the writer's arsenal: query letter dos and don'ts

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Over time, I plan to look at certain specific aspects of the query letter (and query process) in a little more detail. But you have to start somewhere, and I think the best place to start is with a top line list of dos and don'ts when it comes to querying. Query letters seem like they should be straightforward and there's certainly plenty of information on them around the web, but in my experience some of the info is conflicting and some of it amounts to few actual takeaway tips. I'm hoping to keep the tips in this post clear and concise. And then we'll get into more detail in future posts (let me know in the comments if there's an aspect of querying or anything publishing-related that you'd like to hear more about down the road). I'm going to stick to tips that mainly apply to querying fiction. I'll cover non-fiction in another post, as it's a whole different ball game.

I apologize ahead of time for typos--it's a long list and I'm doing the bad thing by posting before I proof. I'll fix it up as I notice the inevitable errors :)

  • DO finish your book before you query. This should be a no-brainer, but people often get excited and want to start the process as soon as possible. But please, don't do this. You should be focusing all of your efforts on finishing, then revising, then polishing your book. Then, and only then, should you start querying agents and publishers. 
  • DO ensure you're only reaching out to reputable agents/agencies/publishers. Check out the services offered at QueryTracker. Use Preditors and Editors, an online resource for writers to help them avoid being scammed. Also check out the Thumbs Down Agency List at SFWA and the forums at Absolute Write. These resources exist for education and support. You'll need a lot of both as you attempt to enter this crazy business.
  • DO your research. Know whether or not the person you're querying represents your genre. Querying someone who doesn't is only going to make your rejection/non-response rate go up. Keep to the people you might have a shot with. They're the ones who know their stuff when it comes to your genre. They're the ones you'd want representing you anyway.
  • DO also research the person you're querying beyond just which genres they represent. Do they have a website? Twitter? Blog? Do they have preferences when it comes to query letters? If they do, ALWAYS follow them. ALWAYS. They've provided those guidelines for a reason. Respecting them will get you started off on the right foot.
  • DO include sample pages ONLY IF the agent has asked for them in their guidelines. Otherwise, keep it to just the query letter itself. Most agents will say how many sample pages, chapters, etc they would like to see included, but if you come across a set of guidelines that simply say "sample pages are fine", keep it to the first 5-10 pages, or if your first chapter lands somewhere in that range, cut it off there. It's enough to get a taste, and it's certainly enough to help them decide whether or not they want to read more. 
  • DON'T select sample pages from what you believe to be "the best" part of your book. Sample pages should always be from the beginning of your book--not an exciting passage from chapter nine (even if it is awesome). The opening pages of your book should be attention-grabbing enough. If they aren't, you have more revising to do. 
  • DO send your query letter via email whenever possible. It's faster and more environmentally friendly. Very few agents/publishers still prefer submissions via snail mail, but if they do, adhere to that request. Include a SASE and remember to actually put a stamp on it. An envelope with your address on it is worthless without the stamp.
  • DON'T send your query letter on weird stationary (this goes for email and snail mail). For snail mail, don't include anything other than the query letter, SASE and sample pages (if they were asked for in the guidelines). No glitter, no spritzes of perfume, no sample marketing materials, and no sample covers you've designed yourself.
  • DO send email queries from a professional sounding email address that identifies who you are. sexykitten789@gmail.com will make you look ridiculous. If you don't have an email address that is some variation of your name, make one.
  • DO keep your content in the body of the email. No attachments unless the person has specifically said it's okay. That includes sample pages. Paste them into the body of the email, below the query letter.
  • DO format email queries as emails. Don't try and use the snail letter format in an email. It looks silly. The subject line should read, "Query: <title of book>" unless an agent specifically requests otherwise.
  • DO prepare your subject line and body of the email first and then add the recipient's email address last. This will prevent you from accidentally sending it off before it's ready to go. Hitting send won't get very far with a blank To: field.
  • DON'T send query letters out in big batches to multiple recipients, even if a bunch of agents have identical guidelines. Their names aren't identical and that's reason enough to separate them out. Nobody wants to be reduced to a name on your mass query mailing list.  
  • DO address your letter to the specific person you're querying. Dear Sir, Dear Agent, Dear Publisher, To Whom it May Concern, etc is not a good first impression (especially the Dear Sir--you're just going to offend somebody with that one). Since you've done your research on the people you're querying, there is no reason to not address each letter you send to the person it's indented for. If an agency asks that you send one query letter to the agency and they'll decide who it's right for and no name of contact is given, simply address it to the agency: "Dear Agents of <insert agency name>". Don't just leave out a salutation. You have one shot at a first impression. Make it count.
  • DO keep in mind that a query letter is a professional letter. Keep it that way. It certainly can be genial and polite, but don't let it slide into casual territory. Keep your language professional, clean, concise and on point.
  • DON'T lose sight of what the query letter is about--your book. It's not a platform for you to talk about yourself, your family, your pets, your dreams, where you grew up, where you traveled in your youth, any adversity you've overcome, etc. It's about the book you've written and your specific, non-emotional qualifications to write said book. The person you're querying isn't your pen pal. Don't tell them about your life. This isn't a personal correspondence. It's a business letter.
  • DO keep to this format: intro or hook (if you have one), brief but enticing plot summary, brief author bio/qualifications, thank you, sign off. The letter shouldn't be longer than 3-4 paragraphs. Some agents would also like to know how you found out about them and why your book would be a good fit for their list. If they mention this in their guidelines, then go for it, otherwise, keep it short and sweet.
  • DO make sure you include the following vital pieces of information in your letter: title, genre, word count and what the book is about. Those are the things agents/publishers need to know. 
  • DON'T mention future books in a series, or other books you've written (unless they were published). A query letter should be about one book. Even if your book is book one of a planned trilogy, don't mention this. If the agent is interested in the book, that's something you can discuss when you speak on the phone. 
  • DON'T write one huge book and talk about how it could be broken into shorter books. When you query, your book should be ready to stand alone as one cohesive unit. And the word count should be reasonable (90-100k for adult fiction; 60-80k for YA, 50-60k for MG. There are exceptions but don't stray too far).
  • DON'T even think about mentioning the word film. Or movie. Or merchandizing. Your query letter is about the manuscript you've written. That's it. The time to talk about anything beyond the book itself is not now. That may comelater, after you've actually sold your book to a publisher, and even then, let the conversation come to you. Publishing is not the film industry.
  • DON'T praise your own book in your letter. Just don't. It may seem harmless to refer to it as a hilarious tale of blah blah blah, but just don't. The book should speak for itself. The plot summary should hint at the themes and give a sample of the voice (I'll discuss the plot summary in more detail in a future post), but it should do these things without you having to spell them out.
  • DO include information about any relevant writing awards you've won, writers' groups you're a part of, and/or relevant education you've completed. If none of these apply, don't try and find things to force in their place. Just keep your letter simple.
  • DO mention it if you've been published before. If you have, always include details (title, pub date, publisher).
  • DO remind an agent of who you are if you've queried them in the past, especially if they've requested material from you.
  • DON'T feel the need to point out that this is your first book. Nobody needs to know that. Your lack of publishing credentials will speak to that.
  • DON'T feel the need to copyright or get a patent for your book. It's not necessary and it makes you look paranoid. As long as you are querying reputable agents and publishers, nobody is going to steal your book. 
  • DO mention comparable books if the agents asks for it in their guidelines, otherwise, don't feel the need to do it unless it's a fantastic comparison. Don't say it's the next Harry Potter or Twilight or whatever. Don't compare your book to bestsellers just because you want it to sound awesome. Only compare it to books if the comparison is pitch-perfect. Otherwise, you just look silly.
  • DO include your contact information at the bottom of your letter--email, phone number, address.
  • DO proof your query letter before you send it. Even if you've saved it as a template somewhere on your computer and you know it's been proofed. Check it again.
  • DO proof your query letter before you send it. Oh, I just said that? Well, do it again. The last thing you want to do is hit send and then realize you've made a silly typo. Most agents will be forgiving of an easily-missed typo, but more than one starts to get you in serious trouble.
  • DO send your query letters out in batches and wait to hear back from a few before sending more. Many people will recommend you don't query your top choices right away in case the first version of your query letter isn't your best (it's probably not). Query agents you are interested in, but maybe aren't your top choices and based on their feedback, revise your letter before sending it to your top picks. If the query letter seems to work and you receive some requests, feel free to stick with it and send it along to those top agents. But don't query 100 agents at once or you'll be sorry if you realize the query could be stronger. Again, you only get one first impression.
  • DO keep track of who you've queried and when. I like to create a spreadsheet in excel that also includes info on expected response time, whether or not sample pages were involved and any other relevant info on the agent or agency.
  • DON'T reply to rejections. Not even to say thank you. Just read them and move on. Agents don't expect or want replies to rejections, especially form rejections. If you receive a rejection on requested material, a simple "Thank you for your time" email is acceptable, but don't ever ask for more feedback. Don't ask if you can send a revision. If an agent would be open to seeing a revision, they will mention it in their reply.
  • DO respond to requests for more material in a timely manner, usually within 24 hours. Follow instructions carefully. If they only want to see a few chapters, don't send the whole thing. When you are ready to send along your materials, change the subject of your email to something along the lines of "Requested material: <title of book>" so that it stands out in the agent's flooded inbox.
  • DO be patient. Patience is HUGE in publishing. You're always waiting for something and the wait starts now. Agents/editors are busy. Very busy. Give them time to get to your query or submission. If they are a non-responder, they'll usually mention it in their guidelines (ie: if you don't hear back within six weeks, consider it a pass). Respect that. If they say it's okay to follow-up, then do so. If they don't specify a time, eight weeks is a good rule of thumb. I know that seems long, but trust me, it takes that long sometimes. Sometimes it takes even longer. After eight week, a polite, "Just wanted to follow up on my query from <date>" is acceptable. Include the original query in your email. If you still haven't heard back after another six-eight weeks, follow-up again, but after that, it might be time to start thinking about moving on.
  • DON'T re-query a book to the same agent after they've rejected you. They'll remember and they'll be mad at you for trying to trick them. Only send a revised manuscript if it's been requested, the only possible exception being if you've done a major overhaul and have received some positive reactions to it from other agents, then it's okay to see if a previously semi-interested agent would like a second look.

