Queries That Worked-The Magic Withheld

This query for an urban fantasy snagged a request for a four fulls in three days.

Justus Aubre figures Iowa is safe for wizards like him. He can lay low and hide in plain sight answering to no one when he uses magic. Especially the guild of wizards. They would nail his hide to the wall and strip him of his freedom. If only they knew where he was.

Then Sable, a female mage on the run, enters his bar looking for a job and a place to hide. Justus hires her but sets the rules immediately. No romantic entanglements. Sable agrees. All she wants is anonymity. But the two rules are quickly broken and the Guild learns of their location.

Justus and Sable have massive talent. They could team up and fight the Guild together to remain free but Sable has a secret. She is an unwilling servant to the Guild. If her emotions are triggered the Guild will own her soul and then use her magical talent to capture the Wilders.

For them to succeed, Justus must accept the magic and the power he does not want. Or decide if loving Sable is enough reason to become the Guild’s newest acolyte.

The Magic Withheld is urban fantasy complete at 96 K and stands alone, but I believe my manuscript has potential as a series. Per submission guidelines, I am including the first chapter.

Interview with Guest Judge Sapphire Star

Don't forget to check out the #QuerySchoolsIn chat at twitter. Join us, ask questions, let us know what you are hoping for this week, etc. All the conversation will help us improve on our next mini conference/contest.

Now, on to our lovely judges. This group gets the Team Work Award for excellent tag teaming during our School's In workshop. Amy, Katie, and the chief editor, Liz Carpenter are all helping with feedback and answering your questions.

Here's a reminder of what Sapphire Star is looking for in a manuscript at this time.

We're especially interested in contemporary romance and paranormal romance at this time, although we are accepting submissions in all fiction categories.

1. How did you decide to get into editing/publishing?
 
I’ve loved books and writing all my life. After working as a technical writer and editor in the technology industry for years, I realized I’d enjoy my work so much more if I was reading and editing fiction. It’s always best when you can make your hobby your job.

2. Why did you choose the publisher you are working with now?
 
I wanted to work with a small publisher that seeks out new authors. Sapphire Star Publishing authors write in a variety of genres so I’m not pigeonholed into working on one type of manuscript. The executive team at Sapphire really looks out for their authors and encourages their editors to supply grammar, formatting, and story comments that enable writers to improve their craft.

3. What's your favorite part of the job?
 
I love getting a new manuscript. Reading Chapter One is stepping into a new world. The pleasure of reading as an editor is that you get to ask the author all the ‘what if’ questions. Authors have a vision of their novel’s world, and I believe it is an editor’s job to reflect that image back so that authors can verify what readers are seeing. Sapphire Star Publishing empowers me to ask questions that challenge authors to craft worlds that are interesting, create characters that evolve during the story, and build plots that entertain.

4. What is your current favorite book that you could read over and over? 
 
The downside of being an editor is that you never have time to re-read a book. There is always something new and great to read. I’m a big fan of the romantic mystery so anything by Laurell K. Hamilton, Carrie Vaughn, or Janet Evanovich is an automatic addition to my to-read list. I read an early draft of Lisa Regan’s Finding Claire Fletcher and I’m anxiously awaiting Sapphire Star’s release of that in December so that I can read the final manuscript.

A little more to help you get to know A. L. Jackson:

A.L. Jackson first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends and, with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel. A.L. now spends her days writing in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three beautiful children. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.

Pulled is a story of attraction and separation, of a love so strong it refuses to give up even when all others have.

You can learn more about this and her other books HERE.

Researching Small Presses

It's a brave new world in publishing. Traditional wisdom used to be that you must get an agent in order to land a publishing contract, but the e-book revolution has opened the door for independent authors and publishers to compete with the Big Six Publishers. Although there is nothing wrong with getting an agent and going the traditional route, that's no longer the only option for serious authors.

Who should submit directly to publishers?

Submitting directly to publishers may be a good choice for you if you have a quality product that beats to it's own drum. Smaller publishers are often more likely to take a risk on something new or different. Direct to publisher submissions are great for:

• Emerging genres like New Adult
• Genre blends or anything that is "hard to shelve"
• All things quirky, offbeat, and innovative
• Novels that appeal to niche markets
• LGBT & Multicultural
• Romance & erotica
• Anything of quality that never found a good agent match
• Anyone who has self-published or is considering self-publishing

Where to submit?

