That is, final copies come in boxes! Yay! Check out the pictures of the box of Lipstick Laws final copies that I received this week. I think this calls for a celebratory contest/giveaway. Check back this coming week for details.
Also, if you're interested, please visit my most recent interview over at Readergirl Reviews a Teen Book HERE. Leave a comment under it for an extra entry in my upcoming giveaway.
Manuscript revision can be a tricky thing to explain and an even trickier thing to master. There are so many types of revision styles, and very few writers go about revising the same way. What works for some won't work for others...much like perms...and skinny jeans. Along this same hair/clothing line of thought, I like to compare the revision process to a makeover. After all, everyone likes a nice makeover, right? To give you an idea of my take on the spectrum of revision styles, I've detailed the various revision makeover types below:
Al Natural: These writers do very little to their manuscripts to make them fabulous. Their first drafts come out pretty close to the finished product. Plain and simple, these writers are misfits. They're lucky and talented misfits, but misfits nonetheless.
Tweeze as You Please: Grooming their manuscripts continuously is what this type is known for. These writers spend lots of time plucking, prodding, tweaking and brushing up trouble spots throughout their first draft writing process. Naysayers may call this writing vanity, but many would say it's proper manuscript hygiene.
Touch Up & Go: This type of writer leaves his/her manuscript in sweatpants until the day of the publishing ball. The touch up & go writer will miraculously transform his/her manuscript like Cinderella right before sending it off to meet Prince (or Princess) Charming (more commonly known as an agent or editor).
Clever Concealers: These writers are afflicted with manuscript acne (plot holes, character flaws, grammar blemishes, etc.). But have no fear; not all manuscript zits leave scars! A clever concealer will find ingenious ways to hide and/or get rid of said acne with various writerly techniques....some cleansing....and maybe a little acne cream.
Nip/Tuck & Beyond: Nipping and tucking is more common than most would think. Some writers will deny that their manuscript has had this type of work done. After all, if it's a good nip/tuck revision, you may not even notice that a manuscript has had character lifts, plot implants, and bad grammar liposuction... but the bad nip/tucks can be spotted from miles away. Trust me!
Complete Reconstructive Surgery: This is the most invasive and painful form of revision makeover, and the finished product often resembles very little of the first draft. Recovery can be long, tedious and excruciating. This type of makeover may include, but isn't limited to: slicing the setting, dicing dialogue, cutting characters, and ripping up and rewriting some, most, or (heaven forbid) ALL of the manuscript. This type of revision makeover can lead to hair pulling, bursts of hysterics, crossed eyes, and delusional thoughts of quitting entirely. Pain medication in the form of lots of chocolate is typically required.
For the record, I confess that I've tried and survived all of the various revision types above. However, I tend to be a combo of the tweeze as you please and nip/tuck types the most. That's right, I'm not afraid to admit that I've given my manuscripts character lifts and plot implants. Are you?
So what manuscript revision makeover type are you?
I'm excited to announce that the Class of 2k11 has launched today! For those of you who don't know what the Class of 2k11 is, we're a group of 19 MG & YA debut authors (including me) who have come together to support and help promote one another and our books through our debut year - 2011! The 2k groups were founded in 2007 and have been renewing every year with new authors, new books, and lots of fun!
We've been preparing for our launch for about a year now... and after all we've shared, I consider the authors in this year's group to be among my best writerly friends. I hope you'll check our site out HERE to see just how awesome the other members & their upcoming books are. Better yet, join our blog where you'll get updates on contests, activities & news through the year! Even better, If you sign up to our newsletter (at the bottom of the "home" page), you'll be entered in the drawing to win 23 (yes, 23!!!!) Class of 2k10 books - mostly signed!
So, what are you waiting for? Please head on over and check out the Class of 2k11!
I went out of town for Labor Day weekend through part of last week, and to my surprise, I returned to no internet, phone or cable at my house -- BOO! I'm very happy that I was able to set up Denise Jaden's book launch blog tour celebration (below) to post automatically. Which, by the way, if you haven't entered to win a signed copy of her fabulous debut LOSING FAITH yet, please CLICK HERE to enter (the winner will be announced this Wednesday).
Anyhow, the internet glitches have been fixed, but I've gotten a little behind on keeping up with blogs and emails during my unexpected internet hiatus... so if you've emailed me and haven't received a response yet, or if you're wondering why I haven't stopped by your blog in a while, just know that I'm not ignoring you on purpose. I'm hoping to catch up on blogs and emails this week.
