Publishing 101.2 - Line Edits

Hi sweet readers! I thought I'd do a series of posts detailing my experiences taking Publishing 101 via publication of my debut novel.

My goal is to publish a book that is indistinguishable to my readers from any novel from a Big Five publisher.  It can be done - in fact, finding such a novel is the one thing that finally got me off my butt and pushed me to self-publish ONE.

Just as a traditionally published book has a huge team of professionals behind it, ONE does as well. My plan is to blog about every step of the process from agent-approved manuscript to published book. 

It's time to talk about.....
LINE EDITS!!!! Wooooot!!!!

(I really like line edits, but if you don't, you're not a freak. One of my besties hates them. So.)

We covered developmental edits in the last two Publishing 101 posts here and here, and in the comments, some of you seemed to think that developmental and line edits were one and the same. 

Now, sometimes your developmental editor might go through the MS a second time to do line edits, but it is a completely different type of editing. 

The basic difference is this - Developmental editing is macro, line editing is micro. 
Developmental editors catch the big stuff; character issues, plot holes, thematic dissonance. 
Line editors catch the little stuff.

Here are some examples of what embarrassing little things my line editor found in the FINAL DRAFT of One: 

Character Inconsistencies

Things that you "just know" or "just make sense to you" about your character that don't really jive for anyone else.

Example: In one scene, I had Merrin "looking down as usual." That was supposed to communicate that she was shy and timid, a detail of her personality I'd eliminated in FIRST ROUND EDITS. Almost A YEAR AGO. Jamie caught it in my final line edit.

Timeline

I had Merrin driving to school "The next week" but at the end of that passage she said it was "day two" at her new school.

Yep. At Least twice.

Inconsistency in emotion.

Merrin would realize she liked someone, then say a few words that indicated distrust a couple paragraphs later; that made no sense.

Inconsistency in action.

In one scene, I  had Merrin climbing on a rock when she can float. I changed her to floating, but never removed the rock. I've known this for two drafts, and somehow had never gotten around to combing through and removing completely.

Stupid lines and tangents that ruin the flow of prose and/or don't make sense.

Erased completely. Enough said.

Extra Spaces. So many extra spaces. 

Everywhere. OMG.


By the time Jamie was done doing line edits on a manuscript that I considered absolutely perfect and polished, she had just over 200 line edit notes. 

Two hundred. 
Two-zero-zero.

Two hundred mistakes that may or may not have been caught by my copy editor and proofreader (those posts to come!) that would have been printed and formatted for digital copies and been there for readers to find and be frustrated over in the version for sale.

So. If you're self publishing, make sure that either your developmental editor or your copyeditor will do fine-tooth-combed line edits. If they don't, hire someone who will. TRUST ME.

See you next time for Publishing 101.3 - COPY EDITS!!!!

Publishing 101.1 part 2 - Hiring an Editor

Hi sweet readers! I thought I'd do a series of posts detailing my experiences taking Publishing 101 via publication of my debut novel.

My goal is to publish a book that is indistinguishable to my readers from any novel from a Big Five publisher.  It can be done - in fact, finding such a novel is the one thing that finally got me off my butt and pushed me to self-publish ONE.

Just as a traditionally published book has a huge team of professionals behind it, ONE does as well. My plan is to blog about every step of the process from agent-approved manuscript to published book. 

Today, please welcome Clare Davidson, author of the YA fantasy TRINITY. She hired a freelance developmental editor for her work, and since I didn't choose to do that, I begged her to write a post all about it just so you all could see why this step is important for those who don't have a pro team of readers like I did. 

Please feel free to ask anything - you can comment below or chat with Clare on Twitter - and thanks for reading! Take it away, Clare!

If you're planning on publishing independently, you want to release the best, most polished product possible–right?

  Editing is a step that NO ONE can skip and I really mean NO ONE, can skip.

I know we're here to talk about self publishing, but let's just look at the traditional publishing route for a minute. Those who are lucky enough to land an agent, will work with that agent to polish their book before it gets peddled around publishers. Those who are even luckier and snag themselves a publishing deal, will work with an editor to polish their book again and AGAIN until it's the best it can be. A publisher isn't going to spend money on a print run, or marketing for a book they don't think is polished enough to sell.

You've decided to go the indie route. You've almost certainly got less capital to play with than a publishing house and you might not even want a print run. However, that doesn't mean that you can skimp on editing. The same principle applies–why would you want to release something that isn't polished enough to sell?

Now, some people are lucky enough to have awesome crit partners who give them an honest appraisal of their work, point out what needs improvement and offer suggestions on HOW it could be improved. Personally, I'm not one of the lucky ones. I don't have time to reciprocate critiques, so it's unfair of me to ask others to critique my work. If you're in my boat, you need to hire an editor. Really, you do. Trust me, you'll thank me when your book is available to buy and you're getting awesome reviews (at the time of writing, my debut novel, Trinity, has SEVENTEEN five star reviews on Amazon UK).