In my experience, the search for a publisher was more complicated than the search for an agent. The available databases are not as reliable or complete. Not all publishers accept unagented submissions. And not all publishers may be right for your work. This may change as direct to publisher submissions become more common. Here are some places to find publishers:

www.writersmarket.com

Sapphire Star Publishing

www.querytracker.net

Also, don't forget to try a good old-fashioned Google search. This is how I found my publisher, Curiosity Quills Press. I Googled "New Adult Publisher" and guess who I found? You may also try "publishers accepting unagented submissions" or a similar search to find lists created by other bloggers. Here are two such lists right here:

http://naalley.blogspot.com/p/publishing.html

http://sharonbayliss.blogspot.com/2012/04/list-of-publishers-seeking-submissions.html

How do I know if they are good?

Before you query and certainly before you sign, you should research potential publishers. 

First, make sure they're not scammers. You can make sure they're not rotten by looking for them on websites like this:

Crescent Moon Press

Better Business Bureau
Writer Beware Blog
Absolute Write Water Cooler
Publishers Marketplace
Predators and Editors

If they are a traditional royalty paying publisher (meaning they pay you and never the other way around) and they don't have bad press all over the web, then they're probably at least not a scam. But of course, this is your baby we're talking about. You need to make sure they're right for you. Here are more steps you can take:

• Google search. Simple but effective.
• Talk to one of their authors. Authors are just like you and me (in fact they are exactly like you and me) and most will be happy to answer your questions. If you don't feel comfortable approaching one, stalk their authors' blogs and Facebook pages to make sure they are happy campers.
• Use advanced search on Amazon to search by publisher. It's a simple way to see their whole catalog. Make sure you like their covers and that your book would fit in their catalog.

If you're offered a contract and don't have an agent, you'll probably be really happy but also completely freaking out. Here are more steps to handle your inevitable freak out:

• Repeat the steps above. :)
• Talk to your friends who have publishing contracts and compare terms (if they're comfortable with this)
• Have a lawyer review the contract.
• Read How To Be Your Own Literary Agent: An Insider's Guide to Getting Your Book Published  
• Take your time. A good publisher won't rush or pressure you.
• Ask questions. A good publisher will be happy to answer any questions you have. It also gives you a preview of how easy it is to work with them and get your questions answered.
• Follow your gut and do what feels right.

I've been through the process of signing with a publisher without an agent, so feel free to ask any questions in comments!

Guest Post--Matthew MacNish on Queries

We are honored to have Matthew MacNish of the Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment (QQQE) blog guest posting with us today. His blog is a great place to read up on all the intricate details of queries and see examples. I highly recommend you check it out. Now, over to Matthew...

All about Query Letters 

When I first queried my first novel, I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know a single writer. So I wrote what I thought was a good query, and sent it out. I got a couple of requests (surely based more on the pages than the query), but I was inevitably rejected. I wasn’t ready. Neither was my query—or my book.

You can read some of my terrible old queries, and see many good examples of the mistakes I made, by checking the label “queries-rejections” at my blog.

After all that rejection, I decided to study query letters, and decided I would get good at them. So I started my blog, and began by sharing my own mistakes, so others could learn from them. Then I started finding some great resources for helping to learn how to write a better query. First, was Nathan Bransford’s blog, specifically posts like Query Letter Mad Libs, and Anatomy of a Good Query Letter. Then it was Kate Testerman’s blog, and especially her service Ask Daphne! About My Query. Then I met Elana Johnson, read her e-book From the Query to the Call, and after getting to know her (and the other great hosts) for a while, I won a query contest at Write On Con, which you can read the results of Literary Agent Joanna Stampfel-Volpe's critique of my query, here.

Once I figured out how to write a decent query, I started hosting and analyzing successful ones on my blog. You can find a list of those posts, here. Then, once I became familiar with good queries, I started critiquing query letters on my blog.

You can find those posts by checking the label “queries-critiques.”

So, now that you know some of the history of how I ended up running this blog about query letters, let’s talk about some of the basics of a standard query letter.

Assuming you want to write a standard query letter, and not break any of the “rules,” this is how it works: One page or less, 250 words is generally a good guideline. Usually 3 paragraphs.

