ones who read through your chapter and return it completely rewritten "how they would have done it."

The champions of the pat-yourself-on-the-back club.

The few I've met happened to wander into my life at very unfortunate times. Times when I might have already been worrying about my writing ability, or after a particularly tough rejection. I was looking for new eyes or another writing friend, and instead, I got judged and picked apart and left feeling every bit the terrible writer I feared I was.

(This last happened almost exactly a year ago, by the way.)

And thinking back on those emails and conversations makes me so mad I could spit. When did it become a thing to tear others to absolute shreds and call it critiquing? Does it really make some people feel that much better about themselves when they set themselves up to be the writer that's higher up on the totem pole by kicking everyone else down below them?

When I have to write something critical in my notes for someone, I stare at the screen thinking of ways I can give them advice on what I think should be changed while also making it damn clear that my opinion is not the only thing to be considered. I suggest they have other people read it and get a few opinions on the issue. I tell them not to change a freaking thing if it doesn't feel right to them. I give them examples of how to change things without just diving in and rewriting it all the "right way."

Because --and this is very important-- how I would do it, and what I think, doesn't mean a damn thing. It's not my book. My only job is to read it, and give out whatever advice comes to mind. That's it. It's not my job to try and convince someone that my way is best and they're doing it wrong. It's not my job to whine and moan when they don't take my suggestions. It's not my job to turn their book into anything other than what they want it to be.

The writing community is a very small place, and a lot of us are dealing with the same anxieties and insecurities. We should be helping, and supporting, not tearing people down. We're supposed to be creating things, not destroying confidence.

And this is not to say that being critical in a critique is a bad thing, because it's not. There's no point in reading for someone if you pass over any problems you see in favor of comments that say "This is all so great!" because then you're just doing the author a disservice. Point out the issues, but don't be mean about it. There are some hard and fast "rules" of writing that someone just starting out might need a better handle on, but when it comes to a person's voice or how they choose to tell a story, that's all up to them to sort out.

All I can do is hope that my notes help in some way, and support that person as much as possible. Being another set of eyes doesn't have to turn into some kind of competition, to decide who's got more natural talent, or a better voice, or the prettiest language and anyone who says it does is doing something wrong.

Support each other. Be nice, be helpful, and above all else, remember that they're YOUR opinions for a reason. They don't need to be carried by anyone else.

*END of rant.*
Megan.

Writing Retreat 2014

Hello everyone!

Last week I got home from what was probably the most fun ten days I've had bunched together in a very long time. Partly, the fun was due to the breathtaking house I was staying in, but most of it can be attributed to the company.

I was a little apprehensive about meeting my CP's in person. Admittedly.

"What if they look nothing like they do on video chat?"
(Don't ask me how this makes sense at all.)

"What if they think I'm a total weirdo?"
(They totally did, but in a lovable way.)

"WHAT IF THEY'RE ALL AXE MURDERERS? OR THE SAME PERSON WITH FOUR DIFFERENT PROFILE PICTURES?"
(Panic, thou art a crazy bastard.)

In the end, they weren't axe murderers (obviously, since I'm sitting here typing at home... with all my limbs.) And I got more done in that one week in the middle of Texas than I would have in a month at home. I started the vacation with a vague idea of what I might do for my next book and once I told my CP's they were so excited about it that it made ME more excited about it. I used up an entire stack of post-its, took over the back door, and in about 6 hours I had my whole book plotted out.

IT WAS AWESOME!

Sure the vacation as a whole had it's ups and downs. Like the GPS sending us to the wrong address, 45 minutes north, and getting lost on the creepiest road EVER.

Talk about axe murderers

(We screamed for 20 minutes about how this was the road to hell, and the handful of other cars we came across were just other versions of us, warning us to turn around before we were trapped forever.)

But, really, who drives to the backwoods of Texas at midnight? (Us. We did. Bad idea. DON'T BE LIKE US!)