So, how do you go about finding an editor? Search on Google and you'll find a wealth of websites–that's one way. However, I recommend you ask other writers for leads, or check out the person who edited an independent book you loved reading. That way, you're likely to find someone who already has a proven track record. Short list a few and contact them–if they're not willing to edit a sample of your work (usually the first chapter) free of charge, then run for the hills. A good editor WILL NOT charge you for a sample. You need to know their style is right for you and VICE VERSA. The writer-editor relationship is a two way one. You're hiring them to help make your work shine, so you have to be able to take their advice. 

A good editor will suggest changes that are in keeping with your style. If you think that the changes they're suggesting will kill your "voice", they aren't the editor for you. Also, check how many passes the editor is going to give your work. Look for an editor that will go through your manuscript at least twice.

A quick tip–the more popular an editor is, the more of a waiting list they'll have. DON'T wait until you've typed 'The End' on your novel to find an editor, or you might have a long wait on your hands. Choose an editor much earlier than that and agree a date when you'll turn your manuscript over to them. Working to a deadline can make you surprisingly productive, trust me!

Another tip–try to plan in time to make your own revisions before you turn it over to your editor. You'd polish your novel before giving it to crit partners and beta readers, wouldn't you? Your editor shouldn't be an exception to this.

Right, it's time to talk money. How much will all this cost? Well, that's really an open ended question, like "how long is a piece of string?" The longer an editor has been in the business (and the more success stories they have), the more they can charge. Someone just striking out in the field is going to cost you a lot less. Most editors charge by the word, but use your sample to gauge how much time the editing process is going to take and give you a quote based on the quality of that. Remember I told you to revise your manuscript first? Yeah, that's why. It could save you money. Depending on the size of your manuscript, at the top end you could be looking at up to $2000 to hire an editor (more if you're writing the next War and Peace). However, at the lower end of the spectrum you could probably hire an editor for less than $200, if you go with someone just starting out. For many of us, that's a much more realistic amount to be looking at. However much you decide you can afford to spend, remember it's a long term investment. Unless you're incredibly lucky you're not going to sell thousands, or even hundreds, of copies straight away. Building up a fan base takes time. The beauty of publishing independently is that your book stays on the market for as long as you want it to, giving you as much time as you need to recoup your costs and start making profit.

Publishing independently is a leap of faith, but it's a lot less of a leap if you know that you're putting the best product possible out there for public consumption.

A huge thank you to Leigh Ann for asking me to write this guest post :) I've said it before and I'll probably say it a hundred times more–good luck with publishing One!

Thank you so much for being here, Clare! Really, this was an AWESOME post. You are the greatest. 

Drop Everything and Read WARM BODIES Now - a Guest Post by Zoara Christman

Hey, sweet readers!

I'm super lucky that, as part of my day job, I get to have amazing conversations with college students about what interests and moves them, and that sometimes includes books. I was having lunch with Zoara a couple of weeks ago and she could not stop freaking out over how amazing WARM BODIES, a not-your-average-zombie novel by Isaac Marion, was. 

So I asked her to write a review, so we could hopefully sell some more copies for the esteemed Mr. Marion AND let Zoara showcase her mad reviewing abilities in a warm, enthusiastic environment.

So read, interact, and encourage her, won't you? And then follow her on Twitter at @zoaralou. She's pretty fabulous.

Drop Everything and Read Warm Bodies Now

Zoara Christman

I got on the Warm Bodies wagon relatively late, only hearing of the film and the novel after seeing the trailer for the adaptation in a showing of Breaking Dawn: Part II. (I realize this might lower my credibility to some the readers of this review, but what if I said I was taken as a hostage?)  Anyway, after seeing the trailer-- which looked quirky and cool-- I waited 115 squirmy minutes for the closing credits to roll so I could pull out my phone and buy the Kindle edition of the Warm Bodies novel. Truthfully, I wanted to see if it was anything like the "saga" haunting the sides of movie theater cups since 2008.

When I read a few other reviews of WARM BODIES, the general consensus seemed to be that it is a "zombie-romance." This put me off because of the recent  "supernatural romance" fad which has come about in the past decade or so. And although there are some nicely written stories out there, many supernatural romances seem to use the genre as a way to attract more buyers, not a way to illustrate a point made in the novels. I began reading Marion's piece with anything but an open mind. However, after the four Starbucks-soaked hours I spent hunched over my screen and another four hours rereading, I was as dazed and slack-jawed as... well, you know.

