Southern Fried Chicas

When I first started in “the business”, I wasn’t really worried about getting an agent. I thought I was a fairly decent writer. Figured I could find one after the first book or two, maybe manage on my own, at least at the beginning.
Uh-huh.

Well, now I would very MUCH like to have an agent. The RIGHT agent, whatever that might entail. I hate the shopping around. The lost submissions. The lack of response. Not being able to sub proposals. And it wouldn’t hurt to know you had a professional who really believed in your work, and not just family and friends (though that support is VERY important too).

Having done a fair share of research, I do wonder about something. There are hands-on agents, agents who will make “suggestions” about the work, do editing, etc.—and those who really aren’t involved in that aspect of the business.

If you have/have had an agent, do you want them to have a part in the editing or revisions of the ms you submit to them? To what degree? Or would you prefer someone who sticks to the marketing aspect and keeps their hands to themselves?

And if you’re looking for an agent, what kind would you prefer, and why?

Guess what? We’re getting more snow! As if the last time hadn’t been enough. ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Below are ten topics. Respond to what moves you, ignore what doesn’t.

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1. WHY SHE SAID NO (again)

Agent Janet Reid did an interesting post on the queries she rejected and why. I’ve included a few of her reasons below:

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Some fellow writers were razing me late last year because I had become crazed with how much I was writing every day–I totally smoked the competition in a little contest we had going as to who could write the most. One thing I tried to explain was if I miss one single day it will turn to two, then to a week then to a month. Low and behold, I have gone a little over TWO WEEKS and only wrote one day out of all that. And the thing is, I can’t even call it a block, I have the idea floating around.

It’s not so much a rut either. I have the characters practically sitting, tapping their toes, and rolling their eyes whispering, “C’mon lady, get busy.” So it’s not like they’re not cooperating. It’s just a phase that happens every now and again. Kinda like having a MAJOR brain-fart and forgetting the process and the umpth that makes you sit and write. I’ve had them before and unfortunately I will probably have them again.

Some of it, believe it or not is the Olympics. I have been watching them with great regularity in the evening with the family. Usually once the dh gets home and we have eaten, the evening is when I get some stuff done that I put-off during the day. (I should say that while yes, all the boys are in school all day long–after having #3 child injure his back last year at school and come home daily at varying times–I can’t relax when they are not here–I keep waiting for the frigging school nurse to call–and she does on occasion). But watching Ohno get #7 and the US Men’s Hockey Team win Sunday–that was an *awesome* game–I can’t pull myself away from the TV. And it’s been frigging cold–I think my body wants to go into hibernation mode–I mean really 11 1/2 inches of snow in Fort Worth–when does that ever happen!?!?! (on 2/12/10–that’s when–LOL!)

And contrary to what my 15-y-o thinks (yes the child actually had the nerve to ask), I do not sit around watching Soaps all day. :shock: Seems like I am forever going and going. Just not writing.

Does this happen to y’all too? Do you get in a “we’re not calling it a block” dry spell? What do you do to get out of it? Or do you just ride it out until it passes? (That’s been my MO)

Forgive me if this rambles a bit. It’s been a hellified week at work!

I was struck by something I saw in a review I read on Amazon this week. I don’t make a habit of reading them, but in this case it was a book I was thinking of buying.
One of the posted reviews did recommend the book, which they described as good. The writing was sound, the characters interesting. The problem with the book was that the reader ‘guessed the ending, and had read similar endings before’.

Really?

Let’s play with that. Here’s a scenario. You’re close to the end of the book. The hero and heroine are trapped and being threatened by an armed villain. As an author, what are your options?

1. Hero distracts villain so heroine can escape & she saves the day.
2. Heroine distracts villain so hero can escape & he saves the day.
3. Secondary character comes to rescue, saves all.
4. Deus ex machina: Suddenly—a volcano/earthquake/mudslide/army of zombies/take your pick.
5. Just as villain strikes the mortal blow, hero/heroine wakes up in shower, and it was just a dream.
6. Hero/heroine completes rite of passage at just that moment and is able to wield the secret power they’ve had all along.
7. Hero/heroine is killed, but protagonist later discovers it was really their twin brother/sister, not the one they loved at all.
8. Villain discovers he’s the second-cousin thrice removed of the hero/heroine’s grandmother’s shiek lover’s bastard baby boy and kills himself in a final act of grace.

We could go on, but honestly…is there any way to resolve this situation, or practically any other, that hasn’t been done somewhere, somehow? You may vary the circumstances, intensity, emotions, violence, or the characters involved. You could always kill off all your main characters. Leave the ending blank, and print a phone number for the reader to call to hear the ending–for a price (and risk assassination).

Do readers/reviewers sometimes seem to expect the near-impossible, especially within the limits of genre?
What do you do to keep basic storylines fresh again and again and again?

The writing has come to a screeching halt. I won’t elaborate except to say that I’ve got way too many distractions going on.  Taxes.  Kids.  Business.  Snow.  Among other things.

Anyway, you know the drill. There are nine topics below. Respond to whatever interests you and ignore what doesn’t.

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1. ARE YOU A BAD BABY?

I snagged this from a post by Meghan Conrad, an editor at Ellora’s Cave. Basically, she’s no stranger to Google. None of them are–editors and agents that is. They’re watching our words. Perusing our blogs, tweets and Facebook pages. Anything to get an idea about the writers submitting to them.

Remember, the internet is forever.

GOOD:

–A well-written blog is a great sign, or a Twitter account with hundreds of followers.
– …. signs that you’re relatively normal, literate, and reasonable

BAD:

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