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Archive for the ‘Writing’ Category

Critique of my Picture Book

Posted in Editing, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on December 8, 2012| 1 Comment »

At the last writer’s conference I had received some feedback on a manuscript from an editor from HarperCollins.  She gave me more than a page of great insight to help me write the best picture book out there.  As I sat in the conference reading her notes the lady next to me said, “Did you get any critiques back?”  I answered ‘yes’.  She then wanted to know if the critique I received was nice also.  So I let her read mine and she said, “This is really good.”  We talked about where we were in our careers and where we wanted to be in the future.  I found that I could talk to her like a comrade in arms.  We both loved the conference and felt it was empowering and had a lot of great information.

When I went to my critque group the others in the group read the critique and there were words said like “this is golden” and “oh my gosh” and so on.  I knew that the critique was good but I thought everyone at the conference was just being nice.  But now I know that these words of encouragement from the editor were more than just words.

So I took the advice of the editor and tweaked just a few parts in the picture book manuscript.  Now it is so polished it could be the sword “Sting”.  I just knew that I could send it somewhere and get it published.

Well I sent it to HarperCollins and recieved a very useful rejection letter from an editor there.  It hurt a little more than the form or generic rejections I have received in the past.  But I see now that everyone is entitled to their opinion.  Instead of getting upset I have deceided to put all my energy into finding the right avenue to have my picture book published.  Whether that be traditional or independent.

The world is changing and we are not seperated by countries or bodies of water.  Technology has made the world we “live in a planetary civilization”.  (p. 459, Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder)  Becoming published is easier than it has ever been before and the time is right for anyone to get their work out there.  People all over the world can buy e-books a lot easier than print.

So I am taking my writing to the next phase, and like someone told me recently to “just publish it.”  So keep an eye out for a children’s book with my name on it.

amazon_kindle_1118

Tell me what you think of the publishing industry?

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Writer’s Conferences are a must!

Posted in New author, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on November 4, 2012| Leave a Comment »

I have just returned from a great empowering writer’s conference.  Every author new to the craft or veterans wanting new information should attend conferences.  The publishing industry is changing and the news sounds grim for traditional publishing.  There are a lot of great new doors open for writers in this technological age.  We can self-publish with  Createspace ( https://www.createspace.com/ ), which is a part of Amazon.  Selling ebooks online with the biggest book seller would be a smart thing to do.  But there are other companies to consider.  There’s Lulu (http://www.lulu.com/) and Apple’s iBookstore (http://www.apple.com/ibooks-author/ ) that offer a great way to self publish.  But wait there’s more!  You have Barnes & Noble, Pubit! (http://pubit.barnesandnoble.com/pubit_app/bn?t=pi_reg_home ).  And then there’s Google where you can submit your book with the biggest search engine and have millions of views from consumers.

Are you overwhelmed yet?  I know I was today.  Everyone is self-publishing.  And what does that mean for readers?  There are a lot more good and bad choices now.  Not all indie books are edited.  Which could mean for some tough reading.

So I listened to David Harrison (who has sold millions of books) talk about writing what you know or have experienced.  I kind of already knew that.  I heard Terry Miller (who is a fantastic illustrator) talk about the new age of eReaders and where our publishing world is heading.  I had a clue a couple of years ago when the first iPad hit the country with all it’s cool apps that people everywhere would want one.  And then I was privileged to hear Ellen Hopkins talk about her books like her best-seller CRANK.  Everyone on the panel had lots of information and good advice.  There was a panel of authors of YA.  And editor, who I am sure everyone knows, Emma Dryden (www.drydenbks.com) .  Hearing from professionals is always uplifting.  I can’t praise SCBWI enough for all the work they do for their members.

So what am I telling you?

What I am saying is that even though you feel like you know everything.  It is always good to attend a conference and get information and also to network.  Someone there might just have the right information to help you out.  If you need it.  I know I came away from this conference with some critiques that are pushing me to revise my own stories.  I knew my manuscripts needed work.  I just didn’t know where.  It was great to hear from professional editors what they thought of my work.  I am glad I have some fresh new opinions from the conference.  Adding a few new friends was just the icing on the cake.

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The Millions : “A Right Fit”: Navigating the World of Literary Agents

Posted in New author, Writing, tagged , , , , on October 4, 2012| 13 Comments »

The Millions : “A Right Fit”: Navigating the World of Literary Agents.

 

I not only felt that this article was important enough to blog about again.  But I actually used my precious ink in my printer to print it out for a hard copy.  This is a wake up call to all unpublished writers out there.

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Agent Monday: Starting your Pitch « Marie Lamba, author

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , on September 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Agent Monday: Starting your Pitch « Marie Lamba, author.

I wish I had known this earlier about queries.  So many books tell writers to make the pitch at the beginning and then of course the second paragraph is the plot.  Why, oh why, is there so many different ways to write a query letter?  I think the most interesting thing is that we keep in mind that every agent or publisher wants to read things differently.  Some want to hear the genre first or they want to know why you are contacting them.  Just keep writing and stay as close as you can to the guidelines.

