By Diane Whiteside
(From the January 2006 issue of the Update.)
A few months ago, Karen Anders, Leanne Banks, Meredith Bond, Glenda Garland, and I got together for a Meet the Writers panel at Barnes & Noble in Fairfax, Virginia. After a rainy week, we were looking forward to an evening in a warm, friendly place with lots of books and hopefully, reasonable questions.
To our great joy, we found the B&N “CRMs” (the folks who arrange these gatherings) very pleased to see us. They’d set up a table and chairs in the middle of the cooking section. (We were very careful to keep our backs to the cakes and candies cookbooks and our faces toward the health & fitness section. This had the added benefit of letting us view the cover models [mostly male] on the diet & exercise books—strictly for research purposes, of course!) A table in front of us proved perfect for the usual offerings of bookmarks, cover art and chocolates. (Meredith Bond had brought dark chocolate kisses!)
Soon a few aspiring writers arrived, and we were off and running. One of them had been published before and wanted to know how to get back into the game. The other one was desperate to become a published romance author. Between the two of them, they had a million questions, and they kept us hopping.
They also insisted that we use The Dreaded Black Microphone. So we passed it back and forth, handling it very carefully as if it might explode at any time, or deposit ten thousand calories on the unsuspecting, trying to answer all the questions.
We were apparently successful because at first people watched us from the back, then others watched from the side, and finally started sitting down and joining in. Leanne is as spectacularly witty as her books. Meredith is warm and loving, while Glenda spoke cogently and brilliantly about mystery, science fiction AND romance. Karen has been a good friend for years at both writing and my day job. She was always the voice of common sense.
Afterward, the wonderful CRM asked us to autograph stock so they could sell it later. Bless her heart; she said the books would “go like hotcakes.” I thought she was going to be smothered by five adoring authors. Then she asked us if we thought we could sign more than the three or four copies each we’d been told to expect. We all assured her we were certain we could (duh!), unlimbered our pens, and set happily to work.
Finally, I drove home, got myself a good stiff cup of tea, and purred happily. It was a very nice end to the week.
~~~~~
Diane Whiteside, a WRW member, is the author of two historical novels and a novella for Brava, a contemporary erotic novel (The Switch, January 2006, Berkley), and The Hunter’s Prey, a compilation of interrelated erotic vignettes that includes the prequel for Bond Of Blood (October, 2006), the first of her Texas Vampires Trilogy. Also on the horizon is the futuristically erotic Captive Dreams (written with Angela Knight, Berkley, September 2006) and The Southern Devil (Brava, September 2006), another western for Brava.
by Gail Barrett
(From the December 2005 issue of the Update.)
All right, I’ll admit it. I’d fantasized about this moment my entire life—having my very own book signing. And I could imagine it so clearly in my mind—sitting at the linen-draped table, smiling graciously while fans lined up to buy coveted copies of my best-selling book.
So yesterday, the dream finally came true—or at least part of it. I actually had a book signing. Reality, however, didn’t quite match the fantasy I’d dreamed. But I did learn several things from the experience:
Lesson one: People believe that authors work in book stores, or at least that we know everything about books. I shouldn’t have been surprised at this. Back when my husband worked at the Coast Guard Rescue Coordination Center in Long Beach, California (dispatching helicopters and cutters to rescue boaters in distress), people would routinely call and ask if the grunion were running (grunion are fish that come close to shore to spawn). Why anyone thought that the U.S. Coast Guard would keep track of the grunion always mystified me. Do people call the Air Force to ask about the migration of geese? But since the Coast Guard operates around the water, people assume that they know about everything in it—just as an author must be an authority on anything related to books.
So no sooner had I sat down at my table, brimming with excitement, pen in hand, a stack of my debut novel at my side, when a lady trotted up and asked where the dictionaries were located. Never good at come-backs, I gaped at her for a moment, then told her the truth—that I honestly didn’t know because I didn’t work there and had never even been in the store before. She looked affronted—even upset—as if it were somehow my responsibility to know.
She wasn’t the only one who thought so. A short time later, another woman approached the table. By now, I’d been joined by Karen Anders who was signing her November Blaze anthology. The woman asked us if we thought books about bird-watching would be in the hobby section. Fortunately, Karen (a veteran at book signings) is faster on the come-back than I am. She smiled brilliantly and told the woman in a very enthusiastic voice what an excellent guess that was. That woman walked away happy.
Lesson learned? Satisfy the customer, even if you have no idea of the answer because (shock!) you don’t actually work at the bookstore.
