On Staying Fresh, Marketable, and Innovative

A couple of days ago, I was listening to a sports talk show and they were interviewing the athletic director at Washington State University. Honestly, I really didn't listen much to the interview, but at the very end, he made a statement that really caught my attention. I am assuming he was talking about the sports program at WSU and he described that they believe in "honoring the past, living in the present and creating a future." As I thought more about what he said, I saw a clear connection to writing.

One of the things we frequently see as agents are submissions that fall under one of three categories:

1. Out of date
2. Not in touch with reality
3. Too "out there"

Regardless of the situation, these are the stories that are frequently rejected. The stories that attract our attention, though, really seem to follow that idea the athletic director was talking about.

Honoring the Past While we want stories that are innovative and take on a new direction, we have to remember that readers are drawn to certain genres or authors because of the tradition the story has. We like the mystery element of romantic suspense, we love the dialogue and the relationship building in a Regency - things like this put us in a comfort zone. We know what we will expect. Successful writers know how to keep at least one foot in the past, maintaining a little bit of the tradition, but still giving us something new.

Living in the Present This one is key. When we we read a story, we want to see the things that are important to the people living today. Themes, issues, and personal problems need to be something the present day population can relate to. Even if you write a historical, the themes need to be something the reader can connect with.

Create the Future This is the part that connects with the past. I have mentioned it before, but readers don't want to read what is already out there. We don't want carbon copies of stories that are already in print. We get bored with those stories. Been there, done it. Instead, we want to see a new twist, a new turn or a new angle to the genre you are writing.

As an author, it is crucial to keep your feet in all of these areas to be successful.

See you on Monday!

Scott

Brenda Novak Auction

This is a reminder, Greyhaus Literary Agency has a critique on the Brenda Novak Online Auction for Juvenile Diabetes.

As a bonus, if the winning bidder has "LIKED" the agency on Facebook, I will double the critique. This means you either get 6 chapters or, if you wish, two stories of three chapters each.

I may add additional incentives later so stay posted.

Unlike last year, writers can only win one of the incentives.

Remember, this auction also involves a meeting with you, in New York at the National RWA Conferences. If you are unable to make that, I will "meet" with you in a phone conversation.

Sleep Deprivation and Writers: A Combination That Doesn't Work

We hear this all of the time from writers. The idea that they "work best" working late into the night and on into the very early morning. We hear the same from those that claim they can get up several hours before everyone else in the house wakes up. On top of all this, writers are attempting to continue working over 40 hours a week in "the real world", maintaining a household and, in some cases, trying to keep up with their kids and family.

With that said, many writers then turn to the phrase we heard a lot of high school and college students use when they were pulling an ALL-NIGHTER, "You know, I work best under pressure."

I am sorry to say this, but while this might sound good at the time, and while you might get a bit of an adreneline rush from those moments of brilliance, this is not a lifestyle that will result in a "career" in writing. Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying that you can't find that perfect writing time. And, I am certainly not saying there aren't writers out there that do work best from 9 pm until 2 am or those that can get up at 3 am daily. What you will notice though, is that those writers are still finding ways to get the required hours of sleep to maintain a "quality" writing career.

According tot he National Sleep Foundation, a non-profit looking at the issues of sleep issues in the US, they noted that over 60% say the symptoms from lack of sleep affected daily activities. They go on to note that 73% felt it affected mood; 63% - attention and concentration; 42% - family; and 36% job performance. (NSF, 2011).

As I look at these numbers, I am especially concerned. As a writer, we have to be in the right mood to create those stories. Feeling depressed about the project we are working on will result in not putting your best work out there for your readership. In the end, you are just writing something to get by, telling yourself that the next book will be better. Unfortunately, unless you change, the odds are it will turn into the same mediocrity you did witht he first.

Now we add in the attentiona and concentration. Again, as a writer, those small details are crucial to your story. Silly mistakes can be a down fall.

Now we add in "the real world" and the last two percentages. You need your family to be there for you. If you are finding the lack of sleep is resulting in being "too tired" to do things with your family, you need to ask yourself how long they will accept this behavior? The odds are, they won't last. As for the job performance, if you are one of the "wise writers" out there that did not give up your day job, you may be at risk of losing that income. Now, for those writers that have made writing their career, that 36% will start to affect the way you work with the marketing and business side of your life.

