Phew! I'm still sparkling with the dusting of glitter showered on me from the interview last friday at Jon's. Thanks, everyone! And from the sugar rush that is Valentine's. Normally, I just get a tiny box of chocolates for each of my kids on Valentine's day, but this year, we graduated to a bigger box. Because Mom wanted More Chocolate. Yum. The fact that I went to bed nauseous does not detract from the experience. (But does tell you something about my self control...)
My favorite filling for Valentine chocolates is caramel. Although, to be perfectly honest, I prefer Lindt Truffles, but truffles are reserved for Christmas. To every season, you know. Turn, turn. There is a chocolate. So, returning to my Valentine's Day analogy: Friday I exposed my caramel during Jon's interview of me, by including my query. Funny that I would share so much personal information about myself, but that revealing my query makes me feel the most exposed.
So, tell me. What are you working on now? What story keeps you up at nights, writing, or keeps you refreshing your e-mail, waiting for a response from agents? Details, I want details! Why would I feel less uncomfortable if we're all exposed? Bad self control around chocolate, and bad logic around queries? Good stuff. But still, I'm going to ask; what's your filling?
And--my goals for the week: I'm not setting any. What?!
I'm chugging along on revisions, and just planning on getting much further along so that some time soon, I can send my filling to a caramel loving group of agents. What about you? What goals are you setting this week?
Why is it so hard to expose our query letters? I think it's because instead of just talking about our writing, we're showing a part of our fiction writing. Which is much different than blogging. But, I love reading other writers' story ideas and queries. Not to compare, but because it's interesting.
ReplyDeleteMy kids are home on vacation this week. So, my goal is to spend time with them, tweak my query letter, revise a little bit, and nail down at least a part of the new idea floating around in my brain. :)
I'm rewriting a book about a girl who dies and comes back as a kitten. Well, less rewriting than obsessing; dreaming about it, thinking about it at work, etc.
ReplyDeleteI've got another book making agent rounds, but it's too stressful to obsess about that, so I ignore it.
I think everyone already knows too much about me and what I am working on. I wont tell you that I am restarting STEPBROTHERS using the snowflake method. And I definitely won't be telling you that I have a 4'X4' poster board that I am using to create a plot map. Nope.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I can totally understand your feeling exposed regarding the posted query, but like I said...you totally have my mind crazed over that manuscript. You're lucky Robert was there to distract and fill the void!
ReplyDeleteOoooh, exposed... yeah, I totally feel like a little beetle without a rock when someone reads my query. My goal? Write, do not stress, and get back to your interview with Jon and make a comment. I'm so behind!
ReplyDeleteLaura--I feel so "out there" about my query. My kids are home too. Which is nice. We'll see what gets done. Although, one thing on my to-do list is to sign up for NESCBWI!!
ReplyDeleteMiriam--Coming back as a cat, huh? That sounds fascinating! It's probably good self-preservation to ignore the submission thing right now. Good luck with it, though!
Jon--I hope there's glitter on that poster board! And, you know, as soon as it's presentable, Fallen Star will find it's way into your hands. Why do you think I'm working so hard on revisions? It's not for the agents...it's for you! ;-)
A. Grey--I love that image. I'm looking for a rock to hide behind right now! But, I want to be a lady bug, instead of the beetle, 'kay? And, blogs are always there, no need to feel pressure to comment!
Last night, I woke with an idea in my head for a spot in my current WIP. I was pretty groggy, but I wrote the idea down. This morning it makes no sense, but I was pretty obsessed with it last night. Maybe it was all the pumkin icecream and homemade brownies playing with my mind. Maybe I'll wake up tonight with the rest of it figured out. I'll probably have to make and eat more brownies to get into the right frame of mind, which wouldn't be a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteMy goal: Keep working on the same rewrite, get a handle on the voice thats emerging.
Heather, aww, thanks!
ReplyDeletePaul - pickles and peanut butter.
You did expose your query (way to go!), and I meant to tell you I thought it was quite good. I hope your revisions on the book go well. I'm working on revisions, too. Again. But these are tougher because it's been more like a rewrite. Ack.
ReplyDeleteChocolate filled with more chocolate. Mmm.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with revisions! I have some coming up soon, too, and I have a feeling I'll be needing a lot of chocolate.
