Great Interview with Steven Malk

I've mentioned Literary Rambles a few times, but if you aren't following that blog, you should be. At any rate, this week Casey opened up the blog for questions to the Writer's House agent, Steven Malk, who was kind enough to answer some of them. There are a lot of great questions and answers, and I'll let you go visit the site to read them all. However, right off the bat the first one was especially noteworthy. As a new author, I've never been sure of what to put in the credentials section. I put down my M.A. in English, which is good, but there was nothing else, really. I haven't submitted anything to any contests and all my writing awards are from high school. However, when someone asked Malk that question, he was sure to mention blog writing and other types of writing as important.

Well, obviously I write a blog. I guess I do it well (fishing for compliments here. How pathetic!). I also work in the training department, and a lot of what I do is writing. I have plenty of writing experience. It's just about being able to see it. The same is true for you.

Anyway, here's Malk's full response:

It states on the Submission page to include in your query letter your credentials. What if this is the first book I've ever written and have no "credentials?"

Hi Carol,

Rest assured that it’s absolutely fine if you’ve never been published before. I’ve worked with new writers throughout my career and it’s something I greatly enjoy. However, keep in mind that credentials don’t pertain solely to books that you’ve published. Perhaps you’ve published short stories, magazine articles, maintained a blog, or done other types of writing. Or you could be connected to the writing community in other ways, such as working at a bookstore, attending writers conferences, or just having a lifelong love of reading. Those all count as credentials in my book, and they’d certainly be worth noting in your query.

Writing That Stellar Novel Part Three: Trimming the Fat

It's the most dreaded part of novel-writing, I think. None one likes to do it. I certainly don't. If you do enjoy it, please let me know why. Did you have a head injury, perhaps? The rest of us, though... there is nothing worse than editing for length.

Over-long novels. It happens to the best of us. It certainly happened to me. When I finished the first draft of The Ledger Domain, my book had 202,000 words.

Yes, you read that right. 202,000 words. And that's actual words, not "manuscript length" based on pages. I had a whole extra book's worth of material.

That sort of length for a first novel is UNPUBLISHABLY long. Don't let anyone fool you or lie to you. I'll shoot it to you straight. If you have a novel that long, it's not going to get published as is. You need to edit. Period.

The thing about it is, if you're novel is that long... you need to edit. It's not just about being "too long to publish." There isn't a reason for your book to be that long. Mine certainly didn't need to be. There was a lot in there that needed cutting.

For some, that editing could be that you need to cut the book in the middle somewhere. If you have a place close to half-way through the book that would be a good stopping point... great! Now you have the first two novels in a series! Congratulations! More often than not, though, that won't be the case. For the rest of us, we need to edit.

Ok, so now what? Do you just go in and start trimming a word here and there? Not quite. I've read that a lot on blogs about this subject, but that's really more targeted for those writing magazine articles, not novels. Trimming phrasing is good, but it isn't really helpful if your talking, in my case, needing to cut 50,000 to 75,000 words or more.

Actually, the best analogy I've found for this comes in the commonly-used metaphor "trimming the fat." If your novel is anything approaching good, you'll have two types of scenes in your story: meat and fat. The meat is in the sections that are the heart of your story. These are the scenes that advance the plot. These are the scenes that tell the actual story of your book. The rest (the character development, the humorous scenes, the background stories, etc.), are "the fat."

The easiest way to get frustrated when it comes to trimming is to confuse fat for meat. You'll end up tearing your hair out saying, "I know that it's 180,000 words, but they're all important!" No, they aren't all important, actually. Yes, some of it develops your MC, but do you need that development in order for the MC to do what happens next? If it is not absolutely crucial, it's fat. How do you know it's crucial? If there is no way that the plot advances without telling that scene, it's crucial.

Typically, there are two ways in which character development is actually meat. First, it imparts something important. For example, the death of the MC's brother John two years ago might have been an important traumatic event that made the MC who they are today, but since it's not actually happening today, it's not meat. Now, if the book is about a potential terrorist attack, and John worked on the bomb squad and supposedly died in an explosion, and his body was never recovered... now that might be crucial to the plot. If we find out that John is actually the person behind the attack, then yeah. It's meat. Otherwise, it's fat.

The other way character development might advance the plot is by causing the character to do something they wouldn't otherwise do (assuming the thing they do advances the plot). Again, this development needs to happen during the course of the novel. This can't be a "background" element. If it happened before the start of the novel, it's not meat. However, even if the development happens during the novel, it's not meat unless that development directly affects the plot! Here's an example. Let's say your MC, Julie, finds out during the course of the novel that her father, Paul, is having an affair. Unless this is a novel that centers around Paul's affair, then the entire affair plot line is going to be fat, not meat, even if it helps us identify with Julie and develops her character. However, what if the person Paul is having an affair with is Julie's boss's secretary? Nope, still not meat. But what if Julie's boss is involved in a dangerous and illegal scheme? Well then, Julie learning about her father's affair might cause her to investigate the secretary to "find out who this girl is" (something she wouldn't otherwise do), thus revealing the truth about the boss's scheme. Now, if that's the case, then it's meat.

Got a good handling on fat and meat now? Good.

However, understanding what's meat and what's fat is only the first step. Now, you need to know when to cut. You want to start by cutting fat. Just not all the fat. Think of a good steak. For the best taste, you need some marbling. Some fat heightens the flavor of the meat. Too much fat just makes it greasy and unappetizing. The same is true with a novel. You need some of the fat so that we can learn to love your story. If you're story has too much fat, we'll be left wondering when we'll get to the meat. If your story is too "lean," then it's going to be... um... dry.

But what if you think you've done a good job of cutting the fat, and you're still too long? Well, now it's time to cut meat. That does need to happen sometimes. However, just as with steak, you should be careful where you cut. If you're going to cut down a T-Bone, you don't cut the tenderloin (at least, not if you want the best-tasting T-bone possible). Cutting the meat means simplifying the plot. Maybe there's a twist you just don't need. Simplify. Make the story easier for your reader to follow. Just don't cut out the heart of the story. If you don't know what that is... well, I can't help you there. Leave the elements that must be there, and cut the rest.

