Gennifer Albin: How I Revise

The awesome people at Operation Awesome (that's a purposeful repetition) asked me to stop by and give some tips about revising after NaNoWriMo.  I've done some posts and events where I've actually shown what my editing looks like (see here), so I thought today I would talk about my actual mechanics of revision, or how I physically edit my books.

I hard copy edit, which means I go all old school and lug around paper copies of my book.  I attempt to covert everyone to this method, because I believe seeing your words in a different medium helps.  In the past I would shoot a draft over to Officemax to print and bind it, but now I have a fancy laser printer (if you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up).  Perhaps it's from years of grading thousands of freshman comp essays, but I can work pretty fast with a red pen.  The first time my CP printed her manuscript, she called me excited because the book was out of her head.

It really helps to see it on paper.

If you don't want to murder a bunch of trees (don't worry, I recycle drafts I don't save), there are two other tricks I use that are compatible with going all electronic.  First, change the font of your manuscript from the one you wrote it in.  I do this for my hard copy, but it will work just as well on the computer.  It's really easy to get to a point where your mind shuts down while editing, but a small shift in font can help wake it up and force you to pay attention.

The second trick that if you have Word you can have your draft read to you through its text-to-speech function.  I've yet to do this, but I have it on good authority that the monotonous drone of a computer voice really helps you hear areas that need further editing.

So now you have some of my tricks for approaching the revision process.  My advice about the words and the sentences and the story?  Layer, revise, reread, repeat.

About Gennifer Albin:

Gennifer Albin holds a Masters degree in English Literature from the University of Missouri. A recovering academic, she turned to writing her own books.  Gennifer can be found in coffee shops, dreaming up new worlds.  She lives in Kansas with her family.

Sixteen-year-old Adelice Lewys has always been special. When her parents discover her gift — the ability to weave the very fabric of reality— they train her to hide it. For good reason, they don’t want her to become a Spinster — one of the elite, beautiful, and deadly women who determine what people eat, where they live, how many children they have, and even when they die.

​

Thrust into the opulent Western Coventry, Adelice will be tried, tested and tempted as she navigates the deadly politics at play behind its walls.  Now caught in a web of lies and forbidden romance, she must unravel the sinister truth behind her own unspeakable power.  Her world is hanging by a thread, and Adelice, alone, can decide to save it — or destroy it.

​

Find CREWEL in the following stores:

Amazon 

Amazon.co.uk

Barnes & Noble 

Indiebound 

Agent Q&A Part Three: Marketing & Publicity

Late last year Operation Awesome asked YOU, our readers, for your most burning revision questions that you'd like to ask our panel of agents. We'll be posting them throughout the New Year's Revisions Conference, but first here's a little more about our awesome panel of agents:

The Agents

Laura Bradford established the Bradford Literary Agency in 2001. She considers herself an editorial-focused agent and takes a hands-on approach to developing proposals and manuscripts with her authors for the most appropriate markets. During her own misadventures as a writer, Laura came to understand the importance of having a friendly but critical eye on your side, a career strategist in your corner and a guide who can lead you through the travails of publication.She continues to actively build her client list and is currently seeking work in the following genres: Romance (historical, romantic suspense, paranormal, category, contemporary, erotic), urban fantasy, women’s fiction, mystery, thrillers and young adult as well as some select non-fiction.

Josh Getzler is an agent and founder of HSG Agency. He left Harcourt in 1993 to get an MBA from Columbia Business School. After Business School, Josh spent 11 years owning and operating a minor league baseball team (the Staten Island Yankees). He left baseball in late 2006 and rejoined the book world on the agent side. Josh worked at Writers House until November 2009, building a list of novelists, YA and children’s book authors, and the occasional nonfiction writer; then joined Russell and Volkening. Josh represents fiction and nonfiction (mostly fiction, much of which is crime-related (mystery, thriller, creepy…)), adult and YA/middle-grade books (though not picture books). And please don’t send religious fiction. He is particularly into foreign and historical thrillers and mysteries, so send your ruthless doges and impious cardinals…and your farmhouse cozies!


Erin Harris is a literary agent at Folio Literary Management. She represents literary fiction, book club fiction, contemporary YA, and select narrative non-fiction titles. Some of her clients include: Times Magazine contributor and former Newsweek correspondent Carla Power, Executive Editor of The New Criterion David Yezzi, and the novelists Bryan Furuness and Jennifer Laam. Erin began her career in publishing in 2008 and has worked for both William Clark of WM Clark Associates and Irene Skolnick of the Irene Skolnick Literary Agency. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the New School and her BA in literature from Trinity College (Hartford, CT).

Natalie Lakosil is an agent and Laura’s assistant at the Bradford Literary Agency. An honors graduate of the University of San Diego, California, Natalie holds a B.A. in Literature/Writing. After nearly four years at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency and a brief dabble in writing author profiles and book reviews for the San Diego Union Tribune, Natalie joined the Bradford Agency in February of 2011. Natalie is drawn to talented, hard-working new authors with a fresh, unique voice and hook. Her specialty is commercial fiction, with an emphasis in children’s literature (from picture book-teen), romance (contemporary, paranormal and historical), upmarket women’s fiction and select nonfiction. Her interests include historical, multi-cultural, paranormal, sci-fi/fantasy, gritty, thrilling and darker contemporary novels, middle grade with heart, and short, quirky picture books.

Victoria Marini is an associate literary agent with the Gelfman Schneider Literary Agency,and an assistant to Jane Gelfman, Deborah Schneider, and Heather Mitchell. She began taking on clients in 2010 and is actively building her list. She's looking for adult literary fiction, commercial fiction, and women's fiction, plus YA (especially literary, contemporary, heartwarming and funny, or dark, edgy, and commercial), Middle Grade (fantasy and coming-of-age humorous), and nonfiction (narrative non-fiction, humorous/pop-culture non-fiction, and memoir, as well lifestyle/how-to non-fiction).

