HAPPY 2015! A week already has passed in the new year and life is still a whirlwind for many of us!
I hope you enjoyed he holidays and are now fresh for an EXCITING and MOMENTOUS Year!
I know I am. Once I put away all the Christmas decorations this weekend, I plan to JUMP back into my writing. I need to prepare for the SCBWI conference in NYC!
But first, Alex has asked us to write a short bio about us... Okay... if I must. LOL. Currently I am an interior designer by trade, but last year I had started a new online business of creating blurbs, creative editing, and COVER design. I am happy to say several of you had contacted me and I LOVED working with you, creating the write blurb or cover for your new works. I'll be continuing to do more of that this year.
I have written two novels and several shorts. I have several published blurbs, illustrations, an cover designs. In 2015 I hope to add my novel to this list.
I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to dust off my second novel and take a fresh look at it. A blogger pal has just finished the latest version and she loved all the new edits. So now I am ready to present it the masses at the conference. I also opted for the Friday special critique of my first few pages. I am nervous and excited about the reaction of the group and the agent who will be hosting it. This conference is amazing. I had attended a few years back and had THE TIME of my life. I had presented the same novel then, but in all honesty it wasn't nearly as polished as it is now. I had done a MAJOR edit, changed, the tense from first/past to first/present. I killed off a main character and added another to fill in the gap. I softened some of the edges on the MC and fleshed ALL the characters out. It took over six months. Longer than writing the actual story, which only took six weeks. And this is what I'd like to talk about today.
No matter how polished we think our MS is we still need to continue. I had written this novel four years ago and now I finally feel it is ready. Giving your story a time to "ferment" is a good thing. I had left mine for months at a time. Then I picked it up again and revised and rewrote. It all happened when I had submitted to a small publisher. It was turned down by two out of the three editors. BUT the one who LOVED it, contacted me and offered her help. She actually became my editor and helped me focus on many different variables to make this story even better. She was amazing. THANK YOU, Mary Waibel! You are the best!
I plan to go through my novel one more time before the conference. I am SURE there will be things to tweak here and there. As we all ask ourselves, "Will it ever be ready?" I also realize once an agent/publisher gets there hands on it, I will need more revisions. SO REMEMBER THIS...
I am toying with the idea of turning my novel from a strictly male POV into dual. It seems that male POV is not very sellable in the Y/A market and a very close blogger buddy of mine has just sent me a new novel written by a bestselling author WHO just happened to have written in a dual POV. Her style, according to my friend, is very similar to mine, so I may have to do this to sell my book. I plan on reading this novel and waiting until after the conference to see what happens there. Thank you, Donna for thinking of me and sending this book to me. I really appreciate it!
So as you can see, I have my insecurities in check. At least for now. Next month may be another story. The conference is on the Friday the 6th. On Wed. the 4th I may be a nervous wreck! Hopefully I will still have it together then for that post. LOL.
In the meantime. I wish all of you a very happy, healthy, prosperous, loving, successful, and CREATIVE year. As in the past years we, as a community, have always been there for each other and I see a stronger and more amazing community emerging for this year. More novels than EVER are being published and I wish all of you the very best with them. I hope mine will join the masses soon. It is time. As I always say. In Time...
Have a glorious day everyone and DON'T FORGET to drop by the other members' posts. Thanks again, Alex for creating this wonderful group! And thanks to this month's hosts Elizabeth Beckman, Lisa Buie Collard, Chrys Fey, Michelle Wallace, AND the regulars at the IWSG Facebook page!
46 comments:
I hope you rock it at the conference with your story. Sounds like you have worked on it very hard and made a lot of improvements. Changing to dual point of view might be a good idea, although it will involve a lot more work.
Great Post, Michael. And so true about letting the ms "ferment" When I go back to mine, I can see it from a different perspective and can make the necessary changes. A dual POV is in big time right now!!! Good Luck at the conference!!!
That's wonderful that editor worked with you. Good luck at the conference. I hope you have agents and publishers fighting over you.
