Revision: Thinking of WHY not WHAT

For those of you in the process of sending your baby manuscript off and into the world, I wanted to expand on a previous post regarding conflicting advice.

When reading for critique, the instinct is to try and be helpful. Often, I think the result of that is a critique that offers advice rather than a breakdown of the issues at heart.

This is one of my favorite clips. I really hope no one has received or left a critique session with me feeling like this...

But it transitions us nicely (after a few calming laughs) into the reason you should always focus on the WHY instead of the WHAT: the critique you got very likely could be the reader trying their best to help you with a solution, rather than pointing out something that is actually wrong.

Your job when revising is to figure out if that solution is the right one for your work, or if there is something else causing your reader to make the comment that they did that helps to point to what you really need to revise. How? Ask why.

Let's start with the video. WHY did this gatekeeper start spitballing outrageous ideas instead of directly critiquing the work? Well, honestly: from an outside perspective, and someone who has thrown some pretty outrageous ideas out there, I think probably the gatekeeper just wasn't intrigued by the story.

WHY?

Well, there could be two reasons: first, the story itself IS boring and/or non-fresh enough to really spark interest and stand out, OR this gatekeeper wasn't the right fit.

There's nothing you can do about an agent not being the right fit. But you should explore whether or not your story stands out in the market AND, if it does, if you've started in the right place - if your characters and voice are engaging enough right from the start to capture interest. And there's where you begin. Research - does your book stand out? And evaluate - are your characters and voice engaging?

Much better than trying to re-work it to be JAWS, right?

Here are a few things you can consider if you're getting responses all over the board, lots of "just not for me"'s, or just want to think about other solutions:

• What's at stake in your novel? For your characters? Is it strong enough?
• Does the reader feel like everything will be ok, even if they don't finish the book? (stakes)
• What's the conflict in your novel? Is it easily solved? (a perceived lose-lose situation is ideal)
• Does your character have autonomy in the conflict and stakes?
• When do you introduce the conflict and stakes? Too soon? Too late?
• Could your readers run into your character on the street and know how he/she would react to a variety of bizarre situations? (voice)
• Does your character's voice resonate in your readers' heads even after the pages stop?
• What's your ratio of dialog-to-narrative?
• Do your chapters end with conflict, or resolution?
• Is your idea unique? Can you condense it into a one-line hook that doesn't sound like ANY other book? (PW has weekly deal reports you can browse for free FYI)
• Does your book contain elements not found or not often seen in your genre? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
• What kinds of books does your reader/critique-r generally gravitate to? How would that influence what they would say? (don't focus on what you *think* an agent wants; what have they sold? Who do they represent? What have they read recently?)

Finally: what did YOU intend?

Find your book's focus. What are your comps? (in THAT genre, published in the last THREE to FIVE years). What do those books do well? What do you want YOUR readers to take away? What impression do YOU want to make?

Have you asked your critiquers if you've hit those marks?

If you need help figuring out the WHY: ask a friend! I'm sure the poor guy in the video above left scratching his head and maybe just thinking, WHAT?! And not sure where to even begin with the advice he was given.

Stepping back can be difficult; so try collecting the feedback you've been getting, and asking for some fresh eyes to help brainstorm: what should I read between these lines?

Keep an open mind...and don't be afraid to step back from a project, either, and write something new. You might not have found your perfect execution yet. You may need time, and more experience as a writer, to grow into it.

HOOK 'em in (in three seconds or less)

What is it?
The hook is the one-sentence core element of any pitch, logline, or query letter. It is incredibly handy to have memorized for any impromptu meeting with an agent or editor (or nosy family friend…) in a situation with limited interaction time (like an elevator).

Essentially, it answers the question: so what is your book about? In a way that intrigues the reader in exactly three seconds (because that is approximately how long you have to catch his or her attention).



Helpful Hook TipsFiction

Version One:
X genre in which/When X happens, X must do X to X/otherwise X


If you need help getting started, answer these questions (one sentence answers) and plug them into the formula (and tweak from there):

1.What is your age group and genre?
2.What happens?
3.How does your main character react?
4.What are your main character’s options?
5.What does your main character do?
6.What happens if he or she doesn’t get through it?
7.What are the larger consequences of this?