• First is your opening hook and pitch. You need to get across a strong sense of character right away, and if you can sprinkle in some backstory, in a nice, organic way, that's great. Then try to finish up with the inciting incident.
• Second, you want to introduce the conflict. If you can sprinkle in setting and stakes, great. Try to be specific as possible. Avoid clichés, and make it clear why your story is unique.
• Finally, you need to give us an idea of what choices your character has to make in order to overcome the conflict. The best choices are really tough ones, in which there is no clear or easy solution.

So that's: Character. Conflict. Choice. The three Cs.

Some personalization about why you queried that specific agent, and some kind of writing background bio are a great way to finish, but it’s the heart of the story that really matters.

If you can get those three things across clearly, and sprinkle in some great voice, you’ll be off to a good start.

I want to thank all the Unicorn Bell authors for having me on. Let us know if you have any questions in the comments.

How to Screw-Up a Query

This godawful query was my first attempt. And yes, I actually sent this excrement to agents. *facepalm*

Comments are in red.

As a first time author, I am submitting a fantasy novel for your examination.

Never ever say this is your first effort as a writer.

As a life-long enthusiast of fantasy (is there any other kind?), I am delighted the current market seems very hungry for books about the supernatural and paranormal.

Who cares? Honestly, that sentence is a waste time.

I am impressed by the diversity of clients your agency represents. I aspire to be listed among your clients one day.

Well duh. Why else would you write this letter.

My synopsis follows:

ACK! Query, not ‘synopsis’.

                                                   

Dragons have walked in the midst of human kind for thousands of years, their stolen human bodies blending in with the populace.

They have always been opposed by the Masters, men who have bonded in symbiotic partnership with a supernatural sword, the Rapier.

Poor sentence structure.

Only this time, the new Master is not what the Dragon was expecting.

This time, the Rapier has bonded with a woman.

When Lee (bad spelling choice for a heroine. Later I changed it to ‘Leah’) hears the voice in her head telling her she is now the Master of a black and gold Rapier, she wonders why she should listen, especially when the tall black-eyed handsome stranger suddenly appears at her door.

Too many words.

And the Rapier must adjust to the growing interest Lee has for the Dragon that has come to kill her.

This is the first of an intended four novels. It is approximately 92,000 words with the title of, “Rapier”. I am currently writing the second novel and editing the outlines of the third and fourth novels.

Doh! Most agents want a completed novel and don’t care about the ‘intent’ of an unknown, unpublished writer.

Thank you very much for your time and the opportunity of submitting a fantasy manuscript.

Interview with Donna O'Brien

We are going to share a short interview with each of our guest judges this week to help you get to know them better.

Here's a reminder of what Donna is looking for in a manuscript at this time.

Currently, we are looking for voice rather than specific genre requirements, though we are primarily a boutique publisher of high quality fantasy, futuristic, and paranormal fiction. We are interested in urban fantasy, dystopian, futuristic science fiction, steampunk, mind-bending time travel, space operas, mythological as well as historical retellings with a twist, epic high fantasy, and the paranormal. We are also interested in paranormal categories of suspense, thrillers, gothica, and mystery. CMP also accepting submissions in the YA and New Adult categories of the above mentioned genres.


1. How did you decide to get into editing/publishing?

I was previously in the legal field, doing lots of research, writing and editing. I've always loved books and had the opportunity to join Crescent Moon Press in applying my skills in a much more enjoyable way.

2. Why did you choose the publisher you are working with now?

Crescent Moon Press had an excellent reputation for publishing quality manuscripts and had a fairly wide range of genres. The owners are both extremely wonderful women and are the most excellent bosses I have ever had.

3. What's your favorite part of the job?

Finding THAT story! The one that's unique and gripping yet is told so well that you are instantly transported into the author's world.

4. What is your current favorite book that you could read over and over?

Oh gosh! Just look at all the latest releases on our website and you can see why I would have a hard time picking just one. *grins*

How to Research Agents to Query

Picking which agents to query when you are all finished polishing that shiny new novel is A LOT more work than you might think. It's best to start now, so when the time comes you'll be ready.
The main idea here is to learn as much as you can about an agent before you query them. Make sure they are looking for your style of writing. Check out their blogs, their facebook page, their twitter feed to get a feel if you would like working with them. Channel the stalker. Become the stalker.

*cough* *throat clearing* What was I saying? Anyway...