What immediately struck me about this work from Marion is that most of the story is narrated from the perspective of R., a likeable member of the Dead whose terse inner-monologue grows to be more descriptive as he forms relationships with Julie and other members of the Living. Marion takes his readers from a world that reads like it should be black and white to a descriptive and emotional world filled with color, passion, and music. In addition to his skilled development of the protagonist, Marion also plays with the different perspectives of Perry, the victim of R. and Julie's late boyfriend. In one excerpt, Marion even writes from the perspective of a newborn version of Perry.

Another thing I loved about reading this is Marion's use of the animosity between the Living and the Dead to illustrate overarching themes in his novel. Rather than plugging it into the story and appealing to the fad, the non-living characters are used to draw attention to the fact that without hope and love we put ourselves in danger of becoming shells, skeletons of what was human before a fever of hate burned away humanity. And even with the morbid notes that appear in this novel, the writing in Warm Bodies seems to enforce a notion that people who want to hope, or have hope, even while they are being swallowed by surrounding chaos, can not only claw themselves out, but recue others as well.

I would like to press that this review is brief. In my opinion, the novel has layers upon layers of juicy meaning. My best advice as a book lover and reviewer is just read this. This novel is funny, beautifully written, and well thought out. It appeals to lovers of humor, romance, literature (the whole text is a Where's Waldo of Romeo and Juliet references), music, and horror. Creative, daring, and inspirational, Warm Bodiesmakes an unfairly dismissed genre not only worth reading, but reading not to be missed.

And finally, I will express my one critique: Marion's novel leaves me with enormous expectations for the film adaptation. Good luck, Summit Entertainment, I'll see you February 1st.


And! Buy WARM BODIES here!

Publishing 101.1 - One Last Round of Readers

Hi sweet readers! I thought I'd do a series of posts detailing my experiences taking Publishing 101 via publication of my debut novel.

My goal is to publish a book that is indistinguishable to my readers from any novel from a Big Five publisher.  It can be done - in fact, finding such a novel is the one thing that finally got me off my butt and pushed me to self-publish ONE.

Just as a traditionally published book has a huge team of professionals behind it, ONE does as well. My plan is to blog about every step of the process from agent-approved manuscript to published book. Please feel free to ask anything, and thanks for reading!

So. Your manuscript has been polished and shined to a high gloss, and gotten the thumbs up from (almost) everyone who's read it.
So, it's ready to go to a copyeditor for spelling, grammar, and punctuation check, right?

No. Nopppe.
NO.

There are two stages I sent my manuscript through before I even thought about sending it to my copyeditor.

For many people, the first of those those steps is hiring a developmental editor - someone who reads the MS and points out problems with characterization, plot, structure, worldbuilding, pacing - all big issues with the MS that someone who's so very close to it (you, dear writer) can't really tell how to fix, and may not even know are there. (Since I didn't  hire an editor, I've asked my dear friend Clare Davidson to post later in the week on her experience working with a developmental editor. Can't wait.)

In my case, I'd had dozens (literally) of readers, completed a revise and resubmit for an agent, and had the manuscript prepped for submission to editors by my agent, so *my* first was finding one last round of readers. I picked a diverse group - all serious writers, two published, one teen, one college student. These people had gone through dozens of manuscripts' worth of critique themselves, whether theirs or someone else's. They knew how to spot MS trouble a mile away, had never seen the MS before, and weren't afraid to give me honest feedback.

At first, I thought this was more for my peace of mind than anything else, but when the comments came back, I discovered why I really needed one last round of readers:

They called out stuff that I knew, deep down, was a problem, but was waiting for an editor to tell me how to fix once a Big Five house bought my book.

Yeah. I know. I'm not really proud of that. But I am being open and honest here, so....yeah.

For ONE, the big example was the pacing in the first half of the book. The book has romance and sci-fi in pretty equal parts, which is fine. The problem was that the romance was the first half and the sci-fi was the second, mostly (oops.) I'd addressed this a little more deeply with each edit, but whispers of this issue were still there. I knew it was kind of maybe sort of a problem, but one final-round reader in particular kicked my butt into high gear to really take care of it.

The other benefit of these last round readers was that they were the beginning of the end of finally, finally killing my darlings.

Again, these were things that I totally loved about my manuscript and wanted to see if I could slip under an editor's nose, knowing full well that I probably couldn't. The biggest example was bits and pieces of snark from the main character, Merrin. I originally wrote this girl to have a pretty strong attitude and a mouth without a filter, and remnants of that still came out in places that rubbed one of my readers, in particular, the wrong way. He called them out, and I knew he was right - they had to change. *Sigh*

Anyway, if you've taken the plunge of deciding to self-publish your book, do yourself and your future readers a favor and put it through a developmental editor or one last round of (seriously kickass) readers. The worst thing that could happen is that they would come back and say "It's perfect!" right?

Next up: Publishing 101.1 part two - Working with a developmental editor, a guest post by Clare Davidson.

