I've never actually queried anyone before, but I've read and thought about it.
I know how long a query should be, what content it should contain, and how to personalize it. I've analyzed critiques and advice from many sources, including agents. I'm prepared for rejection (I think). However, there has always been one part of the querying process I couldn't figure how.
How do I tell an agent I'm a minor?
Some people say that this shouldn't be an issue. I shouldn't have to tell the agent my age because it shouldn't matter. If my book is good, it's good. Yet, I've always felt the agent should be informed. There are different legalities with minors and they should be prepared. It's a courtesy, I believe.
Very soon, though, I won't have to worry about this anymore. Because I turn eighteen in six months.
Really, I won't have to think about it ever again. I'm not going to have a novel ready to query inside the next six months, especially since most of my writing energy will be focused on THINK OF ME. And I'm overjoyed.
I got ninety-nine problems, but querying as a minor isn't one.
Showing posts with label writing itself. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing itself. Show all posts
Monday, August 04, 2014
Monday, June 16, 2014
Does Writing Make You a Better Person?
As writers and as people, we constantly work to better ourselves. We develop our craft. We try to be nicer. Usually, these are two different goals that must be achieved separately. However, sometimes we can improve both areas of our lives at once.
Learning patience is essential to staying a "sane" writer. Everything about the book business is slow. You have to wait to hear back from beta readers, critique partners, agents, editors, publishers, reviewers. It takes months for a book to be published even after it's been sold.
But patience is a good thing to have for non-writing related interactions as well. It makes you a better business negotiator and customer service representative. Your own personal relationships will benefit from better communication and less frustration.
The ability to listen also helps in the examples above. Writers learn to listen in an attempt to garner experiences for their writing. Many writers have mastered the art of eavesdropping. In this way, they study realistic dialogue and displays of emotion.
Beyond outward people skills, writers foster a better general understanding of people. It's easy for us to put ourselves in someone else's shoes. If it wasn't, it'd be impossible for us to write our stories. Writers know that everyone thinks and reacts differently. That everyone has a reason for doing what they do. It's a small switch from utilizing this way of thinking in their work to exercising it in their day-to-day confrontations.
Writers also know that no one is perfect. Everyone has flaws. And writers have learned to see the beauty in those flaws. A perfect character is boring. It's one of the first things a writer learns. It's a rule that applies to real people just as well. Our blemishes shape us into who we are. A writer recognizes that.
I'm in no way saying that writers are superior human beings who trail rainbows in their wake. I myself can be rather moody and I'm not always the most fun to be around. But I'm still growing, still "trying to be nicer," as we all are, and I think writing urges that along.
What about you? Does writing make you a better person?
Learning patience is essential to staying a "sane" writer. Everything about the book business is slow. You have to wait to hear back from beta readers, critique partners, agents, editors, publishers, reviewers. It takes months for a book to be published even after it's been sold.
But patience is a good thing to have for non-writing related interactions as well. It makes you a better business negotiator and customer service representative. Your own personal relationships will benefit from better communication and less frustration.
The ability to listen also helps in the examples above. Writers learn to listen in an attempt to garner experiences for their writing. Many writers have mastered the art of eavesdropping. In this way, they study realistic dialogue and displays of emotion.
Beyond outward people skills, writers foster a better general understanding of people. It's easy for us to put ourselves in someone else's shoes. If it wasn't, it'd be impossible for us to write our stories. Writers know that everyone thinks and reacts differently. That everyone has a reason for doing what they do. It's a small switch from utilizing this way of thinking in their work to exercising it in their day-to-day confrontations.
Writers also know that no one is perfect. Everyone has flaws. And writers have learned to see the beauty in those flaws. A perfect character is boring. It's one of the first things a writer learns. It's a rule that applies to real people just as well. Our blemishes shape us into who we are. A writer recognizes that.
I'm in no way saying that writers are superior human beings who trail rainbows in their wake. I myself can be rather moody and I'm not always the most fun to be around. But I'm still growing, still "trying to be nicer," as we all are, and I think writing urges that along.
What about you? Does writing make you a better person?
Thursday, April 24, 2014
What I Want After Publication
Everyone knows that a writer's main goal is publication. To reach author status. Some reach this dream through self-publishing. Others go more traditional routes. But what about after that? What does a writer, an author, want after publication?
They want people to read their work. Beyond that, they want people to like their work. Whether this enjoyment is expressed through five star reviews, fan mail, awards, or titles such as "New York Times' Bestseller," authors literally live off of it.
However, while I would absolutely love those things, I want something more. I want to inspire. I want to spark other people's creativity. I want fan art and fan fiction. I want people to write songs about my stories. I want people to cosplay as my characters. I want my art to be the stem from which other art will sprout.
And I don't want people to stop at creative expression. I want them to think. I want them to discuss the ins-and-outs of my books, to argue over them. I want Tumblr posts written about my themes and my character relationships. I want other authors to collaborate on books where they express their opinions about my writing.
In other words, I guess I want people to interact with my books, not just read them. Because, as my critique partner, Steph, put it, "Stories are organic. They grow, and age, and change. And it's cool to be cool with that."
They want people to read their work. Beyond that, they want people to like their work. Whether this enjoyment is expressed through five star reviews, fan mail, awards, or titles such as "New York Times' Bestseller," authors literally live off of it.
However, while I would absolutely love those things, I want something more. I want to inspire. I want to spark other people's creativity. I want fan art and fan fiction. I want people to write songs about my stories. I want people to cosplay as my characters. I want my art to be the stem from which other art will sprout.
And I don't want people to stop at creative expression. I want them to think. I want them to discuss the ins-and-outs of my books, to argue over them. I want Tumblr posts written about my themes and my character relationships. I want other authors to collaborate on books where they express their opinions about my writing.
In other words, I guess I want people to interact with my books, not just read them. Because, as my critique partner, Steph, put it, "Stories are organic. They grow, and age, and change. And it's cool to be cool with that."