I'm certain I've missed a few things but I'll definitely add to this list as I think of more. If you have any questions about any of the above, or anything I didn't cover, please ask away in the comments!

I will cover the next step, a.k.a. what to do when an agent offers representation, in a future post.

For today, I will leave you with my query letter for Unnatural (titled Unnatural Disaster at the time), the book that snagged me my fabulous agent:

Dear <agent>,
November "Ember" Edwards is not a witch. She can't successfully perform a single spell, which would be a total non-issue except that everybody else can. Ember is what The Ravendale Finishing School for Young Sorcerers labels a "dud", a weak link in the gene pool, and it's sink or swim when she and a group of fellow non-graduating students are led into the woods for the post-academic culling, an annual event that pits the duds against a series of so-called natural disasters, forcing them to either summon their latent magical abilities or die trying.
Thankfully, Ember is not alone. Her boyfriend Ren Hargrove is also a dud, and Ember thinks they have a good shot at surviving if they stick together. But first, she'll have to find a way to get Caden Rowley, the mysterious stranger who turns up in the woods, out of her mind, a task that's much easier said than done when he causes her to feel the first sparks of magic she's ever known—something she's learning she can't live without.
I’m seeking representation for my young adult novel, Unnatural Disaster, which is complete at 63, 300 words. I graduated with an Honors Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric and Professional Writing from the University of <redacted>. I'm currently on maternity leave from my position as an editorial assistant for <redacted>.
Thank you so much for your time and consideration.
Warm regards,
Kate Pawson Studer

friday5 for November 9, 2012

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I totally should be working on my NaNo book right now, but I'm taking a break to bring you the friday5--this is how dedicated I am to you, faithful blog readers! All ten of you! Okay, there's more than ten of you, but even if there was only one of you, I'd still do the friday5 because let's face it, there's news a brewin':

1. Let's kick things off with another fantastic post about NanoWrimo, this time from the immensely talented Beth Revis (whose Across the Universe series is fantastic in audiobook format! The husband and I listened to books one and two in the car while on long drives and both give it two thumbs up. That's four thumbs, people!). Anyway, Beth points out, much like Carrie Ryan did in her post, which I linked to on Sunday, that it isn't about winning NaNo. It's about enthusiasm, support, and most importantly, writing a book! Check out A Corollary to NaNoWriMo, or, Why I'm Prouder of 600 Words than 10,000.