Lesson number two: Try to get your table placed somewhere near the appropriate section for the type of book you write. Since this was a multi-author event, the store manager had spread our tables throughout the store. Unfortunately, Karen (with her Blaze anthology) and I (with my Silhouette Special Edition) landed in the Christian book section. Flanked by Bibles and other inspirational works, we didn’t lure many romance buyers to our table (even though Karen assured me that the sex in her Blaze was very inspiring).
Lesson learned? People reading Christian books aren’t necessarily interested in sensual and erotic romance novels—or at least not in public.
Lesson number three: Bring along friends. It helped that this was my first-ever book signing and, therefore, a novelty for my friends. Not only did they show up and take pictures, but also they bought numerous copies of my book (one friend alone bought fifteen copies). Thanks to them, my book signing was not just successful—it was fun. We went out to dinner afterward to celebrate, laughed and just enjoyed each other’s company.
Lesson learned? No amount of books sold can ever equal the joy of having good friends. And that lesson matters most of all.
~~~~~
Gail Barrett is a WRW member. Her debut novel, Where He Belongs, was a November 2005 Silhouette Special Edition release. Watch for her next book, Facing The Fire, in April 2006 from Silhouette Intimate Moments. You can visit her website at http://www.gailbarrett.com .
Washington Romance Writers Update Editorial Staff:
- Meredith Hurt, editor
- Danielle Angeline and Lisa Fontaine, associate editors
- Binnie Syril Braunstein, Publicity
- Rebecca McTavish, Member News
- Sherri Neilson, Classifieds
Update is the monthly electronic newsletter of the Washington Romance Writers. The deadline for UPDATE articles and features is the tenth of each month prior to the month of publication. Send electronic files via email to Meredith at: . Send Member News and On the Shelves announcements to Rebecca McTavish at: . Submit classifieds directly to Sherri Neilson at .
Articles may be reprinted by other RWA chapters with credit to both the author and WRW. Articles must be reprinted in their entirety.
Copyrighted articles are so designated; reprint only with author’s permission. Those not affiliated with RWA must have written permission from both the author and the UPDATE editor before reprinting, in whole or in part, any portion of this newsletter. RWA is a copyrighted trademark of the Romance Writers of America.
Information in UPDATE is presented in good faith. No endorsements, recommendations or warranties are implied through publication. Readers should determine for themselves reliability, integrity, and financial responsibility with regard to any providers, services, etc., mentioned herein.
Please Note: Each month, the current issue of Update will appear on the WRW website http://www.wrwdc.com . At the end of each month, the issue will be moved to the “Members Only” section of the website where Update has been archived since December 2003. Please be advised that all content published in Update will be available to the public during the month it runs on the website, and to all WRW members after it is archived.
Changes to Address and Membership information: If your address, phone number, fax number, or email address changes after you join WRW or after you renew your membership, please contact Jackie Graf, Membership Chair, at .
WRW Board Members:
Kathryn Anderson, President
Lavinia Howe Klein , Vice President
Jackie Graf , Secretary
Julie Halperson, Treasurer
Merry Banerji
Deborah Barnhart
Marjanna Bogan
Susan Donovan
Yvonne Pinney
Alix Rickloff
Anne Marie Rodgers
Committee Chairs:
Programs Chair, Michelle Butler
Hospitality Chair, Position Open, Apply Here!
Appeals Chair, To be assigned at first meeting.
Newsletter, Meredith Hurt
Website, Yvonne Pinney & Nicky Penttila
Elections Chair, Kathy Altman
Publicity Chair, Binnie Syril Braunstein
Membership Chair, Catherine Kent
Marlene Chairs, J. Keely Thrall & Beth Balberchak
Retreat Chair, Sophia Nash
Published Author Liaisons, Merry Banerji & Glenda Garland
Unpublished Author Liaison, Alix Rickloff
Library/Archives, Julie Stewart
Legal Counsel:
Elaine P. English, Attorney at Law, 4710 41st Street, NW, Suite D, Washington, DC 20016 Phone:(202) 362-5190.
By Michelle Butler
(From the September 2005 issue of the Update)
How do you make that first sale? Like many other aspiring romance writers, I am sometimes obsessed with that question. Write a great story that is marketable immediately comes to mind, but I often wonder if there is a more complicated answer. To try to find out the trick to making a first sale, I interviewed more than seventy authors who sold within the last five years or so and asked them how they did it. While I may not have discovered a secret handshake, I did learn a lot about the romance publishing business. In a series of articles, I’ll share what lessons their journeys to publication offer to other writers.