Now for some fun book news!!! Last week, I received my second pass of The Lipstick Laws. Originally, I wasn't going to be privy to the second pass pages, but because I made some significant changes in the first pass (I hacked a character from the plot), my editor thought I should review the changes in this second pass. The good news is I like the new changes translated to paper. The bad news is there are now a few minor mistakes that will not be corrected before the ARCs go out. So if you receive an ARC for review, you'll notice a couple sentence mistakes here and there... but that's what makes the uncorrected ARCs so special, right?
Check out some sneak peek second pass pictures:
Isn't the two page spread cool?
There's one more thing I'd like to mention before I go. The Class of 2k11 (which I'm a member and Vice President of) is closing membership this week. The 15th is the last day that we will be accepting new member applications. If you're a YA or MG author debuting in 2011, and you'd like more info about the group and/or you'd like to fill out an application, please contact me at amyholderbooks@yahoo.com.
Let's face it, there are some titles out there that grab you and won't let you go until you purchase the books and read them. Whether they induce intrigue, a laugh or a shiver up your spine, the author has been successful at getting your attention with limited words; it's quite a significant feat if you think about it. Clearly, a book's title is the author's first chance to hook potential readers. If the title isn't what the publisher and its marketing team think is best for that particular book, you better believe it's going to be changed quicker than a llama can spit (no matter how attached the author may be to it). Thankfully I haven't dealt with a title switcheroo yet, but I've seen it happen to several of my writing friends. This goes to show just how important titles are in the book world.
I'm definitely not immune to the lure of a tantalizing title. I admit, I've been guilty of purchasing books simply because their titles have hooked me like a hungry fish. When recalling past YA title love that propelled me to pull out my book-buying wallet, these three books come to mind right away:
My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters by Sydney Salter
The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler
The above titles hooked me immediately because they're quirky, funny and tend to make me think of girl-related topics. That's exactly the type of YA book I'm drawn to the most. Hence, the magnetic power of the perfect title hook for my reading taste lured me in from the get go.
So all this title talk leads me to some questions: What do YOU think makes a great title? Which book titles have hooked you? and... What do those titles reveal about you and your reading preferences?
If you'd like to learn more about the importance of titles from a publishing insider, check out this interesting ARTICLE.
For even more title fun (if you're easily entertained like I am), do a google image search for funny titles...and see what comes up. Here's one I couldn't help but laugh about like a five-year-old boy:
AND I've saved the best part for last! The Lipstick Laws is available for pre-order on Amazon!!! Ahhhh! I just about hit the floor like a fainting goat when I saw it!
If I'm not mistaken, I think this all calls for a celebration dance:
Come back for a continuation of this celebration for my website launch & corresponding contest on Wednesday, August 11th! See you there...er, here.... you get the idea.
Some of you may know that on every Thursday, a 2011 debut author from The Elevensies shares a blog post about a day in her (or his) writing life. Well, today is my day to share...so, I thought I'd post it here on my blog too. If you'd like to see my post over at the 11sies (which is pretty much the same thing as here), check it out HERE.
This is where the writing happens...
In all honesty, my day to day writing life varies like flavors of jelly beans. Some days I'm lucky to get a bunch of delicious tasting jelly beans. Other days, I'm stuck with the ones that taste like black licorice -- yuck. Since my writing life isn't always predictable (and is sometimes downright snooze-worthy), I thought I'd do something a little different with this post by taking the things that happen most frequently and creating a recipe from them. So, here it goes... hopefully it doesn't taste terrible.
*Note* Chocolate consumption for extra authorly behind cushioning is recommended.
3 email accounts plus passwords 2 liters of waiting at room temperature 4 tablespoons of patience, separated 5 social networking site cubes (Blogger, Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook, Myspace) 1 stick of melted internet stalking...er, I mean browsing 1 wise editor 1 medium rare manuscript 1 peeled work in progress (WIP) Long to-do list 1 cup of good news (optional)
*Note* Any publishing/writerly progress is considered good news.
Cooking Directions: Attach 1 authorly behind securely to semi-comfortable chair. Turn on computer to bake. Crack open email accounts with various passwords, read & respond. Pour 2 liters of waiting in a large pot, adding 1 tablespoon of patience at a time as needed; stir and let simmer. In a small bowl of procrastination, dissolve social networking site cubes into the melted stick of internet browsing, mix until well blended. In a separate bowl of quit stalling and get with the program, fully squeeze 1 wise editor for a flavorful marinade. Pour all but 1 tablespoon of wise editor marinade over medium rare manuscript in an 8.5 X 11 nonstick baking dish. Bake until well done. Meanwhile, slice off dead ends and bruises from peeled WIP, and drizzle left over editor marinade on top. Continue to shape and mold WIP until satisfied. All the while, cross off to-do list when appropriate to provide a slight sense of accomplishment. Finally, blend all ingredients together in a large casserole dish. Cook on high for 8-10 hours until crisp. Serve warm.