2. I never got the whole zombie romance craze. I like my zombies all mindless, erratic and murder-y. I'm talking Carrie Ryan (girl's getting lots of play on this blog lately!), Sophie Littlefield (ZOMG soooo good!) and of course, The Walking Dead. When somebody (I won't pretend to know who) decided to make zombies the new vampire by turning them into sentient (?), desirable (??), swoon-inducing objects of teen girl affection (???!), I just couldn't get on board. There's the undead and then there's the undead, you know? But then I saw the trailer for Warm Bodies. And I have to admit, it looks fantastic. I missed out on the book the first time around, but now I'm thinking I might have to check it out. This doesn't change my stance on zombie romance, but I think the story in Warm Bodies might be something I could get behind, especially if it's as funny as it looks. I can't say no to funny. Have any of you read it? Reviews?

3. Let's talk news I'm waaaaay more excited about than I should be. As a card-carrying Veronica Mars fan (yes, I made the card myself, what of it?), I squeeeed at the top of my fangirl lungs when I read that Kristen Bell (who I'm pretty sure I'd love even if she wasn't our dear Veronica), and her fiance Dax Shepard (who I used to refer to as the poor man's Zach Braff until I saw the guy act--now he's just a super cool, funny guy who happens to resemble ZB)...where was I? Oh right--they're having a baby! Ahhhh! A Veronica Mars baby!!!! Is it wrong that I'm already hoping it's a girl and she grows up to star in some sort of awesome reboot of Veronica Mars? No? I didn't think so. But seriously, how cute is that baby going to be? Satyana Denisof may have some competition...

4. I'm not going to try and pass the results of the US Presidential Election off as some news story you may not have been aware of, but aside from Obama's victory, some very big things came about from Tuesday's vote. Those very big things have me feeling rather proud of my neighbours to the south. And I hope they're a sign of more good thing to come. Hope and optimism are alive! I can't help but think it has something to do with the awesomeness of young voters, demonstrating their desire for change. Hooray!

5. YA book rec of the week time! Days of Blood & Starlight by Liani Taylor. It's book two in a series (after 2011's Daughter of Smoke & Bone) and it's looking pretty damn amazing:

In this stunning sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Karou must come to terms with who and what she is, and how far she’ll go to avenge her people. Filled with heartbreak and beauty, mysteries and secrets, new characters and old favorites, Days of Blood and Starlight brings the richness, color and intensity of the first book to a brand new canvas. (Summary from Goodreads.com)
Admittedly, the description doesn't say much about the book, but that's kinda how it often goes with sequels. So let me also share the description for book one since that's where you should start before motoring along to book two:
Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself? (Summary from Goodreads.com)
Kick-ass titles, gorgeous covers and brilliant writing. What more do you want?  


Time to get back to the old NaNo WIP... I'm still convinced I won't make it to 50k, but I'm pretty thrilled with the progress I am making and I'm starting to feel really excited about the story itself. As far as I'm concerned, those things are what NaNo is all about! 

no post today (err, other than this one...)

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Just a quick post to say there won't be a regular Monday post today. NaNo is forcing me into an out of the ordinary routine, so I'm posting when I can (like yesterday's NaNo focused post with links to some of the best writing advice on the web) and writing when I can. Since yesterday was better for blogging, I did, and since today is better for writing, I'm going to. I hope to be back with a regular post next Monday in which I'll address query letters and the query process as part of the writer's arsenal. After four years of reading query letters, not to mention my own experiences writing them, I have a few tips I want to share :)

In the meantime, my word count is calling...

verbose seductress...

and the only prescription is all the nanowrimo advice you can find

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Here we are on day four of NaNo and I'm already falling behind on my word count. But I knew this would happen. I mean, let's face it, 10-month-old babies and long hours of uninterrupted writing time don't exactly go hand in hand. I'm not at a point in my life when I can selfishly shut the door on everything for a month. But I am writing when I can. And I am staying at least close to my goals. The gap will undoubtedly widen as the month goes on, but that's okay too. I'm writing every day. I'm making some sort of progress on a novel. Isn't that what NaNo is all about?

Coffee is involved for a reason.

Also as I knew would happen, I'm struggling to keep my inner-editor at bay. Editing-as-I-go is such an entrenched habit of mine that I can't just turn it off. I have to catch myself doing it and then slap my own hand. I expect that aspect of things will get easier as the month goes on, but it'll take some time.

In addition to writing, I've also been reading, and there are a few links I want to share because they're worth a read whether you're participating in NaNo or not:

The first is a post by the extremely talented Carrie Ryan, whose brilliant and breathtaking The Forest of Hands and Teeth started as her NaNo project back in 2006. And you know what? She didn't write 50k that month. But she did write the beginning of what would turn out to be her big break. Read all about it here.

Former-awesome-lit-agent-turned-awesome-writer Nathan Bransford (whose entire blog is worth a read if you have the time, which, if you're doing NaNo, you clearly don't, but add it to your RSS and thank me later) wrote a post collecting several of his most helpful past writing posts in one place. These are must-read material if you've never written a novel before or if your novels never seem to go anywhere and you can't quite pinpoint why.

Finally, Galleycat's Jason Boog is offering up more advice than you bargained for in his post titled NaNoWriMo Tip #1: Read Two Years' Worth of Advice in a Single Post. It doesn't get much more comprehensive than that. There's a lot of content here so you might want to start by reading the first few tips when you need a writing break and then keep going back a forth. You do want to spend some of your time writing after all :) I find the best time to divert a little attention toward these NaNo tips is when I've hit a mini roadblock in my writing and I need to let the active part of my brain switch to something else for a few minutes while the back of my mind sorts out my next move writing-wise.

Well, I'm going to get back to it. If I can manage to keep the old inner-editor locked up, I might even catch up on my word count, but I'm going to be disappointed if that doesn't happen. This point is, I'm writing a book!

friday5 for November 2, 2012

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What a long and crazy week it's been! Though it was big news, I won't cover the details of Hurricane Sandy here. It's not that kind of blog. But if you're able, please donate to your local Red Cross. A lot of people out there need help right now and it's up to those of us who were lucky enough to just have a really windy night (or nothing at all) to pull together and be there for those in need.

