Archive for the ‘writing’ Category

FREE Writing Workshop: Tension by Kris Kennedy

Thursday, June 10th, 2010

I’ve been reading this month’s free workshop, hosted on Romance Divas, Tension by historical romance author Kris Kennedy. Great stuff!

Her intro:

I am so excited to talk about tension, because I think it’s at the heart of page-turning, bestselling, gripping stories that we can’t set down. We won’t be able to talk about all the different aspects that will affect tension in our week together,, but we’ll talk about three of the awesome basics, that can really get you started.

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Read the entire workshop free on www.romancedivas.com. You must register for the forums, but there is no cost to join. Enjoy!

Writing Contest: Brava’s Writing with the Stars

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010

Aspiring authors, get ready for your moment in the spotlight as the author of your own Brava novel! RT Book Reviews and Brava books, a division of Kensington Publishing Corp., are launching an all-new writing competition, Writing With the Stars.
The Details:

* Ten lucky aspiring writers will have a chance to work with Brava authors in the hopes of being the one lucky winner who lands a publishing contract with Brava! * There will be five rounds of competition, in which aspiring authors will work with their mentors to make sure their entries are the strongest they can be.
* Each round will include comments from celebrity judges from the romance blogosphere.
* Entrants must have a completed 80,000 – 90,000-word manuscript in any
romance genre (including historical, contemporary, romantic suspense and paranormal)
* The manuscript must have a sensuality tone that matches the Brava line.
* Those picked to compete as the top 10 contestants will have their own webpage on the Brava Authors blog and the RT website.

The Rules:

1. Entries will be accepted July 1st , 12am EST, through July 15th ,11:59 EST.
2. Only the first 500 entries will be eligible. 3. This contest is open to unpublished authors. For the purposes of the contest, “unpublished” means authors who have not been published in print. Authors who have only been published in e-format are eligible.
4. This contest is open to authors worldwide, however, entries must be in English.
5. Entries must be Brava-level heat. Inspirational or “sweet” romances will be disqualified.
6. Entries can be contemporary, paranormal, historical, or romantic suspense.
7. Entries must be single-title length—at least 80,000 words. Please use the Word Count feature in your document program to calculate this. 8. You must send THE FULL MANUSCRIPT as your entry. We are not interested in seeing partials of manuscripts that are incomplete.
9. Your entry must be sent to us exclusively. Manuscripts that have won previous contests are fine, but please do not send projects that are currently out with other publishers. If your manuscript is out with agents, please let them know they cannot submit it to other publishers until finalists are announced.
10. Your entry must have your name, address, phone number, and email address. Please also include the genre you are targeting.
11. Your entry must be submitted via email to marketing@kensingtonbooks.com with “Brava contest” in the subject line. Snail mail entries will not be considered. Manuscripts sent directly to Brava editors will not be considered.
12. Only the top 10 finalists will be notified. Finalists will be announced Sept 1st. If you have not heard from us by Sept 1st, you are not a finalist, and are free to submit your manuscript elsewhere.

To Enter:

E-mail the following:

* a Word document attachment of your complete manuscript
* a two-to-seven page synopsis
* a cover letter

To: Marketing@KensingtonBooks.com

* Put “Brava contest” in the subject line.

Some of the Brava authors who will participate in Writing With the Stars will include Mary Wine, HelenKay Dimon, Terri Brisbin, Diane Whiteside, Cynthia Eden, Emma Lang, Bianca D’Arc, Rebecca Zanetti, Lucy Monroe, and Bronwen Evans.

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25 Ways to Not Get Published: Post 3

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

Happy Thursday!  Are you ready for the third way to not get published today?

To remind you, the first was: Demand no less than a six-figure advance in your query letter. Your book is brilliant and if Big Publishing House isn’t willing to pay, then there’s no need to submit a single page.

The second way was: Ask friends/critique partners or fellow authors for feedback on your project, and then dismiss their concerns. Everyone is wrong! Head-hopping is okay. Plenty of authors do it. And who cares if you start every paragraph with the same word (“Then…”)? That’s the way you want it. Your baby is perfect and if they can’t see that, then they’re blind.

Now, the third:

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There are no such things as Pity-Contracts. Making an editor feel sorry for you or guilty isn’t going to make her buy your book. It’s just going to peeve her. Editors contract books they are convinced will make their employer–the publishing house–money. Period. They may like a book–even, love a book–and still choose not to contract it. An editor may like you and still choose not to contract your book. It’s nothing personal, and to make it personal is a big mistake.

