Archive for 2010

All Good Things Must Come to an End

October 25th, 2010 | Deep Thoughts | 86 Comments

Think about this for a minute…

4 years.

Hundreds of posts. 

250 average readers per day. 

A half-million visitors. 

Time to hang it up. 

I've said what I have to say, and while there are still questions out there (including about 300 in my in-box that I meant to get to), I'm going to wrap it up. I feel like I've said plenty, I'm starting to go over some of the same material, and I need to just go focus on the authors I have the privilege of representing. So I'll blog once more, to say good-bye, but then I'm done. I'm going to fold up my tent, cash in my soup ladle, hand over my keys, and all those other overdone metaphors for wrapping it up. 

No more blog posts. No more bad poetry. No more whining about dopey queries and stupid ideas. No more offending the faithful. Time to spend my words on something else. I'll leave it all up, so you can wander through the archives a bit (once more, for the hundredth time — if you come to the bottom of the page and see a little yellow arrow that looks like this > , there are more pages to see on the topic). But I'm done. It's been fun. 

Chip

They say I’ll be dancing again very soon …

October 22nd, 2010 | Uncategorized | 18 Comments

Calvin and Hobbes Happy Dance Seriously.

So many people have written to ask about me; wondering how my back is, specifically. Thanks. It makes me want to do the happy dance, knowing that people have been concerned, and especially to know that people have been praying for me while I've been recovering from what we are now referring to as the "sweater incident."

I spent the first week essentially horizontal, drugged up, and wiped out. 

Last week I was working on getting vertical again, but still on meds. I had some pretty good stretches of time when I felt capable of getting back to work, but I'll admit, I had a hard time finding the drive. That's when my mother reminded me that the brain is a muscle, too. I tried to take that as permission to not engage in too many projects requiring mental heavy lifting.

I think it was Tuesday of this week  that I began to realize just  how far behind I'd gotten on promised submissions, returned phone calls, mail, email, and bookkeeping. And that injuring oneself not long after being out of the office for a week-long conference is havoc on the follow up.

But now I'm feeling much better, playing a pretty solid round of catch up, and happy to say that I think I'm done whining. 

Pretty sure my family and clients are happy about that too.

Just thought you'd like to know…

Sandra

 

What’s the latest news?

October 21st, 2010 | Proposals, Resources for Writing | 21 Comments


Random thoughts on proposals and writing as we end the week…

I am teaching a one-day workshop in Richmond, Virginia, on Saturday, November 6, at the Sierra Hotel near Short Pump. If you're in the area, I'd love to have you participate. All the details can be found here: http://www.regonline.com/the_perfect_proposal

My friend and fellow agent Noah Lukeman has some great advice to share on how to write a strong query letter, and he's giving it away as a FREE downloadable book. Check it out at:  www.writeagreatquery.com

And noted author Harlan Coben had some fascinating things to say about author branding in an interview he did with The Atlantic. Check out his thoughts at http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2007/07/paperback-writer/5988/

Several folks have written to ask if there is a book-marketing site I like. There is — check out what Rob Eager does at http://www.startawildfire.com/

And there's fascinating advice on how to make the most of social media here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFZ0z5Fm-Ng&feature=related

I've had at least a dozen people write to ask what's going on with the various lawsuits among the guys who created the novel The Shack. Frankly, it's a mess. One guy is suing his partners for not sharing the money equitably. They are in turn suing him and claiming they helped write the book. And the publisher is even being sued (though it sounds like all they did was stick the earned royalties into a suspense account until the various other lawsuits could be resolved). It's ugly… and it's coming from people who bragged about how they didn't need an agent because they were all such good friends. Ugh. You can read about it here: http://www.christianretailing.com/index.php/newsletter/latest-etailing/21824-legal-showdown-over-the-shack


There's something new coming up on the market — "Kindle Singles," a new idea from the folks at Amazon to create and sell e-books under 30,000 words (a size that is almost impossible to sell to a regular royalty-paying publisher). With the advent of e-readers and book-reader phone aps, there's a renewed interest in shorter reading projects. I don't know if this is going to be a trend or not, but it's certainly an interesting idea. Give a look at: 

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1481538&highlight

By the way, Publishers Weekly reported that e-book sales were up 172% in the month of August. Wow. Now that's what I call a trend. 

