Yep. Back again. Over there, Matthew MacNish. You know the drill.
Thanks Dudes!
Have an awesome weekend!
Friday, June 29, 2012
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Check It Out, Or Not. But Mostly Do.
I promised a couple beautiful wonderful people that I would post a reminder about it. And considering I'm asking you all for the favor, it's the least I can do!
I'm over on Matthew MacNish's blog today and tomorrow. He's going to rip my query a new one. Hopefully.
I would LOVE some feedback as I have put querying on hold until I get notes for reworking my query. It juuuuuuuust wasn't doing as well as I'd like out there. Wasn't doing BAD necessarily. But not good either. So help me get back into the trenches!
I know it's a bit to ask you to stop by two days if you weren't already a MM regular (but really, lets face it, who isn't?) or don't blog/visit both days, so if you can't and do have some wise advice for me, just post it here today or drop me an email. (ce dot murphy at yahoo dot com)
Thanks dudes.
Happy Thursday!
I'm over on Matthew MacNish's blog today and tomorrow. He's going to rip my query a new one. Hopefully.
I would LOVE some feedback as I have put querying on hold until I get notes for reworking my query. It juuuuuuuust wasn't doing as well as I'd like out there. Wasn't doing BAD necessarily. But not good either. So help me get back into the trenches!
I know it's a bit to ask you to stop by two days if you weren't already a MM regular (but really, lets face it, who isn't?) or don't blog/visit both days, so if you can't and do have some wise advice for me, just post it here today or drop me an email. (ce dot murphy at yahoo dot com)
Thanks dudes.
Happy Thursday!
Monday, June 25, 2012
It's Monday And I Forgot A Title : Quick Post
HEY!
My query goes up Thursday over on The QQQE at Matthew MacNish's place. Everyone and their momma's already know who he is and the awesome that he does, so I hardly think I need to ask, but I would love if you could hope over and show me some support and good insight to how I can make it better.
Thanks a butt-ton!
Happy Monday!
My query goes up Thursday over on The QQQE at Matthew MacNish's place. Everyone and their momma's already know who he is and the awesome that he does, so I hardly think I need to ask, but I would love if you could hope over and show me some support and good insight to how I can make it better.
Thanks a butt-ton!
Happy Monday!
Monday, June 18, 2012
It's What We Do
Hey, hey! I'm at 300 followers! That is effing sweet, guys! Thanks so much! I know it's been rocky around these parts lately, but you guys are awesome for sticking with me. Hitting the "unfollow" button is so easy these days (I would know. Annoy me on twitter? BAM! Unfollowed. Clog up my feed on FB with crap? BAM! Hidden.) So I really appreciate it, guys. Truly do.
As a thanks for putting up my with shit, I'm going to announce a contest here pretty soon, but hang in there. It isn't today!
As far as writing goes, I still have a lot of confidence in the current book on submission with agents right now. ALL of the confidence comes from the crit partners and other awesome people who have read it and believe in it, so I'm still plugging along!
I asked Matthew MacNish for some query help, though, to mix it up and hopefully get a bigger response from agents. I'll announce when I'm up with him so you guys can hop over and gimme a hand if you like.
And the new book, well geez...okay. So last week was a freak-out week (sorry crit girls, but thanks for talking me down!) and I wondered if anyone can identify. So, I have 3 projects I COULD go with next. One may get in on an upcoming trend that's possibly coming around. One is an idea I've wanted to do for a while. And the third is something I should have tried AGES ago because I am all about it.
So, I email them spazzing out about which to do. I wrote a bit on all of them, and all of them have valid arguments for going with that one next instead of the others, but I couldn't figure out which would be best. And every time I tried to sit down with one I got stuck in my own head over "is this the right one?" "what if this is a waste of time and I should have gone with the other but won't know it till it's too late?" "what if I'm writing this one all wrong because I can't wholly focus on it?"
On and on. And it all boiled into one big freak-out with my partners via email. And, thankfully, I have the best girls in my corner a person could ask for. They got me out of my head and made me stop what if'ing my head off, reminding me that there is no way to predict the future. There is on way to predict what an agent would rather have over anything else. And writing isn't about chasing possible trends. It's writing the story you want to write, you need to write.
And that was only one of the three ideas. It's something I've been dying to try, something I've never written before, and something I quite honestly have no idea how to write. But that's the cool thing about the internet: You can learn or find a way to learn anything. And the even cooler thing about being a writer, there is always room to learn more. I'm really really enjoying this education too. It's awesome!