From Writer to Author

ONE has always been a misfit of a book. This story about a girl with half a superpower and a boy who makes her fly grabbed onto me one late summer morning and hasn't let me go since. It has also defied genre classification and YA-lit cliche, which, I have to admit, I'm proud of.  I poured my heart and soul into writing, revising, and shaping it for nearly a year, and I dreamed of publishing it since I wrote the very first scene.

ONE has been lucky to have many readers - dozens, actually - and got mostly positive feedback.

I was delighted, if not super shocked, when my agent also fell in love with ONE. It hadn't had the best luck querying, and the fact that Agent Tricia not only loved the story, but understood it, had me hopeful that publishers would feel the same way.

The novel went on submission in the late summer. I was so lucky that some of the biggest names in publishing agreed to read the manuscript, and that all of them loved the concept - X-men meets Sky High - and praised my writing. Each one, though, felt that something stood in the way of being able to take it on - something different each time, in fact. 

What it boils down to is this: 
The publishers we submitted to don't think they can sell ONE, but that's okay. 
Because I think I can. 

 I'm thrilled to announce that ONE, my debut novel about a girl with only half a superpower and her struggle to make herself whole, will be published on June 11th, 2013.

The sequel, TWO, will release on October 8, 2013. 

Does this mean that I'm giving up on traditional publishing? Goodness, no, not at all! (In fact, my agent's submitting my YA Contemporary Mansfield Park redux, SOLVING FOR EX, to editors right now.) All this means is that I feel that this is the best way to get this particular book to readers at this particular time.

Am I scared? Heccccck yes. But ever since I've read this blog post from one of my heroes, Tammara Webber, its message has been my mantra. It's okay to be scared, but don't be frozen.

What I'm excited about:

• I'm in control. The final edit of ONE reflects my vision for the story and characters, and no one else's. I can price the book where I want to, and release new material whenever I want.
• I'm not alone. I've already assembled an incredible team, from editors to a cover designer to formatters to marketing artists to a shiny new assistant, who will all have a heavy hand in making ONE the best that it can be.
• I'm not the first. I have friends and role models who are open and honest about this process, helping me along each step of the way. 
• I am supported. Every single person I've told about my decision has been nothing less than supportive.  Beginning with my closest critique partners, so many people are holding my hand and lifting me up through the very toughest parts of this endeavor.
• My career options are wide open. My agent believes that a hybrid publishing model is possible, exciting, and supports me 100%. I'm so very, very lucky to have a knowledgeable and visionary publishing professional on my side, and to be backed by one of the best children's agencies in the business. 

What I'm bummed about:

• There's still some pretty heavy stigma out there. I can't join debut author blogs because I'm not traditionally published, and most book bloggers won't even consider a self-published title for review.
• My book won't be in book stores. Yeah, it was part of the dream. For now, I'm okay with letting it go.
• It's not cheap. Would I have loved for a publisher to pay the up-front costs of putting a quality novel up for sale? Yes. Is it worth the cost? Yes, and I'll pay it. Gladly.

All in all, I'm incredibly happy and confident with my decision. I can't wait for this book to be out in the world. I can't wait for people to read it. It's going to be a great year. 

In the words of my excellent assistant, John Hansen, I'm going to rock this. And when I do, I'll have all of you to thank. 

Speaking of you, a lot of you have been asking what you can do to help (and I love you so hard for that.) There will be cover reveals and blog tours to arrange, and John and I will be in touch with many of you about that. But the most important thing you can do is simple: if you are excited about ONE, talk about it. Online, at school, at work. In reviews or in the grocery checkout. Nothing is more crucial to the success of a book than word of mouth, and I am so grateful to any of you who mentions ONE in a blog post, on the phone with your mom, or somewhere on Twitter.

Lastly, you can add and follow and like ONE all over the internet. Here are the links:

Add ONE to Goodreads
"Like" ONE on Facebook
Sign up for my newsletter
Pre-order ONE

Thank you, thank you, thank you. You, sweet readers and supporters, are what make my world go 'round.

Why We Do Redux(es)

Hey sweet readers!

Raise your hand if you love the movie CLUELESS.

Cher is snobby, rich, and entitled, yet somehow we still love her. The way she sets up Miss Geist and Mr. Hall,  takes Tai under her wing and, by the end of the movie, totally comes around about resident stoner Travis - it's all so awesome. And that ending with Josh? *swoon.*



It's almost as awesome - maybe, in some ways, better than - the original CLUELESS:


Or what about TEN THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU? The old school spoiled-yet-classic quirkiness of Padua High, the beautifully bitchy Kat, and the way Patrick Verona wins her - and our - heart? The adorable romance between Cameron and Bianca?  There's actually nothing like it.



Unless there was, like four hundred years ago.


Reduxes, or retellings, aren't confined to epically awesome movies from the 90s. They have popped up all over Young Adult literature in recent years. CINDER by Marissa Meyer, SPLINTERED by AG Howard, and FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS by Diana Peterfreund are all awesome examples. (I know there are dozens more - these were off the top of my head.)

