Elissa Cruz

The Official Glossary of Writing Terms for Non-Writers

2011-12-09T07:52:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is upon us, and I've been contemplating what to give my extended relatives, friends, and total strangers who scratch their heads each time I post a writing-related update on my social networks. And since I believe in giving thoughtful and useful gifts, I have compiled this list of writing terms and definitions to send to all, so you can stop asking me what I'm talking about. I also figured you writers out there might want to give this list to the non-writers in your life. It’s the perfect gift! You're welcome. Happy holidays, everyone!

NOTE: Please let me know if I’ve missed any writing term you need a definition for. I’ll be happy to add it to the list.

THE OFFICIAL GLOSSARY OF WRITING TERMS FOR NON-WRITERS

BY YOURS TRULY (ELISSA CRUZ)

Agent: Someone who represents a writer and helps sell the writer’s work to publishing houses. Short for literary agent, though there are plenty of other kinds of agents out in the world, just not in the literary world. Writers, however, never use the complete term unless they have to. They assume you know they are talking about. Hence the need for this glossary of writing terms, I suppose.

Acquisition(s): Short for acquisition meeting. A meeting by those at publishing houses to decide whether or not they want to offer to purchase the right to print your book. The process ends in either a contract or a politely worded rejection. Often used is the phrase “going to acquisition” or “going to acquisitions.” The writer doesn’t actually go anywhere, just the manuscript does. Truth be told, if writers are going anywhere it is going crazy waiting for word on a manuscript going to an acquisition meeting.

Arc: Used when talking about different parts of a manuscript. Usually combined with the words “character” or “plot” or “lack of” to differentiate between the different aspects of the story. The character arc deals with how the character changes during the story. The plot arc obviously deals with plot. Often writers have to deal with the lack of a certain arc, too. Those are always fun to try and fix. (Not.) Not to be confused with an ark, which, in its most familiar term, is a really big boat. Also not to be confused with ARC (note the capitalization).

ARC: Advance Reader Copy. An early form of the book publishers send out to reviewers to drum up excitement for a title. It usually is a paperback version of the real deal, but sometimes publishers will change the cover before they print the actual book. Note that it's an advance copy, not an advanced version. It's quite inferior, actually, to the printed book, but more coveted, oddly enough. Mainly because so few are printed.

Beta: See Crit.

Blurb: A short summary of what your book is about. Must contain a hook, unless you aren't interested in anyone else reading your book. In some circles, hook and blurb are used interchangeably. I'm guessing that's because most of us writers aren't really clear on how they are different from each other. We've clumped them into one huge definition of "words that are awesomesauce about the book."

Book: Something you read. It may or may not have pictures, but it always has lots and lots and lots of words. Usually the term refers to a work in its final, published stage. Often used in conjunction with adjectives such as "good", "horrible", "boring", "awesome", "the best", and "gawdawful". Sometimes also used at the end of the phrases "I hate this" or "I love this". See also manuscript and WIP.

Books for Adults: These are books written with a grown-up audience in mind. Most of you would simply call these "books." Don't get them confused with "adult books", which have content so inappropriate for children and teens that they can only be and found at the "adult bookstore" in the seedy part of town.

Chapter Book: Books written for those who are learning to read and are ready for books with real chapters. Usually written for 6-9-year-olds, and most are written at about a second-grade reading level. Often the term refers to all books with chapters and includes middle-grade books as well, but we MG writers really wish you wouldn't do that anymore

Complete: What we call a finished manuscript, until another person tells us it needs to be revised or rewritten again, that is. You’d be surprised how often a complete manuscript reverts back to a WIP. It’s shocking, really.

Cover Letter: A short letter that accompanies a full manuscript. Usually contains the pitch and any other information needed to remind the editor or agent that they actually wanted to read your story. Not to be confused with a query letter, which contains the exact same information but is sent out on its own.

Crit: Short for critique. Other variations include critting (critiquing) and critters (critiquers, who are also called Betas, which is short for beta readers—though there may be some slight difference in who is a critter and who is a beta, but I doubt anyone really cares). In this case, betas and critters aren’t animals, but people who delight in ripping your manuscript to shreds. Hey, wait a minute....

Crossover: Books that appeal to teens and adults alike. Apparently there is an imaginary bridge between the children’s and the adult section of any bookstore or library. Most books can’t cross it, but these ones can. I’m not sure when this happens, though. Probably at night when all the booksellers and librarians go home, and the books are free to become alive and travel through the building at will. I wonder which books become the guardians of the bridge, though. The books with trolls on the cover? (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

Draft: A version of a manuscript. Also used as a verb, meaning to write a draft. Writers like to count the versions, or drafts, of their manuscripts. The most commonly used term is “first draft,” since every writer begins with one of those. First drafts, however, aren’t usually considered quality drafts. In fact, most are big piles of poo that need several revisions before they are considered polished.

Drawer Novel: A manuscript so badly written it shouldn't be allowed to see the light of day. Ever. Often this is also the first manuscript a writer attempts. It's not actually put in a drawer these days. See shelved for the reason why.

Dust Jacket: Also called a book jacket. A piece of printed paper that covers a hardcover book. Yes, just like a real jacket covers you. Since books don't have arms, though, dust jackets are held in place with flaps, which are folded under the front and back covers of the book. On these flaps you'll usually find the flap copy and an author bio.

Editor: Someone who works for a publishing house and edits manuscripts acquired by the company. Sometimes these editors lose their jobs or quit and become “freelance editors” instead. Anyone can edit, but we don’t call them editors unless we have to pay them for their work. Yeah, I don’t get it either.

Flap Copy: Also called jacket copy. A short blurb found on the flap of the dust jacket of a book (or, in the case of paperbacks, printed on the back outside cover). Its purpose is to give you a hint of what the story is about and get you excited to read the whole book. In other words, it contains a hook.

Full: Short for a full manuscript, often called "the full." Writers usually use it when telling other writers that they've received a request to send the entire manuscript to an editor or agent. This has nothing whatsoever to do with being full. Nor does it have anything to do with how many adjectives and adverbs we have stuffed into our manuscript.

Hook: A sentence (or more) that is so brilliant it hooks readers and makes them want to read on. It's best to start any manuscript or query letter with one of these. If you don't, the likelihood of anyone wanting to read on is...well, the odds aren't in your favor, let's just put it that way. A hook can also come in the form of a catchy title, great flap jacket copy, or blurbs about the book. No actual metal hooks are used. Also used as a verb, meaning to catch someone's attention.

Jacket Copy: See Flap Copy.

Kidlit: Short for children's literature. Catchy, huh!

Kidlitosphere: The kidlit world. Not a real world, but a virtual one. Though we are real people. We just meet and talk about kidlit online. Sometimes we meet in real life, too, but not all at once and in the same place. It would take a really big conference center to make that happen.

Manuscript: A bunch of words writers throw together on paper in an attempt to tell a good story. Though not always on real paper. See shelved for why. A manuscript is similar to a WIP and a book, but it should not be confused with either of these. A WIP denotes a manuscript that is currently being written/revised, whereas a manuscript may be in that stage or may be shelved or complete. Manuscripts turn into books once they are published, but sometimes unpublished manuscripts are called books, too, just to confuse the issue. Basically, we writers like using as many words as possible to describe the same thing. See also book and WIP.

MC: Main character. These are the fictional people we writers call our best friends. Often our MCs are more real to us than real people. They talk to us, keep us awake at night, make decisions that run contrary to our best laid plans, and generally cause all sorts of psychological problems because we won't admit they are taking over our minds. Which is a good thing, because if we did, then we’d all be committed. And then who would write all the stories, huh?

MG: Middle-grade (notice the hyphen--yes, it's supposed to be there). AKA books for young readers, books for 8-12-year-olds, sometimes called chapter books (though this can be confusing: see chapter books above). These are the best books on the planet, in my humble opinion. Most likely, your favorite book as a child falls into this category. Note that middle-grade books are not written for kids in middle school, but are for upper elementary students instead. Oh, the irony.

Offer: When an editor or agent offers a contract. We like offers! The more, the better.

On Submission: The term used to explain the process of getting an industry professional to read and offer a contract. Can be used for either attracting agents or selling a book to editors at publishing houses. There is some discussion about whether or not this should be separated into two distinct terms, using “on submission” only for those books in the hands of editors, and “querying” for those attempting to find an agent for their work. Either way, most writers will tell you it’s synonymous with H-E-double hockey sticks.

Pantser: Someone who believes in the old adage to "fly by the seat of your pants." AKA a writer who doesn't plan out stories in advance. Often they sit down and let the story come to them as they write. Some pantsers start with an idea, others begin with a character who wants to take them on a journey. Others have an opening scene and a climax in mind when they begin. They distrust all Plotters, and they are afraid of anything that sounds even remotely like the word "outline."

Partial: Short for partial manuscript. Often used when editors and agents request to read only the first few chapters of a manuscript. Writers call these partial requests. We like these requests, but we like requests for fulls more. Obviously.

PB: Picture book. Also, paperback. Good luck keeping those two straight when both are used in a conversation.

Pitch: A paragraph (or two) that tells others about your story. It contains both a hook and a very short synopsis. Its purpose is to get people excited to read your book. It is only part of a cover letter or query, but it's the most important part. Also, it is the part that gives writers the most grief, since we have to distill an entire novel down into a few sentences. Not an easy task, by any stretch of the imagination. The term is also used as a verb, meaning to tell others about your story and get them excited to read it.

Plotter: Someone who outlines or plots stories before attempting to write them. Plotters have various means of plotting. Some use an actual outline. Others use note cards or sticky notes. Some follow a basic story structure that has worked for them or others before. And some write detailed notes about everything that might possibly come up in the story and a few things that never will, like underwear preferences and the last time that obscure side character took a bath in the public fountain outside city hall. They think all Pantsers should be committed. Or taught how to write a proper outline, at least.

Polished: A manuscript that is ready to be read by industry professionals. A variation of this is polishing, which is the term used to explain the process of revising a manuscript until it is ready to be read by industry professionals. We writers like a good turn of phrase, and plenty of us like the idea of having a diamond in the rough, too.

Pre-Pubbed: See Pubbed.

Pub: Short for publisher. Not the place where you go to get a few drinks, though I suppose you could talk about both in the same sentence.

Pubbed: Short for published. Used when talking about people who have published something, a manuscript that is published, or the dream of getting published. A slight variation of this is “unpubbed”, which mean those people and manuscripts currently not published. (Some more optimistic writers prefer the term "pre-pubbed.") Writers often separate other writers into the pubbed/unpubbed categories. Oddly enough, they tend to group editors and agents into the same category as pubbed writers, even though the majority of them are actually unpubbed people. Go figure.

Query: Short for query letter. A short piece of correspondence used to catch editors’ or agents’ attention, so they’ll ask to see your manuscript. It has nothing whatsoever to do with asking questions, though I suppose a writer is theoretically asking for a chance to get published. The query may contain an actual question or two in the letter itself, though. It is recommended, however, that you don’t begin your query with a question, especially one that starts with “What if.…” I don’t really know why. I suspect it’s because too many people begin their query letters that way, and agents/editors hate seeing the same thing over and over and over and over and over again.

R: Short for rejection or rejection letter. Rejections are almost always in writing, and for the most part come in the form of a “form rejection,” a simple but polite letter or email sent to writers to let them know a publisher or agent is not interested in their work. Some writers are lucky enough to receive a “personalized rejection,” which, though it doesn’t sound like it, is a good thing. Trust me on this.

Request: When an editor or agent asks you to send either part or all of your novel. Sometimes this is in response to your query, other times it's because you've met them at a conference and successfully pitched your manuscript to them.

Revision: A edited draft of a manuscript. Closely related is the word “revising” which is the act of changing a novel to make it better (hopefully). If you pay close attention, you’ll notice that a writer is usually drafting or revising. Sometimes both at the same time. And sometimes we are doing so because of a revision request, which is just what is sounds like.

Semi-Pantser: A newer term used by those who do some plotting before they get started but who still like the thrill of letting the story unfold as they write. Some plotters take offense to this terminology, instead preferring the term "semi-plotter." Tomatoes, tomatoes.

Shelved: The term used for a manuscript that has been put aside and is no longer being revised or sent on submission. It's not actually put on a shelf anymore, since 99% of all writers these days use computers. Unfortunately, the term "left to rot on my computer" never really caught on.

Slush pile: The term used to describe the piles, virtual or otherwise, of unsolicited queries or manuscripts sent to editors and agents. No one knows for sure where the phrase came from, but it doesn’t involve actual slush whatsoever. Real slush is that obnoxious pile of water, ice and dirt the snowplows leave on the side of the road after a winter storm, and no matter how hard we wish it would just go away it doesn’t, so we have to wade through it with a snow shovel until we clear it out and can get on with what we really want to do.

SQ: Status query. A short letter sent to agents/editors requesting information on the current status of a query or manuscript. Though worded as a statement, it is, in effect, a question about whether or not the editor/agent in question (no pun intended) has been able to wade through his/her slush pile to read the query letter or requested manuscript sent to him/her months and months and months previously.

SQOD: Status query of death. So coined because most of the time a SQ prompts the editor/agent to send a rejection letter. And as much as we writers pretend otherwise, rejection kills us.

Synopsis: A one-to-three-paged document (sometimes longer) that explains the main story line of a manuscript. Editors and agents often ask to see this along with the first few chapters of a manuscript. This is so they don't have to read the entire book to figure out if you have a plausible story line, and it's also because they secretly delight in torturing writers. Everyone knows the fastest way to stress out a writer is to ask for a synopsis.

Unpubbed: see Pubbed.

WC: Word count. This is how many words we've written, or how many words ended up in our WIP/manuscript/book. It's also a hotly debated topic in the kidlit world, since there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer about basic word count guidelines for children's books. Some think it's a conspiracy to keep newer writers so busy researching word count guidelines that they don't get any real writing done and, therefore, those already established writers who’ve been given the secret formula can keep all the writing contracts for themselves.

WFH: Work for hire. You thought it might be a variation of WTF*, didn’t you. Well, it’s not. Some publishers hire writers to write a preconceived story idea created by the publisher, usually for a non-fiction series or a licensed character book tie-in, or for in-house fiction projects in some cases. Or something like that, anyway. That whole side of the industry is still a little WTF for me.

WIP: Work In Progress, also Works in Progress. Refers to the pages and pages of words we writers throw together in the hopes that some of them will jell into a real manuscript. They don't always, unfortunately. Denotes something we are writing at present, so is technically not a manuscript or a book. See the manuscript definition for more on this. See also book.

YA: Young Adult. These are books for 12-18-year-olds. If you don't know about these books, you are most likely living under a rock. They are EVERYWHERE.

*Since I write for children, for me this means “What the fudge?” when I use it. Just wanted to make that clear. The rest of you are welcome to insert the more colorful meaning of this acronym if you’d prefer.

An Accidental Adventure...

2011-11-16T10:21:00.001-08:00

Today I'm plugging my post on my other blog. If you know of a child (preferrably 8-12, since that's the target age) interested in adventure stories, please check out the interview I conducted with C. Alexander London, all about his Accidental Adventure series (it's tres cool, I'll tell you that much here).

Speaking of accidental adventures, I thought today would be a good day to share stories about how we writers got started in the writing business. My first attempt at writing for children was definitely an accident, in case you were wondering how an accident and writing connected in the real world.

Oh, you want to hear that story? Well, okay. But it's dull. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Here's my accidental adventure/how I go started in the business for writing children:

You see, I'd been writing stories for adults for years, but I couldn't ever finish one. Usually I gave up somewhere in the first chapter or two, most often when I'd hit a brick wall with the plot and couldn't figure out a way forward (then, as now, I'm a pantser). So I was pleased when I had made it to the middle of a manuscript. The problem I ran into this time, however, was that main characters kept acting like children. I was so irritated at them that I flung the story right out the metaphorical window and took a break until I could figure out how to fix it.

Not long after, my young son was being silly with rhymes, and he giggled when he came up with "enormous porpoise." I knew there had to be a picture book in there somewhere, so I wrote a (badly-written) 5,000-word rhyming story about a porpoise, Dorcas, and her tiny friend, Jose. The book was terrible, but I enjoyed myself so much that I realized the best way to fix my problem of writing characters that acted like children was to...wait for it...write books where the children were the main characters.

Yes, I was a little slow on that uptake.

So, you see, a rhyme by a 4-year-old and a manuscript that will never see the light of day accidentally helped me find my true calling as an author of children's books.

Okay, now it's your turn. What's your story? Accidental or other-wise, I want to know!

*pulls up a chair and leans forward to listen*

Are You Listening?

2011-11-11T00:18:00.001-08:00

You've probably noticed that I'm what you'd call a funny(ish) gal. So it wasn't a big surprise when my first novel (a mystery) turned out to be a humor(ish) book in places. My second novel was a riot--it housed talking geckos and robot pirates and flying space galleons and monkey overlords and a SECRET that could blow up the universe if it got into the wrong hands, which (of course) it did. After that, I threw a funny(ish) sequel to my first novel into the mix, and then attempted a spoof on the Hardy Boys novels of yesteryear.

Yes, funny is my playground.

So it came as quite a surprise when my current WIP wouldn't leave me alone. It's poignant(ish), literary(ish), and completely beautiful. I can feel the main character's longings as if they were my own, and in some ways I guess they are. It's a book about growing up in a dying culture, the culture my mother and grandmother and great-grandmother lived in and passed down to me. It's also about learning to let go. I'm writing this book because it shares the childhood I had but a childhood my kids will never know. I'm writing this book for my grandmother. I'm writing this book for me.

But, as much as I love this book, I realize its genre is a dying culture of its own. You know, one of those quiet books. Today, industry folks use the word as if it was a bad thing. I have serious reservations about ever selling it, but I'm writing it anyway.

Sometimes, there are story ideas that sneak up on you and take up residence on your shoulder. They whisper straight into your ear and don't bother to check and see if you're paying attention. When those kinds of stories start to talk, it's best to listen.

Sometimes those story ideas aren't dressed like the rest of the stories you've written or plotted either. They don't fit your brand or the trends. So what do you do?

You write them anyway.

Don't worry about whether or not you can sell them. Don't worry about whether or not they fit with the rest of the books you've written (or will write). Don't even worry about whether or not they speak to anyone else.

They are speaking to you. Are you listening?

Chances are, once they've finished speaking to you, and you've written them down, they will speak to others, too. Those kinds of story ideas make the best kinds of books. And even if they don't speak to others, you've been transformed by them. That's all that matters, really, because it will make a difference on the next book you write, and the next and the next and the next.

So do the rest of the world a favor and listen. Okay?

Just Do It...Or Take a Class First?

2011-11-07T12:22:00.001-08:00

How many of you writers out there have taken one writing course after another in order to learn how to write (or write better)? Or who went to college for a degree in writing?

I'm curious to know who out there has learned through formal courses and who, like me, is mostly self-taught. I've taken one creative writing college course (which focused primarily on writing poems, thanks to an instructor who had a PhD in poetry and no real love of prose), but everything I've learned has been through trial and error.

I ask because, as a self-taught writer, I see what I think is a strange phenomenon in this industry: writers who compartmentalize.

Now, by that I mean that I am often amazed when I hear of other writers asking for information on one very specific and often narrow category in the writing process. These people gather grundles of information from other writers in order to study this very narrow category before they attempt it on their own.

I know there is nothing wrong with this--it's probably a great way to learn--but I taught myself to write. I didn't use textbooks. I didn't study the writing process.

I just did it.

And then I did it again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

Sometimes I wonder if this more organic way of learning actually puts me at a disadvantage. Because I'll admit that sometimes writers talk and I'm at a loss. I have no idea what they are talking about. They talk about things I've never consciously studied or thought about, but some time during my organic self-teaching I must have picked up and perfected without knowing it. And I only know that because others who have read my writing tell me so. It's like carrying on a conversation with someone with a very thick accent. I should understand them but sometimes I have to ask them to slow down and explain themselves.

But other times I think I might be the lucky one. I do think outside the box, mostly because I never learned what the box was to begin with. I also trust myself more, because this whole writing thing really has been intuitive for me.

So, weigh in, folks. I want to hear your thoughts on this. Do you think your schooling (or lack of it) has helped or hurt your own writing process? And give some examples, please!

What I Learned By Watching a Tree

2011-09-19T15:20:00.000-07:00

You read that title right. I have learned something by watching a tree. And not just a something, but a something that was brilliant enough to make it into a blog post. A something so fantasmic, so alarmingly insightful, so....

Okay, fine. I'll stop waxing eloquent and tell you what I learned.

But first, I should explain a few things. The first is that, yes, I am guilty of being a nature lover. I do watch trees. For fun.

The next explanation is this: yes, I'm weird.

Now that we have those basic facts out of the way, let's get to what I learned by watching a tree. This should delight all of you, unless you are devout tree haters, in which case I don't think we can be friends anymore.

So, today I was watching a tree as it shed the first of its autumn leaves. It did so in front of a stream of middle-schoolers and their parents, but I doubt anyone (except me) noticed. It quietly let go of some of its showy canopy and retreated inside.

And I realized how similar I was to this tree. How all of us who are writing for publication are like this tree.

No, I'm not losing my leaves. Bear with me here...

You see, being an author, especially one with an online presence to maintain (which, last time I checked, was just about every writerly person on the known planet), is pretty much like a tree in summer. Our showy canopy glitters in the sunlight for the world to see. We preen and rustle in the wind, and people see us and say, "Gee. That tree...uh, author...is PRETTY." And we like the attention, and we realize how much we love what it is we do.

But then something happens. It could be that we have a book hitting the shelves, and we realize we are terrified of the reviews. Or maybe we are in the middle of a first draft and we realize we have written the worst draft ever in the history of the written word. Or it could be that we receive our one-hundred-and-forty-seventh rejection from an agent--and it was THE agent for us; the one we had placed the last of our hopes and dreams on. Or it could simply be that we realize we are tired of the business of writing. Whatever it is, we start to lose a little of the love we had of being a writer. And, before we know it, we've retreated from the world.