Kathleen Rushall is an agent at Marsal Lyon. She started as an intern at the Sandra Dijkstra Agency, and then spent almost two years at Waterside Productions. Kathleen looks forward to garnering fresh voices, strong narratives, and whimsical tales in all areas of young adult literature including contemporary fiction, suspense, Southern gothic, historical fiction, and science fiction. She is open to all genres of YA, but has a soft spot for thrillers, horror, romance, laugh-out-loud voices, and would love to find a dark mystery. She’s also open to New Adult queries. Kathleen is looking for funny, character-driven, quirky picture books and all genres of big voiced middle grade fiction. Kathleen also represents select nonfiction and is interested in parenting, cooking, crafts, business, alternative medicine, women’s interest, humor, pop-culture, and some how-to.


The Q&A Part Three: Marketing & Publicity

On to the questions! Once we had our agents cornered, some of the questions went off topic. But that's OK -- they answered anyway. Here's what they had to say about marketing, publicity, and industry changes.

Are marketing tips part of your work with authors?

 

Laura Bradford: Having been in the business for a while, I have some anecdotal information about marketing/promo ideas I have seen work and not work. But I do not tout myself as a marketing expert. If a client wants my input and advice on marketing then of course I do share what I know.

Josh Getzler: Absolutely. I spend a great deal of time with authors discussing what they ought to do to maximize their reach. Given that the goalposts have moved a bit over the last years, with the publishers expecting authors to do more self-promotion, it is incumbent on writers to also be marketers. And while some are naturally good at it (or have a professional or educational background in marketing), many do not. If we want to maximize sales, then the author needs to be as up-to-speed as possible. Now, I can't DO the marketing for them in most cases (I largely reshare and retweet and offer encouragement). But it's necessary for me--and most agents--to be conversant with the better self-marketing strategies.

Erin Harris: Marketing tips are absolutely part of my work with authors, particularly because I’m interested in building long-term professional relationships– I care about a writer’s career, not merely his/her current book project. This means that author branding and future goals are always central to the conversation.

Natalie Lakosil: Yes, to the extent that I can advise. I’m not a publicist, so my knowledge is based on what I see and hear about; I keep a running list of ideas (the template of which I posted on my blog) and update as I can, and am happy to brainstorm with clients.

Victoria Marini: They are, yes, but I’m not generally the creator of the tips. I point my authors toward resources I’ve found; feature articles, blog posts, news letters, WEBinars, Conferences and Expos, etc.

Kathleen Rushall: Yep. Agents wear many hats: book doctor, contract expert, cheerleader, brainstorming partner, and career consultant, to name a few. While we aren’t full blown publicists, we definitely see the importance of marketing. I like helping authors with quick tips to expand their social media reach, or about suggested events, book blurbs, blog, or book launch help, etc.

Now more than ever, publishers are drawn to writers who have social media platforms and are able to help promote their own books. Brainstorming innovative ways of reaching one’s audience is crucial, and I enjoy being a sounding board for my authors’ ideas – as well as devising my own unique strategies for them.

Do you advise authors (with either small press, traditional or self-pubbing) to do a short story giveaway to generate buzz for a novel? Ex. say a novel is being traditionally pubbed or pubbed by a small press, is it fair/good idea for an author to self-pub a short story, like a prequel, and should the short story be free?

 

Laura Bradford: This seems to be a really specific question. I have had authors who have given away “bonus material” through their websites. I have had authors self pub short stories/prequels related to their traditionally pubbed/epubbed novels. I have had authors publish novellas intended to be used as promotional tools through their NY publishers. Sometimes they have been offered for free, sometimes they have been made available for a low price. I think it depends on the situation and I can’t make a blanket statement like prequel short stories intended for promotional use should always be free instead of sold for 99 cents. It just always depends. On the length of the piece, what it is related to, when it is released.

Josh Getzler: I've made a couple of deals recently where I bundled these kinds of short stories into contracts--or indicated to the editors as I negotiated that the author intended to do so. Look, it's far more necessary if the author already has a number of books out and therefore a built-in readership (both authors I just mentioned had had numerous novels and stories already published). Then the story serves as a preview, a marketing tool.

Erin Harris: This is a great question, and one that doesn’t have a singular answer. The scenarios you outline above are all very different! What might work for a self-published title won’t necessarily work for a traditionally published title. But what remains true across the board, I think, is that early buzz helps move copies come publication day. Releasing content in advance, as a kind of teaser (who doesn’t love a good preview at the movies?) can be a highly effective strategy. Content that derives from the book, but isn’t an excerpt of it, can also help boost sales.

For a book that is being traditionally published or published by an indie press, the agent and author must consult with the publisher – after all, the publisher now controls the rights to the author’s material! Ideally the publicist, the author, the agent, and the editor work in concert to dream up and implement the best pre-publication publicity strategy for the author’s particular project. This can sometimes include generating fresh book-related material for the author’s website or e-publishing a short story tie-in etc.

For authors who self-publish, the rules are clearly different – and still being written.

Natalie Lakosil: Yep. Why the heck not? If an author doesn’t want to do it perpetually free, I’d advise to at least do a free giveaway for a few weeks. A lot of publishers are now doing these tie-in shorts under digital imprints, which is a route I’d suggest going first for the sake of consistency on edits and cover, but even if a house doesn’t want/offer to do it (usually authors need to initiate) I still think it’s a good idea.

Victoria Marini: This is a question I would have to answer on a case-by-case basis. I might suggest a free companion novella in between novels, like THE CHAIROS MECHANISM by Kate Milford, for example. But for debuts, excerpts have proven more effective than short story giveaway

How would you incorporate publicity and would you recommend authors to work with publicists?