Step One: Find some names. I like QueryTracker, but there are other places you can look for agents. Query Tracker has several ways to search: genre, specific agent or agency, and how they receive submissions and such. Below I typed in my genre. Since I write a science fantasy mix, I added both genres to make sure I've covered my bases.

Hit search and this is what comes up.

I now have a list of names, their agency, and I can see if they accept regular mail (envelope) or email (lightning bolt) queries. (This is page 2 of my search. The check means I've already added them to my personal list, and the frowning face means I've queried and received a pass.)

Step 2: Research one of those names. I clicked on Sara LaPolla because she has a lot of searchable material. When you click on a name you are taken to this screen where you get more information.

Now I have her email, a link to her agency web page, her blog and I can follow her on twitter. I check out all of these links, and I follow blog and twitter. This helps me get a feel for her personality.

You also see the tabs across the top. Clicking on these will give you information that Query Tracker has collected based on information submitted by users of the site. For example, reports will show you how many people on Query Tracker sent in a query, how long it took for them to get a response and what that response was.

Check out the other tabs. For now, let's go to her agency page.

Yay, more official information. While I am at an agency's page, I often browse other agents to see if there are other names that might fit with my style. If I find some, I type in their name on the query tracker search and add them to my list.

I also click on the submissions link. This tells me what they expect to see with my query and any formatting specifics if there are any.

Alright, I also check out her blog and follow on twitter.  Now, if you find a blog, search through it and find all the goodies the agent may have hidden in his/her posts. In other words, READ THE BLOG, as much of it as you can.

NOTE: Krista V over at Mother. Write. (Repeat). has interviewed several agents. Scroll down on the right hand sidebar to see who and read what they are looking for.

Another great place to browse agents is Chuck Sambuchino's Guide to Literary Agents Blog. He has tons of great info here, but I'll start you on the Agent Interview page. Often the agent will tell you exactly what they hope to see in your query letter and how to set it up. Some want you to jump right in with the query, others want the personal info first, most don't have a preference. Read these to find out if they do have a preference!

Step 3: Keep track of what you find.
Twitter--I have a list for agents. This way I can have a column for agent tweets on my tweet deck (I'll save that for another post). HOVER. READ. REPLY. LEARN. STALK. Wait, don't stalk, at least not the creepy kind. Although if you think about it...

Excel--I created an excel spreadsheet to keep track of all the information I gather online about prospective agents. When I query an agent, I add the day I queried and then the dates I get replies. I also color code them by date so I can visually see who I have queried and who is still fair game.

Step 4: Write and send the Query. Don't worry, we have a post for that too.

Other helpful links on How to Find a Literary Agent:
From Nathan Bransford
Advice from Writers.net
More from About.com-- we will cover the topics mentioned here in the next few weeks.
University of Pheonix makes these suggestions.
There is also Agent Query but for some reason this one is harder for me than Query Tracker. My mind doesn't fit well here.
Casey McCormick does a lot of Agent research and posts the info on her blog, too! She always gets some good info.
Another resource to dig through is Publisher's Marketplace. You can search pages for a particular genre.

The purpose of a query, and writing one

A query is a brief, interesting introduction to your novel. The purpose of a query is to entice the agent/editor to ask you for more. Queries are also useful for hooking potential beta readers. Queries are not to be confused with "back cover blurbs" or synopses. Queries are short -- 250 words is pushing it. 200 is better. And queries have a lot of work to do.

Agents and editors are a very particular audience. They know the genre -- probably better than you do. They've read a lot, and they've pretty much seen it all. They do not have time to waste. So let's not waste time either. Here's what you need to know about your story:

The main plot
Not the story. "A girl masters her magical powers" is the story. "Kate accepts the duties of healer to the prince during his secret mission across the dangerous mountains" is a plot. During the mission, she begins to master her magical powers -- a plot is the specific process by which a story happened. There are a million ways for a girl to master her magical powers. My story uses this one, and that's what the query needs to communicate.

The main character
This character is the focus of the main plot and the query. But I have an ensemble cast and they're all important. Sometimes two characters can fit into a query, but never three. You barely have time to tell your reader about the main character and the main plot -- everything else potentially adds confusion. Editors and agents don't have time to sort it things out. They'll just hit delete and read the next query.

In your query, you need to tell the reader:
This is an INTERESTING CHARACTER with a PROBLEM that he or she is DOING SOMETHING ABOUT despite the danger.