Hi Michael .. sounds like your move into the NY area is just right for you - good luck, you've had the experience of the Conference before ... so it looks like you'll swing into things quickly. Now on with the edits and totally being prepared ...
Good luck in 2015 - cheers Hilary
I can't wait to hear about how the conference goes. I know you will rock it!
You're lucky to have found a great editor! Good for you, Michael.
A prosperous new year to you!
Excellent post, Michael! And yes! Coming back to your manuscript months after writing it is the best way to improve it. I am working on a manuscript that I turned in to my editor back in April, thinking I had the plot nailed down. Now that I'm addressing my editor's notes, I'm also picking up plot holes that even she missed. I'm thinking: Why didn't I address this? How could I have missed that?
Good luck at your conference! Go wow them!
I hope you have a fantastic time at the conference and everyone there LOVES this beautifully polished version.
Good luck with that second novel! I know how unnerving it can feel. Sending ((hugs)) and loads of positive vibes your way, Michael!
You will be a wreck, but don't worry! You'll do great. You've put so much into this work, I'm sure you'll have some great feedback. I'm taking your advice to heart because I too, have some older works to get polished up. And, my soapbox is, if traditionally published authors ALL are edited before being published, why should Indy's be any different? Happy New Year and good luck at the conference!
2015 will be filled with good things for you - I can feel it!
Okay, now I can't remember if I only mentally responded regarding the switch to present tense. It must've been what's right for the story because even though you'd told me about the change before, I didn't even think about it while reading -- it flowed so naturally. Definitely upped the intensity factor.
Keep warm with all those fabulous windows! Not only is school closed to day, so is my workplace. I knew that balmy December was too good to be true...
Michael, Happy New Year to you and yours! Good luck stretching your writing boundaries. My latest endeavor is in the paranormal realm and a far cry from the Chase Manhattan series. But its fun and glad I'm doing it.
Happy New Year! What an exciting event. I'm sure you've got nerves up the wazoo, but it's going to be great. You'll find the refining and editing process goes much faster once you have a publisher and editor. They kick the editing process into overdrive. I think that's my favorite aspect about the behind the scenes. Regardless, enjoy your conference.
Wow! Way to go signing up for that conference! And, best wishes for that, your novel, and life!!!
I love getting my critiques back. So much great input. Lots of stuff to make think and to make the story better. Good luck with your. New York? You lucky dog!
Thank you for the encouraging comment over at my place. Yes, sometimes it takes Years to make the story shine. I hope you have a great time at the conference and get lots of helpful feedback. NYC? I'm so jealous...
So awesome you're going to the SCBWI conference. Fingers crossed for you that you make a great agent contact.
And you're right. Sometimes it's best to let a manuscript sit for awhile and work on it with fresh eyes.
Happy new year, Mikey, may you stay hunky and may your novel see the light of the day in a bookstore!
Such a positive and inspirational post, Michael.
My primary insecurity lies with book marketing, which up until now hasn't been an issue because I've had nothing to promote. Taking my act to the people scares the heck out of me, but what's life without a little fear? Fear is the one thing that always stands between us and what we most desire. Our job is to face it down.
Wishing you every success at SCBWI.
VR Barkowski
Happy New Year! Lots of positive energy pops on this post. Good luck with final, final rewrites and then the conference. Sounds like you have plans - now stick with them, and the publishing world is yours to conquer. Keep us posted - no matter the outcome. We'll keep your head and ours held high.
Hi Michael!
It does take time for some books to ferment. As of right now, I have two that are about as aged as a really good chardonnay or excellent vintage bourbon! HA! Best of luck to you at the conference with your freshly edited novel. I'm sending nothing but positive vibes your way! I look forward to reading THE post from you: you know, the one where you tell us that your novel is PUBLISHED!!!
Happy New Year!
Jen
Your positive outlook will get your through the conference. You have come so far as an author over the last couple years, and all your hard work and willingness to accept constructive criticism is paying off. You encourage me to keep striving.
You know, a shot of vodka after a stressful meet n greet with the agents will put you back to rights. You have too much creative energy to let a little nerves hamper your enjoyment of the event.