 

Laura Bradford: Well, most major publishers will assign each author an in-house publicity liaison and ideally this will be a mutually beneficial relationship where the publicist and author can share the promo workload and put their heads together to come up with some interesting promotional ideas. But of course not all publicists are AMAZING, just like not every author comes equipped with marketing savvy and a spirit of aggressiveness when it comes to promo. Publicity is important.

Discoverability is key. Some authors are capable of carrying a lot of the publicity workload themselves. Some have no clue where to start. Some have really outstanding publicity pros assigned to them at their publishers, some don’t. But hiring an outside publicist can be expensive. And it can be hard to know who and what will be effective. It is certainly possible to spend a lot of money to hire a publicist only to end up with an ineffective campaign. On the subject of hiring outside publicists I caution my authors to be really careful and make sure they check references, talk to previous clients before considering throwing down a wad of cash for a publicist. All publicists are not created equal and some are worth their weight in gold and some are not.

Josh Getzler: I've had a number of authors hire publicists, and others explore it and not pull the trigger. It's fine if you can afford it. Publishers don't love it sometimes, and so it's a good idea to hire a publicist who will serve a complementary role; ie, don't have a publicist send a release to Publishers Weekly and Library Journal when the publisher's own department will already do so). I've seen publicists be very successful planning blog tours, which many authors don't have the time or inclination to do, and therefore hire it out.

Erin Harris: When a traditionally published author hires a freelance publicist to supplement the publicist assigned to the book at the publishing house, I think it’s very important for everyone to remain on the same page – communication becomes paramount.
In my experience, publicity outreach needs to take place at least 6 months prior to publication, in order for it to be effective.

Natalie Lakosil: Good publicists can be great, but pricey; I think whether or not I would advise for an author to work with a publicist would depend on a variety of factors, such as, what is the in-house publicist already doing/going to do, and would a publicist cover enough new ground, what the publicist could do/is offering, if just hiring on one as a consultant vs. full time makes more sense (if the author just needs some ideas to kick around vs. actual legwork), if the author can AFFORD one, if the author has already tried all the social networking/school visits/signing/reviewing/blog hopping etc he/she can, and the reputation of the publicist.

Victoria Marini: I, as an agent, don’t incorporate publicity beyond tweeting, seeking blurbs, generating word-of-mouth-buzz, and educating my clients about marketing and promotion. I’ve never advocated hiring a publicist for my clients, but I wouldn’t necessarily be opposed to it. I just think a self-published or small-press author can do a lot on their own – through plenty of hard work – without the expense of a publicist.

What are your thoughts on the recent merger of Random House and Penguin?

 

Josh Getzler: Like most people I am nervous that the merger will result in a downsizing and combining of editorial divisions. There are already fewer options for submissions than there were in, say, 2007, and my job is very much to submit manuscripts to the largest number of appropriate editors. Many publishers have a one-and-done philosophy: If you've submitted to one editor at an imprint, you're finished. So the more imprints around, the better. This isn't even a matter of looking to pitch publishers against each other for auctions. It's simply a matter of having as many sustainable significant outlets for books. To this point, both Penguin and Random House were certainly sustainable, and it was still getting tougher and tougher to place manuscripts. If in the merger we lose, say 1/3 of the editors and get a smaller (if still large) Penguin Random House, then it simply squeezes the Buy Side that much more.

Erin Harris: It is my hope that the merger of Random House and Penguin will benefit both companies and the publishing community overall. If banding together fortifies the major houses, preserving their vision and ensuring their survival, then I am for it. With change comes opportunity.

Natalie Lakosil: I’m pretty disappointed the name isn’t going to be something cooler than Penguin Random House. I’m also apprehensive to see who gets laid off/what editorial changes there will be. But generally hopeful they’ll stick to their guns and keep the same level of “healthy competition” they already tout.

Victoria Marini:  I am… cautiously optimistic, let’s say.

Thank you to all of our agents and all of our readers who submitted questions.

Gretchen McNeil: Write Drunk, Edit Sober

There are two pieces of advice I came across early in my writing career, two pieces of advice that have been essential to my development and relative success as a writer.  To summarize:

1. You are allowed to write a shitty first draft (courtesy of Anne Lamott)

      2. Write drunk, edit sober (attributed to Hemingway)

Lest you think I'm advocating hackery and binge drinking in pursuit of the great American novel, let me explain.  To me, both of these quotes advocate the same thing – freeing yourself of the stress of your book being "perfect" while you write the first draft, and emphasizing that you can fix it in revisions.

This last part is key, in my opinion.  Fixing it in revisions.  It's where you make your novel shine, where you refine plot points and character relationships, where you learn something new about your book, something you didn't see the first time around. It's where your novel becomes your novel. 

When you talk to writers, we pretty much fall into two camps: Team First Draft and Team Revisions.  Some writers love the process of drafting a book, of world building, of exploration…but hate the nuts and bolts process of edits. For others, the process of writing that first draft is about as appealing as having your skin flayed off, but once the words are finally assembled on the page, they delight in the challenge of making it all work.  Personally, I fall into the latter category, though if you ask me what I think of revisions when I'm in the thick of a multi-page editorial letter, I might give you quite a different answer.

But whether you look forward to edits or abhor them with the white hot passion of a thousand burning suns, you'd better get used to them stat.  My average novel goes through at least six major revisions before it is ferried off to copy edits: three from me, and three from my editor.  At least six.  Sometimes more.  Bottom line: writing isn't so much about writing, it's about revising.

Not gonna lie, though. As much as I enjoy the problem-solving endeavor that is revising a novel, the first time I opened an honest-to-God editorial letter from my editor, I freaked the hell out.  It was a seven page behemoth, employed the time-honored "shit sandwich" approach, i.e. an opening page of "I love this book! I love you! I love how you did X, Y and Z!" followed by six pages of everything that was wrong with my book, then tagged with a closing paragraph of "Don't freak out – I really do love it!" 