Why do we love retellings of classic literature so much? Why do we cling to it and retell it over, and over, and over again?

I can think of a few reasons:

- These stories have timeless themes. Love, the meaning of life, mourning loss, getting over our prejudices (and our pride. Hee.) Sacrifice and despair and overcoming it all. The ridiculousness and utter hilarity of life and clashing personalities. The simple truth that some people will always be kind and some will always be self centered and some will always, always, be jerks. The stories that make the best reduxes have themes that carry through the centuries and speak to the heart of what it means to be human.

- Drama is Drama is Drama is OMG SO AWESOME.  The way humans treat each other, and the emotions that tug at the human heart in reaction to their interactions, is just delicious. Using the examples above - When Josh (Mr. Knightley, swoon) told Cher (Emma) she was acting childish - when Kat finally maybe sorta kinda agrees to go out with Patrick (Pertruchio) - they ,make our hearts sink or soar because we have been there. *Sigh*

- These stories are good. They are smart. The plot twists and turns surprise us and delight us. The characters are unique and brilliant and funny and achingly beautiful, each in their own way. It's no wonder we want to tell them again and again, to turn them around to different angles and explore every possibility of how to tell the story. And, most of all, we want to make them accessible for people who might not be inclined to pick up a copy of the original.

I had so much fun writing a contemporary retelling of MANSFIELD PARK, one of my Austen favorites, this summer. It's called SOLVING FOR EX, because it's about Mathletes (hee.) I'm so very excited that it went out on submission to editors yesterday. I'm dying to see whether a publisher will pick up this retelling that recasts young ladies and gentlemen falling in and out of love as Mathletes navigating their way through high school, crushes, and catfights. Especially is exciting that, if it sold soon, it could be published in 2014 - Two hundred years after the original publication date.

I really hope my little retelling would make Ms. Austen smile.

What about you, my sweeties? What reduxes do you love, and why do you love them?

I'm Jealous.

Hi, sweet readers. 

I have a confession to make.

I'm jealous. 

I'm lucky to be friends with a lot of incredible writers, who also happen to be amazing people in general. As it happens, a pattern seems to be emerging with a lot of them -

They're also successful.
Like, really awesome things are happening to them.

Agents are fighting over them!
They're getting book deals (for two books! And three books! And getting paid real money! OMG!)
Their books are in the Amazon top 100! And they get fan mail!

And when that happens?  I'm over-the-moon happy for them.
And I'm also jealous of them.

 I totally compare myself to everyone.
But I don't let it steal my joy,
if that's what 's making that chick jump around on the beach with balloons.
I never do that anyway.

I think so often the word jealous has a negative connotation. 
But I think - and I really, really, believe this - that "I wish that would happen for me" does not automatically mean "And I wish that didn't happen to her."

We all know that this is a business. And we all know that this is a subjective business. That means that very, very rarely are we ever in real, direct competition with our fellow writers. Because each piece of work is so different, there are no consistent factors that lead to success, and there are not very many situations where we're honestly going head-to-head.

So, in one example, someone didn't get a book deal over me - she just got a book deal, and I didn't. Yet.

When a friend of mine celebrates a success, and I feel jealous, it tells me something - I want what she has. Maybe not the whole thing - maybe I envy the result, and not the path. Or maybe I envy the trappings, but not the core result.

Regardless, allowing myself to feel jealousy helps me identify what I want, and why - and how - I want it. That's not such a bad thing at all.

So I tell my friends I'm jealous of them all the time. They know it means I think that what's happening to them is so freaking awesome that I wish it was happening for me, too. In the next breath, and probably also in the one before it, I tell them that I'm so, so, SO happy for them. And they know that means...well...exactly what it means. I really, truly am happy, too.

Yes, it's possible to be both jealous of and ecstatic for someone. My friends are so badassed that it happens to me all the time. You know who you are. *wink*

What about you?

Fast Drafting over at YA Misfits!

Hi, sweet readers!

I haven't been posting too much at all, which I hate, but it's for a reason I LOVE - I've spent the month Fast Drafting!

I'm posting all about it, long-form, at YA Misfits today - including whether I'm succeeding! Some come check it out. But over here, a few things I've learned about Fast Drafting, in pictures:

It is hard work.

It's a little insane.

It can get very messy.


And it's totally worth it. 

Come read about the Whys and the Hows at length over at YA Misfits, and have an awesome Wednesday! *Smooch*

Author Trisha Leigh and BETRAYALS IN SPRING!!!

Hi, sweet readers!!!

I'm so super excited about today's post, because it's an interview with one of my favorite authors!!

Here's what happened: I came across Trisha Leigh's WHISPERS IN AUTUMN this past summer when I was browsing for some books to read. The cover was absolutely stunning, and when I read the description I was hooked. Basically, it's a dystopian with aliens who subdue humans via mind control (!) but the main character isn't affected. Awesome.