Now, this won't be easy sometimes, but to be an author, you must be ruthless. Just as you sometimes must kill off characters you like, sometimes you need to kill off your favorite scenes. Trust me. I cut my novel from 202,000 words to 125,000. I had to get rid of some scenes I liked, but the novel as a whole is much better for it. Trimming the fat can be a difficult process, but it is very rewarding, and your readers will thank you.

----------------

P.S.: The tool I mentioned in my previous post is a great tool for fat-trimming. It organizes your plot into scenes. This can really help you see which scenes are fat, and lets you trim accordingly. I'll say again that I highly recommend it. And in case you're wondering, it's a free tool, so no they aren't paying me to promote them. I just really like the software.

P.S.S.: Note that you may have a lot of fat at the beginning of the story. This is often described by agents as "starting in the wrong place." Always start your novel with meat. If you're eating a steak, would you want your first bite to be a big hunk of fat?

Possibly the Best Writer Software Ever Made

http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter5.html

Ok, I'll make this short and sweet. Go get this software. I just downloaded it, and it's the coolest software I've seen for writers. I've seen some fancy stuff with plot assistance and all that sort of thing, but honestly I tend to find that sort of thing tiresome. This is simply a project editor. And it's free.

The software eliminates the problems of having either a single huge file that tends to get corrupted, or else a bunch of tiny files that you can't navigate through. It works by creating a number of .rtf files on the back end, but as far as you're concerned, you can edit through this software, including global find/replace.

It will also help you keep track of characters, important items, locations, etc. It doesn't take long to enter all the basic info for your characters (if you enter the goals, etc., it may take longer), and then you just use the "automatically add characters" command, and it links everything up. There is even a "problem words" tool that helps you find overused words, etc.

I actually had the idea for software like this, but didn't have the programming chops to do it. I'm so glad someone else has done it!

Your Book is Not a Rose by Any Other Name!

If there is one thing I hate in the querying process, it's comparative analysis. There is nothing worse than the annoying task of comparing my manuscript to published novels. It is something I personally have chosen to avoid, but still, there are some agents that list comparative analysis in their submission guidelines.

Now I'll be honest here. Even when they request this, I ignore it.

Why? Well, I hate comparing my novel to some existing work, and not because I think my book is "so cool and unique." On the contrary, I get the idea behind the request. The agent is wanting to get a better feel for the book. However, writing the comparison is, by definition, fraught with peril. Take my novel The Ledger Domain for example. It's a novel about a girl who goes to school to train to become a magical spy. There's action, suspense, and romance... it's a lot of fun.

Still, when I begin writing a comparison, the heart of my book falls flat. What do I say? "It's Harry Potter meets James Bond?" Doesn't quite capture it, does it? Sounds kinda lame, and besides, I can't use either of those. Comparing your work to a big name is a huge no-no, because obviously, since I've made that comparison, I surely think I'm the next J.K. Rowling or Ian Fleming.

(I don't, for the record.)

So, I need to find something rare enough that it's not bragging but not so obscure that they haven't heard of it. Great. That'll be easy. (Insert eye-roll here.)

Hmm... Ok, how about a book series I recently discovered? "It's like Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls series, but with magic!" (Ally Carter is a bestseller, but not necessarily a household name.) How dumb is that comparison? Besides, it's not really true. Ally Carter's series is about a girl who goes to a girl's school that trains future spies. Yeah, that much is similar. However, the actual feel and plot style of that book is way, way different. Carter's series is a lighthearted romance about a girl using her spy skills to get a boy and handle normal high school experiences. My book is much darker, with sinister shades, international crime syndicates, and threats to our way of life. It has romance, yes, but that isn't the main purpose of the plot. It's a far cry from "The Gallagher Girls with magic."

The problem with comparative analysis is that when I mention The Gallagher Girls, I'm not just calling forth the premise to your mind. I'm also calling forth the feel of the book. It's what those boring literary theory types call "semiotics." Derrida tells us (oops, did I expose myself as a boring literary theory type?!) that a word doesn't boil down to a single, specific meaning. This is because there are so many varying potential meanings and relationships to the word (this is Derrida in a too-confining nutshell, but hey). With books, it's the same. The Gallagher Girls is more than just a plot premise. There are themes, characters, voice, and style. All of these elements come to mind as part of what The Gallagher Girls means to you (assuming you've read the books).

Does that mean that you can't use a comparison in your query? Definitely not. It can be a good thing, especially if your book's premise isn't simple/clear. Your book about "the rambling adventures of a boy in dark-yet-ordinary world of monsters who are just like us" might be better understood as "an darkly humorous cross between Percy Jackson and On the Road."

I'm just saying that, if you're going to attempt it, be sure you're aware of the pitfalls and do your best to avoid them. Clearly demonstrating the "voice" of your book is always important, but when you're using a comparison, it's crucial.

*EDIT*

This is in response to a comment below. I could have just responded in the comments, but it is something I wanted to mention in the blog anyway.

When an agent makes a list of "submission requirements," that doesn't necessarily mean you must give them everything that is exactly on that list. Now some people may be saying, "Yes, it does!!!"

You're wrong.

The agent is listing what they would like to see. If you leave something out, you just need to weigh the cost/benefit. There are reasons to use comparisons and reasons not to use them. Honestly, leaving that out isn't like leaving out, say, a good explanation of who you are. The latter is a standard part of a query letter that will make your letter look less professional if you leave it out. A comparison is what I call a "would-be-nice." If an agent is going to write you off for that... do you really want that type of agent? After all, if the agent's main concern is how a single book fits perfectly within the current trend, then they aren't likely to be concerned about representing you for the long haul.

Bucket List

Do you ever find yourself living in buckets? I do sometimes. Without realizing it, I'll have my writing bucket, my family bucket, my work bucket, my music bucket, even my religion bucket. Everything in it's nice, clean place.

The problem? Life isn't neat and clean. It's messy. Moreover, it should be messy. I'm a writer, and this blog is directed towards writers. However, that doesn't mean that I should write from inside a bucket. Despite from wondering where in the world you'd find a bucket large enough to fit me inside it along with my laptop, and despite the confusing motivations that would cause me to climb inside and start writing in the first place, the thing is that a bucket isn't a location that breeds good material. You can't see the outside world from there, and you need to see the outside world to write.