Version Two:
A specific frustration or situation one of your characters has to deal with that illustrates a key theme or problem (that is ideally unique) in the novel.


Non fiction

Why THIS book NOW? (Be prepared to follow up with: why YOU?)





Examples

Fiction

Version One:
*A sci-fi trilogy set in a dystopian future in which a 16-year old girl offers herself as a "tribute" in a series of deadly war games to save her family


Using the help tip:
•What is your age group and genre?
YA contemporary fantasy
•What happens?
Two girls become sirens
•How does your main character react?
freak out
•What are your main character’s options?
become a bird or finish the task and return to normal
•What does your main character do?
attempts to finish the task
•What happens if he or she doesn’t get through it?
they will belong to Hades
•What are the larger consequences of this?
they will lose their freedom


Plug it in:
YA contemporary fantasy in which when two girls become sirens they must lure a man to the underworld to be set free or they will belong to Hades and lose their freedom.

Tweak it:
YA contemporary fantasy about two girls forced to work for Hades as sirens luring individuals to the underworld unless they want to belong to Hades forever.

When you’re finished, it should be easily recognizable as a SPECIFIC book.

Version Two:
*It’s hard to fall in love with the boy next door…when you don’t remember who he is.

*Becoming a goddess would be pretty awesome…if it didn’t involve death.


This version is more vague, a pure interest piquer.



Nonfiction

*Star Potential is the first astrology how-to guide written exclusively for high school girls ages 15-17 that will capitalize on the teen obsession with astrology-related titles such as the bestselling Star Crossed (Running Press Kids, 2010) and The Star Shack (Sourcebooks Fire, 2010) at an all-time high, and the constant popularity of the horoscope section of teen magazines.




Look at the listings in Publishers Marketplace; these descriptions stem from hooks, though they tend to also be vague.


Practice!

Other Helpful Tips:
http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152587 – index of helpful writing tips

Why I'm Scared (to self-publish)

I started this blog post today after pondering the sentiment many people have that “your days are numbered, agent. Why should I get a publisher or pay you 15% anyway when I can just put it up online myself and get a 70% royalty?!”

I wanted to show that no, really, agents are pretty much awesome. I mean, you can just read this and know that right?

Research commenced. I found out exactly how to self-pub:

“With Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) you can self-publish your books on the Amazon Kindle Store. It's free, fast, and easy. Books self-published through KDP can participate in the 70% royalty program and are available for purchase on Kindle devices and Kindle apps for iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, PC, Mac, Blackberry, and Android-based devices. With KDP, you can self-publish books in English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian and specify pricing in US Dollars and Pounds Sterling.” -Amazon.com

Sweet.

You just have to price your book between $2.99 and $9.99 to get that 70%; otherwise, you get 35%, which is the rate you will generally get (if not better) from a traditional indie pub.

If you want to be available on more than just the Kindle, you'll need to put your book onto a site like Smashwords.

Awesome. Know thy enemy and all that.

Then came the time to throw the wrench into this eeevil plan.

USA Today writes: “This January [Amanda Hocking] sold more than 450,000 copies of her nine titles…. Novelist J.A. Konrath…has sold more than 100,000 self-published e-books.”

Wait, what?

"The Beanie Baby Handbook by Lee and Sue Fox sold three million copies in two years and made #2 on the New York Time Bestseller list." -Groundbreaking.com

And on and on and on. There's even a self-published book on self-published hall-of-famers!

Boy. Self-publishing ebooks sure doesn’t sound so bad, does it? Sounds pretty lucrative, actually.

The biggest decision you seem to have to make is whether or not to protect your ebook with Digital Rights Management(which, by the way, isn't a clear option you have to do anyway, so it's probably not even something you would think about).

So what can I really say against it?


Nothing. Except that I would never do it.


At the end of the day, self-publishing is incredibly tempting: I have several unpublished manuscripts lying around. I have over 2,000 twitter followers. I’m sure if I priced the sucker at $.99 people would pay to see just what this agent’s got. So why the heck not?

Well. I suppose because there’s no guarantee. Yes, it could be some easy, quick cash; but that’s not the point of publishing, is it? Even Amanda Hocking ended up with a traditional publisher.

Why?

