tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post19146561189287981..comments2024-03-28T09:21:52.243-04:00Comments on Pimp My Novel: Prithee, Inform Me: How Far Along Are You?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-62681553748893752402009-10-01T23:27:21.711-04:002009-10-01T23:27:21.711-04:00I've completed my second novel, Eastlight and ...I've completed my second novel, <i><a href="http://www.davidrslayton.com/" rel="nofollow">Eastlight</a></i> and am in the querying the process. My first novel is a skeleton in the closet. I learned a ton writing it, though I look back at it now and cringe at some of the mistakes I made. I see the current project as a massive improvement. I'm 15,000 words into my next project and hoping to get a full draft together for critique by Christmas.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08268062299073884365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-18177807489611177432009-09-30T19:47:57.978-04:002009-09-30T19:47:57.978-04:00Hi there. Rebecca Lloyd here. I'm a writer and...Hi there. Rebecca Lloyd here. I'm a writer and former magazine editor living in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I'm currently doing the agent-search thing. <br /><br />Death's Apprentice, the first novel in my dark urban fantasy series is finally done--at least, until an agent or editor tells me otherwise (at which point I'll dust off my old editor's hat and set to work). It's around 200,000 words, so I'm scoping it for places I can cut if a word-trim is requested. Other than that I have forced myself to quit twiddling and keep submitting on the stern orders of my one friend in the business.<br /><br />I'm...not holding up well in the search for an agent. I'm still turning around and querying regularly, but rejection letters don't get easier to take as I go. I admit, even though most of the letters I have gotten are relatively positive ("your project shows merit", "your sample was well written", "I'm simply not taking anything in that genre right now", etc.) it is very hard to just keep taking it on the chin. I know I'm a good writer--I have been published before--but every form letter makes me see a hopeless hack in the mirror for a while. (Apparently, this is normal when shopping your first novel. Oh. Joy).<br /><br />Nevertheless, I have a dozen books planned in that series, a dark science fiction trilogy and one-shot, a dark high fantasy series, and a comedic fantasy planned, and am already working on my next book--a 110-120k dark fantasy from the same universe called Feral. <br /><br />I'm determined that my work will see print in some form even if an agent never makes a dime off of me, but I'd greatly prefer to work with one. However, I keep debating on how long I am willing to keep wooing agents past, say, the first hundred "this is good but not for us" letters. If no one in the first hundred agents takes me I may turn to small press or self-publishing. Until then, I'll keep trying.AnakimWriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09020517027135623120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-59797737327520867322009-09-30T17:10:54.641-04:002009-09-30T17:10:54.641-04:00I'm 41 and I'm on the second draft of my f...I'm 41 and I'm on the second draft of my first novel, a fantasy. I've always wanted to write, but work and family were my priorities up until two years ago. Now my kids are old enough that I'm embarrassing to be with in public, so I don't feel guilty taking time to write.<br /><br />I'm not one of those writers that can write a book or two every year. I don't know how they can do it, unless they are able to focus on writing full-time. <br /><br />I can see such huge improvements in my writing skill and the story in general, that I expect to spend another 2-3 years getting my first novel as polished as I can before even thinking of querying for an agent.<br /><br />I like to think slow and steady wins the race (if it doesn't, don't tell me!)Christahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12396063705477919654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-42503713062516516282009-09-29T22:37:23.304-04:002009-09-29T22:37:23.304-04:00I'm writing my first novel.
