It's all about the edits

The word count has surpassed the 60K mark! In fact, I'm over 62k. It's still not even close to being as long as it should be, but it's beefing up quite nicely. I've read this thing so many times, that I don't know if I'm even capable of catching mistakes as I go. It may be time to set it aside for a bit.

I've got a few new story ideas that I'm very excited about. I've been so wrapped up in the Farmer MS that I let it leech all of the creative juices from new projects. I think it's time to let them loose.

I think I'm also going to give myself a daily word count goal. Goals are a good thing, and I need to learn to push them on myself. A daily word count makes me accountable for something. I think I need a little kick to keep me in gear, and I'm hoping this is a step in the right direction. I need to treat this more like a job and less like a hobby. Success is not a passive endeavor. It has to be fought for. My armor is shined and ready. Let's do this.

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

I was vanquished in my last QueryKombat round, which means I won't be advancing to round 3.  This contest elimination has the brightest silver lining ever.  Once you're knocked out of the Kombat, the agent requests for your MS are revealed.  What did this mean for me? A lovely lady at the Jane Rotrosen Agency has requested the first 30 pages. She liked the query and first 250 words enough that she wants to read more.

I sent her an email on Wednesday. I've been making furious edits to the remainder of the MS in the meantime. It needs to be pristine if she requests to see the full after reading those 30 pages. My inbox is now a source of endless torment. Every email could be her response. I think I'm more anxious right now than I was at any stage of the contests.

Jane Rotrosen represents some really big names in Women's Fiction, including one of my favorite authors, Sarah Addison Allen. Getting a full MS request from them would be huge. A rejection will certainly sting, but I'm trying to stay positive. It's been an emotional roller coaster for me, and it's only been two days.

Ooh, what's that? A new email? (Spoiler: It was a 'magical cure for cradle cap.') Maybe hers will be the next one.

Gracious Defeat

Amazon posted the semi-finalists for the ABNA contest. I'm not shocked that I'm not on this list. My Publisher's Weekly review wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either.  Was I sad to see my name wasn't on the list? Yes. Surprised? Not at all. A lukewarm review won't get you far.

Round Two of QueryKombat begins tomorrow. I'm excited to see the feedback I receive on the revisions. I'm hoping they are for the better.  The judges of the first round gave such pointed criticism, so I think I took my revisions in the right direction. I guess we'll see tomorrow.

I'm actively changing the MS, even while the contests are underway.  I finally gave full copies to a few beta readers.  They have also already offered some very valuable feedback.  I feel like my novel improves every day, and I'm excited to be writing again.  That is probably the greatest reward I've received from these contests.  I have also learned a lesson that I wish I had known earlier in the game. Don't sit on your MS. Share it.  The more readers you have, the more mistakes and plot holes are found before an agent ever sees it. I believe I will present a much more polished novel when I query agents now. My confidence in the MS, and my writing in general, is rising. It feels good.

My first rejection letter

So, it may have been a rejection email, but it still counts.  Received a reply from an agent today that she was passing on the MS.  Word count is too low.  It's not something I haven't heard before.  It looks like I really need to take a look at it, and add some additional scenes, or a sub-plot, to beef up the word count.

I'm surprised that the rejection didn't sting.  Perhaps it was because the agent let me down gently.  Maybe, deep down, I know it still needs work.  I think the criticism I've received from Query Kombat helped open my eyes to some of the MS's weaknesses.

This just mean I need to work harder and whip this thing into shape before I send out any additional queries. I'm so ready to do this.

No take backs!

So, the good news is I made it to Round Two of Querykombat. Still waiting for June 13 to know, for certain, that I'm out of the Amazon contest. Pretty sure that one's a lost cause at this point.

Querykombat allows revisions after round one, which Amazon does not. With the amazing feedback I received from the judges, I've made more than a few changes in my entry. I'm hoping it's more of a clencher. Here it is, for those that want to take a look. Also, it's been brought to my attention that I made need some beta readers, as my word count is on the very low side. I need to beef this puppy up. If there are any takers, let me know! I'm just shy of 60k at this point. Like I said, lower than low.

Soon, I'll have some agents reading this, and maybe even snag a MS request. Cross your fingers for me!

Query:

Jody Sinclair’s grandparents, Samuel and Lillian, have spent their entire married life in the farmhouse her grandfather built by hand. When the house goes up in flames, Lillian barely escapes with her life.  Samuel is not as lucky. Fire crews attempt to control the blaze, leaving Lillian with nothing to do but watch as she loses everything she’s ever cherished.

Jody arrives at the house just after the first fire truck and offers Lillian both comfort and her spare bedroom. In the days following Samuel’s death, Jody struggles to help her grandmother return to a sense of normalcy. Together, they sift through what the fire left behind.  They unearth more than Jody ever expected.  When Jody discovers that Lillian intentionally set the house ablaze, she must decide whether she will seek justice for her recently deceased grandfather, or let the truth die with him.

First 250:

When the phone rings during the opening credits of Doctor Who, I consider letting it go to voicemail.  With a silent prayer of gratitude for the ability to pause streaming video, I jump up to grab it on the third ring.

“Hello?”

“Jody?” I don’t recognize the voice.  I can hear the caller gasp for breath, and worry that this is about to turn into some weird prank.

“Who is this?” I ask, my words sharp, prepared to hang up if the panting continues.

“It’s Gram.” Another deep breath, followed by a sob this time.

“Gram?” I ask, confused.  Gram never calls after five or six. She’s usually asleep by eight.  I glance at the clock on my stove. It’s nearly eleven. She sobs again, and my heart drops down to my ankles. “Gram, what’s wrong? Where are you?”

“I’m at Bonnie’s. Can you please come pick me up?” Her voice is raw and strained.

“Gram, what’s wrong?” I ask again. Emphasizing each word as I spit it out of my mouth.  I hear her take in a sharp breath before she answers.

“It’s the house. It’s burning.”

I sit down. Hard. My breath leaves me in a rush. “Are you okay? Where’s Gramps?”

She takes a few more deep breaths, though I can’t tell whether she’s trying to calm herself down or avoid answering the questions.

“I’m fine.” She answers, sounding anything but.

“And Gramps?” The pause is even longer this time.

“He’s still in the house.”

There's nothing like constructive criticism

I entered Amazon's ABNA contest to get my MS out there and, hopefully, get some feedback from a professional.  Well, I did well enough to get the review, but it wasn't as helpful as I expected. It actually gave me very little to work with.  So, I entered a second contest. Query Kombat. I already raved about how excited I was to be chosen.

(Here's the link to my battle royale.)
http://writersoutworld.blogspot.com/2014/06/qk-round-1-burning-down-house-vs.html

The entries went live today.  I have to admit, I would totally read the book that I'm up against. I love the premise for it.  It made me nervous.  I'm still hanging in there, though.  Two judges have weighed in so far, and we're tied, 1:1.

At this point, I'm not really concerned about making it to the next round.  Each comment I've received in this little battle has been infinitely more helpful that the professional review.  I have so much to think about. I am so excited that this community is so active, and that each reader has taken the time to give such good pointers.  If I do make it to the next round, I get the chance to edit things before the next judges see it. I'll have a lot of work to do.

I'm happy to say, that I'm looking forward to it.