Ah, I love writing. I considered giving up a whole thirty seconds a couple weeks ago before I laughed and told myself to stop being a moron. When you're a writer, there is nothing else you can do. Or at least, that's how I feel about it.
Will let you all know about the upcoming 300 follower contest as well as when my query goes up over on The QQQE with Matthew.
Happy Monday, you fabulous peeps!
As a thanks for putting up my with shit, I'm going to announce a contest here pretty soon, but hang in there. It isn't today!
As far as writing goes, I still have a lot of confidence in the current book on submission with agents right now. ALL of the confidence comes from the crit partners and other awesome people who have read it and believe in it, so I'm still plugging along!
I asked Matthew MacNish for some query help, though, to mix it up and hopefully get a bigger response from agents. I'll announce when I'm up with him so you guys can hop over and gimme a hand if you like.
And the new book, well geez...okay. So last week was a freak-out week (sorry crit girls, but thanks for talking me down!) and I wondered if anyone can identify. So, I have 3 projects I COULD go with next. One may get in on an upcoming trend that's possibly coming around. One is an idea I've wanted to do for a while. And the third is something I should have tried AGES ago because I am all about it.
So, I email them spazzing out about which to do. I wrote a bit on all of them, and all of them have valid arguments for going with that one next instead of the others, but I couldn't figure out which would be best. And every time I tried to sit down with one I got stuck in my own head over "is this the right one?" "what if this is a waste of time and I should have gone with the other but won't know it till it's too late?" "what if I'm writing this one all wrong because I can't wholly focus on it?"
On and on. And it all boiled into one big freak-out with my partners via email. And, thankfully, I have the best girls in my corner a person could ask for. They got me out of my head and made me stop what if'ing my head off, reminding me that there is no way to predict the future. There is on way to predict what an agent would rather have over anything else. And writing isn't about chasing possible trends. It's writing the story you want to write, you need to write.
And that was only one of the three ideas. It's something I've been dying to try, something I've never written before, and something I quite honestly have no idea how to write. But that's the cool thing about the internet: You can learn or find a way to learn anything. And the even cooler thing about being a writer, there is always room to learn more. I'm really really enjoying this education too. It's awesome!
Ah, I love writing. I considered giving up a whole thirty seconds a couple weeks ago before I laughed and told myself to stop being a moron. When you're a writer, there is nothing else you can do. Or at least, that's how I feel about it.
Will let you all know about the upcoming 300 follower contest as well as when my query goes up over on The QQQE with Matthew.
Happy Monday, you fabulous peeps!
Monday, June 4, 2012
It's Honesty, Not Whinesty.
So, I've been battling with what to do and what I want to do and what I need to do over the past couple weeks. And I THOUGHT last week I decided to just stop blogging for now. I didn't see where it was helping me at all, and I didn't see where forcing myself to make time for it would help matters right now.
But today, as I'm missing the community, and feeling guilty about how many of you guys I haven't dropped in on in so long (meaning: all of you), I decided instead of hiding from you all I'd just pop in and be honest. I mean, this blog was started with the original purpose to chronicle the journey to published author. What point it is if I disappear and don't write about it when things get a little sticky? (or cement like) Okay? So here we go.
I have nothing to post about that is helpful in any way to potential authors. (IMO, maybe someone else will see that it isn't all sunshine, magic fairy farts and a 6 figure book deal in 3 months time. Maybe that will help them not be discouraged to know other people don't make it so easy. I donno.)
I am not an author. I am a writer. Those things are completely different to me, and I do not feel comfortable trying to impart wisdom on anyone when I'm having such shit luck at querying my book right now.
I have absolutely nothing to offer you guys besides my opinions, my personality, and my experiences.
If you have any inclination to know any of those things about my writing experience and so forth, then that's what you'll get. But I don't want anyone to come here looking for huge knowledge barfs and expect to be the next anyone bigger than me (everyone) from my blog posts. Okay? I feel this is much better to tell you all, and lower the expectation in my own head for my blog, otherwise I will absolutely give it up until I can come back and say "I got an agent" or "I'm going to be published" or anything along those lines.
So lets try out honest me, not wracking-my-brain-for-advice-and-insight-that-I-just-don't-have-right-now me, and see how that goes, okay?
