Pen and Ink Confessions

Since it's been oh, about six months since I caught up the LJ, I think that the interim story would qualify as a saga. Even if I do have the excuse that I'm pretty good about keeping Tales From the Raven up to date, in blog time, that's a pretty long wait.

Too bad I'm not going to tell the saga. ;)

I will say how funny it is to read the last post I put up, and remember how excited I was for The Popcorn Potion. And I'd still love to rewrite the book one day and see if I can fix the broken parts. Unfortunately, the broken parts would include the main character and protagonist, plus almost all the plot arc, so...that'll have to wait. Maybe a long time.

Right now I'm subbing 13 Demon Days, and have had some pretty good success in the less than a month since I started. Several partials and a full request. Of course, since no offers have come in, I'm still sitting on pins and needles and wondering if remaining in this prickly spot for, what, one year? Two? Three? How long does it take to get an agent?

Some times a long time. But, as I was saying, sitting on pins and needles for that long should surely qualify me for some kind of writer Nirvana when the call actually comes through.

I look forward to the day.  Until then, I may find a way to cross pins with needles and tap into some agent-subbing luck.

I think I've finally written a query for The Popcorn Potion that is both succinct and captures the important points of the book! Hooray! Of course, it's nearly midnight, so I'll have to look again tomorrow...but tonight I'm doing the happy dance!

I've decided this whole query thing is for the dogs. It only took me two months to write the first draft of the entire novel, and I'm looking at almost that long to pull the query together. Admittedly, I have done one or two other things during that time, but the query wouldn't have come any faster if it had my undivided attention.

Gah.

Let's hope this version is 'the one!'

Before you wonder if I'm feverish, no, I'm not REALLY trying to get The Popcorn Potion published by Christmas.  In actuality, I'm using Popcorn as a great way to give a Christmas present to myself.  See, if I make Popcorn look pretty and wrap it up, it will count as a Christmas present to those who've been really wanting to read it.  At the same time, after they read it I can pump them for what they thought, when they skimmed, which character they found annoying beyond belief, that sort of thing, and thereby get the feedback I need.  It's a win-win!

The only catch is I need to find a way to make Popcorn look reasonably pulled together and present-worthy.  Any ideas?  I'll be looking into it, and if I come up with a fabulous plan I'll post it here.  In the mean time, let me know if you have thoughts or know of a way.  Keep in mind, I don't want the result to be considered 'published' by the publishing business.

Oh, and I'll need some gourment popcorn to go with the gifts...and since that will no doubt involve sampling, we have another win-win!

Last week I sent out the first four queries on my YA, The Popcorn Potion, and felt pretty confident. It's a well-written book, imho, and a commercially viable concept. I've done my homework and written a good query. With that as my base plus seventy years of stubborn tenacity in front of me, I ought to do alright and get there eventually. Right?

Then I recieved my first pass from an agent, a 'wasn't right for me, best of luck', and started wondering. Maybe the book was filled with stops and starts and improbable plot loops. Maybe the characters were inconsistent or unsympathetic. Maybe my query is a jumbled mess, and my synopsis can't summarize the side of a barn.

Of course, I know better than to let myself obsess (can you feel my Not obsessing?) and I've already moved on to the next writing project, but . . . just in case some small part of myself needed reassurance, I'm entering Mary's Kidlit query contest, found here.  Best of luck to all the entrants, and thank goodness for a needed distraction!

It's way past time to update the LJ, but I guess it feels odd to just repeat here what I've already written on my blog. One thing that's been on my mind, but I'd rather discuss here than over on www.suannewarr.com, is a question of professional behavior for writers.

It's been on my mind because friends called and reported a frustrating situation at the National Book Festival, in DC. The scenario was that author X (who shall remain anonymous) was alloted one hour to sign books. He got through aproximately two fo the ten+ lines, and left five minutes before his hour was up.

My friends were frustrated with the fact that he left early, but mostly they were unhappy that no one let all those people standing in line know that he wasn't going to get to them, so they were free to go. They were happy they heard him speak later, but felt the situation at the signing could have been handled better.

So, here's my thoughts. Author X had other commitments, but to those who'd been sitting in line for two hours, his checking out five minutes early seemed a bit prima dona. And, while he had no control over how staff handled the lines and whether people were warned that he wouldn't get to them, I wonder if he could have waved to them, passed out a couple bookmarks, or in some way acknowledged those fans.

What are your thoughts? What responsibility does a writer have to their fans, and how do they draw the line between personal commitments and that obligation?

