More About Agents

You can probably tell this is something I am very concerned about at this time in my writing career. It is time for me to think seriously about whether I want an agent or not.

Chip MacGregor, who is an agent, has a good newsletter. The last two have been about agents and I am sure there are more. I know he will be answering more questions in his next issue. He tells you where to go to find out more about agents. Go to www.chipmacgregor.com and sign up for his newsletter.

I am looking for an honest agent. That is high on my priority list. I also want someone who will give me honest advice and not sugar coat it. If they are not trying to sell my book, let me know. I have heard Chip say before if you and he do not get along, go to someone else you like better and he won't hold you to him. That impresses me about any agent. I don't think I could work with someone I could not get along with.

The best way to meet agents is to go to conferences. Yes, it is expensive, but, honey, you don't get anything for free. These agents won't hear about your book on the grapevine and come to you, you have to find them. 

Those television commercials that tell you they made $5000 dollars a month working part-time, the key word is "work." They worked to get it, it was not handed to them. Writing is the same way. If you want to be recognized, you have to work. Go to conferences, meet people, network with authors, learn about publishing houses, enter contests and get to know agents. It is hard work and it costs money, but start saving and do it. You will not regret it. 

I'm a planner. I plan my day either the night before or the minute I get out of bed. I know what I need to do and I try to do it. I know when I want to have my novel polished and ready for an agent or publisher. I am trying to work as hard as I can to accomplish my desires. I'm not dreaming, I am working.

Talking Aboout Agents

There is a lot of talk about agents and whether to have one or not. Some of my author friends are doing fine without an agent and some want an agent. My husband and I have discussed this several times. We both see the advantages of an agent, a good agent.

Yes, you do have to give them a percentage of what you make on a contract and your royalties. On the other hand, they advise you and can get into the door of a publisher better than a writer can, especially a first time writer. There are many pros and cons and I would like to discuss some of them.

First of all you want an agent that will help you grow your business. Not only will they get your manuscript to the right people, but they should help you with other areas of your business. 

You want an agent who is respected in the industry. I have heard a lot of horror stories about agents and on the other hand I have heard wonderful stories about them. Some about the same agent. We all have different personalities and can work with different people better. I would suggest everyone get to know several agents at conferences. One will stand out in your mind and you will be drawn to that person. If you read the ACFW loops, you will get an idea about which agents are better than others.

Is the agent friendly or only talks to certain people? I've seen that happen that some agents have certain groups that they want to talk to. To me, I want an agent that is outgoing with everyone. They are friendly and willing to take a moment to listen to you. I had one agent that seemed enthralled with what I was telling them about my book. That agent had good listening skills. I want an agent like that.

Can the agent offer you anything other than selling your book? Can they help you with good advice about further books? Do they encourage you to go out of your box with promotions? Are they really interested in your book selling or do they just want a paycheck themselves? I want someone who can help me. As a first time writer, I need help. I have found it in other authors and writers, but when it gets down to an agent, I want someone who believes in me and can take my interests at heart.

Do they read your proposal? A good agent will read it, I believe. I may be wrong, but I hope and pray that they do. Can they make suggestions? I live on suggestions and comments from other people. Some people can say one word that will make a difference in your journey. 

When it comes time for that contract, will the agent explain the contract to you. Will they see that there is no mumbo-jumbo in the contract and that everything is legal? I want someone to explain what I don't understand.

Does the agent list their clients on their web site? I like to see who this person represents. I want to know who is associated with that person. I may want to ask them a question. 

As I draw nearer to the agent game, I am thinking more about these questions. I want an agent that will work with me and do the best for me. I want one who is concerned about me as a person. I want someone I can talk to and they will listen.

Another Day of Editing

This is a wonderful day here, but not for some people in other parts of the country. My son and his family are one of those stuck in the ice with no electricity or phone service. I'm doing a  lot of praying as any mother would. I did talk to him last night and they are warm so far, but the temperature dropped to 22 degrees this morning. I've been watching the Weather Chanel to get the latest updates on Paducah, Kentucky. I also have relatives in southern Indiana and they are iced in as well. 

It is raining here and was 58 degrees. That is such a difference from other areas. We will get the cold later today. I have food and a warm house, so I'm not worried.

Today I will be working on more of my novel. I find editing very slow work. Just like everything else, it has to be done. It is so amazing how you can change words to make the thoughts better. When I see the finished product, or finished so far, I am pleased and excited that I have come this far.

I have a wedding to put in the last of the book and I know in that era the bride did not wear white. She most likely dressed as she would going to church. I've found some dresses they would have worn and I have a good idea what my bride will wear. In the frontier, it is completely different. The wedding would have been much more simpler than in a city or town. When you are several miles from civilization, you learn to make do. Food would have been turkey, venison or pheasant. That sounds rich for us today, but there was and still is an abundance of those animals and birds in the area. 

I like the idea of a chivalry. The wedding guests would have followed the couple home and then amused themselves outside their house with songs, beating on wash pans, and a lot of loud noises. When the newly weds brought food out to them, they would eat and leave them alone. From what my father told me, it was more fun for the guests than the couple inside of the house. 

I'm getting ahead of myself by talking about that, but it was a part of the frontier. It is interesting to read about things they did to amuse themselves.

Another Good Day to Write

It's raining and we do need it. Rainy days are good days for me to write or read. Since I am re-writing my edit, I need to write. It is slow going. 

Yesterday I rewrote the ending of my first chapter. I didn't like it all along, but no one had ever pointed it out to me except the person that is editing my novel. I think I made it stronger and more mature. It's the first time the heroine sees her true love. That should be special shouldn't it? That is what I tried to make it be. 