Part of it, I think, is because to make it in self-publishing, you have to constantly promote yourself. You become a business, and any business needs full dedication in order to succeed and grow. Sure, if you make enough money you can hire a promotional team, but you will constantly have to keep proving yourself, constantly have to be everywhere.

But most of it? The big, glaring elephant in the room that is why most writers are afraid (yeah, I said it) of self-publishing?

Because that means that you’re saying you’re good enough.


You’re saying you don’t need anyone else to tell you you belong on bookshelves; you don’t need a deadline or an editorial team backing your every word.

But like I said – there’s no guarantee. There’s no guarantee that even if you take the risk, decide you don’t need anyone else behind you but you, that you will succeed.

The USA Today article mentioned four authors doing the impossible. PublishAmerica boasts over 50,000 authors. Lulu boasts nearly 20,000 titles a month.

Hmm. Ok. Lulu's official stats claim 1.1 million authors, so...4...out of 1,150,000 is...well, ok, let's throw in the ones from the recent Groundbreaking.com list, too, just to be fair, so...37 (heck, let's do 38) out of 1,150,000 is .000033%.


I’ve already spoken to the dangers of self-publishing if you don’t succeed; and honestly, though I love me a Cinderalla story and love me easy cash…I really, really don’t have the time, energy, or confidence, to take this risk.


So while I agree whole-heartedly that self-publishing is very tempting, and can be very lucrative if done well, and if done right, as an agent, it holds about the same pull to me as the million-dollar-jackpot.

Only this isn’t a dollar I'm gambling. It’s my career.

Killing the Messenger

AKA: When Authors Leave Agents

I've already spoken on the blog about making sure an agent is the right fit for you before jumping into a relationship. But even all the caution in the world can't predict if you'll ever *gasp!* have to think about leaving your agent.




I wish I could say I've never been dumped.


But I can't.


It happened almost a year ago, with one of the very first clients I signed. We had a FANTASTIC relationship (I thought). I loved his work, he loved my notes, we went on sale...and...the book didn't sell. We went through rounds and rounds of revisions, but always the same thing. It had flaws, which I HAD understood going in, but I loved the book enough to give it a shot because I loved his style enough to want to do more. So, the plan of attack turned into "let's take what we've learned from all of these editors and use the feedback to make the NEXT book AMAZING."

And so the next book began. And...I didn't like it. There were many of the same problems as the first, and I was starting to recognize that the author really may not be capable of bringing it to the next level. Still, I gave him my notes on what I thought needed to be done to make it something I could take to market, because I STILL loved his voice, STILL was willing to try and dig until that gem I'd sensed in there actually shone. But he was beyond insulted by that point; we'd worked so much on the first book that he hadn't even felt it was HIS work anymore, and so my coming back and telling him I didn't like something that WAS entirely his was devestating.

Why am I sharing this story with you? Because it is at THIS point: unsold project(s), dead-end manucript(s), a rejected manuscript - that many authors feel they need to make THE DECISION: stay -- or move on?


Here are some things to consider if you're considering leaving your agent:

-Do NOT do it just because things aren't going your way

-Do NOT do it just because things aren't happening FAST enough, or how you WANT it

-List out your reasons for leaving, and honestly ask yourself if they sound selfish and whiney, or whether or not your agent LEGITIMATELY is doing a bad job

-If you're upset with editorial feedback, think about the feedback given: is it sound and backed by reason? (As an agent, I consider it my job to be honest. I won't take the chicken way out and pitch a manuscript I know is sub-par just so editors will say it for me. It's my career on the line every time I make a submission; and I'm not going to risk it just to try and make you happy.)

-Have you or the agent lost enthusiasm for the work/relationship - which you feel can't be overcome with a heart-to-heart discussion on direction and next steps?

-Do you not trust the agent's advice? Do you not respect the agent? (To which I say: WHY did you sign with him or her in the first place?!)

-What is your history with the agent? Have you been successful? Has the AGENT been successful? (Keeping in mind, of course, the new vs. established agent stats - a new agent with no sales isn't necessarily a bad sign. A new agent who isn't networking, has no sales within a year, particularly if not backed by a big and/or established agency, or an agent who is sort of...eh, might be worth thinking twice about, however).

