Conference 2008 part 2

 

Most of the Agents and Editors conference presentations were about getting agents and marketing your work. Publicist Milton Kahn only had a few words of advice, but what good words they are. He threw them out without making much connection on why to do some of the things. Reading his well-made site helped me fill in the pieces, but still left a sense of scatter. Much of the time he talked about the past. He represented Herb Alpert, Gregory Peck, Joan Crawford among other movie stars, and more recently, authors.

But, here’s the good stuff.

 

Take risks. You can’t depend on someone else to do it for you.

“Go out and take the shots.”

 

Things an author needs to get started (building her platform).

 

1. Be part of it. Subscribe to PublishersLunch.com
2. Go to BookExpo. Next year it’s in New York City.
3. Read PublishersWeekly.com
4. Attend book conferences.
5. Develop a personality. Videotape yourself being interviewed as a self-improvement tool. “See how you come across.” Prepare self to be enthusiastic. Get in the rhythm of doing the best and being the best you. “Buy The Unconscious Actor.”
6. Have a Web site: Bio, book cover, video.
7. Subscribe to the New York Times.
8. Use a book editor.
9. Listen to interviews: CSPAN, interviews of authors.
10. Marketing-Hire a Publicist. Go on shows to reach people. If you can’t afford a publicist, get backers, people to buy a share of your book. (And friends, it sounds like publicists are really expensive. Kahn said you need one for at least four months to get things going. I think that came out to $25,000.)

 

Milton Kahn reminded us, “Don’t get discouraged by rejection. All you need is one homerun!”

Just ONE!

 

Conference 2008 part 1

Hundreds of wild, foaming at the mouth writers and only twenty-six agents or editors. Brave souls, all of us.

Of course I exaggerate. But we are all still very Brave. Humongous Thanks to the Agents and Editors and Keynote presenter Sara Nelson for surviving long hours, so many stories, jetlag, sleep deprivation, and who knows what else.

Day Two in the hall.

 

 

Congratulations to the contest Finalists and Winners! That’s quite a thing to do with only ten pages entered into the contest. One winner stood out to me. She was so authentic and humble. Thanks Jennifer Hritz for the pleasure of meeting you and for your kindness. Her novel is currently called, Jewel.

 

 

 

I am so glad I attended. I took it as a sign of Serendipity when my long ago critique buddy called me from Wisconsin and said she was coming to the Agents and Editors conference. She founded the writer’s group, Madison Writergrrls. Check out the site for writing articles or if you’re looking for a writing group in the Madison area.

 

As you know, I wasn’t all that excited to go the week before. But, Wise One survived, barely, without me. She definitely wanted Mommy Time when I went home each day. And delving into the book business, seeing many writer friends and meeting so many generous and interesting people pulled me out of my spiral. Plus, and I wish I had a picture of this, there was a sponsor table with chocolates. Thank you, Joel Turner of The Great American Press. You deserve a plug for keeping me in chocolates. If you want to learn about self-publishing, Turner’s site may be helpful to you. 

I believed my novel was done, except hearing the critique from a reader and that revision. But now I know I need mucho mas revision. Okay, maybe I’m a revision junkie, but I want her to be at her best before I send her out. Which brings me to the Thank You notes.

When I was home, I was back to my avoidance ways, chocolates, (craving) Cheez-its, Matlock, Murder She Wrote, and other not-so-good-to-watch-if-you-want-to-write-well shows. Aha! I felt afraid to write Thank you notes. Funny writer I am. Sometimes I can puke out chapters, roll in them and take the stink everywhere, but sometimes I’m terrified to write an email or a Thank you note.