That said, let's get to the less humanitarian things that happened this week:

1. Disney has purchased Lucasfilm for over $4 billion. You know, as one does. You can put me firmly in the camp of people who were not remotely surprised to see this happen. In fact, I think a part of me assumed this already happened a few years back. I've certainly seen plenty of associations over the years. I'm not enough of a Star Wars superfan to weigh in with my thoughts on whether or not Disney can pull off future contributions to the film franchise with any success (I saw Episode I; it's not like the bar hasn't been lowered). Besides, that's not the part that caught my eye. In fact, like Sandy, this was such big news that I almost didn't bother to mention it, but then something truly intriguing happened: Lucas announced that he plans to use the bulk of the Disney money to fund education. I tip my proverbial chapeau to you, Mr. Lucas. That's some serious philanthropy. Hey, this story turned out to be rather humanitarian after all!

2. TV NEWS! A few things to mention so I'm grouping them ;)

a) Everyone's favourite offensively insightful comedian Louis CK will be hosting SNL this weekend. I'm not a regular SNL viewer (because I have a baby and I'm tired), but I know that either I or my PVR will be tuning in to see CK on the show. Even when he's bad, he's good. I do feel a bit sorry for the guy, having to host in the wake of Sandy, when many in the country aren't necessarily up for comedy, but a good laugh goes a long way to help people heal and CK absolutely has what it takes.

b) Community has a return date! Community has a return date! It's a miracle! And it's not scheduled for a Friday! It's a double miracle! (And it both is and isn't October 19th!) Okay, yes, a February 7th return doesn't bode well for the network picking up the balance of this season, but it's taking over after 30 Rock peaces out so maybe they can somehow turn that into more viewers and get picked up for a 5th season. #sixseasonsandamovie

c) This is a short one: The new season of The Vampire Diaries is rocking my socks. That is all.

3. Big publishing news this week. HUGE! (Didn't I say it's been a long and crazy week? This news already feels like it happened months ago!) The Random Penguin is a thing. Okay, it's not called The Random Penguin, but I think that's what the cool kids are gonna be calling it so I'm getting in on the first floor. Big time biggies, Random House and Penguin, are merging. Honestly, I'm still digesting this news. I've read quite a bit about it this week and I thought by the time I wrote this post, I'd have formed more of an opinion, but I'm just not there yet. And I think it's going to be a while before I am. I'm going to sit back and quietly reserve judgement. The deal isn't set to close until later in 2013 and what changes to the publishing landscape will result remain to be seen. I know I'll be keeping a close eye on things as they develop.

4. The US Election is everywhere you look right now (yes, even here in Canada). Since I'm not in a position to vote myself, the best I can do is share this brilliant video from the one, the only, His Royal Jossness: Whedon on Romney. Think about the future.

5. This week's YA book rec is for Rootless by Chris Howard.

Robot trees!!!
17-year-old Banyan is a tree builder. Using scrap metal and salvaged junk, he creates forests for rich patrons who seek a reprieve from the desolate landscape. Although Banyan's never seen a real tree—they were destroyed more than a century ago—his father used to tell him stories about the Old World. But that was before his father was taken . . .

Everything changes when Banyan meets a woman with a strange tattoo—a clue to the whereabouts of the last living trees on earth, and he sets off across a wasteland from which few return. Those who make it past the pirates and poachers can't escape the locusts—the locusts that now feed on human flesh.

But Banyan isn't the only one looking for the trees, and he's running out of time. Unsure of whom to trust, he's forced to make an uneasy alliance with Alpha, an alluring, dangerous pirate with an agenda of her own. As they race towards a promised land that might only be a myth, Banyan makes shocking discoveries about his family, his past, and how far people will go to bring back the trees.

In this dazzling debut, Howard presents a disturbing world with uncanny similarities to our own. Like the forests Banyan seeks to rebuild, this visionary novel is both beautiful and haunting—full of images that will take permanent root in your mind . . . and forever change the way you think about nature. (Summary from Goodreads.com)

This description has me thinking twisted, post-apocalyptic environmental fairytale = awesome. Plus, male protagonist! They're so outnumbered in YA. We need to pay them some attention.


Okay, bloggies, that's it for this week. I need to get back to my NaNo project, Skin Deep, which, like Rootless, also features a strange tattoo--or five. Yes, five. With potential for more. I'm hoping to hit the 4k mark today so I'd better get to it! Happy weekend and I'll see you on Monday!

nanowrimo is upon us

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Sandy isn't the only thing descending upon us like a wet and windy uninvited guest. National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo or NaNo for short) kicks off on Thursday (okay, fine, it's not wet or windy or uninvited, but it's coming at us like an unstoppable force of nature so, it kinda works...?).

For writerly types, NaNo is the ultimate writing challenge: write a 50k word "novel" (unless you're writing MG or are on the short end of YA, 50k does not a novel make) without looking back. We're talking a full-on first draft pound-out (that wasn't meant to sound dirty...), completely ignoring your inner editor and just doing what it takes to reach the finish line. Some people use it as motivation to get out the first 50k of a longer novel, while others use it to write a 50k novel that will never see the light of day. Regardless of your purpose, it's good exercise for your writer brain and there's never any harm in at least attempting NaNo. It's one of those nothing to lose and everything to gain kind of things. Okay, full disclosure, you might lose your sanity. And possibly your dignity. But it's not like you can't pull yourself back from the edge if things get dicey.

Unfortunately, no, you can't just write "It was a dark and stormy night" 7142.9 times.

Oh, and NaNo is all about starting a brand new project. This is the tricky part (for me). In the past, I've semi-participated by working on novels I'd played around with before, but this year, I'm starting from scratch on a book I only have a very loose outline for. For me, that's very scary. First of all, my inner editor is like that mosquito buzzing in your ear when you're trying to sleep on a hot summer night at the cottage. You're sweating, uncomfortable, and you think you've finally swatted it away for good, but then there it is, pestering your ear hole like a zombie mosquito that just. won't. die. For me, the biggest challenge of NaNo isn't going to be plot, or pacing, or character development. It's going to writing without re-reading and tinkering with the words I've just laid down. It's going to be waiting until December to revisit what I've written and finally fix the mess I've made. But that's okay. A challenge is a challenge for a reason. And if I can come out the other end of November with 50k words, even if they need to be hacked, switched and polished come December, then at least I'm 50k words further along than I am now. And not only is that quite the accomplishment, it's significant progress on what will likely end up being a 65k word book.