Now, you are probably wondering why on earth I would share such a depressing story. This isn't my usual earth-shattering, amazingly inspiring posts, you are thinking to yourself. In fact, you are ready to take the tofu burger and fries that you are eating and squash them into your computer screen in the hopes of forever blotting out the drivel you just read.

But if you did, then you'd miss the other half of this post.

And that is, that I have learned more from watching a tree.

You see, I have learned that a tree is a magnificent creature...er, plant. Because it has learned that, sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself is to turn inward and focus on what matters most. In this case, its roots. And if it does so during those months where being a tree is a difficult thing to do, then soon enough it realizes that the spring sunshine is just around the corner.

So trees don't give up. They don't wither and die in those cold winter months. Instead they forget about that showy canopy and focus on the roots. And if they do, soon enough they are rustling in the summer sunshine once again.

So, the moral of this story is: there is a season for everything, and sometimes it's not only okay but imperative that we focus on our own roots..our writing (our stories). If we can leave the worries of this business behind for just a little while, it makes all the difference when it is our time to blossom.

So go ahead. Be a tree. I, for one, won't call you crazy, even if I am a little weird.

She'll be coming to Seattle when she comes...for Kidlit Con!

2011-09-14T18:05:00.000-07:00

So, yes, it's true. The lovely folks at Kidlit Con have graciously extended another invitation for my blogging buddies from that other blog and me to speak to the attendees. We won't tell them how crazy that idea is, because...SHHH...

...come closer...

...we don't want them to know that I'm just making things up as I go along.

*whistles*

Anyway, This year, it's all about group blogging, and I am thrilled to have some bona fide smart people speaking with me: the very talented Rosanne Parry and the amazing Katherine Schlick Noe. I think we were invited to speak because of them, quite honestly.

So, for those of you who might be coming, make sure to stop by and say hi. I'll be the one up on stage, for an hour, at least.

Now, I must pack. Where are those clear Ziploc bags for my things, anyway? They are all the rage at aiport terminals, I hear.

The Mixed-Up Middle-Grade Skype Tour has left the driveway!

2011-09-06T08:07:00.000-07:00

So, many of you know about that other blog I work on. I try to keep the two blogs separate, since I know not all of you are middle-grade authors or have middle-grade kids.

Well, I'm breaking my "never the twain shall meet" rule today. You're just gonna have to deal with it, I guess.

That's because, on rare occasions, we do these really cool, super amazing, lots-of-love-and-work-involved projects to help get books (and their authors) connected with middle-grade readers. And it just so happens that today is one of those days.

Today our Mixed-up Middle-Grade Skype tour begins!

Each season a group of middle-grade authors donate a full-fledged Skype visit to a school, group, or club. And this time around we have the following authors:

Sarah Aronson (BEYOND LUCKY)
Tami Lewis Brown (THE MAP OF ME)
Kathy Erskine* (MOCKINGBIRD)
Bruce Hale (CHET GECKO MYSTERIES)
Uma Krishnaswami (THE GRAND PLAN TO FIX EVERYTHING)
Erin Moulton (FLUTTER)
Jennifer Nielsen (ELLIOT AND THE PIXIE PLOT)
Tricia Springstubb (WHAT HAPPENED ON FOX STREET)

*Yes, you'll notice this National Book Award winner has graciously donated a Skype visit. I want to be just like Kathy when I grow up.

So if you know of anyone who might be interested in winning a visit with one of these middle-grade authors, please send them to this blog post about our giveaway.

And please spread the word via Twitter, FB, G+, or your own blog. You can even link to this cool YouTube video all about our project:

Thanks for sharing if you do. I really appreciate it!

Tomatoes and Manuscripts

2011-09-01T16:51:00.000-07:00

If you follow me on Twitter you might have realized that today was canning day around my house. This mostly came about because the three ginormous mounds of tomatoes on my kitchen counter were causing just a small space issue in the kitchen, but I'll admit it also had a lot to do with the fact that I have a small amount of freezer space but a large amount of canned food storage space.

Now, before you think I'm some domestic goddess, I should warn you that the last time I canned anything was when I was eight, and then I was just helping my mother. And my mother's lawyer suggests that I add a disclaimer here about how I didn't do any of the really dangerous work like pouring the boiling water or pulling heated cans out of the pot.

Anyway...

It occurred to me today that canning tomatoes for the first time (or the first time in almost two decades) is EXACTLY like writing a manuscript. Well, okay, not EXACTLY like it, but there are a few things you can take away from the job of canning tomatoes and use when you are working on a manuscript:

1. Things turn out better if you do your homework.

It's true: I had to look up information on how to can tomatoes. I went straight to a university agriculture extension and read all about the art (and science) of canning tomatoes.

It turns out that doing your homework is also a good idea when you are writing a novel. For example, I am currently researching teen adoption for a possible side story in a WIP, but the more I research the more I realize my original story idea would not have worked at all. I would not have know that had I not taken the time to do a little research.

So do your homework. It can be before you start a manuscript or while you're writing one, but it needs to happen sometime during the process.

2. Percolating is good for the project.

Because of the elevation where I live, I had to leave the jars of tomatoes in the boiling water bath for 50 minutes. Letting them percolate in the boiling water killed all the bad stuff and preserved the good stuff.

Letting your stories percolate is a good thing, too. Percolating before you write helps flesh out your ideas. Percolating after the manuscript is written helps you find and kill the awful parts but polish the better work. It's good for the mind, too. Well, at least it gives it something to think about when you have to wash all those dishes.

3. Sometimes things don't work out.

Most of my bottlesof tomatoes dutifully sealed, but I had one stubborn jar that just kept popping when I pushed on the lid. (For you non-canners out there, when a bottle is successfully canned, the lid is firm and doesn't move. If the seal doesn't take, though, the lid will move up and down and make a popping sound.) But it's not a total loss, thank goodness. I can empty the jar and try again with a fresh one (or rewash the old one and try again). It will just take a little more work.

Sometimes manuscript ideas don't work out, either. You think they are going to be amazing books once you finish them, but the ideas refuse to jell into solid stories. But don't fret. Sometimes they just need a fresh jar...er, some additional plot points or characters, a new setting or a combination of all three. Or maybe they just need a good wash, I mean, a do-over. Starting with a blank screen and trying again may just work.

4. It's hard work, but it's so worth it.

Need I say more?

(Photo: Tomatoes by ajstarks on Flickr)

Getting Back To What Matters (To Me, Anyway)

2011-08-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

*pops head out of hole*

Are you still here?

What?

You've been waiting all this time to read another entry from me?

Well, we aren't going to discuss what that may mean about your sanity (because, honestly, I can't imagine why anyone would hang on my every word), but if you insist on reading new entries on my blog, I am pleased to announce that your wait is now over.

*pulls body out of hole, dusts clothes off*

In case you haven't noticed, I've been on a self-imposed hiatus. And I'd like to share what I've learned during the past 6-7 months. But first, that requires a little explanation.

I've been gone for quite awhile. Mainly, it was because of the Cold of the Century, which was actually the Flu of the Century that turned into Complications from the Flu of the Century. I've been pretty sick, folks. Not that you knew that. (Nor did I really want to tell you. I'm a firm believer in keeping the negativity tucked neatly out of site. I'm also a firm believer in keeping the piles of paperwork at my house tucked neatly out of site, but oddly enough I'm not so good at that one. Huh.)

Anyway…

I've been sick enough that I haven't been able to write. Physically I didn't have the strength or stamina to keep up with the act of typing more than an email or two. Mentally I couldn't wrap my brain around a new story, or an old one for that matter. Emotionally I was a wreck while health care people tried to figure out what was wrong. And while I was dealing with that, my husband and I got the unexpected news that one of our children was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome.

*headdesk*

When it rains, it pours, and all that jazz, I suppose.

I realized that I wasn't in any position to pursue publication, so I decided to place the writing aside. I quietly parted ways with my agent, removed myself from as many online conversations as I could, and prepared to walk away for good.

I tried. I really did. Honest.

But oddly enough, the more I didn't write (or talk about writing) the worse I felt physically. It wasn't until I realized that writing, for me, IS what makes me feel better that I started to see an improvement in my physical health. So I started writing again. At first it was just emails to friends telling them I was getting ready to write again. Then it was journal entries to myself (with a good old-fashioned pen and paper--ahhh, heaven on earth). I also tiptoed back into the online conversation. I picked up the reins I’d dropped as fearless leader at From the Mixed-Up Files...of Middle-Grade Authors, and I started a twitter conversation with MG people which eventually blossomed into the weekly #MGlitchat.

And this week I started writing a new book. One that I love so much that I cry when I think about the story. (And I am so not a crier.)

But through all this, I found a balance between who I think I need to be (perfect mother, amazing wife, remarkable Asperger's Syndrome guru, inspiring champion of MG books everywhere, and all-around hero to anyone looking for one) and who I really am (terrible housewife, internet addict, mediocre writer, procrastinator and all-around normal human being). And I really get what matters to me now.

And maybe you won't be so surprised to hear that what matters most isn't a book contract or accolades from the industry or even an agent clamoring for my work, or anything that I thought aspiring authors needed. Instead, it's the love the my husband and children give me, the camaraderie I have with my writing peers and other industry people, and the amazing opportunity I have to make a difference in the life of a child (or a teen or adult, for that matter).

So why am I telling you this, you ask? Well...

I just wanted you to know I'm back at work. And that sometimes the sweetest experiences may come from the most difficult of trials. And that, no matter what happens in your life, there is always a reason for it. You may not see it at first, but eventually you'll figure it out. And when you do...that will be a good day.

And that I can't seem to find where I placed that last pile of notes about my WIP. You haven't seen them, have you? In times like these a good filing system would really come in handy.

Not that I'd use it or anything.

Skype-ing It for Middle-Grade!

2011-04-06T14:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I am supposed to be recuperating from the Cold of the Century, but I had to get the word out about the awesome giveaway we are starting on that other blog of mine, From the Mixed-Up Files.

Since Skype is the wave of the future (I'm sure someone recently told me that, anyway), plenty of authors are using it to do virtual school visits these days. And to help bring this new technology to schools, bookclubs, scout groups, and anyone else who might have a gaggle of 8-12yos ready to talk books with an author, we are sponsoring the Mixed-Up Middle-Grade Skype Tour!

Nineteen authors have joined us for this awesome experience! You can read the details here, but basically, for the next year, we will be giving away nineteen full-fledged Skype visits (along with a copy of the author's book, and as much swag as we can load into our virtual bus) to nineteen different winning groups.

We've grouped the authors into tour seasons, and our Spring/Summer tour starts today! And who are the authors on our spring/summer tour, you ask?

Sydney Salter (Jungle Crossing)

Bobbie Pyron (A Dog's Way Home)

Tom Angleberger (The Strange Case of Origami Yoda)

Kate Messner (Sugar and Ice)

Beverly Patt (Best Friends, Forever)

So spread the word about this awesome giveaway! Pretty please? I hope you can Catch the Bus!

March Madness WINNER!

2011-04-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's a day late. Better late than never, though, right? I'm not a huge fan of April Fool's Day, anyway, so I'm glad I have some good news to post today.

And the winner is....

karenbschwartz

Congrats, Karen! (Which is kinda funny, since I won a book at her site last year. Now it's my turn to return the favor.) I'll send you an email, Karen, and you can let me know which book you want me to send.

FYI, I didn't participate in March Madness like I thought I would--illness sidelined me early in the month--so I hope those of you who did participate had a good time. And since I'm still recuperating from the Cold of the Century, I'll be temporarily shutting down here so I can spend my spring drinking orange juice and eating chicken noodle soup. I'll be back online this summer, most likely (maybe earlier).

So have a good spring, everyone!

March Madness 2011--WIN FREE PRIZES!

2011-02-28T09:39:00.000-08:00

No, I don't mean this March Madness:

I mean this March Madness:

Well, except we aren't really going to make such a mess. Unless you want to, but then you will be responsible for cleaning it up. I'm not going to do it for you.

My writing friend Denise Jaden (we met through Verla Kay's blueboards, though we are also MSFV Success Stories as well) hosts her own writing version of March Madness each year. And this year is no exception.

In her own words:

"If you’ve been looking for a challenge to get your writing in gear, you’ve come to the right place! Through the month of March we will be cheering each other on to meet challenging goals with our writing."

This year she is opening it up to readers, bloggers, and illustrators as well. So, if you have writing, reading, or illustrating goals you'd like to achieve this month, head on over to her blog and sign up.

Did I mention there are PRIZES?

To keep you motivated, Denise and her March Madness cohorts will be giving prizes away throughout the month. You get an entry each time to check in, so the more you participate the better your chances of winning.

And, as added encouragement, I'm going to add my own prize(s). Each of my followers who sign up on Denise's blog and leave a comment here letting me know they've joined the madness will be entered in my own March Madness contest. The winner will get to choose one of the following books:

OTHER by Karen Kincy (ARC)
CREEPERS by Joanne Dahme (Hardcover)
SWOON AT YOUR OWN RISK by Sydney Salter (Paperback)

If I get five of my followers to join March Madness, I'll pick TWO winners. And if I get ten followers to join, I'll pick THREE WINNERS. And if I get fifteen followers to join, I'll rummage around and find some other books to give away! (I've got them around here somewhere...) That means you have a one-in-five chance of winning. And those are pretty good odds, I dare say. I'll draw the winner(s) on March 31st.

What if you aren't one of my followers, you say? Can you still enter? Well, that's easy enough. Just follow my blog on Blogger (or add me as a friend on LJ), and you're in. Easy peasy. So you are welcome to invite your friends, neighbors, co-workers, family members, random strangers off the street, etc., to join the March Madness here and on the "official" site (aka, at Denise's blog).

Now get thee hence and sign yourself up for March Madness. Then come back here for more chances to win!

In the Middle of It All

2011-02-19T12:15:00.000-08:00

I was going to let today quietly glide past. I certainly didn't want to bring attention to it, because I hate reminders about how I'm not getting any younger.

Yes, today is my birthday.

But it's not just any birthday. It's the birthday that puts me smack dab in the middle of my 30s. My 20-something friends and family love that I'm getting so old, but my 40-something friends and family still think of me as just a baby. I've found a few hairs on my head that aren't as brown as they should be, but I've still got a long ways to go before I need a box of Nice 'n Easy. I certainly don't feel as young as I used to, but I don't feel old, either.

You see, I'm right there. In. The. Middle.

And that is the reason I'm speaking up today. Because I realized that by not celebrating where I am--Right Now--I'm missing out.

This goes for my writing, too.

I'm in The Middle of my journey to publication. And too often I find myself ~~complaining about~~ not celebrating where I am. I'm too focused on the end product (in this case, a published book in my hands) and not enough on the journey.

And it's the journey that matters.

Sure, I know this, but sometimes I forget. Luckily for me, I woke up this morning to my kids fighting over how old I really am (my 7yo stared intently at my face and declared that I didn't look any older, bless his heart). And I realized that I'd rather be here, in The Middle, than anywhere else.

And that goes for my journey to publication, too. Right here, in The Middle, is a pretty good place to be.

The Revision Process

2011-02-08T08:53:00.000-08:00

It shouldn't come as a big surprise that I am currently revising a manuscript. (Sheesh, when am I not revising a manuscript?) (Like, never.)

But I've noticed that often people, probably in order to procrastinate on their own revision, start asking around to find out the best way to revise.

Well, today I am here to tell you the best way to revise. I know you've all be waiting for a definitive answer on this, and I'm brave enough to tell you.

The answer is:

It depends.

It depends on the person revising. It depends on whether or not you outline first, or later, or not at all. It depends on whether you like to choose one particular aspect (such as beefing up your dialogue) and ignore the rest, or if you polish the entire scene before moving to the next. It depends on whether or not you're having a good day or a bad day.

It depends on the manuscript itself. It depends on the genre you've written. It depends on how well the plot came together in the first draft. It depends on whether or not the characters decide to behave and help, or misbehave and take you on a wild goose chase through the story.

The best way to find the best way to revise is to simply revise. (Yeah, go ahead and read that again. I know I had to.) Try different techniques and see if they work for you. If they don't, IT'S OKAY. Even if they work for Mr. or Ms. NYT Bestseller, that DOES NOT MEAN THEY HAVE TO WORK FOR YOU. I've come across plenty of great revision ideas that seem great on paper (someone else's paper, that is), but when I try them on my own, they Do. Not. Work. And that's okay.

Case in point: One day about two years ago I was surfing the internet, hoping to find a great way to revise the book I had almost finished. (For those of you reading between the lines, yes, I was procrastinating. That ending was not working out so well. In fact, that draft still sits there, almost finished.) And I came across this great revision idea from a well-known author in the adult romance field. She had posted her one-pass revision process, which sounded heavenly. I need at least a half-dozen passes before my manuscripts resemble most authors' first drafts, so you can imagine my excitement.

Well, guess what? Yep, once I tried to implement her plan, I was so overwhelmed with the amount of work that I gave up after revising the first page. I'm still trying to recover from that experience. (For those of you still reading between the lines, yes, that is probably part of the reason why that manuscript still sits, unfinished, in a file somewhere on my computer.) On the next manuscript, I had much better success during the revision process by focusing on one aspect first (though that manuscript lies unfinished as well...long story).

So find your own process. Go ahead and ask others (heck, I think I've already shared somewhere on this blog my process), but just remember the best revision process is the one that works for you.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my revision (aka stop procrastinating)...

Why I Don't Always Keep My Trap Shut

2011-01-24T12:28:00.000-08:00

Many of you may have already read agent Jennifer Laughran’s awesome post about When to Keep Your Trap Shut. And, if you already have, you probably had the same panic attack that most of my writing friends have had. (Okay, and me. I’ll admit that I panicked, too.) We've all been bad kitties and have shared TMI online.

But as the week progressed I noticed the mood online (at least in my online circles) had changed, and I wasn’t excited about what I saw. Too afraid they were saying something they shouldn't, people stopped talking about anything important at all. Friends erased blog posts and bios that I had found uplifting, and even private emails I received from writing friends were full of fear and nervousness. It felt like the support structure I have relied upon the last three years had been wiped out by one innocent (and well-argued) entry on an agent’s blog.

This has distressed me. I’m not usually one to argue with those who know better than me, especially those I admire and trust (and I admire and trust Jennifer Laughran immensely), but I’ve thought a lot about this and I’ve decided I needed to say something.

We live in a well-connected world. With a few keystrokes, people can learn more about a topic (or a person) than ever before. So, yes, I agree that we need to be careful about what we share online. My agent advised me on what I should and shouldn’t say online way back when I signed with him. And so I’ve been careful about sharing anything. I never share names and dates and personal correspondence. And I always think twice before I post anything online.

However, and I’m probably killing my career by saying this , I haven't shut my trap completely.

And this is why:

When I first started querying agents, I didn’t know what to expect, and I had no writing friends who could tell me. So I turned to the internet for information.

What I didn’t expect, however, was the support I would need, too. This business is stressful. And no one understands that more than another writer. I was grateful when I found others who were sharing their progress (or lack of it) with the world. I lurked on their blogs or the message boards where they posted, and it gave me the extra strength I needed to push through the difficulties and keep going. Soon I started sharing myself. It wasn’t a lot (I’ve always been a little nervous about sharing too much online anyway), but it helped to join in the conversation with other writers.

And when I signed with my agent, it was a whole lot of fun to share the exciting news with others who really understood what an accomplishment that was.

But now I’m in that place where it’s shadows and whispers. Where I can’t say anything because it might make my agent mad at me, or might turn off an editor, or it might kill a deal.

Yes. I’m on agented submission.

And being on submission means you are supposed to put on a happy face for the world and keep your trap shut.

And I have tried. I promise.

Unfortunately I haven’t always succeeded. I’ll admit that I have sent out more than one poorly disguised plea for others to share their struggles. Because it’s hard when you know you’re struggling, but even harder when you’re feel like you're struggling alone. I’m sure somewhere I have shared what I think are basic, generic thoughts and feelings that some editors or agents would think is too much information.

But I am grateful to those who brave the backlash and publicly share their struggles. For example, about a month ago, I came across this post by someday author Natalie Whipple. I can’t tell you how much her post meant to me. Because I’ve been through some (most) of the things she described. And it helped to know I wasn’t alone.

So today I open my trap to plead for a little more understanding from industry professionals. Yeah, you might find out through Google that my manuscript has been on submission for a million years and you are the 400th editor/agent to read it, but cut me a little slack. A million years is a long time to wait…and after the first hundred-thousand years or so, you start to wonder if it’s just you or the industry in general. And when you find a group of writers going through the exact same thing you are, it helps.

More than you might realize.

How often do you update your sidebar links?

2011-01-21T09:03:00.001-08:00

I confess. I haven't updated my links since I put this blog together. And there are a few blogs I adore that you won't find on my sidebar. Why is that, besides the fact that I'm lazy when it comes to updating my blogs?

I wondered if I was alone in this. So I checked my friends' blogs. Not a lot of new blogs showing up there, either. Or a lot of links, period.

(And, I'll admit, my blogs don't show up on most blogrolls. Or any, come to think of it. That is so not good for my plans to take over the world. But I digress...)

I think we're doing each other a disservice. Sure, the only reason I really care right now is because I am basically trying to do anything I can to procrastinate the work on revising my WIP (Curse you, dual first person POV!), but still...shouldn't we fill those blogrolls full of places we love to visit?

So let's all get to work and update those links! Then I'll have more places to go than I could possible visit in this lifetime. And that will help me immensely with this procrastination thing.

Thank you.

Multiple Personalities (aka Dual First Person POV)

2011-01-18T14:22:00.001-08:00

Does your book (or manuscript) have multiple personalities?