The authors I spoke to write all different kinds of romance novels. Twenty-four made their first sales to various category lines of Harlequin-Silhouette. Eight sold traditional regencies to Signet or Zebra. Thirty-three cracked into the single-title market first, and eight made their publishing debut with smaller presses. Some took many years and manuscripts to make that first sale, and several sold their first manuscript soon after completing it. While some had agents at the time of their first sale, thirty-eight did not when a publisher first offered to buy their books. One obvious lesson from these interviews is each author had her own unique path to her first publishing contract.
According to conventional wisdom, the most traditional way to sell your first book is to sign with a literary agent and let that publishing insider sell your manuscript for you. Less than one-half of the authors I interviewed had an agent who sold their first book. This can happen relatively quickly for some.
“My agent submitted the book for me and sold it to Berkley. It took seven months,” said Dee Davis (Exposure, HQN, Sept. 2005), whose first book was the time-travel romance Everything In Its Time (Berkley, 2000).
Most of the authors I interviewed took longer to get published. After many years of trying, several authors credit their agent with making that first sale happen. About a year ago, Tracy Anne Warren sold her book The Husband Trap (April 2006), the first novel in her Regency-set trilogy to be published by Ballantine/Ivy Books.
“Although I sometimes feel as if I have been writing forever, I’ve only been seriously pursuing a career as an author for the past five years,” Warren said. “After five completed manuscripts and a drawer full of rejection letters, I finally got the call on a glorious afternoon last July. When I began submitting my fourth manuscript, it took me nearly a year to find the right agent, but once I did things really zoomed along. I signed with her in May of 2004 and by mid-July had my first book contract.”
If you don’t have or can’t get an agent, there are still many different ways to sell your first book. As a few of the first-time authors I interviewed can tell you, it is still possible to get published from the slush pile. Jenna Kernan submitted Winter Woman (Harlequin Historical, September 2003), her fifth manuscript and third historical, to Harlequin. Winter Woman was a 2003 Rita Finalist for best first book.
Kernan (The Trapper, Harlequin Historical, Sept. 2005) said, “This unsolicited manuscript sat in a pile for two months when a very officious member of the cleaning staff chucked it out as trash, which it may be, but I’d still appreciate a letter with an editor’s signature as a second opinion. Harlequin apologized and asked me to resubmit. I did and then I waited five more months before I got the call.”
Several authors first sent a query to an editor who then requested to see their manuscripts. Teresa McCarthy wrote to an editor at Signet Regency and asked if she would like to see her traditional regency The Rejected Suitor (Signet, April 2004).
“A month later her assistant called me and asked for a full,” McCarthy (The Convenient Bride, Signet, Sept. 2005) said. “In the query I mentioned that the manuscript had been rejected a few years ago by the same editor but I had bolstered the plot. I don’t know if the editor even remembered the story, but I wanted to be up front about it. I got the call about six months later.”
In July of 2001, Victoria Bylin sent queries to several publishers for her second manuscript Of Men And Angels (Harlequin Historicals, July 2003).
“I received a variety of ‘good’ rejections from publishers who weren’t interested in westerns and a request for the full from Harlequin Historicals,” Bylin (Abbie’s Outlaw, Harlequin Historicals, April 2005) said. “I sent the completed manuscript in October 2001 and received the call from my editor in February.”
Kernan, McCarthy and Bylin submitted their novels to publishing houses that bought the kind of stories they wrote. In order to make that first sale, it is often necessary to understand what type of story is marketable and what certain publishing houses look for in a manuscript.
“For me, the most important thing is to know your target market. To study it inside out and to make sure this is where you truly believe your voice will be a fit,” Loreth Anne White (The Sheik Who Loved Me, Silhouette Intimate Moments, May 2005) said.
Even before she began to write her first novel, White researched the two romantic suspense category lines: Harlequin Intrigue and Silhouette Intimate Moments. After deciding Intimate Moments was the line for her and educating herself on the particulars of that line and craft, she sat down to write. Silhouette Intimate Moments purchased her first manuscript, and Melting The Ice was released in October 2003.
Other authors take a little longer to understand how vital it can be to write a marketable manuscript.
“I had written one and a half Russian historicals before I realized this wasn’t the best way to break into romance,” Kathleen O’Reilly (The Diva’s Guide To Selling Your Soul, Downtown Press, April 2005) said. “So when I heard that Duets was looking for authors, I wrote a Duets manuscript and submitted it before starting on my Regency-set historical.”
O’Reilly’s first book published was that Harlequin Duet, A Christmas Carol, released in December 2001. One month later, Berkley published her Regency-set historical Touched By Fire.