I should add, even though you're supposed to start a brand new project, if NaNo is the motivation you need to pick up something old and run with it, just do it. Rules shmules, right? As I said, I've used NaNo as a time to work on existing projects in the past. The pep talks and motivational emails helped me to get a lot of writing done, even though I wasn't approaching NaNo in the traditional way. At the end of the day, I like to think of NaNo as a celebration of writing the crap out of something. Anything.

If you're interested in participating in this year's NaNo, everything you need to get started can be found at the official website here: http://www.nanowrimo.org

I haven't figured out how to add writing buddies on the site yet, but if you join and are looking for a writing buddy to cheer you along, let me know and we'll figure it out!





post delay

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Today's blog post on NaNoWriMo will be a bit delayed as I try and semi-ready my house for the remnants of hurricane sandy. I am so not ready to do a major power-outage with a baby.

Stay safe!

Update: Was hoping to get a post up this afternoon, but that's not gonna happen. Should be tomorrow morning assuming our power doesn't go out!


Kinda looks like a question mark, like, is it coming??????

friday5 for October 26, 2012

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1. In the mood for first breakfast? Second breakfast? Elevenses? Afternoon tea? Lunch? Dinner? Supper? Denny's will soon have you covered as they'll be offering a The Hobbit menu. How awesomesauce is that? Okay, yeah, it's Denny's. But who didn't drool as they read about all those delicious Hobbit nibblies? Those guys know their food! I think this is a fantastic marketing match. I just don't know if this will be happening anywhere in Canada... I don't even know where the nearest Denny's is! Maybe that's a good thing...

2. Browncoats assemble! Apparently this was released earlier this month, but I only just found out about it this week. Firefly: A Celebration is being touted as the Browncoat Bible. If you aren't familiar with Firefly or Serenity, seriously, what are you doing on this blog? You should be watching them right now. But maybe don't marathon the entire series and movie in one day. The husband did that when I first introduced him to the world of Whedon (though he'd actually already seen the movie in theatres with me) and I think it was too much at once. His brain short circuited trying to process all the awesome, and when it was over, he fell into a deep depression for a few days. So break it up, and enjoy, and then pick up Firefly: A Celebration because it looks amazing. 

3. ABC has picked up a new Zach Braff project, with ZB set to write, direct and executive produce. No word yet on whether or not he'll appear in front of the camera as well, but as a longtime ZB fan, this is great news. I love Garden State (with Natalie Portman, who btw, is my all-time favourite celebri-lady) and Zach, who appears to be genuinely charming and funny in person. If you don't already, you should follow him on twitter. He does a good job of making with the jokes :)

4. Halloween is upon us! I love Halloween. I love Halloween TV (like this week's PLL!), I love costumes, I love carving pumpkins, I love roasting pumpkin seeds, I LOVE candy, and it's the only time of year that I love a good scare. I'm very averse to gore/horror, but a good spooky ghost story is plenty welcome come Halloween. Ah, I just love it! And since next week's friday5 will technically be post-October-31st, I figure it deserves a mention now.

5. This week's YA book rec is The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa. Okay, yes, I may be a little biased since I work for the publisher, but I remember reading the manuscript for Julie's debut, The Iron King, back before we even acquired it, and Julie's writing blew me away. I've devoured every book in the series since. The Lost Prince is the first in a new series set within the Iron Fey world that follows Ethan Chase, younger brother to Meghan. And he's all grown up:

"My chest is ripped, but artsy. Perfect for ladies with diverse tastes!"
Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten. (Summary from Goodreads.com)
I already have a copy of this book sitting in my to-be-read pile (which is sadly kinda tall right now) and I put it there without needing to know a single thing about it beyond the fact that it's Julie and she never lets me down :)

6. Bonus Item: No. Just no.

pretty little recap: all aboard the murder train!

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3.13 This is a Dark Ride
I didn't realize just how excited I was for PLL to be back until the opening credits started to roll. We already know someone will die before the hour is up (thanks to ABC Family's tease...) so this is going to be a good one! I apologize in advance for typos as I wrote this on my ipad, which seems to hate me sometimes.

Previously on PLL: Things got batshiz crazy when Nate revealed himself to be psycho and Hot Caleb (who reminds me of Taylor Kitsch and therefore immediately became one of my tv boyfriends the moment he first graced the PLL screen) was shot! But I know he'll be okay because hotness defeats bullets (Not always, but come on. This is PLL.) Also, Creeper Toby turns out to be part of the A team. Way to be predictable, Creeper Toby. Yes, there was a time when I fell for the idea that he was just a strange, slight anti-social guy with a crooked nose, but deep down, I always knew he was up to something!


We open to Mona acting creepy with a creepy head. Oh Mona, I know previews for the show's January return have you sprung from Radley, but I don't understand how that's possible. If you want out, you need to stop doing creepy things. Then again, nobody seems to ever be treating her/watching her so whatever. Go bananas, Mona.

What is Hanna wearing? What is going on here? Clearly these are Halloween fashions, but how is it that Aria looks semi-normal? Wait. The hat. The shoes. Nevermind.

How did Garrett get in? For parents rarely being around, the Hastings homestead sure appears to have a revolving door policy. Oh, Creeper Toby. I think you're more menacing now that we know you're a black hoodie enthusiast. I think I'll forever be on edge now, thinking he could stab Spencer at any time, which would be tragedy since she's got the best one-liners. Or maybe it'll be one of those "I was supposed to be bad, but I fell in looooove with you, Spencer!" kind of things.

My PVR is glitchy.

Sigh. Hanna and Hot Caleb. These two could have their own show about making out in the closet and I'd totally watch it.

If I were one of the liars, I'd give the idea of NOT attending any more Rosewood parties some thought. Something bad always happens! Also, are we not dealing with the fallout of Emily killing Nate? No? Okay....