Can you imagine seeing your true love for the first time and you had been on the trail for six weeks? From what I have read, they did stop and take baths and wash clothes during their trek to the frontier. If they didn't they would be a smelly mess. I can't imagine what it would have been like if the first time I saw my husband I had not had a bath in weeks. Learning about how they lived has made me appreciate my warm shower in the mornings and my washing machine.

We are a pampered bunch. We whine about things now that we should be thankful we have. I appreciate my top of the line stove. I can cook fast with a stove top that cools down quickly. I also have a convection oven that I love, plus a warming oven. You can't beat that. I don't think I could cook very long in a fireplace. My food would probably be burned or half cooked.

Soon after I married, we stayed with my husband's grandfather while his parents took a little trip. My mother-in-law cooked on a wood stove and I had never been around one, so it was an experience. I remember Granddaddy Bob saying, "I always did like my biscuits white on top." That was good because they never did brown. My first and last time cooking on a wood stove.

Well, I need to start chapter two and get it finished today. I hope there are not so many red comments, but I'm afraid there probably are. I am improving so much with my writing. It is a wonderful experience and I love it.

Writers Groups

For several years, I have been a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers. It is an organization that encourages and supports Christian authors and writers. I don't think I could write and not be a part of this group. Their support and information cannot be explained in mere words. They are our support group, our information channel, our shoulder to cry on and anything you can think about.

Soon after I joined this group, I started looking for groups in my area. There were no Christian groups and since my mind does not know the words that secular writers use, I didn't think I wanted to be exposed to those words. I am much happier in a Christian setting. I don't want my mind cluttered with language I can't use at church and in front of my family.

Since there was no one in my area, I put out the word on one of our loops to see if there was anyone in this area. There was and we started our own group. So far most of our members are members of the ACFW, but since we are in the planning stage, we are not that picky.

We had a very interesting meeting Saturday, and we are making plans for more meetings to come. It is exciting to be a part of something where we all have the same goals, to write clean, decent literature. These ladies are an encouragement to me. They are young and full of energy. They have a glow in their eyes when they talk about what they are writing. It's almost like them telling about their first love. To watch them is very exciting and rejuvenating. It was a very exciting day.

We're Having a Heat Wave

The south is not supposed to be cold! Last week we were three degrees and it was COLD! Today it is supposed to be close to sixty degrees. That is a big difference. I did find out one thing. When it is really, really cold, I can't write. It was warm in my house, but I think my brain was frozen.

I did whine a little to a friend in northern Ohio. She had no pity for me since she was living with a -25 degrees. For us in Tennessee three is cold.

My writing was slow yesterday due to another accident I had. I am accident prone and I tripped over a rug and fell into my kitchen. I landed on my bad knee and my shoulder. I also hit my mead on a coat rack. My head hurt most of the afternoon and my knee was swollen. Today I am sore, no bruises showing yet and I do have a headache. I've taken Tylenol and I should feel better in a few minutes.

In re-writing yesterday, I did find I was using a lot of the same words. I do try to watch, but then I get lazy and forget to catch everything. That is why you have critique partners and editors. 

I've tried to use those talking machines, but I am not technical and I can never get it to work. I put one on my computer and never could get the little fellow to read my novel. I must be doing something wrong. I do want to try again to see if I can get it to work. It will help with my writing.

I don't think I have written much about determination. I am a firm believer that if you are determined to do something and work hard to do it, that it will happen. Working in the right way is important.

I hear a lot of people say they have written several books, but none are published. They continue to get rejections. Rejections can be discouraging or they can be an encouragement. They are a learning tool. The letters tell you what you can do to improve. Determination comes next. Are you going to use all the tools you have available to make yours the best book ever, or are you going to wallow in your defeat? Personally, I'm going to use everything I can to make this the perfect book.

It's not cheap to succeed. We get nothing free in this world. If you want to succeed, you need to find a good editor to read your book and show you what you need to do to improve. I have found editors to be kinder than critique partners. I've laughed at some of the notes that my editor gives me. She shows me in a nice way what I can do to improve. I don't think she has ever said, "Don't do this" or "Don't do that." She has shown me in a positive way that I understand. Then comes the Flip Dictionary to find a better word. I don't know how anyone writes without a Flip Dictionary. It is so useful.

I need to make up for lost time and get busy. I'm still enjoying my "work." I don't think I can call this work. It is so much fun. I am praying that my book will be ready to send to a publisher before the end of this year. Then you can all read it.

Self-Edits

Right now I am in the middle of a self-edit. No, I am not editing myself, which would be a good idea, but I am going through my novel and making it stronger.

Yesterday I talked about characterizations and how we need to notice people. That has been brought home to me more than once. When you are writing, you also want to bring the reader into the book by using our senses. Did the character smell something, touch something, see something, hear something? Remember this is a real person to you.

That is what I am doing now. I have finished the first draft, so to say. With 79,500 words already written, I am able to add more words by giving more detail. This is wonderful and I am enjoying bringing them to life for the reader.

If you are writing, remember to put this in your book. I realize not everyone writes, but if you write a blog you want it to be interesting. If you blog as a scrapbooker, the feel of the paper is important. At lease it is for me if it has fibers in it or other things you can feel. There is more to say about things than we realize. 

I have learned so much in the last few weeks. Now I am anxious to finish with this edit. I have finished most of my house work today so I can write. The only thing I have to do is read the Bible for today and exercise. 

I have exercised for 23 days and more than that with daily Bible readings. Both exercises strengthen my mind and body. I have to make my body strong before we take our trip. I think there will be "hill walking" on the agenda. Also, strengthen my knowledge in God's Word is something I try to do daily.