Repeat after me: writing is an art; publishing is a business.

Submission Call: Redstone Science Fiction zine

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

THE MARKET

  • Mag: Redstone Science Fiction
  • Editor(s): Michael Ray and Co-Editor Paul Clemmons
  • Pay Rate: 5¢ / word
  • Response Time: expect 1 month, query after two
  • Deadline: Temp closed since 4/4/10, will reopen in a few weeks
  • Description: Redstone Science Fiction will publish quality stories from across the science fiction spectrum. We are interested in everything from post-cyberpunk to new space opera.
  • Submission Guidelines: redstonesciencefiction.com

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Seven Habits of Highly Effective Authors: Habit Three

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

Hello again! I hope you all had a great Memorial Day weekend!

So far, we’ve talked about two habits for highly effective authors: 1. Writing Every Day and 2. Learning about the Industry/Business side of publishing

Are you ready for habit number three?

3. Highly effective authors learn how to handle criticism.

I’ve been a member of many critique groups over the years, and there are always one or two (or more) members who expect everyone to love their work. Any “negative” (meaning, less than glowing) comment is met with a defensive (or hostile) rebuttal. This works against them in the long run, and puts them at a huge disadvantage later. How?

A. Because critique partners will sooner or later either learn to dance around the truth or give up critiquing altogether. That robs the writer of an opportunity to learn.

And,

B. Because a writer with very thin skin will often have a hard time accepting edits if she/he sells. That will put a strain on his/her relationships with future agents and editors.

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Now, my personal critique partner horror story: I have to admit, I was clueless when I started writing. I was sure EVERYONE would love everything I’d written when I first started. But, thanks to a (now defunct) site called iPublish, which was somewhat similar to Gather’s First Chapter contests, my delusions were quickly squelched. Not everyone loved my work. Some did, yes. But others didn’t “get” it. And some hated it. “Why do you need demons in a romance story?” “Your scenes are overwritten.” and there was the “You don’t know what the hell you’re doing. Go back to kindergarten and learn how to write.”

Did those criticisms hurt? You bet! And (of course) I often felt they were dead wrong. But I learned, after selling and reading my first bad review, that it was better to hear about the bad BEFORE the book was in print, rather than after.

I now embrace the critic. Are they sometimes wrong? Maybe. But I tend to see some truth in every bit of criticism I read of my work. And I take those grains of truth and apply them, hoping the next book will be better.

Remember, it might take one editor to love a story for your book to be published. But it’s going to take thousands of readers to love a story for you to sell your next book.
Learn from the criticism you receive. Grow. Challenge yourself. Resist the urge to post any kind of defense of your work…and be a Highly Effective Author.

Anyone care to share their critique partner horror stories? Post them in the comments.

25 Ways to NOT Get Published: Post 2

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

Happy Wednesday! I thought I’d go ahead and post the second way to not get published today. To remind you, the first was: Demand no less than a six-figure advance in your query letter. Your book is brilliant and if Big Publishing House isn’t willing to pay, then there’s no need to submit a single page.

The second way to not get published:

Ask friends/critique partners or fellow authors for feedback on your project, and then dismiss their concerns. Everyone is wrong! Head-hopping is okay. Plenty of authors do it. And who cares if you start every paragraph with the same word (“Then…”)? That’s the way you want it. Your baby is perfect and if they can’t see that, then they’re blind.
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Repeat after me–No one’s work is perfect. You can expect people to be pointing out imperfections from the beginning. Critique partners. Agents. Editors. Copy editors. Reviewers. Readers. Believe me, having a book published can be a very humbling experience. Do yourself a favor, if you can’t handle criticism, keep your writing locked up on your computer, in a desk drawer, wherever. Don’t show it to another human being until you’re prepared to hear it isn’t perfect.

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Authors: Habit Two

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

Before we dig into the second habit of Highly Effective Authors, I thought I’d remind you that last week we talked about Habit 1: Writing Daily.

Habit 2. Published authors learn about/understand the business side of publishing.

Highly effective authors aren’t shocked when they get their first (or their tenth) rejection. They realize publishing is highly subjective. They have realistic expectations regarding submissions and rejections (unlike me when I first started). And they are determined to keep trying, even when they have collected enough “Dear Author” rejection letters to wallpaper their entire home.

Highly effective authors know how to professionally submit their work. They are able to generate a well-written query letter and synopsis. They use correct manuscript formatting and are well aware of both the do’s and don’ts of submitting. (Side note, for a humorous look at the do’s and don’ts read my How to Not Get Published).

