Go, go, go **deep breath** Go, go, go

Today I finished a book that left me exhausted. It wasn't a deep, philosophical work or a book written in Japanese (I have experience with both). Believe it or not, it was a paranormal romance.

If I reach page 50, or if I'm feeling generous, 100 and nothing has happened, I stop reading. Maybe a plot is too predictable, or maybe the writing is poor. At any rate, there is such a thing as not enough tension in a novel. What most people don't really talk about are the instances when a novel never stops for a breather. The novel I finished today was just like that; a nonstop ride from start to finish.

Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the characters, but there comes a point when you've had enough action and banter to last you for days. It makes it hard to finish the book, or if you persevere like I did, you end up exhausted. I know a book shouldn't be too slow, but please give us a little breathing space every now and then. We want to believe good things can happen in novels along with the bad.

And I hate to say it, but I've had my fill of vampires for a little while. I think I'll go back to historical romance for a week or so and see if I can dive back in. Let's hope so because I have a stack of paranormal books from the library, just sitting there, waiting to be read.

Side Note: I've started writing book two of my Secondworld series. There's so much possibility...

Polished Completion Happy Dance

As the title suggests, I've finished polishing my manuscript. From my first big edit to a polished product took me three months. Editing was, and has remained, my least favorite part of the writing process. I owe a big kudos to Michelle, my reader extraordinaire. I only hope everyone else is as fortunate to have a sister who also has a knack for spotting inconsistencies and giving invaluable critiques. Of course this is the same woman who never lets me forget I caught her kitchen on fire that one time...

At any rate, you may be wondering what next? Well that's easy: time to start Oliver's story for book two. I recently sketched up the plot for books two and three, although being the non-plotter I am, I have just the bare bones. I love to incorporate ideas as they come. A prime example is this morning: while I finished polishing the last few chapters, I realized what the fourth book will be about. Some authors want to write a trilogy and move on, but I believe with a large, complex cast of characters, writing a series will be fun. I love the world I've created (Secondworld) and hope to work my way forward and back in history. If you think you know what's happened in the past, think again. The Fair-folk have hidden themselves well over the years...

As time and word count goes on, editing may become a little less tiresome, but only time will tell. I certainly hope I don't have to throw out the first 100 pages again, like I did with this first book, and start over.

Time to celebrate briefly with some upbeat music before chaining myself to the keyboard once more.

Query update: I've researched and found five wonderful agents, sent them letters and now have to wait. I'm still researching agents for my second wave of letters, but I'll wait a little bit longer before I send them out.

My First Battle Scar

Well, it's official: I've received my first rejection letter. While this doesn't really change anything, I suppose it tranfers me from the group of "I want to write a book" to the group of "I wrote a book and I'm trying to get it published."

Personally, I'm good with rejections. (After attempting to find a teaching job, or any job really, in this economy, you get used to it.) What I was sad to read was how many agents won't respond with a rejection email, but only respond if they're interested. The reason? Too many heated and nasty emails in return.

To all those people who can't seem to take rejection well: shame on you. With many popular agents receiving up to 100 queries a day, there is no way they are going to accept everyone. The agent business is subjective and no, not everyone is going to fall in love with your work. Treat others how you want to be treated. This is the motto I live by, and hold my students to, and maybe you should try the same.

If you can't take rejection, and refuse to believe there is a way to better your writing, then maybe you should rethink your goals.

And to all agents who have received the aforementioned nasty emails, I'm sorry you had to put up with it. Please do your job and know that at least this aspiring author will respect your decision, no matter if it's a rejection or not.

Query Update: I tweaked my letter and sent out my first real wave. Now I wait.

Breaking the Synopsis Myth

You've done it. You've finished your manuscript to a bright polish. You even managed to put together a decent query letter, but then you realize what you still have to do: the synopsis. People tend to debate whether the synopsis or the query letter is more difficult, but after finishing both, the query letter wins hands down.

But, but, but...

Well, let's take a look.