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Fiction vs. Non-Fiction
From the time I began reading, I was a fiction girl. Period. End of the line. That was it. Learning was for school and, on top of that, non-fiction wasn't fun to read. You couldn't talk me out of it. I was set in my ways, firm in my views.
Then, in sixth grade, we were required to write a book report over a biography. When I heard, my heart sank, but I knew I had to do it. So I sucked it up and and checked out a biography of Anastasia from the school library. I don't remember the title or the author, yet I know that I enjoyed it. It made me think, made me view people a little bit differently. I also garnered a lifelong fascination with Anastasia, with her possible survival and continued lineage.
However, despite my momentary weakness, Anastasia, or perhaps her portrayal, was not enough to convert me to the dark side. It was the last non-fiction book I read for years.
Now, while I disliked reading non-fiction, writing it was almost torture. I seemed to forget how to write a fluid sentence. The prose came out awkward and fake-feeling, as if I was writing more gibberish than when I made things up for fiction. All attempts left me frustrated at my inadequacy. I could not write non-fiction.
Then two things happened simultaneously that have made me reconsider my overall stance on non-fiction.
First, my paternal grandmother asked me to write her mother's, my great-grandmother's, biography. I was horrified at the mere idea and my grandmother could not understand why. She thought that since I wrote fiction, writing a biography would be no big deal. Even after I've turned her down many times, she still continues trying to convince me. She doesn't see the distinct difference between the two genres and the styles in which they are written.
Second, over the summer, I was assigned a non-fiction book report for AP English Language and Composition. Again, I didn't like the project, but I knew it would have to be done. My non-fiction book had to be over 200 pages, school appropriate, AP worthy, and have been published in the last ten years. I browsed the NYT Bestseller's List and chose a book that I hoped would at least be interesting.
THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS changed my viewpoint, both on life and non-fiction, forever.
Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge in 1951—became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and more. Henrietta's cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can't afford health insurance. This phenomenal New York Times bestseller tells a riveting story of the collision between ethics, race, and medicine; of scientific discovery and faith healing; and of a daughter consumed with questions about the mother she never knew.
You can find my full assessment of this book here. In short, though, this one line wraps up how this book changed my perspective on non-fiction: "I found pleasure both in the story aspect of it and in learning the vast amount of information about HeLa cells provided." Through story, what I love in fiction, I learned and enjoyed learning.
Skloot's writing showed me that non-fiction can be just as full of life, just as intricate, just as fun to read as fiction. That real life, that the wonders of our world and its people, that what really happened is just as good as what we can imagine. It taught me that there are different ways to approach non-fiction writing just as there are different ways to approach fiction writing. Maybe, just maybe, I might attempt writing that biography.
Now when I think about non-fiction, I get excited. Not in the way that I become excited for fiction, but something new. With fiction, I long for the impossible. With non-fiction, I seek only the things of this physical world, this universe. I seek events I did not witness, but that someone else did. I seek a deeper connection between myself and my surroundings through knowledge and facts, things that no one made up, that no one had to. That initial spark I felt from reading about Anastasia has bloomed into a fire.
Non-fiction finally struck me. I am awed.
How do you feel about reading and writing non-fiction? How do you think it differs from fiction? Which is your preference? Would you write someone's biography? Do you have any other good non-fiction books to recommend?
Then, in sixth grade, we were required to write a book report over a biography. When I heard, my heart sank, but I knew I had to do it. So I sucked it up and and checked out a biography of Anastasia from the school library. I don't remember the title or the author, yet I know that I enjoyed it. It made me think, made me view people a little bit differently. I also garnered a lifelong fascination with Anastasia, with her possible survival and continued lineage.
However, despite my momentary weakness, Anastasia, or perhaps her portrayal, was not enough to convert me to the dark side. It was the last non-fiction book I read for years.
Now, while I disliked reading non-fiction, writing it was almost torture. I seemed to forget how to write a fluid sentence. The prose came out awkward and fake-feeling, as if I was writing more gibberish than when I made things up for fiction. All attempts left me frustrated at my inadequacy. I could not write non-fiction.
Then two things happened simultaneously that have made me reconsider my overall stance on non-fiction.
First, my paternal grandmother asked me to write her mother's, my great-grandmother's, biography. I was horrified at the mere idea and my grandmother could not understand why. She thought that since I wrote fiction, writing a biography would be no big deal. Even after I've turned her down many times, she still continues trying to convince me. She doesn't see the distinct difference between the two genres and the styles in which they are written.
Second, over the summer, I was assigned a non-fiction book report for AP English Language and Composition. Again, I didn't like the project, but I knew it would have to be done. My non-fiction book had to be over 200 pages, school appropriate, AP worthy, and have been published in the last ten years. I browsed the NYT Bestseller's List and chose a book that I hoped would at least be interesting.
THE IMMORTAL LIFE OF HENRIETTA LACKS changed my viewpoint, both on life and non-fiction, forever.
You can find my full assessment of this book here. In short, though, this one line wraps up how this book changed my perspective on non-fiction: "I found pleasure both in the story aspect of it and in learning the vast amount of information about HeLa cells provided." Through story, what I love in fiction, I learned and enjoyed learning.
Skloot's writing showed me that non-fiction can be just as full of life, just as intricate, just as fun to read as fiction. That real life, that the wonders of our world and its people, that what really happened is just as good as what we can imagine. It taught me that there are different ways to approach non-fiction writing just as there are different ways to approach fiction writing. Maybe, just maybe, I might attempt writing that biography.
Now when I think about non-fiction, I get excited. Not in the way that I become excited for fiction, but something new. With fiction, I long for the impossible. With non-fiction, I seek only the things of this physical world, this universe. I seek events I did not witness, but that someone else did. I seek a deeper connection between myself and my surroundings through knowledge and facts, things that no one made up, that no one had to. That initial spark I felt from reading about Anastasia has bloomed into a fire.
Non-fiction finally struck me. I am awed.
How do you feel about reading and writing non-fiction? How do you think it differs from fiction? Which is your preference? Would you write someone's biography? Do you have any other good non-fiction books to recommend?