What's up with Ezra acting all weird? And is that..? He's wearing a black hoodie! Oh man... I don't like the direction this is heading. You can have Ezra, A team, but Hot Caleb is off limits!

Jenna. Eyepatch. Heh. Ewww. Noel and Jenna makeouts are awkward for some reason. Maybe because I don't like either of them.

Oh no. The creepy gremlin doll mask guy again! That thing is my nightmares personified.

Noel acts like a jerk then almost chokes on a grape. Clearly a fake out given the promise of a death. Though how hilarious would it be if the person who died in this episode died from choking on a grape instead of whatever mysterious, twisty fashion I expect it'll happen in? Extremely.

Okay, Emily's costume is pretty awesome. Where did she get that on such short notice? Didn't they just decide what they were doing earlier that day?

Adam Lambert? Not a fan. Not an Idol fan either (sorry folks). This scene feels really awkward. The train is so narrow. It seems so uncomfortable to have people filter semi-excitedly into the room like that. I would think they'd either feel shy and strange because they're in a tiny train car or they'd be such huge AL fans that they'd rush the stage, throwing their panties every which way. But the way it plays out is just... weird.

Ha ha. Mona and her crazy escape antics. The security at Radley is babytown frolics.

Aaaand we're back to AL the vampire. This song is weird. Is he signing something about "Cuckoo"? I don't get it.

Creeper Toby covering Jenna's eye. Oh snap. Creeper Toby is creepy, but I far prefer him to Jenna and HER BITCHY LIES. Stupid Jenna.

I'm so over this AL the vampire dance scene. And what's with the audible comments of "Work it Adam"? Is that in case we don't recognize him and have to Google, "Who is this Adam guy on PLL and where can I buy his Cuckoo song?!?!?"?

Obligatory creepy kid. Wearing...a wig? Is that her costume? Or is she supposed to look like she and a raccoon were run over by a truck and the raccoon somehow fused to her head? And why is Trashley dressed like a slutty nurse for the trick or treaters? Oh right, cause she's Trashley.

Hot Caleb and Hanna windy makeouts!! Sigh. Love Hot Caleb. He can haunt my Halloween train any time.

Okay, why is AL the vampire randomly trying to be besties with boring old Aria? Why doesn't she ever do anything interesting?

Are we still pretending Paige and Emily are a good match? We are? Okay... I miss Maya.

Oh noes! Spencer!

Commercial for The Voice. Why couldn't Adam Levine be on PLL instead of AL the vampire?

Oh. It's just Garrett. Trying to gain Spencer's trust by attacking her. Of course! What's with the whole I like you the best business? Ooooh flashback! Ali is such a bitch. Why were they friends with her again? So Garrett and Ali wanted Jenna to think he murdered Ali with a field hockey stick beatdown? How does that make any sense??? If Ali hadn't gone on to be murdered, how would they've later explained her being alive to Jenna? Am I missing something? I definitely feel like I'm missing something. Unless Ali knew somebody (cough*twin theory*cough) was about to die...

Mr. Aria?? What are you going with Ali?? We do know he likes a good affair... This could be interesting. And creepy. I'm suddenly happy Alexis Denisof ended up not playing Aria's dad (remember when that was a possibility??)

Meanwhile, back in the present... finally!!! Getting kidnapped is probably the most interesting thing Aria has done this season. Or ever. But I smell another fake out. No way they kill off any of the liars.

You can get a varsity letter in messing with us. Heh. Love you Hanna. Hanna and Spencer are totally my favourite liars. Emily is often cool too. Aria sucks.

So if Emily checked everywhere for Aria, how did she miss the train car with the shaking, screaming box in it?

Okay. The Hanna double-mask thing was scary. I knew it wasn't Hot Caleb (the masked person wasn't acting nearly hot enough) but I was not expecting there to be another creepy mask underneath.

This little girl story feels very out of place, but I think it's a cough*twin theory*cough thing. It harkens back to last year's Halloween episode. Does anybody else think that little girl is super weird looking? I mean beyond the dead raccoon hair. She almost looks like the little girl version of Creeper Toby.

Spencer! NOT AGAIN! Stay away from Spencer, you weirdos! We need her sarcastic wit! Ugh. All these masks are starting to get to me. There are too many team Aers running around on this train. So hard to keep track. Isn't there a passenger manifesto they can cross-reference?

I guess Spence and Paige are square now.

Garrett? Dead? That makes sense. His storyline was basically over, even moreso after he spilled his guts to Spencer. Being creepy will do wonders, but straightforward confessions don't get you anywhere in Rosewood.

How did he get in that box with Aria? The timing on that seems odd...

Wait, the boys are at the front of train and are going to work their way back? Wouldn't getting to the front already have shown them everything there is to see? This whole train thing doesn't really work. It's claustrophobic, which is good, but it leaves a few gaps in logic.

Paige saying that helping Spencer "was a pleasure" seems weird. It's one thing to say you were "happy to have gotten there in time". Or "don't mention it". Or "you would have done the same", but "it was a pleasure"? You're weird, Paige.

Girl and guy voices pushing Aria. At this point, there are several possibilities... Aria's struggling voice sounds off. Whenever they show her face, I feel like the voice is coming from elsewhere. It's bothering me. Maybe my PVR is acting up again.

Hooray! The liars to the rescue! Though I wouldn't exactly weep if Aria had been tossed... Lucy Hale is cute as a button, but Aria is ZZZzzzzzz

Alright, let's wrap this thing up. Glad to see some real clues and a few juicy reveals. I admire this show for actually moving the story forward.

Oh Ezra. What is going on with you? Don't make me start calling you Creeper Ezra!

Okay Toby is kinda hot when he's standing up for the liars, but he's still not really hot. It's like personality hot, not face hot. Cause he still looks like he got smacked with a frying pan.

Oh. He was probably just shoving Noel to reveal that body bag in ice. That's less hot. Bets on Ali being in the bag? Or an Ali double?

Mona's back in her room with the mask that she accosted Hanna in. Not too shocking that it was her since she and Hanna have a thang. Not a thang thang, but you know. She's most likely to volunteer for Hanna duty whenever they have their A team meetings. I also picture her as the treasurer.