Mine sure does.

I'm dealing with a fun, popular, talkative but somewhat shallow 12yo boy, and his sullen, ignored, uncommunicative but deep thinking 14yo brother.

Getting these two very different points of view to mesh has been...well, difficult.

Okay. Truth be told, I'm not sure it's any good. I've had to step out of the revision cave for a few days to give my poor, overworked brain a rest.

The biggest problem is that both boys' moods are so different, so the mood of each POV feels different. Almost like each POV is a different book altogether. The 12yo's POV is light and fun and silly (and, I'll admit, it feels just as shallow as he is). And the 14yo's POV is more serious and substantial (but a whole lot less fun). And the story, though it is really is about a mystery the brothers solve together, it also deals with how these two brothers learn from each other and grow. So, by the end of the book, the 12yo is less shallow than he was (and a little more serious about life), and the 14 has learned to lighten up a little.

So I'm trying to start out from two very different places with two very different moods, and slowly move them closer together by the end of the book.

And did I mention that I'm trying to keep this MG, which is hard since one main character is definitely MG, and the other is more YA?

My head hurts just thinking about it.

Though it could be that I'm making this way more complicated that it needs to be. I tend to do that. A lot.

Do you have a multiple POV story you'd like to share with me? Please do. I could use all the advice/support I can get.

*dives back into the revision cave*

Reinventing Myself

2011-01-06T19:08:00.001-08:00

Okay, so not really. But I am thinking about reinventing this poor, neglected blog.

In my defense, I've been really really really really busy with searching for a new house, and then moving into the said new house, but that's no excuse to let this poor, neglected blog become...well, neglected.

And since it's a new year, and I'm in the mood to make resolutions I will most likely not keep past April, I've been thinking about what I can do to make this poor, neglected blog a well-loved, happy place once more.

Yeah. I'm totally drawing a blank.

So please chime in and tell me all the stuff you like (or don't like) about this blog. I expect to hear from all six of you, so don't let me down. And most likely, in the weeks to come, I will do something about this poor, neglected blog based on the feedback I hope to receive from all you readers.

I do miss spewing my odd and slightly insane thoughts about the writing life. I'm hoping there are a few of you out there who miss it, too. And if not, well...I'll probably keep doing it anyway.

So there.

Let's hope that 2011 brings plenty of new and exciting posts to this poor, neglected blog! Here's to Reinventing Myself!

I Have a New Sister!

2010-12-20T09:52:00.000-08:00

Agent-sister, that is!

In an odd twist of fate, the one who brought my agent and me together has now been welcomed into the family.

Yes. Authoress from the Miss Snark's First Victim blog is now represented by my agent, Josh Getzler! You may remember that I won her Secret Agent contest and my prize was to send my full manuscript to Josh, who then offered representation shortly thereafter. And now he's done the same for her.

Authoress has given so much to the writing community, so I am very happy to see her own career moving forward. Way to go, Authoress! And welcome to the family.

(If you'd like to congratulate Authoress yourself, go here for the official announcement.)

Mermaidpalooza!

2010-11-30T19:32:00.000-08:00

I've been waiting months for this, and it's finally here!

My dear friend Hélène Boudreau has a lovely new book coming out tomorrow (YAY!), titled Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings. Isn't that the best title ever?!

Anyway, in honor of the launch, she is giving away almost a dozen copies of the book in an awesome contest. And she has kindly asked me to judge her contest along with her agent (Lauren MacLeod), Authoress of Miss Snark's First Victim fame, Jodi Meadows, and Kathleen Peacock. This should be fun!

You can visit Hélène's blog for the complete post, but I've also added the contest info below:

TWITTER:

Tweet using the hashtag #realmermaids for a chance to win one of the FIVE twitter copies. For example:

#realmermaids don’t wear toe rings (but that one’s taken ) or I brake for #realmermaids

Funniest tweets win! Winners are totally up to the discretion of the judges @bostonbookgirl, @authoressanon, @jodimeadows, @kathleenpeacock and @elissacruz.

Please keep it PG, though, people! Think of the children!!

FACEBOOK:

Just go ahead and LIKE Hélène's page on Facebook and post in the contest thread for a chance to win one of FIVE Facebook copies. Unlike Twitter, this contest is not limited to 140 characters. You can play with the #realmermaids twitter concept or tell her a joke, or write her a poem, the sky is the limit. Just make her LAUGH! Again, the five funniest WIN!

BLOG:

Post a comment with your funny here for a chance to win one blog copy. That's it. No joke! (But you still have to make Hélène laugh.)

Easy peasy lemon squeezy! Now go! Quick! Before someone else takes your best line!

On Waiting

2010-11-18T07:56:00.000-08:00

It's official. I am now the World's Foremost Authority on Waiting. (According to me, anyway.)

It's true.

I've been waiting for news for as long as I can remember. In fact, I can't recall my BW life (Before Waiting), since it was so long ago and the waiting has somewhat dulled my brain. (At least, that's my theory, anyway.)

But something has happened recently that's made me rethink (start to think?) about waiting.

And that thing is a new kind of waiting.

Recently my husband and I started looking into buying a home. We've been renting since the dawn of time, with two forays into the purchasing a home scenario (all which ended badly, so we tend to pretend they never happened), but recently we've decided to give home ownership a try (third time's the charm, right?). We filled out a loan application and received our lovely pre-approval letter on the same day we started looking at houses.

And, to make a long story, short, we are currently under contract.

Now, as the World's Foremost Authority on Waiting, you'd think that I'd be ready for the waiting that comes when you are purchasing a home, right?

Wrong.

Because this kind of wait, the intense "something's about to happen that will change my life forever" wait, is so different than the long, drawn out, vague "maybe someday something might happen that could change my life forever" type of wait I've been experiencing the last, oh, million years or so. This new kind of waiting is more stressful, I think, than the long, drawn out kind of waiting I've been dealing with, because it compresses so much more emotion into a short time frame. You're more nervous and excited and concerned and overjoyed and stressed out, and suddenly everything seems more...real, I suppose.

As I was pondering this idea of a new kind of waiting, I suddenly realized that these two different types of waiting can be found in this writing business, too. (See, I knew you were trying to figure out how I was going to tie all that personal info into something about writing. Just stick with me long enough and it's bound to happen, I say.) I am really only the World's Foremost Authority on Long, Abstract Waiting. I have yet to really experience the Short, Concrete Waiting that comes when a contract is eminent or an editor has mentioned acquisitions or the next step or given me any indication that my book is being considered in any way. (Yeah, they've spared me that pain and told me all about it AFTER it's been through most of those steps but hasn't made it all the way. Those are fun rejections, let me tell you.)

In this biz, you need to be prepared for both kinds of waiting. The LAW is what you will experience 99% of the time, but that last 1% is the SCW that will sneak up on you when you least expect it. And it's stressful.

Really stressful.

I don't have any really practical suggestions for dealing with it either. But I think knowing about it is the first step. Maybe. I guess.

Though I suppose it could be completely meaningless information. That's possible, I suppose. After all, my brain is a bit muddled after all the waiting it's endured.

Now, what were we talking about, again?

ElNoWriWe 2010: Day 5 (aka THE END!)

2010-11-10T19:59:00.000-08:00

IT IS FINISHED!

I didn't type much--about 630 words got me to the end--but I can proudly say that ElNoWriWe was a complete success. In just 5 days I wrote an entire first draft of my middle-grade manuscript (well, all but the first 6,000 words, which I had finished before I started ElNoWriWe). Official word count for the 5 days was:

20,735

I still have a lot of work ahead of me, but at least I now have something to work with.

But I think I'll take the rest of the week off as a reward for completing ElNoWriWe. Plus I need to play catch-up on some things I let slide a little during the week.

Okay. I also want to do a little of this:

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and pry the remote out of my husband's hands...

ElNoWriWe 2010: Day 4

2010-11-09T22:40:00.000-08:00

Yes, I was suppose to start back up yesterday, but a bunch of things came up that took the entire day away from me (things that couldn't wait, like a broken window that had to be replaced, a snowy commute that took a lot longer to navigate, among other things). And today wasn't much better, but I vowed to keep going until I had written my 5,000 words.

And with 30 minutes to spare...

Today's word count:

And the total is:

But the best part is that I just finished the climax tonight! WOOHOO! Tomorrow I will wrap up this story and be done with the entire draft (and probably long before I reach 5K).

Whew. What a ride.

ElNoWriWe 2010: Day 3

2010-11-04T20:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's only Day 3 of ElNoWriWe, even though it's Day 4 of NaNoWriMo. I had to take yesterday off to finish a bunch of non-writing projects that had to be done that day.

Anyhoo...

I noticed it was much harder to get back into the swing of things today. It took longer to find my momentum, and it was harder to sustain it over the entire day (because, after all, it does take a few hours to write 5,000 words).

In case anyone is curious, my days have been going something like this:

Morning: write for 3 hours (as I also attempt to help my homeschooled son with his schoolwork)

Take a break for lunch/school carpool duties/etc..

Afternoon: write for 1-2 hours (as I also attempt to put the toddler down for a nap)

Take a break for school carpool duties/stretch my legs/etc.

Late Afternoon: write for 1 hour (as I also attempt to get my kids started on their homework)

Since my addition math skills are getting a lot of use these days as I correct my kids' math homework, I am fairly certain that adds up to 5 to 6 solid hours of writing each day. That means I can crank out about 1000 words an hour. That's *gets out calculator for this arithmetic problem* almost 17 words a minute. That's...well, honestly, I don't know what that means. I may be able to do math, but that doesn't mean I have figured out what all those numbers are good for. I know I can certainly type much faster than that, though, so I guess that means my brain can create almost 17 words a minute.

I still have no idea what good that does me, though...

Anyway...

Today's word count:

This week's word count:

I'm halfway there! WOOT!

ElNoWriWe 2010: Day 2

2010-11-02T16:33:00.001-07:00

These two images should say it all:

Today:

This week:

( I would like to point out that that little bean man who is supposed to be me is drinking root beer. I don't actually drink alcoholic beverages myself, which may or may not come as a surprise to many of you. I would also like to point out that my head is not that big, nor that bald.)

Onward to the end of this first draft!

NaNoWriMo 2010: Day 1 (aka ElNoWriWe 2010: Day 1)

2010-11-01T20:03:00.000-07:00

I am officially unofficially participating in NaNoWriMo this year. Yes, go ahead and reread that. It takes a few read-throughs to wrap that idea around the brain, I know. (BTW, NaNoWriMo=National Novel Writing Month, for the two or three people on the planet who haven't heard of it yet.)

Got it? Good.

The reason for this is because, for the last month or two, I've been attempting to write a new WIP (WIP=Work-in-Progress, for you non-writerly folk out there who keep asking if I write in English anymore). I've been stuck at about 5,000 words of a 30,000-word middle-grade novel. And so I needed to kick-start this WIP.

But, you see, NaNoWriMo is all about writing a BRAND NEW 50,000-word novel in one month. And since I didn't want to start a new book--I wanted to kick-start an old(ish) book--I decided to unofficially participate.

However, I'm not really concerned about writing 50,000 words. I'm concerned about getting this stinkin' first draft finished.

Enter ElNoWriWe.

ElNoWriWe is my attempt at finishing this stinkin' first draft. ElNoWriWe=Elissa's Novel Writing Week, where I will attempt to finish an entire middle-grade novel in 5-6 days.

Yes, go ahead and reread that, too. I assure you you probably read it right the first time, but maybe your brain didn't think so.

You caught up with me now? Good.

The goal: write 5K words a day (that's 5,000 for those who...well, quite honestly everyone should know what K stands for) for 5-6 days until the first draft is finished. I'm figuring this draft will be about 30,000 words, give or take.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find 5-6 consecutive days with enough writing time left over after everything else I need to accomplish, so I'm shooting for 5K today, tomorrow, and Thursday this week, then Monday-Wednesday next week (if all goes well).

Now, I know you think there's no way I can do this. Go ahead and laugh at my idiocy. It's okay. It wouldn't be the first time someone's laughed in my face.

And while you laugh, I will calmly point out that I wrote the first draft of my first novel--the novel that I got an agent with and the one that is currently on submission--in three days. Yes. You can reread that, too.

Now that you're not laughing, I'll also calmly point you to my word count for today:

Make your own progress meter at http://www.writertopia.com/toolbox/meters

Rock on, dude.

Kidlit Con 2010

2010-10-26T14:50:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Kidlit Con, and though my bags are still unpacked (long story), I'm ready to share everything I learned there (an equally long story). This is important stuff, so pay attention here, people!

(Note: I didn't get any photos, so sorry about that. I doubt anyone took photos of me, either, but I'm still looking...)

1. When conference planners tell you the walk between the bus/train station and the hotel is "close," don't believe them.

On Friday, I flew into the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport and hopped the lightrail train into downtown Minneapolis. I enjoyed watching my surroundings as they flew by me. First I saw Fort Snelling, and was tempted for an instant to get off the train and take a tour (I love touring old buildings!) but thought that might not go over well with the people waiting for me to arrive at the hotel. Then I saw some place names that made me smile, like Minnehaha and Hiawatha. I saw a community garden whiz by, and plenty of non-descript buildings. People came and went off the lightrail, then the Minneapolis Metrodome came into view and it was my turn to step off the train.

Then came the hike to the hotel. Two blocks north and at least a million blocks east, I walked and walked and walked and walked, lugging my...er, well..luggage. To be fair, it really wasn't a long walk, but it would have been much much easier without the suitcase rolling behind me. But I made it to the hotel, checked in, and met Kurtis Scaletta and Steve Brezenoff in the lobby. They were my official Minneapolis Welcoming Committee. Together we wandered back the way I had come until we made it to Open Book, the scene of the conference.

2. You can learn a lot from celebrities, just not what they expect you to learn.

That night we had about an hour of schmooze time, followed by an appearance of the Merry Sisters of Fate, which consists of Tessa Gratton, Maggie Stiefvater, and Brenna Yovanoff. They discussed critique groups and their weekly short story projects. Though the information they shared wasn’t applicable to my current situation (because I have a great critique group and am not interested in writing short stories anytime soon), I did learn a lot about public speaking from watching them. I was hoping some of what I learned would rub off on me the next day.

3. There is such a thing as jetlag.

Let’s just say that getting up at 7am Minneapolis time was REALLY EARLY in Elissa time.

4. When things go well, it’s all a blur, but when things go bad...

Our presentation was the third session of the day, so I spent the morning patiently waiting until it was my turn. And by “patiently” I mean…well, patiently. I waited for my nerves to kick in, but they never did. And when it was time to get up in front of that group, it was all a blur. A good blur. I do remember a few stray thoughts like “I wonder if that camcorder is rolling,” and “I hope I’m not saying something incredibly stupid,” but for the most part it was a smooth presentation, and Kurtis (my co-presenter) and I were poised and well-prepared.

(And you thought things went horribly wrong. I can’t imagine where you got that idea. You really should pay better attention.)

5. People say the darndest things.

My favorites were along these lines:

“Great presentation! Really!”

“I learned SO much!”

“I want to be just like you when I grow up!”

“You’ve inspired me.”

“You nailed that one.”

I’m pleased to announce that not once did someone say “Please don’t come back.” They may have been thinking it, though. I’m not psychic, after all.

6. It's not what you know, it's who you know. Wait...I mean, it’s not who you know, it’s what you know. Okay, it's really who you know AND what you know. Though none of it matters, really. You know?

By far, my favorite thing about this conference was meeting some great kidlit people. It was great talking about writing and books with the people there. I met people I had always wanted to (hi, Alice Pope!), people I learned so much from because they let me listen in and participate in their conversations (hi, Dori Butler, Susan Taylor Brown, and Kellye Carter Crocker!) and online friends who are now friends IRL (hi, Blythe Woolston and Anne Marie!). And so so many others, who I wish I could name but then this post would be very very very long (hi, everyone else!).

7. Kidlit Con is worth every penny.

And then some.

Nominate a library today!

2010-10-19T12:10:00.000-07:00

I'm posting yet another Mixed-Up Files plug today, but I promise to have some real, live updates about my real, live writing life soon. Promise. No, really. I mean it this time.

But this plug is for a good cause, and one that applies to everyone out there, even those of you don't write children's literature. Heck, you don't even have to write for this to apply to you!

Today we launched The Great Library Giveaway on the From the Mixed-Up Files blog. We have complied a list of almost 50 middle-grade titles that we want to donate to a local or school library. We are asking readers to nominate their favorite library, and our random generator will choose a winning library on November 30th.

http://www.fromthemixedupfiles.com/2010/10/the-great-library-giveaway/

So check in and nominate your child's school library, or your favorite public library, or the underserved library across town that you heard needs donations. Just find a worth library and tell us!

(For those who need a little extra push, we are giving the person with the winning entry a $25 gift certificate to their local indie store as well.)

So go! Run! Nominate!

And when you're done, I might have some updates about my writing life posted here for you to read.

Hey, it could happen.

For the Homeschooling Writers Out There

2010-10-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

My friend lillpluta has revamped her blog, and will now be focusing on blogging for those who homeschool by day and write by night. Since I am one of those people, I am certain I will be reading her blog faithfully.

Oh, and those who only homeschool but don't write, I'm sure you'll find some cool stuff there, too.

And those who only write but don't homeschool...what they hey, check it out, too. You might learn something you didn't know before.

Now...go! http://lillpluta.livejournal.com/

It's Nothing, Really.

2010-10-12T16:14:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've updated here (yeah, so much for keeping on top of things), so I thought today would be a good day to get everyone caught up on the life that is mine.

...

And there you have it. Exciting stuff, isn't it? "But there's nothing there," you say.

Yep.

Sigh.

Truth be told, plenty is going on, just not in my writing life. And since this place is all about my writing life and not what I ate for dinner or how much time I spent driving kids to and from school this week, or stories about those two cute pairs of shoes I purchased not too long ago, I have nothing to report.

Noth. ing.

It kinda feels like I've landed in the Twilight Zone, where everything seems fine at first, but then bizarre things start to happen. Like that one where a boy had terrifying mental powers and could kill anyone just by looking at them, so all the adults in the world did everything they could to placate the boy in order to stay alive.

Or that other one where...and then, you know...

Okay, truth be told, that one with the boy is the only Twilight Zone I can remember right now. But the point is, just like that show, nothing in my writing life is "normal." It seems like I'm doing everything backwards. I am currently polishing a presentation I'll be giving at a writing conference, yet I still have no book under contract with any publisher. I am putting a whole lot of time and attention into a high-traffic blog about writing even though my own writing is being systematically ignored (no offence, editors who have it and are not reading it). I feel somewhat like a charlatan. All talk but no substance. You know?

But I suspect plenty of people out there feel that their road to publication isn't "normal" either. But no one talks about it, so we all feel like we're missing something.

Well, I decided it was time to welcome you all into my own little Twilight Zone, in the hopes that it will help all of us realize that normal is way over-rated. I might be doing things backwards, but at least I'm doing something. I've taken the proverbial bull by his proverbial horns, and I'm digging in for the long fight ahead.

I just pray the bull doesn't have any terrifying mental powers that I'm not aware of yet. I'm not sure if I could handle that twist after all I've been through. Or not been through, I suppose.

Sigh.

And the winner is...

2010-10-02T18:22:00.000-07:00

...Larissa!

Thanks, Larissa, for all the linky love! Please send me an email and I'll send you the four signed books.

As for the rest of you, thanks for celebrating my blogiversary with me. Hope you'll stick around another year!

Last Day to Earn the 4-Book Linky Love Prize!

2010-09-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all those who have already linked to this blog in honor of my 2nd blogiversary. For those who haven't but have been thinking about it, TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO DO SO!

Oh, sorry about all that yelling. I was a little too excited, wasn't I. Yep.

Go here to get the 4-1-1 on how to win the four signed books I am giving to the person with the most linky love. Yes, I'm bribing you to love me. I don't have problem with this, so hopefully you don't, either.

(Okay, actually I do have a problem with bribes. And with paying people to show me love. Yet here we are. Let's face it, I'm an oxy-moron in the flesh.)

Speaking of oxy-moron...Oscar, starring Sylvester Stallone, has some of the best grammar and linguistic jokes ever to grace the silver screen. I laugh every time I watch the show. And yes, I own the DVD, so I watch it quite frequently. In fact, I think I'll go turn it on now. That way I can get my mind off the fact that I'm waiting to pay someone to love me.

Kidlit Con and Me

2010-09-27T13:32:00.000-07:00

Even though it hasn't been officially posted, I thought I should mention to everyone out there that I will be presenting at Kidlit Con this year.

Shocking, I know.

(No, I really mean it. It's shocking that someone would actually WANT me to speak for an hour in front of an audience of people who probably know more than I do. But I digress...)

One of my mixed-up cohorts, Kurtis Scaletta, and I will be teaming up for this one, actually. We will be speaking on MG blogging (of course, since I'm going as the spokesperson for From the Mixed-Up Files).

So, if you've been on the fence, now's the time to sign up. Not only will you be able to prove to everyone else that I am a real human being, with a face and everything, you will also get to use your own face and laugh along as I entertain* the masses.

So go here for more info about Kidlit Con and how to register.

And while you're out trolling the internet, do me a favor and leave some links back to this blog. I'm bribing the one who links the most with four signed books. Come on...I know you want 'em...

See you at Kidlit Con!

*Not guaranteed. Actually, it's more likely that we'll all sit there in awkward silence as I try to figure out how to use the projector.

Keep On Keepin' On

2010-09-25T10:47:00.000-07:00

(Please please please share the linky love for my Blogiversary! I'm giving away 4 signed books one lucky reader! Go here for details.)

When I was in college, Barry Williams came to speak and do a book signing for his new tell-all book about his experiences playing Greg on The Brady Bunch. His appearance was lively and exciting, and he signed my book (and others) with the simple yet profound, "Keep on keepin' on."