Monday, April 14, 2014
"I" Doesn't Have to Mean "Me"
Dear Non-Writers,
I know you try hard to understand, to be supportive. And I appreciate it beyond belief. A writer can't survive without someone cheering her on from the sidelines. But we need to talk about a little matter that needs clearing up.
You see, there's this thing called first person. It's when a writer uses words like "I," "mine," and "me." "I hate cats" is a first person sentence. Yet, while I wrote that sentence using the word "I," I didn't mean me. I actually love cats.
Fiction writers do this all the time. They use "I," but they're not talking about themselves. The "I" refers to their point-of-view character and what that character thinks and says and does.
I used to think everyone knew this, writers and non-writers alike. And some of you probably do. Experience has taught me, however, that some people take "I" literally.
For instance, when I went to the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute in 2012, my class performed a poetry reading. Afterward, my mom brought up one of my classmate's poems. The narrator in the girl's first person poem spoke rather harshly about her mother. My mom said she was glad my classmate wasn't her daughter. That the poem would have made her cry. When I tried to tell her my classmate wasn't talking about her own mother, my mom said it didn't matter. It sounded like she was.
This particular misconception is one of my biggest pet peeves. It's ignorant and stems from degrading views of fiction writers. We aren't just writing "better-sounding" versions of our lives. We're writing about the human experience in all its forms.
So, in conclusion, my lovely, wonderful non-writers, remember when you're reading your friend or your family member's work that "I" doesn't mean "them." It'll help you avoid hurt feelings and arguments.
With warm regard,
A First Person Fiction Writer
I know you try hard to understand, to be supportive. And I appreciate it beyond belief. A writer can't survive without someone cheering her on from the sidelines. But we need to talk about a little matter that needs clearing up.
You see, there's this thing called first person. It's when a writer uses words like "I," "mine," and "me." "I hate cats" is a first person sentence. Yet, while I wrote that sentence using the word "I," I didn't mean me. I actually love cats.
Fiction writers do this all the time. They use "I," but they're not talking about themselves. The "I" refers to their point-of-view character and what that character thinks and says and does.
I used to think everyone knew this, writers and non-writers alike. And some of you probably do. Experience has taught me, however, that some people take "I" literally.
For instance, when I went to the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute in 2012, my class performed a poetry reading. Afterward, my mom brought up one of my classmate's poems. The narrator in the girl's first person poem spoke rather harshly about her mother. My mom said she was glad my classmate wasn't her daughter. That the poem would have made her cry. When I tried to tell her my classmate wasn't talking about her own mother, my mom said it didn't matter. It sounded like she was.
This particular misconception is one of my biggest pet peeves. It's ignorant and stems from degrading views of fiction writers. We aren't just writing "better-sounding" versions of our lives. We're writing about the human experience in all its forms.
So, in conclusion, my lovely, wonderful non-writers, remember when you're reading your friend or your family member's work that "I" doesn't mean "them." It'll help you avoid hurt feelings and arguments.
With warm regard,
A First Person Fiction Writer
Wednesday, April 09, 2014
Writing Is Loving
John Green once said, "Nerds like us are allowed to be unironically enthusiastic about stuff. Nerds are allowed to love stuff-like, jump-up-and-down-in-your-chair-can't-control-yourself love it." It's a great quote. And it's not just true for nerds. The same can be said of writers.
Writers have to love stuff. You wouldn't spend hours, days, weeks on something you didn't love. You wouldn't give up precious family time or turn down social invitations to sit alone at a desk if your heart wasn't in the work. You couldn't. You couldn't deal with the frustration, the setbacks, the rejections if you didn't absolutely love your story, your concept, your characters.
Personally, the act of writing makes me happy. It's like someone takes a pitcher full of joy and pours the whole thing into my chest. I feel light with excitement. While everyone is different, I'm sure other writers experience similar emotions.
However, while I love what I do, what I create, sometimes I forget all of that. I go long periods without writing. I drift. And I know I'm not the only one. I know someone else is probably drifting right now.
So, here's a reminder, fellow writer. You love writing. I know you do. It's in your title. Writing is loving. And love affairs require two participants. There's a story out there, waiting for you. Go to it. Get reacquainted.
Have fun.
Writers have to love stuff. You wouldn't spend hours, days, weeks on something you didn't love. You wouldn't give up precious family time or turn down social invitations to sit alone at a desk if your heart wasn't in the work. You couldn't. You couldn't deal with the frustration, the setbacks, the rejections if you didn't absolutely love your story, your concept, your characters.
Personally, the act of writing makes me happy. It's like someone takes a pitcher full of joy and pours the whole thing into my chest. I feel light with excitement. While everyone is different, I'm sure other writers experience similar emotions.
However, while I love what I do, what I create, sometimes I forget all of that. I go long periods without writing. I drift. And I know I'm not the only one. I know someone else is probably drifting right now.
So, here's a reminder, fellow writer. You love writing. I know you do. It's in your title. Writing is loving. And love affairs require two participants. There's a story out there, waiting for you. Go to it. Get reacquainted.
Have fun.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Kaylie Austen's RAVENS Release Day Interview
I hosted Kaylie Austen on my blog back in March 2012 (here and here). Today she is back again with big news. Her book, RAVENS, has been published! In celebration, I have asked her a question for each letter of her book title. She is also being nice enough to giveaway a signed copy of RAVENS! Rafflecopter at the bottom of the post.
Brooke: RAVENS has had two different publishers. How did having to switch publishers make you feel? What do you suggest for other writers who have problems with their publishers?
Kaylie: Having to make a change like that was worrisome and frustrating, but thankfully RAVENS was picked up quickly by another publisher who had also liked the novel from its early days.