For other authors, the key to making that first sale was finding the right editor who loved their voice and wanted to buy their book. Gail Barrett’s editor first saw her work in the TARA First Impressions contest and requested it. Since another editor at the house already had it, the first editor told Barrett to let the other handle it. The second editor rejected it, but when the first saw it again in the Golden Heart, she requested it.
“The book I sold was rejected by one editor, yet bought by another at the same house with absolutely no changes,” said Gail Barrett (Where He Belongs, Silhouette Special Edition, Nov. 2005). “In my experience, it was a matter of finding the editor who loved my voice and was willing to go to bat for my book.”
Often finding that editor can take awhile. Kathryn Caskie’s debut historical Rules Of Engagement (Warner Forever) won the Golden Heart for Long Historical. A St. Martin’s Press editor who had judged the manuscript was interested in it and requested revisions but ultimately did not buy it.
“Since the book was now revised and polished, due in large part to that editor’s interest, my agent, Jenny Bent, had gone ahead and sent my book out to our ‘A’ list,” said Caskie (A Lady’s Guide To Rakes, Warner, September 2005).
The “A” list was interested. On the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, Warner made an excellent offer for a two-book contract that pre-empted an auction among Avon, Pocket and itself. Caskie’s first book went on to become a double 2005 Rita finalist for best first book and best short historical.
Caskie’s agent helped her get in the position where more than one house wanted to buy her first book. How do you get the attention of editors if you don’t have an agent to submit your work for you?
The two most common ways are through contests or networking at conferences. Both Barrett and Caskie caught the eye of editors though contests, and so did many of the other authors I interviewed.
“I entered the Beau Monde (Regency Writer’s RWA Chapter) Royal Ascot Contest and was one of the three winners,” said Meredith Bond (Dame Fortune, Zebra Regency, Sept. 2005). “The finalist judge was Kate Duffy. She couldn’t decide which one of the three finalists should win so we all did, and she gave us all two-book contracts.”
The other two winners were Glenda Garland (In Pursuit Of A Proper Husband, Zebra Regency, July 2005) and Nonnie St. George (Courting Trouble, Zebra Regency, May 2004). Like Bond, Garland, St. George and Barrett, many authors who make their first sale to Harlequin/Silhouette first caught their editors’ attention through RWA chapter contests.
“I was one of those writers who took the contest route to publication,” Tanya Michaels (Dating The Mrs. Smiths, Next, Nov. 2005) said. “I wanted to write for Harlequin and had a partial requested one year when I was a Maggie finalist. Then I entered the eharlequin.com Writing Round Robin contest. When I won that, they asked me if I had anything in-house, and I let them know there were three chapters under consideration. My full manuscript was requested that same week.”
While Harlequin spent a long time evaluating that manuscript, Michaels did not rest on her laurels. She continued working on new projects and entered them in contests.
“I targeted the competitions with Harlequin Toronto editors as final judges,” Michaels said. “I had more books requested as a result, although when I called to thank the editors, I was told I couldn’t send additional manuscripts until they’d made a decision on the first one. I was, however, building some name recognition and making them aware that I had other stories. They ultimately rejected the book that was in-house for so long but immediately asked for the next two that had been judged in contests and bought them both.”
Another way to get the attention of editors is to attend writing conferences. At these events, you may be able to pitch your story to an editor in an appointment. These may be group appointments or one-on-one, but they both give a writer the opportunity to talk about her story to an editor or agent and find out if the publishing professional would like to look at the manuscript.
“I attended the New Jersey Romance Writers’ conference in October 2001 and pitched to a Harlequin editor who requested the whole manuscript,” Anna DePalo (Tycoon Takes Revenge, Silhouette Desire, December 2005) said. “Eventually, I received ‘the call’ and, after ecstatically jumping up and down, revised the manuscript as requested and was given a contract.”
In addition to formal editor and agents’ appointments at writer conferences, there are often many opportunities to interact with publishing professionals in a more casual environment. You may have a chance to talk to editors at an opening reception, at a luncheon or dinner, or even at the hotel bar during a conference.
“I enjoy being with people, so the whole networking thing was a bit natural for me. I learned very quickly that being myself and just getting to know publishing professionals in non-intimidating social settings like the bar at Hilltop House was the most comfortable option for me,” Elizabeth Holcombe (Heaven And The Heather, Berkley, Nov. 2002) said. “Later, if they received a manuscript of mine, I hoped they would remember the friendly girl who asked them how their trip to Harper’s Ferry was instead of trying to shove my pitch down their throat. I have made friends of quite a few publishing professionals that way. They don’t have to buy my book to gain my friendship.”