And after his appearance, I was lucky enough to be one of the representatives chosen by the college to take him and his agent out to lunch. We went to The Dodo Restaurant in Salt Lake City, and had a nice chat over [I forget what we ate, so insert your favorite dish here].

Barry probably doesn't remember this afternoon. I doubt he even wanted to be there, hanging out with three college girls and their male college advisor. In fact, he hardly said much the whole time, and we spent most of the lunch chatting with his agent instead. I remember pitying poor Barry Williams, who looked as if he wasn't happy with his life. From the conversation with him we learned he had divorced and now spent most of his days alone, on the road for his book tour. All he had left was memories of his glory days on the set of the Brady Bunch. And instead of keepin' on, he was wallowing in how things had taken a turn for the worse.

I wished he would have taken his own advice that day. (Maybe has has now. I don't know.)

Today I realized that I've probably been a little like Barry Williams was when I met him. It's no big surprise to my readers out there (hi, all 6 of you!) that my book has not sold yet. It's still on submission, and I keep hoping editors will actually pick it up and read it one of these days. I'll admit it's been frustrating to watch other books sell as mine languishes in the submission piles. And I have been wallowing. I'll admit it.

But I'm not going to be like Barry Williams was at that lunch way back in the mid 90's. I'm actually going to take his advice. I will keep on keepin' on until I, too, have some good news to share. I'm not going to dwell on what has (or hasn't, in my case) happened. I'm going to look to the future instead of dwell on the past.

And for those of you out there who may be in a similar place, either in their writing or life in general...I just have one little piece of advice:

Keep on keepin' on.

I'm-No-Good-itis Strikes Again...but it could be worse

2010-09-21T19:53:00.000-07:00

(Don't forget to go here to enter my Linky Love contest in celebration of my blogiversary. I'm giving away 4 signed books to the lucky winner!)

I recently sat through an entire day of training offered by the Boy Scouts of America. It was training to teach me how to train others to do their jobs more effectively (titled, appropriately, the Trainer's EDGE). There was much taught there that also applied to public speaking. Though I've never been nervous in front of people (trust me, I routinely make a fool out of myself in front of large groups of Scouters and their families, plus I spent my entire childhood/teen years singing in front of full auditoriums), it was enlightening to listen to some of the dos and don'ts they suggested when addressing large or small crowds.

(My favorite part of this training, however, was making and flying paper airplanes. Man, BSA is my kind of organization. Those people know how to have fun.)

Anyway, one thing listed in the training session was: don't apologize for the things you don't do right or well.

I got to thinking about this phrase, and how appropriate it is for writers, too. There have been many times when I've handed a manuscript to my crit buddies and apologized for all the missing parts and rough edges (and I've even been guilty of doing this when handing something to my agent, too). I am embarrassed that it's not perfect, so I make excuses. I have that debilitating disease called "I'm-No-Good-itis."

I am trying to overcome my I'm-No-Good-itis, but it's hard work. It's easy to second-guess yourself, especially in a business where subjectivity rules. One email may say your book is outdated and will never sell, while another uses the word "love" and "offer" in the same paragraph. But we shouldn't ever feel like we need to apologize.

Let me say that again.

We shouldn't ever feel like we need to apologize.

On the other hand, however, I do know a few authors who have the opposite problem: Big Head Syndrome. I hope I'm never one of those people who think my opinion should be revered and that the masses should bow down to me whenever I grace their presence. Humility and I'm-No-Good-itis aren't the same thing, and a little humility never hurt anyone. I'm just sayin'...

Linky Love Contest: Second Blogiversary Edition (With Double the Prizes)!

2010-09-20T09:41:00.000-07:00

This weekend my little blog turned 2. (Well, I started blogging on LJ two years ago, anyway. This Blogspot edition came a little later.)

I am hoping this means it will be potty trained soon and can move quickly through that awkward teenage phase and on to the grown-up blog it was meant to be.

And to help it along, I've decided it's time to shamelessly promote it.

Sooooooo.....

I'm hosting a Linky Love: Second Blogiversary Edition Contest!

I want to see how many links to my blog we can get out there in the world. I will be seriously disappointed if only three people enter. So do me a favor and help me out here.

All I ask is that you share a link to my blog somewhere, asking people to check it out. Then leave a comment telling me where you've shared your linky love--on FB, blog, twitter, message board, email*, in a letter to your grandmother, on the bathroom stall at the local college**, whatever (share a link to your linky love if you can). Each link counts as one entry. You can also earn extra entries if someone sees your link, checks out my blog and leaves a comment telling me you sent them (they must mention your name in the comment for you to earn the additional entry).

The person with the most linky love entries wins. So linking once most likely won't be a winning entry. (It had better not, at least. If it is, I will be so embarrassed.) In case of a tie, the winner will then be chosen by lottery.

Seems simple enough, right?

Since my blog is now TWO, and this is the SECOND Blogiversary edition of a Linky Love contest, I thought I'd stick with the "TWO" theme for the prize. But that didn't seem like it was big enough, so I'm doubling that.

The winner will receive the following FOUR (you know, because 2 X 2 = 4) SIGNED books:

Soul Enchilada (hardcover), David Macinnis Gill

The Healing Spell (hardcover), Kimberley Little

Jungle Crossing (ARC), Sydney Salter

Palace Beautiful (hardcover), Sarah DeFord Williams

(Yes, all four are signed by their respective authors! I'd take pictures, but my camera isn't working. You'll just have to take my word for it.)

Please don't make me feel like a loser. Hopefully the prize is worth a little linky love on your part. And, yes, pity links are as much appreciated as "Ohmygoodnessyouhavetocheckoutthisblogit'sawesomeandthebloggerishysterical" links. I'm not picky.

I do have to mention here that this contest is for US/CAN residents only. Sorry, international friends. I would love to include you but I think shipping these mostly hardcovers would be a little more than I could cover at this time. But you are still welcome to link away. In fact, I would really appreciate it. And I should also mention that this contest is being run simultaneously on my LJ journal and my Blogspot blog (same content, different platform). So if you want to see where your entries stand, you'll have to check both blogs.

To give people time to link and check out links, this contest will run through Thursday, September 30, 2010. All entries must be posted by 11:59pm Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). Winner will be announced once I can tally everything up.

Link away! And thanks for playing!

Oh, and happy blogiversary, little blog.

*Spamming your entire email list will NOT count. Well, it will, but you'll only get one entry. So I don't suggest you do it. It might make your friends and family mad at you. Let's share the love, not the spam, okay?
**On second thought, maybe not on the college bathroom stalls. I don't think anyone would appreciate the vandalism. But putting a flyer up on the college's public bulletin boards...now that could work.

Want to Join the MG Group Blog?

2010-09-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay. I know. My last few entries have only been about the From the Mixed-Up Files blog, and I promise to post something non-Mixed-Up-blog related soon, but this was news I have to mention here in case the six or so of you who read his blog might be interested.

At From the Mixed-Up Files, we've decided to open our membership doors and add four dedicated MG authors (agented and/or published only, please) to our ranks.

(See, I told you it was juicy news.)

(Okay, not really, but humor me, will ya?)

If you are interested in more information, please check out the announcement here. I would like to mention that we will only be accepting applications until Saturday, September 18, 2010, so be quick about checking in.

If You Know a Kid...

2010-09-07T07:11:00.001-07:00

...please tell them all about the new For Kids pages at From the Mixed-Up Files...of Middle-Grade Authors. My mixed-up cohorts have been hard at work compiling book-related resources for kids, including crafts, games and activities, homework help, and writing ideas. A shout out to Joanne Prushing Johnson, who spearheaded the For Kids pages and did most of the work. Way to go, Joanne!

And you have to check out the adorable original puzzles created by our very own Bonnie Adamson. She's creating unique puzzles and crafts exclusively for our site. Here are links to the first and second puzzles she's added to the site. Aren't they fun?!

Today the For Kids page mascot posted an entry on the blog, introducing himself and the For Kids pages. He's hoping one of our kid readers will give him a name, since right now he's simply known as M. G.

So, spread the word to all the kids you know. Come help pick a name for our mascot and poke around our new files.

Happy reading, kids!

Today...

2010-08-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

...I will not be reading Mockingjay with the rest of the world.

Go ahead. Stone me if you must.

But, truth be told, I haven't read Hunger Games or Catching Fire yet, either. Bring on the torch and pitchforks, I know. It's not that I'm not interested in reading them, it's that I've been focusing so much on MG fiction that the YA stuff has pretty much fallen to the wayside.

So, unless you show up on my door with a YA book in your hands, chances are I won't be reading it anytime soon.

But at least I know that Mockingjay is coming out today. I'm not completely out of it, you know.

Just mostly out of it.

On the Mixed-Up Files Blog...

2010-08-14T11:11:00.000-07:00

I meant to post this yesterday, but my oldest, Dude, had his 12th birthday party yesterday. So, understandably, I forgot to do half the stuff on my To-Do list. And it was a late party (we watched "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" on the side of the house--outdoor movie night!--and then two of the boys spent the night here), so I'm just getting back into the swing of things.

Anyway, though I try not to post too much here about the group blog, because I know plenty of you aren't kidlit (or MG) writers, I'm posting something today. Why? Well, because my post went up yesterday, so I have to do a shout out. It's all about mysteries for middle-grade kids, with a book list of my favorites.

Head on over and check it out. Please?

Pretty please?

Pretty please with a cherry on top?

I'M BEGGING YOU! PLEASE VISIT! And don't forget to leave a comment there telling everyone how intelligent I am. Because I am...you know...intelligent and all.

See you on the mixed-up flip side!

Happy Agentiversary to Me!

2010-07-28T14:08:00.000-07:00

Yes, one year ago (yesterday), Agent Man called and offered representation.

I guess this means I'm not newly agented anymore, huh.

Anyway, here's a recap of what has happened since I signed with my agent:

1. I finished some quick revisions on my first book, and Agent Man started subbing it to some pretty awesome editors. (Did I ever mention that Agent Man signed me with the very first novel I ever wrote? I didn't have anything else finished at that point. Yeah, I'm certain that was a mistake on his part, but now he's stuck with me. Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!)
2. I started thinking about Book 2.
3. Agent Man left Writers House and moved to Russell and Volkening, and was kind enough to ask me to move over with him. (I think asking me to stick with him was his 2nd big mistake, but, whatever.)
4. I finally finished the first/second draft of Book 2 and sent it to Agent Man (certain that he would read it and realize his mistake in signing me). He read and gave some amazing suggestions, which I am still incorporating in the manuscript.
5. A small number of those awesome editors finally sent some rejection emails to Agent Man. Only one really hated the book, a few were lukewarm to it, but most liked it but said it didn't fit their list. (Those were the reasons they gave for the R's, anyway.) We're still waiting on the majority of the awesome editors who have the ms.

Okay, totally OT, but what is the grammatically correct way of writing the shortened version of "rejections"? Is it Rs or R's? I need this question answered, because it's keeping me awake at night.

Oh, sorry. Back to the list...

6. I started a group blog *cough cough* because I finally found the nerve to ask people to join me...I figured they might actually take me seriously (getting an agent will do that to you). I should point out that I never take myself seriously. Well, only on rare occasions, and it always turns out badly.
7. An industry professional (translation: a real, honest-to-goodness editor) agreed with Agent Man that I am a funny writer! O HAPPY DAY! (See this post that mentions my life-long wish to be considered funny.)
8. I made it to my first acquisitions meeting with Book 1. Yay! Though I didn't make it THROUGH my first acquisitions meeting. Sigh.
9. I think I've gained 20 lbs. and my first dozen gray hairs from all the suspense of waiting and hoping and wondering. I am not old enough for gray hairs! (Good thing there are few enough of them that I can still pluck them out.) And I am not exactly happy that the submission process is making my butt look big. Curse you, Stress (and Stress Eating)!
10. I'm happily revising Book 2 and working on the first draft of a third book. And working out the plot of a fourth. I'm not exactly the most productive writer out there, but not bad for a year's worth of work, right? (Just nod your head and agree with me here.)

Anyway, thanks for a good year, Agent Man. And here's to the next one, which is gonna be bigger and better, guaranteed.*

Happy Agentiversary!

*'Course, I can't really make any guarantees, but that's beside the point. It's the sentiment that counts, right?

2nd Annual Pity Party! (for those who aren’t going to SCBWI LA this week)

2010-07-26T00:05:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe it’s that time again! Yes, I'm talking about the annual summer SCBWI conference in LA. We nobodies need a place to call our own as the somebodies hobnob with the really big somebodies out there in the California sunshine. And I take my job as Biggest of Nobodies very seriously.

So, welcome to the 2^nd Annual Pity Party for those not going to the SCBWI Conference!

We have a great lineup this year. First we will have our very own Whine and Cheese Reception, where we will read through the SCBWI Schedule and complain about those lucky enough to be there in person.

Next we’ll have a Breakout in Envy Session titled How to Be a Nobody. Here we will share our jealousy about how we are still not on the list of Really Big Somebodies who are lucky enough to get the honor of speaking at the SCBWI Conference.

Then the real fun begins. We will have our very own, no-holds-barred, razzle-dazzle, in-your-face “Stab My Heart and Squash My Soul Celebration”! Here we will wriggle and writhe the weekend away as we follow the Official SCBWI Conference Blog and #LA10SCBWI tweets that are only there to rub the fun we’re missing in our faces. In real time, no less. Sheesh.

So, pull up the couch, get out your bonbons or other comfort food, and let the Pity Party begin!

(Oh, I forgot to ask. Who's bringing the cheese?)

Saturday Six

2010-07-17T09:56:00.000-07:00

1. I meant to do a Friday Five yesterday, but I had too much going on. Which I will now explain in #2-6 below.

2. I sent my oldest son and my husband off to a Scout overnight camping trip yesterday. My son was so excited that he had finished packing by about, oh, Tuesday. He did ask why I couldn't go instead of my husband, and I had to explain the whole "it's for guys" thing. But, quite honestly, I would have loved to go instead of my husband. I'm a total camper person, and my hubby isn't. So I do think it's a little funny that my husband is going to be the one who has to go on overnighters with our boys. And our boys are just getting started in Scouting.

3. I heard some good and not so good news this week about my book on subs. The good news: it made it to acquisitions at a pub house. The bad news: it died in acquisitions at the pub house. The good news: less than stellar market conditions was the only reason for the pass (which means the story itself is solid). The bad news: less than stellar market conditions (this is bad for everyone, not just me). The good news: the editor wanted to see anything else I might have. The bad news: it'll be months before I have anything else to show.

But I am happy to just make it this far, honestly. I've been wondering and worrying that the book might need to be revised to make it stronger, but it sounds like I don't need to worry about the manuscript at all. So, though I'd love to have it sell, if it doesn't I can put it aside with a clear conscience. But I'm still hoping another house has a more optimistic outlook on market conditions and will be enthusiastic about my manuscript. Hope springs eternal, I suppose.

4. I've been thinking about a new story idea, and knowing that an editor wants to see anything else I've written (see #3 above) has kicked my imagination into overdrive. I sent a short synopsis to my agent late yesterday (after he left the office, I'm sure, since I'm two hours behind and it was late in the afternoon when I sent it) explaining the vague idea to him. And this weekend I'm going to try to crank out some serious word count and hopefully solidify some of the story.

5. Speaking of story ideas, I need to do some research on foster kids and foster parents, especially for older foster kids 10 and up. If you have any great resources or know someone who is a foster parent, please send (or have them send) me an email at elissadcruz at gmail dot com. I have some questions about how it all works.

6. I ran into an old high school friend at a writing conference a few weeks ago. She friended me on facebook, and suddenly I'm finding all my old high school buddies there as well, since she's already connected with most of them. I've been avoiding doing this, since I'm not sure I want to mix business with pleasure (so far, I've been using FB to connect with other writers), but it's also nice to think that I'll have some non-writing friends I can wow with my writing accomplishments. *snork*

Cookies, cont.

2010-07-14T10:34:00.001-07:00

Okay, so enough people asked for the recipe to my absolutely all-time favorite cookie, that I thought it would be easiest to post it here. There are plenty of different recipes out there, but this is the one my mother/father made while I was growing up, so it's the one I like the best. However, there are variations out there on the 'net if you want to experiment. FYI, I'm not sure where this recipe came from, but probably some cookbook somewhere.

No-Bake Cookies

1 C. sugar
1/4 C. milk
1/4 C. cocoa
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 C. peanut butter
1 1/2 C. quick oatmeal (I routinely use regular rolled oats, too)

Combine sugar, milk and cocoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil and then remove from heat. Immediately add vanilla and dissolve peanut butter into mixture. Stir in oatmeal and drop by spoonfuls on waxed paper to cool.

Once you take it off the heat, work quickly, because the mixture starts to set up and cool fast at that point. Especially after you add the oatmeal, which sucks up a lot of the liquid and cools the mixture even further.

I should point out that if you are someone who can actually control your portion sizes when it comes to cookies, you can make about 2 dozen if you drop by teaspoonfuls. We like our cookies bigger than that, though. So I always double this recipe. When doubled, I can make about 20 large cookies (and by large, I mean 2-3" in diameter).

You know you've made these right when they are shiny after cooling. Sometimes mine turn out dull, which means they taste a little grainy (since I think it has something to do with the sugar crystallizing or something), but I haven't yet taken the time to figure out what I've done wrong in those instances. I assume it's either they've been cooked too long or not cooked long enough. But it doesn't happen very often so I've not really worried too much about it.

Also, sometimes these cookies set up within a minute or two, and other times it takes a good hour. I have no idea why. Another one of those "haven't taken the time to figure it out" things. I just wanted to let you know in case you were wondering about cooling time.

Anyway, good luck with your own cookie experiment! I hope you enjoy the recipe.

Cookies are like...

2010-07-13T11:02:00.001-07:00

I'm blogging two days in a row, I know. It's just that I haven't heard from Agent Man and the other new book is still percolating, so my writing time today is being put to good use here instead.

But I made a vow to my blueboard trench buddies (you know, those who are in the submission trenches with me on Verla Kay's message boards) that I wouldn't talk about my submission anymore, since I really have no news to speak of, so today I needed to take my mind of writing completely. That means today's post is all about COOKIES.

Yes. Cookies.

Yum.

I've been craving cookies lately. Don't ask me why. I've actually been cutting back on my sugar intake because it just doesn't sound good to me anymore, but last week I suddenly wanted cookies and more cookies and even more cookies. I actually bought chocolate chips (a really big bag from Costco) so we could make cookies. I NEVER buy chocolate chips, so this is a big deal, people.

Anyway, here is a countdown of my top three:

#3: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (image by Squid! from Flickr)

I LOVE oatmeal in my cookies. In fact, I love oatmeal. Period. When I was a little girl, I used to eat plain, uncooked rolled oats like a horse (only horses don't usually eat rolled oats, but you get the picture). And when I was a newlywed, someone gave me a recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that melt in your mouth. I've been using that recipe ever since.

#2 Rice Crispy Treats (image by stevendepolo from Flickr)

Okay, this really isn't a cookie, but it's still one of my faves. It's quick and easy and so so yummy. And they are perfect treats for those with gluten allergies, since the last time I checked, there was no wheat (still, I suggest you check the packaging and don't just take my word for it). I make them for my cub scouts quite often because we do have boys with wheat issues, and this is one treat I can be certain all of them can enjoy.

And #1 on my list is...

1. No-bake cookies! (image by alibree from Flickr)

I told you I love oatmeal! And these are the best because the oatmeal is still (mostly) raw. Plus I love the chocolate/peanut butter flavor almost as much as I love oatmeal. This is heaven on a tray right here.

Anyway, I love rotating through these three, but I also love trying different cookies. What are your favorites? Do you know of a cookie that is better than my favorites?

(So, there's my post all about cookies. Sorry it's not book-related, but I'm sure there could be a lesson about books or writing hidden in there somewhere, if you dig deep enough.)

Mixed-Up Monday

2010-07-12T10:46:00.000-07:00

I have a few random things to share today. Hence the mixed-up reference. This post has nothing to do with my group blog. I just wanted to make that clear. (Though you are welcome to see that blog in all its awesomeness here, I'm just sayin'.)

1. I've graduated to pictures! See?! Now my entries should be all pretty-like. (BTW, this image is by PunkJr from Flickr.)

Doesn't this pic say it all? Ha ha ha!

2. I haven't said anything yet (not sure why), but I have finished the revisions on my WIP and have shipped it off to my agent for some feedback. I know it still needs a lot of work, but hopefully the characters are acting like they should and the story itself makes sense. I've put it aside until I hear from Agent Man, because I needed some time away from it.

3. I have been spending some time doing some serious thinking about my next book. No, not the sequel-to-the-WIP next book (which I'm supposed to be thinking about), but a brand-new idea book. Well, that's not exactly true. It's the humorous book of mine I talked about in my writing humor for kids entry I wrote a million years ago. I wrote part of it for NaNoWriMo a million and half years ago, and then revised that part and added some more word count with a different character as the MC. I now want to revise it again and change the POV (and the MC once more, too), and actually finish the draft. I thought I had finally settled on who should be the main character, but his POV isn't working. So now I'm thinking of going in a completely different direction and adding a new character as the narrator. It would add depth to the book, but it will also add a serious side to a book that is supposed to be humorous. That could be a really good thing...if I can pull it off. Or it could be a really bad thing, because I'm worried the narrator's character arc will take over the story and the narrator would become the MC, which would completely change the entire mood of the story (and pretty much get rid of the humorous plot). So I'm doing some more thinking as I plot out the story in my head.

4.. I've noticed back to school supplies are in the stores. I LOVE school supplies. This is my favorite time of the year. Back to school time! (Which is funny, since we homeschool and my kids don't actually go back to school.)

