Advice for Writers by Writers who Write

image by Charles Schulz

So the summer’s over and if you’re a writer, perhaps you didn’t get done what you thought you’d get done. That’s usually how it goes for me in my writing life, as for most of July and August the beach beckons, the gin and tonics run freely, and with a less scheduled life I just get less done. Although I must say, I read much, much more! More queries, more manuscripts, and even more actual books read simply for my own pleasure. But I didn’t really work on any fiction writing this past summer. (See my last post to see why I might even be thinking about this.)

Besides being an agent, I’m also like many of you: an unpublished fiction writer. Yes! Agents can be writers, too! I asked a bevy of authors, some published and some still on their way, “What’s one bit of advice you have for unpublished writers?” Here’s what they said…

Fill your life with other positive-minded writers so you can hang out with folks who “get” you and your dreams. Socialize with them, swap ideas, and encourage each other. If you don’t have a crit group in your area, form one! ~ Marie Lamba

 

Two words: patience, and grasshopper. ~ Katie Bowden

 

Write a synopsis, even if the agents you’ll be querying don’t require one at the query stage. As big a bitch as it is to create one, articulating your ms in a page or two will help you see it better, and might inspire necessary revision. Better now than after you get a request.

~ Rhonda Saunders

 

Take yourself seriously; if you don’t call yourself a writer, no one else will either. ~ Carmella Van Vleet

 

First piece of advice: Don’t give up. Second piece: Don’t be a jerk. ~ Damien Walters Grintalis

 

Join SCBWI and go to the regional conferences. Even if you’re a starving artist, it’s worth the member fee. I wish I’d taken this advice when someone told it to me. I wasted years. ~ Judith L. Roth

 

Write because you love to write, or need to write. Because not writing isn’t an option. Write because writing is its own reward, even when it feels like punishment. Writing is the cake. And when you have written the best thing you can write, getting published will be the icing. ~ Ruth Horowitz

 

Give your Muse flowers and breakfast in bed, regularly. Which is to say, be kind and gentle with yourself–especially during first drafts. ~ Michael Gettel-Gilmartin

 

Work on something else while you’re waiting on responses from agents and/or editors. A shiny new project is a great distraction. ~ Stephanie Winkelhake

 

Keep in mind that the publishing race is a marathon, not a sprint.

~ Timothy Power

 

Learn how the business works. Be professional. See yourself as a professional. Recognize that mastering craft is only one part of the job. ~ Amber J. Keyser

 

 

Figure out what will make a manuscript compelling before you write it rather than trying to make it sound compelling after you’ve written it. ~ W.E. Larson

 

 What advice do you have for other writers?

 

 

The Blabbermouth report on my BEA2012 Day #2

Oh. My. Dog. I’m tired. Bone tired.  Here’s a recap of BEA from me for today:

• Eff blowing out the hair this morning. We’re all book nerds, nobody’s going to care about my hair.
• Yesterday’s comfortable shoes weren’t so comfortable. Suede converses today. Yo.
• Sat at the Pannell Award table with my Women’s National Book Association cronies and one of the recipients of the award from The Book Beat in Oak Park, Michigan. They are some cool, book hippies. xoxo
• I was served delicious fruit with my weak coffee again. Yay fruit.
• Chris Colfer: how cute are you?! Chris shared drawings with us that he made when he was 10 years old, about his book that Little, Brown just published, The Land of Stories. Chris was humble, quick witted and just delightful as an emcee, and he had a very impressive pompadour-ish ‘do.
• John Green: yes, I know we’re both married, but pleeze?! I just love this guy. He kept saying something like, “I know I’m good at the internet, but…” and the bottom line of his talk was that the world of books is safe because we do what we do great, and we don’t need to worry about enhancing e-books or making apps we can just keep making books, because “Story trumps everything.” I repeat: I will marry you, John.
• Lois Lowry: besides happily jumping up to participate in your standing ovation, you are just absolutely inspiring, Lois. Lois told us that the true reason for originally writing her novel, The Giver, after having written 17 novels that were very different from it, was just because she was wondering about something. Her advice to writers was counter to what most people offer. She said, “Write what you don’t know; what makes you uneasy; what keeps you up at night; what you wonder about.” Her newest book, Son, is the fourth and last book in the quartet.
• I thought to myself, how can anyone speak after Lois Lowry?! But Kadir Nelson did a fine job, let me tell you. Kadir has illustrated Martin Luther King’s I have a Dream speech, and his paintings are just gorgeous. You can tell when someone has a good heart by the art they make. Kadir is one of those people.
• Click here to watch live streaming of BEA events: http://cdn.livestream.com/events/bea/channelthin.html

After the breakfast I met up with the film and television agent who works with The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency and we walked around the floor of Javits. That was totally cool. She knew people, I knew people, we introduced each other around, and in cahoots we had more bravery to just go up to people we didn’t know and “network” (i.e. be friendly and interesting enough that they wanted to do the business card shuffle with us).

Then I went to the Middle Grade Editors Book Buzz and that was totally awesome! Although the alphas were snapping and biting at the ARC feeding frenzy after the panel, I did manage to get a couple of the books. And again, I introduced myself to one of the editors afterwards (one I totally want to pitch to!), and she offered me her ARC. Publishing people really are nice folk, I tell ya. I’m going to have to figure out how to read this in my (nonexistent) spare time because it looks great! I shuffled cards with another two editors, who both seemed pretty cool. And they were guys! You don’t know how rare that is. Sometimes it feels like all of publishing is women.

I missed the Neil Young/Patti Davis interview. I really wanted to go, but it just wasn’t what I was there for. Perhaps I’ll regret it. Oh well.

I was with fellow agency-mate Marie Lamba, who also happens to be a YA author, and prior to today she was a BEA virgin!  I felt somehow honored to be part of popping that particular publishing cherry with her. She kept saying things like, “I’m with this troublemaker over here, Linda Epstein.” Now why do you suppose she would say that? *I guilelessly ask as I look innocently around.* Marie and I went back out on the convention floor and were charming and interesting and friendly and we got/gave more business cards.

And then my friend texted me. Not just any friend. A really good friend, who I have known for 25+ years, who’s an art director and an artist and just one of the best people on the planet, in my humble opinion. (Love ya, Robin!) So we got together and then waited for 10 years to get a salad, and we all ate lunch, and then. I. Faded.

I had to go home. I was just DONE. I left an hour before I had intended, lugging three tote bags of books. Uphill to Penn Station. Now I’m writing this inelegant recap for all of you wonderful blog followers. Dad, if I’ve made spelling and/or grammar mistakes, tough noogies. I just don’t care.

So what did you all do today? Did any of you get to see Chris Colfer? Hunh? Hunh?