WEbook Blog: A Writer's Resource

The New Slush Pile: Benefits and Drawbacks

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Here’s a daunting figure for aspiring writers: most literary agents receive 100-300 queries per week. Of those, they usually request extra material from 1 or 2 writers, at most. Out of that coveted request pile, agents typically only take on a handful of new clients per year.

So, basically, the slush pile odds are not good. If you take a look around places like Slush Pile Hell, or un-agented author websites that advertise their litany of rejection notes, it can seem like getting signed is impossible. Futhermore, it doesn't help anyone feel better to read the streams of articles about the entertainment industry’s universal belt tightening in their search for new writing talent.

Despite these foreboding signs and predictions, I do not believe the slush pile is dead, nor is it a futile climb to nowhere—it’s just changing with the times, like everything else in publishing. And in some important ways, it’s changing for the better.

Remember the old-school query process? Authors found agent addresses in Writers Digest, printed their queries on some stationary, mailed them in with an SASE enclosed, and crossed their fingers. It was a lonely and slow moving process.

Things are different now. Almost all agents accept queries via email or through online submission forms. Even better, some agents check there email continuously throughout the day, and may respond to queries much more rapidly than before—sometimes even within minutes! It’s also a short online skip and jump to find a database of agent contact info and submission guidelines. Basically, access to agents is often easier, faster, and more transparent than it was, say, ten years ago.

However, with this ease of communication comes a substantial increase in the number of queries agents receive. For writers, this makes it all the more important to write a concise, eye-catching query letter. This need played a key role in the design of our AgentInbox application’s online interface, which helps writers quickly display the unique elements of their project to interested literary agents. I believe that, for better or worse, querying will continue evolving into a more streamlined and efficient process as agents explore ways of moving through their slush faster.

Yet, with all the changes that are taking place in publishing, some constants remain: if a writer understands the current market, is persistent and strategic with their querying efforts, and (most importantly) has a good manuscript that engages readers, they stand a good chance at securing representation from an agent. To catch that glimmer of hope and some inspiration from the bottom the slush pile, (if that’s where you’re currently standing) check out some success stories (from WEbookers too!) and remember, they all started in the same place.

I'm interested to hear from writers as well. How do  you feel about the changing agent submission process and slush pile?

—Ardy Khazaei, President of WEbook 

Ardy has been working in the digital media industry for nearly fifteen years, including six years at HarperCollins Publisher where he was the SVP of Electronic Media, responsible for the company's digital businesses, making HarperCollins an industry leader in electronic publishing and online marketing.Go here to learn more about him.

Finding Ideas for a New Novel

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Every few years, a writer or prognosticator of some repute declares the death of something monumental: originality, fiction, physical books, etc. Last week, Wired magazine declared that the “Web is Dead” on the front of its print edition (though they first released it on their website, go figure). As I troll around for a new idea for my next manuscript, I can’t help but wonder if there are any left. Clearly, if I listen to the “wisdom” of those “in the know,” I’m in trouble. If new ideas, print and now the web are all dead, well, I guess there’s no point in even trying to write, yeah?

I certainly can’t write a love story now that Romeo & Juliet has been written. Can’t write a road trip book after Don Quixote (which was totally ripped off by Kerouc in On the Road and Che Guevera in The Motorcycle Diaries, fyi). I’d try my hand at sci-fi but after Neuromancer and, frankly, anything by Philip K. Dick, what’s the point?

I’m not black but I couldn’t write a story about race anyway, because it wouldn’t be as good as Invisible Man (which certainly “inspired” White Teeth by Zadie Smith) or, dare I even say the words, To Kill a Mockingbird. Ditto on being Jewish, because Philip Roth already has the market cornered on that! I’m a white American male, which might be the hardest “genre” of all. All I have to do is come up with a sweeping epic that compares to anything that Faulkner, Hemmingway, Updike, DeLilo, Ford, Foster Wallace and/or Franzen has written. No prob. Will get right on it.

Or, I could simply remind myself that the book business in the U.S. did almost $24 billion in sales in 2009, according the Association of American Publishers. Which means, erm, “it” (books, print, web, originality) is very much alive. Sure, overall sales were down by a few hundred million, but given the economy that’s hardly surprising. And a lot of publishers are already announcing quarterly profits up from last year. Which leaves me back where I started—in search of an idea, a new one, if that’s even possible.

Here’s what I think: maybe there aren’t any wholly new ideas. There probably haven’t been since before there was even written words. People have been falling in love, having adventures, fighting wars, ripping each other off, imagining the future and dealing with crazy families since forever. And yet there are new stories to tell every day. Because the way I tell it will be very different from the way you tell it, even if we’re trying to spin the exact same yarn. And my experience, imagination and voice are what make my story original. And what is originality anyway, but perhaps a new way to spin an old story?