5. Speaking of school...I feel a little guilty thinking about this, but there is a new charter school that just opened its doors last year near my husband's work. My younger kids have been asking if they can go to school and see what it's like. As much as I like homeschooling, I don't want to keep them home if they'd rather try a school. My oldest isn't interested, but I'm seriously considering sending the others to school this year. On one hand, the thought of only having two at home during the day (and homeschooling one, my youngest is still a toddler) sounds VERY appealing. On the other hand, I certainly feel like I'm quitting, and I'm stubborn enough that quitting isn't something I like to entertain without a very good reason. I don't know if the charter school has any openings, so it might be a moot point, but I've "applied" for my kids to at least get them on the waiting list. If they actually get a spot, we'll discuss whether or not they really want to go. We're also considering letting them try out the public school next door (literally next door). I feel better about the charter school, which follows the same type of curriculum philosophy that we do at home, but my kids want to go to the PS school so they can be with their friends. Sigh. We'll see what happens in the next month or two.

Hey Thanks, City

2010-06-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

So...remember how I mentioned that the city holds its Town Days at the park next door?

Well...my little kids are outside, right now, selling water and popsicles in our driveway as the crowds walk past. Yes, it was my idea, but they are doing all the work. (Don't worry, they get all the money, too. Well, except they do have to pay for the supplies, which are less than $10 and they've already made about half that...and they just set up shop.)

Ah, it's good to live in a country where capitalism is alive and well.

It's All Fodder...

2010-06-22T11:52:00.001-07:00

It's now officially summer at my house (not because the calendar says so, but because the warm weather is FINALLY here), and I am hoping to get a whole bunch of writing done. I have less time to write during the school year, since that pesky little thing called homeschooling four kids takes up so much of my time (not to mention entertaining Child #5, Sweet Pea, who is still a toddler). So I wanted to give the six or seven people who actually read this blog a heads up: I might not be checking in as often until September. I want to really focus and crank out a whole bunch of craptastic writing while I've got the relative free time.

Anyway, speaking of summer, I do like this time of year because I actually see my neighbors outside, communing with nature and smiling at everyone else in a friendly "hey, you look familiar" sort of way. It seems like I haven't seen my neighbors since last October. Though that could be because I was a wimp and stayed indoors pretty much the whole fall, winter and spring. (In my defense, it snowed early and stayed cold and wet later than usual.)

But I also love summer because it's the time for carnivals and fireworks, and both just happen to be scheduled to appear next door to my house. Our side yard shares a fence with a park the city uses for its Town Days. And this is the week scheduled for the festivities, so right now a dozen trucks are driving past my house, loaded with carnival rides in all shapes and sizes. Kids are loitering outside my house, too, because they can get a decent view of the action without getting in trouble for "going" to the park.

I swear, there couldn't be better fodder for a book than what is right outside my window right now.

More MG Awesomeness

2010-06-11T16:32:00.001-07:00

I am delighted by all the attention the little group blog idea of mine is getting! Of course, it's not all my doing, so I can't take full credit for the awesomeness, but I am so happy it's doing as well as it is.

And today, LJ friend (and real-live friend, too) denisejaden is celebrating with us. HOORAY! And she's giving away 9 MG ARCS in honor of us. She picked them up at BEA, and wanted to share the wealth. Thank you, Denise!

The ARCs she's giving away are:

THE STEPS ACROSS THE WATER by Adam Gopnik (available Sept. 14, 2010)
CLARA LEE AND THE APPLE PIE DREAM by Jenny Han (available Jan. 4, 2011)
THE CANDYMAKERS by Wendy Mass (available Oct. 5, 2010)
HERO by NYT bestselling Mike Lupica (available Nov. 9, 2010)
THE MAGNIFICENT 12: THE CALL by Michael Grant (available Aug. 24, 2010)
MURDER AFLOAT by Jane Leslie Conly (available Oct. 5, 2010)
TUMTUM & NUTMEG: THE ROSE COTTAGE TALES by Emily Bearn (available Oct. 5, 2010)
PRESIDENT OF THE WHOLE FIFTH GRADE by Sherri Winston (available Oct. 5, 2010)
SCHOOL OF FEAR: CLASS IS NOT DISMISSED (available Sept. 14, 2010)

Check out her blog for cover images (some aren't available online anywhere else) and info on how to enter. Here's a link: http://www.denisejaden.com/Blog.html

And don't forget, the 9-book giveaway at From the Mixed-Up Files is still running. Here's a link to enter: http://www.fromthemixedupfiles.com/2010/06/our-first-post-and-our-first-giveaway/

The Balancing Act (or "How To Write and Promote and Still Have a Life")

2010-06-09T23:23:00.000-07:00

It feels like forever since I checked in here (What? It's only been a few days? Weird.) because of all the whirlwind activity on another certain blog I am a part of *cough* *cough* fromthemixedupfilesgoseetheawesomenessnow *cough*.

But I have to admit that I haven't been very sociable in person lately. My husband thinks I've left him to pursue a relationship with my computer, my kids have wondered why they must eat hot dogs AGAIN for dinner, and my neighbors think I must have some strange sun disease or lice or something.

And I hate to admit it, but my dear little WIP is languishing in a file somewhere, crying pitiably because of the lack of attention it's getting as well.

It looks like I need to give myself the Balancing Act Pep-talk again.

I figured you might want to listen in, too. Feel free to insert your own name/info where applicable:

Now, listen up, you! I know it's not easy finding time to write, promote your book/blog/website/whatever, spend time with family, and shower, but there needs to be a balance here. You don't HAVE to check your email 57 times each day. You also don't HAVE to chuck your laptop into the nearest canal. FIND A BALANCE, for crying out loud!

But you can do this! You are a smart and capable person. It just takes a little know-how, a little willpower, and a whole lot of buttered popcorn. Now get to it, you!

Wasn't that inspirational?! It usually does the trick for me.

What's that? You need a little more information? Well, I guess you did miss the very first pep-talk I gave myself, where I explained the know-how and the willpower part. (The buttered popcorn part is completely self-explanatory, imo.)

Well, here you go.

THE KNOW-HOW PART

There are just a few simple steps you need to help you with your balancing act.

1. Pay attention.

I don't know about you, but I tend to run on autopilot a lot. That means I can waste an entire day on my computer and not realize I've done so. But being aware of how you spend your time is the first step to getting your life back in balance. If I pay attention to what I'm doing and how long I've been doing it, I get a feel for where I'm out of balance and what changes I need to make. More of this, less of that. Sometimes I do an official mental inventory, but usually for me it's informal impressions. You might be more list-oriented than I am, so logging one day on paper might be a good strategy for you.

2. Simply make the decision.

Being aware of how your time is spent is helpful, but it's a passive thing. Action is required for change. You know, Balancing ACT. No where have I said Balancing State of Being. Luckily, the next step simply requires you to make the decision to find that balance again. If you've been paying attention, you should have a pretty good idea what changes you need to make, so this step is pretty easy. Most people recommend you write it out. You can if you want, but that's up to you. The point here is to simply make the decision.

3. Follow through.

This is where I tend to slip up the most. Following through is really hard. Twice today, for example, I decided to turn off my computer and stop wasting time checking for comments on the blog, or messages from blog members, or an email from my agent about my manuscript submission. But did I? I'm still here, aren't I?

So you need to be on the ball. Once you decide to turn off the computer, for example, do it. Before you change your mind. But you also need a plan of what you will do instead. If not, for example, soon you'll find yourself sitting back down and flipping on the switch again (I'm guilty of that one a lot). Part of that "make the decision" step was to decide what to cut out and what to replace it with, in order to get your life back in balance.

THE WILLPOWER PART

It's a known fact that the more willpower you have, the more successful you'll be. (Okay. That's not true. I totally made that up. Sounds good, though, doesn't it?!) In all honestly, we already covered WILLPOWER in step 3 above. I just wanted to remind you that you have to follow through if you ever plan on finding that balance. Sorry. I wish it weren't so, but it is.

Now, where's that bag of buttered popcorn? I swear it was around here somewhere...

It's BIG, It's AWESOME, and It's LIVE! (And There's FREE BOOKS, Too!)

2010-06-06T20:12:00.000-07:00

(I would like to preface this with, yes, I'm posting this a little earlier than I promised. My husband, who never waits until his birthday or Christmas to open his presents, will be so proud that I'm jumping the gun a bit here. I guess he's rubbing off on me.)

(Okay, truth be told, I forgot to set the time zone on our site, and so the entry posted at midnight all by itself...on Greenwich [UTC] time. Oy. But we're rolling with it.)

I know I've been talking about a MG (for those of you not familiar with kidlit-speak, MG stands for middle-grade) group blog forever. But it's here! It's finally here!

So, without further ado, get thee hence to the most awesome site on the net today. Yeah, I am biased, and proud of it!

*cue fanfare*

www.fromthemixedupfiles.com

And because we are so awesome , in our first post (penned by moi) we are giving away NINE middle-grade books. Yes! NINE!

But, wait! There's more!

Those NINE books are all SIGNED COPIES! (See, I told you we were awesome.) So, really, you need to go there. Now.

In fact, here's the link to the post. http://www.fromthemixedupfiles.com/2010/06/our-first-post-and-our-first-giveaway/

Be off, fair blog readers! (That means "go check it out", for those who don't frequent the Shakespearean festivals.)

(Sigh. I'm deliriously happy right now.)

Something BIG is Coming!

2010-06-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

Sooo...

...remember a few months back when I said I was going to start a group blog about middle-grade books? And remember how I was flooded with requests to join?

Well...

...guess what is launching on Monday, June 7th?

Yes, in THREE DAYS, the world will be introduced to something BIG. So check back here on Monday for all the official information.

(I bet you thought I'd spill all the good stuff, like the site url. I promise I will...on Monday.)

(Yes, I am evil. Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha!)

How To Take Rejection Like a Pro

2010-05-27T12:36:00.000-07:00

In case you were wondering, yes, I am a pro at getting rejections. But I'm not talking about the "Ew, I'd never date a loser like you!" kind of rejection. I'm talking about the kind of rejection that comes when you are querying agents/editors with your work.

I entered the official world of rejections way back in 2007. (I know, that was just yesterday in publishing years, but bear with me...) I sent a short, sweet poem about the autumn harvest to a children's magazine. They sent a form rejection (my writing friends and I simply call it an R) that had a checklist for reasons why they were passing. The checklist was completely blank, but there was a short, handwritten note at the bottom that basically said the the poem was nice but they had already purchased something similar.

I do remember getting that rejection. It wasn't pretty. I frowned and furrowed my eyebrows for at least a good minute.

But the real rejections came about a year later when I started querying agents. My novel was finished and (nearly) polished, but I went through rejection after rejection as each agent sent that dreaded R.

Rejection is something every writer has to deal with at one point or another. I'm not going to list here all those bestselling authors who got rejected a million times before they became super famous. You've all heard the stories. But, if you're like me, hearing someone else's eventual success really doesn't help when you are wallowing in your own rejection self-pity. In fact, sometimes it makes you want to take their uber-successful book (which, of course, is on your bookcase because you stood in line for three hours with 40 million other fans so you could purchase it at midnight on the day it came out) and chuck it at the wall.

So, how do you deal with rejection? I'm sure it's different for everyone, since we all have different personalities and ways of coping. But here are a few thoughts I have on the subject:

1) It's nothing personal.

The fact is, the publishing industry takes something that is very personal--a writer's words (and, by extension, thoughts and feelings as well)--and brings it into the very non-personal business world. For a publishing house, the bottom line does matter. For an agent, selling a client's book is important. That doesn't mean they aren't passionate about their work, but it does mean that they can't sign every client or buy every manuscript they see. It's nothing personal, it's just business.

I know it's harsh to hear those words when you've worked on something so hard for so long, but it helps to remember that they aren't rejecting YOU. It truly is nothing personal. Remember that.

2) It'll only hurt for a little bit.

Rejections hurt. Some more than others. But someone wiser than most once said that time heals all wounds. Give yourself some time to grieve. Go ahead and cry or spit or hang a photo of the agent/editor on your oft-used dart board. And, soon enough, you'll get over it.

(NOTE: I would like to make it perfectly clear that it is not okay to throw darts at real agents/editors. And I wouldn't make it a well-known fact that you're throwing darts at photos of these people, either. The publishing biz is a small world, after all. The other agents/editors might not want to work with you if they knew their industry peers' mugs are hanging up all over your house. That borders on creepy, IMO.)

3) It's a subjective world out there.

I once took an art appreciation/art history class in college. I found that I gravitated toward the landscape painters such as Thomas Cole, because it amazed me that they could paint something as magnificent as an entire mountain, for example, but in such minute detail that it looked nearly like a photograph. And I was surprised when others in the class said how much they hated those same paintings, because they did look like photographs and, therefore, weren't imaginative enough. They liked the Cubism paintings by Picasso instead.

I've found that manuscripts are exactly the same. Some people love one style and hate another. So don't despair when those rejections come in. That agent/editor may be looking for a Picasso when you might be a Thomas Cole. It doesn't mean you can't paint--um, I mean write--it just means you haven't found the right audience yet.

4) Learn to keep it all in perspective.

Why are you writing, anyway? I suspect most of you write because you have to. You can't imagine not writing. It's a part of who you are. You couldn't stop writing even if you wanted to, which you don't.

Does a rejection from an agent/editor change that? Certainly not, I say. You will always keep writing because you are a writer, no matter what anyone else thinks.

Besides, you need some great rejection stories for later, when you are a super-successful author. So be grateful. No one likes to hear those "Oh, I've never been rejected!" stories. They are soooo boring. You are so lucky you aren't one of those people. Trust me on this.

Yes, I'm Technologically Impaired...

2010-05-15T16:19:00.000-07:00

I was having a little trouble on my LiveJournal journal today. I'm creating a website on WordPress, and want to incorporate my blog into it as well. (Don't worry, fellow Blogger buddies, I still plan on crossposting and keeping up on comments here as well). And so I tried to import my LJ blog to WP (because it does have a few extra posts than this blog), and of course I forgot that I had already activated the WP crossposter as a test and hadn't deactivated it. Oops. So I was caught in an endless cycle of importing crossposted entries and had to clean up my own mess once I figured out what I had done. It was not pretty.

I really hate technology some days.

I hope I didn't affect too many of my LJ buddies with my little oops. I'm sure it won't be the last, unfortunately. Sigh. But I'm glad they're hanging in there with me as I click buttons first and ask questions later.

BTW, be watching for the official website announcement. It's coming soon!

You Can Do It! YAY YOU!

2010-05-13T13:08:00.001-07:00

I know there is someone out there reading this who is having a hard day.

So today I'm cheering you on. Why? Well, I just feel ridiculously happy for no reason at all. In fact, I even got a rejection letter from an editor today, and I actually wanted to hug it! (It was a nice R, which probably helped.)

Yes, today is all about encouraging you. Having a hard time with your WIP? Getting a whole bunch of form Rs in your inbox? Dealing with sick kids, ornery coworkers, attack dogs?

Don't worry. You'll make it through! You can do it! YAY YOU!

Seriously, everyone has bad days. And everyone needs some encouragement. And if you need some today, I'm happy to help. Now you can get back out there and know someone's cheering you on.

So, one more time...

YOU CAN DO IT! YAY YOU!

Why, Yes, I Am a Butcher, and You Can Be One, Too (or Thoughts on Revising)

2010-05-11T21:49:00.000-07:00

Since I just finished a somewhat productive butchering session on my current WIP, I thought today would be a great time to share some of my thoughts on revising.

Thought #1: Don't be afraid to get your hands bloody (er, dirty, I mean).

When I first started writing, I never spent much time rewriting. Instead, I was a Reworder. You know what I'm talking about. Sure, I moved sentences (and even paragraphs) around, but I was more concerned about grammar than I was the overarching story or the characterization (or pretty much anything else, come to think of it).

But I've learned a few things in the last, oh, decade or so that I've been writing. And I've learned that a quick polish won't always cure your story problems. Don't be afraid to really dig in and REWRITE. The rewording can come later.

Thought #2: There isn't a right or wrong way to slaughter your darling (um, I mean, revise your story).

I happen to love printing out a copy of my book and revising on paper. There's something about the words on paper that does something for my brain (and I dearly love colored pens, which hardly ever get to come out and play anymore). I don't do it for every revision, but I do try to have a hard copy to reference when I'm working on a manuscript.

And sometimes I like to work on an entire chapter and get it polished before moving on to the next chapter. Other times I choose one major point (such as changing a character's personality) and focus only on that while ignoring any other changes I might need to make.

The point is, it doesn't matter how you revise, as long as you find the way that works best for you. Go ahead and research ways other writers revise, but don't think that there is only one way to do it right. There isn't. Trust me on this.

Thought #3: Be prepared for the pile of remains.

Yes, you will cut things from your story. And, yes, they may be your favorite parts. Wait, don't hyperventilate on me! Take a minute and breathe.

Just breathe.

You still with me? Good. Now, remember, cutting things from your story is a GOOD thing. I promise. In my opinion, your job as a writer is to make a story flow so easily that nothing pulls the reader out of it. And nine times out of ten, those favorite parts of yours may sparkle and shine a little too much. They draw attention to themselves. They make people stop and savor the beauty of the sentence. And unless your entire book is literary in nature, this might not be the effect you were going for. Besides, unless your readers are looking for a literary book, they may be blinded and trip over those shiny parts, and you certainly don't want people stumbling through your book.

On the other hand, you will cut parts that are utter poo. And that's a good thing, too. A REALLY GOOD thing, actually.

Thought #4: Save those remains, since they might be useful later.

There are many ways to do this, but here's my method: when I start a major revision, I save a new copy of my manuscript. All revision changes are then made on the new copy, and my original version is left intact. I can't tell you how many times I've patted myself on the back for keeping an old copy of the manuscript so I can go back to an older version that worked better than a newer one. (In case you were wondering, I work in one Word file for each manuscript. I know plenty of people out there who like to work in scenes or chapters, but I like having everything in one place. I should also mention that my books are very short [20k or so], so this may not work if I ever write something really really long.)

In addition, you might find that an old scene that didn't fit your story might just be the spark for an entirely new novel. Or all those sparkly sentences can be put to good use three novels down the road when one of your characters is an old sage who just happens to make absolutely no sense to anybody but himself. So save those remains and hopefully someday you'll recycle them into a whole new story you can butcher.

Thought #5: Enjoy yourself.

Yes, butchering a story is a lot of work. But it can be fun to see the story emerge from your reeking pile of...I mean, your manuscript. So enjoy yourself. And if you aren't, you're probably in the wrong business. There are plenty of other ways you could spend your days.

It's not a complete list, but those are the thoughts I had today. But since I know there are many more great ideas floating around out there, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. As always, I love hearing from my readers. Thanks for reading!

Kidlit People are Cool

2010-05-05T16:18:00.001-07:00

Yes, they are. I can't speak for the adult side of things, though I suspect there are cool people there, too. But kidlit people are awesome.

I love it when I can ask a simple question about a writing-related activity and soon be carrying on a conversation with an award-winning author via email. Where else do you not only get to meet your idols but hang out with them, too?!

Man, I love my job.

On Self-Promotion

2010-04-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

There's been a whole lot of talk the last few years about what authors need to do to promote themselves.

Well, I am now going to weigh in on this topic. I know, you readers have been DYING to hear my opinion on the subject, and you can't believe your luck. Quite honestly I'm surprised that you all have hung around reading my snoozapalooza posts long enough to hear my opinion on the subject. But now you're dearest wish is about to be fulfilled.

You are so welcome. Glad I could oblige.

I've been giving this a lot of thought. You see, I've had a lot of time on my hands as I wait to actually sell a book. So I figured I'd get an early start on the self-promotion thing and see what happens.

Well, obviously, not much. Because one thing I have learned is that it's a whole lot easier to self-promote if you have something you're promoting. You know, like a published book you've written.

But I have learned a few things that I do think are important to know. They are (in no particular order):

1. It's more important to enjoy yourself than it is to promote yourself.

Yes, I do believe this. I will let you in on a little secret: I did start this blog because I wanted to get my name out there into the world. Name recognition can be a good thing. However, I also started this blog because I genuinely like to blog. It's kinda like writing those journals I used to write when I was a teenager. (And I wrote a LOT of those. Seriously, I think I filled at least 7 or 8 in about four or five years.) And I really like the freedom of writing something spontaneously, with only a few minor edits as I go. Sometimes the constant revision process really gets to me, and this blog is a place where I can feel a little more free. (I am well aware that it is probably not a good idea to be so spontaneous on a blog, but I doubt I'll be changing that anytime soon. I'm just not very good at plotting things out beforehand. It's the process of making it up as I go along that excites me the most.)

Anyway, through that last paragraph of ramble-y randomness, I was trying to point out how much I ENJOY doing what I'm doing. I genuinely enjoy my silly tweets about my imaginary twitter empire, which is currently locked in a struggle of monumental proportions against another empire who will remain nameless as to not give that empire any leverage with which to thwart me (just check out my tweets to see this struggle in all its glory). I genuinely love reading comments from the few people who actually comment on my FB or blog. I love Verla's message boards where I hang out waaaaaay too much and lament about the weather. (Do you know it has snowed at my house this week? Seriously, what is up with the weather?)

But I also love to talk on the phone. Or hang out in person and chat with someone for hours. I like knowing things and being involved in projects. I like being in the middle of things.

So if I didn't genuinely enjoy social networking, I could self-promote until I'm blue in the face but it probably wouldn't do me any good. Because people can spot a fake a mile away. And if you aren't enjoying yourself, people will know. And they won't want to hang around someone who is such a drag. I'm just sayin'...

2. If you're going to self-promote, the best thing you can do is be approachable.

What do I mean about being approachable? Well, for one, actually reply to comments from your readers. I try to reply to every comment I get (which, sadly enough, is really easy to do since I usually have less than a dozen comments to worry about). I love it when someone takes the time to reply to my comments. I'm betting my readers feel the same way, so I want to make sure to encourage them. Plus I really really love keeping the conversation going, so it's a no-brainer for me.