It does cost money to attend RWA conferences. If your budget is tight and you can’t afford to attend a conference, you can still network online with certain publishers.
“The most important networking, I think, was on the eHarlequin community Web site, where I met my editor, Tanya Starratt, virtually, before I met her in person to pitch the book in New York in 2003,” said Julie Cohen (Featured Attraction, Mills & Boon Temptation, Mar. 2006). “I knew we shared a sense of humor, and she’d probably appreciate my characters and story, which is why I decided to send it to her.”
One cautionary note that several of the authors said about approaching editors or agents is to make sure you are submitting something that is of high enough quality to be publishable.
“Don’t try to sell before you’re ready,” said chick lit writer Shane Bolks (The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Men I’ve Dated, Avon, May 2005), who also writes historicals as Shana Galen (When Dashing Met Danger, Avon, May 2005).
“I wrote four books before I was ready to approach agents. There’s a lot of pressure from friends, family, other writers to submit, but make sure your work is up to industry standards before you try to sell because you never get another chance to make a first impression. You might also want to have a backlog of work.”
Waiting to submit until your work is ready is not a common message you’ll receive at RWA chapter meetings, but Bolks was not the only person to bring it up in her interview.
“RWA is so good at encouraging everyone to submit and sell that most of us submit far too soon,” Robyn DeHart (Courting Claudia, Avon, Aug. 2005) said. “It’s like getting senioritis your freshman year in college.”
“I’m with Robyn on this one,” Emily McKay (Surrogate And Wife, Silhouette Desire, Feb. 2006) said. “RWA is so great about encouraging people to submit. But I think a lot of people submit too soon. I certainly did. So I wish I’d waited until my second book to submit. I also wish I’d spent more time early on studying craft, particularly what I call the ‘big ticket items.’ GMC, story structure, character arc.”
The fact that McKay’s first published novel Baby, Be Mine (Harlequin Temptation, Jan. 2003) was a double Rita finalist in best first novel and best short contemporary shows that she mastered those big ticket items. She, Bolks, and DeHart all eventually reached the point that they were ready to sell as did the other authors I interviewed.
Their journeys to publications show you many of the ways you can sell your first book. When they wanted to make that first sale, some of the authors hired agents to approach editors on their behalf. Others, after taking the time to understand the romance publishing market, submitted to publishing houses directly, entered contests or pitched to editors at regional or national writers’ conferences. Some even combined these different avenues to reach that first sale, but they all persevered and eventually sold a book.
When asked for her advice to aspiring authors, Diane Perkins (The Marriage Bargain, Warner Forever, Oct. 2005), who also writes as Diane Gaston (The Mysterious Miss M, Harlequin Historical, Nov. 2005), said, “Write what you love because your heart will be in it, but also try to steer that heart in marketable directions.”
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
~~~~~
Michelle Butler writes the second sales column for RWA eNotes. If you have sold your first book and would like to participate in this series, please email her at .
By Sherry Morris
(From the September 2005 issue of the Update)
I’ve tried hard to resist the urge to write words of wisdom because it sounds preposterous for me of all people to try to tell anyone how to sell. But I feel compelled to let you know what I’ve learned, as if you were my children, trying to guide you around the bumps. If anything makes sense, I hope it speeds your journey.
Breaking into the Romance Writers of America Published Author Network is a complicated compound prescription mixed by that invisible mystical pharmacist watching over us. Everyone will have different ingredients, i.e.: eyebrow of buffalo + toenail polish of agent + reading glasses of contest judge + ancient Egyptian blessing.
Portable Word Processors
Alphasmart, Dana, etc. New, used, borrowed. Obtain one. Carry it with you when you’re writing a first draft. Five minutes here, thirty there. Knock that infernal internal editor off your shoulder and write an uninhibited first draft. Forget the “rules”. Give yourself permission to write crap. Just type the darned story. Crap can be fixed during revisions. A blank page can’t. Don’t go back and reread what you just wrote. Don’t edit it until you upload the week’s work into your document. You’ll be surprised to learn some of what you thought was pure crap is actually genius. I wrote the first draft of a 100K MS in three weeks (my second PAN sale, Immaculate Deception).
Start at the Top
Submit to your dream editors or agents first. Only move on down the line if they all reject you. I have never submitted to anyone I would not immediately accept a reasonable contract from. It’s wasting their time to boost your ego. This is a tiny industry. Editors and agents talk and move to new positions. They’ll remember if you play games with them. An offer you declined six months ago will probably not be waiting when you finally do get rejected by your dream editor.