Once the sun came up, though, none of that mattered. Because those creepy looking things leaning over the railing at the vacation house turned into flowers! And the creaky sounds became air conditioning sounds. And the absolute darkness surrounded the house turned into this:

And this:

I highly suggest a meet up of CP's if you're at all inclined to penguin slide on slick hardwood floors, take an air mattress onto the lake and get covered in mud, eat the best lasagna you've ever had, or swim at the coolest place ever.

It's a natural spring, that's set up like a pool!

Because while I didn't write half a book, like some people there, (and you know who you are) or stay on task, or be any kind of productive for any reasonable amount of time, I had SO MUCH FUN. I'm basically a five year old in a 25 year old body, and in Austin, I could be that person a little more energetically than I can at home. It's all about the experiences, people. And I had one hell of an experience at the writing retreat of 2014.

Toodles!

Megan.

The Official "How I Got My Agent" Post (And A Couple Query Tips)

Hey everyone!

I know this is almost old news by now, but since last week I've been getting messages from people asking me questions about querying and how I ended up signing with my amazing agent. So I figured I'd sit down and write a post about it real quick!

And in case you didn't hear already.... I am now represented by Mandy Hubbard at D4EO Literary!

*Smiles like a crazy person*

Okay, so I started querying in January (kicked off the 1st of the year by sending my first query ever written and then promptly got nauseous.)

YAY WRITERS ANXIETY!

(Said no one, EVER.)

Most of my queries were requested via contests or twitter events so I ended up having about a 50% request rate. I love contests. I participated in Pitch Wars, the Secret Agent contest, #Pitmad (x2) and a few others and loved every one of them.

**(If you're still querying and have any interest in this kind of thing, you should enter. Contests are your friends because even if you were planning to query the agent who makes a request anyway, it might bump you to the top of their to-read list, or at the very least you have a little more confidence in sending your query. Their favorite or request means they already like what your book is about, and sometimes finding the right agent with the right taste is the hardest thing. So let a contest or two point you in the right direction, and see what happens.)**

I first connected with Mandy a little over three months ago. She requested pages of The Blood Train during a #Pitmad event at the end of March, (which was a funny coincidence because she was already  getting a query letter later that week.) I didn't notice her request right away because TweetDeck tried to eat it. But then I happened to go on the Twitter app on my phone and spotted it.

It was a good day.

And an even better one came four days later when that turned into a full request.

When Mandy wrote back after reading all of The Blood Train, I opened her email waiting for the "but." You know the, "I really enjoyed your sample pages, but..." or "This is super creepy, but..." or "You have a lot of talent, but..."

Except this time there was no "but." She called me a "phenomenal writer," and said The Blood Train was spectacular! She even talked about how my book kept her up late, trying to get to the end. I waited for the punchline. She couldn't be talking about me. Only my crazy critique partners say things like that. Not Mandy Hubbard. Not the agent that required three months of gathering courage just to query.

And she wanted to talk about revisions. She had all these ideas, she suggested I watch a movie that she thought might be a possible comp title, and she put lots of exclamation points in her emails. It was fantastic!!

I disagreed with a couple things she wanted me to change and she immediately came back urging me to only do what felt right to me. There wasn't a moment talking to her that I felt uncomfortable or that my questions would be bothersome or annoying. (Which, for me, is really saying something.)

After half a dozen emails, I had a plan in place and dove in. I totally pulled everything apart and pieced it back together again, during what was definitely the most stressful and hellish eight weeks of my life, but it was worth it.

I sent her the new version and the next email I got from her held an offer of representation.

We talked on the phone, I signed, and the rest is... week old history! It was a 4th of July I'll never forget.

And while I don't feel nearly qualified to be giving advice (despite the long paragraph above about contests) but I'm going to do it anyway. Again.

Are you ready? Here it is: Target your queries. Target the heck out of them, and I don't just mean clicking on your genre in QueryTracker and sending to everyone who reps YA, or romance, or thrillers or whatever you've written.

Search through their twitter feeds.

Stalk #mswl.

