I'm feeling better guys. Thanks to my wife, Willard and Dani, plus some of the guys on AW (especially Triceratops, poster/published writer), I feel 100% again.
I submitted two electronic quires and prepared two snail mail ones to mail tomorrow. I feel that I should write some Parodyverse stories and let the book go out to agents. Maybe some non-New York ones, and smaller press ones. Maybe I'll try an editor too.
Anyway, I'm back in the saddle. My real problem is proper time management. I only have lunch, before and after work to write or query. That's not enough time.
I'll get it though.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
British covers (clues?)
What's with the shiny castle? The snake in the ball, why? What are the trio in? Gold? Is that Harry's money?
Cover to Harry Potter 7!
As I'm sure you already know, the cover to book 7 has been released.
Can't wait till this one! I'll be sad when it's over. If only there was a book out there that could grab people and keep them entertained.
Hmm.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Painful rejection
I just received a rejection from a certain agent. This is the same agent who wrote a note on my query last October, stating that she held onto it for awhile but ultimately didn’t go with it because of all the editing.
After a great deal of editing I resubmitted to her.
Here is what she said…
“This is going to be frustrating to hear, but last fall a lot of YA & middle grade editors were looking for vampire & werewolf type novels. Now they aren’t. Trends come & go quickly. It will probably come back around again, but probably not until fall again. Or even later if the publishers don’t feel these books sold as well as they hoped.”
So what does this mean? Should I just give up and wait? Last fall? You mean last fall as in the season that she got my query the first time? It was last fall that every one rejected it. Should I have skipped the agents and went straight to the editors last fall? Is it too late now? Is she for real? Should I just quit and take her word for it? DAMN!
Ok, let’s count the facts.
1.Getting started at a published writer means getting an agent and agents are fickle with what they want. The one thing that you can count on is that they expect everything to be unworthy and unmarketable.
2. Editors feel the same way as agents and even if you do by some miracle convince one that you’ve got the stuff, that your story has the stuff, they have to convince a group of editors who expect failure.
3. While you may have tried your novel with the age bracket, and they liked it and honestly wanted more, the opinions of the age bracket means squat to the professionals. You’re not supposed to tell them that readers liked it. They don’t care. If they don’t think it will sell, who cares if a bunch of kids think otherwise? Even if it’s the kids who would buy it in the first place.
4. The fiction I originally set out to do is no longer desired by editors or agents. I didn’t sit down one day and say “Hey, how about vampires?” No, the idea came to me in a powerful, overwhelming passion. I never cared about vampires, yet I had to write it. This character had to get out to schools, libraries and any where else. She had to teach and entertain children. She had to make their lives better. I feel in my bones that this is right and the thirty kids who read it feel the same way. I’m told “Write something else.” Well I have other stories in me, tons of them. But the passion is with Annabelle. The passion is with this story.
I don’t know what to do. I could, in one gust of fury, take the passion and rewrite the first two chapters, but why? Why do anything?
A small voice filled with passion, one that feels “right”, tells me she was just one agent. She’s just one opinion. The voice says to keep trying. She’s not the voice of every agent or editor. Don’t let her get you down.
On the other hand, she is a professional. Her ear is set to the industry. How could she be wrong? I’m just a clueless little wannabe writer. I know nothing. She’s clearly right and I’m clueless optimistic. I’m stupid, living in a fantasy world of wish fulfillment. I’ve lost a lot of faith in this dream. This was the straw. Final straw? I have no clue. I have little clue about anything these days.
After a great deal of editing I resubmitted to her.
Here is what she said…
“This is going to be frustrating to hear, but last fall a lot of YA & middle grade editors were looking for vampire & werewolf type novels. Now they aren’t. Trends come & go quickly. It will probably come back around again, but probably not until fall again. Or even later if the publishers don’t feel these books sold as well as they hoped.”
So what does this mean? Should I just give up and wait? Last fall? You mean last fall as in the season that she got my query the first time? It was last fall that every one rejected it. Should I have skipped the agents and went straight to the editors last fall? Is it too late now? Is she for real? Should I just quit and take her word for it? DAMN!
Ok, let’s count the facts.
1.Getting started at a published writer means getting an agent and agents are fickle with what they want. The one thing that you can count on is that they expect everything to be unworthy and unmarketable.
2. Editors feel the same way as agents and even if you do by some miracle convince one that you’ve got the stuff, that your story has the stuff, they have to convince a group of editors who expect failure.