And Barnes & Noble is getting into the world of self-publishing — making e-books available for authors who want to sell through the B&N.com website to all those Nook users (and I think the Nook is fabulous — I like it better than the Kindle, in fact). There are mixed feelings about this sort of thing — it means the retailer is now in direct competition with their suppliers (the publishers), but it also seems like a good deal and something a bit different from the self-publishing program at Amazon. If you're interested, the details are here:

Finally, I'm sure you've been waiting to see a new shot of the cutest new baby on the planet — here she is, dressed as Tinkerbelle and flying into my arms:

Maelie as Tinkerbell



NEWSDAY TUESDAY …

October 12th, 2010 | Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Secret Cove, Maui BIG NEWS … Sandra is sitting upright again!

Chip says it's age which caused my back to go out for no good reason last week. I say it's the onset of cold weather since I was reaching into my closet for a sweater. And it wasn't even a heavy sweater! Anyway, just more motivation for me to move to Maui. 

Until then …

 

DEAL NEWS

Lacy Williams is writing MARRYING MISS MARSHAL, her first book for Steeple Hill.

Jay Patleitner has signed with Harvest House to write three more books following his recent title, 52 THINGS KIDS NEED FROM A DAD.

CATCH A FALLING STAR by Lynette Sowell was recently sold to Barbour.

 

CONFERENCES

Sandra is teaching at the upcoming Nov 6-7 Indiana Christian Writers conference sponsored by Wesleyan Publishing.

On November 6th, Chip is teaching a proposal seminar in Richmond, Virginia. Spaces are available…

Well-known writer Alton Gansky has put together a strong faculty for his intimate, new-style writing conference, coming up October 18-22 in New Mexico. If you’d like to meet people in the industry, but are a bit intimidated by one of those 500-attendee gatherings, check out what he’s doing at the Southwest Christian Writers Studio: http://www.altongansky.typepad.com/swcws/

Sandra has been invited to join faculty at the San Diego State University conference January 28-30, 2011; Florida Christian Writers conference March 2-6, 2011; and  Mt. Hermon, April 14-19, 2011.

OTHER NEWS/AUTHOR EVENTS

Anita Higman and Irene Brand's Summerside Press title LOVE FINDS YOU UNDER THE MISTLETOE, is going into its second printing after only one month. 

Theresa Flores has teamed with actress Abigal Mason and producer Dan Paulson to produce a movie of the week based on her teen sex-trafficking memoir THE SLAVE ACROSS THE STREET. It is currently being pitched to networks.

Poppy Smith will be the main speaker at Oregon Christian Writer's Fall conference this weekend.

 

AWARDS/REVIEWS

 

Susan Meissner's LADY IN WAITING (Waterbrook) is a novel which blend the past and present. September 28th Publisher's Weekly gave it a starred review, calling it compelling, enticing, masterful. We aren't surprised, of course. Congratulations again, Susan.

 And other congratulations worth repeating:   MacGregor Literary is  excited about all the 2010 INSPY Award finalists we represent: 

 
General & Literary Fiction: CROSSING OCEANS by Gina Holmes, Tyndale House 
 
Creative Non-Fiction: GOD HIDES IN PLAIN SIGHT by Dean Nelson, Brazos Press *
 
Speculative Fiction: THE LAST CHRISTIAN by David Gregory, Waterbrook Press *; ROOMS by James Rubart, B&H Publishing
 
Young Adult Fiction: SO OVER MY HEAD by Jenny B Jones, Thomas Nelson 
 
 
*These are current MacGregor Literary authors, whose books were previously represented by another agency.