Look, I am not talking about extreme changes in your life, but writing is tough work and it requires sleep and rest (don't get me started on diet and excersise). You cannot keep lying to yourself about your sleep patterns. Find a way to create that perfect balance. And for those of you with editors and agents, it is OK to discuss how to maintain a writing pace to keep your sanity and life. Discuss those deadlines before you contract. In the end, EVERYONE will be happier.

I'm off to Oklahoma! See you all on Monday! Although, knowing me, I might slip in a post during the weekend.

Scott

Congratulations Bronwyn Scott RomCon Royal Crown 2011 Finalist

She does it two years in a row! Congratulations to Greyhaus author Bronwyn Scott. A Thoroughly Compromised Lady is a finalist for the Royal Crown 2011 historical category.

Check it out today!

Buy Now!

Some Validation for My Thoughts On E-Readers

I was reading an OUTSTANDING arcticle put out by NINC recently written my Kat Richardson on the supposed rise in e-publishing. I had to admit, when I saw the initial article, before I really got into it, I was ready to believe this was going to be one more article proclaiming the ultimate downfall of the print book and the supremacy of the digital age. Wow, I was not only surprised but very much relieved.

Richardson highlights several points that really put into perspective this whole argument. She reminds the readers that although "...people on the Internet are deeply in love with their electronic realm and forget that, in fact, it is not the whole world. E-books are a very nice thing, but at the moment, no matter how impressive the growth rate, they represent less than one-third of all books—fiction, non-fiction, textbook, etc.—sold in the US." (Richardson, 2011). Honestly, that one third is really a big factor. For those writers out there believing they are working with a huge population, they are clearly mistaken.

She goes on to remind readers that "74.9% of U.S. homes with a phone line have Internet access (note they don’t say anything about homes without phone lines), but of those, less than half have broadband and of those, about 10% use their Internet for e-mail and routine communication only, not for shopping or surfing the net—and certainly not for reading or buying books. So, that boils down to roughly 33.7% of U.S. homes have the capacity for e-book downloads." (Richardson, 2011). Again, this is a point that I brought up last year after a conference with the WisRWA chapter. At that time, we were asked about the rise of e-publishing and I reminded everyone that in the 80's, there was a belief that everyone would have a computer in the near future. We are now in 2011 and you can see that number hasn't even been achieved.

I wanted to bring all of this up because I do believe that Richardson really hits on a big point here. Sure the numbers are rising and sure there is technology out there, but, to use the expression, "putting all of your eggs in one basic", simply doesn't sound that realistic. In fact, I like her argument when she talks about her own writing. She is someone that sees the value of using e-publishing as just something else you would do with your publishing. As she reminds the readers of her article, you simply cannot forget the other two-thirds of the readership.

I do know that some of you will want to bring up those authors that have all supposedly gone entirely electronic to prove to everyone it  can be done. We have to remember that many of these writers already had a huge following. Several of these writers are making the move because their last several books did poorly and going the digital route is a way to keep some of those books flowing. In other words, at this point in their career, they had nothing more to lose.

I also have to believe that many of these writers who made this move will likely make a move back later on. While making this move may sound like the ideal situation right now, I am confident enough to believe these writers may feel a little lost without that other two-thirds of their readership.

My compliments to Kat Richardson on this article and certainly to the staff at NINC for making this their front page artcile. Way to go!

Scott

We Don't Assess Your Story Based On Your Effort

As agents and editors, we know you have spent hours on your project. We know you have put your heart and soul into the projects you send to us. With that said, when it comes to our decision of moving forward with your writing or rejecting it, we move to a more objective approach.

Writers need to understand that, with the exception of submissions that are simply wrong for us, we do take time to look at the material you send to us. We consider if this is a project that can be marketed and where weould possible send it. We look at the story and see if it is unique enough to really stand out in this tough market. Editors take the time to look over the potential for sales as well as how well the writer has demonstrated a command of both strong writing skills and the voice of the house.

In some cases, this decision does happen quickly. know though that we are really trying to decide if you project is something that will work for us and the market. Just remember, we are looking at your story now, not based on the blood, sewat and tears you put into it, or the comments your friends have given you, or the amount of money you paid to have it edited by some so-called professional editor. It's simply the story.

Have a great week! This will be a short one for me. I'm off this week to Oklahoma. For those of you at the conference, be ready with questions.

Scott