You see, I'm married with a little girl whom I adore, plus another one on the way. I don't talk about them often, though. Not on the blog. That's my family bucket. This is my writer bucket. S. Kyle Davis and Kyle Davis aren't the same person. S. Kyle Davis is my writer persona. Not me.

The thing is... he really is me. Why pretend otherwise?

If I include my family within my writer world, my books are going to be better. Why? Because all sorts of crazy, sad, hilarious, and amazing things happen with my family. What a wonderful place to find inspiration for material! My girl, whom we call Monkey, has developed this cute habit of singing "Ada" over and over. We sing together, and she tries to trick me. She'll hold it out really long, like "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAda!" and then giggle. Other times she pretends to start singing, and then doesn't, and laughs that she tricked me. She's so funny.

Wouldn't that be a great thing to include in a novel? One of my MCs, Taylor, has a foster brother that's 4. You could modify that for age, and it would be cute, a nice character development moment to see the MC interacting with the little boy that isn't in any way related to her.

I don't mean exploit your family for the sake of your novel. I mean that who you are and what's important to you should flow into your writing. Is family important to you? Be sure you include a family in your story. Look at Twilight. Meyer is a mother with a family that is really important to her. That comes across in the way Bella interacts with her dad and the Cullens interact. There is family all over the place, and it is one of the things that she does really well in the novel. It gives it heart.

The same is true for everything else. Is what you do important to you? If so, use the knowledge and love you have for that in your story. I work for an AV manufacturing company, and my love for technology really comes across in both my novels. Also, I'm a Christian, and proud of it. I don't write "Christian novels,"but that doesn't mean my faith can't affect my writing. If I really believe it, then shouldn't it affect my writing?

My point is this: If it's important to you, then use it in your story. Your writing and your life will be better for it.

YA Book Review: Feed and Octavian Nothing

I apologize for the hiatus from writing. Things have been hectic on the writing and editing fronts lately. I am going to try for a Tuesday/Thursday schedule, and at least blog on those days. Not as prolific as some of you bloggers that write every day, but hopefully they'll be somewhat meaningful to people anyway.

---------

So, I've decided to add a new feature to my blog. I do quite a bit of reading in the YA genre, which is something that every author should do. If you're not reading books in your genre, how do you know what the trends are, what's been done, and where the gaps are? How will you know how to make your novel unique? More importantly, if you don't love the genre, why are you writing in it? That doesn't mean you must be a "genre writer." Plenty of authors write across all genres. Even still, you should love the genre you're writing in, or else your attempt will come off as what it is: an attempt to exploit a genre because it's trendy this week. My point? READ PEOPLE!

Anyway, I read a lot. Well, technically I listen, because I use audiobooks. I have a bad case of ADHD, and it tends to get in the way of my physical reading. I can't focus on the lines on the page enough to read sometimes. Even as I write, I have to read aloud a lot so that I can be sure I don't have any dropped words and to make sure everything works. I know that everyone does this, but for me, it's actually a necessity.

However, because I read a lot, I occasionally come across a book that is particularly interesting for whatever reason. Sometimes it's really good, other times it's really bad. Sometimes it's just mediocre, but there's just something about it that peaks my interest. Whenever I find those books, I want to talk about them. Now, here's a way to do that!

Of course, because it's me, I'm going to throw a monkey wrench into my own formula. I'm going to review two books.

The first is a short little novel (about 5 CDs in length) called Feed. Now, it's a YA novel, but out of the gate, I must say that this is OLDER YA. You probably don't want your 14-year-old reading this book. Filled with sex, drugs, and strong language, it's not for the faint of heart or the sheltered child. Still, none of it feels gratuitous, except perhaps the language, which really isn't gratuitous at all. The language is part of the experience. Want to read an excerpt? You can do so here.

Now, don't go clicking on the link just yet. Wait to read it until you're done with the review. You'll see why as we go along. Trust me.

Anyway, whenever you do read the excerpt, or the book, you'll see that there is a certain flow to it. Authors and agents talk a lot about voice, and this book has voice in spades. The entire novel has a feeling to it, and the 1st-person narrative is exactly what you'd expect a semi-intelligent but half-stupid trendy teenage boy to sound like. At times, he sounds dumb, which he should, but then there are these moments where the language just gets luscious and the descriptions are the type that curl your toes.

So yeah, I liked the feel of the book. Now, for the plot. Feed is a dystopian novel set in a world where internet, radio, and tv are all combined and sent directly into teenage brains. A book about consumerism, the pages (and the kids' cerebral cortexes) are filled with advertising messages about the best local bars, the new gadgets they need to get, and the coolness of the legions that the feed causes. It's pretty typical cyberpunk stuff (or rather "cyberprep," as Wikipedia puts it), but that wonderful language I mentioned really sets it apart. The story is artsy and great, and I really enjoyed it until it stopped.

Yeah, the book doesn't conclude. It just ends. You see, I was listening to it on my iPod. I hadn't gotten around to converting the stupid audiobook format to music format (in music format the entire book is actually a single album, but with the audiobook format each track is a separate album). That meant that at the end of the book my iPod said it was track 5 of 10. So, I thought the book went on at the next track. I was kind of wondering where the author would go from here, but then I knew there must be more. And then the intro to Ally Carter's I'd Tell You I Love You, but then I'd Have to Kill You came on.

Wait. What?

I then realized I'd been tricked by the iPod's stupid audiobook format. The last 5 tracks where the other audiobook I hadn't converted yet. The book actually stopped THERE!

It didn't wrap up. Nothing happened. No one changed anything. There wasn't a hope of a change. There wasn't even much hope that the MC would change. It just ended. I was SOO furious.

Ok, pause that review. We'll come back to it.

Now, the next book I read that I wanted to talk about was the overly titled The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1: The Pox Party. The first in a two-part series I couldn't completely get through, Octavian Nothing is a bit of historical fiction about a young boy during the time of the American Revolution. The boy lives at a house with scientists and philosophers that measure his food intake and waste outtake (yep, he pees into a bucket, which they weigh). Other than the occasional oddities, he lives a very good life there along with his mother, and is trained in the fine arts and classics. Octavian is much smarter than you or I could ever hope to be.