DOES YOUR NAME GO HERE? 

If you are represented by or affiliated with MacGregor Literary, and have an event or other news you'd like us to mention, please send it on to us for consideration, putting NEWS in the subject line.

 

Sandra

 

 

Getting To Know Us

October 11th, 2010 | Agents, Current Affairs, Deep Thoughts, Questions from Beginners | 15 Comments

We've had a bunch of "get to know you" questions lately, so I thought I'd group several of them together…

Andrew wrote to say, "You used to be a publisher with Time-Warner — why did you go back to agenting?"

 

I love agenting. I enjoy working closely with authors, doing book development, planning careers, and spending time talking over projects. Actually, I never really got comfortable in my role as publisher – I always felt like a “suit.” Much happier being back on the agenting side of the desk.  

Janice asked this: "It seems like you and Sandra have had a lot of success in a short time — to what do you owe your success?"

 Most likely it’s my good looks and Scottish heritage. But aside from that, I have a pretty good eye for writing. And let’s face it – an agent is only as good as the authors he or she represents. If I’ve had good success, it’s because I’ve had the privilege of representing really good writers. Go to my web site, select any author, and read a novel… all of them can write. That’s the main reason I’ve been successful.  

Jim wants to know, "What types of projects do you get excited about?"

I always tell authors at writers’ conferences that I’m looking for “books that change me.” It’s true. I get excited about reading a book that will leave me changed, since I know it will have the potential to significantly impact readers. I also look for a strong voice – your book shouldn’t sound like everyone else’s book. If there’s great writing, a strong voice, and a message that has the potential to change me as a reader, I know I’ve got a winner.

Dana asked, "Are there stories that you know right away you're going to be tired of?"

Sure – The tough-guy hero opens his eyes, squints, stares at the ceiling fan, looks out the window, stares at himself in the mirror, and reflects on life. The Christian novel that starts with a rape scene. A novelist who feels a need to describe every piece of furniture in the room, or every article of clothing the smart-but-rambunctious heroine is wearing. ANY novel that wants to re-create Left Behind or The Shack, or correct perceived theological errors in Left Behind or The Shack. And, of course, the romance novel that has a first page filled with adjectives. Yeesh.

Nathan asked me, "How would you describe your ideal author?"

 Great writer. Creative. Listens. Low maintenance. Good sense of humor. Strong writing voice. Wants to change the world. Loves God and other people. Preferably Scottish, I suppose… but I'll give grace to those who aren't.

Denise asked, "What is one thing you'd like to suggest to writers today?"

 Read books on writing, and read classic literature. I love words and books, so I’m always reading books that offer tips on improving writing. That makes me a better agent. 

Jana asked, "Be serious for a moment — why do you think it's so important to blog?"

Um, I don’t know if it is important. But I enjoy having a place to vent, it keeps me close to people and offers me instant feedback. I suppose the best thing for readers is that it gives them a bit of a peek behind the curtain into what an agent is thinking, and the best thing for me is that my blog has proven fairly popular and has given good exposure to my agency. I don't get that many chances to write, so this is my big chance these days. I do it to give back, because I believe in mentoring, but I also do it because I enjoy writing and this is my best venue right now. 

David sent this: "How do you view publicity, and what role does an agent play in the publicity process?"

 This is the single biggest change in the years I’ve been an agent. We’ve always done editing, and talked through book ideas with authors, and kept healthy relationships so that we could effectively sell manuscripts for authors. But nowadays it’s imperative an agent become involved in the marketing of the books he or she represents. Since “platform” is now king, an agent has to help his or her authors strengthen platform, make an effort to work on publicity, and maximize the marketing done by the publisher. Frequently that means helping the author fill in the gaps in the marketing plan. Most agents probably don’t enjoy the publicity angle a lot (it’s usually the “word” side that got them involved in the business in the first place), but it’s absolutely necessary. So I’ve become more of a marketing strategist than I ever planned to be. I think most successful agents see it this way. 