The only publish...I'm writing my first novel. <br /><br />The only publishing experience I have is with a few of my poems -- they were printed up in an edgy, off-campus college rag back in 1994 (which two people probably read). I was also a Librarian for a non-fiction publishing company for a few years (Greenhaven/Lucent books at the time... which later were acquired by Gale).<br /><br />PS: I'm also currently dabbling in writing essays and poetry. Considering writing short stories, children's picture books, and taking up macrame.*https://www.blogger.com/profile/06484208765656281917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-31930303190424190292009-09-29T21:13:31.557-04:002009-09-29T21:13:31.557-04:00I have an agent, but she has not managed to sell m...I have an agent, but she has not managed to sell my brilliant literary novel yet. (It's my second agent and my second brilliant literary novel, but I am still, alas, unpublished. Hopefully this will change. Very soon. As in, tomorrow.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-1751125439130361582009-09-29T18:13:13.947-04:002009-09-29T18:13:13.947-04:00I'm 20 and editing my third novel, hoping to q...I'm 20 and editing my third novel, hoping to query for the first time this winter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-40084867569942882282009-09-29T13:41:54.401-04:002009-09-29T13:41:54.401-04:00Oops, that would be, "... convince myself tha...Oops, that would be, "... convince myself that I'm ready."Carol/Careannhttp://careann.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-11059346976272877902009-09-29T13:39:58.905-04:002009-09-29T13:39:58.905-04:00I'm published as a freelance journalist but be...I'm published as a freelance journalist but began writing novels several years ago. I'm on my third but keep revisiting the others so haven't pitched often. When I have, the results have been encouraging. I need to push past the revisions and do some serious agent querying. Now if only I could myself that I'm ready. :)Carol/Careannhttp://careann.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-4440154950838921592009-09-29T12:13:26.267-04:002009-09-29T12:13:26.267-04:00I'm unagented. I have one completed manuscript...I'm unagented. I have one completed manuscript that I shopped to agents last year, but didn't land representation. I'm currently finishing up work on a second novel and hope to start the query process by the end of this year. I've had several short stories published.Lisa Katzenbergerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03541571187216239983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-30142723399694979782009-09-29T12:11:48.250-04:002009-09-29T12:11:48.250-04:00Unagented with finished novel, historical fiction ...Unagented with finished novel, historical fiction + suspense. Encouraging feedback from several beta readers. About 30 queries have yielded two partials, one full, no offers.<br /><br />I'm increasingly skeptical about the prospects for debut novelists in traditional retail channels, especially for novels outside YA, MG, or SF genres. Also skeptical about publishing industry's overall health and prospects.<br /><br />Given that debut authors are expected to underwrite essentially all marketing efforts anyway, why not just sell the novel direct to online readers for $5?<br /><br />So I uploaded it to Scribd today as an experiment. Would rather get started on second novel than spin my wheels with endless querying.tedhttp://swainslock.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-83336206687600216672009-09-29T10:14:23.168-04:002009-09-29T10:14:23.168-04:00Finished a couple novels, looking for an agent.Finished a couple novels, looking for an agent.onelowerlighthttp://onelowerlight.com/writingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-45211262041161334582009-09-29T09:59:40.995-04:002009-09-29T09:59:40.995-04:00Waitin'... just waitin' and wonderin.'...Waitin'... just waitin' and wonderin.'<br /><br />But I am not idle. I'm workin' on my Zen Master Badge in sling-shot, a MG Super-Hero story, a MG ghost story inspired by TALE OF TWO CITIES -- where *heads must fall.* And finally, lot's of drawin' for a project directed at the wee little ones!<br /><br />Haste yee back ;-)Haste yee back ;-)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00345715370509449971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-85015750568875093652009-09-29T02:12:34.607-04:002009-09-29T02:12:34.607-04:00Got my dream agent this year, ms still on submissi...Got my dream agent this year, ms still on submission.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-48053586588949387372009-09-29T00:28:42.229-04:002009-09-29T00:28:42.229-04:00I'm unpub, 1 novel in rewrite (midlist romance...I'm unpub, 1 novel in rewrite (midlist romance); sequel waiting for rewrites. 1 memoir in final edit stage with self-pub plan early 2010.<br /><br />Many novels in the drawer, :) I've attended numerous conferences, workshps, etc. Member of RWA since 2002.