Rejection
Every writer gets rejected. Some are more proficient in collecting R’s than others. Get mad, cry, wallow, vent to your friends. Then get over it and move along. Some rejections are devastating. Others are barely worth the notation. I think it has a lot to do with our biorhythms and where we are in our cycle of Writer’s PMS. Consider all criticism you receive. If it makes sense, change your MS. If a little voice says, “No, that would wreck my story; this person doesn’t understand where I’m going,” then ignore it.
Weigh heavily on editor criticism. Do try to see what she means. But if she just doesn’t get your story, don’t change what you don’t agree with. Move on.
Never badmouth an editor in a public forum. Never send her a retort. Again, this is a small industry. My first personal R was very blunt, and I was devastated. It took nearly six months for my ego to let me understand what she meant, and that she was right. I made the changes and sold it elsewhere. This rough R came from the editor that just bought my two PAN sales.
Voice
Everyone has a distinct “voice” for storytelling. The way you form sentences and their length. Your word choices - be they proper, alternative or completely made up. New writers often struggle to “find my voice”. Shh...it’s right there in your first draft. Don’t polish your MSs with line edits from other writers or readers, thus changing your words into theirs. Do consider advice about everything else, but don’t allow others to speak for you. You’ll end up with a grammatically correct, generic read. And probably a slew of contest finals, but no publishing contract. One harder learned tip: If a sentence reads roughly to you, and after a few days, you still can’t make it work; delete it. The paragraph will flow better without it. The meaning is still conveyed even though it’s invisible. Trust me.
Simultaneous Submission
My interpretation of ‘No simultaneous submission’ for those publishers who post that warning: It only applies to requested full manuscripts. Send out queries and partials to everyone on your wish list.
If you send an exclusive query, wait for the partial request, send that, wait for the full request, send that, wait for the revision request, send that.... wait for the offer.... then heaven forbid you ultimately receive a rejection, and have to start the query process with another house or line, you may as well be dead before you ever see your work in print. If on the other hand, you’ve been sending queries and partials out, then you’ll already have another request for a full and can then mail it right off.
Agents
Harder to hook than editors. Signing with a top agent does not guarantee your book will ever sell. The wrong agent is worse than no agent at all. But do try to land one. She could procure you an excellent first sale contract! Make sure they are members (or their firm is) of AAR and ask around on the loops before signing. Literary agents are not like real estate agents. They will only take on projects which they feel are easy sales. I have 205 agent R’s across three MSs. I don’t write what they want to represent.
Contests & Conferences
Check the score sheet before choosing a contest to enter. Make sure your MS has a fair chance and isn’t doomed because your H isn’t introduced in the first chapter or any other gradable area doesn’t exist.
If you are entering for anonymous feedback, don’t enter more than two contests with the same MS. Find critique partners, they are free. If you are entering in the hopes of getting your work in front of a particular editor, don’t. Even if you do final, there is no guarantee she’ll request your MS. Save your money and attend a conference instead. So long as you grossly write what she acquires at a conference appointment with an editor or agent, she WILL request a partial or a full manuscript from you.
I’ve spent over $1,000 on contests. I finaled once and did not receive an editor request. I didn’t agree with her feedback either. I didn’t change my MS. It sold elsewhere. For the money I’ve spent in entry fees, printing and postage, I could have attended two chapter conferences, enjoyed the company of other writers, learned new skills, and come away with at least two editor requests. Do enter the Golden Heart. Somebody has to final, and this is the prestigious contest where it means so much.
Remember
You are a capable writer with amazing stories only you can spin. Write for the joy you get taking dictation from the characters in your head. If NY soundly rejects your MS, consider ePubbing it. No, you won’t get rich or make the bestseller list. But your story will be told, readers will enjoy it, and you’ll have the satisfaction of validation, the experience of working with a professional editor and cover artist. Write another MS and send it to NY.
~~~~~
Sherry Morris writes WWII romantic suspense, mysteries and chick lit as Olivia Andrews. Visit her website at http://www.oliviaandrews.com .
Washington Romance Writers Update Editorial Staff:
- Judi Fadeley, editor
- Danielle Angeline and Lisa Fontaine, associate editors
- Binnie Syril Braunstein, Publicity
- Julie Moffett Czechowski, Market News
- Rebecca McTavish, Member News
- Sherri Neilson, Classifieds
Update is the monthly electronic newsletter of the Washington Romance Writers. The deadline for UPDATE articles and features is the tenth of each month prior to the month of publication. Send electronic files via email to Judi at: . Send Member News and On the Shelves announcements to Rebecca McTavish at: . Submit classifieds directly to Sherri Neilson at .