Enjoy the book; keep your moans as soft as possible, lol.
I learned quickly that a book isn't done until it's published because it can always be polished. When I was working with my editor on Hurricane Crimes, I realized that I could look it over and always find some little tiny thing to change. I eventually had to surrender it over to my publisher with my hands in the air. Haha!
I hope you have an amazing 2015, Michael!
I hope you have a fabulous time at the conference! I'm quite jealous of you.
Writing my query, trying to condense the plot and characters, has made me feel like I need to edit the whole book again to make it tighter and faster paced. I think it would be easy to never be done.
Have a great time at the conference, Michael. Re: povs. The Harry Potter books are all in a male pov I think it depends on the story. You're the only one who knows whose head you want the reader to be in. Best wishes.
There's something about getting distance from an MS that gives you some clarity when going back for a re-read and re-work.
Good luck at the conference :-)
Happy New Year! Interesting about the POV for YA. I would think it also depends on the genre of the book too. It will be interesting so tackle a dual POV, no?
Oh my goodness, best of luck at the conference! I can imagine the excitement and the nerves. It will be great. All that hard work will pay off, good idea to wait until after SCBWI before contemplating changing to dual POV. You could maybe practice a couple scenes see how it makes you feel. It may just not be right for your story. Either way, can't wait to read how it all goes down.
Have an amazing new year, Michael! ;)
Your excitement is gushing from your post...which makes me excited for you. With that kind of passion, you can't go wrong. Best wishes for the new year.
I just typed up a comment for you, tried to publish it, and it all went away for some strange reason. Anyway, I hope you have an excellent time at the conference. I get excited before conferences, and I can see that you're pumped up.
Being a kidlit/YA writer, I also want to say that I have no problem reading YA from a male perspective.
Hi Michael, your excitement is contagious. I am super excited for you. Hope the conference in NYC goes well. Best wishes for the new year. I had the same problem; I queried one of my manuscripts too fast. After several rewrites, I feel its ready now.
When I hear someone so positive about the future and so creative (on many levels), it is like a breath of fresh air. I hope the conference experience is like gas on a flame, Michael. <3
It sounds like exciting times for you! I agree about the dual POV-- male POVs in YA novels are not very popular right now. Of course, all it would take is one big hit of a male POV in a YA novel to turn all that around!
Michael, I hope things go well at the conference.
So great to read an update of what you've been doing! Best wishes for the SCBWI conference!!! I'm sure you'll get some valuable feedback, maybe on the dual POV even. :) I hear ya about endless revisions!--but we are making our books better, yes?!
Good luck with all your goals and plans for this year! You've got a really positive attitude, which is the best thing to help with accomplishing goals.
I'm surprised to hear male protagonists are a hard sell in the modern YA market. I've heard other people saying they want to see more of them, since there's an oversaturation of female protagonists.
Awesomesauce!!!!! Look at you all over the place!! I hope you get so much out of the conference and you MUST share!!!
Happy New Year, Michael and best of luck for the conference! May every one of your wishes come true.
Best,
Nilanjana.
a conference in NYC? how exciting!! i love all the positivity in this post! way to go, Michael! very happy for you!
happy new year, bud!
You've put so much hard work into your novel, Michael! I can feel your excitement... positive energy...
Have fun at the conference!
Chat soon.
Best of luck to you at the conference and with your book! Sounds like you made a LOT of changes. I admire you for sticking with it to make it just right. :)
I wish I could get to a SCBWI conference in NY. Someday... :) Have fun at it!
You've been busy. Congrats on the success of your blurb and cover design service. I've never been to SCBWI's NYC conference. I've gone to the LA one server times and always enjoy myself and learn a lot.
Yup. It takes quite a bit of time to polish. Killer Stilettos has been morphing since 2012. It is now 2015.
I hope you have a blast at the conference! All the best!
Wishing you all the best for the new year! Can't wait to hear all about the conference -- I hope lots of agents are excited by your novel :-)
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