When writers have issues with their publishers, they should always evaluate the issue first and get to the root of the problem. Sometimes fault is with the writer and as a writer, you must be humble enough to acknowledge that and make necessary changes. This is a business, not a right, and that goes both ways. Publishers and editors must also be professional and dependable. Make sure it’s a legitimate issue. If the problem is actually your editor or publisher and not you, then approach that person. They should be willing to discuss things and want to work on it with you. The next step is to contact the head of the department or CEO. If that doesn’t resolve the problem, look at your contract carefully and see if you can retract your rights based on the legal qualifications. Sometimes, and thankfully not my experience, a writer may have to take a serious loss or get into a legal battle. After the storm, you just dust yourself off, gather your confidence and know-how, and move on with another lesson under your belt and become a bit wiser.
B: Are there any big events happening to celebrate the release of RAVENS, either online or in real life?
K: There’s a Goodreads giveaway, and I’ll have a giveaway on my blog as well as some interviews around the web. No big event, though. I’m getting my toes wet for now.
B: Vaguely described in your book summary, Ravens play a big part in your story. Could you give us a few more sentences explaining what Ravens are? Do they actually look like the bird or are they something entirely different?
K: I’m a huge fan of the X-Men and Gambit (swoon) is mighty hot. I loosely fashioned Ravens after him. Ravens are children who were teleported into a parallel universe where they’re superhuman and are hunted by humans. The colored part of their eyes are white and the white parts are black. They only emerge at night to remain hidden. They have electromagnetic capabilities, are agile, fast, strong, and many have independent powers. For example, Liam can cause illusions in people, read their minds, and he can communicate with Kendra when she’s in our world using telepathy.
B: Even though releasing RAVENS is extremely exciting, you have other books as well. Do you expect to release HELLHOUND any time soon, with this publisher or another one? Are there any other novels in the works?
K: HELLHOUND (paranormal mystery) will release in 2013, but we don’t have a set date yet. As a surprise that I’m announcing with you, because it seems you’ve been with me for so long, I’m terribly excited to announce that my zombie mermaid novel will also be published, hopefully in late 2013 or 2014. I have a few novels I finished in 2012 that haven’t found a home, yet. I hope to have amazing news about them soon.
B: Novels can be hard to write, which is why many authors also write or start out writing shorter works. Do you have any shorter projects you're working on now? Do you have any published?
K: I had two paranormal romance shorts published in 2010, but they are no longer in circulation. I don’t have any projects going right now, although I do have ideas for a RAVENS sequel that will take the crew to one of the three moons in the parallel universe, the one that’s been terra-formed for prisoners.
B: Saving her sister is Kendra's main goal in RAVENS. What are your goals, both for RAVENS and your writing?
K: Every writer wants to see their baby become a hit. I just hope people like it, even if it remains low key. My goals are simple, though not easily obtainable. I hope to achieve some of these goals in 2013: signing with an agent, signing with a major publisher, and eventually, one day, maybe making it onto a bestseller’s list. I think that’s a generic ballpark for most aspiring authors, but a worthy one and one worth fighting for. Blood, sweat, and tears as they say.
About RAVENS:
What are Ravens, and are they as the world wants us to believe—sinister and without human qualities? When abruptly taken from their world, select humans are transformed into creatures of the night with penetrating eyes and uncanny abilities that most believe are a threat to mankind. Stripped from their mundane and ordinary lives, these creatures have no choice but to stalk the night and fight back in order to survive.
One such Raven is eighteen-year-old Liam, who uses his telepathy to communicate with Kendra in order to lure her into the transformation. It proves to be a double-edged gambit that turns into a tumultuous journey. Racing against time to save her sister, whom she believed to be dead, Kendra falls through a portal and into a parallel world where humans hunt her. She becomes a Raven with ill-controlled powers, trapped in a torrid affair with Liam, and desperately struggles to find a grip on her new reality.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Find Kayle At: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
About Kaylie Austen: I was born during a monsoon in an Indian village that lacked a doctor and a hospital but had many nesting cobras nearby. That’s the most fascinating thing about me. Other than that, I’m a true Texan, and yes, I bleed orange (Longhorns!). Currently, I reside in the Pacific Northwest with my husband. My novels include YA fantasy, YA sci-fi, and paranormal romance/mystery.
I’ve been writing since the age of ten, and completed two novels before high school graduation. I love to learn, my life is rich with culture, and I’m an undercover nerd.
Brooke: RAVENS has had two different publishers. How did having to switch publishers make you feel? What do you suggest for other writers who have problems with their publishers?
Kaylie: Having to make a change like that was worrisome and frustrating, but thankfully RAVENS was picked up quickly by another publisher who had also liked the novel from its early days.
When writers have issues with their publishers, they should always evaluate the issue first and get to the root of the problem. Sometimes fault is with the writer and as a writer, you must be humble enough to acknowledge that and make necessary changes. This is a business, not a right, and that goes both ways. Publishers and editors must also be professional and dependable. Make sure it’s a legitimate issue. If the problem is actually your editor or publisher and not you, then approach that person. They should be willing to discuss things and want to work on it with you. The next step is to contact the head of the department or CEO. If that doesn’t resolve the problem, look at your contract carefully and see if you can retract your rights based on the legal qualifications. Sometimes, and thankfully not my experience, a writer may have to take a serious loss or get into a legal battle. After the storm, you just dust yourself off, gather your confidence and know-how, and move on with another lesson under your belt and become a bit wiser.
B: Are there any big events happening to celebrate the release of RAVENS, either online or in real life?
K: There’s a Goodreads giveaway, and I’ll have a giveaway on my blog as well as some interviews around the web. No big event, though. I’m getting my toes wet for now.
B: Vaguely described in your book summary, Ravens play a big part in your story. Could you give us a few more sentences explaining what Ravens are? Do they actually look like the bird or are they something entirely different?
K: I’m a huge fan of the X-Men and Gambit (swoon) is mighty hot. I loosely fashioned Ravens after him. Ravens are children who were teleported into a parallel universe where they’re superhuman and are hunted by humans. The colored part of their eyes are white and the white parts are black. They only emerge at night to remain hidden. They have electromagnetic capabilities, are agile, fast, strong, and many have independent powers. For example, Liam can cause illusions in people, read their minds, and he can communicate with Kendra when she’s in our world using telepathy.