Still, despite his intelligence, he's also very sheltered. You see, it isn't until he's 12 that he thinks to wonder why his skin is darker than everyone else's. And wonder why other people that look like him and his mother work cleaning dishes or driving the carriages. Finally, someone spills the beans. They're all slaves. And Octavian... he's a slave too.

Octavian is owned by the men who teach him, and he's part of an experiment to see if it is possible for the "African Negro" to learn and become civilized. As Octavian learns this, his life is changed. The narrative is interesting and well written, and also well-researched. The facts about slavery and the American Revolution are surprising and thought-provoking, and I enjoyed it, but that isn't the part that stood out.

The language was flawless. Do you remember reading late 18th century American literature? Remember that over-formal language with tons of odd and interesting description? Word choice was always varied, and if you weren't good at reading context, you'd need a good dictionary with you to help interpret. Remember that?

The language in this book is exactly like that. Written in the form of a sort of confession from Octavian, you would never be able to tell the difference between it and an older text. Is that a good thing? I don't know. I never really enjoyed late 18th-century American literature that much. Still, it's very impressive. Want an excerpt? Well, you can read it here.

Ok, so what's my point here? Well, if you clicked on the links (despite my telling you not to), then you already know.

These two books were written by the same person! They were written by an amazing new author named M. T. Anderson. I know! Can you believe it?

Perhaps you can. Both stories somewhat lacked in narrative (although Octavian, being a later offering, had improved over Feed). Both stories had amazing voice. Still, they didn't sound, in any real way, the same. Even bestselling authors can't say that.

So, my advice: if you're an author, pick up these books just to see how he does it. You don't have to read through both volumes of Octavian Nothing. The Pox Party was good but Kingdom on the Waves (the 2nd volume) got a bit slow and I started to not care. I'll probably try to finish it eventually, but not yet.

Still, it's worth reading through The Pox Party and Feed just so you can see the stark differences in language. It proves my earlier point. You can write in multiple genres. It's ok. You don't have to just write fantasy or paranormal or sci fi or romance or historical or whatever. Dabble in all of it. Just enjoy what you're doing. You can totally tell Anderson enjoyed himself. Give it a read, and be prepared to be impressed.

Oh, and PS: note the humorous and probably overlooked inside joke 3/4 of the way through The Pox Party where Anderson references Feed. During a party where people are getting together to try to inoculate themselves against small pox (thus "pox party"), Octavian looks up at the moon and wonders if someday, even when there are people living in colonies on the moon, will people sit around and compare the size of their legions. A clear Feed reference that made me laugh.

Writing That Stellar Novel- Part Two: The Importance of Proper Word Choice

"There are two important corrections in the update on our Deep Relaxation professional development program. First, the program will include meditation, not medication. Second, it is experiential, not experimental."

-Richard Lederer, Anguished English

I love Jay Leno's "Headlines." I'm not always a huge Leno fan, especially after the whole Conan thing, but I do love "Headlines." I'm especially amazed at how a slight word difference can affect the reading of a line. Take the example above (which is actually from Richard Lederer's Anguished English). Can you imagine what that original note would have read like? The difference between drug-induced sedation and pseudo-spiritual relaxation is just two words.

I know you're thinking: So what does this have to do with novel writing, Kyle? The importance of editing?

Perhaps, but that's not really my point. What I'm talking about is the impact word choice has on the feel of something you read. It's something we stress a lot in poetry writing, but is sometimes lost in novel writing.

Let's take a look at a line of some very rough prose of mine from my current WIP Weathervane, in which the protag, David, is chasing down the cow Veala before she gets herself killed in a thunderstorm:

After a second's hesitation, David drove towards the cow, who moved on slowly. He swung the rope above his head as he neared the mat, and then at the precise moment he passed it, he jumped off, tossing the rope at Veala and kicking the bike the opposite direction.

Now, this is fine enough, I guess. Not great, but decently gripping. However, the word choice is a bit blah. Let's try to make it better, shall we?

The first word that catches my eye here is the word "drove." That's pretty generic. Yes, we need to pick a better word, but which one? What's the feeling we want here? We want time to feel like it's moving fast. Hurtled? Raced? Flew?

Now comes the poetics. We want to read through the line without stopping. We're moving fast, right? So does that mean we want the shortest word (flew)? Not necessarily. We need to look at the poetic "feet" of the line.

First, we hesitate at the first clause, because it's just a bit jumbled (not a clean rhythm). That's good. We're supposed to "hesitate." The second clause, though, should move fast. Let's look at the stresses: "DAvid DROVE toWARDS the COW." See how we have a nice hard/soft repeating here? That's good scantion of that line. It flows well. We don't have anything breaking the rhythm, so we move fast through it.

If we used "hurtled," it would have a different feel: "DAvid HURtled toWARDS the COW." See how we have "-tled to-" (two soft sounds) next to each other? It's a bump in the line. Slows us down. Now, if David were hurling along a bumpy path and we said that in the next clause, then maybe. Our prose would reflect the feeling. But here, we're just moving fast, so this doesn't work.

So, it's either "raced" or "flew." Well, flew can mean fast-moving, but it can also mean literally flying. Could this throw off a reader? Possibly. Raced, though, means moving fast, or literally trying to move faster than another object. In this situation, he's literally racing against the cow. He needs to get to her before she gets where she's going. So, raced it is.

Now comes the third clause: who moved on slowly.

Despite the word "slowly," this line moves too fast. We "move on," but not in the way we should. Let's add a couple words, and then I'll show you what I did:

who continued slowly and obliviously.

Now, the line doesn't fly by unnoticed. Cow is a hard sound and who is a soft sound, which flows, but then you get to the first sound of "continued," which is a soft sound. The line comes to a screeching halt there. EXACTLY as it should. As readers, we read the last clause slower, stumbling through it a bit. The contrast between the image of David driving his bike and the slowly trotting cow is reinforced by our word choice here. And we didn't even realize it.

Here's the line again. Do you get the feel?

After a second's hesitation, David raced towards the cow, who continued slowly and obliviously.