But being approachable also means leaving your little blog bubble and visiting others'. I don't do it as much as I should, but it's so sad to find a blog post that I've really enjoyed and notice that there has been ZERO comments on it. Don't you think that blogger would love to know how great his/her blog entry was, or how it made me think in a new way about something, or just made me laugh? So comment widely and spread the wealth. I firmly believe that a single blog commenter can change the world for good. Plus it's a great way to enlarge your circle of "friends" while doing something enjoyable. (Well, I find it enjoyable, anyway.)

3. Whatever you do, it's enough.

I know. You're scratching your head over that one. You usually hear "there's always more you can be doing." Well, I disagree. Kinda. Well, not really. Let me explain.

Sure, there is always something more you can do to promote yourself. ALWAYS. But does that mean you should do it?

Absolutely not.

I know so many authors who have done so much to promote themselves that they've practically collapsed from exhaustion. And not a bit of it made any difference to their books' bottom lines. And I've known other authors who've done nothing and have had runaway success. I've also known some who've done a lot and it's made a huge difference in their success as authors. And I've known some who've done nothing and have had nothing happen in return.

So what do I really mean? What I'm trying to say is that you should do what you think you can. And if you do, it'll be enough. Don't feel guilty that you aren't doing more.

Do what you can. It'll be enough.

Repeat with me.

Do what you can. It'll be enough.

4. The best promotion is word of mouth.

So give those mouths something to talk about. Write the BEST BOOK you can, and then get to work on the next BEST BOOK you can write. Writing good books over and over again is the best way to promote yourself.

And if you happen to mention my blog to a friend, I won't mind. Because word of mouth really is the best way to spread the word.

How Much Is Too Much?

2010-04-24T10:39:00.001-07:00

As you all probably know by now (especially if you actually read my posts), I have been hard at work with about 25 other middle grade writers creating a group blog about MG books.

We are in the final stages and we are getting things ready for our official launch (I'm still not certain of the date, but I'll announce here as soon as I know), and one of the jobs I'm doing is getting our posting schedule figured out.

So, I was wondering what people thought about how often a blog is updated. Do you like to see new content every day? Every other day? Once a week? Once a month?

How many posts per week or month do you think is too much?

Or can there ever be too much of a good thing?

The Writing Life: Homeschool-Style

2010-04-20T14:28:00.001-07:00

I don't usually write much about my personal life, because...well, it's personal. But I encounter many people who, when hearing how many kids I have ("Five? That's a lot!") and that I homeschool them ("Wow! You must be really busy!"), wonder how I get any writing done ("Do you ever sleep?").

So I wanted to put a few myths to rest.

MYTH #1--Having five kids is a lot of children.

Baloney. Sure, it makes for a hectic house, but it's an average-size family if you ask me. Of course, both my parents came from larger families (7 kids in my mom's family and 8 in my dad's), and I had a friend in high school who was the oldest of 12. Now THAT is a lot of children in one house. Five is peanuts compared to twelve.

MYTH #2--Homeschooling that many kids is impossible.

Baloney. Sure, it's hard work and I don't always succeed (in fact, I hold the self-imposed title of Worst Homeschooling Parent Ever), but my kids manage to learn things even when I drop the ball. And, to my utter delight, every adult that meets them comments on how refreshing it is to see polite but focused kids. My kids speak with respect, answer questions thoughtfully, and don't see the point in "following the crowd." They are different, but in a good way.

MYTH #3--You can't homeschool your kids and write, too.

Double baloney. Sure, I don't get a lot done with my kids at home 24/7, but I can still get some writing done. I may not be in a position to write all day, and it may take me longer than most to finish a book, but it's no different than a writer who works full-time out of the home. And the added bonus is that when I'm not writing, I'm learning alongside my kids. I'm soaking in knowledge that I can turn around and use in my manuscripts.

(The down side: I have to fake it when I write about school settings. But luckily I do remember my own PS [pubic school] days and I am surrounded by friends and family who can fill me in on the details about today's PS system. And it must be working, since the book my agent has on submission is set in an elementary school. It was the manuscript I used to get his attention, in fact.)

The hardest thing about writing and homeschooling is learning to balance the two worlds. I'll admit that some days I wish I could ship the kids off to school so I could have six hours to myself. And other days I'm ready to set aside the writing so I can focus on being a better homeschooling mom. But I've learned that I'm not happy if I can't be doing both. The writing helps refill my creative well, and gives me the energy to keep going in our homeschool. And the homeschool gives me satisfaction I couldn't get any other way (plus I feel less guilty about spending so much time writing when I know most of my day is spent in the service of someone[s] other than myself). (That Mom Guilt is something else, isn't it?)

I can't say whether or not my life will always be this way. My oldest is creeping ever closer to the junior high years, and the thought of high school at home is a little terrifying at this point. But I'm also really grateful for the opportunity to raise my kids the way I want to raise them, teach them the way I want them to be taught, and to watch them grow into the amazing adults I know they will become someday.

And I get to write about it, too. What more could you want in life? (Besides a book contract, that is.) (Hint, hint, editor people.) My books might not be edgy and dark, but they are how I want the world to be; happy and fun, full of life and good. A good life is what I have, and a good life is what I want to share with the world. What's wrong with that?

Nothing, I say. Absolutely nothing.

Lucky Me

2010-04-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

I just found out that I have won one another book contest. How awesome is that?! It's the third one in about a month, so I'm feeling lucky. And our MG group blog is coming together so well that I think my lucky streak extends to that as well. I lead a charmed life.

Happy sigh.

I'm so grateful for all the good luck that I'm working on giving some of it back. So be watching for a special something from me soon. You know, like a book contest kind of something special.

Groom 'Em Early (Just Don't Tell Them), That's the Way to Take 'Em Down

2010-04-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

Alternate Title: How to Laugh at Yourself and Embarrass Your Family at the Same Time

Not too long ago, I had a writing-related conversation with one of my sisters. The conversation somehow turned to things I had written when I was younger, and I learned something I had never ever known:

As a child, I was being groomed for the life of a superstar author.

Yes, it's true. Apparently everyone knew it. My parents, my siblings, my teachers, and my friends knew it. Some adults at church knew it. I'd be willing to bet that some random guy pulled off the street might have even known it. Unfortunately, all their hard work was for naught, because they forgot to let one very important person in on the secret.

Me.

You see, I was completely oblivious to the fact that I was a dang good writer according to all these people. I had no idea that anything I wrote was beyond ordinary. How was I supposed to know that my sixth grade creative writing assignment was head and shoulders above the rest, for example? I just remember thinking I was doing the same thing as everyone else.

So I skipped through elementary school, cruised through junior high school, and sailed through high school without doing much with my enormous talent. I squandered those years on journalism (the most uncreative of all writing out there, imo) (no offense, journalism people of the world) and went on to do so in college as well. So much for superstar author status.

Anyway, back to the conversation with my sister. She informed me--20 years later (okay, 24 years later--geesh, you're so particular about the exact dates)--about this failed grooming. The story she used to illustrate this was that sixth grade creative writing assignment I talked about earlier. Apparently, it was so good that my teacher passed it around the teacher's lounge.

No lie. True story.

How do we know this? Well, apparently someone in my family *cough cough* forgot about her own writing assignment and panicked, so she therefore plagiarized my paper, turned it into her teacher and got caught. "How did you know?" she cried when her teacher sent her to the principal's office and called my mother in.

"Because I've already read the original that your sister wrote," the teacher replied.* "It's made the rounds in the teacher's lounge."

Sigh. All that talent. Wasted! If I'd only known, I would be up there, right now, on the NYT Bestseller's list. I might have even supplanted J.K Rowling. To misquote a character in one of my favorite classics, "If I had ever learnt the truth, I should have been a great proficient."

Anyway, hearing this story made me think of that sixth-grade assignment. So I did some digging, and found the actual text, in its dot matrix glory. Here's an image of this greatness:

The first paragraph reads:

Once, on a misty morning, some boys were hiking on a main trail. They spotted a hidden side trail. They dicided [sic] to see what lay ahead on that trail.

Amazed, aren't you?! I knew you would be. If you could only read the rest of it, you would see the talent I had at such a young age.

The moral of this story is:

The best way to keep a great writer down is to never tell them how good they really are. Especially when they're young. It'll work every time. Promise. Try it for yourself, if you are the "let's ruin the hopes and dreams of the next generation" type of person, that is.

The other moral of the story is:

Don't steal your sister's paper and turn it in as your own. It'll come back to bite you, more than once most likely. Especially if that sister later becomes a writer who likes to blog and who will post this embarrassing story for the world to see, because she finds the entire tale incredibly funny. Love you, sis!

The real moral of the story is:

It's fun to laugh at yourself. And it's even more fun to laugh at yourself with others. So share your stories with me in the comments, or blog about them and send me a link. Let's all laugh together!

*No one remembers, verbatim, what the teacher actually said. I certainly don't, since I wasn't there or ever told about this story until last month, some twenty years later (okay, twenty-four years later). But I'm a writer, so I imagine this is something the teacher could have said. The point is, she told my sister that my teacher had passed my work around the school, so most of the teachers had read it.

The Back End of Things

2010-04-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I would rather watch the special features on a new DVD (or an old DVD, for that matter) than the actual movie. I've always loved documentaries, behind-the-scenes footage, and bloopers or outtakes. And I've always been more interested in the off-camera people than the on-camera people. I think about the writers, the directors, the best boys and foley artists (what are best boys and foley artists, anyway?) and hardly ever care what the actors are doing (except maybe those extras--they fascinate me more than the leading men or ladies do).

So it shouldn't come as a big surprise that I really enjoy reading the comments on blog posts. Some are really interesting--some not so much--but I especially love replying to other comments, especially for comments left on my blog(s). And I like to check and see if the blog poster has replied to my comment. It makes me feel special when they do.

But I'm wondering if others feel the same way, or if I'm just weird. (Yes, I already know I'm weird, but I mean weird in this respect only.) I know most of my LJ commenters know when I reply, since LJ usually sends the comment in an email (if you have that feature turned on, that is). But I have no idea if my blogspot/blogger readers ever know I usually always reply to their comments.

So, do you check the comments on a blog after you've commented? Do you like it when the blog poster replies to your comment? Do you like the back end of things as much as I do?

Agent Interview: Josh Getzler of Russell & Volkening

2010-04-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

I thought my readers might like to learn a little bit more about my agent, Josh Getzler. He was kind enough to accept the invitation, and he didn't laugh too hard when I sent him a list of questions a mile long.

I've split this interview into three parts: 1) Getting to Know Josh Getzler; 2) Nuts and Bolts (query information); and 3) Mr. Getzler's Quick Picks, just for fun.

As a quick intro, Josh Getzler worked on the editorial side of the book world until 1993, when he left Harcourt to earn an MBA. Then he spent eleven years owning and operating a minor league baseball team. He rejoined the book world in 2006, this time on the agent side. He worked at Writers House until November 2009 and is now with Russell & Volkening. He can be reached at josh@randvinc.com.

GETTING TO KNOW JOSH GETZLER

You recently moved to Russell & Volkening, Inc., where you work as both an agent and as the Director of TV/Film Rights. Tell us a bit about the agency and your work there.

Russell & Volkening is one of the oldest independent literary agencies in America. It was established in 1940 by Diarmuid Russell and Henry Volkening, and bought by Tim Seldes 38 years ago. In addition to Tim, who is still active in running the company, and me, there are two other agents: Carrie Hannigan, who represents mainly children’s book authors; and Jesseca Salky, who does our foreign and subsidiary rights and represents some adult authors. Joy Amitizia, who assists Tim, also takes on a variety of authors.

I’m responsible both for growing the frontlist stable of authors and for working on film, television, and electronic rights for the full list. I’m responsible for a lot of frontlist because many of the authors—Bernard Malamud, Eudora Welty, George Plimpton…are dead and we represent their estates—while others, like Nadine Gordimer and Annie Dillard, write less frequently. Anne Tyler and Ntozake Shange are very strong current authors, and we are in the process of incorporating my list of authors into the firm.

I represent a wide variety of authors. I have literary novelists like Joshua Gaylord (HUMMINGBIRDS), mystery writers like Gerald Elias (DEVIL’S TRILL), Young adult writers like Tania Roxborogh (BANQUO’S SON), and middle grade authors like…you [Elissa Cruz]! I also work with nonfiction authors—I’m really across the board with the exception of romance, Christian, and hardcore science fiction.

What are some misconceptions about your job that you wish writers, particularly those who query you, knew?

I think most writers currently querying have a sense that most agents are overworked, so I don’t think that’s really a misconception. But it could be useful to know how busy we really are. First of all, I currently have 28 clients. They come first. If I get a draft of a new novel from one of my clients, or a contract comes in, or I am submitting a project to editors, that gets priority over reading queries. Once or twice a week I bring home a stack of queries and read it early in the morning (typically 5-7 am, while my kids and wife are asleep and the house is quiet). It’s not possible for me to read them as they come in, since that by itself would be a full-time job! Then what we do is for the queries that seem interesting (1 in around 8 or 9) I ask for 50 pages. Then every so often (1 in around 20) I ask for a full manuscript. The 50’s and manuscripts are the real bottlenecks. I can go several months before I read even a partial—and that’s something I really WANT to read!!!! So I guess the biggest misconception potential clients have is that no news is bad news. In fact, no news is exactly that…no news. It’s just as possible that I will ask for a full, and then offer representation, after 4 months. I would LOVE to be more efficient, and work like crazy to get better, but the fact is that in order to grow my list I need to evaluate an awful lot of queries, and it simply takes forever. Oh, but by the way—you should NOT send an agent a manuscript exclusively for longer than a couple of months. You can tell them you’re going to do so, but I don’t expect you to wait for me to get to your ms before you try to get representation elsewhere. My overextension/inefficiency is not your fault!

You spent a few years as the owner of the Staten Island Yankees, a minor league baseball team. How was that world different from the publishing world you work in now?

Oh my god, it’s totally different, with the exception that in both cases I was working to sell a product—a baseball game or a book—that I hoped would be popular to the masses. But there I was working both direct-to-consumer (selling tickets to the public) and business-to-business (selling advertising to sponsors). I controlled what the event was, but not the quality of the product on the field (I could make sure that fans had a good time, with attractive merchandise and good food, but I couldn’t guarantee a win!). Here, I am working directly with authors (which I love, as you know), trying to make their books the best—and most salable—that they can be. Then I go to the editors and try to make a match. One of the big differences is that in publishing more than baseball, connections and time are really what makes me valuable. I have to match authors with the RIGHT editors, and that takes lots of conversations.

I realize that went far afield from the real question, but hopefully it was at least interesting. :)

Does your previous work with the minor leagues mean you have a soft spot for baseball stories?

Actually I’m MUCH pickier, because I have 13 years of background and really know how the people—players, managers, fans, owners-think. You can slip inaccuracies about police procedure or zombies by me, but not much in baseball. The best pure baseball novel EVER was Bull Durham, because Ron Shelton got it completely right.

You've mentioned that you (and probably only ten other people) love cozy mysteries. Are you seeing an upward trend in this type of mystery? If not, what are the current industry trends for mysteries, both for the adult and children/YA market?

Ah, you may have misunderstood. There are millions of readers of cozy mysteries—it’s a huge and ever-popular market. There are very few editors who concentrate on them, however, and there are so many little mysteries floating about that it’s sometimes hard to tell what’s good and what isn’t. It’s actually why the online world is pretty great for mysteries (as well as other genres like it—romance, science fiction, fantasy, etc). My frustration is that there are a limited number of houses—St. Martin’s, some imprints at Penguin and HC, Kensington, some smaller places (though that’s NOT exhaustive), where they really, you know, LOVE those kinds of books. As a result, I sometimes get backlogged with clients’ manuscripts, because I don’t want to send an editor two manuscripts simultaneously.

In terms of trends, I’ve seen the two extremes become popular—very soft-boiled (knitting, cupcakes, kittens) and also very extreme (Palahniuk, my own client Angela S. Choi’s Hello Kitty Must Die). The Key West comedic mystery is a little less popular. Editor after editor tells me they’re looking for strong female cops/lawyers/doctors like Patricia Cornwell or Linda Fairstein’s heroines.

What other types of books, mysteries or otherwise, do you love?

I’m very partial to historical novels—I’m finishing Wolf Hall right now, and next on my list is Robert Harris’s latest Ancient Rome thriller. But my favorite author is Faulkner, and I’ve been reading lots of really creepy gothic novels, sometimes with zombies, sometimes not…

Is there a bestselling/award winning author you wished you represented? What do you like about his/her book(s)?

JK Rowling. :) OK, OK, not to go too far astray, I would love to have “found” Donna Leon, whose Venice mysteries I adore, or Umberto Eco, who I find to be both brilliant and at times hilarious. I’m a huge fan of TC Boyle. I briefly had a chance to work with Steve Berry when I was at Writers House, when my boss started to work with him, and he’s a gentleman and a terrific writer, and very generous. But the author I would have loved to work with was Ellen Raskin, who wrote The Westing Game and (and in my mind even better) The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues. Her books helped make me a reader and a mystery lover when I was a kid, and I think her books influence my current taste—knowing, smart mysteries—more than any others. The other author I would have loved to work with was E.B. White.

Social networking is getting a lot of attention as the best way for writers to market themselves. Do you encourage your clients to network this way, and if so, how much time should they invest?

Absolutely. The world has changed and the expectation by publishers is that their authors will come with built-in platforms (a word I never even heard in Business School in the early 90’s!). It’s a way to get word out about the kind of books you write to the specific people you think would be most interested in it. My main advice about it, however, is this: if you are going to blog or have an active Facebook page, then you need to commit to it. You don’t necessarily need a huge essay every day, but if you want your site/blog/Facebook page to get traffic, you need to keep it refreshed. Four of my favorites (not my authors’) are the following:

1) Pub Rants by the agent Kristen Nelson—she gives great information and does so regularly

2) Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind by Sarah Weinman

3) Pulpnoir.com by Charlie Huston

4) The Elegant Variation by Mark Sarvas

Obviously there are many, many more, but these are among the best.

Lately there is a lot of talk about e-books and their impact on the publishing industry. What is your opinion on this subject? Where do you see the industry heading in the next few years?

Do you have several days? I think we are in an unbelievably exciting watershed moment in the world of publishing, and the landscape of the industry is about to change dramatically. The short answer is that in my opinion electronic publishing has the potential to be the most radical fundamental change in the publishing world since the printing press allowed us to mass-produce pamphlets. Whether it’s on Kindle, iPad, cell phone (as they do in Japan) or another, not-yet-developed device, more and more people are going to be reading on electronic devices in the coming year. More still as children, who have grown up with computers, begin to grow up with these devices as normal (as my kids, who received first generation Kindles when my wife and I upgraded, can attest). As with the social media comments above, electronic publishing ought to allow books to find their market. Of course, this is not perfect—browsing the pages in Amazon—no matter how good the algorithms—won’t replicate the thrill of trolling the aisles in a bookstore. And children’s books (particularly picture books) ought to take a long time to catch up electronically, since it’s pretty cold to read Guess How Much I Love You on an iPad to a one year old. And the payout for electronic editions to authors hasn’t hit equilibrium (that’s another whole entry!). But it’ll be hard to imagine a world without electronic books in a much shorter time than we could have imagined. And that—HONESTLY!—isn’t a bad thing.

NUTS AND BOLTS

What are you currently looking for?

1) The female cop/lawyer/doctor a la Patricia Cornwell or Linda Fairstein, both American and set abroad.

2) Historical mysteries and thrillers, both adult and YA

3) Well-written women’s fiction, preferably with some suspense

4) Asian literary fiction.

What is your current turn-around time?

Longer than I’d like (see above). For first response, I’m trying to be within 2 weeks (frequently shorter); for 50’s and manuscripts, I’m often at 2 months or more. I really wish it were less, but it isn’t.

You say you don’t take on any picture book authors. Should a writer who writes both MG/YA and PBs not query you? What happens if one of your MG/YA clients decides to write a PB?

They should definitely query me. I would refer picture books to Carrie, but if I represent you, then you get the whole firm behind you—I might sell the MG novel, Carrie could sell the PB, and Jesseca could sell audio and foreign rights.

Do you mainly work with writers who don't need much editorial input, or do you like to dive in and get your hands dirty?

I think you know the answer to this! While I will gladly take a clean novel in a heartbeat, I typically am a VERY hands-on editor before submitting. I’ve worked on projects for YEARS before submitting them, and I’ve sent a couple out with very few tweaks.

How do you like to communicate with your clients?

I typically communicate more than 75% of the time via email—I am a Blackberry junkie so I try to respond to clients quickly. But I will always set up phone calls at the client’s pleasure. What I—and most agents—try to avoid is unscheduled calls. My day is always packed, so if I want to talk to a client—or vice-versa—I typically set it up via email first, to ensure that I will have the time set aside that the client deserves, rather than having to cut off an unanticipated phone call before it’s run its course.

Anything else you'd like those that query you to know?

The single most important word in publishing is not talent or luck, but patience. Most of the time it takes FOREVER to write a book, then twice-forever to get a representative, and then it’s just the start! As you know, Elissa, editors can take their time to evaluate even a short manuscript. If you look at my comments about workload and magnify them, you get the load of an editor (and he or she is only getting full manuscripts, and all have been picked over by agents!). But while the system is slow and inefficient and, most of the time, unfair, it’s the one we’ve got, and we have to work within it.

QUICK PICKS

Outfield or infield?

Infield

Kermit or Fozzie?

Animal!

Movie Premiere or DVD New Release?

Movie

iPad or Kindle?

I’ll get back to you!