Articles may be reprinted by other RWA chapters with credit to both the author and WRW. Articles must be reprinted in their entirety.
Copyrighted articles are so designated; reprint only with author’s permission. Those not affiliated with RWA must have written permission from both the author and the UPDATE editor before reprinting, in whole or in part, any portion of this newsletter. RWA is a copyrighted trademark of the Romance Writers of America.
Information in UPDATE is presented in good faith. No endorsements, recommendations or warranties are implied through publication. Readers should determine for themselves reliability, integrity, and financial responsibility with regard to any providers, services, etc., mentioned herein.
Please Note: Each month, the current issue of Update will appear on the WRW website http://www.wrwdc.com . At the end of each month, the issue will be moved to the “Members Only” section of the website where Update has been archived since December 2003. Please be advised that all content published in Update will be available to the public during the month it runs on the website, and to all WRW members after it is archived.
Changes to Address and Membership information: If your address, phone number, fax number, or email address changes after you join WRW or after you renew your membership, please contact Jackie Graf, Membership Chair, at .
WRW Board Members:
Kathryn Anderson, President
Marjanna Bogan, Secretary
Julie Halperson, Treasurer
Merry Banerji
Deborah Barnhart
Yvonne Pinney
Anne Marie Rodgers
Susan Donovan
Alix Rickloff
Committee Chairs:
Programs Chair, Michelle Butler
Hospitality Chair, Position Open, Apply Here!
Appeals Chair, To be assigned at first meeting.
Newsletter, Judi Fadeley
Website, Yvonne Pinney & Nicky Penttila
Elections Chair, Kathy Altman
Publicity Chair, Binnie Syril Braunstein
Membership Chair, Jackie Graf
Marlene Chairs, J. Keely Thrall & Beth Balberchak
Retreat Chair, Sophia Nash
Published Author Liaisons, Merry Banerji & Glenda Garland
Unpublished Author Liaison, Alix Rickloff
Library/Archives, Julie Stewart
Legal Counsel:
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Update is our monthly electronic newsletter. The deadline for Update articles and features is the tenth of each month prior to the month of publication.
Send electronic files via email to Judi at: .
Send Member News and On the Shelves announcements to Rebecca McTavish at: .
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Please note that this will not just be a “roster” list of WRW membership. If you do not send us your information (instructions below), you will not be included.
Also note, this is not the same thing as the “Meet the Members” section in the Update. So even if you’ve submitted information for the newsletter, if you want to be listed on the Web site you will need to submit your information (following the instructions below) again.
If you want to be included on the web site (and we very much hope that you do), we ask that you submit three things:
1) a one paragraph bio (that includes any writing-related awards you’ve received as well as any services you’ve provided to WRW),
2) the url for your writing-related web site (if you have one), and
3) a .jpg photo.
If you do not wish to have your picture posted, we can substitute one of your book covers.
We can only accept digital graphic files. We use .jpg files that are 72 dpi and 150 pixels square. If those numbers don’t mean anything to you—Don’t Panic. Just attach whatever jpg or tif file you’d like to use and we’ll be happy to size and crop it for you.
If you would like to be listed on the Web site and you are also published, your information will be included in the “Our Published Authors” listing. You will not need to submit your information twice as we use the same entry for both the “Meet Our Members” list and the “Our Published Authors” list. (Both lists pull from the same database.)
Again, this is strictly voluntary. If you do not submit any information, you will not be listed.
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The WRW Web Site Committee
We plan to change the three featured book covers at the top of the WRW Web site at the end of every month. The three authors will be chosen at random from the “Books on the Shelf” section that runs in each issue of the Update. We will only feature one book by an author in any given month.
The key to making sure that your books are in the running for one of the featured spots will be to make sure that Rebecca McTavish gets the information about your books to run in the Update.
Note: Your book can only run in one of the featured spots if there is a digital graphic file of your cover available. If you don’t have a Web site to link it to, we can link it to your listing on Amazon or B&N.
By Michelle Monkou
(From the June 2005 issue of the Update.)
Hmm—What else to say with the final chapter of my Tough Love series?
I recently held a workshop on finding the time to write. I shared my experience, duly providing tips and solutions to conquer apathy and other bad habits. One tip in particular concerns the destructive force called negative energy.
