Query School is In Session

The bell just rang over at Unicorn Bell and the students are taking their seats. Turn off your cell phones and quit passing notes cuz it is time to begin our lessons.

Check out the schedule above and come join us. At the end of this three week course, editors from small publishers will judge your term papers, er, queries and who knows, maybe lightning will strike.

At least it is a chance to improve your writing and craft a great query.

So slip over and check it out. Multiple post per day with one of the worst query examples ever (mine*gag*) on tap for later today.

Two Fer Tuesday

Need a Crit?

I want to give back to the writing community that has given me so much. 

Tuesdays are my Two Fers, your chance for a critique of your query, first page, dialogue, or a scene.

I will take the first two that leave a comment and give a thorough critique regarding style, hook, and what works for me.

Send your query or 250 – 300 word excerpt to beccoff(at)nwmo(dot(net

And

Keep On Truckin’

Two Fer Tuesday

On June 5, I begin a new posting schedule.

And a proposition.

Be the first two that comment and receive a crit of your choice.

Need a fresh eye to scan your first page? Your query? I will critique two, 250 – 300 word submissions.

It can be one-on-one comments, just between us. Or I can post it for others to critique as well. Your choice.

Next Tuesday, the 5^th of June, leave a comment on my Two Fer post and receive opinions on style, grammar, flow, and hook.

Profound Confusion

When I began this writing journey, those already in the business offered much advice. A lot of it contradictory.

Some of the 'help' came from people who appear a bit touched in the head. Or Laughing Their Collective A** Off at the muck they caused.

Examples:

“There is no such thing as a ‘query letter’,” snarled one literary agent.

“Here is a sample of a query letter,” said another literary agent.

Huh?

A published author advised the following in a query:

BOOK TITLE, urban fantasy.

Another published author sniffed and suggested:

Book Title, an urban fantasy

*sigh*

Agents have their preferences. They are people too. Or so I’ve heard. But what about the agent who doesn’t detail exactly how they like their query?

It’s up to the lame-brained writer to decide; does the agent like their query shaken or stirred?

To personalize or not to personalize; that is the question. Actually, how in hell’s name do we write a personalized note to an agent who has no website? Or one whose last post was two years ago? Not much marketing going on there. And not someone who is high on my list.

Conspiracy. Sometimes I wonder if there is an industry-wide scheme to cause confusion. Just for entertainment purposes. 

Agents, laughing uncontrollable, switching, and deleting information like format issues, rich text, HTML, page heading, title page, summary vs synopsis.

There is no such thing as ‘contemporary fantasy’. This came from a fellow writer even though I was submitting to an agent who wanted…yeah you guessed it, Contemporary Fantasy.

Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, agents rolled their collective eyes at self-pub. With the success of so many in the industry, Amanda Hocking aside, I believe they see it a little differently. And we adjust even as the industry shakes like a dog emerging soaked from a pond.

Confused by sensory overload? TMI? Or are the little voices in your head laughing at you. pipe down, I told you not to say anything!

Wall-to-Wall Celebrations

And Gifts.

Valentine’s Day equals candy and flowers.

President’s Day equals sales and no mail delivery.

My birth month *G* equals something made of amethyst.

February also marks my two-year blogging anniversary for Spirit Called. 

For my followers this equals gifts.

Comment, link to my blog, and choose one:

• Query critique
• 1000 word critique
• Synopsis

Send requests to beccoff(at)nwmo(dot)net

The Confetti begins now.

Offer is open until Friday. 

Thanks to my followers and to those I follow. 

The riches of friendship that have no price.

Diagnosing Terror

In December, I completed my Work In Progress. The *real* work started after that.

I read it, edited, re-read then edited again.

CPs read the MS and gave priceless advice. I edited, re-read, edited.

Rinse and repeat. Ad nauseam.

I perfected my query with my Betas’ help to the point of tripping their gag reflex.

The synopsis is in the can. The agents and agencies researched until I could tell you what toilet paper they prefer.

The manuscript is polished and shiny. It is ready.

That is when I hit a wall.

Once again, this is not my first rodeo. I have been down the road leading to Published Author before. It is a process, a journey and a valued education. But the ultimate destination has proved elusive so far.

So why can’t I take that first step down the road to Query and submit this MS to the agents?

Easy question, easily answered.

Terror

How do you handle this wretched fear?