Highly effective authors not only know why they must research publishers and agents (identifying scams, locating submission guidelines, etc.), but how to find what they need on the internet. When they need information, they turn to accurate and reliable sources, such as Writer Beware, Piers Anthony and Predators and Editors, rather than gossip blogs.

And finally, highly effective authors know how publishing works. They know and respect the differences between epublishing and print. They have some understanding of print runs and marketing. Branding and creating buzz. Google Ranking. They understand that writing is a craft but publishing is a business, and they realize that in today’s market they have to be both craftsman (craftswoman) and entrepreneur.
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Yes, all this stuff requires reading, research…and yes, time. But again, time spent learning about the industry never interferes with Habit Number One–writing.

Next time, a habit that’s painful to a lot of writers…

Editor Pitch: Harlequin American

Monday, May 24th, 2010

From eharlequin.com

We’re at it again! And this time, we’ve got another of your favorite lines for you to send your heartwarming romances with strong family elements too! Harlequin American Romance is looking for YOUR manuscript and Senior Editor, Kathleen Scheibling will be on hand to take your pitch!

To enter, send a logline AND a one-page synopsis of your manuscript ( in the body of the email ) to Hosty Rae by June 28th

Five entries will be chosen by Kathleen Scheibling and those will be announced no later than July 5th.

Pitches will happen July 8th, at 2 pm edt. But read the rules below to ensure your entry can be accepted.

There will also be a one-hour editor Q & A prior to the pitch.

•NO currently published works to include self-publishing. Original, non-published works ONLY please!

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• You MUST have a completed manuscript that is targeted to Harlequin American Romance. Editors have the option to request partials or fulls.

• You MUST be available at the given chat time. As stated above, we will be unable to offer another venue or time option.

• Please include your member name, your full name along with your submission.

Harlequin American Guidelines
Editor Pitch FAQs

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Authors: Habit One

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

Before I sold my first book, I was desperately searching for the magic formula that would catapult me from unpublished wannabe to published author status. Yes, I was one of those writers, the kind who wanted to be published so bad I could taste it. And I admit I was looking for shortcuts.

Did I find any shortcuts? Sorry, nope. But I did find some things that could help move me in the right direction. Ready? I think I’ll post one “habit” a week, for seven weeks. That way, I won’t have this uber-long treatise that no one wants to read, lol.

So what’s today’s habit?

1. Published authors spend their time writing. Books. Not blogs. Not emails. Not chit-chatty messages on forums or yahoo groups.

They write every day (well, except for holidays and maybe weekends if writing is your full time job).

I can’t tell you how many writers I see waste valuable time playing on forums, blogs and yahoo groups. Yes, this kind of activity could be seen as networking, developing a market for future books (a readership) and researching the industry. But the time should be limited and never interfere with time spent actually writing.

In order to keep priorities straight, I recommend a writer set a specific word count/page count goal for every day.

What’s a realistic goal? That depends upon your situation. Do you have small children at home? Do you work a full time job? Do you have other time consuming daily obligations? Then maybe your goal will be to write one page a day. That’ll get you a book a year.

If you’re writing full time, you might be able to tackle a much more aggressive goal. Ten to twenty pages a day is common for some authors, particularly epublished who rely upon frequent ebook releases to generate buzz and steady income.

Whatever that goal might be–one page or twenty–be tough on yourself. No “play time” allowed until your daily goal is met. There’s nothing wrong with rewarding yourself with some fun time on Romance Divas, Facebook or Twitter AFTER your pages are done 🙂

Do this, and before long it’ll become routine and you’ll be cranky if you don’t get your pages done for the day.

Okay, so that’s it. Habit number one. I’ll give you a little hint about next week’s habit…it has to do with something that most authors don’t want to know about.

(this series was previously published on www.tawnytaylor.blogspot.com)

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25 Ways to NOT Get Published: Post 1

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

New authors are often looking for that “magic formula”, a surefire way to land that first deal. The bad news: I haven’t discovered that yet. But I do have a little bit of good news. I have discovered a few surefire ways to NOT get published. I thought I’d share them in descending order, posting one at a time. I hope this series will provide you with a few chuckles,and some thought-provoking truths.

Okay, so here we go. The twenty-fifth way to NOT get published, and the lesson you can learn from it:

25. Demand no less than a six-figure advance in your query letter. Your book is brilliant and if the Big Publishing House isn’t willing to pay, then there’s no need to submit a single page.

The reality:

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(This series was previously published on www.tawnytaylor.blogspot.com)