If you can't pin down why your character is interesting, what the (one) serious problem is, or what clear and reasonable things she's doing to fix it... you may have structural problems in the story (and I find writing a query useful for pointing that out to myself.)

So much to explain, so little time
There are going to be some things you absolutely must explain so that the above facts make some kind of sense. To go back to my plot statement -- Kate accepts the duties of healer to the prince during his secret mission across the dangerous mountains -- I have to pick out the most important things to spend words on. Who's Kate? What are a healer's duties? Who's the prince? Why a secret mission? Why the dangerous mountains?

Which of those questions is the most important? Which needs the most explaining? IMO: the secret mission. We also need a little explanation of why Kate is an interesting and sympathetic character. And if I have words left, I'll spend them on explaining the danger in the mountains.

Why nothing on the prince? He's a prince. People have a pre-packaged concept of what princes are and what they do, thanks to popular culture. And no, it's not entirely accurate to the prince in my story but it's close enough for a query. If a reader can't glean story potential from a teenage girl and a prince together on a dangerous journey, I can't help them in 200 words.

Canned phrases = deadly
In some places, "back cover blurbs" are used as examples of writing queries. Bear in mind, though, that back cover blurbs are written for a very broad audience -- anybody who might pick up the book. It needs to get its ideas across quickly to people who may not be familiar with the genre. To do this, many blurbs fall back on canned phrases that everybody recognizes. "She only wanted a normal life." "He struggles to overcome his past." "Her world turns upside-down."

Agents and editors are a very specific audience of experienced, jaded readers. Canned phrases are always vague, and vague does not tell the agent/editor why they should not hit delete and read the next query. Everyone's heard the joking movie trailer line: "In a world where..." Ever noticed that movie trailers don't use that phrase anymore? They know it's an over-used, canned phrase and it's deadly.

Keep revising
Queries are never right the first time. They are rarely right by the fifth draft, for that matter. This is normal. Post your queries here for feedback and keep revising.

School's In Query Contest Schedule

Are you excited? We are! It's finally time to start our August Query Extravaganza with our School's In Query Contest.

This first week is a mini conference of sorts devoted to the query letter. What it is, why you need one, how to write one, examples of bad queries, and even some examples of queries that have garnished some full requests/deals for us.

There will be multiple posts per day, and we don't want you to miss any of it. You can also follow the Twitter Hashtag #QuerySchoolsIn to see each new posting.

Here's the schedule:

Monday, August 13th
5:00 AM   The Purpose of a Query and How to Write One
9:00 AM   Stalking/Researching Agents
1:00 PM   Interview with Donna O'Brien
5:00 PM   Bad Query Example

Tuesday, August 14th
5:00 AM   Guest Blogger Matthew MacNish of QQQE

9:00 AM   Researching Small Publishers
1:00 PM   Interview with Amy Lichtenhan
5:00 PM   Queries that Worked

Wednesday, August 15th
5:00 AM   Our Editor's Query Pet Peeves

9:00 AM   Submission Guidelines are Your Friend
1:00 PM   Interview with Andrew Buckley
5:00 PM   Bad Query Example

Thursday, August 16th
5:00 AM   Great Places to Read and Get Feedback on Queries

9:00 AM   Formatting E and Paper Queries
1:00 PM   Interview with Krystal Wade
5:00 PM   Queries that Worked

Friday, August 17th
5:00 AM   Queries that Worked
9:00 AM   Bad Query Example
1:00 PM   Interview with Nancy Bell
5:00 PM   Queries that Worked

Monday, August 20th
I'll post the information you need to submit your queries for critique to Unicorn Bell. All queries will go up on Tuesday and stay up for the week for comments.

Sunday, August 26th
I'll post the rules for submitting your COMPLETED and polished manuscript for our agent judging to unicornbellsubmission@gmail.com.

Out of respect for our judge's time, we are only accepting the first 20 entries received  AFTER I post the guidelines (The post will go live at 2PM EST in the US).

Surprising Solutions

A funny thing happened while I wrote the wizard’s story. I discovered that I wrote his lost love into my trilogy, but I didn’t know it.

She was a throwaway character at first—someone my protagonist meets at a ball. She was a minor thing. She barely even needed a name.

Her role built up slowly. My main character accidentally slighted a lady. I figured I might as well use her. The reverberations of this slight will hit my protagonist in book three. Now, this lady needed more of a backstory. I found I liked her.