Google them and look for interviews.

Find their lists of what they rep on their agency or personal websites.

Look at their client list and see the types of novels they've already signed.

Do so much research you almost feel creepy (but don't mention their dog or how cute their kids are in your query letter otherwise you WILL BE CREEPY.)

And yes, I may have learned this a little too late. (Sorry for babbling about your hedgehogs, Pam.)

Know your stuff, and take the time to figure out who has the best chance of loving what you've created, and your querying life will be a lot less stressful.

A 50% request rate might seem really high, and it is, but I also put TONS of work into making sure every single agent I submitted to was looking for creepy young adult horror. Every. Single. One.

Don't query someone in the hopes they might change their mind and you'll be the one to bring them into a new genre, because even if that happens, they won't have any clue how to sell your manuscript properly. They're experts in what they actively represent, so find yourself an expert and send it their way!

One of my most popular rejections was along the lines of "I really enjoyed your premise but I'm looking for horror grounded in the real world." And that was fine, because none of my research ever turned up anything as specific as "YA Horror- Realistic." I just happened to miss the mark on the type of horror they were interested in. And those were a lot easier to swallow than form rejections would have been.

So, yeah. Those are my two little slices of advice: contests, and TARGET TARGET TARGET.

Thanks for wading through all the babble of my "real quick" post. My long windedness has won out again. Haha!

Toodles!
Megan

         Stats:

4 months of active querying before R&R
16 query letters
5 contests

Announcing.... CP Matchmaker!!

Hello everybody!

What is CP Matchmaker, you ask?

CP Matchmaker is my way of paying it forward. I myself have been extremely lucky in landing the most amazing critique group. The ladies I work with are smart, and kind, and thoughtful and they've taught me a lot about the way I write and the kind of writer I want to be.

But not everyone has this. And that's something that eats away at me.

Because everyone should have a team like I do. Everyone should know exactly where to go and what to do to find someone who is going to be honest and helpful.

So, I thought, "Why isn't there a Twitter pitch party for finding CP's?"

AND CP MATCHMAKER WAS BORN!

(Dramatic, no?)

Ok, so here's what's up:

(I'm going grade school party invite for this one)

What: A chance to pitch your book to a bunch of like minded writers

Where: Twitter, of course!

When: January 20th from 10am-10pm EST

Why: Because it's going to be so much fun!

But you're going to need a few things first.

1. A twitter pitch (140 characters or less to include the #CPMatch hashtag)

2. A blog button, should you choose to spread the word and get more people involved. (See below)

3. And a few labels:

For the purpose of easy identification, please include (abbreviated for your convenience) a little about your critiquing style.

(Note: These are for how you critique others work, not what you need for your own.)

Do you get straight to the point- STTP

Fan of the compliment sandwich- CS

Are you brutally honest- BH 

How about a good copyeditor- GCE

Or are you more of an attention to detail type: ATD 

Maybe a critique partner beginner: CPB

Plot hole hunter: PHH
Do you give great big picture notes: BP

Are you a few of these things? Go ahead and list as many as will fit in your pitch.

Need an example of a #CPMatch pitch?

Trapped among bleeding walls, psychotic passengers, and manifested fears,

can Olivia escape with her life? YA #CPMatch CS ATD

And come the 20th, simply search through the feed. If something looks interesting, DM the person and get to know each other a little better. See what you have to offer each other.

And I can't stress this enough: SWAP A SAMPLE CHAPTER

You'll never know if you really mesh well unless you see some feedback first hand.

DISCLAIMER: CP Matchmaker is a baby. Not just a baby, a wrinkly, screaming newborn. If there's something you're unclear about, email me, and I'll try to answer your questions. Have a few extra label ideas? Lemme have em! I am totally up for any suggestions here. I want this thing to be helpful to as many people as possible.

And on that note. SPREAD THE WORD. Please. Pretty please, with sugar on top and ice-cream in the middle.

Tweet about it. Blog about it. Tell your neighbor.