Could you tell the difference? Amazing how a small word change affects the reading of the line. Let's move on.

He swung the rope above his head as he neared the mat, and then at the precise moment he passed it, he jumped off, tossing the rope at Veala and kicking the bike the opposite direction.

Now, for one thing, this line is too long. This is an action sequence. Short lines heighten action. This long line just goes on and on and on, and we get lost. Sometimes that's a good thing, but not now. Remember, it's all about whether the feel is appropriate. We could cut this up into two lines, but I'm going to cut it up even smaller. Let's see how this feels:

He swung the rope above his head. He neared the mat. Almost there now. At the precise moment he passed it, he jumped. As he did, David tossed the lasso at Veala and kicked the bike, sending it the opposite direction.

Now, that's not quite perfect, but it's better than it was. What did I do there? I made them short lines. I also made each a poetic phrase, so that the "feet" of the lines flowed, soft hard soft hard. He swung the rope above his head. He neared the mat. I ended on a hard at the end of each sentence, so that each one felt like a tiny gasp of information. Then, I changed it up with "almost there now." Hard soft hard soft. It's a "leaning forward" effect. Then, a long string of more complex stresses (not as flowing), then a single clause ("he jumped") that ends on a strong stress and an action word. That's a triple-hard stress, which reinforces the feeling of jumping. A hard pounding and then a pause. Then, it returns to more natural prose, and the poetic moment is ended.

Let's put it all together and see the difference. Originally, it was:

After a second's hesitation, David drove towards the cow, who moved on slowly. He swung the rope above his head as he neared the mat, and then at the precise moment he passed it, he jumped off, tossing the rope at Veala and kicking the bike the opposite direction.

Now, it is:

After a second's hesitation, David raced towards the cow, who continued slowly and obliviously. He swung the rope above his head. He neared the mat. Almost there now. At the precise moment he passed it, he jumped. As he did, David tossed the lasso at Veala and kicked the bike, sending it the opposite direction.

These are small changes, but they really change the way the line feels. Keep this up over an entire passage, and you can really shape the way the reader reacts to your book.

But Kyle, that's a lot of work.

I know it is, and I don't expect you to put that much thought into each line, but if you get in the habit of thinking that way, it'll soon become a feel thing. You'll read a line and go, "That doesn't flow right." When you think that, you're noticing the poetics of the line. Maybe your line goes "hard soft soft hard soft soft," and then you have a random "hard soft hard soft" in there throwing it off. Consider: is that a good thing or a bad thing? How do I want that particular clause to flow?

If you can keep your mind on that, you'll be far on your way to writing a stellar novel.

Writing that Stellar Novel- Part One: The Balancing Act

So you want to write a bestselling novel. Here's how to do it in three easy steps!

Ok, so maybe it's not that easy (although, if you come across such a blog post, please let me know!). In truth, a lot of different things go in to writing a bestseller, not the least of which is having the right book in the right place at the right time.

Imagine you've written a great book about a girl falling in love with a vampire. You don't normally read such books, but you had this dream... Well, now let's say you're about 3/4 of the way through, when you see previews for this new movie called Twilight. Now, you suddenly realize there's this whole series of books and they're really popular and everything and are selling really well. Now, if you had the novel done and were already shopping it, that would be great. People will be wanting books in that genre. However, you're only 3/4 of the way done with the book. By the time you finish and get it ready to submit to agents, the market will be saturated. If you're writing a vampire love story at the time of this blog posting, you might as well put the project down and write something else. No one's buying right now.

My point is that chance plays a large part in getting published and doing well. However, there are things you can do, and in this series, I'm going to examine some of those. I don't expect this to be a limited-run series as the previous one was, but rather, I will add to it as the need and inspiration presents itself. Hopefully, you'll find it helpful.

The first (and perhaps most important) element to writing a stellar novel is writing a balanced plot. I don't care about the beauty of your prose, the depth of the characters, or the importance of the themes. If your story is boring, few people are going to pick it up. Mark Twain once said, "High and fine literature is wine, and mine is only water; but everybody likes water." (Letter to William Dean Howells, 15 February 1887) My problem with "fine literature" has always been the same as it has been with "fine wine." If the taste must be so strenuously acquired to even appreciate the experience, wherein is the value? If it's really so great, shouldn't everyone like it? I'd rather have a "water" novel than a "wine" novel.

My point is that if you want a "water" novel, that is, you want to write a novel that will sell well (or at all), then you'll need a plot that is balanced. What does that mean? Think back on novels you really, really liked. Think especially of novels that also sold very well. For my exercise, I'm going to use the (perhaps obvious) Harry Potter series.

In very, very general terms, what are the basic elements of the plot of Harry Potter that draws people to it? Now, I'm not talking about theme here. I'm talking about plot elements. Also, I'm speaking generally, not specifically. So, what does it have?

1. Action- At some point in every Harry Potter novel, things fly around and blow up. A fight breaks out in some form. People run, jump, flee, etc. Stuff happens. The same should be true for your novel. At some point your MC should be in a situation that is tense and somehow dangerous (whether fleeing death eaters or merely hiding from the girlfriend of the guy you just slept with). If everything is always hunky-dory for your MC, then why do we care?
2. Drama- This is different than action. Action is a "right now" tension from some external force. Drama is an internal force. In the Harry Potter novels, there's always something that Harry is dealing with, whether it's uncontrollable anger and feelings of injustice, a spat with Ron, or else Ron and Hermione fighting amongst themselves (again). These situations, even Ron and Hermione fighting, have some impact on Harry that develops him as a character. In Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry must deal with feeling torn between his two friends when it seems as if they will never reconcile. Dramatic scenes are necessary, and should always be a point of character development for the MC.
3. Suspense/Mystery- In every Harry Potter book, there is something that both the MC (Harry) and the reader does not know and is trying to figure out. Now, this occurs in different forms. Sometimes the reader and MC are looking for the same thing ("What is the philosopher's stone and why is it so important?"). However, sometimes it's different things (Harry wonders "What is Draco up to?" when the reader is also wondering "When and how will Harry find out/prove that Draco and Snape are planning something sinister?"). A gripping scene will keep the reader interested for a while, but there must be something in the book that the reader doesn't know to make them want to keep turning the pages and find out.
4. Humor- All of the Harry Potter books have humorous parts. People love to laugh. The whole book doesn't have to be a laugh riot, but there is a reason why it's called comic relief. Tension needs to break so it can build again. Rising and falling tension is key to a good story. Humor also draws us to characters. If we can laugh with a character, it makes us feel bonded to them. Joke with your MC, and your readers will feel more connected and invested in the story. Joke with your antagonist, and your reader will either feel conflicted if it's something we also find funny (which can sometimes be a good thing) or feel disgusted if it is something we don't find humorous. Humor impacts the way the reader feels about your characters, so use it. It's an important tool.
5. Romance- I actually hesitated to put this, because not all great novels must have romance. However, love is a very strong emotion and thus romance is an important element that appears in most greatly-loved stories. Another caveat here. Harry Potter didn't begin to have romance until Goblet of Fire, but that was when the series officially made the cross from middle grade fiction to young adult fiction. If you're writing middle grade fiction, you can ignore this category. However, if you're writing YA or adult fiction, then take heed. Love is something that every post-pubescent reader you have can identify with. Want to be sure your story is relatable to your reader? Add some romance into the plot. It's also a great way to add drama (and thus more character growth).