Friday Five

2010-04-09T19:32:00.001-07:00

1. Is it really Friday already?

2. I had a nice email chat with Agent Man last week. I am feeling much better about the status of my submission, since he had some info to share with me that I didn't know. And I am always pleased with how hard he works for me. Go Agent Man!

3. Speaking of Agent Man, he has agreed to do an interview for me, and I will be posting that interview on Monday. It's good stuff, so I'm glad I asked him if he'd be willing.

4. Our MG group blog is coming together nicely. I am so happy about how it is turning out, and how well everyone is getting along. And there are so many people working with me that I have admired for quite some time, so I am grateful that they humor me and let me pretend to run the show. I can't wait to announce our launch date...but it will have to wait a little longer. But hopefully soon! Be watching for the big announcement!

5. Really? It's Friday? What happened to this week? I swear it was just Monday about 20 minutes ago.

Let's Play Six Degrees of Separation: E. L. Konigsburg-style!

2010-04-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I put out the call for other MG authors to help with a blog about MG books. We have now formed (there are nearly 30 of us), and have been hard at work discussing, planning, and dreaming.

And one of our dreams is to get in touch with E. L. Konigsburg.

So we are hoping someone might know someone who knows someone who can send Ms. Konigsburg a message for us. We are hoping she would be willing to give us a quote about what Middle Grade means to her. It would mean a lot to us if she would be willing to send us a short 1-2 sentence quote.

Please put out the word, everyone! If you think you might know someone who might know her, please pass the message on. It will mean the world to us and our readers if we could hear from her.

Please leave a comment below if you think you can help us contact Ms. Konigsburg. It's a long shot, I know, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask.

THANK YOU!

Update on Revision Freakout #1

2010-04-02T21:19:00.001-07:00

Remember Revision Freakout #1?

Well, I just thought you'd all like to know that The Breakthrough came waltzing in today.

(It's about time.)

This Just In...

2010-04-01T11:08:00.001-07:00

...Mother Nature decides to play trickster on April Fools' Day.

It seems that she has ignored the "It's Spring" memo and has dumped a bucket-load of SNOW in every yard in my neighborhood. I had to clean about three inches off the car this morning.

Ha ha. Very funny, Mother Nature. You got me good.

Okay, you can get rid of it now.

Seriously.

Revision Freakout #1

2010-03-30T10:21:00.001-07:00

I'm trying to revise my WIP (translation: failing miserably at it). I have some major revisions I need to tackle, but they are in the middle and near the end of the book. But I keep getting stuck at the beginning of the book because I want to polish before I move any deeper.

I know it's a stall tactic on my part; I'm still not sure how, exactly, I'm going to fix some of those scenes near the back. But I'm also dealing with some PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder for you non-psychologists in the crowd). I shared the first draft (yes, the very first draft) with my agent, who of course said he loved it and then gave me some suggestions of places that needed revisions, which I agreed to tackle next.

But now I'm looking at the manuscript and cringing at how terrible it is. And my agent liked it? *GASP* He must either be lying to me or delusional! Because there is no way this pile of poo I call a manuscript can be loved by anyone other than Oscar the Grouch. He likes garbage. This manuscript is garbage. I should just give it to Oscar and cut my losses.

But on a good note, I normally have a panic attack and doubt myself as I'm trying to figure out how to revise the first draft. So you might say I'm wigging out right on schedule. And next up is The Breakthrough, so I guess I should hold on a little bit longer.

Sorry, Oscar. I'm keeping the manuscript after all.

Now Closed to New Requests for the MG Blog

2010-03-24T13:31:00.001-07:00

I hate to say it, but I've been overrun with requests to join the MG blog. So it is with deep regret that I must close to any new requests at this point.

I am very excited about what we are developing, however, so please check back for details on our official launch.

Thank you, everyone!

Revisions? Or World Domination?

2010-03-23T19:09:00.000-07:00

Shhh, don't tell my agent, but revisions on my WIP have stalled. Some of it has to do with my daughter, who has been a pretty sick little girl (she's much much better now--nearly back to normal, thank goodness) and part of it has to do with a certain little blog idea I had about a week ago. I hope that blog, BTW, is my ticket to world domination.

But I'm sitting down RIGHT NOW to get back to work on my poor, neglected WIP. I mean it. I'm going.

Do you see me going? I'm doing it. I'm moving toward posting this message and turning the computer off. I'm really doing it.

Fine. I'm really going now. Sheesh. You're so pushy.

HOLY COW, MG People!

2010-03-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

Apparently MG people have been waiting for a leader. I have been overwhelmed by requests to join my MG group blog! In fact, it's more than I can count with both hands. HOLY COW! Can I just say how awesome I find this?!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to draw up some plans so we MG people can take over the world...

MG Books Are the New Vampires

2010-03-19T14:30:00.001-07:00

(UPDATE: I've had so many ask to join the blog that I am now closing to requests. I apologize for this, and I wish I could add the whole world, but we need to keep this manageable. However, if there are any openings, we will post them on the blog once it launches. Please check back for details on our official launch date. Thank you everyone!)

Yes. You read that right. I tell everyone that MG books are the new vampires. Why? Because I say so. And since the world has not latched on to this revelation quite yet, I've decided I need to take MG to the masses.

And I might have an idea how to do it....

I've wanted to do this for at least a year, but I think I'm finally in a position where my vague vision can possibly come to fruition. I've already started putting feelers out and--Holy Cow! The preliminary excitement has been much more than I anticipated. So I'm putting out the official call now.

I'm looking for agented/published/well-connected MG people to join me in starting (and maintaining) a group blog strictly for MG readers and writers. I'm not sure exactly what form this blog will take, but if we get enough people together it could easily be The Place for All Things MG. It seems like there is so much geared for the YA people out there, and I'm feeling like we MGers need a little place of our own out there in the cyberworld.

I'd also love to invite the CB people to join us as well. After all, CBs are the little brothers and sisters of MGs.

So far I already have a strong list of agented/pubbed/well-connected people who wish to contribute in some way, so I really think this idea might go somewhere. But I say the more we MGers pool our resources/talents, the better this group blog will be.

If you're interested in contributing, please contact me at elissadcruz at gmail dot com or leave a comment below. I'd like to start a brainstorming session soon with those who would like to have a say in where we take this project.

And spread the word! I know my little blog here doesn't reach most of the MG people out there (hence the need for this group blog idea).

For those interested in following once we get up and running, check back here often for the big announcement. I'm sure it will happen soon!

Go MG!

P.S. In the last week or so I've won three (yes, 3!) contests, so I'd like to point out that I'm on a winning streak. I mention this for those out there who think we need some serious luck to pull this off. I've got luck coming out my ears this week, so any idea I come up with is bound to be a success. Just wanted you to know. ;)

Prizes and More At My Friend's Blog Grand Re-Opening!

2010-03-18T11:48:00.001-07:00

I am a terrible friend, since it took me until today to post this. LJ friend juliakarr has been hosting her blog Grand Re-opening this whole week. I had been waiting for the announcement of her re-opening so I could share it with my readers. And then my kids got sick and I didn't check my LJ friends page and completely missed it until yesterday evening! Sorry sorry sorry, Julia!

Anyway, all week long she's been giving away free books and keeping track of entries for a grand prize drawing to be held Friday. I might just add that I won a book yesterday (me, who never win these kinds of contests!) so I'm sending my lucky vibes along with you.

So go enter for today's book giveaway, an autographed copy of Soul Enchilada by David Macinnis Gill! You'll also be entered into the grand prize drawing tomorrow. So go! Now! Don't wait!

But fair warning, I've entered the contest today too and I'm hoping my winning streak lasts one more day (aka I WANT DAVID'S BOOK TOO).

Say hi to Julia for me!

I'm Still Here...

2010-03-16T13:07:00.000-07:00

...but have no news to report. None whatsoever.

So I've written a poem. It's a terrible poem that will never see the light of day unless I self-publish it, so I'm sharing it here.

Ode to Silence

I sit in my house
As quiet as a mouse.
Waiting for news;
The Yays or the Boos.
But what reaches my ear
Is nothing, I fear.

*bows*

Okay, now back to our regularly scheduled silence.

We Are Here! We Are Here! We Are Here! We Are Here!

2010-03-11T10:18:00.000-08:00

Against my better judgment, I'm going to be a grumpy bug today and blog about something I probably shouldn't.

I'm sure you're wondering what. Well, you'll have to read on to find out.

I know I'm not the only one feeling this way. I also realize there's really no one to blame. Except the economy, maybe. We can always blame the economy.

But the truth of the matter is, the publishing industry, which used to move at glacial speeds, has slowed down even more (if that's possible). Publishers have restructured--in other words, laid off a bunch of people--and editors have had to pick up the slack. To make matters more complicated, plenty of those laid off people have turned to the agent side of the business, so now there are more agents, and, therefore, more agented material going out to those already swamped editors. Agented submissions used to have a turnaround rate of 6 to 8 weeks tops. Now it's 4 to 6 months or more (take mine, for example, which has been on submission since August--yes, August). And the slush pile? I have some writing friends who have been waiting over a YEAR for word on their unsolicited submissions.

And, though I don't really blame anyone (honestly, I don't), I do kinda feel like the Mayor of Whoville from Horton Hears a Who. Those of us on submission keep yelling, "We are here! We are here! We are here! We are here!" But it feels like we're not being heard--or in this case, read.

I keep hoping for that one little "Yopp!" from Jo-Jo that will open the floodgates.

Come on, Jo-Jo. Where are you?

My Social Networking Experiement

2010-03-08T10:32:00.000-08:00

Okay, so most of my readers have probably had time to view the post from Friday, daring you you leave a comment.

What I didn't mention was that I was conducting an experiment. Though, I bet you all probably guessed that. I have very smart readers, you know.

The experiment was to see how many people would actually leave a comment after reading the dare. But I didn't just do this experiment on both my blogs. I also left this same message on my FB wall (I left two messages there, in fact), on Twitter (actually, I tweeted it three times throughout the day), and on my Utah Children's Writers Yahoo! group. And I also dared people from Verla Kay's blueboards to read my blog post though I didn't tell them what it said.

And here's the data I collected on Friday:

THIS BLOG had 32 unique visitors on Friday. Out of those 32 visitors, 4 left a message. Only one blogged about my dare.

MY LJ BLOG had 34 unique visitors on Friday. Out of those 34 visitors, 6 left a message. One left a message saying she would blog about my dare on Monday (today), which she did.

MY FB WALL had...well, I'm not sure how to check those figures. But I have 64 friends so theoretically all of them could have seen the message. Only three commented.

MY TWITTER had...well, again, I'm not sure how to check the figures. But I had 116 followers on Friday who could have seen the three messages I left throughout the day. Two commented, one retweeted.

MY YAHOO! GROUP has a few hundred members. No one left a message there. Though one did click on the link to my blog, but didn't leave a message as far as I could tell.

THE BLUEBOARDS is a bit harder to figure out. There are about 4000 people who are members, and I'm sure a million more who can view the boards, so I really have no idea how many read my message under the "What did you blog about today?" thread. But I had three people from the boards visit on Friday, though not all came from that thread but other threads I've posted on the boards. And since most of my blog friends are also members of the boards, it's hard to tell if any of those people who left a message did so because of reading my post on the boards, or because they routinely read my blog.

So, there you have it. All the data I collected Friday. But what does it tell us?

Well, first of all, it tells us that I am not anywhere near ready to take over the world. (Or is that change the world? I can never remember.) I mean, if only 100 or so people can read my messages, I am clearly not reaching the masses. Those are actually quite pathetic numbers that I hope the rest of you forget as soon as you stop reading this post.

Second of all, I need to work on my inspirational leadership skills. If I can't even get my readers to leave a simple comment, then quite clearly I have not yet figured out how to inspire my followers. (Or is that minions? I can never remember.)

And thirdly, I really don't care a fig about the numbers. I put those here for those of you who like statistics and probability and neat rows of columned numbers. You're welcome.

For me, the real success of my experiment came from what happened in me. You see, when I posted my experiment, I felt a little rush of excitement, and just a bit of recklessness. In fact, I felt like a kid again.

And I can imagine that those who commented felt just a tiny bit of that same nostalgia. Who remembers childhood dares? Anyone? I certainly do. And my little experiment reminded me of those feelings. And that is really what I got out of this experiment. I got in touch with a part of me from those old days. Which is right where I want to be as I get to work on my MG manuscript.

So, thanks everyone, for the successful experiment that helped me get in touch with part of my inner child. Now I dare you to go out and do your own experiment. You'll thank me for it later. (Or is that swear undying loyalty to me as Empress of the World? I can never remember.)

Will You?

2010-03-05T09:44:00.000-08:00

Go ahead, dear blog readers. I dare you to leave a comment below.

And for the really brave people, I dare you to blog, FB, tweet, or send emails telling others about my dare (linking back to this blog post, of course), and then leave a separate comment below telling me you did it.

Go ahead. I dare you.

The Times (and My Blog) They Are A-Changin'

2010-03-04T12:38:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, one of my blueboard friends kindly pointed out my links weren't working on this blog (thanks, gim!). I mean, I had kinda noticed and all, but I didn't think anyone paid attention to that kind of thing.

Well, apparently they do.

So I've downloaded another template and spiffied up the place. Welcome to the new look!

Let's hope this one doesn't have any bugs. Let me know if it does, though, okay?

And in honor of spring, and my new blog look, and all things that are a-changin', I'd like to make an official announcement:

(No, my book has not sold.)

Ahem!

I've decided this bloggy wog of mine needs more than a freshly painted face. SO... (drumroll please)...I'm in the process of revamping the inside as well. This place needs more umph and razzle dazzle, more sparkle and shine. I'm tired of hosting this snoozefest. Instead I want to change the world! (Or is that take over the world? I can never remember.)

So be watching for more meaningful content soon. You know, things that matter. Like contests for free books, guest bloggers who are awesomer than me (yes, awesomer is now an official word--because I say so), and even an interview with Agent Man. If I'm lucky, I might find ways to do more interviews as well, since I love me a good interview. And maybe, just maybe, I'll try that vlog thing. (Scary.)

Did I mention contests for free books? Just making sure.

So spread the word to all your friends and family. Because soon....this is gonna be The Place To Be. Trust me on this.

Contests! Contests! Get Your Free Contest Entries!

2010-03-02T10:14:00.001-08:00

Here's a few contests you should all know about:

1.

My brand new LJ friend ellestrauss is hosting a contest in honor of signing with her agent. She's giving away books to those who guess the correct time she has locked in her time vault. You can read more about it and enter here. Contest is open to US/CAN residents, and ends Sunday, March 14th.

Long time LJ friend karenbschwartz is hosting an inspirational contest. She wants to know what inspires you, and two lucky winners will receive a free book. Read more and enter here. Contest ends Thursday, March 4th, so hurry!

And don't forget March Madness, hosted by denisejaden , shanasilver , ellestrauss , and Jen Hayley ! Though a month long, you will be entered to win some fabulous books there as well. See my previous post here to get the dish on what's happening with this contest.

Cindy Pon is giving away two books, just because. Contest runs through Sunday, March 7th. Contest rules and entry info is here.

Now go enter!

March Madness

2010-03-01T10:28:00.000-08:00

No, not that March Madness. This March Madness...

LJ friend Denise Jaden (and real, live friend, too, since we've actually met in person and had an intelligent conversation over dinner) and some of her writing friends are hosting a writing March Madness. If you need some accountability this month, then sign up and join in the fun! Here's a direct link: http://denisejaden.livejournal.com/44737.html (Oh, I forgot to mention...there will be prizes! Real prizes, like free books!)

I'll try to remember to play along (I'm terrible at checking in, which I gather is part of the accountability thing for this Nano-esque contest). But since I had a lovely chat with Agent Man last week about the first draft of a new book I sent him, I'm ready to do some revising. I'm hoping Denise and Co. can keep me motivated.

Hope to see you there!

Long or Short?

2010-02-26T21:41:00.000-08:00

I'm wondering...which type of post do you prefer reading?

Short and sweet?

Long and lovely?

Who cares about length, as long as it is (fill in the blank)?

As for me, at first glance I prefer the short ones. But then I find myself writing these terribly long posts and I wonder if anyone else scrolls to the end and whines "Oh, maaaan. Not another long-winded writer. I hope this post is worth the read."

(For the record, I know mine are.)

(Don't argue with me on this.) :)

Where Are All the New MG Boy Books?

2010-02-23T15:33:00.000-08:00

I went to the library last night, and while I was there I thought I'd see what books have recently come out that are similar to mine on submission. Though, honestly, I'm not sure where mine fits, exactly. Still, I like to wander the aisles and see if something jumps out at me.

Last night, however, I thought maybe I should get some input from the children's librarian. So I did.

Remind me never to do that again.

Granted, she wasn't the "real" children's librarian, but she said she has been working in the children's section of the library ever since she had been hired. You think she would have picked up a few things. She was very nice and tried to be helpful, but the only books she could tell me about were older bestsellers or the Star Wars books. Apparently those are the only books ever checked out by boys at my library.

I was supremely frustrated. Honestly? There are no fun books for boys other than Ender's Game and Star Wars? Oh, and Percy Jackson was on her list, too. She mentioned a few other fantasies that were nothing like what I had said I was searching for, which were contemporary mysteries and/or funny books. She couldn't think of one that fit my criteria.

So this makes me wonder about my book on subs. It's a light, fun MG mystery for boys with lots of crazy drawings (no, I didn't draw them, I just explained what my MC was drawing). Is there a place for this kind of book? Because I'm sure as heck not finding anything like it on the library shelves. That could be a really good sign, or a really bad one.

Though that could just be my library system.

If any of you know about a book or a series that has come out recently (or will be coming out soon) that fits my mystery or fun(ny) boy book criteria, please share. I should mention that mine is lower MG, so even some great chapter books suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Please prove to me that there are new MG books for boys out there!

Need a Story Idea? Clean Out a Box!

2010-02-22T10:32:00.001-08:00

My in-laws came for dinner yesterday, and my father-in-law called beforehand and asked if he could get copies of all the genealogy I've been working on for him. (Yes, I happen to like researching names of ancestors, even ones not technically mine but my husband's.) He was ready for me to pass the torch, so to speak.

The problem? My files were still in boxes from our move sixth months ago. So before he came I took some time to clean out a few and find the files.

And guess what I found? An old list of story ideas I'd completely forgotten about. And I also found the beginning of a story (I write a lot of those, and they can usually be found in the middle of one of the million or so cheap spiral bound notebooks I have floating around my house), and luckily the beginning showed some real promise.

And that's real treasure, I tell you. Especially since lately I've been struggling to find a great story idea. Hooray for ideas that come in boxes!

February: The Madness

2010-02-18T13:55:00.001-08:00

I am so thankful that I have survived The Onslaught That Is February. True, Feb. isn't over yet, but half of the craziness is, and I'm always glad to be over the hump. Let me explain...

In February this year I have:

My brother-in-law's birthday (9th)
My kids' homeschool group which meets at my house (12th)
Valentine's Day (14th)
My extended family birthday party (14th)
My dad's birthday (16th)
My older daughter's birthday (17th)
My cub scout pack's blue and gold banquet--I am the MC and in charge of preparations as well (17th)
My birthday (19th)
My grandmother's birthday (20th)
My older daughter's birthday party (20th)
My husband's extended family birthday party (21st)
My wedding anniversary (23rd)
My kid's homeschool group at my house (26th)
My younger daughter's birthday (technically the 29th but celebrating on the 28th this year)

And it is like this EVERY year. Oy. Like I said, I'm really grateful to hit the middle mark every February.

I am also grateful that I finished the first working draft of my manuscript last month instead of trying to fit it in during The Madness. Tomorrow my agent is calling to discuss the revisions for that manuscript and to talk about the next project I hope to start after The Madness is over.

Now I'm going to go and sit on the couch for the rest of the day. It's practically the only day I have to veg until March, and I'm taking advantage of it.

Oh, crap. I just remembered I've got to get to work on those decorations for my daughter's birthday party. Looks like veg time is already over.

Sigh.

The Winter Olympics and My Book

2010-02-15T12:26:00.000-08:00

Like 95% of the nation, I have been dealing with a nasty cold over the weekend (okay, I just made that percentage up, but it certainly describes my household). I've been doing a lot of sitting on the couch, staring at the TV (yes, it's been tuned into the Olympics since Friday night) and wishing my head would stop floating away from the rest of my body.

But just because I haven't been writing doesn't mean I haven't been working on my next WIP. I've done some serious thinking about what I should work on next, and my writing career in general. I can't say that I've made a decision, but I'm getting closer to making one.

(Hey, I've been dealing with a cold, remember? Making decisions is really hard when your body would prefer to take a nap.)

But it's amazing how, in those few lucid moments, you can get a clear picture of where your future lies, and the path you need to take to get there. And my vision was incredibly strong. I now know where my life is supposed to be headed.

Yes, I now know I am meant to become a Gold Medal winner of a Winter Olympic sport.

Okay, so maybe that was the cold talking.

But in all seriousness, I did find quite a bit of inspiration from all the Olympic spirit going around. And the one I'm clinging to the most is the idea that there are always those who emerge from the ashes of defeat in previous Winter Games and go on to find a place on the podium.

I'm feeling a little bit like these Olympians. No, I'm not in the best shape of my life and plan on heading out to the slopes or the skating rink any time soon. But on a writing level, I'm right there with them. Though I really haven't had any defeat (I'm still on submission, so it's like I'm still right in the middle of the competition), but I see all these other writers getting a book deal (and in many cases, their second or third or fourth deal) and it's hard not to think that it means there is one less place on the publisher's list for my little book.

But I do believe that someday, somewhere, I'll find a place on that podium, too. It may be the smaller in stature but larger in surface area Podium of Published Authors and not the elite Podium of NYT Bestsellers (though, confession: I do have delusions of grandeur everyone once in awhile), but I plan on getting there someday. Someday soon.