Sandi wants to know: "Why do you and Sandra attend writing conferences? It seems like many agents are staying away from conferences, but you seem to thrive in that setting."

It’s true – going to writing conferences probably isn’t significantly boosting our agency business. I do get to spend time with editors who are on faculty, and I occasionally see an author with a great voice and platform, but for the most part it’s just a way of giving back. I’ve had several people question why I have spent time at conferences over the years, and the simply response is probably, “Because I enjoy it.” I like speaking to people about the industry and helping newbies navigate their way. Some of us were made with a built-in desire to mentor, so I find it hard to stay away from conferences. Next week I'm going to be at the Southwest Christian Writers Studio in New Mexico — a boutique conference limited to just 100 writers (and I hear they still have slots available, if you're interested). To me, that's a lot of fun. 

And Barbara asked, "What is the one thing that will surprise those of us who have read you but have never met you?"

Um… I have a soft voice. You can sit at a table with me in a cafeteria and not hear me. People read my blog and assume I’m a loud guy – but that’s only in print. I’m much bigger in print than I am in real life. 

 

Newsday Tuesday …

October 5th, 2010 | Conferences, Current Affairs | 7 Comments

Some quick notes and random stuff…

Well-known writer Alton Gansky has put together a strong faculty for his intimate, new-style writing conference, coming up October 18-22 in New Mexico. If you’d like to meet people in the industry, but are a bit intimidated by one of those 500-attendee gatherings, check out what he’s doing at the Southwest Christian Writers Studio: http://www.altongansky.typepad.com/swcws/

The INSPY Awards have announced their list of 2010 finalists. Included this year are some authors we represent: Gina Holmes, in the Literary Fiction category, for Crossing Oceans; Jim Rubart, in the Speculative category, for Rooms; and Jenny B Jones, in the YA category, for So Over My Head. Other finalists included two authors we represent, but whose books we weren’t representing at the time—Dean Nelson for God Hides in Plain Sight and David Gregory for The Last Christian. And Mark Bertrand made the finalist list for his fabulous novel Back on Murder, but then was taken off the list when it was revealed his book released one day too late to make the list! You can see the entire list of finalists here: http://inspys.com/

Publishers Marketplace (a great resource that you should consider subscribing to) did some research on the number of deals being done so far this year in all of publishing. As usual, they reported things were slow in the summer, then picked up considerably in September. Overall books deals are up about 16% from last year (which is great news for authors), with “thrillers” being a clear growth category, and YA fiction on an upswing. And while big-money deals are growing, “debut” authors are down considerably—meaning publishers are looking toward their A-level authors to pay bills more than ever before. If you’re interested in staying on top of the publishing news, check it out at http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/automat/

In case you missed it, Michael Cunningham, author of The Hours, penned a wonderful piece of writing in the New York Times on the use of words. It’s worth reading: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/03/opinion/03cunningham.html?_r=1

I frequently get people asking about freelance editors. There are ton of them (especially now that all the publishing houses have trimmed their staffs), so if you go to any decent writing conferences you’re sure to meet a few folks who do freelance editing. For copyediting, I have often worked with Hannah at DoubleCheck:  http://www.doublecheckediting.com/  , and I noticed at ACFW several authors were chatting up the developmental editing abilities of Jamie Chavez, who you can find at

http://www.jamiechavez.com/ 

If you need help just getting your novel up to snuff, we are big fans of www.mybooktherapy.com , and we like the work Joyce Magnin is doing with authors. Of course, if you want some basic "how do I make this writing gig work" advice, consider talking to Tiffany at http://writingcareercoach.com/ 

I also have people write to ask me, “How can I make sure my site is the top one listed on a search engine when somebody does a search for my name or topic or genre?” There are whole books about this subject, but here are a couple places to start: http://www.seomoz.org/article/beginners-1-page

and

http://www.google.com/webmasters/docs/search-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf

And in the NEWS OF THE WEIRD category, a paper in Pennsylvania refused to run an advertisement from the Christian Book and Gift Shop because the name of their store was “offensive.” True story – the guy at the paper said the fact the store had the word “Christian” in it meant an ad “could offend non-Christians.” Good grief. It’s all here: http://www.christianretailing.com/index.php/newsletter/latest-etailing/22074-store-rejected-over-offensive-christian-name-

Here’s something you’ll enjoy – the 100 Best First Lines from novels, according to the American Book Review: http://americanbookreview.org/100BestLines.asp

 

Will E-books Kill the Printed Page?

September 29th, 2010 | Current Affairs | 10 Comments

Benjamin wrote to ask, "What's your perspective on all the new e-readers?"

History has taught us that as new technologies are developed, the culture adapts to them. We used to walk across the room to change TV channels. We used to stop and find a pay phone to call home. We used to re-type each page of a manuscript that had error. But we've adapted our lives to adjust to remote controls, cel phones, and PC's. (And, of course, the advent of TV's, telephones, and typewriters were cutting-edge technologies in their own days — each requiring adaptation from radios, telegraphs, and handwritten notes, respectively.) Right now we're moving from printed materials to digital materials, and that's creating a lot of change for people. My son will read a book on his cel phone — that's about all anyone needs to know regarding the future of digital technology. All those extant great books and words? They're all out there, ready to be interpreted through a new medium.  So you know what that means? If you don't own one yet, YOU are going to own an e-reader very soon. 
Michaela asked, "Will e-books kill printed books in the long run?' 

I don't honestly know about "the long run." But we've been living with books for roughly 500 years, and it's hard to see that changing. But sure, there are some rough waters ahead as we go through this change. Technology may be killing the cookbook. (Think about it — the last time you needed a recipe, did you go to a cookbook? Or did you simply go online and do a quick search for the ingredients?) Technology may be killing the do-it-yourself manual. (If you need help with a new software program, do you want to drive to Borders to buy a copy, or look for your solution immediately online for free?) It's clear that technology is changing the way we view books and written content. The Kindle was great because of the wireless ability to download books. The Sony Reader was nice because of the workability for those of us in the industry who want to read Word docs. The Nook is better than both, in terms of handling and use. And I think the iPad may outdo all of them because of the flexibility it offers (and no, I do NOT understand why Apple isn't touting the iPad as the future of ebook readers… THAT'S it's best strength). So, in my view, everyone who is reading this will own a digital reader in the next two or three years. And yeah, you can tell me how much you like the tactile feel of pages, the acrid scent of ink in a real book, etc. I like those too. But change happens, and we adapt. 

So the question that seems to be discussed most is usually posed in a fearful manner: "Will ebooks lead to the death of the printed book?" And my answer remains, "Not in my lifetime." We've got a very rich history with printed books, and I don't see them all disappearing any time soon. It'll lead to change, sure — in fact, we're already seeing that change. And change seems to be happening faster than it used to, so the speed with which we change to a digital book world is faster than when the culture was asked to adopt the automobile or the telephone. Still, there is no lack of interest in books. In fact, the world is becoming more literate, not less so (some readers will remember just a couple decades ago when the government was doing a report entitled "Why Johnny Can't Read" — nobody is much concerned with that issue today, since we read all the time). The concern for those of us who work in the industry (writers, editors, agents, publishers, booksellers) is more of distribution than creation. 


 We KNOW there's a readership. We KNOW people want material to read. What we're trying to figure out is how we can monetize it so that the creators can still make a living, and how the people who polish, market, and sell it can still make a living. That's the area everyone is really trying to figure out. It's changing considerably right now, and we have yet to arrive at that next stage where we've all determined who is making money, how they're making it, and what they're making. 
Janet wrote to ask, "Is it true you wore a kilt to the ACFW banquet?"