A good story will have all of these elements in an appropriate balance for the story. Think of the Twilight Saga. More romance and less action and suspense. However, it's all there. What about a James Patterson novel? In that case, there's more mystery and action, and less romance and drama. Still, he always adds romance and drama, because that's what advanced Alex Cross as a character. The same is true for the detective shows on TV that actually do well. Look at CSI, NCIS, and Law and Order, and see why they are more successful than shows that run 6 episodes and die out. They have the right balance of these five elements. Not enough humor or drama? Flop. Too much drama and not enough mystery and action? Flop.

It's all about the right balance for the story and genre. Master that, and you're well on your way to having a stellar novel.

Becoming a Slush Pile Hero- Part Five: Pressin' On

Sorry for the slight hiatus. Easter holidays.

-----------------------------

This post will conclude my series on becoming a slush pile hero. I would like to conclude with a post on what to do when an agent offers representation. I would like to do that. But I can't. You see, I haven't found representation yet, so I wouldn't have the foggiest idea about that process.

However, there is something I can talk about: rejection. I've gotten plenty of that. It's not something that we like to read about or think about, but it's there, and if you're going to become a slush pile hero, it's something you'll need to learn to master. Otherwise, it'll master you.

So, first step: knowing you've been rejected. If you're lucky, you'll receive an email saying verbage such as:

Unfortunately, this is not something that seems right for me.

Or:

I’m sorry, but I don’t feel this is going to be one for me.

Or:

Unfortunately I'm going to have to pass.

However, we're not always that lucky. Sometimes, agents get so busy that they don't have time to respond to each and every email. Or, they get so busy that they fail to respond until 6 months later. So what do you do in these situations? How do you know if they're delayed, or if you're getting the brush-off?

Well, the truth is, you assume a brush off. Read the response time stated on the website (if present) and if you don't get an email after the long side of that time period, assume a brush off. If they don't have a website or they don't state a response time, give them two months. Then, assume a brush off.

The key is to go with the "worst case scenario." If you're wrong and three months after you sent the query you get a request or offer, then great! However, in the mean time, you haven't sat around waiting for a response that never comes.

But what do you do when you get a brush-off without so much as an email saying as such? Well, unless you're in exclusivity with them (see the previous post for how to handle that), then you move on. You don't contact them again asking for status. You know the status. It's been six months and you haven't heard a word. They aren't interested. If they were, you would have heard from them by now.

"But Kyle, how can you be so callous and nonchalant about a non-response? Don't you know that it hurts to have someone reject you?"

Yes, I do know that. I was a teenager once. I know as much about the pain of rejection as anyone else. It sucks to get a rejection letter, especially if you've sent them part/all of your manuscript. You can't blame it on them not "getting the concept." They read the book. They didn't like it.

The thing is, though, that you have to remember that it's not a loss. You have a list of candidates as much as they do. You have (or should have) a list of agents you'd like to work with. This "rejection" helps pair down your list. This person doesn't want to work with you. Ok, scratch that one off. Time to move on to the next name. Maybe this person will be the right one. You aren't a desperate little beggar. You've written a stellar novel. All you need is one agent to see the potential and fall in love with it. That's it.

In the same vein, don't write them and tell them how stupid they are or how much they'll regret it. For one thing, NEVER burn a bridge. For another, your book will never meet its potential if you don't have the right combination of author, agent, editor, and publisher. Imagine how things would have been different if Stephenie Meyer hadn't found Jodi Reamer. Ms. Reamer rejected a very nice advance offer, because she knew Ms. Meyer could receive more. Would things have been the same for both Meyer and the novel itself if she hadn't received a three-book deal for 3/4 of a million dollars? Probably not.

See, it's all about finding the right champion for your book. You want someone to love what you've wrote and promote it. So, sometimes, a rejection may not even really be a rejection. Sometimes, it's more like, "It's a good book, but not really my thing." That's fine, actually. Get someone who loves the type of novel you've written and go for them. That's how you make that perfect match.

And as far as the rejection goes, focus on the list. You're trying to eliminate poor candidates. You're not looking for love. This is business. You can do this. You can be a slush pile hero. Now pick yourself up, find the next name on the list, and write that query letter.

Becoming a Slush Pile Hero- Part Four: "Full" Disclosure

So, you've sent your query out to Johnny McAgent. Now, it's time to wait. And wait. And wait.

Check your clock. It's been five minutes since you sent it. Time to refresh the inbox.

The first 24 hours are the worst. You are sure you will never make it the time period listed on the agent's website (you checked that before you submitted, right?), but to general surprise, you make it.

Then, the unthinkable happens. You get a response. Yay? You're not sure if you should rejoice or not. With trepidation, you click on the open button.

Cue the trumpets. Mr. McAgent is requesting the full! Jump for joy! Cry out to the heavens in exaltation! Then, sit down quickly, because you remember you're checking your email using the free WiFi in Barnes and Noble, and people are looking at you oddly.

Once you calm down and are sure they aren't going to throw you out, it's time to think. What now?