And by soon, I mean this year if things fall nicely into place. And if not, in the next year to two or three or four--since that's still soon in publishing terms. I'd love it to be the little book on subs now (and, editors, if you're reading this, so would a lot of other complete strangers who have read the first page on my contest win--I'm just sayin'...) but I'm ready to write another one and another one and another one until one of them clicks.

So, published authors everywhere, save me a little corner of the podium, okay?

Thanks. I'll be joining you soon, relatively speaking.

A Late (and Somewhat Embarrassing) Friday Five

2010-02-05T21:58:00.001-08:00

1. I'm between projects right now and I feel a little lost. Like I'm floating on a lake without a paddle. (Which, by the way, I've never actually done in real life. Been in a boat on a lake, but always with a paddle. We did drop a paddle once, though, but since there was a second paddle in the boat we were easily able to grab the first and get back to shore.) I think I need to learn how to enjoy life, since I'm always complaining about how hard the work is when I am writing something, and now I'm complaining about not having something to work on even though I'm deliberately taking a small break before diving into the next project.

2. Today my kids sat down and watched the first four episodes of this season's The Biggest Loser. I'm not going to bring up how many hours that meant my kids sat in front of the TV watching someone else exercise instead of getting up and exercising themselves. (In their defense, they did work out with my husband earlier in the day when he did is Total Body Workout DVD.) And I'm also not going to bring up the fact that I watched it with them. (Hey, I did my workout today, too.)

3. Speaking of tv...last night I thought it would good for my boys and I to watch something "educational" together on the television before heading off to bed. So I turned on a documentary about South Africa. Of course, the documentary decided to film the Zulu reed dance, which, if you didn't know this (I certainly didn't before watching the show) means that all the Zulu girls show up to the dance COMPLETELY NAKED ON TOP. Doh! *Smacks forehead* Yes, our "educational experience" included frontal nudity. #parentfail

Don't worry, folks, I played it cool. "Gah! Don't look!" I screamed as I covered my own eyes.

4. I haven't watched this much TV in one week in a very long time. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking that not a lot of tv might be the right choice for me. Because apparently me picking the tv shows is not a good idea (see #3 above). Getting back into another writing project will be a good thing, in more ways than one (see #1 and [again] #3 above).

5. All this downtime has been good for one thing, though. I think I've come up with a good design idea for my website. I'm slowly learning the coding end of things and building a site from the ground up. Now I've got to switch gears and do the design part for awhile. I'm looking forward to seeing if my idea works.

The Query Letter That Got Me an Agent (Well, Kinda)

2010-02-03T00:54:00.000-08:00

Some friends of mine from the Verla Kay blueboards asked if I would mind posting the query letter I used to get my agent.

Well, yes and no, I said.

You see, I do have a query letter, but it didn't get me my agent. Not really.

The story goes like this: my agent requested my full manuscript from a contest win, but he asked if I would send a query letter with it. Well, the query letter I had been using was...well, frankly, it was terrible. So I rewrote it, asked for some feedback from my blueboard buddies and my crit partner, tweaked it a million times, then sent it WITH the full manuscript. I know, that's all backwards, but bear with me...

While I waited for my agent to read the manuscript from the contest win, I decided to send out the new and improved query letter to some of the other agents on my list. And I got quite a few requests for the full manuscript. So I guess it was good enough to get noticed, even if I ended up signing with the agent who didn't request the full manuscript because of this query.

I should note here: I am not great at queries. I really had a lot of help from those more talented than I. Really, they should be the ones to get credit for this query letter. Seriously.

Okay, so here is my query letter in all its glory:

Dear Mr. Getzler,

Matthew Howell knows three things about solving mysteries:

1) Keep your eyes open.
2) Ask lots of questions.
3) Draw fast.

But people don’t always appreciate his lightning-quick pen and his talent for drawing. Take the new kid, Derek, for example. He’s tall and thin and stiff as a tree when he plays baseball, and Matt can’t stop his fingers from sketching. And the crusty old custodian is skin and bones—the perfect inspiration for a creepy skeleton drawing, complete with overalls and a chain of keys. The sketches drive his dad crazy, make Derek his enemy, and nearly give him a permanent seat in detention.

Knowing how to draw has its advantages, though. He notices little details that nobody else can see, and he figures out Derek's missing lefty baseball glove was swiped by accident by a right-handed player. Then he proves the custodian was framed when his skeleton drawing contradicts the real culprit's story of what the old man was wearing during the crime. Too bad everyone focuses on the not-so flattering drawings instead of Matt’s detective skills. But when his best friend, Joey, has his set of ultra-collectible action figures stolen right out of the classroom, Matt knows he may be the only one who can solve the crime. He sets out to help his friend and prove his artistic talent is good for something after all.

My 17,750-word middle-grade mystery, The Crime Sketcher Case Files, will appeal to boys, mystery lovers, and anyone who likes to draw. I have had one poem accepted for publication in the Friend Magazine. This is a simultaneous submission.

Thank you for judging the Secret Agent Contest and offering to read my full manuscript. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Elissa Cruz

A few things about this query:

I did remember to change the name of the agent when I queried other agents. Just so you know.
And I took out the part about judging the contest when I queried other agents, too.
You'll notice the word count. The manuscript now (out on submission as we speak) is a little higher at nearly 20K. But, yes, this is a short short short book. It just goes to show you that word count isn't as important as a good story. (Though I'll let you know if any editor asks for more length.)
You'll also notice I have little to no professional credits to my name. Again, it just goes to show you that professional credits aren't as important as a good story.
I had lots of help getting this query into shape. (Trust me. The first query letter I sent out was atrocious.) So make sure you show your query to your critique buddies. If you don't have critique buddies, find some.
And please don't ask me to be your query crit buddy. I'm seriously terrible at critting query letters. It's a miracle I could whip this one into shape. Like I said before, I had a LOT of help...because I needed it.

I hope this query letter is useful to some of you. I know I appreciated seeing sample query letters when I was trying to write this one. And, as an added bonus, you can view the first page of the manuscript here (straight from the contest that got my agent's attention in the first place). Hope it helps, too!

Good luck!

Writing Humor for Kids

2010-02-01T13:28:00.001-08:00

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I would dearly love to be considered a funny person. And being considered a funny author would be even better.

So I’ve been thinking about what it takes to write humor for kids. There’s got to be more to it than adding the word “underwear” somewhere in the book, right?

Today I thought I’d share my personal take on what it takes to be funny. I mean, my personal take on what it means to write funny things. I mean…er, oh…whatever. Just read on.

WHAT IS HUMOR?

Have you ever thought about the definition of humor? What is humor, anyway? This is such a hard thing to define, since what is humorous to one person might not be humorous to another. For example, I find it hilarious to contemplate the idea of two twin four-year-old boys snorkeling in a very large bowl full of milk. Their mother, on the other hand, wouldn’t find that the least bit hilarious. (BTW, I have no idea if that has ever happened in real life. But maybe someday you’ll get to read about it, since that is a scene in my unfinished humorous novel about a homeschooling family, titled [for now] Life is a Mess.)

So what is humor? The very best definition I have ever come across was given by my mentor (and all around funny author guy), Rick Walton. He says:

Humor is surprise without threat or promise.

I won’t go into great detail to explain what he means, but basically humor is something that surprises us, but doesn’t threaten us or promise anything. For example, Rick states, if someone pulled a gun on you, it would certainly be a surprise, but it wouldn’t be funny. And if Publishers Clearing House showed up on your doorstep and offered you a million dollars, it would be a surprise but you probably wouldn’t find it hilarious. I suggest you read his essay, What Is Humor?, if you want a more detailed explanation . It’s a great article, so read it. Seriously. (Sorry. There had to be something serious in this article about being funny. But now that we’ve got that out of the way…)

WRITING HUMOR

Now that we know what humor is, we should all be able to sit down and write copious amounts of it, right?

Wrong.

There is so much more to writing humor. From my research*, I’ve compiled a list of the three most important things you need to know about writing humor for kids.

1. The most important thing about writing humor is: rewriting. As far as I could tell, most writers who are hilarious said that their humor doesn’t come out in the first draft as much as it does during the revision process. So if what you are writing isn’t funny enough, keep rewriting it until it is.

For example, let’s take my snorkeling in milk idea above. Let’s say the first draft the boys just pulled the milk out of the fridge and dumped it on the floor. That would have been an okay scene, but not nearly good enough to tickle my funny bone. So, in revision, let’s say I decide to add something surprising (the snorkeling gear and a large bowl), and voila! Instant humor.

2. Pacing is VITAL to a funny story. I’m betting that those who are naturally good at pacing may have an easier time being funny. But since there is no empirical evidence on that, I can’t say for sure. On the other hand, for the most part I’m pretty good with pacing, so I’m hoping in this case I’m right. That would be a good sign for my chances at making it as a funny author, anyway.

Most people aren’t funny because they haven’t perfected their pacing, not because their ideas aren’t funny. For example, Dave Barry mentioned in an interview I read that people either a) take forever to get to what is supposed to be funny, or b) get to it then say it over and over again and never let it go. He says the best way to be funny is to not let the reader see what is coming, then hit them over the head with it, then get out of there fast and go on to something else the reader doesn’t see coming. I’m not going to give an example, because that would mean I would have used my snorkeling in milk concept one too many times and it wouldn’t be funny anymore (see b above). Yep. I’m thinking like a funny person now.

3. Know your audience. No, this doesn’t mean you should go out and get a degree in psychology and early childhood development. But you should have a basic understanding of what each age group finds funny. And sometimes that can be the hardest part when writing for children. I suggest you ask kids what they find funny. You might be surprised at what you learn. (Though I suggest you be careful with this. There is a slight chance that they will say something that not only isn’t funny but doesn’t even make sense. For example, my six-year old told me that he thought a story about a boy going on a trip and breaking his fork would be hilarious. I’m still scratching my head over that one.)

ONE MORE WORD OF ADVICE

Don’t take yourself too seriously when writing humor for kids. I never take myself seriously, and that seems to be working for me. Seriously**.

Now get to work, funny people!

*My research consisted of slogging through a bunch of articles that weren’t nearly as funny as they should have been. You are so lucky to have me translating them for you. You’re welcome.

**Oops. Sorry. That second serious bit slipped into this article while I wasn’t looking. My bad.

It is Finished

2010-02-01T11:39:00.001-08:00

The first draft of my WIP, that is.

*bows and waits for applause*

The End of a Great Pity Party

2010-01-31T17:12:00.001-08:00

Well, now that the SCBWI NY conference is officially over, it's time for our pity party to come to an end.

I had a great time. You know what they say...misery loves company. And I enjoyed whining with all of you. Really.

I was going to give out individual awards, but I'm too depressed about missing the conference to ~~think them up~~ award them. So you've all earned the coveted Pity Party Participant Award instead. I hope you can find a good use for it. I hear it's great as a bookend.

And if you join us next time, you'll have a complete set (because, as depressing as it may sound, I will most likely not be at the next conference either, so I'll be hosting another pity party then).

Until next time, nobodies!

Our Pity Pary is in Full Swing!

2010-01-29T17:11:00.001-08:00

What have we missed?

Well...

The writers'/illustrators' intensives, of course.

Not that I would actually go to it if I was at the conference (mostly because of the extra $$$ it would cost), but still...

On a happy but completely unrelated note, I am very very very very close to finishing a working first draft of my WIP. Like, I-should-be-done-this-weekend very very close. Wahoo!

Okay, back to hanging out at the pity party...

Hey, Jealousy

2010-01-28T13:04:00.001-08:00

Yes, I see you. Hiding back there in the corner of my mind.

Well, stop it. Quit lurking and go away.

Yes, I know that Writer A just got a new book contract. And I know that Writer B just got his/her editorial letter. And you don't need to remind me that Writer C just shared his/her book cover with the world.

I'm trying not to think about it, so stop reminding me.

Now, shoo. I'm trying to be productive. But you are eating away at my confidence, and I don't like it. Yeah, I know my book has been out on submission for awhile without much to show for it. But I don't need you whispering in my ear about that book deal you just heard about from that publisher I had high hopes from, though the deal was for another book and not mine.

I'm certain that some editor somewhere is gonna LOVE my book. So there.

Don't smile at me like that. It's unnerving.

Yes, I'm talking to you, Jealousy. I don't need you here, so go.

Now.

(Good riddance. I never did like that guy.)

It's Time For Another PITY PARTY!

2010-01-22T16:54:00.000-08:00

In about a week, all the somebodies in the kidlit world will be basking in glow of all the really big somebodies at the 2010 SCBWI National Winter Conference in New York.

Sadly, I am STILL a nobody.

Therefore, it's time for another pity party. (FYI, you can see our first pity party here, which I only hosted on my LJ blog. This time I'm hosting here as well.) Please come join me, all you lovely nobodies! This week we will be sitting on our couches at home, eating bon bons while we allow small sighs (and even a few tears) to escape as we think about all the fun we are missing.

And, of course, at my pity parties I like all of us to know exactly what we are missing. So, here's all the links I could find, so we can weep and wail together.

The Official 2010 SCBWI Winter Conference Website: the official place we can check in to see what the somebodies have planned.
The SCBWI Official Blog: here we can get up-to-the-minute info on everything we are missing.
Twitter Search: in case you want to follow the somebodies tweeting about the fine time they are having while we are left at home.
The Conference Schedule: so we can know at any given hour what the somebodies are learning without us.
The Faculty: all the really big somebodies

I hope you'll all show up to my pity party. There WILL be awards, you know! If you don't believe me, check out our first official Pity Party awards. (Sure, they are useless, nobody awards, but they are OUR useless, nobody awards.)

Those were good times. Good times.

Anyway, check in anytime this week and leave a comment about what you are particularly upset about missing. As for me, gee. I would really really really like to be there to hear Libba Bray and Jane Yolen speak (Jane Yolen, if you must know, is a late addition and isn't on the schedule, but you'll hear all about it if you check out SCBWI's blog). That and I'd like to see New York at least once before I die. So I'm totally whining about the fact that the conference is in NY. *pouts*

Enjoy the pity party, everyone!

Update on Magic Under Glass

2010-01-21T12:28:00.000-08:00

This just in:

Bloomsbury is rejacketing Jackie's cover of her book.

They issued this remark on their website:

"Bloomsbury is ceasing to supply copies of the US edition of Magic Under Glass. The jacket design has caused offense and we apologize for our mistake. Copies of the book with a new jacket design will be available shortly."

That was fast.

Magic Under Glass Controversy

2010-01-20T14:25:00.000-08:00

Most of you have probably already heard the controversy over Bloomsbury's whitewashing of the cover of Justine Larbalestier's book, Liar. And most of you have probably heard that Bloomsbury has done it again with Jaclyn Dolamore's book, Magic Under Glass.

I just had a few thoughts about this.

My first thought was, "What the heck?" I guess I've always been a little clueless about racial issues. I think I've just assumed that everyone was equal, and treated others as such. I don't remember ever thinking that someone of a different race was inferior in any way to me. So, seriously? This is still a problem? How sad.

The next thought is the real reason I'm posting this. I've seen others reply to this controversy by swearing to boycott Bloomsbury AND Jackie's book.

All I can say is, please don't. This isn't Jackie's fault, and you'll only hurt her. That seems counterproductive, since she's the victim here. So, instead, go out and buy the book. Then write a scathing letter to Bloomsbury. Or sign a petition. Or blog about the unfairness of it all. But please don't boycott Jackie's book. Jackie deserves our support, not our censure.

I don't know Jackie personally, but I can imagine how difficult this must be for her. Here's my public show of support for her and her book.

Go buy it. Seriously.

(Okay, off my soapbox.)

(I would also like to add that I am not judging Bloomsbury in any way here. I don't know what went on behind closed doors, nor do I really understand all that goes into choosing covers for books. While I don't agree with racism in any form, I'm willing to give the publisher the benefit of the doubt. I just wanted to make that clear. I mostly wanted to make it known that I really empathize with Jackie and want to make sure she's not the one getting the short end of the stick here, so to speak.)

What's Next For Me

2010-01-19T12:39:00.000-08:00

Late last night, while sitting down for my nightly writing session, I suddenly realized how close I am to finishing this draft. Sure, it's a whole pile of craptastic words, but they are MY craptastic words, every single one of them. I had originally planned on finishing the draft at the end of October (and we don't need a math wizard to figure out how far behind my original deadline I am), so I'm glad to finally see the end.

Well, the end of this round, anyway. I've already started compiling a list of things I need to fix in this manuscript. But right now I just want to get to THE END so I can send the craptastic file off to my agent (so he can point out the craptasticness to me) and I can get to work on a totally new project and let this one sit for awhile.

And what is this new project, you ask?

Beats me.

I've been thinking about reviving my YA ghost mystery, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to do it justice yet. I've also thought about revisiting my steampunk sci-fi fantasy adventure I wrote last year, and taking out the steampunk...and the sci-fi...and the fantasy...okay, and the adventure, too. In other words, I'd pretty much just keep the characters. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that project either.

So I might start something completely different.

Maybe I'll go with that idea I wrote in my Writing for Lazy People series. You know, the one where Mr. Toad eats some magic beans and becomes the Tooth Fairy's assistant.

Yeah. That'll work.

So, how do you decide what to write next?

Bananas and Tube Socks

2010-01-12T20:14:00.000-08:00

I wanted to make this post sound more exotic than it really is. So I opted for the intriguing title, "Bananas and Tube Socks." Made you look, didn't it?

I actually have nothing important to share. I have no news on the manuscript front, at least. And unless you care to know my husband has a business trip coming up soon and is heading out with his work buddies and leaving me home with the kids, I have nothing to report on the home front, either.

In other words, my life is just about as exciting as bananas and tube socks.

But I got to thinking that sometimes I prefer bananas and tube socks to, say, mangoes and pantyhose. Sometimes I long for the excitement that mangoes and pantyhoes bring (which, I might add, has been a particular problem of mine lately, at least on the manuscript front), but then I remember that bananas and tube socks do provide me with a full belly and warm toes.

And aren't warm toes and a fully belly all we really need?

So, I hope that when the rest of you find yourselves wondering where the mangoes and pantyhose are, just don't forget that you still have bananas and tube socks. And be grateful for the company while you wait for the mangoes and pantyhose to arrive.

I know I am. Well, I'm trying to, at least.

Do We Need Another Post on Plotting vs. Pantsing?

2010-01-06T11:52:00.000-08:00

Why, yes. Yes we do.

Late last night and the night before (9:30pm-11:30pm MST both nights)(okay, so that's not really late..it just felt like it) I spend my writing sessions straightening out the kinks in my WIP. It was giving me a headache and seriously ruining my chances of a good hair day (see this post on my LJ blog for more details).

Anyway, as you'll all recall, I am very much a pantser. However, in an attempt to try something--ANYTHING!--to help get my WIP back on course, I sat down and outlined what I've already written.

And, you know what? It really really really really helped. There might just be something to this plotting thing.

But I did realize that I absolutely cannot write an outline FIRST. First I must do some exploring. I usually write the opening scene, so I can get a feel for who the MC is and where the story takes place, then I hop around the manuscript, writing scenes that fit with the very vague plot I've thought up before I sit down to write.

And that usually leaves me with a huge rat's nest of scenes that don't really fit together or make any sense. And it usually happens when I'm only about half-way through the story. I have a serious problem with muddled middles.

So, from now on, this is where the plotting will come in for me. Once I've explored to my heart's content, I can sit down and outline all the scenes I have finished. Then I can piece them together, much like a puzzle, and figure out what is missing and what needs to change to fit the rest of the story. Then I can finish the rest of the first draft.

I know, it doesn't make sense. But it works....for me.

Happy plotting/pantsing/whatever, people!

How To Be More Creative (or If You Snooze, You Lose, So Use Your Muse)

2010-01-01T14:12:00.001-08:00

Since it's the beginning of a new month, a new year, and a new decade, I'm sure there are lots of you out there thinking about the future. You're probably making new plans to better yourself somehow, so I'm here to help.

But what could I possibly impart to you that will help you with all your new plans? Not much, I confess. But lately I've been bumping up my creativity levels, so I thought I could share with you some pointers on how you, too, can be more creative (or find your muse, if that's what you like to call it).

1. Learn to Let Go

I don't know about the rest of you, but I like being in control of things. That's what we adults do best. But being creative requires a bit of flexibility. So learn to let go a little. And don't expect perfection, either. Being creative and being perfect aren't very good companions. At least, not when you first pair them together. So, let go and enjoy the process.

2. Experiment

Creativity comes in many forms. It could be sculpting or painting, drawing or etching glass. It could be sewing or crocheting, knitting or doing needlepoint. It could be writing poetry or novels, essays or love letters. It could be playing an instrument or singing, dancing or songwriting. It could be magic tricks, or basket weaving, or landscaping the garden. Experiment until you find what works for you.

3. Start Young, Stay Young

Young children are masters at creativity. They attack their creations with reckless abandon. And it's been said that those who are creative when young tend to be creative when they are older. So it's a good idea to start when you're young. (It's a less painful place to start, anyway.)

But that doesn't really help those who aren't still children, does it? So for the rest of you, find your inner child and learn how to feel young again. Find a way to stay young when you're being creative, and you'll have a whole lot more fun that if you try to be a stuffy adult.

5. Try, Try Again

Creativity doesn't come easily, especially to those who haven't exercised it in a while. So don't give up if you can't think of something to paint, or aren't sure which type of basket you are going to learn to weave, or you're staring at an empty page instead of the poem you intended to write. Creativity takes practice, so keep trying. Eventually you'll thank yourself. And you'll have a finished product you can be proud of, too.

6. Have Fun

If you aren't having fun, then what's the point?

May your year be filled with lots of creativity, and may your muse visit you soon! Happy New Year, everyone!