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What Do You Think About Authors Paying for Positive Reviews? | Nathan Bransford, Author

Posted in Editing, Writing, tagged , , on September 5, 2012| Leave a Comment »

What Do You Think About Authors Paying for Positive Reviews? | Nathan Bransford, Author.

I really think that every author should read this. It goes against everything I believe but this is the way society is headed.  I don’t think an author should pay for a review.  They should earn it the hard way.  Who would trust a review that is paid for?

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Mission Impossible

Posted in Writing, tagged , , , , , on August 20, 2012| 3 Comments »

Have you ever felt that what you are trying to achieve is impossible?  Well you are not alone.  I was recently listening to an author who gave his bio and it was very depressing.  He was first self-published and then after years of trying he finally landed an agent.  Which of course led  him to becoming traditionally published.  Not everyone is that lucky though.

I read an article by Writers Digest called “Why Am I Getting Rejected?” and it made some interesting points.  One question said, “How many rejections slips do you consider the cutoff point- where I should give up completely?”  I don’t know how many times I have asked this same question to friends and family members.  Here was the answer given in the article:

If you put a lot of time and effort into a project, don’t abandon it too quickly.  Look at the rejection slips as bits of advice for improvement, or as patters of criticism.  Rejections, if used properly, can be a lesson to improve your writing.

If you’ve been sending the same magazine query (or book) around for many months, your idea may have grown stale for you to keep circulating it.  If you’ve been attempting to sell a book manuscript, and have had some near misses, then your timing or your luck may be off; some books circulate for many years before finding the right agent or editor.  As long as you feel passionate about the work, you shouldn’t give up on it – even if it means returning to the manuscript a few years down the road.  Some ideas and manuscripts have to be set aside because the market isn’t ready for them.

When I feel down and out about my pile of rejection notes I turn to authors who know my pain.  I love reading Nathan Bransford blogs  and here is one of my favorites:

http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2009/03/ten-commandments-for-happy-writer.html

Of course he has many more insights on how to format your manuscript, write a query, edit your novel and so on.  There are many great blogs out there and lots of good advice.  Just go sample the variety of flavors and stick with a favorite.

The one thing I just have to keep reminding myself is to write, write and write.

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Authors With Depth

Posted in Literary works, Reading, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on November 4, 2011| 3 Comments »

How have we become a society where we relish entertaining novels instead of novels with depth and character? Where have the Jack Londons, Thoreaus, and Mark Twains gone?

Cover of "Walden"

Cover of Walden

“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.”- Henry David Thoreau
I read the novel “Into The Wild” by Jon Krakauer and loved it. He uses Thoreau’s Walden, Or Life In The Woods quotes throughout and brings more depth and understanding to the Romantic.
I have read chapters from Thoreau’s writings of the “Pond” and “Solitude”. We have a kinship for the love of nature.
Books today do not give a voice to nature or to the wild. Authors look to entertain and to make themselves immortal on paper. But what about nourishing the mind with spellbinding writing? Am I wrong to want more than entertainment?
I have fully engrossed myself in books, these last months, that will not only feed my mind but help me understand what “good” writing is.
Someone once said, “Writing is an art. It can be interpreted in many different ways. What may seem right to the author may look like gibberish to you.” I am sure there were people who thought Picasso’s work was of a deranged man too. My writing may not make sense to some, but to others who find it acceptable, I thank you.

I thank all the authors, who are gone or are still around, that contributed to inspiring all the great authors in the world today.

Cover of

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Writing Fantasy for Children is Fun!

Posted in Reading, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 13, 2011| 3 Comments »

Have you ever wondered how some authors have come up with their ideas?  I have and found that most just dream it up.  While others take from other authors and expand upon their ideas.  I think I have read more Terry Brooks, Brandon Mull, Angie Sage and Dean Koontz, when it comes to reading fantasy.  I like to read novels that parallel mine.  I know my novels are not published (yet) but they were written before I even read some of the books on my list of “read” for Goodreads.

I try to find time during the day to write a little.  Either I will work on editing or the storyline.  I am not an authors who sits in a cafe sipping coffee typing away on my laptop.  No I am just a mother, of several loud children, who tries to find time in the day when I am not interrupted and it is fairly quiet. I like to read a lot and sometimes I just read my own work to see how it flows.

There is a book written by Stephen King on how to write.  He explains his own writing process and I loved how he uses his own experiences for his inspiration behind his novels.  I wrote a couple of short stories for a children’s magazine and they were inspired by my children.  They were cute and short.  Perfect for a magazine.

My next goal in writing fantasy is to sometimes just take a break from it and come back when I feel refreshed.  Sitting for a long period of time in front of a computer doesn’t help and I end up feeling more frustrated.  It is all about trying to stay focused when your in the zone and then write until you can’t write anymore.

Flyte

Flyte (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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