Paul--brownies before bed (or hot chocolate especially) give me nightmares. Not sure why. I'm glad that your brownies give you insights, even if they are incoherent, your subconscious is working!
ReplyDeleteGood luck on the emerging voice--that sounds positive!
Lori--Thanks. Some parts of my revisions have been rewrites, which makes it a multi-layered beast. I hope you tame yours!
ReplyDeleteMariah--Chocolate definitely aids creativity!
ReplyDeleteI think it is fantastic that when you feel the most exposed, you decide to draw more attention to it!!! I do think that is the healthiest attitude, jump right in there and do what is painful. So I made playlists for my wips this am. But here's what I do: I wonder have I done them right (I'm letting that go)? I'll get the chance to try them later.
ReplyDeleteI've no idea what query letters are (showing my ignorance or age again) but I do love chocolate, especially Cadbury's creme eggs. Yum :)
ReplyDeleteTina! I so want to know your taste in music. After looking at that link on your Gmail status a million times, I always get back to music.
ReplyDeleteCharlie, consider yourself to be outside the realm or queries!
Jonathon- Much to my surprise the Beatles showed up on my YA wip. A lot of stuff from my youth, Big Star Billy Bragg, Bob Mould, Cat Stevens, Sun Kil Moon.
ReplyDeleteThe new one has some Shins, a lot of Pin Back.
So there's some idea.
Heather-Turns out I don't have any Tori Amos in my library. Which is because my husband put all the albums on the computer. I need to head to the store next.
ReplyDeleteMy goals this week are non-writing related. I need a week off from the manuscript to just chill. Plus I've got a sick kiddo at home and curtains that need creating. I'm sort of excited to forget about the book for awhile...but I'm going to love watching all of you progress!
ReplyDeleteTina--I know, right? I thought that was sorta ironic. Here, everyone, look and see how uncomfortable I can be every time someone reads this! I figured there wasn't any way to ignore it.
ReplyDeleteBut--cool about the playlist. I'll be interested to see if it's helpful for you too. You'll have to let me know if it works for you! And, I'm pretty sure that there isn't any right or wrong way! :-)
Charlie--Cadbury eggs hurt my teeth. That filling is above the sugar concentration that I can handle. But they are super yummy!
ReplyDeleteNot too long ago, I didn't know what a query letter was either, it's specifically the letter that you send an agent or publisher to ask if they want to represent your work. It's a specific way to summarize your writing.
But, I liked Jon's answer better.
Jon--I love love love that you are passing around glitter here in the comments. Thanks for continuing the conversation!
ReplyDeleteAnita--that's wonderful, to take a breather. I have some curtains I need to hang in my son's room, and can't find the drill. Maybe you could hop over here when you're done.
ReplyDeleteTina--WHAT?! No Tori?! Sacrilegious.
ReplyDeleteAnd here I am rolling into the Monday Meeting on Tuesday. Shameful.
ReplyDeleteI hate queries. I have everything about queries. (My own, that is.) Writing them. Sending them. Sharing them. So that's why I agreed to let someone use my "query progression" (from awful to I-guess-all-right-because-it-worked) in a query-writing workshop. And now I cringe every time I think about it.
So you should be proud of sharing yours! It's tough!
As for what I'm working on -- I'm working on A) NOT checking my e-mail every five seconds for a possible response from my agent about the novel I sent her last week
B) Reading through a middle grade novel I wrote in July and never looked at again. It needs a lot of work, but I'm digging it. It's about an eleven-year-old juvenile delinquent helping her autistic twin sister hide a Great Dane puppy in the shopping mall where their mother works as a security guard.
Sarah--I'm glad you rolled in. Isn't it sill Monday somewhere in the world?
ReplyDeleteI'm digging your puppy hiding novel too. Sounds cool. Thanks for sharing!
Good luck not hitting refresh all day today.
Sorry for being another Tuesday roll-in, and even late Tuesday Pacific time...
ReplyDeleteQueries make me queasy. But... they also make me feel legit - as in, "Oh, THAT'S what I'm doing".
Robert--never too late for a Monday meeting. And I agree. Writing a query makes it feel more like I'm writing for a purpose.
ReplyDelete