As much as loved the two slices of Wonder Bread, the shit in the middle seemed insurmountable.  How was I going to interpret her notes?  How could I possibly organize and implement all of it?  Maybe I should just burn this novel and start a new one?

The first step I took was to put the letter down and walk away.  Not for a day or two, but for a week or two.  Every once in a while I'd look at it, read it through again, then put it away.  I didn't take notes, I didn't attack my manuscript, I just allowed my brain to internalize what my editor was asking, like tea seeping into hot water.

It's amazing how effective this for me.  Suddenly, after ten days or so, something clicks.  I call this the Tetris moment – when see that perfect piece coming down at mock speed, you rotate it and slip it into the perfect spot which sets off a chain reaction which clears every single row from the screen.  I know exactly what I need to do, how to make it all work.  I'm energized, elated, revving to get to work on revisions.

That's when the real nuts and bolts work part comes into play, mapping out what I need to do where – scenes to be added, characters to be expanded, focus to be pulled, subplots to be streamlined.  Every writer goes about this differently, everything from multi-colored sticky notes, to a corkboard and index cards, to pages of the manuscript printed out and tiled across the floor of their office.  For me, it all comes out in outline form, chronologically, and then I start crossing things off that outline as I implement them, but that might not work for everyone so I wouldn't dream about giving advice there.

However, the one thing I can say for sure is that you need to take that time between when you receive your revision notes and when you actually start to work on them.  Don't rush, let your brain absorb every detail of your notes, then let it do the heavy lifting for a few days while you go about your normal life.  Trust me, it'll help. 

Gretchen McNeil is an opera singer, writer and clown. Her YA horror POSSESS about a teen exorcist debuted with Balzer + Bray for HarperCollins in 2011. Her follow up TEN – YA horror/suspense about ten teens trapped on a remote island with a serial killer – was released September 18, 2012, and her third novel 3:59 – sci fi doppelganger horror about two girls who are the same girl in parallel dimensions who decide to switch places – is scheduled for Fall 2013. Gretchen's new YA contemporary series Don't Get Mad (Revengemeets The Breakfast Club) about four very different girls who form a secret society where they get revenge on bullies and mean girls begins Fall 2014 with GET EVEN, followed by the sequel GET DIRTY in 2015, also with Balzer + Bray.

Gretchen is a former coloratura soprano, the voice of Mary on G4's Code Monkeys and she sings with the LA-based circus troupe Cirque Berzerk. Gretchen blogs with The Enchanted Inkpot and is a founding member of the vlog group the YARebels where she can be seen as "Monday." She is repped by Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown, Ltd.

You can find TEN here: 

Amazon

Amazon.co.uk

Indiebound

Barnes & Noble

The Dreaded Editor Letter: Confessions From Entangled Publishing Authors Rachel Harris, Lisa Burstein, Cindi Madsen, and Amy Spalding

Some of the authors at Entangled wanted to give other aspiring writers, or anyone who's curious, an insight into the editing process. We sort of interviewed each other and talked about how each of us handled our edit letters (spoiler alert: we all freaked out a little) Hope you enjoy!

AMY SPALDING, author of The Reece Malcolm List:

When I was a writer dreaming of having a book published, I had a pretty good idea for what the editorial process was like. But once I actually got my book deal and then…my editorial letter…well, it’s one thing to know what something is. It’s quite another to actually go through it. I got together with some of my editor Stacy Cantor Abram’s other writers, so we could share what we actually went through!

Ladies, the moment I got my edit letter and marked-up manuscript, I had what felt like twenty-seven anxiety attacks. I began reading the letter, and it was so overwhelming I could only skim it. I paged through the document but it made me so nervous I just had to print it and then pretend it didn’t exist. That night, I kept sneaking peeks at the letter, just a liiiiiiittle more at a time, trying desperately to get comfortable with it. THAT NEVER HAPPENED. A few days later, I knew that even if I wasn’t ready, my deadline said I had to be. I want to stress here that it wasn’t that I couldn’t take hearing what was wrong with my book. I was actually freaked out by the potential Stacy saw in my book. I was so worried I’d never get there!

Lisa, did you go through a meltdown too or was I particularly, uh, dramatic?

LISA BURSTEIN, author of Pretty Amy:

I’ve been fortunate enough to get two editorial letters from Stacy, one for PRETTY AMY and one for the upcoming DEAR CASSIE and just like you Amy, when I first got them I skimmed them. They were each 6 pages long- single spaced- far too much to read and absorb in one sitting. The thing is in both cases is that Stacy has been right on. What she notes as issues in my Mss are usually the things I *think* I can get away with, that when she brings them up, I know I cannot. She also pushes me to go deeper, which is what any good editor should do. Here is how the edit went for PRETTY AMY: I skimmed the letter, once, twice and slept on it. Then I printed it and highlighted the areas I knew I needed to attack in my first edit. Character issues mostly. Then I completed another edit for the smaller issues before I sent it back to Stacy. At that point she did a line edit and it came back to me. I did another edit and it went back to her. To tie up loose ends there was one more edit before it went to copy edits. Once I approved copy edits, it went to Liz Pelletier, Publisher of Entangled for a final read through. She had even MORE edits. It was not a short process, but I know both Stacy and Liz helped me make PRETTY AMY the most amazing book it could be.

Rachel, did you have a similar amount of edits and anxiety?