I can only help match the people who attend.

So again, please. Help me to help other writers find their CP soul mates like I have.

And, if you are so inclined to blog, I've made a few blog buttons for you!

I really hope all of you will attend. I'm so excited to get this thing off the ground. 

I'll see you January 20th!

(You do not have to follow me here on the blog, or on Twitter. That is not at all a requirement to participate.)

Toodles!

Understanding Being A Writer

I've noticed over the last few years that the only people who really understand being a writer are other writers. I'll be agonizing over a huge plot hole or wondering how to make a character less annoying when I suddenly notice whoever I'd been talking to- be it my husband, mom, best friend, Starbucks lady- is rocking that glassy eyed look. You know the one, where they're there, and they physically hear you, but mentally they're a thousand miles away? And who can blame them really? It's the equivalent of trying to have a serious discussion about a movie they haven't even seen.

I think that's why having critique partners and following other writer blogs can be so helpful. You get to see everyone else pushing through the fog of novel writing and you're surrounded by people who actually understand.

But sometimes it can be so frustrating! All I want to do sometimes is sit and talk about my story without feeling like I'm imposing. Writing can be so hard without support... 

Who listens to you ramble? Do they do it willingly or are they like my husband- fighting an eye roll the whole time? :-)

Finding Your Writing Fingerprint

What do all your favorite authors have in common? What do they have that makes their books feel so special to you?

They have voices. I can pick up anything written by Cassandra Clare, or Nicholas Sparks and without looking at anything but the writing I can tell you who the author is.

When I think of each and every one of my favorite books I know they all have that in common. The way the author strings together their words, the way they describe their characters, how they approach action or romance, it's all unique to them and their own personal writing style.

I like to think of it as a writers fingerprint. When you first start writing, all you have is that lonely arch along the top of your finger. It's a start, but nothing to identify you by. Then a few months or a year later- maybe after you've got a terrible finished manuscript, and several dozen amazing reads under your belt making you feel completely unworthy- that lonely arch becomes a carefully curved pattern of arches slowly wrapping its way around in a distinctive pattern.

The longer you write, and the more books you read, the closer you are to finding what works for you as a writer. You get to see how you can attack revisions without pulling your hair out. You find a way to describe a person memorably, so you don't feel the need to repeat how they look in each chapter so your readers remember. You see a pattern of words you like to use, and comma placement, and whether you prefer the semi-colon or the dash. (I'm a dash sort of person myself- in case you haven't noticed.)

And before you know it you have your own writers fingerprint. Your words are woven together so uniquely that they're discernable from everyone else. As unique as that little pattern on the ends of your fingers.

So next time you're reading something that just makes you feel like you'll never get where they are, or someone small minded tells you that you have a better chance of getting struck by lightening than being published in this market, look at your fingers. At one point they weren't all that unique either. The longer you write, and the more effort you put into it the closer you are to finding that thing, whatever it is, that makes your stories fly off the page and grab someone around the heartstrings like a vice.

And remember, the chances of you being struck by lightening are never going to change, but the chances of you being published improve with every word you write.

Happy Wednesday!

How Long Have You Been Writing?

I started writing about two and a half years ago; and when I say "writing" I mean fumbling through stories that had absolutely no plot, no arc, and pretty much raced through twenty or so thousand words and then spend forty on the big climactic ending.


Yeah, it blew.

But I was sitting here a little while ago and just thought "Holy crap, I've been writing for years!" I guess it still feels like I just started doing it and then all of a sudden here I am, roughly 1,000 days, a writing course, and two years worth of NaNo later.

Time flies when you're having fun, and I am most definitely having fun. :-)

How about you? How long have you been writing?

Are you like me, with dozens of unfinished manuscripts, or have you actually completed something? Lol.

Ps: Anybody like me, please speak up. Most days I feel like an idiot for having such a short attention span! :-) And to anybody NOT like me... I'd tip my hat to you, if I were wearing a hat...

Keep those words flowing writing friends.

Megan.