Which still leaves me where I started—in need of an idea. Perhaps all I have to do is find a great classic book to “inspire” me towards realizing my next story. Got any suggestions?

This week’s question: Where do your best ideas come from?

—JohnnyM

John Meils is currently finishing a first novel, tentatively titled The Warring House. He has written for Elle, Men’s Health, and MyTango.com, among others. To learn more about him, visit johnmeils.com.

My Favorite Part of the Kindle: The Integrated Dictionary

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Last week, I started reading the book Palimpsest by Catherynne Valente on my Kindle. It's a beautiful and intricate novel about four strangers connected to one another through a strange, fairy tale like city that they can only visit in their dreams.

Valente is an intimidatingly skilled writer who describes the fantastic city using a vocabulary almost as astounding as the wild trains and floating houses that populate its streets. Consequently, there were a lot of words I didn't understand (including the title.)

Luckily, I was reading Palimsest on my Kindle and a bit on the Kindle app for my iPhone, both of which come with a built-in dictionary. For each mysterious word I read, I needed only to move my cursor (or finger, for the phone) over it and the definition popped up at the bottom of my screen—fast and easy. In each case, knowing the exact definition of the word, instead of guestimating it, made my reading experience richer. 

For many other books, this feature wouldn't have been as crucial. A stray word that leaves me reaching for a dictionary isn't a big deal. However, Valente uses so many off-beat words that if I hadn't had the built in dictionary, I would have either disrupted my reading experience with repeated dictionary safaris, or stopped looking them up altogether. In either case, I know I would not be enjoying Palimpsest nearly as much as I am on my Kindle. 

So, while I can sympathize with the physical book enthusiasts at times, this was a situation where the Kindle gave me a noticeably better reading experience. I liked this, and I'm excited to see what new features e-readers bring to the reading experience in general as the technology continues to improve. 

That's my two cents. Anyone had a similar experience? Other Kindle features you like? Any that you hate?

--Brian

P.S. In case you were curious, here are some of the words (and definitions) that I had to look up:

Palimsest: 

1. A manuscript, typically of papyrus or parchment, that has been written on more than once, with the earlier writing incompletely erased and often legible.

2. An object, place, or area that reflects its history.

Gambol:

1. To leap about playfully; frolic.

Vociferous:

1. characterized by vehemence, clamour, or noisiness 
2. making an outcry or loud noises; clamorous

Atavistic:

1. of or relating to reversion to a former or more primitive type

Plosive:

1. Of, relating to, or being a speech sound produced by complete closure of the oral passage and subsequent release accompanied by a burst of air

Winners of Writing Contest "The 'Cheating' Challenge" Announced

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Oh, what tangled webs you WEbookers have weaved, as you practiced to enter this writing challenge! The 179 entries to The 'Cheating' Challenge showed characters engaging in all kinds of moral debasement, from skimping on diets, dodging the grim reaper, to old fashioned adultery. 

We enjoyed reading all the entries, although it got us thinking, a "Beacon of Moral Fortitude" challenge might be coming soon, just to get some good vibes flowing through here again.

The Winners:

Smoke, Mirrors, and Water Balloons by onelazysummer
Sweet Seduction by akbmuse
Benign by Sagira

Honorable Mention:

Broken Pieces Fall Apart by AubrieAnne

Congratulations, you will receive your PageToFame coupon via direct message shortly.

The Travel Scene Challenge is open, start a new chapter on this project to enter.  If we pass 250 submissions for this challenge, we'll award twice as many winners (that's six P2F coupons!). There are only 80 submission so far...so share, share, share!

You can also suggest your own writing challenges in this forum thread. If you've got a good idea, we're all ears!

Before you go off to enjoy the weekend, give onelazysummer's winning entry a read:

Smoke, Mirrors, and Water Balloons

The too-warm water balloon gives a little lurching jiggle in my palm. I have to hold my breath to keep from ralphing. Blegh. I make a mental note to karate chop Cindy in the kneecap next time I see her.

"Passing a drug test? Piece of cake!" Cindy blows a bubble with her chewing gum, pops it with her finger, and folds it back behind her teeth. "You just have to get someone clean to pee in a balloon for you, then sneak it in. Hide it in your panties!"

Seemed like a good idea at the time. And asking around for spare urine wasn't at all awkward. Really. Ugh. Honestly, the fact that I have to do this in the first place is a joke. Because, you know, God forbid the receptionist at a bill-by-the-hour hotel isn't a paragon of morality.

