Building a Platform

https://www.pinterest.com/feed140/more-reasons-to-get-social-today/

Conferences mean agents. Agents mean pitches and platforms. Recently our conversations revolve around how to build our marketability.

Here is a breakdown of sources we feel might help us build our author relevance.

Attending Conferences:

Tupelo Press Writing Conference-Austin

Writer's League of Texas Agents and Editors Conference-Austin

Social Media:

Twitter

Linked-In

Facebook

Canva.com (memes for media)

Gaining Publishing Credits: (add to this list of magazines/publishers/anthologies...)

New York Time-Modern Love

NYT Lives

Psychology Today

Self

Cosmopolitan

Salon

Marie Claire

Kenyon Review

Matter Journal

Tin House

The Southern Review

Draft Publishing

Highlight for Children

Home Education Magazine

Glimmer Train Stories

DAW Book (Penguin Group)

Sumbittable.com seems worth looking into...

Competitions:

The WLT 2015 Manuscript Contest

Writer's Digest

Yellow Bird Editors + Writing Coaches

A few notes from an article about writing personal essays:

• Focus on the magazine's themes/need, read samples of published work in the magazine
• Tell your juiciest story, think drama
• Be timely, can you tell a personal story relatable to current trend/news
• Take an unusual/provocative/controversial angle
• Have an unexpected ending

Writing Workshop

Austin-area writers at all stages looking for an opportunity to establish or expand their professional writing lives can register now for a one-day workshop, “On Being a Writer,” from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., November 15, at Hope Bible Fellowship in Round Rock, Texas. 

This workshop will serve as your personal writing coach for the day, exploring the writing life you want and the writing life you already have and providing you with the tools to bridge the two. The workshop also would be an excellent outing for writing groups to attend together for professional development and further conversation about the writing life.

The cost for the workshop is $50, which includes all sessions and lunch catered by Bee’s Knees Bakeshop. Groups of 10 or more can register together and receive a $5 per person discount. Cost for full-time students at any level is $35.

Visit the link to find out more and to register.

Putting Off Procrastination.....

....is what I really should be doing. 

I have made a cup of coffee, updated my calendar, checked future travel plans (hello, WLT retreat!), did a load of laundry, made another cup of coffee, sent some text messages, Edmodoed my students and updated my Facebook status.

It was about beer-had some fun at a local brewery this weekend-but it should have been an excited post about how I was soooo close to finishing my manuscript I can taste it. But it wasn't, because I'm not. Close that is.

http://www.thewriteratwork.com/site/archives008.asp

I can taste it-kinda like a sour bile at the back of my throat.

I thought I was close. Like, two chapters to go close.

Then, I had the brilliant idea to outline my story arc for each of my characters and realized I have some gaping holes to fill in.

Why didn't I do this earlier? Did I not learn that making an outline was VERY important in the planning phase?

Well, yes, I did learn that. And I did make an outline. It's just that when I went back to really analyze my characters, I realized that their climaxes are not strong enough. OR maybe its that the 'costs' are not clearly established.

BHA! Either way, I am face with taking a good look at the details of my story and making sure that what is important is thoroughly explained, examined, existentialised-whatever!

This hurts. But, its a good pain. Once I am done, by book will be that much stronger and I will have an even better grasp of the characters and the story.

This way, once its published and I'm famous and people are dying to do interviews with me, I will have some really clever, in depth, awe-inspiring answers for my readers!

The Traps in the Pages

Apparently, there are just so many things agents can tolerate before they put your pages away, and out of their minds, forever. They have been so kind as to share the most irritating openings with us, the authors. 


Lan and I have compiled a few of the 'traps' that we are diligently avoiding in our first pages. We do NOT want our stories to become casualties in the trash file.

NO dreams-this offers the reader a fake sense of the reality of the book an they can feel cheated when the dream ends and the story begins.

NO mirror contemplation- "I looked into the mirror, toothbrush hanging from my mouth, and was horrified to see that I had a black eye. My normal glowing complexion was marred by nicks and scratches. My sky blue eyes were dulled to a meager grey and my long silky tresses were missing. I was completely bald."

Which leads into NO getting up in the morning. No one cares that the character hits the snooze button or needs coffee right away.

Do NOT characterize by using items of clothing-either holy, or expensive, promiscuous, or tame. 'She pulled on her *insert expensive shoes here* and click clacked out the door.'

Absolutely do NOT write a prologue. Make it the first chapter if it really has to be there, otherwise cut it. I found I have to do this. I tend to write the first chapter for myself anyway-just to get the ball rolling. It doesn't really belong in the book.

NO long drawn out explanations-if the facts must be presented right now, then find a way to do it through action or dialogue. 

No one cares about the weather. Ever.

NO common characters-give them someone who is uncommon.

Do NOT start out 'on a sleepy little town where nothing ever happens' because there is no story there!

But, do NOT use tricks and scandalous actions just to get attention.

What the Heck is the Difference Between Tone, Plot, and Theme?

Tone is what the author wants the reader to feel.  This means words usage, grammar, voice, and interactions between characters.

Wistfully-It was the last chance I would have to travel with my family, gone, in the blink of an eye. It was fate that drove us off that bridge. It was death who took them from me.

Guiltily-They died that day. It was my f-ing fault. I wish above all else that I had only taken better care when coming around the curve. I could still hold my little boy and kiss my wife. But I ruined it all.

The tone of the book can change

You have a character who was down on his luck through the whole book, noting went right.  He lost the house, his car was repossessed, his wife left him and took the kids. Now he lives with his mother. Then, he  he spends his last 5 dollars on a winning mega million lottery ticket. The tone will change from sad and depressing, 'why am I living', to hopeful with a new start.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plotmountain.jpg

Plot is driven my the motivations and actions of your characters-what they want to accomplish throughout a story, what the characters do to make their desired goals come true.  Plot is the exchange of high and lows which drive a story and the changes in the characters.

Try this plot generator just for fun.

The theme of a book is the over arching idea of what the writer wants to purvey to the reader.

• love concurs all 
• heroes journey
• revenge in not the answer (dig two graves, one for them and one for you), 
• blood in thicker/family ties

How not to start a novel.

Here is a link for what agents don't want to find in your first chapter. I am guilty of one of these. Back to rewriting. ;)

This is BIG, Andrea Hurst is accepting unsolicited queries!

This alert from established literary agent Andrea Hurst (Andrea Hurts & Associates): “I am reopening my submissions this summer to unsolicited queries from June 1 – September 1, 2014.” This is a great opportunity for writers everywhere who are writing genres & categories that Andrea accepts. She is not always open to submissions, and wanted writers to know. More info below.

She is seeking: “I am looking for upmarket, book club women’s fiction, commercial women’s fiction/romance (contemporary or historical), young adult fiction, and most areas of nonfiction (authors with a substantial platform who have already developed a solid, highly polished proposal – this includes memoirs, health/wellness, business, self-help/personal growth, memoir, cookbooks, pet books, spirituality). As of 2014, we are now accepting middle grade contemporary fiction as well.”

How to submit: Submit by Sept. 1, 2014. No attachments. Absolutely no phone calls or regular mail contact, please. E-query andrea [at] andreahurst.com.

Learn more about Andrea: http://www.andreahurst.com/literary-management/about/andrea-hurst/

Thanks to writersdigest.com for this excellent heads up. Their link can be found to the right under favorite links