RACHEL HARRIS author of My Super Sweet 16th Century:

Anxiety over edit letters and revision? Of course not! And if you believe THAT, well, insert incredibly clichéd, sarcastic phrase here (*grin*). Yes, I think every author has a healthy fear of the dreaded editorial letter. I should be getting my second one from Stacy any day now for my sequel, and even after going through this whole process before, I’m still anxious over it. I remember we were driving home from the salon where my girls got their haircut, and my husband was in the driver’s seat. My phone did that spastic lighting up/vibrating thing, letting me know I had an incoming email, and when I saw it was my edit letter from Stacy, I about had a heart attack right then and there.

Obviously, because I’m a neurotic author, I opened my inbox immediately….and was promptly informed by my lovely phone that the email was too big to open. Imagine my jaw hitting the floor of the car here. There’s no way that could be good, right?? Well, it turns out that Stacy just rocks and gives tons of great info for you to use to make your book better. The reason it wouldn’t open was that in addition to the edit letter, she had printed out my entire manuscript, made notes old school style in pen on the pages, and then scanned them back in. Hence, an email that was too big for my then pathetic excuse for a phone.

But once I got home and dove into all the info Stacy gave me, all the previous fear and anxiety vanished, leaving me strangely…excited. You should know that I’m a bit obsessive, so I was able to turn my edits back in to Stacy about a week later, after first making all the changes from the scanned pages, and then tackling the bulleted list in her letter (all points I agreed with). Then about a month later, Liz Pelletier gave me her thoughts, along with two main issues to address, which I completed that day because, again, I’m a tad obsessive.

Fast forward to the end of April when I got copy edits. These were super fun because they made me sound smarter than I really am. I turned these in two days later. At the end of July, Stacy and I both did a mega two-day final read through of the manuscript to make sure it was how we wanted it before going to the printer, and then it was out of my hands. And into yours at home. Scary, exciting, crazy, and—weirdly enough—fun.

What about you, Cindi? Am I odd to think the editing process, at least with a super star like Stacy, is actually fun?

Cindi Madsen, author of All the Broken Pieces:

Why, yes, Rachel, you are extremely odd ;) I’m a tad on the obsessive side, too, where once I get feedback, my brain won’t let me think about anything but my WIP, revisions, or whatever process I’m in. Honestly, when I first opened the editing letter, I was overwhelmed. I’d done a couple different revisions with a couple different agents, who I ended up not signing with. Then I set my book aside for a few months and wrote a different book. But my manuscript kept calling to me, telling me it wanted to be a book people read someday. (At this point, you realize I’m also slightly crazy, in addition to being obsessive).

So I got it out and did a major revision again, heard about Entangled, and queried. So fast forward the yay, they want it! to the edit letter. I had to do ANOTHER revision. I worried that the book would no longer be mine. I worried I wouldn’t be able to do everything Stacy wanted. But after thinking and obsessing for the weekend, I dug in. Stacy’s suggestions led me to add things about my book I really love. She had me take out some things I’d added to make other people happy—I was actually glad to lose some of that. She challenged me and pushed me. I turned it in a couple weeks later, happy with how things had turned out.

But when I got the second revision back, there were still some things that needed work. I got super overwhelmed and thought that maybe Stacy didn’t want the story I’d written. As an author, I’d been waiting for an editor for so long, I was under the impression you just do everything they say, no questions asked. I was reaching extreme levels of anxiety. So I finally just wrote Stacy an email, addressing my concerns and where I wanted the story arcs to be, and how I felt conflicted on a couple of points. She emailed me back in record time, assuring me she loved the story, and that we could talk about any and all points.

The stress that had been building melted. It was such a relief to know that we were on the same team, that I could still be true to my story, and that I could talk to her whenever I needed to. So I worked really hard to get to a point that she and I would both be happy. Later came the read through by Liz and copy edits. By that point, it’d been a few months, so it was easier to read my book again and do some final touch-ups. I changed a couple more things, and when I finally got to read through the galley and see the entire transformation, I was giddy and so, so happy and grateful to Stacy for sticking with me through the entire process.