<br /><br />Keep up the good work!therese patrick, authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14624202282411832436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-50237755973870608452009-09-28T23:47:23.391-04:002009-09-28T23:47:23.391-04:00I've written many books, self-published three,...I've written many books, self-published three, and published one other person's with my publishing company. I have one book e-published by a research think tank. Currently I am actively marketing one book to agents, and another is about to be finished and ready to be shopped around.Christinehttp://c3authorspot.vox.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-73491267763724768632009-09-28T23:44:53.872-04:002009-09-28T23:44:53.872-04:00I have been agented, on submission and made it all...I have been agented, on submission and made it all the way through to acquisitions before falling through the net.<br /><br />Now my agent has retired and I am half way through an entirely new novel so I can start again with a new agent. Not upset about any of this - it's all a learning experience and I got a lot out of it all. (Namely confidence - if anything makes you feel like you're on the right track it is having editors who call you up to tell you how much they love your writing/book/concept.)<br /><br />So currently 45k words into my third unpublished novel and taking my time to keep it tight, clean and well plotted.Vic Knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-70595145017040408972009-09-28T22:04:10.625-04:002009-09-28T22:04:10.625-04:00Agented. First book on submission. Waiting...Agented. First book on submission. Waiting...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-84356561685608653782009-09-28T21:32:18.471-04:002009-09-28T21:32:18.471-04:00"How Far Along Are You?"
Well, my wife ...<i>"How Far Along Are You?"</i><br /><br />Well, my wife is 4 months now and just back from her ultrasound appointment.<br /><br />*reads post*<br /><br />Oh.<br /><br />Unpublished. Unagented. Queried and quit on one WIP. Editing a second. Planning a third.<br /><br />I'm closer than all that makes me sound. Really.Adam Heinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02225813532455467868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-1590882183163779422009-09-28T21:29:50.992-04:002009-09-28T21:29:50.992-04:00Finished my first book and am querying. Have the s...Finished my first book and am querying. Have the sequel outlined and need to start writing it.<br /><br />Querying is hell.Kristyhttp://www.kristy-hutchison.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-6067574163458872732009-09-28T20:53:48.301-04:002009-09-28T20:53:48.301-04:00Unagented and unpublished here. My first manuscrip...Unagented and unpublished here. My first manuscript is in rewrites and I'm working on the query/synopsis as well.<br /><br />This blog is informative on so many levels... thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-58485748341126850572009-09-28T20:47:23.442-04:002009-09-28T20:47:23.442-04:00Hello PMN, this is a great blog, I love coming her...Hello PMN, this is a great blog, I love coming here.<br /><br />I have an agent and two book deal with Egmont UK - first book is out in April 2010. <br />I love reading about all the industry information.Ebony McKenna.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02724727996270658767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-57458813988129633632009-09-28T20:12:26.370-04:002009-09-28T20:12:26.370-04:00Nearly been writing for a whole year. The book is ...Nearly been writing for a whole year. The book is finished and I am submitting to agents. Do you have an opinion on blanket submissions? Sending out one at a time and waiting cannot be the way forward.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15459671422564355990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-74878356726052764812009-09-28T20:04:05.690-04:002009-09-28T20:04:05.690-04:00Just started querying a few weeks ago. Currently d...Just started querying a few weeks ago. Currently deciding on reworking an old idea or starting with a fresh one. Too many ideas in my head trying desperately to get out - wish I had more time to write!Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-29050455786784248972009-09-28T19:27:56.263-04:002009-09-28T19:27:56.263-04:00First novel sold,Will coming out in 2011. Working ...First novel sold,Will coming out in 2011. Working on second novel.Karen L. Simpsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03320299913012919654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7733835506387656648.post-42708497921224067062009-09-28T18:48:18.744-04:002009-09-28T18:48:18.744-04:00I have three YA fantasy novels out, one coming out...I have three YA fantasy novels out, one coming out in October, under contract for two more. <br /><br />It's interesting to get the sales and business perspective because sales drives the bus in publishing.CindaChimahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14485071691944578189noreply@blogger.com