It's true. I was raised with a Scottish heritage, Janet, so a dress kilt (Prince Charlie jacket, dress sporran, Ghillie brogues, the whole schlamozzle) is part of dressing up for a formal event. 
By the way, my friend Keri Kent sent me this fabulous piece of advice — it PROVES men who wear kilts are heretics:

And this is fun — we were cited in the Publishers Weekly report on that convention — complete with a photo of an author we represent, double-Carol Award winner Jenny B Jones:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/book-news/religion/article/44625-crowded-conference-for-christian-fiction-writers-.html?utm_source=Publishers+Weekly%27s+Religion+BookLine&utm_campaign=1d273a3606-UA-15906914-1&utm_medium=email

 

Developing the Craft & Art of Writing – a guest blog

September 28th, 2010 | Current Affairs | 7 Comments

When I was growing up, my parents decided to sign me up for piano lessons. They hired my second grade schoolteacher to also be my piano teacher—I think I was her only piano student. She probably didn’t charge much and I really didn’t require much work; flashcards for reading music and making sure I was banging the right notes with the right fingers.

Two years later my second grade teacher moved away and so my parents found me a professional piano teacher who had dozens of students. She lived about thirty minutes away but she came highly recommended. She slotted me right into her typical rhythm and I followed the same path of hundreds before me—first the primer, then the secondary, then the suzuki, then the duets. I was learning but I wasn’t being offered anything just for me. It was education by curriculum.

I met a couple of kids during these years who could play piano just because they sat down and listened to music and played what they heard. I never could get those kids—I’ve not been blessed with that ability to just sit down and pick out the notes I hear. I don’t think there are too many people who can do that.

By the time I was old enough to realize what I wanted my parents found me a new teacher who lived just a few minutes from our house. Her house was small but she had managed to cram two baby pianos into the living room to sit side-by-side—those were the pianos we rarely got to touch. The lesson room was around the corner where she had her upright piano. Her name was Kathy, and she was the perfect piano teacher. If I wanted to learn something for church or school, I could bring it in and she would help me with it. But she also brought me a rich assortment of pieces both classical and contemporary to learn and was always finding new pieces at the music store for us to discover together. She wasn’t as worried with the notes I played as how I played them—did I sound like I cared? Like the music was within me? She taught me theory and made me go through a theory testing program offered by the university in town. She was worth every penny my parents paid because I learned not just how to play the piano with skill, but how to play it with art.

After high school I went to a conservatory of music for piano performance, and I guess because of that I was qualified to teach piano—a local family hired me to come and teach their three kids piano. Their youngest was four years old and could barely sit at the piano still enough to play it. I had an hour and a half to teach them each a half-hour lesson. Invariably, the oldest girl would get more time because she had more skill and I could work with her more on her pieces. The middle child just wanted to play Star Wars theme songs by ear, and like I said, the youngest was lucky to stay seated on the bench for five minutes at a time. The mom was not happy, though, when the youngest wouldn’t get her half-hour of lesson—makes me wonder in retrospect if I was also babysitter.

Nonetheless, teaching piano didn’t really work for me. I could play piano—heck, I was at a conservatory of music because I could play—but I was not the best teacher. Most of what I knew and remembered was from my piano teacher who taught me the art of piano playing. The basics had been drilled into me as a kid but I didn’t ever learn how to teach them. My wife is a professional educator so I see what it takes to be a good piano teacher, and that’s not my thing. My piano playing is so second nature to me that I can’t parse it out to teach it to other people. The best practicers are not necessarily the best teachers, nor are teachers always the best practicers.

In the end, I’m not a piano player by professional. All of that work and effort wasn’t so that I could sell a million records playing Bach or Beethoven or Chopin. I’ve used that foundation to learn many new instruments, to compose a little music on the side, and to play various styles of music at church and school. But the richness music has brought to my life is priceless—I can pick up most common instruments and play most songs in almost any context and have a clue what I’m doing. I have music I’ve composed that I look back on with fondness. My goal wasn’t professional performance, but I trained for that anyway.