B: Even though releasing RAVENS is extremely exciting, you have other books as well. Do you expect to release HELLHOUND any time soon, with this publisher or another one? Are there any other novels in the works?
K: HELLHOUND (paranormal mystery) will release in 2013, but we don’t have a set date yet. As a surprise that I’m announcing with you, because it seems you’ve been with me for so long, I’m terribly excited to announce that my zombie mermaid novel will also be published, hopefully in late 2013 or 2014. I have a few novels I finished in 2012 that haven’t found a home, yet. I hope to have amazing news about them soon.
B: Novels can be hard to write, which is why many authors also write or start out writing shorter works. Do you have any shorter projects you're working on now? Do you have any published?
K: I had two paranormal romance shorts published in 2010, but they are no longer in circulation. I don’t have any projects going right now, although I do have ideas for a RAVENS sequel that will take the crew to one of the three moons in the parallel universe, the one that’s been terra-formed for prisoners.
B: Saving her sister is Kendra's main goal in RAVENS. What are your goals, both for RAVENS and your writing?
K: Every writer wants to see their baby become a hit. I just hope people like it, even if it remains low key. My goals are simple, though not easily obtainable. I hope to achieve some of these goals in 2013: signing with an agent, signing with a major publisher, and eventually, one day, maybe making it onto a bestseller’s list. I think that’s a generic ballpark for most aspiring authors, but a worthy one and one worth fighting for. Blood, sweat, and tears as they say.
About RAVENS:What are Ravens, and are they as the world wants us to believe—sinister and without human qualities? When abruptly taken from their world, select humans are transformed into creatures of the night with penetrating eyes and uncanny abilities that most believe are a threat to mankind. Stripped from their mundane and ordinary lives, these creatures have no choice but to stalk the night and fight back in order to survive.
One such Raven is eighteen-year-old Liam, who uses his telepathy to communicate with Kendra in order to lure her into the transformation. It proves to be a double-edged gambit that turns into a tumultuous journey. Racing against time to save her sister, whom she believed to be dead, Kendra falls through a portal and into a parallel world where humans hunt her. She becomes a Raven with ill-controlled powers, trapped in a torrid affair with Liam, and desperately struggles to find a grip on her new reality.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Find Kayle At: Website | Blog | Facebook | TwitterAbout Kaylie Austen: I was born during a monsoon in an Indian village that lacked a doctor and a hospital but had many nesting cobras nearby. That’s the most fascinating thing about me. Other than that, I’m a true Texan, and yes, I bleed orange (Longhorns!). Currently, I reside in the Pacific Northwest with my husband. My novels include YA fantasy, YA sci-fi, and paranormal romance/mystery.
I’ve been writing since the age of ten, and completed two novels before high school graduation. I love to learn, my life is rich with culture, and I’m an undercover nerd.
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
Don't Reward Yourself for Doing NaNo, Make NaNo a Reward
You hear a lot of advice on how to motivate yourself to write, especially during NaNo season. It is often recommended that you punish yourself if you don't meet your goals or reward yourself if you do. However, have you ever tried making the writing the reward?
Before I continue, it would probably be beneficial to you to know that this method probably works best when you're ahead or more toward the end of the month when there are certain things you can't put off any longer.
It's really a pretty simple idea.
Say you've got some giant assignment that's worth thirty percent of your grade or you need to clean your whole house before the fam comes over for Thanksgiving or you need to do something for work (sorry for no specifics, teenager who's never had a job here). Basically, you have something that has to be done, but you'd rather be working on NaNo instead.
You break up that thing into smaller parts. At the completion of each part, you get to write so many words. Get is the key word here. Not have to write so many words. Get to. This makes your NaNo something desirable as well as helping you complete tasks you may not necessarily want to complete. It's a win-win.
What are your NaNoing tips?
Before I continue, it would probably be beneficial to you to know that this method probably works best when you're ahead or more toward the end of the month when there are certain things you can't put off any longer.
It's really a pretty simple idea.
Say you've got some giant assignment that's worth thirty percent of your grade or you need to clean your whole house before the fam comes over for Thanksgiving or you need to do something for work (sorry for no specifics, teenager who's never had a job here). Basically, you have something that has to be done, but you'd rather be working on NaNo instead.
You break up that thing into smaller parts. At the completion of each part, you get to write so many words. Get is the key word here. Not have to write so many words. Get to. This makes your NaNo something desirable as well as helping you complete tasks you may not necessarily want to complete. It's a win-win.
What are your NaNoing tips?
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Overcoming Fear
Do you ever get scared? Scared that you'll never write about that big shiny idea of yours? Scared that you'll never finish the writing? Scared that you won't know how to revise it or make it good enough?
It's okay if you do. Everyone does.
And don't think you're an exception if it hasn't happened yet. It will.
Those aren't the only fears either. There's a whole universe of them and everyone has different ones at different times. My current one? Losing NaNoWriMo.
I tell myself that it's unfounded. I felt it last year too and look how that turned out. Over 100k written and two finished first drafts. I've never even come close to losing.
But that doesn't keep me from being scared.
Mostly I think it's because I kind of bombed Camp NaNoWriMo. Didn't even get halfway done though I did do better than last year. And I haven't worked on OBJECTION much since, however much I said I was going to.
That changed today. I sat my butt in my chair, put my head phones in, and typed away for about an hour and a half. Even tried Write or Die. I ended up adding about 2300 words for a total of 26,025. And it feels good.
The fear has subsided a bit.
What is your most recent fear?
It's okay if you do. Everyone does.
And don't think you're an exception if it hasn't happened yet. It will.
Those aren't the only fears either. There's a whole universe of them and everyone has different ones at different times. My current one? Losing NaNoWriMo.
I tell myself that it's unfounded. I felt it last year too and look how that turned out. Over 100k written and two finished first drafts. I've never even come close to losing.
But that doesn't keep me from being scared.
Mostly I think it's because I kind of bombed Camp NaNoWriMo. Didn't even get halfway done though I did do better than last year. And I haven't worked on OBJECTION much since, however much I said I was going to.