Ummmmmmmmmmm WTF HAND COMING OUT OF THE GROUND???? Oh PLL, you so crazy.

Until January, I suppose!

posts thursday and friday (and I guess wednesday too since this is a post...)

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I was hoping to get a post up today, but I'm deep into prepping for NaNo (which we'll discuss on Monday...) so it will have to wait until tomorrow. As I mentioned in last Monday's post, I make a point of keeping in touch with all things YA (or, as many as I can manage) and one of those things is compulsively devouring episodes of Pretty Little Liars. It's one of those teen shows that's a perfect mix of genuinely interesting tv and super guilty pleasure.

Though last night's Halloween episode is the only one we're going to get until January, tomorrow's post is going to be the start of a new segment here on the blog, called Pretty Little Recap, wherein I share my thoughts (most of them entirely unprofessional and silly, despite the fact that I really do adore the show) on our favourite little liars and their ridiculously good-looking boyfriends (or girlfriends in Emily's case). So look for that tomorrow!


friday5 for October 19, 2012

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Lots of booky news to discuss this week so let's get to it!

1. In semi-useless since the week is coming to an end news, it's YALSA Teen Read Week! Basically, this week is all about teens reading--reading anything! Because that's what matters. Not the what, but the it. Hmm. Did that make sense? No, but I think you know where I'm going with this. I'm big on recommendations, not restrictions when it comes to teens reading and I'd take a teen reading garbage (literally) over a teen reading nothing. Trust me, as you get older, it's harder to find time to read, so if it's not already a priority in your life, you're less likely to make it one. Get reading at a young age, thank the world later. Trust me. Reading will one day be one of the biggest delights of your week. And you'll actually be okay with that :)

2. In SQUEEEE news, the latest Divergent casting rumor has Shailene Woodley lined up to play Tris. As with all novel-to-film casting rumors, this one appears to be resulting in mixed reactions (as far as I'm concerned, that's a symptom of a devoted fan base, which I'm cool with when it comes to awesome YA reads). Personally, I think she was fantastic in The Descendents and she totally fits the image of Tris that I have in my head (I can't even remember what colour hair Tris is supposed to have, but Shailene is how I've always pictured her). With characters like Tris (or Katniss--not Bella--but Katniss or anyone in the HP universe), it's not about looks, it's about acting ability (with Bella, it was always more about looks, maybe because such a large portion of the story is about her pretty, pretty hair. Kidding.. kinda...). Shailene can definitely pull off the part. I'm officially on Team Woodley.

3. Johnny Depp is set to have his own imprint at Harper Collins. There's not much else to say about this except that Johnny Depp just added about a million more awesome points to his already high awesome point tally. The man is a force of nature. 

4. I suppose I should include a bit of non-book-related news to this week's list so let's talk about Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosting the 2013 Golden Globes. This has potential to be brilliant or boring. Not because Tina or Amy will screw it up, but because awards shows in general tend to screw it up. The hosts rarely have free reign. And yes, I know there are reasons for that. But it puts a damper on some of the amazing comedic talent we could be enjoying. That said, I think Tina and Amy will be able to put on a good show without that censored feeling we're usually subjected to. Their comedy doesn't come from a place of controversy so it should work out well. Either of them would do a fantastic job, but as a pair, I think they'll rock it.

5. Finally, this week's YA book rec is Beta by Rachel Cohn, the first in a new series. For me, the cover is kinda meh, but the plot sounds fantastic!

Feeling a little indigestion-y?
Elysia is created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen-year-old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of a teenage clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to exist.

Elysia’s purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air induces a strange, euphoric high, which only the island’s workers—soulless clones like Elysia—are immune to.

At first, Elysia’s life is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne’s human residents, who should want for nothing, yearn. But for what, exactly? She also comes to realize that beneath the island’s flawless exterior, there is an under­current of discontent among Demesne’s worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care—so why are overpowering sensations cloud­ing Elysia’s mind?

If anyone discovers that Elysia isn’t the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When her one chance at happi­ness is ripped away with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she’s always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive.

The first in a dazzlingly original science fiction series from best-selling author Rachel Cohn, Beta is a haunting, unforgettable story of courage and love in a cor­rupted world. (Summary from Goodreads.com)
Cloning seems to be one of "the next big thing"s in YA and this looks to be an interesting take on it.  Paranormal was reigning for a while there, and let's face it, will always have a home, but I'm happy to see more and more quality sci-fi YA reads making the rounds. It's a thrilling genre and I definitely want more devour-able sci-fi YA!


As a final note, I'm headed on a mini-vacation this weekend so there will be no post on Monday. If I get my act together, I may be able to get something up on Tuesday or Wednesday, but if not, I'll be back on Friday with another friday5! See you then, if not sooner!

staying in touch

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To start things off today, a little blog news: I can now be found at www.katepawsonstuder.com. That's right! I'm officially a website! Now I just need to remember all the places around the net that need to be updated with the new domain...

Today I want to talk about staying in touch--not the kind of staying in touch that requires you to keep your contact info/blog listing up to date (see what I did there?), but the kind where you are in the loop on what's current.

One of the things I've learned as a new mother is that you're constantly encountering lists of milestones that your baby should be hitting at certain points in their development. I receive these lists through e-newsletters and baby apps on my iphone among other places. Recently, one such milestone that I read about was that the baby should begin to understand that people speak into the mouthpiece of a telephone. This struck me as very odd. Certainly, I've seen babies with toy phones before, adorably mimicking adults and babbling into the phone as they make their imaginary (though often brief) phone calls.

"I think you have the wrong number..." Image by Linh Ngan
But it still struck me as odd. I can't think of a single time my baby has seen me on the phone. I rarely call anyone anymore. I text. I email. But I rarely call. In fact, I make so few phone calls, I usually save them for times when the baby is sleeping (so that I don't have to explain the loud baby screams that often sound like somebody is being murdered in our living room). My baby is more likely to mimic texting on a toy phone than she is to make a call. And as far as milestones go, I suppose I'd consider that equivalent. Should she know to speak into a phone if she's never seen anyone do that? I wouldn't think so, but I would expect her to play with a phone the way I play with mine. And she does. I'm sure future baby milestone lists will have to be modified to reflect this change in the way we communicate.