'

(Tell me these covers aren't like the most gorgeous things you've ever seen. Go on.)

Anyway, I read WHISPERS IN AUTUMN and WINTER OMENS, all the while freaking out on Twitter like a crazy good fangirl does, and either Trisha was so scared of me or enamored of me that she let me read BETRAYALS IN SPRING before it was published!!!!!!!!

I know. I'm freaking out too. Obviously.

And even more exciting, the amazing author agreed to do an interview right here to celebrate the launch of SPRING. (Freaking. Out.)

So without further ado, here she is! Enjoy!

Q: Trisha, thank you SO MUCH for coming over. First, I'll ask what all my readers really want to hear: Can you tell us a little bit about The Last Year series?

A: Sure! The Last Year is a four part, post-apocalyptic series that begins about eighteen years after a race of aliens has conquered earth through mind control. The books are about four kids who aren’t what they seem, but might be able to find a way to save humanity from a future of slavery and annihilation. The stories are told from the first person perspective of Althea, and along with her we learn about the world, the Others, love, friendship, and the truth in all of those things.

Q: Oooh, gorgeous. Does it have a playlist to go with it? Tell us the Top 5 songs?

A: I’m that rare weirdo writer who doesn’t listen to music while she writes, BUT I do have several songs that go with certain scenes or books. The five most important (to me) would be: I’ll Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab For Cutie, Belief by Gavin DeGraw, Wild Hope by Mandy Moore, Turn to Stone by Ingrid Michaelson, and Possibilities by Freddie Stroma. There are more. I could probably make an entire playlist for my central couple (no spoilers!), but maybe another time.

Q: I don’t think most people realize just how much work goes into making a beautiful book. Can you give us a quick rundown of your process, first draft to publication?

A: I’d love to. First, I worked with a cover designer to get her going with a summary and concept. I got lucky and only had to do this once, instead of four times, since my cover designer came up with a concept that wouldn’t change much for each new installment. Then, while she works on a cover, I write the first draft (typically a 4-6 week affair, for me). I send the first draft to my developmental editor, then she returns it and I do a (usually daunting) first revision, along with a couple more read throughs for tweaking. Then it goes for line edits, and back to me again for input. Then copy edits, then three proofreaders. Once I’m finished proofreading, I format the print book myself and send the manuscript our for e-book formatting, upload it all, check proof copies, and viola!

It’s a lot when I write it in a paragraph like that. Also in real life. But quality is the most important thing, as far as I’m concerned.

Q: What are the best and worst things about being a debut author?

A: The best is definitely sharing my stories, having readers connect with the characters, and being able to interact online. It’s gratifying and unbelievable. As far as a worst, maybe just the pressure of putting out new work and hoping it’s not a disappointment to the people who have come to love the stories as much as I do. I might have more anxiety than I did a year ago, but the good makes up for all of it.

Q: What’s the biggest thing that keeps you going? Reviews? Chocolate? The Vampire Diaries?

A: HA. Actually, I gave up on The Vampire Diaries last season! Mostly coffee, Hershey’s Kisses, coffee, and most importantly, a fabulous and unwavering support network made up of critique partners, writing friends, non-writing friends, and family. I’d be completely insane without them.

Q: Oh, the support network is KING. For sure. In that vein, what’s the greatest lesson living in the writing life has taught you?

A: To be tough. To believe in your work enough to want to clearly see the flaws in it so that you can erase them as well as possible. And also to support other authors, at every stage, so that they can find their way to that toughness as well.

Q: Can you please give us some book recommendations? Our TBR piles are empty (ahahahahah).

A: DARK INSIDE by Jeyn Roberts, IF I STAY and WHERE SHE WENT by Gayle Foreman. HERE by Denise Grover Swank. SWEETHEARTS by Sara Zarr. THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH trilogy by Carrie Ryan. SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo. I could go on, but those are the favorites that come to mind.

Q: Favorite Wintertime drink?

A: Hmm. Salted Carmel Mocha, hot spiced wine, and peppermint tea.

Q: X-Men or Avengers?

A: GAH. I know I’m going to answer wrong, Leigh Ann. I’m not a comic book reader (though I have recently started reading FABLES), so my only point of reference is the movies. So based on those alone, I choose Avengers. Because…Joss Whedon. And Thor.

You did answer wrong, but I still love you. 

(Isn't she awesome, you guys???)

To celebrate the release of BETRAYALS IN SPRING, which comes out today, I'm doing a giveaway of all three books in the series to one lucky commenter! Wheeee!

The Importance of a LOVING Writing Community

Hi, sweet readers.