For those of you who aren't aspiring authors, here's a little glimpse into the world of publishing. Now, I'm not in publishing, nor have I been published yet, but I offer you my many, many hours of research in a short blog entry, free of charge.

When you want to find a literary agent, you know, a person to help with your career, manage contracts, find a home for your book, etc., there is a process. First, you finish your story. If you haven't, don't even bother unless you're lucky enough to be someone like Stephen King, Diana Gabaldon or Janet Evanovich. Once that's done, and edited to a high gleam, you need what's called a query letter. A query is a short pitch of your novel, usually around 250 words, that should give the plot and tone, yet can still invoke the "awesome-ness" reaction. In other words, you want people to be knocking down doors for your work. I've talked about queries a bit before here.

Some agents also require a synopsis--this is the plot of your novel in about two pages. Now, everywhere I went, I read how difficult it was. How nervewracking. There was no way anyone could write the plot of their 300+ page novel in two pages! Even I fell into this trap, putting off the synopsis day after day and instead spent my time researching. The research wasn't helping, until I came across the most relevant and helpful sentence this morning on Nathan Bransford's blog. Simply, it says:

A synopsis needs to do two things: 1) it needs to cover all of the major characters and major plot points (including the ending) and 2) it needs to make the work come alive.

That single sentence caused a lightbulb to turn on inside my head. If I had only seen this advice a week ago, I would've had the synopsis done without all this dread inbetween. I abhor formulas, which was mostly what I had found until today, but this advice just worked for me. I sat down and an hour later, I had a finished synopsis of 1,400 words and just a tad over two pages. I'm pretty pleased with it, actually. A few subplots were left out, but it's for the best.

So, if you're at the stage where you want to find an agent and try getting published, don't fret over the synopsis. The query letter is hard, I won't deny it (mine took a month to get where I wanted it), but after that, the worst part will be the waiting and the rejections. Don't fear the synopsis.

On a side note, I sent my first query letter today.

UPDATE: I have since written another synopsis, just over a page and it was kind of fun. You read that right: I enjoyed it.

A Unique Idea from a Strange Conversation

A little over a week ago I had one of the most entertaining conversations I've had in a while. My best friend needed a break from her three sons, and after her husband came home, she came over to hang out. What followed was a three hour conversation about the impossibilities of romance novels.

Now, I will freely admit that I'm addicted to paranormal romance novels. I devour authors such as Gena Showalter, Kresley Cole, Sherrilyn Kenyon, JR Ward, etc in a matter of days, if not hours. For some reason the fantasy aspect (vampires, werewolves, immortal warriors) makes the romance novel more believable to me. I know, I know, there is not a plethora of 6'6" men with six packs and drop-dead gorgeous faces, but the main point of fantasy is that it isn't real. You say there's an underground culture of vampires? Sure. Does the Greek goddess Artemis go around granting acts of vengeance? What the hell. It is fantasy.

Of course there are some patterns that emerge, no matter if the romance is paranormal or other. Those of you who have read some will know this, I'm sure. Things like the man always pleases the woman first and is okay with waiting for his own pleasure. Or the woman can handle 10 hour long marathons with an immortal warrior without getting tired or feeling sore. Etc, etc. Now, these patterns sparked an idea in my head: why has no one ever written a fill-in-the-blank romance story?

Imagine it: you choose certain numbers, places, objects, a la Mad Libs style, and get your own personalized, semi-ridiculous romance adventure. It would be nothing short of entertaining.

Maybe some day I'll attempt it, but what holds me back from writing paranormal romance novels instead of fantasy with romantic elements is my family. They would buy the book and read it, and I can't say I'd feel comfortable having my family read sex scenes and wonder what is real or made up. I'll warm up a scene when the romantic peak comes, but I'll leave the details to your own imagination.

Of course if fill-in-the-blank is too much of challenge, there's always Choose Your Own Adventure possibilities as well. That way if you don't like how the story ends, it's your fault.