As I wrote the wizard’s story, I was surprised to discover that this lady was the exact age of the wizard’s lost love. She was perfectly placed. There was no reason why she couldn’t be the character I needed.

Bonus: she already had a name, so I didn’t have to figure out one for her.

I learned some other things as well. For example, the main character does meet the wizard, although she doesn’t know it. I also learned that the wizard could not have planned things as I had written. I set up the story all wrong.

Great! That means that I have to rewrite my first three chapters. Again.

Ah well. The story makes a whole lot more sense now, or at least it will once I get around to making the right edits (read: rewrite the whole thing).

Have you ever been surprised to find what you were looking for already in your story? Or am I just crazy?

Finding Out Why

I don’t outline. That is, I can’t sit down and bullet point all the aspects of my story. Instead, what I do I call a short draft.

A short draft is kind of like a summary I write before I write the story. It hits all the main plot points and it’s all tell/no show. It’s a way to organize my story in my head. Things may not go the way I plan, but it still helps to have some sort of map.

I wrote a short draft for the story in the point of view of my main character. Now it’s time to do the same for this evil wizard.

I have a what. I need a why. Why would this wizard go to all this trouble to work such a spell? It has to be for love.

Then all the pieces fell into place. Take a lost love. Combine it with the characters and situations I already had. Mix until it makes sense. Let the ingredients bake together. And a climax that makes sense emerges.

Whew! For a while there, I thought I was going to have to give up.

How do you “map out” your story (if you’re a plotter)? Do you outline? Or do you do something similar to what I do?

Writing the Bad Guy's Story

I’m having issues with the story I’m writing. I don’t know my bad guy. I don’t have a climax for the story. Yeah, this is working.

But there are certain things I do know. In the climax, the protagonist prevents the antagonist from achieving his goal. Specifically, this wizard wants to kill a certain character (to use his blood in a spell).

You’d think that would be enough information, but I’m having issues putting all the needed characters in the same room. What was this spell? How would it work? How would the threatened character get lured into all of this?

You’d think a plotter would have already figured all of this out. To a certain extent, I had. But I focused more on the overall picture, and small details, like why this wizard was doing this spell, were overlooked. Oops.

It’s time to figure out exactly what the antagonist is up to and why. It is time to sit down and write the antagonist’s story.

Last week, I sat down and did just that.

Have you ever taken time to write from the antagonist’s point of view? Did it help?

The Mysterious Bad Guy

I’m not one to give up on a story. Sure, I have a bunch of unfinished stories that call to me from time to time, but I’ll get back to them. I swear. Eventually. But I don’t think my current work in progress (book one of a planned trilogy) needs to be abandoned just yet. I may be able to save it.

I understand my point of view character. The main characters are all well known to me. I even have a handle on the big bad guy (he’s evil in an if-you-cross-me-I’ll-have-you-killed sort of way).

However, the big bad guy doesn’t have a huge role in book one. He’s there, but he’s influencing things from afar. The main antagonist for book one is a wizard, and he’s a mystery to me.

I think my main problem is that this wizard doesn’t have a lot of scenes “on screen”. But his machinations in the background set the whole plot in motion. I have to know who he is and what he’s about.

You’d think I would have already figured this out. Sigh.

Are your bad guys “on screen” a lot? Or do they influence things from the background?

Story Problems

I’m having problems with the ending of my current story. And it’s making me a little crazy.

I got stuck on my last novel, too. It got to the point where I had to set the thing aside and let it rest for a while. Luckily, it’s my new normal to have several stories going at once, so I had something to jump to.

However, this time what I jumped to wasn’t as fully thought out as my stories usually are. I know that this will be a trilogy. I know where each part begins and ends. But now that I’m actually writing the first one, I find that there are certain weaknesses.

The ending.

I know where the end needs to go. I know what my characters need to be at that point. I know where the next story begins. The one thing I’m missing is a climax.

Back to the drawing board.

Have you ever abandoned a project because it wasn’t coming together? Should I just trash this and move on?

Mind Altering

I won't mince words.

I've read a lot of books.

Tons.

I can't even begin to count the number of books I've read over the course of my life.

And when I decided, and I mean really *Decided* that I wanted to define myself as a Writer I thought that having read so many books would have helped in some way.

Which it did.

Sort of.