I feel like my book is now the book it was always meant to be. I’m not sure I’d say I’m excited to do it again—I’m just not great at the revision process—but I’m definitely excited to know that in the end, I’ll have a pretty book I love and can be proud of.

~~~
(Reposted with permission from Amy Spalding, Lisa Burstein, Rachel Harris, and Cindi Madsen)

You can find more information on the Entangled ladies on their websites:

Amy Spalding
Lisa Burstein
Rachel Harris
Cindi Madsen

BUY LINKS:

My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris - Amazon; B&N; Books a Million

On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly soon-to-be stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family's trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore. Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

All the Broken Pieces by Cindi Madsen - Amazon; B&N; Books a Million
What if your life wasn’t your own?

Liv comes out of a coma with no memory of her past and two distinct, warring voices inside her head. Nothing, not even her reflection, seems familiar. As she stumbles through her junior year, the voices get louder, insisting she please the popular group while simultaneously despising them. But when Liv starts hanging around with Spencer, whose own mysterious past also has him on the fringe, life feels complete for the first time in, well, as long as she can remember.

Liv knows the details of the car accident that put her in the coma, but as the voices invade her dreams, and her dreams start feeling like memories, she and Spencer seek out answers. Yet the deeper they dig, the less things make sense. Can Liv rebuild the pieces of her broken past, when it means questioning not just who she is, but what she is?

Pretty Amy by Lisa Burstein - Amazon; B&N; Books a Million

Amy is fine living in the shadows of beautiful Lila and uber-cool Cassie, because at least she's somewhat beautiful and uber-cool by association. But when their dates stand them up for prom, and the girls take matters into their own hands--earning them a night in jail outfitted in satin, stilettos, and Spanx--Amy discovers even a prom spent in handcuffs might be better than the humiliating"rehabilitation techniques" now filling up her summer. Worse, with Lila and Cassie parentally banned, Amy feels like she has nothing--like she is nothing.

Navigating unlikely alliances with her new coworker, two very different boys, and possibly even her parents, Amy struggles to decide if it's worth being a best friend when it makes you a public enemy. Bringing readers along on an often hilarious and heartwarming journey, Amy finds that maybe getting a life only happens once you think your life is over.

The Reece Malcolm List by Amy Spalding (available for pre-order) - Amazon; B&N; Books a Million

Things I know about Reece Malcolm: 

 1. She graduated from New York University. 

2. She lives in or near Los Angeles. 

3. Since her first novel was released, she’s been on the New York Times bestseller list every week. 

4. She likes strong coffee and bourbon. 

5. She’s my mother. 

 Devan knows very little about Reece Malcolm, until the day her father dies and she’s shipped off to live with the mother she’s never met. All she has is a list of notebook entries that doesn’t add up to much. L.A. offers a whole new world to Devan—a performing arts school allows her to pursue her passion for show choir and musicals, a new circle of friends helps to draw her out of her shell, and an intriguing boy opens up possibilities for her first love. But then the Reece Malcolm list gets a surprising new entry. Now that Devan is so close to having it all, can she handle the possibility of losing everything?

Revisions from an Editor's POV - Erin Molta

What an editor is looking for. . . . . . a smooth plot.

And for category romance—the tropes need to be strong and follow through. Are the characters consistent? If your heroine is spunky in the beginning –is she spunky in the middle and in the end? If, as in a category romance we need three tropes, do all the tropes resolve and carry the characters forward? Remember in category romance the hero and heroine need to either be together or thinking of each other for 95% of the book. Their relationship is the primary focus of the story. They need to meet, have the spark, overcome their internal conflict—rake/reluctant virgin/different class/overbearing parents—resolve said conflict and fall in love. If all sentences lead to that, then my job is easy. :)

As you are reading your manuscript, consider whether you have set up the conflict—do you have enough back story or perhaps there is too much? What is going on in the middle of the story? How are the hero and heroine resolving the conflict? Are all the loose ends tied up? Even if it is a series, the story that you are telling needs to be effectively resolved with lingering questions acceptable for the overarching series but not pertaining to the hero and heroine.

Nitpicky things editors look for—words or phrases that are repeated often. Phrases such as “gazes collide or locked,” “stirring of desire,” when used a lot, stop a reader in the flow and she’ll start watching for them. That takes her out of the story. Also, overwriting. Short and sweet—even in historical romance—is better than filling your manuscript with purple prose. Some examples from Edward Bulwer-Lytton: As soon as the Promethean spark had been fully communicated to the lady's tube" (meaning: Once the lady lit her pipe), "a nectarian beverage" (wine), "a somnambular accommodation" (a bedroom), though there is nothing wrong with flowery prose when used sparingly, it’s best not to fall prey to the temptation, even though it is strong, especially while writing historical romance.

Speaking of historical romance – it is fabulous when the author has done research into the time period. There is nothing worse than referencing the wrong king or historical incident in a story or assuming that throwing the term ton in automatically makes a story a Regency. Words make a difference, too. For instance, when writing about women’s dresses – the term modiste did not come into circulation until 1840, so it is only appropriate to use in Victorian and Edwardian time period stories—not Regency.

If an author keeps the above in mind, then really there’d be no need for me :) though an objective eye is always helpful to smooth things out. There will always be an editorial letter because everybody sees a manuscript differently, however, it can be less arduous for the author if some of the tips above are considered.

Enjoy and happy writing!

Erin McCormack Molta has worked as an editor for more than 24 years. Her passion has always been romance and fantasy. She started out in the Scholastic Book Clubs, then moved on to Disney, where she acquired and edited Paul Zindel’s gruesome, but bestselling YA thrillers. Erin has worked on every genre imaginable—all types of novelty books, easy readers, and picture books, as well as chapter books, middle grade, and YA novels—and is now looking forward to working with adult romantic fiction.

For more information on exactly what Erin is looking for, check out the submission guidelines on Entangled Publishing's website. You can contact her at erin(at)entangledpublishing(dot)com.

Agent Q&A Part Two: Querying

Late last year Operation Awesome asked YOU, our readers, for your most burning revision questions that you'd like to ask our panel of agents. We'll be posting them throughout the New Year's Revisions Conference, but first here's a little more about awesome panel of agents:

The Agents

Laura Bradford established the Bradford Literary Agency in 2001. She considers herself an editorial-focused agent and takes a hands-on approach to developing proposals and manuscripts with her authors for the most appropriate markets. During her own misadventures as a writer, Laura came to understand the importance of having a friendly but critical eye on your side, a career strategist in your corner and a guide who can lead you through the travails of publication.She continues to actively build her client list and is currently seeking work in the following genres: Romance (historical, romantic suspense, paranormal, category, contemporary, erotic), urban fantasy, women’s fiction, mystery, thrillers and young adult as well as some select non-fiction.