As of right this moment I'm querying and have been for a couple months. When I began I was like a cracked out horse busting out of the gate, hauling ass. I got requests for fulls almost immediately (and one from a DREAM AGENT holy crap!). So my head was practically floating it was so big. Which, I should have known then was my downfall.
See, I'm a believer that if my expectations are high, and I tell people about possible good news, I jinx myself. It always happens. Which. I did this time too. It was one agent after another with the fulls who came back and said no thanks without any explanation why. I know they're busy folks, and I don't bash them or wish them any harm because of it, I just donno what the problem is now or how to fix it.
And since then it has been a complete poop-storm of no's.
But, I did have another beta reader blaze through it in 2.5 days, and immediately ask for the second (which, obviously won't be written until the first's future looks bright.) So that was a bit of sunshine in the middle of my poop-storm.
I'm not discouraged yet. I have so much encouragement and love coming from other people, that it's hard to stay down about it all the time anyway.
But, isn't there a ratio or something--so many rejections vs requests and you need to tweak your query? If anyone knows what I'm talking about, feel free to educate me. I'm feeling like I may need to start the tweaking.
But on the bright side, just finished up my Girl Trip for this year, and had a much needed time out from all the sighing and ho-humming.
So, all in all, I'm discouraged but not out. Writing a new book for distraction that I'm enjoying, and keep on plugging along.
How's everyone else going? I've been loving stalking around spying on good news here and there. New, gorgeous book covers and things. It's all fabulous! I'll stop lurking soon, I swear. ^_^
Happy Monday, all!
But today, as I'm missing the community, and feeling guilty about how many of you guys I haven't dropped in on in so long (meaning: all of you), I decided instead of hiding from you all I'd just pop in and be honest. I mean, this blog was started with the original purpose to chronicle the journey to published author. What point it is if I disappear and don't write about it when things get a little sticky? (or cement like) Okay? So here we go.
I have nothing to post about that is helpful in any way to potential authors. (IMO, maybe someone else will see that it isn't all sunshine, magic fairy farts and a 6 figure book deal in 3 months time. Maybe that will help them not be discouraged to know other people don't make it so easy. I donno.)
I am not an author. I am a writer. Those things are completely different to me, and I do not feel comfortable trying to impart wisdom on anyone when I'm having such shit luck at querying my book right now.
I have absolutely nothing to offer you guys besides my opinions, my personality, and my experiences.
If you have any inclination to know any of those things about my writing experience and so forth, then that's what you'll get. But I don't want anyone to come here looking for huge knowledge barfs and expect to be the next anyone bigger than me (everyone) from my blog posts. Okay? I feel this is much better to tell you all, and lower the expectation in my own head for my blog, otherwise I will absolutely give it up until I can come back and say "I got an agent" or "I'm going to be published" or anything along those lines.
So lets try out honest me, not wracking-my-brain-for-advice-and-insight-that-I-just-don't-have-right-now me, and see how that goes, okay?
As of right this moment I'm querying and have been for a couple months. When I began I was like a cracked out horse busting out of the gate, hauling ass. I got requests for fulls almost immediately (and one from a DREAM AGENT holy crap!). So my head was practically floating it was so big. Which, I should have known then was my downfall.
See, I'm a believer that if my expectations are high, and I tell people about possible good news, I jinx myself. It always happens. Which. I did this time too. It was one agent after another with the fulls who came back and said no thanks without any explanation why. I know they're busy folks, and I don't bash them or wish them any harm because of it, I just donno what the problem is now or how to fix it.
And since then it has been a complete poop-storm of no's.
But, I did have another beta reader blaze through it in 2.5 days, and immediately ask for the second (which, obviously won't be written until the first's future looks bright.) So that was a bit of sunshine in the middle of my poop-storm.
I'm not discouraged yet. I have so much encouragement and love coming from other people, that it's hard to stay down about it all the time anyway.
But, isn't there a ratio or something--so many rejections vs requests and you need to tweak your query? If anyone knows what I'm talking about, feel free to educate me. I'm feeling like I may need to start the tweaking.
But on the bright side, just finished up my Girl Trip for this year, and had a much needed time out from all the sighing and ho-humming.
So, all in all, I'm discouraged but not out. Writing a new book for distraction that I'm enjoying, and keep on plugging along.
How's everyone else going? I've been loving stalking around spying on good news here and there. New, gorgeous book covers and things. It's all fabulous! I'll stop lurking soon, I swear. ^_^
Happy Monday, all!
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