That changed today. I sat my butt in my chair, put my head phones in, and typed away for about an hour and a half. Even tried Write or Die. I ended up adding about 2300 words for a total of 26,025. And it feels good.
The fear has subsided a bit.
What is your most recent fear?
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Accidents Happen
Which is why you should always have a current backup of your work somewhere. Email. Check. (At least, with some documents.) Flash drive. Check. Internet storage such as Dropbox. Will do. Once I get home and get my new, non-fried computer. (Keep reading.) And the good ol' hard copy. Check. (Though, they may not all be the most current versions.)
Why am I reminding you of this? You've heard it a million times, right? I mean, come on, Brooke, even you're getting tired of hearing it.
Because accidents happen.
As I mentioned previously, I'm currently visiting my out-of-state grandparents. Yesterday, I was talking to my mom on the phone when she informed me my computer has officially fried.
Give that a moment to sink in. My. Computer. Fried.
My mother plugged a flash drive into one of the front USB ports, forgetting they don't work. Usually, nothing happens. But oh, not this time. This time it sent a power surge through my computer. Ctrl+Alt+Del was not going to fix that bad boy. So my parents unplugged it. And it now refuses to power back on.
What did I tell you? Accidents happen.
Luckily, my dad thinks the hard drive is still good. And if it isn't, I uploaded current versions of all my writing documents onto my flash drive before I left. We also have computer insurance (I didn't even know that existed let alone that we had it. Guess someone told my mom accidents happen.) which will buy me a new computer.
This accident didn't turn out so bad. Hey, I'm even going to have a computer with working front USB ports. But that doesn't mean the next one won't. Or that yours won't.
So backup your work. Now. Twice. Naw. Four times.
Why am I reminding you of this? You've heard it a million times, right? I mean, come on, Brooke, even you're getting tired of hearing it.
Because accidents happen.
As I mentioned previously, I'm currently visiting my out-of-state grandparents. Yesterday, I was talking to my mom on the phone when she informed me my computer has officially fried.
Give that a moment to sink in. My. Computer. Fried.
My mother plugged a flash drive into one of the front USB ports, forgetting they don't work. Usually, nothing happens. But oh, not this time. This time it sent a power surge through my computer. Ctrl+Alt+Del was not going to fix that bad boy. So my parents unplugged it. And it now refuses to power back on.
What did I tell you? Accidents happen.
Luckily, my dad thinks the hard drive is still good. And if it isn't, I uploaded current versions of all my writing documents onto my flash drive before I left. We also have computer insurance (I didn't even know that existed let alone that we had it. Guess someone told my mom accidents happen.) which will buy me a new computer.
This accident didn't turn out so bad. Hey, I'm even going to have a computer with working front USB ports. But that doesn't mean the next one won't. Or that yours won't.
So backup your work. Now. Twice. Naw. Four times.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Who Says Dresses Have Nothing to do With Writing?
Dresses do not all look the same. They can be a multitude of colors. They can be long or short, maybe somewhere in between. They can be skintight or loose. They can have sleeves, spaghetti straps, even vests or jackets. Or they could have nothing. They can have sashes or belts or neither.However, they also all have things in common.
They all cover the area from chest to at least a bit below the crotch (if they don't, it's not a dress). They all share that characteristic where they're, ah, open at the bottom. They're all considered clothing and are made from fabric.
They all have the same basic characteristics that make them dresses.
Stories, whether in book or script or poem or short form, are like this too. (Yes, this is another one of those posts where something is turned into an analogy for writing.)No two stories are the same. They all have plot and characters and setting sure. But every one of those plots and characters and settings are different, even if only in the smallest way. And even if two plots or two characters or two settings were the exact same, the words describing them wouldn't be.
For instance, if I asked you to describe that purple dress over there, what would you say? (This is the hint for you to leave it in the comments so we can compare.) Here's mine:
Shades of purple fall in ripples down the fabric, losing their way and missing one arm.
Yours is probably very different from mine, but that doesn't mean it's not good. Just as two dresses can look nothing alike and yet both be pretty, you can be a brilliant writer without writing like J.K. Rowling or John Green. A dress could have ruffles or it could have lace. Your book could be paranormal or contemporary. And it would be wonderful either way.Celebrate differences because without them I wouldn't have all these pretty dresses and the world wouldn't have so many awesome books.
Bonus dress analogy: Dresses look different (aka better) on various people and various people like different dresses. Various people will do better writing different genres and different genres will appeal to various people.
And I promise I'm not conceited. I just prefer to use pictures that are mine and not Google's.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Is Blog "Published" Considered Published?
If you've been reading my blog for a while (or a month), you know that one of my New Year's Resolutions was to "submit at least two short stories." Thanks to Theresa who sent me a whole list of contests and literary magazines, Charity who writes posts on any contest she thinks worth entering, and Michael who makes sure I read those posts, I have a few places in mind. All of them require the submission to be unpublished.
If you've been reading my blog a little while (or a year) longer, you know that I've posted many short stories thanks to The Chrysalis Experiment. Many of those stories are good or at least have the potential to be, if I do say so myself, and I think they would have a chance at winning or being accepted (whichever the case may be).
My only concern is, if I have posted or "published" the story on my blog, is it considered published? Would I be able to submit it? What do you think?
If you've been reading my blog a little while (or a year) longer, you know that I've posted many short stories thanks to The Chrysalis Experiment. Many of those stories are good or at least have the potential to be, if I do say so myself, and I think they would have a chance at winning or being accepted (whichever the case may be).
My only concern is, if I have posted or "published" the story on my blog, is it considered published? Would I be able to submit it? What do you think?
Friday, November 11, 2011
1, 2, 3 or I, II, III?
We all know the book title is hard, but what about the chapter names? Have you ever given any thought to them? About whether they'll be funny or short or long or interlock with the book's title or all share the same theme? Or perhaps you won't even have any. The chapter name will simply be a number. But will it be a number by itself or with the word 'chapter' in front of it? Will it be 1, 2, 3 or I, II, II? How do you decide?
How do you name your chapters? How do you like your chapter names in books? Have any examples you would like to share, whether out of your own books or others?