Josh Getzler is an agent and founder of HSG Agency. He left Harcourt in 1993 to get an MBA from Columbia Business School. After Business School, Josh spent 11 years owning and operating a minor league baseball team (the Staten Island Yankees). He left baseball in late 2006 and rejoined the book world on the agent side. Josh worked at Writers House until November 2009, building a list of novelists, YA and children’s book authors, and the occasional nonfiction writer; then joined Russell and Volkening. Josh represents fiction and nonfiction (mostly fiction, much of which is crime-related (mystery, thriller, creepy…)), adult and YA/middle-grade books (though not picture books). And please don’t send religious fiction. He is particularly into foreign and historical thrillers and mysteries, so send your ruthless doges and impious cardinals…and your farmhouse cozies!


Erin Harris is a literary agent at Folio Literary Management. She represents literary fiction, book club fiction, contemporary YA, and select narrative non-fiction titles. Some of her clients include: Times Magazine contributor and former Newsweek correspondent Carla Power, Executive Editor of The New Criterion David Yezzi, and the novelists Bryan Furuness and Jennifer Laam. Erin began her career in publishing in 2008 and has worked for both William Clark of WM Clark Associates and Irene Skolnick of the Irene Skolnick Literary Agency. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from the New School and her BA in literature from Trinity College (Hartford, CT).

Natalie Lakosil is an agent and Laura’s assistant at the Bradford Literary Agency. An honors graduate of the University of San Diego, California, Natalie holds a B.A. in Literature/Writing. After nearly four years at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency and a brief dabble in writing author profiles and book reviews for the San Diego Union Tribune, Natalie joined the Bradford Agency in February of 2011. Natalie is drawn to talented, hard-working new authors with a fresh, unique voice and hook. Her specialty is commercial fiction, with an emphasis in children’s literature (from picture book-teen), romance (contemporary, paranormal and historical), upmarket women’s fiction and select nonfiction. Her interests include historical, multi-cultural, paranormal, sci-fi/fantasy, gritty, thrilling and darker contemporary novels, middle grade with heart, and short, quirky picture books.

Victoria Marini is an associate literary agent with the Gelfman Schneider Literary Agency,and an assistant to Jane Gelfman, Deborah Schneider, and Heather Mitchell. She began taking on clients in 2010 and is actively building her list. She's looking for adult literary fiction, commercial fiction, and women's fiction, plus YA (especially literary, contemporary, heartwarming and funny, or dark, edgy, and commercial), Middle Grade (fantasy and coming-of-age humorous), and nonfiction (narrative non-fiction, humorous/pop-culture non-fiction, and memoir, as well lifestyle/how-to non-fiction).

Kathleen Rushall is an agent at Marsal Lyon. She started as an intern at the Sandra Dijkstra Agency, and then spent almost two years at Waterside Productions. Kathleen looks forward to garnering fresh voices, strong narratives, and whimsical tales in all areas of young adult literature including contemporary fiction, suspense, Southern gothic, historical fiction, and science fiction. She is open to all genres of YA, but has a soft spot for thrillers, horror, romance, laugh-out-loud voices, and would love to find a dark mystery. She’s also open to New Adult queries. Kathleen is looking for funny, character-driven, quirky picture books and all genres of big voiced middle grade fiction. Kathleen also represents select nonfiction and is interested in parenting, cooking, crafts, business, alternative medicine, women’s interest, humor, pop-culture, and some how-to.

The Q&A Part Two: Querying

If you reject a query with sample pages or a submission and the writer makes major revisions based on that reason or another agent's recommendations, is it acceptable for the writer to follow up without a revise/resubmit to see if you'd be interested in seeing the revised project?

 

Laura Bradford: Sure, I never mind that. I can always say no. Some other agents don’t allow re-submissions so I’d recommend checking each agent’s website to see if they expressly say anything about whether they are ok with it or not (I actually have that answer on my website’s FAQ section).

Josh Getzler: That mostly depends on how far down the road I went with the project. A simple resubmit after a generic query/pass typically won’t get the author too far. If I gave specific recommendations, and had shown real interest, and then passed, and the author comes back with a substantially rewritten book, then it would be OK.

Erin Harris: I am open to seeing a revise/resubmit if a writer has made significant changes to their original manuscript. Usually, though, I will tell a writer if I’d like to see their work again post revision. If I haven’t told you that expressly, then your project probably isn’t the right fit for me, regardless of subsequent editing.

If you do find yourself in a revise/resubmit situation, I highly recommend writing your target agent a concise, thoughtful note, explaining your situation. Also, always include whatever correspondence you’ve previously had with that agent.

Natalie Lakosil: Of course. Just not so much if they try and sneak it in again without mentioning I’ve seen it before!

Victoria Marini: I can’t speak for everyone, but sure. This doesn’t bother me.

Kathleen Rushall: I probably wouldn’t re-approach an agent with changes unless it was something he or she had requested.

The queries that hooked you from the start, do you find it is because of voice, content, or mostly both?

 

Laura Bradford: If we are talking about a query LETTER, then probably content. If we are talking about an entire query submission (because I ask authors to include a sample of the work), then probably the voice in the sample pages.

Josh Getzler: I typically am initially hooked by the idea, reeled in by the voice, and landed by the content. I’ll see “I have an historical mystery set in a village in 18th century England,” and be intrigued and read on. But then the voice has to hit me pretty much right away. If those happen, I’ll really read on.

Erin Harris: It’s definitely both – voice and content. With queries, I’m looking for a compelling concept that is clearly and succinctly articulated. I want to know the genre, title, word count, and premise immediately, at a glance.

It comes as no surprise, then, that I strongly advise against burying these seminal details with the inclusion of a lengthy and chatty introduction. Do not be verbose. Do not get bogged down in every intricacy and plot detail of your manuscript.

Be professional and respectful, research the agent you are querying in advance, and be sure to follow their specific guidelines.

Natalie Lakosil: Content on query, voice on sample pages.

Victoria Marini: Both. I’m a sucker for a great idea, first, and then the voice will drive me to read the sample pages.

Kathleen Rushall: Voice is always first for me.

And for those queries that don't quite hook you (on the fence), what is it that persuades you to ask for more?

 

Laura Bradford: Good writing in the sample and a strong voice can certainly convince me to give a ms a chance even if I perhaps don’t think I like the subject matter. Curiosity can also be a strong motivator, too (what is going to happen next?!)