First, the manuscript. You've formatted it into proper manuscript format, haven't you?

What, you didn't?! Why'd you send out a query without first making sure you have your book in manuscript format?

Ok, you really did have it in manuscript format. Sigh with relief. What's next?

Second, you calm down. This person is trying to come work for you. Remember this before you begin, because although you are so excited, you want to be sure to act with professionalism. Be grateful, but not bubbling. Also, not to pour cold water over your happy dance, but sometimes agents only request fulls. As well, sometimes agents will request fulls for anything that sounds interesting. It doesn't mean that they've begun writing your name on the contract. Still, you have a foot in the door. Now's the time to shine.

Next, check the email from old Johnny boy. Did he ask for exclusivity? He did? Ok, now here's what you do.

Begin your reply to Mr. McAgent. Be courteous and gracious. Thank him for his time. Then, tell him that he has the novel for an exclusivity period of _______ weeks (the email may say a time period, or if not, then try to suggest something that won't be insulting or rushing, but is something you can live with and isn't 6 months either). Don't forget to mention that if they need longer, that is obviously perfectly ok, and that they should reply back letting you know how much time they need.

You're not setting a deadline for the agent. You aren't saying, "You must have this back to me by this time." What you are doing is signifying that the agent does not have the novel indefinitely. Do not let an agent hold your novel hostage by not setting up an exclusivity period. What can happen is that the agent gets bogged down and doesn't get back to you for months on end, and you can't submit to anyone else in the mean time (the idea behind exclusivity). Exclusivity is fine and is a good thing as long as you have a period in place.

Just don't get too caught up in that part of it. If the agent replies back later on needing more time (possible, perhaps even probable), then give it to them. Their desire to spend more time considering is often a good thing, if you know they are considering.

It is also a good idea to send a reminder email if the agent is getting close to the end of the exclusivity period, just reminding that exclusivity expires on X date (a few days after the email), and saying that it's fine if they need more time. Thus, the exclusivity has allowed you a reason to retain contact with the agent.

Other than the above email, DO NOT BUG THE AGENT! They are busy. If you send them an email every couple days, they won't thank you for it. Be professional, and above all else, be patient.

It's hard. I know.

Becoming a Slush Pile Hero- Part Three: Querying with Guts

Sorry for the slight delay in posts this week. Between the guest post on Casey's blog and discovering Inkwell, I've been a bit distracted.

------------------------------

So you've found an agent you like and have researched their reputation and tastes. Now comes the easy part. You just write a stellar query letter and win them over will your brilliant novel. No problem.

Ok, maybe a slight problem.

Now, the first thing you'll need to do is to learn how to format a query letter. I'm actually going to skip that section, because you can find a plethora of information on the web about it. Believe it or not, I've found the article on SoYouWanna.com to be the most clear cut, even if it is written towards nonfiction writers. However, don't get too stressed on "proper" format. Everyone has a different opinion on the format. The most important thing is that you include all the proper information. However, if you see that an agent has written about the proper way to write a query letter, be sure you format your query to them in that manner.

Since you can get information about proper query formatting from other sources, I will discuss how to write the query letter. Not the mechanics, but what actually to include. That's the real hard part, isn't it? Well, to do it right, it all goes back to a proper attitude.

Remember what I've said about the agent/client relationship. You are a headhunter. That's your task when you send out a query. You're saying, "Hi. I know you graduated from Yale and are highly qualified to work anywhere in the country. This is why you want to move to Scranton, PA and work for me."

Since few of us are headhunters in our daily life or have written job opening descriptions to post on monster.com, then we'll need another comparison. Although it completely ruins the "you're the person doing the hiring" message I've been expressing, the best comparison that you may be familiar with is the resume cover letter.

If you've ever applied for a full-time job, then you probably have written a resume cover letter. If you haven't that's ok too. The idea is simple. Essentially a query letter, like a resume cover letter, is self-marketing. It is a single-page description of "you" as it applies to the person to whom you are sending it.

When writing a query letter, write with confidence. You are exactly the person they need. However, if you are the right person, then you don't have to tell them that. Instead, show them. Yes, it's that same show vs. tell issue we all deal with when writing. It doesn't change when it comes to query writing. Show them why you are what they want. You know they're looking for strong female leads, and you have one. Don't say, "Jane Doe is a strong female lead." Instead, show that she's strong. Tell them the diversity she faces and how she overcomes it.

(Ok, not to interrupt the flow here or anything, but I just typed "how she overcombs it." If you have a story about a girl with a combover, I want to read it."

Another important part about writing a good query letter is to inject it with voice. Not that writers with voice necessarily have any idea how they have voice. What you read online about it is really unhelpful. What's voice? It's the tone of your story. Is it humorous? Arrogant? Dark and sinister? Imagine a voice actor reading your manuscript as an audiobook. How would they read it? Find that element in your story and channel the attitude you had while writing the novel. Another good tip is to find particularly "vocal" portions of your description/narrative and use them as part of your query.

Here's a good case in point. Let's imagine you're JK Rowling, writing a query for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone to Johnny McAgent:

Dear Mr. McAgent,

My Name is J.K. Rowling, and I have written a manuscript titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the first in a 7-part YA fantasy series about a boy who goes to a school of magic. The manuscript is complete at 75,000 words. Thank you for your time.

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They shuddered the think what the neighbors would say if they knew that their good-for-nothing nephew, Harry Potter, was, well... as unDursleyish as it were possible to be. They'd never told Harry about his abilities or the real reason for the death of his parents, which sent Harry to live with them when he was only a baby. He lived forgotten and unwanted, living in a small room under the stairs and never knowing that there could be more... until the letters came. Finally, a giant named Hagrid, a man simply too big to be allowed, arrives on Harry's birthday to tell him that he is, in fact, a wizard, and not only that, but one of the most famous wizards alive. His parents were killed by the Dark Lord Voldemort, and he was The Boy who Lived. Harry was to attend Hogwarts, a school of magic housed in an ancient and mysterious castle. However, as Harry studies and makes friends, there is a darkness growing. There is more waiting for him at the school beyond flying broomsticks and potion-making lessons. He just hopes he can survive the encounter.