The reason I bring this up is because things change over time. That's no secret. I can still remember what it was like to be a teenager and that definitely plays a part in my writing, but I also know that the teens of today are experiencing a very different world than the one I lived in over a decade ago, and I need to keep that in mind too. I read and write (and watch) YA not only because I feel a strong connection to that voice (I sometimes need to remind myself that I'm not a sixteen-year-old girl anymore, even though I often feel like one inside), but also because I want to maintain that connection. There's something wonderful and thrilling about the experiences you have at that age and I never want to lose touch with that, even as it changes over time. All writers need to live part of their life in the world they write, both on and off the page. YA is where I feel most at home and I'm lucky that there's such an awesome community of YA authors and readers online to help me stay connected :)

What genres do you feel most at home reading/writing and how do you stay connected?

friday5 for October 12, 2012

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1.  Everybody's favourite hilarious girl, Lena Dunham, has signed a book deal. Ridiculous advances celebrities receive to write books aside (it's a platform thing, not an ability to write thing, though clearly Lena can write), I'm ultra-excited about this news. Lena's HBO show, Girls, is fantastic and Lena's a triple-multi-whatever-you-guys-she's-awesome-threat in Hollywood. The girl has serious talent for someone so relatively young. I will definitely be ordering her book when it hits shelves in the not-too-distant future. I hope there's a chapter specifically for the ladies.

2. The new season of Community has been delayed :(  This is sad news for those of us fans who have been waiting for new episodes, even though they bring with them the very real possibility that once this season airs, there will be no more new episodes ever. Which is a tragedy. I've been there before. So many times. Shows that I love have been cancelled despite their brilliance. Thankfully, some of those shows continue on in other forms, or even make their way on to Netflix, but it would be sad to lose Community from network prime time because comedies of that caliber are becoming few and far between. On the other hand, it looks like the delay might be a blessing in disguise if it means a better time slot and more promotion. I guess time will tell. Delays in TV land are rarely a good thing.

3. A Wrinkle in Time has been made into a graphic novel. I tend to only read graphic novels that are original in that format (as in, weren't novels first), but since Madeline L'Engle's classic is an all-time favourite of mine dating back to my read-by-flashlight-under-the-covers days, I might have to pick this one up. The art looks cute and it's been a while since I read this fantastic story.

4. In other blast-from-my-childhood news, it looks like a new line of Jem dolls are being made. This news is truly, truly, truly outrageous. I still have my original Jem dolls packed away in a box somewhere--I even had the Synergy doll, though I have to admit, the new Synergy doll looks a little too diva for my taste. Girl needs to scale back the sass. Rio's style has improved (on the clothes front at least--not really sure what's happening with that hair), but what's with the Jem duffel bag? I know he's her manager, but there's something co-dependent about carrying around a duffel bag with your girlfriend's name on it (plus, what would your other girlfriend think?)

5. Though I said before I wanted to include a recommendation every week (which didn't happen last week), I've decided that moving forward, I want to dedicate the final point in the friday5 specifically to a young adult new release for that week. This week, Mystic City by Theo Lawrence has caught my eye. First off, look at that cover!


I love a good swirly hair cover. There's something so swirly about it. And the plot sounds pretty bad-ass too:
Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.  (Summary from Goodreads.com)

the writer's arsenal: organized vs. overkill

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Every now and then, I plan to do a blog about some aspect of the writing/publishing journey as I assume many of you reading this blog have an interest in those topics. I've learned quite a bit about both sides of the publishing business over the years I've been in it, and what good are tips and advice if you don't pass them on?

I'm calling this series The Writer's Arsenal because publishing can be brutal and every aspiring (and published!) author out there needs the right tools if they want to survive. I'm not just talking about a computer or pen and paper (though those are important too), I'm talking about skills, habits, and mindsets--those things that you can't just stock up on the next time you're at Office Depot. A writer needs a lot of tricks up their sleeve if they want to survive.

To kick things off, I want to talk about getting organized. Whether you're a heavy outliner or not, every writer does something to get organized before delving into a project. Personally, the very first thing I do when an idea hits is try to write the type of short blurb you'd see in a query letter (which we'll discuss in a future post). It's similar to the synopsis on the back cover of a published novel--just a few paragraphs that give you the setup and the hook. If I can nail that, I know I have a decent story on my hands. It doesn't have to be perfect, but it should capture the idea in an exciting way. From there, I'll do a loose chapter-by-chapter outline that is guaranteed to change as I go, but it gives me a basic road map of where I'm starting and where I want to end up, which somewhat helps with writer's block as I go.

Some writers simply write. They think of a great idea and just dive in. I don't think I could ever do that myself, but I see how some people can. On the other side of the spectrum, there are writers who start by taking the time to do heavy outlines, character sketches, maps, etc. If you're writing a novel that requires world building, it's definitely important to keep your facts straight and you should have a story bible where you keep everything handy--continuity is key--but sometimes we get so wrapped up in getting organized for a project that we run out of steam before we even leave the gate.

It's important to never lose sight of what you're trying to accomplish--writing a book. The absolute hardest part of writing a book isn't having a good idea, it's actually finishing the book. I could probably build an empire on the piles of unfinished manuscripts out there.

"I can't start until all of my pencils have been sharpened to a perfect point!"

There is such a thing as being too organized and if you spend more time doodling the exact curvature of your protagonist's wavy auburn hair than you do getting words onto the page, you're spending too much time getting organized. Same goes for writers who need to thoroughly check their email, or their Facebook, or have nine more coffees before they can start. At some point, you need to push past these distractions and start writing. You may be surprised to find that the character you planned out so carefully takes on a completely different personality once you put him into action. Characters can be funny that way. One of the wonderful things about writing is how the story can take on a life of its own and before you know it, you'll just know what needs to happen next, not to mention how every one of your characters will react to it.

But you'll never get to that point if you don't start writing. And keep writing. Another major pitfall is the need to "get organized" before each and every writing session. Unless you're re-plotting or making notes after a major light-bulb moment, don't go back to your outline and revise character sketches or other details. Keep the organization concise. That outline you spent hours perfecting is bound to change as you go so don't let it consume you. It just needs to be enough to get started. Then get to writing. It's the only way to finish your novel.

Have an idea for a writing or publishing related topic you'd like me to cover? Leave it in the comments!