This ball of energy does not discriminate with its victims. It can come in the form of family, friends, and even within yourself. Regardless of the source, negative energy easily conforms like a well-fitted glove molding to your thoughts and goals. Cloaked in ignorance, you model the extra baggage until it replaces the natural vigor you once exhibited.
There is nothing high-browed about this analysis. I have earned my expertise through my own actions and thoughts. I know what a drain it can be on the creative spirit. I have learned to stay constantly vigilant and protective of my personal space. Keeping my space clean and sacred makes me productive.
I will address each contributing factor: family, friends, and you.
Family members can be your worst critics. They have known you from birth. They have seen you face challenges and adversity with varying outcomes. As a result they have an opinion about your abilities. They may even remind you about that spectacular failure you made in your college days while you now are an adult with family and kids.
When you approach them with a spring in your step and twinkle in your eyes that you want to be a writer, the heavenly choir does not sing. As a matter of fact, they yawn and go back to their regular duties. Presuming that you are not a procrastinator, you diligently write, attend conferences, network, and submit your proposals. It is bad enough that you are biting your nails nervously waiting for a positive response from New York. But your family takes sadistic pleasure in asking everyday if you have heard from New York. On occasion, they may also provide a tip that most people get rejected and Author Blah Blah was rejected twenty-three times before getting published. Then if you do happen to get rejected, you want to suffer in silence because the gleam of anticipation practically snapping, crackling, and popping off the family member makes you cringe.
A wimp would close up shop and post a sign that says “May Return Soon.”
But you are no wimp. You know your family, so you know whether you need to share every leg of your journey. Some people get a charge out of other’s misery. You decide whether you want to be their stimulant. Your mantra should be: I will write despite [FILL IN THE BLANK]. I will be successful despite [FILL IN THE BLANK]. I will own my destiny despite [FILL IN THE BLANK].
Friends are important. I do not think there is a magic number that is necessary for a happy life. But friends help with our socialization process and can stretch us in healthy ways. Of course, your friends could be experiencing a bad moment in their lives and master projecting their misery outward, mainly in your direction. Or your friends may have always been a miserable soul, but you did not notice until you made the solitary pursuit of writing a priority in your life.
I had a friend who wore her negative energy like a lighthouse beacon, shining on all who came into her path. It had a long and wide reach. Many times I would make a detour tracks to avoid the poor soul. If I had good news that I finished my writing goal, she whined about her situation. If I had bad news that I did not place in a writing contest, she whined about her situation.
You decide on the value of your friendships. I did and decided that although I did not want to end the friendship, I did not have to participate in this funk. There is a time and a place for being attentive to your friends. But when you are writing, and I mean seriously writing—like a job, like a passion, like this is your life—you have to guard your personal space. I told my friend I was working on a project and would not be able to spend as much time with her. Then I deliberately kept the distance until my writing was underway because I will write despite [FILL IN THE BLANK]. I will be successful despite [FILL IN THE BLANK]. I will own my destiny despite [FILL IN THE BLANK].
You have heard of the saying “you are your own worst enemy.” How true.
We may not be able to remember all the computer passwords that we use for different software packages. We may not even remember whether we turned on the dishwasher earlier that day. But, boy do we remember to be a royal pain in our own butts.
Do you or have you ever said or thought:
- I’ll get serious about my writing right after the next holiday/the next conference/the next week.
- I need a vacation or quick break to re-generate my muse (not referring to crisis-driven breaks).
- I can’t write on Tuesdays, that’s Freaky Housewives television series night.
- That bloomin’ editor has rejected me ten times. I’m not sending anything else to her.
- As soon as the weather gets nicer, I’ll write on the deck. I’m really prolific on the deck with a glass of lemonade.
- As soon as the planets have aligned and I’m happy again, I’ll write.
Stop the BS. Practice a bit of tough love.
I will write despite [FILL IN THE BLANK]. I will be successful despite [FILL IN THE BLANK]. I will own my destiny despite [FILL IN THE BLANK].
Good luck on your (continued) journey.
~~~~~
“TOUGH LOVE for Authors” is Michelle’s bimonthly article that will tell it like it is! So far, she’s spent more years as an aspiring author than as a published author. The two points of view give her a unique perspective that she wants to share in the hopes that many more aspiring authors can gain the title—published, while also providing insight for the newly published authors. Creating a special mix of a cowboy, city girl, stalker, and Kwanzaa, Michelle Monkou’s fourth title, Making Promises, a BET Books Holiday feature, hit shelves in October 2004. Visit her website at http://www.michellemonkou.com.