3. While you may have tried your novel with the age bracket, and they liked it and honestly wanted more, the opinions of the age bracket means squat to the professionals. You’re not supposed to tell them that readers liked it. They don’t care. If they don’t think it will sell, who cares if a bunch of kids think otherwise? Even if it’s the kids who would buy it in the first place.
4. The fiction I originally set out to do is no longer desired by editors or agents. I didn’t sit down one day and say “Hey, how about vampires?” No, the idea came to me in a powerful, overwhelming passion. I never cared about vampires, yet I had to write it. This character had to get out to schools, libraries and any where else. She had to teach and entertain children. She had to make their lives better. I feel in my bones that this is right and the thirty kids who read it feel the same way. I’m told “Write something else.” Well I have other stories in me, tons of them. But the passion is with Annabelle. The passion is with this story.
I don’t know what to do. I could, in one gust of fury, take the passion and rewrite the first two chapters, but why? Why do anything?
A small voice filled with passion, one that feels “right”, tells me she was just one agent. She’s just one opinion. The voice says to keep trying. She’s not the voice of every agent or editor. Don’t let her get you down.
On the other hand, she is a professional. Her ear is set to the industry. How could she be wrong? I’m just a clueless little wannabe writer. I know nothing. She’s clearly right and I’m clueless optimistic. I’m stupid, living in a fantasy world of wish fulfillment. I’ve lost a lot of faith in this dream. This was the straw. Final straw? I have no clue. I have little clue about anything these days.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Long Time No Post
Sorry guys!
I've been very busy working. I have evenings and lunches to do stuff, but I've been pretty tired.
I submitted ten quires last Friday. We'll see when the rejections come forth.
I've been very busy working. I have evenings and lunches to do stuff, but I've been pretty tired.
I submitted ten quires last Friday. We'll see when the rejections come forth.
My Disney Channel rant
Hey, long time no post! Sorry!
I liked how this came out on the RTM so I posted it here to, so I could keep it.
Danni, Willard, if you feel like replying, go for it!
---
It would be nice if there was a Vault Disney channel that showed all the stuff from decades ago. Disney has such a strong, rich history but all they cram down people's throats are stupid teen sitcoms and lame cartoons. "Give the kid a couple years, then a TV movie, then throw them out and get a new kid."
Where is Escape from Witch Mountain? Where is The Cat From Outer Space? They have enough programming to fill several channels, but we get rehashed teen movies and reheated stale sitcoms.
ENOUGH with Raven, Zack & Cody and Cory! Give us Apple Dumpling Gang, Herbie and Swiss Family Robinson!
Disney, you want to flush your channel down the toilet? Fine! But create a Vault Disney channel so us parents can teach our children what wholesome programming is!
I liked how this came out on the RTM so I posted it here to, so I could keep it.
Danni, Willard, if you feel like replying, go for it!
---
It would be nice if there was a Vault Disney channel that showed all the stuff from decades ago. Disney has such a strong, rich history but all they cram down people's throats are stupid teen sitcoms and lame cartoons. "Give the kid a couple years, then a TV movie, then throw them out and get a new kid."
Where is Escape from Witch Mountain? Where is The Cat From Outer Space? They have enough programming to fill several channels, but we get rehashed teen movies and reheated stale sitcoms.
ENOUGH with Raven, Zack & Cody and Cory! Give us Apple Dumpling Gang, Herbie and Swiss Family Robinson!
Disney, you want to flush your channel down the toilet? Fine! But create a Vault Disney channel so us parents can teach our children what wholesome programming is!
Monday, March 12, 2007
Queries
I received my first new rejection.
This is my new push for the novel. After the extensive 3rd edits I sent out one electronic query and prepared nine snail mail ones. I'm still waiting to send the nine (between checks right now).
Today I got a rejection back from the electronic. I know I should laugh it off but after all those edits, I'm worried that maybe the edits were not enough.
What if no one wants it?
It's very frustrating, because those kids in Jeff's class really liked it and they are the demographic, but the agents are supposed to represent the demographic and they keep rejecting it.
GAHH!
I sent another electronic one today and sent a request to a prior queried agent to see if he would like to look at the new version.
I just feel so far away from my goals.
This is my new push for the novel. After the extensive 3rd edits I sent out one electronic query and prepared nine snail mail ones. I'm still waiting to send the nine (between checks right now).