Most of you reading this blog are writers. In what ways does your writing story parallel my musical journey? Both writers and musicians are artists—needing training, practice, and instruction. My story might not be all that different were I a painter or a dancer or a sculptor.

Maybe you find yourself needing more than just a critique group of your peers to reach the next level of your writing. You might already have an agent, or already have a publisher, but you aren’t finding the place where you are being challenged to reach greater heights as a writer—you aren’t being pushed artistically. Or you might still be searching for an agent or a publisher and wondering why you haven’t gotten signed yet.

The advantage to hiring your own editor who can coach you in your writing journey is that your editor doesn’t have to worry about the requirements of a publishing house or the word count of your manuscript according to certain guidelines—in fact your editor doesn’t have to be tied to a certain manuscript at all. He or she is free to focus on you as a writer and your growth in the craft and art of writing.

I am one of those editors; I do much of my private client work through the oldest full-service editorial firm in the country, The Editorial Department, founded in 1980 by Renni Browne, one of the most experienced editors working in publishing today and co-author of Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. If you are interested in developing yourself as a writer with professional, experienced help, you will find everything from pricing to staff bios on our website. We have an introductory critique service for only $35—so you can try before you buy, so to speak. Though we are confident you’ll find TED to be helpful, professional, and worth every penny.

If you’re just coming off of the ACFW conference, TED is offering a special giveaway of our $175 proposal and sample chapter evaluation—and we’re also rolling out a new entry-level service for a special price just for ACFW members. Stop by the website for details.

Andy Meisenheimer grew up reading Shakespeare, Agatha Christie, Michael Crichton, Ray Bradbury, and Chaim Potok. After working for six years at an imprint of HarperCollins, he is now a freelance editor, editing and coaching writers through The Editorial Department, as well as serving as a Fiction Editor at Red Fez Publications, an online literary journal. He also dabbles in writing and music-making in his free time. He lives with his wife, kid, and two dogs, near Grand Rapids, Michigan.




 

The Importance of a Polished Manuscript – A Guest Blog

September 27th, 2010 | Proposals | 13 Comments

Awhile ago, I asked an author to send me the first chapter of a manuscript they had queried. The author was unpublished, but they had an ok platform, which made me think that if the writing was fabulous I could maybe get somewhere with the project.

But the writing wasn’t fabulous. It lacked emotion and jumped around too much to allow the reader any sort of bearings. So, I declined representation, citing the author’s writing as my primary reason.

And here’s where it gets sad.

The author wrote me backing saying that they knew the manuscript was weak—that it was in fact the weakest of their manuscripts—but that they had sent it out anyway without really considering how it would affect the aftermath.

I’m not sure what advice writers are getting these days, but it appears as though it’s the general mindset that agents and editors exist to perfect, polish and publish. That we love spending our time teaching writers storytelling basics and that we’re much more energized by the possibility of what could be than the reality of what is.

Um… Folks, I think that’s a load of crap.

Over and over I come across brilliant story ideas backed by wonky rough drafts, exciting plotlines headlined by cookie cutter characters, and moving scenes flooded with embarrassing grammar and punctuation.

And I reject every one.

This isn’t a race, folks. There are no extra points for finishing first. But there are extra points for finishing with a publishable manuscript.

Don’t query until the manuscript is perfect. You’ll save yourself a lot of heartache.

-       Amanda Luedeke is an Agent at MacGregor Literary


 

And some follow-up to ACFW questions…

September 24th, 2010 | Conferences | 7 Comments

Jan wrote to say, "When you were asked at the ACFW conference what you're looking for, you said 'high-concept literary fiction for the Christian or general market.' I don't even know what that means. Can you help?"