I've missed you guys SO MUCH. And I really have a kajillion blog posts started, and I'm hoping that I can finally ease back in to blogging a little more soon. Especially because my second writerversary  is coming up, and I want to recap. #EgoClub

But, BRIEFLY, the past couple weeks have reminded me of the importance of having a loving and supportive writing community. My sweet and brilliant friends Kelsey and Andrea wrote posts about that here (click here) and here (click here,) and you should read those.

A few months ago, my friend Darci and I vlogged about that very topic. And today, she interviewed me (along with copious Jeremy Renner gifs) on her Arizona writer's blog! So, if you're so inclined, go say "hi" to us over there, and then hang out with us for a few minutes here:



Do you  have a loving and supportive writing community? If  you do, tell me about it. If you don't, what's stopping you? 

EVER by Jessa Russo blog tour and GIVEAWAY!!!

Hey, sweet readers!

This is a super exciting day for me because I get to host the amazing Jessa Russo for an EVER blog tour showcase!!!

There's Jessa! Just as gorgeous as her book.

EVER opens up with the haunting memory of a car crash, and I felt for poor Ever right away. The way Jessa describes Frankie's ghost and his presence in Ever's day-to-day life is, well, haunting.

Jessa's writing is beautiful, and I want one of my lucky readers to have a chance to read EVER too. So I'm giving away a Kindle copy to one lucky commenter this Friday, November 9th!!!

Here's the blurb from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Ever’s love life has been on hold for the past two years. She’s secretly in love with her best friend Frankie, and he’s completely oblivious.

Of course, it doesn't help that he’s dead, and waking up to his ghost every day has made moving on nearly impossible.

Frustrated and desperate for something real, Ever finds herself falling for her hot new neighbor Toby. His relaxed confidence is irresistible, and not just Ever knows it. But falling for Toby comes with a price that throws Ever’s life into a whirlwind of chaos and drama. More than hearts are on the line, and more than Ever will suffer.

Some girls lose their hearts to love.

Some girls lose their minds.

Ever Van Ruysdael could lose her soul.

WHERE TO BUY: 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

ADD EVER TO YOUR TBR!

Goodreads

Have YOU read EVER?  Tell us how much you loved it in the comments, or sign up to WIN an e-copy!

A Plea to Keep NaNoWriMo Discouragement-Free

It's National Novel Writing Month!!!! Wheeeee!

I'm super bummed that I'm not doing it. I know. I'm a party pooper. But this is the second year in a row it just doesn't fall in the right month - I have 16k to go on my WiP, then I need to do a first pass edit, and then I'm outlining Two. (I KNOW!!!! I can hardly believe it either.) So, not exactly drafting weather over at my writer's desk. Such a bummer. Maybe next year.

That doesn't mean that I haven't seen all the discussion of NaNoWriMo happening on Twitter. For the most part, it's super inspirational - people encouraging one another, inviting others to be 'friends' with them on the NaNo site, being interested in concepts, and all kinds of general writer cheeriness and support. So cool.

As November approached, however, I started to see more and more writers and agents giving "advice" about NaNoWriMo that, in my opinion, only added up to so much discouragement. 

"The words probably won't be any good,"

 "You'll have to cut most of the words you wrote anyway,"

 "Drafts can't be rushed," 

"If you really wanted to write a novel you wouldn't wait till November to do it," 

"You're not an exception to the rule. Most people aren't that lucky or talented or disciplined."

My one overwhelming reaction to all of this? Sadness. And then a little bit of anger. Because, seriously - WTF, you guys?

(You know how I feel about writers discouraging other writers. Bad form.)

So I started chatting with a bunch of my writer friends about their experiences with NaNo, since I haven't everdone it - and even if I had, my experience wouldn't be The Experience By Which We Measure All NaNo Experiences, right? Right.

So, here's what they said:

NaNo is a learning experience. It teaches you discipline, the importance of momentum, and that you CAN write a substantial amount every day. Hopefully, it also teaches you what planning you need as a writer in order to crank out a decent first draft. (Whether it's as little as drawing a map of a submarine and naming a rock band, or as extensive as a 20-page outline.) 

NaNo is a motivational experience. There's something incredible about being one huge team of writers who all have the same basic goal. The support and camaraderie is just amazing. Also, meeting that fifty thousand word goal can be encouragement enough for writers to not procrastinate - for some of us, that's gold.

NaNo encourages you to write with abandon. Often, the worry over Doing Things Right hinders the creative process. The goal of getting 1700 words on a page every day makes us forget everything that holds us back so we can let the words pour out. 

Lastly, for everyone reminding us that our NaNo novels need to be edited - that's totally true. And it's also true of any other draft that anyone has ever written, whether it took them a month or a year to get the words down. Some people write faster than others. I know from experience that I can crank out 5-6k on an uninterrupted day, and the majority of those words are merely tweaked in edits - not axed, not drastically changed. There have been weeks at a time that I've done a steady 1.5k a day while working full time and mothering four kids without breaking a sweat. 