Josh Getzler: Either the topic (see above for a good example), or the author’s background. If the author is an expert in a time or topic, or works in the field, or is previously published, or has a Ph.D (because then I know he or she can write a long paper), I will sometimes give greater leeway than if I’m not compelled at the opener of, say, a fantasy novel. The farther we are from reality, the less bona fides you need, but the less rope you get!

Erin Harris: I ask writers to attach the first ten pages of their manuscripts to their query letters. If the writing in the sample is incredibly engaging, but I didn’t find the style of the query letter effective, I will still request a larger sample of the writer’s manuscript.
I’m sympathetic to the fact that some amazing writers may not quite understand how to present their own work at this early stage in the publishing process. Though they will need to hone this skill if they are to become successfully published authors!

Natalie Lakosil: If the content sounds ok, but it reads really well, I’ll ask for more. If the content and sample pages sound ok, but it’s a genre/type I’m dying to find, I’ll read more and hope it just needs to catch its stride.

Victoria Marini: Curiosity. I may not love it, but if I’m curious, I’ll probably ask to see more.

Kathleen Rushall: Rarely, but sometimes, if I see something I like (great voice or really fresh hook) but it’s crowded out by other elements, I’ll request more to see if the part I like comes to fruition later in the writing. If I can see that the writer is capable of taking the book where I’d hoped, then I know revisions to perfect the other parts are possible.

Do you have any advice for unagented or previously agented published authors who are looking for an agent? Is the process different (for instance, can the author query with a proposal), or do you still prefer to see a completed manuscript?

 

Laura Bradford: I really, REALLY don’t like to sign an author based only on a partial ms. I need to read something that is complete in order to feel confident about an author’s abilities and in the case of a previously published author I will look at a previously pubbed complete novel. The process isn’t really different for published authors vs unpublished authors. The published author still has to get my attention, write something I am compelled by that I think I can sell. The published author also has to be someone I think I can work well with. I recently signed a published author who I knew really, REALLY well as a friend for years before she found herself looking for a new agent. And despite the fact that I knew HER really well and liked her very much, I still elected to read a couple of her published manuscripts before formally offering representation. So I even hold my friends to the same standards as any other querying author, LOL.

Josh Getzler: Yes, I do still need to see a completed manuscript in almost every circumstance (in fiction). Certainly if an author has books under contract, it’s less fraught, and the chances are better. But often times that kind of switch comes with a story, or angst, or issues, and with the credibility of presumed quality comes a different kind of question for me: If an author is switching agents, why? Is it a problem of commitment? Is the author going to be difficult? I advise an agent-switcher to be very clear and open about why he or she is making the change. I’ll find out anyway, and it’ll be easier with full disclosure. Most of the time, the reasons are very understandable, but it’s very helpful for me (or any agent, really) to understand the circumstances.

Erin Harris: If a previously published author queries me, then I need to know all about their publishing history. My advice is for authors to be forthright. If you aren’t honest upfront, the truth will eventually come to light. It’s important that we’re on the same page from the outset, so that it can be a productive professional relationship for us both. Depending on the project – and the author – I would take a look at a proposal or partial manuscript.

Natalie Lakosil: I still prefer a completed manuscript, but it really depends on WHO they are published with, HOW RECENT and HOW WELL (i.e., sales #s). If the author hasn’t had anything published in over 5 years and/or is starting over, or if the author is only published with smaller presses and trying to break into NY, or if the author doesn’t have fabulous sales #s, a full is better to go out on submission with so really better to consider upfront.

Victoria Marini: The process is still the same, for me. It might be a help if you previously had an agent, but it might also be a hindrance. Either way, I’m still going to read your letter, read your sample, and go from there.

Kathleen Rushall: The process for finding an agent isn’t much different for previously agented authors as it is for unagented authors. I’d still want to see the full manuscript and consider all your work, goals, vision and background.

If someone submitted something that had a lot of potential, but you could tell it would require a lot of work at both ends, would you take it anyway? Or pass....

 

Laura Bradford: Honestly, these days I’d probably pass. Earlier in my career when my list was smaller I had more time to take on those rougher projects. As any agent’s career develops we necessarily have to change how we make decisions about what we take on. I am totally open to taking on work that might not be an easy sell, the longshots, if you will but I am much harder pressed to take on something that could be incredibly labor intensive. And I am an editorial-focused agent so I always expect to do some work on each ms I take on. The risk-reward ratio has to be right. I’ll take on something that requires more work provided the potential payoff is proportional.

Josh Getzler: I spend an enormous amount of time and effort on potential projects, many of which don’t pan out. I’m not afraid of a lot of work. I’m at a stage where I’m a little pickier about it than I used to be, and need to be very certain of the potential marketability of the project, but I’m willing to do the work if the author is. I will also more often ask for revisions on these kinds of projects without making the offer of representation (in the same way that more editors are making suggestions before going to ed board and buying books). It’s not the way the writer really wants the process to go (in either situation!), but it limits the risk for the agent (or editor), and doesn’t get us into the uncomfortable situation of having asked for extensive revisions based on potential, receiving an unsuccessful revision for whatever reason, and needing to break up before submission. But I’m very happy to roll up my sleeves and help an author I think could eventually make it—it’s one of the great joys of my job!

Natalie Lakosil: I would probably offer a R&R, depending on what has potential. If the potential is in the writer, not the plot, I’d want to see the author’s next work. But if the potential is in the plot/hook and the author has a fabulous voice, I’d probably go for a R&R. My old boss had a saying: focus your energy on the shortest distance between you and a published book. I’d say that applies – I don’t have as much time as I used to to hone talent, so I need more of a full package than I used to to offer representation.

Victoria Marini: That depends on whether I’m confident we can both execute our respective responsibilities. If I can identify the problems, articulate the solutions, and feel confident the author can make the necessary changes – Yes, I’ll take it on. If I know something is wrong, but I can’t quite tell what or how to fix it, I have to say “no.”

Erin Harris: Yes! If I love a project, have the right vision for it, and think the author and I make a good team, then absolutely, I sign the writer up right away, even if the project requires a lot of work on both ends.


Thank you to all of our agents and all of our readers who submitted questions.