Alas, I saved one chocolate package that I told myself I could only eat after I wrote some of the notes. I think the hardest part about writing them is that I couldn’t say thanks enough, especially not to Kathleen Anderson. She listened to my pitch, asked good questions and gave me some great info and advice. I wanted to jump for joy and hug her. But I would have looked like a crazy person, perhaps a future stalker, so I settled for a handshake. And in the Thank You note, I wanted to gush how much this meant to me. What a huge reminder that most of the agents and editors in this business are women. There are things they will not stand for. How important motivation and psychology are. I wanted to say too much with too much smileyfaceness. But, she would have thought I was a future stalker. So, I did not.

But how wonderful it feels to have clear directions to root out any pathology in my novel.

So I will take some of Anderson’s advice, revise/rewrite some more, hand A Time of Rain (though the name has changed three times already) to readers, revise/rewrite some more and then send her out to the agents who asked to see her.

This conference reminded me of the dismal statistics, but hey, books come out and keep coming out. Agents keep looking for the right clients. Publishers still publish books. Booksellers still sell them.

There will be a part two with notes from some of the presentations and some links, but for now, Keep writing your crazy, wonderful heart all over your pages!

 

 

 

The show must go on

Hello Dear One,

Still haven’t really recovered in so many ways. Buried myself in books. The Other Boleyn Girl  by Philippa Gregory gets 5stars. Kept me reading, enthralled me, and seduced me.  I even stayed up two nights in a row until one in the morning reading it. She’s a large book, but thoroughly enjoyable. A fictional account of the time of Henry Viii before and during his marriage to Anne Boleyn, but written from the viewpoint of Anne’s little sister, Mary.

Reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. Funny and sad and raw.

This weekend I’m partaking of the Agents and Editors conference in Austin, Texas. I don’t feel like talking to anyone or being seen or pitching my novel. Perhaps, I’ll be more excited about it on Saturday.

I am a writer and the show must go on.

My work is out with a reader. Just a little more revision to do.

Janet Burroway talks about the shots of revision. The long shot where we look at what we’re trying to say, the structure. Does it make sense? Do we need to move things around?The middle shot. We look a little closer. Are the characters true to themselves?  The close-up. Sentences, word choice, grammar.

Maas talks about making sure there’s something at stake. Checking that our heroes and villains are larger than life and that there is tension on every page. Maass also reminds us that if we want to be great, we have to let go of our previous words when we rewrite. The work is fuller for it.

So many writers remind us that we have to let the characters be hurt, get killed, make mistakes. Is there some scene where you protect your character? Maybe even try to keep him or her pristine or perfect? IF so, read Elmore Leonard. His characters are always so human, full of potential and flaws.

The show must go on. Even if I feel so incompetent about teaching Wise One about death, how some being used to move and now does not, how each body has a cycle of life And about the spiritual aspects that there is no beginning and end, we are all One.

I tell myself, Be Present, Be Present, Be Present. But sometimes it wears me down, so I read or run away some other way.

Wise One deserves someone present, and so does this novel and my readers. And the show must go on, but it’s not just a show, it’s life. There’s always that desire to come from that authenticity, that practice of Oneness, the yearning to forget the illusion of separation.

May inspired words pour from you today.

 

 

June 11, 2008 Pampa

Pampa died.

I feel sad. I feel full and empty.

I just saw him yesterday. I held his hand and rubbed his forehead and told him he was innocent, precious and beautiful. His once soft, sun freckled arm turned hard and black shook under my hand.

His mouth was open, eyes closed.

He was surrounded by family.

I’ve been listening to 4o’s music on XM. Music he listened to. Danced to with my Mimi.

They are dancing together again.

Creative Source Power-a link

I wanted to share some excellent information to you that want to be your best self and live your best life.

Happy Creating!

Creative Source Power

Ebb and Flow

Ebb and flow. Ebb and flow.

Worked on my novel yesterday, not today. Plans to meet fellow writers tomorrow, eat, drink and rewrite some more. So much wonderful work to do but starting to have new ideas flirt with me and I’m tempted to flirt back. But no. I’m in a relationship now with a wonderful novel and surely she has more secrets to share with me, more curves to reveal.

May you do what you need to in your ebb and flow of creating.