My wotf entry, Ambition's Brother, was an honorable mention in the contest. I confess to being a little puzzled, as I know this story is better than my last, which made semi-finalist. I wonder if something in it just didn't jell for Joni...but there's no way I can know.

On the positive side, I already have an editor lined up at a pro magazine who has expressed interest in the story, so I'll be sending it out asap and crossing my fingers on that front. Wish me luck!

I've been accepted! Hooray! I had a hard time with the decision to go, mostly because of family and life commitments, but now I'm really excited. It'll be great to put my writing on the front burner and turn the heat to 'high'.

I'm also excited to meet my fellow bootcampers--that's half the fun, right?

But the million dollar question is--will OSC mind if my son (and one of his friends) send along a book or two to be autographed. I'm thinking that the boys will slip them in my suitcae regardless, so I'll probably just see how the week progresses. Then again, it might be better if I don't come home at all than face the boys with un-signed books!

Okay, so maybe not. But since I'm feeling chicken, and have our new chicks on the brain, I thought it could count.

Today I mailed a submission to F&SF. This isn't the first I've subbed that mag, but it is the first for quite some time. I've had a long spell without any acceptances, and I find myself rejecting stories on behalf of the editors before I even submit them. Worse, I've got a growing number that are just getting dumped in the trunk.

That might be fine for those stories that really need to be retired, but I have several that actually just need a little faith and persistance. So, why not shoot the moon and send one to F&SF?

In a similar vein, today I sent my application to Orson Scott Card's bootcamp. While applying to get in doesn't feel as foolhardy as subbing the pros, blogging about it is! So I share this with you with a sense of daring and bravado--you can all laugh with me in a week or two or three if this effort also dives into the dust. Here's to laughs!

I sent off Ambition's Brother almost a week ago, and since I'm sitting in a hotel in Atlanta and contemplating all things writing, that calls for a post.

A couple quarters ago I decided that I was finished with WOTF. I discussed that somewhere on my regurlar blog, www.suannewarr.com, so I won't go into it now, but obviously I've recanted that decision. At least temporarily. This story insisted on being written and wanted to go to WOTF, and I'm sure I'll enter again if another story proves as obnoxiously determined as this one.

But at least, if I have to enter again, I've learned the trick to sending off the story with a peaceful feeling. The trick is to really know I'm finished before the story leaves.

See, in the past, when I've submitted a story it was because I was emotionally or intellectually finished with the story. I was done. I'd gone critique rounds, edited it 'til I hated it, and given it everything I had. So I sent it off.

But that didn't mean the story was finished, or that I knew in my innermost writing soul that I'd done everything for this story I was capable of doing. Maybe I'd done everything I could up to the really tough stuff, or until I couldn't figure out how to fix it anymore, or until I couldn't keep my eyes from crossing when I looked at it. But that's not the same as finding those weakness in the story, facing the niggling doubts that whispered how this or that plot point or character trait wasn't consistant, and then fixing them.

With Ambition's Brother, I took as many days and weeks as neccessary to make sure I'd done every single thing I could do for this story. I didn't gloss over a single hesitation or nagging flaw. Does that mean the story's perfect? Heck, no! But it does mean that I've fixed anything I was capable of seeing as wrong in the story. It is truly the best story I have the ability to write at my present skill level.

And that gives me peace as I send it off. I'm able to wish it luck without worrying over its reception, and move on to the next project comfortable in the knowledge that I did all I could. It's a nice feeling.

It's always nice when I get a rejection letter and feel cheered. Now, there are several routes to this cheery post-rejection sentiment, and they don't amount to the same thing.

Theres the grinning with the teeth bared 'I didn't think you deserved my story anyway' that doesn't even fool the writer. There's the 'Finally, just to hear anything on the writing front will make me smile'. And let's not forget the tearfully smiling 'I'm glad I could go through this rejection so I could learn and (sob!) stretch as a writer'.

But what I'm talking about is the honest to goodness glow that can accompany a genuine smile on my face as I read a rejection letter. This happened today--proably having something to do with Friday the 13th karma. The reason was that the rejection letter was a personal one, and expressed honest regret at passing on the story. They editor felt the story couldn't hold itself together, but walked away impressed with the writing.

Now, maybe it's just me, but I'm always thrilled to find what it is, exactly, that isn't working in a particular story, especially if it was written some time ago and has gone around the block too many times. And if that feedback is followed up by an indication that one of those cold-blooded creatures we call editors also likes my writing? Well, I'm going to walk away grinning.