So it is possible. Really. REALLY. My CP Andrea Hannah says that she wrote the novel that got her signed with her incredible agent during NaNo, and it only went through one quick revision before she sent it out. Those were good words, legitimate words. 

Just because a novel was written during NaNoWriMo does not mean that it's a load of crap words, she said. It means that the writer buckled down every day and made writing a priority. And that's something incredible. We shouldn't discount that and make assumptions about the quality of the work that comes from that.

And, last, to those of you posting your discouragement: I know you might think it's altruistic. You've experienced it, you have some advice to give, right? 

Well, if you feel the need to "caution" people, can I just ask...why? These writers are excited. They feel ready. They're going to write fifty thousand words this month, or they're going to try their hardest. They're not hurting anyone. 

If they annoy you, unfollow them for the month. If you disagree with their blog post, you don't have to comment. If you are an agent and you don't want to see their query in December, close to queries then. Or make your intern sift through the ones that obviously suck, like you would any other time of year.

You may be right. Their fifty thousand words might be crap.

But.

If they are, the world won't stop. Take a deep breath. Remember a time when you were that excited about writing. Wasn't that magic? How would you have felt if someone had brought their "warnings" to your magic writing parade of excitement? That's what I thought.

 Please, don't ruin it for anyone else. 

And maybe, just maybe, stop to think - What if that novel that is about to spill out of their thoughts and into their word processors *is* good stuff? What if it's the book that gets them signed with an agent (like at least three of my CPs?) What if it's the next Crewel, or The Night Circus, or White Cat, or Losing Faith, or Cinder, or Water for Elephants? 

Because it just might be. And if I found out that anyone discouraged any of those authors from tackling NaNoWriMo because their words probably would suck? I'd be MIGHTY angry.

So, to all you NaNo discouragers, haters, and party-wreckers, please, for the love of excitement and creativity and Writing Magic everywhere, back off. 

And to each and every one of you potential special snowflakes tackling NaNoWriMo - write on, my sweeties. Good luck writing, good luck editing, good luck on your paths to publication.  Support each other. 

You are brave, and you are awesome. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

PitchLive! Agent Round - It's ON!!!!

Welcome to the agent round of Pitch Live!!!!!!
(And welcome, illustrious agents, to my blog - here you will find the scrappy, hilarious, skivvy-slinging, passionate, and many-accented members of #TeamLA. Hope you're ready to read lots of subs!)



Thank you so much, Brenda, for asking me to host - it's been So MUCH FUN!!!!

 The following entries have made it through the first round and are in the ten posts after this one.

 Please no comments other than those from agents.

 If you want to comment on the entries please go to this post here and click on each participants' link. From today, October 17 - Friday, October 19 the agents will hop around and request pages from their favorite pitches. Check out all the agents viewing the pitches on this post here. 

 Submissions: Should you get a request from one of the agents, go to their websites and follow their submission guidelines.
 In your submission, make sure to put this in the subject line: Pitch Live Requested Material: TITLE OF YOUR NOVEL.
 Unless, of course, the agent puts specific instructions in the comments of your posts.

 There are  a total of 30 videos and I'm hosting 10 of them here on my blog. So make sure to visit Brenda and Erica's blogs for the other entries... We had a vote going for the best video during the blogfest part of the contest, so we'll announce the winners now.

 The runners up from the blogfest vote for best video, each receiving a $10 gift card from Amazon are ...Sarah Blair and John Krissilas!!!!

    And the top dog, Grand Poombah of video pitches, panty slinger, elevator riding champ, and the winner of a $25 gift card from Amazon is ... Lauren McKellar!!!!

(No coincidence that two of those winners are on #TeamLA, NBD.)

Winners please send an email to brendadrakecontests@gmail.com to claim your prize. Keep scrolling for the video pitches...

Pitch Live! - L-1 - IT'S COOP NOT CUPID

Title: IT'S COOP NOT CUPID Genre: YA Myth Retelling Word Count: 60,000

Pitch Live! - L-2 - THE SHIFTING DARKNESS

Title: THE SHIFTING DARKNESS Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy/Thriller Word Count: 67K

Pitch Live! - L-3 - KISSING FROGS

Title: KISSING FROGS Genre: YA Contemporary Word Count: 61,000

Pitch Live! - L-4 0 AGAINST THE FALLING MOONS

Pitch Live: Against the Falling Moons, YA light Sci-Fi romance, word count: 95,000

Pitch Live! - L-5 - FORGET-ME-NOT

Title: Forget-me-not Genre: YA Science Fiction Word Count: 77,000

Pitch Live! - L-6 - VEILED

Title: VEILED Genre: YA Science Fiction Word Count: 87,000

Pitch Live! - L-7 - LOSING IT

Title: LOSING IT Genre: YA Contemporary Word Count: 58,000