- Some people base it simply off of what they like to see in books they read. This is the reason I made sure each chapter for my first two novels had a name, even if it was entirely ridiculous.
- Some people base it off of point of view. This is the reason THE LULLABY no longer has chapter names, but THINKING OF YOU does. First person is more personal and real chapter names instead of numbers go along with that.
- Some people go off the tone of their book. Look at Rick Riordan and the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. His books are hilarious and so are his chapter names.
- Some people choose chapter names that will add depth to their book. In SHADOWMAN, I call my chapters 'verses' since my MC is very into music.
- Some people name their chapters on a book by book basis as I have done.
How do you name your chapters? How do you like your chapter names in books? Have any examples you would like to share, whether out of your own books or others?
Monday, October 03, 2011
Pocket Writing
Cut what is not needed. In Pocket Frogs, you are allowed eight habitats (16 if you're on the iPhone) which you have to buy throughout the game. Each habitat can only hold eight frogs. You don't have room to keep every single frog. You must sell all doubles and any frog you don't need for breeding. And don't worry, you can always clone that frog from your Froggydex if you need it later.
Combining two stories can make a stronger story. Sometimes you have two frogs and each has a quality that you need for your collection or breeding stock. However, you don't need any of the other aspects of the two frogs. What do you do? Breed them and make a frog that has all the qualities you want with the added bonus of, after selling those two frogs, more space.
Writing friends are a must. If you are playing on an iPhone, you have the option to trade frogs and items with your friends. Do it. It helps you, it helps them. Life is much harder without the help of your buddies. Trust me. I know. I'm the one playing on an Android.
*Learn more about Pocket Frogs here and here.
**All images found through Google.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Never Feel Bad About Squashing A.N.T.s Again
Recently, I was watching the reality TV show My Strange Addiction. The woman had gone to see a therapist because she could not stop eating dryer sheets. The therapist mentioned something that stuck with me.
A.N.T. = automatic negative thought
Imagine a line of ants marching. They can be marching across your kitchen counter, the sidewalk, where ever you feel comfortable placing that line of marching ants. Now, each ant is going to represent a doubt, or an automatic negative thought, that you've had. Are you still with me? Good.
Now comes the fun part. It's time to squash those A.N.T.s. You can even give them the faces of someone you hate if you're feeling extra down. My writing sucks. Splat! I'll never find an agent. Splat! I should just stop before I embarrass myself. Splat! Rinse and repeat until all A.N.T.s are gone.
Feeling better? I thought so. :)
No formicidae were harmed during the making of this post.
A.N.T. = automatic negative thought
Imagine a line of ants marching. They can be marching across your kitchen counter, the sidewalk, where ever you feel comfortable placing that line of marching ants. Now, each ant is going to represent a doubt, or an automatic negative thought, that you've had. Are you still with me? Good.
Now comes the fun part. It's time to squash those A.N.T.s. You can even give them the faces of someone you hate if you're feeling extra down. My writing sucks. Splat! I'll never find an agent. Splat! I should just stop before I embarrass myself. Splat! Rinse and repeat until all A.N.T.s are gone.
Feeling better? I thought so. :)
No formicidae were harmed during the making of this post.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
For A Dollar
If you're a paper-pencil writer (and aren't too picky about what you write in) this is something you need to hear. Go to Wal-Mart and stock up on notebooks now. Or sometime before September.
Before school shopping session is a wonderland of low-priced notebooks (even more so on no-tax weekend). Depending on your region, regular one-subject notebooks are priced from $0.20 to $0.50. Certain composition notebooks run for just a few cents more. If you buy notebooks often, you know that that is ridiculous.
Decorated notebooks are also cheaper than usual, but let's put it this way. I bought five plain notebooks for a dollar. My sister bought one decorated notebook for $1.97.
What writing related deals have you stumbled upon lately?
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| "Notebook Rainbow" |
Decorated notebooks are also cheaper than usual, but let's put it this way. I bought five plain notebooks for a dollar. My sister bought one decorated notebook for $1.97.
What writing related deals have you stumbled upon lately?
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Qurious Quirks Blogfest
Everyone has a different way of connecting with their characters, of making them lifelike and believable. Some use an interview technique that's almost like a conversation, some answer endless surveys, and some just write. But for any of these to work, we must ask ourselves: What breathes life into a character? What makes people believe they're real?Of course, we all start with the basics: name, age (if only relatively), gender. Then we move on to deeper things, like family, backstory, likes, dislikes, personality, relationships. Now, you have what may resemble an inflated stick figure.
What more can there be? You ask.
The title of the blogfest says it all. Quirks, gestures, those little things that make people individuals, are what make characters come alive in the reader's mind. Think about a good book you've read recently, one where you really related to the characters. Now picture one of those characters doing something, say talking. Are they standing perfectly still while they speak?
I didn't think so.
And that's what this blogfest is all about. If you're a little qurious, instructions are provided below.
- Sign up in the Linky. You do not have to be a follower to participate nor do you have to post the badge on your blog. However, both would be appreciated.
- On June 15th, post questions or a small writing prompt relating to quirks on your blog and challenge others to answer in the comments. You must accept your own challenge. You can answer using one of your characters, someone you know in real life, or yourself.
- Go to at least two other blogs and accept their challenges. I will repost the Linky at the end of my own blogfest entry on June 15th.
Thursday, April 07, 2011
If You Give Your Muse a Makeover
Okay, I give in. You're right. He's invisible, but I certainly had you fooled there for a second, didn't I? It's okay to admit it.
Just for you, here's a picture of him minus the invisibility factor (I want you to know, I had to call in a favor for that one, Elvis doesn't like being exposed). That's right, my muse is an invisible, flying, giant, man-eating elephant. But don't worry, I'm safe because, as my mother pointed out, he's a man-eating elephant, not a girl-eating elephant (sorry guys).
Now, for the purpose of this post (which I will get to eventually, I promise), let's say that Elvis is your muse. And you are scared stiff of him. Every time he comes near you with an idea, you curl up into a little ball and sob uncontrollably (remember for your pride's sake that this is hypothetical).