I swear under my breath when I realize I forgot to bring something sharp. Panicking, I scan the room and fumble through my pockets looking for a key, a bobby pin, anything. Nothing. Crap. 

In a foggy moment that I will regret for the rest of my life, I decide to use my teeth.

Literary Agents Representing Young Adult Fiction

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Are you writing a Young Adult novel? Have you finished a Young Adult novel, and are now looking for an agent to secure a book deal and get that manuscript on to shelves?

AgentInbox has 42 agents that specialize in Young Adult/Juvenile fiction! That means they already represent some YA authors, have built connections with YA editors and publishers, and they're looking for more!

Here are tidbits about a few of our YA agents and their perspective on the genre. Go here to see the full list of the agents on AgentInbox.

Susanna Einstein, LJK Literary Management: Susanna has worked in publishing since 1995 and is one of the founding agents at LJK. In an interview with Guide to Literary Agents, Susanna explained her attraction to YA books:
 
"The opportunity to be involved in that process where kids and teens discover their own favorite books is one that I couldn’t pass up. And there’s a joy and creativity in the children’s/YA market that is less present, or at least less visible, in the adult market.  I also think, perhaps naïvely, that there’s a sense of purpose, of good work being done, in finding and selling books that young people will want to read, and that’s important to me."

To see the rest of the interview, go here, or check out Susanna's WEbook profile.

Mollie Glick, Foundry Literary + Media: Mollie began her publishing career as a literary scout, advising foreign publishers regarding the acquisition of rights to American books. She then worked as an editor at Random House before becoming an agent. When asked what qualities she looks for in a first-time YA author, Mollie said:

"I really enjoy learning something new with every project I take on. And really, what I'm looking for in anything I take on is the same. I'm looking for a book with a unique voice. I'm looking for a great plot and great characters that convey a bigger idea. And I'm looking for a book I can't put down." 

You can see Mollie's WEbook profile here, or check out one of her best known clients' book, Promise of the Wolves.

 Tamar Rydzinski, Laura Dail Literary Agency: Tamar worked at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates prior to joining the Laura Dail Literary Agency. She is also one of the honorable PageToFame Judges! In a guest blog post at Magical Musings, Tamar talked a bit about her experience representing YA:

"When I started [as an agent], I had never read anything but very literary young adult novels. Now I can’t get enough of them, and I am not talking about the literary stuff. I never would have thought that I would be representing fantasy as it wasn’t a genre I had grown up reading. And that’s the beautiful thing about publishing and books in general. There is just so much learning, exploring and discovery available."

To learn more about Tamar, check out the PageToFame Judges video, or her AgentInbox profile.

That's all the YA fun for now...stay tuned for more AgentInbox highlights. If you're currently writing a YA novel, tell us what it's about!

New Writing Challenge: The Travel Scene

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We hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and took full advantage of the deadline extension to The 'Cheating' Challenge, which closes to submissions at 4 pm today. 

While we're busy picking the winners, can get busy working on the newly opened "Travel Scene Challenge," which was suggested by XAerialJugglerX. For this one, submit a scene where a character is traveling somewhere.

As XAerialJugglerX put it, "It could vary from horrific to funny travel experiences, from beautiful descriptions of exotic lands to a thrilling first person view of a hijacking in progress."

The deadline to submit is September 3, at 4 pm, so start plotting your character's journey now. What will yours be?

Also, if you think you've got a great idea for a writing challenge, post your idea in the brand new forum. We'll cruise through your suggestions and use ones that strike our fancy.

Have a fantastic writing week!   

Writing the Second Novel

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I’m torn. Having recently completed (for now?!) my first novel, I’m scrounging around for another story. I have ideas, lots of them. One is about a guy who gets kidnapped in the Amazon. I’d also like to write a heist story. Or maybe something political and environmental—like about an evil mining or petroleum company that gets their comeuppance after stepping on the little guys for too long. Perhaps another family story—like my last one—only this time instead of making about fathers and sons, it’ll be about a pair of brothers who come together after a lifetime of being at loggerheads.

I got it! The story will be about a guy who tries to free his brother, who works for an oil company, from kidnappers who are holding him to get the company to stop drilling in the rainforest, only the whole thing is a ruse to swindle a fortune in ransom money from the aforementioned multi-national by the brothers, who are in on it together with the kidnappers?

Right…so maybe I need to think about it more. But for how long? And when do I know that I’m ready? That my idea is good enough to begin writing?