I can try. Someone in a group setting asked me to describe what I was looking for, and since I was afraid I'd have to start doing drugs if I had to face a bunch of writers who wanted to tell me about their Amish romances, that's what I came up with. I'd love to say I labored over it, but… well, it's not bad. I do a lot of literary fiction — probably more than most of the other CBA agents who attended. But I've learned that literary fiction sells best when it's tied to a high concept, rather than another one of those "Christian woman faces a difficult struggle which allows her to ruminate on her crappy life" type of literary novels. And I'm moving more and more toward the general market, so… that's what I said. 

Now. How would I define it? Um, how's this: I like contemporary fiction that doesn't easily fit into some common genre category, but still offers a big enough story to make me pay attention. I suppose I need it to sound more artsy. Literary novelists sometimes have to be reminded that (a) I have to like your lead character if I'm going to keep reading, and (b) there has to be a big enough story to actually have a book, and (c) it has to seem enjoyable enough at the front end that I'll want to read the whole thing. Therefore I tend to look for those things in literary fiction. When you look at some of the literary novelists I represent (Lisa Samson, Susan Meissner, Claudia Burney, Gina Holmes, Ginger Garrett, Joyce Magnin, even Kimberly Stuart, who is lighter than the others but crafts a wonderfully entertaining story), they all fit those descriptors. Does that help at all? You're welcome to rent my definition. This lousy economy has created a glut of literary definitions, as you know, so some of them have been on the market for months.

And several people wrote to ask, "What would you do to improve the conference experience for writers?"

Hey, I love writing conferences. I don't do as many as some other agents because I just can't take the time to go to a bunch of them any more — Ive got authors I represent who need me working on their behalf. Still, I try to make it to a couple each year, and do the best job I can of sharing information. Frankly, the ACFW is as good of an annual conference as there is. The faculty are professionals, the topics are good, and the whole thing runs like clockwork. I've been happy to be part of it. So let me offer my thanks to the ACFW staff first. 

A few things people who are planning writing conferences could keep in mind? Well, think about going to the local newspaper and asking them to send a workshop leader. Most papers have someone who does community public relations (they will do this for free). A workshop on "writing for the newspaper" would be nice. You could also consider talking with local magazines — they offer real-world opportunities, and would be available to come for a day, so there are low travel costs, an no need to put them up. In addition, most states have a list of publishers. If you were putting on a conference, you might try linking to a local publisher. It'll build the list of publshers participating, and will give authors wider chances to talk to publishers. Similarly, if the local University has a press, you could ask them to send an editor. 

I still like seeing an author interviewed, rather than just offering a presentation. I've had some great experiences where an author shows up, does a short reading, and just takes questions or is interviewed by someone skilled at asking insightful questions. And I'd love it if agent panels were more focused — like five agents talking about romance novels, or about digital rights, or… whatever. 

If someone local has written a play or a movie, ask them to come in and speak. Show the movie (or invite people to attend a performance of the play), then let everyone talk with the author. For that matter, you can always ask local writers to show up and speak (which will save the conference money). You can also ask a writer to bring one chapter of a work in progress, put it up on a screen for all to see, and have them go over it, showing writers how they rewrite and make changes. (I've also seen this done with a writer and editor doing it.)  If there are writing groups in the area, or bookstores that host writing groups, don't forget to invite them. Getting some involvement with a college would be nice. Have them inform the students, especially the students in writing or English or journalism. Maybe give full-time students a discount, but the big deal is to have them help you advertise and promote the conference.  

Those are my random thoughts. If you're looking for a conference to attend soon, I mentioned the Southwest Writers Studio yesterday: www.swcws.com

There is also a writing conference coming up in Indianapolis the weekend of November 6 (the same weekend I'm doing my one-day "perfect book proposal" seminar in Richmond VA). So you've got plenty of options. And if you're tired of reading serious stuff and simply need something funny to check out, by all means visit the Landover B
aptist site: http://www.landoverbaptist.org. Some of it is in bad taste — but some of it is very funny, and will make you laugh out loud. (Thanks to ACFW'ers for showing this to me!)



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