Reading other peoples work is only half the battle. But what I really wanted? To be let in on all the dirty little secrets of the underworld of writing. The bones of it. HOW the hell do I create an f'in VOICE?! And what the heck do I do with all this research?

I happened, quite by chance, to pick up a book...well...download for free through B&N's Free Friday program... called Hooked by Les Edgerton. I read it in 2 days. I then went to my computer and deleted, not save and started new, DELETED my current wip.

Totally changed my writing style. Totally changed my outlook on writing in general.

It's a very quick, easy read. He uses very understandable examples. Like when explaining inciting incident. He uses Thelma and Louise. Very clear. Or the whole voice thing, and not using dialog tags. My eyes were opened. I think I actually went, "Oh!" Out loud.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, no matter where they are in their writing career. It's a funny, easy, quick read. I'm telling you, it'll change how you view your writing.

What books changed your life? Writing or otherwise?

Hidden Shelves

Oops.
  
I found your book.

You know. The one I borrowed that time. I was gonna give it back. Honest. I put it on this shelf so I wouldn’t lose it, and it wouldn’t get chomped on by dogs or drooled on by kids and ducks and other noxious items. I kept forgetting to give it back because it was hidden behind this other book.

Well. THESE other bookS, I should say. Because you see, I keep my *ahem* borrowed books on the same bookshelf/case as I do the books that I’ve not gotten around to reading yet.

You know the ones. The books that you see in the store all bright and shiny and everyone is RAVING about. You bring it home, all bright eyed and bushy tailed and set it on your nightstand (or what have you)...but then LO, you are already in the middle of another tome! So this one gets shoved to the bottom of the pile. Again...and again...and again.

OR Worse. You’ve gotten your college syllabus. And it has about 83 ‘classics’ on the list. You’ve already read 7 of them in High School. That’s close enough. You buy the rest of them at a used book store for about 1/23 the price they were going for at the Campus Store. Then proceed to read the first, middle 4, and last chapters of them whilst working 39+ hours a week at your “Part Time” work study job. You then write papers on them, getting A+’s on all said papers...  Not that this would ever really happen... *cough*

Someday I really will read The Three Musketeers. Honest.

And Maybe I’ll be able to get to anything by Weis and Hickman. Which will hopefully erase the bad taste left in my brain from reading Eat, Pray, Love. (Some things cannot be unread...*Shudder*...I wish I could remember who I borrowed that from. I’d send them a can of tuna...)

What books have you not gotten around to reading ‘yet’? Or better yet...what have become part of your permanently borrowed?

Epicly Epic

Epics. Oh the Epics I have!

Historical Fiction Epics! Fantasy Epics! Sci-fi Epics! Classic Epics! I’ll read them all. Just let me get sucked into a huge, sprawling monster of a story for weeks on end. A whole WORLD that consumes me. Books that keep me up until all hours of the night reading because the world and the characters in it are so real. You get so invested, there isn’t really a good ‘pause point’.

I don’t even know how to choose my favorites for this category. Mainly because this is the majority of what covers my shelves.

Definitely The Dragon Prince series by Melanie Rawn. I remember, very clearly, the feeling of awe the first time I read the first three in this massive 6 parter. I’m not sure if this was the first book I ever read with a name directory in the back, or if it was the first time I’d ever USED the name directory in the back...either way. Holy Mother. The cast of characters in these books. But the surprising thing is that there is no real defining GOOD vs EVIL. Probably the first fantasy series I’d ever read like that. Incredible.

Diana Gabaldon’s Highlander series is another one that I keep turning back to. I’m not sure how a writer can put out consistently interesting books, with the amount of research involved at over 600 pgs each. But she does. Yes there are weak bits. Flawed plot points. But the massive scope and the character development, the dialogue. That’s one thing she can write. I can always tell who is talking in her books. She is amazing at voice. And the settings just suck you in.

Then there are the self-contained epics. Margaret George is amazing at these. Or really the classics, Les Mis, The Count of Monte Cristo, Gone with the Wind. Margaret George’s Memoirs of Cleopatra is an absolutely incredible book. Somehow she makes you feel as though you are living her life. She makes you feel as though all these little tiny details, that you realize later could only have been made up, are real. Time stands still when you read this book.

I could go on and on and on in this category...but I think you get the point!  

What epics do you read? Self-Contained? Long-spanning 10 volume monsters?

Oddly, I’ve never found any horror epics. Probably because everyone gets bumped in the first book...