And because of this change, you finally listen to Elvis's ideas and write an awesome book and become a bestseller/millionaire.
The occasional change is good for your writing. I know from experience.
I first came upon this astounding idea while reading this blog post by Charity Bradford. Lately, I have been in my own 'rut' and I thought 'Why not?' So the next time I was at the store, I bought some new mechanical pencils.
Paper, or more accurately the feel of paper, is an important factor in my reading and writing experiences. Softer paper tends to help me more than stiff. The usual notebook I write in has paper somewhere in between. Which just wasn't clicking for me. I went through my reserves and found the notebook in which I wrote parts of Thinking of You. And guess what? It's pages are super soft.
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| My Usual Notebook |
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| My 'Change' Notebook |
I repeat: Change is good for your writing. If it can work for me, the queen of routine, it can work for you.
Now, I've got to run before Elvis notices I drew him with green spots.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
A Sad Truth
I was mulling it over as I laid in bed the other night and I think I have come to the conclusion that getting published might actually make me a little sad. Of course, my super excited, jubilant feeling will probably knock that out of the water, but it's still going to be there.
I should probably explain this. The reason I'm so weary about posting my poetry and other works on other sites is that fact that those sites often get non-exclusive rights to my work. I do realize that non-exclusive means the rights to the work are still mine but even that makes me uneasy. This means the work is never wholly mine again. This feeling is probably going to be even worse when (or if, but I'm hoping for when) I get published because I'm pretty sure the rights the publishing company claim are not non-exclusive. I will be getting paid for the sales that my book(s) brings in and my name will be on the book so I can claim that I wrote it/them. It/they just won't be completely mine anymore. It's a sad truth.
I should probably explain this. The reason I'm so weary about posting my poetry and other works on other sites is that fact that those sites often get non-exclusive rights to my work. I do realize that non-exclusive means the rights to the work are still mine but even that makes me uneasy. This means the work is never wholly mine again. This feeling is probably going to be even worse when (or if, but I'm hoping for when) I get published because I'm pretty sure the rights the publishing company claim are not non-exclusive. I will be getting paid for the sales that my book(s) brings in and my name will be on the book so I can claim that I wrote it/them. It/they just won't be completely mine anymore. It's a sad truth.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
At the Bottom
Everyone has to start somewhere. Your first step onto the mountain doesn't bring you directly to the top. The first word of a novel doesn't bring you straight to the end. Most people don't think about the process of climbing the mountain when they hear someone's finally made it to the top. They don't think about how hard it was to write that story when they're looking at the finished product. But there is a process and it is hard.
Unfortunately, I'm at the bottom of the mountain. Fortunately, I'm prepared to climb. I know what needs to be done and I'm pretty sure I have all the tools to do it. I know good writing from bad, amazing plots from the not-so-amazing ones. A pretty large vocabulary from years of reading resides in my head. I even have a completed novel (though that's currently undergoing a huge rewrite, I'm talking the size of the Sun) and a few more okay ideas. I'm lucky enough to have supportive friends and family and the NaNo site when I need real help and suggestions. Here's to hoping it's enough.
My current goal is to get this novel polished enough to actually be worth reading, by an agent, an editor, or just my neighbors. Let me tell you, that's going to require a lot of work and time. The main idea and plot isn't too bad, I suppose, but the writing is pretty much garbage. The reason I'm doing a complete rewrite. It's not going too bad but I have a long way to go. We'll call that my first ledge, shall we?
During this section of the climb, I'm also going to be reading through all 415 of my books. I'm calling it the Reading Trail, training for the climb. I know now is probably not a good time to decide to go on a reading extravaganza but I'm hoping it'll help me relax when I get stressed over getting it just right and show me that if I work hard enough I could be holding my own book, if not soon then someday. I have a list of my books set up on my computer in alphabetical order by the author's last name and the first book on my list is: The Haunting of Derek Stone: City of the Dead & Bayou Dogs by Tony Abbott. I'm going to be posting reviews of the books I read on this blog as well as how my rewriting is going. Here's to hoping I'll have lots to talk about.
I think it's taken me thirty minutes to write this post. XD The result is pretty good though. Wish me luck on narrowing down that time. I'm going to need as much of it as I can get. Now, I'm off to explore the different ways to edit my blog.
Unfortunately, I'm at the bottom of the mountain. Fortunately, I'm prepared to climb. I know what needs to be done and I'm pretty sure I have all the tools to do it. I know good writing from bad, amazing plots from the not-so-amazing ones. A pretty large vocabulary from years of reading resides in my head. I even have a completed novel (though that's currently undergoing a huge rewrite, I'm talking the size of the Sun) and a few more okay ideas. I'm lucky enough to have supportive friends and family and the NaNo site when I need real help and suggestions. Here's to hoping it's enough.
My current goal is to get this novel polished enough to actually be worth reading, by an agent, an editor, or just my neighbors. Let me tell you, that's going to require a lot of work and time. The main idea and plot isn't too bad, I suppose, but the writing is pretty much garbage. The reason I'm doing a complete rewrite. It's not going too bad but I have a long way to go. We'll call that my first ledge, shall we?
During this section of the climb, I'm also going to be reading through all 415 of my books. I'm calling it the Reading Trail, training for the climb. I know now is probably not a good time to decide to go on a reading extravaganza but I'm hoping it'll help me relax when I get stressed over getting it just right and show me that if I work hard enough I could be holding my own book, if not soon then someday. I have a list of my books set up on my computer in alphabetical order by the author's last name and the first book on my list is: The Haunting of Derek Stone: City of the Dead & Bayou Dogs by Tony Abbott. I'm going to be posting reviews of the books I read on this blog as well as how my rewriting is going. Here's to hoping I'll have lots to talk about.
I think it's taken me thirty minutes to write this post. XD The result is pretty good though. Wish me luck on narrowing down that time. I'm going to need as much of it as I can get. Now, I'm off to explore the different ways to edit my blog.
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