Today I got a rejection back from the electronic. I know I should laugh it off but after all those edits, I'm worried that maybe the edits were not enough.
What if no one wants it?
It's very frustrating, because those kids in Jeff's class really liked it and they are the demographic, but the agents are supposed to represent the demographic and they keep rejecting it.
GAHH!
I sent another electronic one today and sent a request to a prior queried agent to see if he would like to look at the new version.
I just feel so far away from my goals.
Monday, March 05, 2007
How was my birthday?
It was good.
At work, the PC I've got is a slower model. Today I entered work to discover they gave me the newer one that they promised me. It's not the newest and I don't care. It's fast, it has Windows XP and I can do my work while listening to my tunes, and that's all I care about.
At lunch I made my goal. I updated my synopsis, typed up a letter for Rachel Vater and emailed her. I know I shouldn't get my hopes up but all I truly want is for this story, these characters to reach children. To entertain and maybe inspire.
Tomorrow I'll organize a group to send queries to.
I received well wishes from friends online and on the phone. My parents sent a nice card, too.
My wife made me chocolate brownies (I wanted that instead of cake) and the kids made me cards. Two new figures (Green Arrow and Red Tornado) arrived today, too.
All in all, not a bad day.
At work, the PC I've got is a slower model. Today I entered work to discover they gave me the newer one that they promised me. It's not the newest and I don't care. It's fast, it has Windows XP and I can do my work while listening to my tunes, and that's all I care about.
At lunch I made my goal. I updated my synopsis, typed up a letter for Rachel Vater and emailed her. I know I shouldn't get my hopes up but all I truly want is for this story, these characters to reach children. To entertain and maybe inspire.
Tomorrow I'll organize a group to send queries to.
I received well wishes from friends online and on the phone. My parents sent a nice card, too.
My wife made me chocolate brownies (I wanted that instead of cake) and the kids made me cards. Two new figures (Green Arrow and Red Tornado) arrived today, too.
All in all, not a bad day.
Happy Birthday
Well, today I turn 40. Weee. Yeah, right.
Nice part of having a blog no one reads? No one knows it's your birthday. ;)
Nice part of having a blog no one reads? No one knows it's your birthday. ;)
New Potter figures, good and bad.
Here’s the Leaky Cauldron picture site.
The good is that these figures are coming out.
The bad is that they are only released in the US.
Aw well.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Finished with the edits!
Finally!
Now to update the synopsis and query letter, compose a letter to Rachel Vater and then it's resubmission time!
Now to update the synopsis and query letter, compose a letter to Rachel Vater and then it's resubmission time!
Friday, March 02, 2007
Facts:
Fact #1, new job is going great. There is a learning curve and I'm working more than at the last job, but it's fun and I'm enjoying it.
Fact #2, The new car we bought a few weeks ago (new as in 2002) is doing great. This week I (with the help of my wife) turned some mp3s to wavs and burned some cds for the van. Finally we're driving with real tunes!
Fact #3, Stranger Than Fiction is a good movie. Go rent it. Of course I'm partial because I'm a wanna be writer.
Fact #4, Five more chapters to edit and it's done! Then it's time to revisit the synopsis, the query and write a letter to Rachel Vater.
Fact #5, I'm in a good mood tonight!
Fact #6, Monday is my birthday. Gah. I'm too young to be 40. Gah.
Fact #7, No one reads this blog so my birthday is still a secret. Well, Willard and Dani read this blog, but who are they gonna tell? 40? GAH!
Fact #8, The dogs want to go for a walk.
Fact #9, This email is finished! Bye!
(40, yuck)
Fact #2, The new car we bought a few weeks ago (new as in 2002) is doing great. This week I (with the help of my wife) turned some mp3s to wavs and burned some cds for the van. Finally we're driving with real tunes!
Fact #3, Stranger Than Fiction is a good movie. Go rent it. Of course I'm partial because I'm a wanna be writer.
Fact #4, Five more chapters to edit and it's done! Then it's time to revisit the synopsis, the query and write a letter to Rachel Vater.
Fact #5, I'm in a good mood tonight!
Fact #6, Monday is my birthday. Gah. I'm too young to be 40. Gah.
Fact #7, No one reads this blog so my birthday is still a secret. Well, Willard and Dani read this blog, but who are they gonna tell? 40? GAH!
Fact #8, The dogs want to go for a walk.
Fact #9, This email is finished! Bye!
(40, yuck)
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