For my last manuscript, I started with the following notion: A guy goes back to his hometown after a long time away and finds trouble upon his return. I didn’t have a clue, frankly, about what I needed to do to get the story to the finish line. I knew only that I wanted to write a fictional account based loosely on the town where I grew up. I had no plot and one undefined character. But I was sure this was what I wanted to write so I sat down and started writing.

The result: a mess of a first draft. I managed to come up with a plot and a cast of characters, but both were riddled with holes. I wrote a second draft and didn’t really improve the plot, only the writing. Upon confirmation of this from just about everyone who read it, I put the manuscript away for almost a year. I didn’t start it again until I had a meticulous outline that addressed the myriad flaws in the work.

This time I think I’m going to have a better sense of the story, the characters, the setting, the pacing, etc. before I begin. I’m hoping that I won’t have to write as many drafts this time (though I will, if necessary). I feel like I’m better prepared to execute my next manuscript—if I only had a more concrete idea of what it would be about. Which tempts me to proceed as I did last time, by picking an idea based on a single sentence and plowing forward to let the story find itself? It worked for me once (I hope), but I wonder if the process needs to be so arduous. I’m thinking maybe I should settle on my idea, research it like crazy, let it change and evolve in my mind and then write a hugely detailed outline before I even think about putting fingers to keyboard.

Honestly, I’m not sure. I need your help.

The question(s): What’s your process for getting from idea to execution? Do you let the story tell itself, plan every detail before you begin, or somewhere in between?

—John

John Meils is currently finishing a first novel, tentatively titled The Warring House. He has written for Elle, Men’s Health, and MyTango.com, among others. To learn more about him, visit johnmeils.com.

Literary Agent Dawn Frederick Signs AgentInbox Author

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The good news keeps rolling in from WEbook authors! Sonia Halbach, North Dakota native and recent college graduate, signed with Dawn Michelle Frederick from Red Sofa Literary through AgentInbox. We're thrilled to share another author success story with the WEbook community.

Even better, Sonia relocated to New York after graduating, so she stopped by the WEbook offices and talked some more about her path to landing a literary agent. (You get to meet Dawn in the video as well!)

The floor is yours, Sonia!

I've tried two methods for writing a book: sculpting and digging.

Sculpting is when I face an undefined stone with nothing but a chisel, and try to transfer my own images onto this gigantic slab of granite. Basically, I attempt to cut a narrative into existence whether it belongs there or not. However, each time I tried this method, the sculpture either became lopsided, or its foundation quickly gave way. If my original concept was a kitten, it usually ended up looking more like a three-legged armadillo.

I prefer digging.

When digging, I take a shovel and a strategically picked plot of land, and attempt to unearth what's already there, just covered up. This experience feels more like a discovery than creation. Instead of bargaining with a granite stone and forcing it to become something it isn't, digging finds something buried beneath the surface, after brushing away all the dirt, emerges intact and in its intended form.

Burning of Crimson is the first novel I ever completed. When looking back at my hundreds of abandoned projects, Burning of Crimson stands apart because it was the only story where I felt like I was organically uncovering the plot instead of chasing an idea around with a chisel and demanding it mold to my partially thought-out vision.

The concept for Burning of Crimson first struck me when I watched a news report on groups that burned Harry Potter books because they thought the novels promoted evil behavior. This deeply affected me not just as an avid Harry Potter reader, but also as a lover of literature. Book banning is not a new topic, but I wanted to expose the more recent issue of immensely popular fantasy books being targeted by censorship. Once I chose to explore this primary theme, the rest of Burning of Crimson just fell into place.

Burning of Crimson sometimes feels like it was a collaboration of two people – the 17 year-old me who pounded out the initial draft during the summer of 2005, and the current me, who with an English degree under her belt, spent the last two years harshly cutting and rewriting every sentence without the first author’s consent.

If high school me could voice her opinion she’d probably support the edits and be pleased that her four years of college (and tuition) didn’t go to waste, because even though the drafts of the book almost equal the amount of followers I have on Twitter, (don’t worry, we’re not talking Ashton Kutcher numbers here), not a whole lot about the story of Burning of Crimson has changed since 2005.

The present and final draft of Burning of Crimson is what I set out to write five years ago, but it's thanks to many amazing professors at Augustana College who helped me grow as a writer, and also thanks to the direction given by my agent, Dawn Frederick, that Burning of Crimson is now ready for the next step in the publishing process.

So I can finally store away my shovel and brush...for now.

—Sonia  

Keep an eye out for more new and updates (maybe even another video) as Sonia's journey towards publication continues!

Literary Agent Found: WEbooker Anne Merino Signed With Agent

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It was exciting news last week to find out that Josh Vogt, a PageToFame participant, secured representation from a literary agent. And now there's more good news:

Anne Merino recently signed with Bob Mecoy through AgentInbox, WEbook's author-to-agent query service.