Of course, there would be more beyond this, and I'm sure Jo could write it much better than I did, but you get the point. Now, there are several parts I took directly out of the book:

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley were perfectly normal, thank you very much.

This is a slightly condensed version of the first line in the book.

They shuddered the think what the neighbors would say if... their good-for-nothing...

These two sections are from a passage, but are actually talking about Harry's parents. Still, it works when discussing Harry.

as unDursleyish as it were possible to be.

Again from the same passage, about Harry's parents.

simply too big to be allowed

I don't know that she uses this line in the first book, actually, but I would say use it if she did. A great simple (voice-filled) way of describing him.

The Boy who Lived

That's just too great a descriptor of Harry not to use it. If you have anything clever like this and you can work it in, by all means do. You're showing off, after all.

The rest I just added (though I did steal the last bit from the back cover). However, if you notice, I didn't retell the entire story. I just gave enough for you to become interested and have an idea of what is contained in the book. You know what sort of magic they learn, you see a glimpse of the fun in the novel. However, you also see that there is darkness lurking, which is important too. It's not about telling everything that happens in the book. It's about showing all the book's positive qualities. In this case, the clever language, the suspense and humor, the mystery, and the downtrodden boy with hero potential. We get all of that, but none of the later plot is ruined for us.

Of course, once you have that, you customize for the agent. Do they love clever language? Perhaps you bump up the quotes. Do they like letters to be really professional? Be sure you have a good professional intro like the one I illustrated. Do they like romance? If you have it in the story, then be sure to mention it, and infuse it with whatever romantic voice you use in those sections. I could go on forever here, but hopefully you at least have an idea of what I mean.

Guest Post at Literary Rambles

We stop your regularly-scheduled programming to note that I have written a guest post for Casey McCormick's Literary Rambles blog.

You can find the post here:

http://caseylmccormick.blogspot.com/2010/03/guest-blogger-s-kyle-davis-authorship.html

Becoming a Slush Pile Hero- Part Two: Know Your Ally

Author's note: I'll say again for the record that I do not claim to be an expert on finding an agent. I currently do not have representation. However, I hope that you'll find my comments helpful nonetheless.

----------

I know that I said last time we'd move on to query letters, but I realized that I was jumping the gun a bit. I'd love to say that it was intentional, that I did that because it is the very mistake many of the "aspiring published" do. However, it would be an utter and complete lie.

The truth is I realized I was missing a couple very vital parts to the process, parts that are key to being heros rather than dying before the first commercial break and known in the credits as only "aspiring author #6."

The first step is actually one I can't provide much guidance on: write a brilliant novel. Got that part done? Of course you do. I have a bunch of them piled up in my closet, and burn the extra sheets when firewood is running low. For those of you who don't warm yourselves in the evenings using the remnants of the next great American novel, perhaps I will post on the writing part of things in a future post. At the moment, we're talking about the slush pile, so let's move on to the next stage in the process, which is picking the right slush pile to conquer.

Ok, hold on and back up. Conquer is so the wrong word. Notice how I phrased it in the title. This isn't "know your enemy." This is "know your ally."

There is a big difference there. When I start talking about researching agents, I could extend the "hero" metaphor and get all of our adrenaline flowing with some exciting language about heroics and bravery and slaying the dragon, but it's not right. That's no way to go about doing research.

You should definitely research the agent to whom you're submitting. If you've done any searching at all about the querying process, you've probably heard that. However, you are NOT looking for information to exploit. This is not a game and this agent is not someone you are trying to "beat" or trick or manipulate. Quoting a sentence from the agent's website back at them isn't cute or clever. It's silly and ultimately an attempt to "beat" the agent at the "submission game."

Trust me, they've seen it before. They won't be fooled.

It all goes back to what I said last time. The agent you are submitting to is someone you are recruiting to come work for you. You are trying to find out information to see if they are a good match for you. You are also trying to find out what type of clients they want. This lets you know a) if they would even be interested and if you should waste everyone's time, and b) how you should shape what you are submitting. You want to show them why you are the type of client they want (assuming you are). They might not see that just from reading a plain, boring query. Ok, I'm getting ahead of myself here. Next time, I promise!

So that's why you should research. But where do you research?

Well, first, you need to find a particular agent to research. If you are luckily enough to do children's literature, then Casey McCormick's Literary Rambles is a great place to start. She's done a lot of the legwork for you. I also highly recommend finding an author of works similar in genre to your own and finding out who is their agent. A simple Google search along the lines of "J.K. Rowling agent" often does the trick (oh, and by the way, don't bother with that particular example. They aren't taking on clients). You can also find many agents on AgentQuery or using one of the many books available at Barnes and Noble.

Once you find an agent, begin your research. Visit their website if they have one (many more do these days than in the past). See if they have a blog (again, there are a lot more than you'd expect). See if you can find interviews and read them. You don't have to spend days on each query, but put enough time into it that you get a feel for the agent.

Here are some things to look for (other than the obvious likes/dislikes):

• How do they treat the "aspiring published"? Are they helpful and cautionary, or do they treat them like riffraff? Does their submission page have a long list of rules written with enough annoyance that you can pick up the teeth-grinding in their prose? This doesn't necessarily mean that they aren't good with their clients. In fact, often times the agent in question is simply so good and in such a high demand that the incessant querying is getting to them. However, you should definitely make note of it.
• What do their own clients say about them? Are their raving reviews? Is there a suspicious lack of raving reviews? Again, it is hard to know what to make of this information, but it is good to know.*
• What do they say a good query letter should be? Everyone has a different opinion. If they like it really professional, then keep it short and to the point. Do they like the query to grab them? If so, make the query exciting. You get the idea.

Obviously, there are a lot more things you can and should look for. These are just a few. However, I hope you get the idea here. You're not looking for weaknesses to exploit facts you can "use." You're looking for proof that you are the client for them and that they are the agent for you. If you can do that, then you're on your way to becoming a slush-pile hero.

*Note that I didn't say what do rejected authors say. Take comments from rejected authors with, perhaps not a grain of salt, but rather a giant salt lick. If they're good with rejections, then great. If you see a lot of bad rejections, then they're an agent. People don't like being rejected.