-Think of the reasons YOU signed with this agent in the first place. Have things really changed, or are you just frustrated?

-Have you tried discussing your concerns with your agent first? (My former client did end up emailing me a few months later to apoloize and see if we could start anew; we both agreed everything could have been sorted out with COMMUNICATION. However, that doesn't mean we're working together again; the trust was broken. You don't want to leave a good thing that's just shadowed with frustration and miscommunication.)

-Are you basing your judgement on rumor, or fact? I.E.: did you suddenly read a raging post on a writer forum and get freaked out, or did you find out from Preditors and Editors your agent is on the no-no list?


-Have you read through your Agency Agreement to understand what leaving will REALLY mean? (I'm not saying this should deter you; just be prepared. Are you able to sever ties now (some agencies require an initial agreement term)? Is there a "re-capture" clause, during which time, if your work sells, the agency will still commission? Are there any stipulations about what the agency will continue to represent post-termination?)







Regardless of what your decision becomes, I will say that the best way to do this is over the phone. This particular former client, on advice from a writer friend of his, decided to email and cc every person in my office to part ways with me, bad-mouthing me but hoping that one of my colleagues would want to take him on instead.

Bad. Idea.

If you MUST email to break the news (and even after you do so, official termination will require a letter) then do so in a professional, rational, calm mannor. Never in a rage. Never insulting. You do NOT want to put yourself on ANY agent's black list; no matter if your agent truly is the worst person in the world, take the high road out. Even if you're dumping them now, they'll still potentially be your colleague later once you sell a book. And once you do leave, keep in mind, again, that anything you say WILL reflect back on you - as always, sometimes it really is better to say nothing if you can't say anything nice at all.


A further word of caution: if you're considering leaving because you think you can cut corners with the whole finding-an-agent process the next time around, think again. Just because so-and-so liked your work doesn't mean anything to me (especially if it's for the book you're trying to find new representation for; if it's already been shopped around, I really don't want to touch that).


If you have published works, yes, it will be easier to find a new agent than if you don't - I just caution you to read my post on things to consider before jumping into another relationship.

However, agents get emails all the time from clients who were previously represented. And guess what? Doesn't change a darn thing about your submission - in fact, it makes me wonder...are YOU difficult to work with?



It's not a black mark on your record to part with an agent. It is, however, if you decide to bad-mouth them. Agents know and respect each other. We understand that relationships don't work out; styles just don't mesh sometimes. That doesn't mean we're going to jump in with a "whee!" if you're coming into things as an agent-hater. I definitely don't have time for anyone high-maintenance on my list.



And for the love of God, do NOT decide to go behind your agent's back and try and find a replacement before you've severed ties.




Most of all, though: remember that this is going to hurt us too. It’s crushing to lose a client, even if we know it really is for the best.

Advice from Along Came Polly

As I start to prepare for the start of my 2011 conferences, I was reminded by the scene below just how...painfully...interesting, many pitch sessions can go.

This is between Ben and Jennifer in ALONG CAME POLLY, when she shows him her idea for her children's picture book:

B: Huh.

J:You hated it.

B:No, I don't. It's just... It's very graphic for a children's book.

You know, like this one: "The Boy with a Nub for an Arm."


J: Well, that one has a moral.


You know, to teach kids they gotta be careful
when they're playing with fireworks.



B: Right. No, and-and I think it's brilliant, by the way. Seriously.

J: Uh-huh.

B: I mean, like, you really convey...the pain and the fear, and I love the little doggy too.


But... And I don't mean this in a bad way.

J: Right.

B: Just what were you thinking?

What I really liked about this scene was how it puts into perspective the whole process. It’s an awkward process for both of us but…it’s only purpose is to help you take your career to the next level. I'm doing the best I can TO help because I DO care about your path as a writer. Even if I don't like an idea or have feedback to give, don't take it the wrong way; take it as my encouragement to try and steer you toward success.

Obviously (hopefully) I'd never be so blunt, even IF presented with "The Boy with a Nub for an Arm," but it can definitely be a struggle sometimes to CONSTRUCTIVELY criticize based on, essentially, an idea alone.

So take advice with a grain of salt – but take it in in the right mind frame to begin with.