Like Josh, Sonia, and Corey, we're excited to have Anne share the details of her success story. But first, here's a quick bio:

Anne is a former ballerina who has danced for notable classical companies both in the United States and in Europe. While Hawkesmoor is her first novel, she has written a feature film screenplay, and three plays: The Dorian Proxy, The Moon Goddess and The Séance, all of which have been professionally produced in Los Angeles. She has also published theatre criticism with Salem Press.


Take it away, Anne!

Currently, I am represented by literary agent Bob Mecoy and have a vampire novel, Hawkesmoor, out with various editors. I think the novel’s good fun and that eventually a publishing house might be persuaded take it on.

When I think back to when I began writing fiction, a singular moment from the television series Frazier always leaps into my head. It’s a very funny sequence in which Niles and Frazier reminisce about their own boyhood mystery series The Crane Boys.

The scene rang true for me—and probably for many WEbook authors—because I did much the same thing in my youth. Like Frazier and Niles, my early efforts were generally mysteries and clearly influenced by the exciting adventures of Nancy Drew or The Fantastic Five. I remember that my teen detectives were 13 and had special driver's licenses issued to them by grateful law enforcement because they were so clever and cool. Sadly, such taunt, edge-of-your-seat potboilers as The Striped Pillow Murders, The Uninvited Guest and Blood on the Banister have been lost to the literary world.

Anyway, I kept writing. And I continue to write mystery/suspense, more often than not, with a paranormal aspect embedded in the plot.

I wrote Hawkesmoor pretty much like I write all my pieces. I like to focus on one novel at a time. Starting with a fairly loose outline, I try to churn out pages on a regular basis because I like that discipline and structure. I understand there are writers out there who, when flushed with genuine inspiration, hurl themselves into Microsoft Word and after a few epic bouts, produce novels of incandescent brilliance. I am not one of these remarkable creatures. It’s just a daily grind in an attempt to produce good, solid genre fiction. Often after a long, frustrating session, I type in: And then they all died horribly of smallpox and bunk off for a life affirming cocktail. The next day I quietly erase that and start again.

You’d imagine with all the aforementioned discipline and structure, I’d be relaxing in my exquisite New York brownstone awaiting the publication of my 54th novel, quietly hoping that my international book tour would include London at Christmas.

Alas, no. Although I have published in other fields, I have yet to make the coveted leap to published novelist. But I am a good deal closer to joining the ranks of those with Library of Congress numbers, and that’s where WEbook comes into the story.

I stumbled across WEbook while nipping about the internet one night. The site was encouraging and easy to navigate—I had a good look around and noticed AgentInbox. It seemed like a friendly and easy way to send material to a vast number of very glamorous New York literary agents. I took the plunge! A technical moron, I was very impressed by how simple it was to load my submission and send it on its way.

Seemingly overnight, I had three impressive agents very interested in representing Hawkesmoor. What a lovely problem! I decided to go with Bob Mecoy because he had clearly read the novel backwards and forwards—he really gets Hawkesmoor in a way that is incredibly inspiring to me. Beyond that, Bob Mecoy is just a superlative literary agent. He never fails to communicate with news and really sage advice—always with a pithy sense of humor. His genuine love for books and canny knowledge of the publishing business is also very inspiring.

I am, needless to say, a huge WEbook fan. It’s a brilliant tool for aspiring authors. WEbook can literally change a writer’s career in a matter of days. Best of luck to everyone with their literary projects!

—Anne

Writing Challenge: The "Dear John" Winners

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Thanks for all of your "Dear John" emails! The WEbook judges had their hearts broken over and over again as they read through the submissions. They're still nursing their wounds, and will be spending this weekend watching Serendipity over and over while eating chocolate-chip cookie dough ice-cream.

The tone of these entries varied a great deal. Some were funny, a lot were sarcastic, and others were sad, bittersweet, and touching. It was great to see so many different approaches to the challenge.  

The Winners:

To You, From Me by tanic17
Neck Beard by Firedrake
Ugh by hollyesque

Honorable Mention:

Hating You by Celidus

Lastly, the Reader's Choice award for the "Memory Challenge" goes to Biodegradable by MaggieMaCabre.  

Congratulations to all of the winners, you will receive your PageToFame coupons via direct message.

There's still a week left in the next writing challenge, The "Cheating" Challenge. To submit, go to this project and start a new chapter. The deadline is 4 p.m. on August 20th, 2010.   

Have a good weekend! Let us know what you are working on!