**For an extra sweet day in the writing life, sprinkle 1 cup of optional good news over the writing casserole before serving.**
My recent sweet good news was getting my first pass pages -- woohoo!
Finally, I shouldn't forget to add that my day in a writing life wouldn't be complete without my four furry, verbally challenged sous-chefs by my side:
Clearly I've watched one too many episodes of Top Chef. Thanks for checking out a day in my writing life. Now I'm hungry.
*Disclaimer* No real editors were squeezed during the making of this day in the writing life.
*************************************************** On a side note, if you'd like to win a fabulous SIGNED copy of Kristin Walker's A MATCH MADE IN HIGH SCHOOL, don't forget to enter for a chance to win HERE. The winner will be announced on July 30th!
So, I've been a little MIA lately... mainly because I'm in limbo. No, I'm not doing the "Limbo" as the above picture and title might suggest. As much as I wish those Stayin' Alive-esque 70s bell-bottoms and matching top were mine, alas, they're not. I'm in limbo. That's right, I'm waiting in the in-between. Waiting for what, you ask? Well, the word on the street is that my cover art is being tweaked. If you're crying out, "For the love of all things holy, WHY???"... you're not alone. I'm disappointed too, but apparently it's going to be very similar to my first cover. Which is good. This whole cover switch-up just goes to show that the publishing industry is filled with ups and downs and twists and turns. Just when you think you know where the ride is taking you, it veers off in a different direction. I'm just thankful that I'm tall enough to ride the publishing roller-coaster... and that I have a safety harness.
Anyway, I've been on hold waiting for my tweaked cover to both blog about and to launch my website to the world. Since I haven't gotten El Newcover yet, I decided that I can't hold off any longer; I must blog. So today, I thought I'd share another author's fantastic cover news. The super funny and fantastic Carrie Harris has just revealed her cover art for BAD TASTE IN BOYS (summer 2011) to the world. Check out its awesomeness on her blog HERE. Can we say ooh-la-la?!
In the meantime, I should have some book news or other fun stuff to share with you all soon! :)
Today, I'm closing this wonderful week of inspirational interviews with debut author Denise Jaden. Her young adult novel, Losing Faith, will be available this fall.
Tell us about your book. Losing Faith is due out September 7, 2010 from Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster. After Brie’s sister, Faith, dies in a mysterious accident, Brie uncovers her sister’s role in a dark and twisted religious cult…a cult that now wants Brie as a member.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publication? The road to finding an agent was definitely an arduous one for me. I queried three different novels over several years and now have enough rejections (yes, I kept them!) to easily wallpaper a room. I always kept about five queries out with agents and replaced those (or reworked my query and book) as rejections rolled in. At the time, I was also submitting short stories to magazines, and though I don’t believe you can ever actually become immune to rejection, it certainly became easier for me because of the regularity of it. The first offer I received for representation is still the moment I consider the most rewarding of my career so far. It was the first time I felt truly validated as a writer, the first time an industry professional used the “L” word about my writing. I still have her message saved on my answering machine.
Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? Why didn't you? I think anyone who seriously pursues publication will feel like giving up from time to time. It’s a hard business! And to be honest, I did give up on the idea of getting published several times. What made me continue to write, and eventually submit again, was learning to fall back into love with words and sentences, characters and stories. I believe that this process of embracing the creative side and temporarily forgetting the business side is what helps breathe life into my stories. I’m in a better mood when I write and express my creativity every day, and what I always have to do is come back to the writing for the sake of writing. Publication is a secondary goal for me, and I won’t regret any of my writing, even the pieces that will never see the light of day.
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and telling us about Losing Faith and your publication journey, Denise!
Today, the inspiration continues from this interview with debut author Gae Polisner. Her young adult novel, The Pull of Gravity, will be available in 2011.
Tell us about your book. The Pull of Gravity is my first YA novel. It’s about two kids who go on a brief road trip to keep a promise to a dying friend and maybe fall in love and learn a little bit about Steinbeck in the process. It’s slated to be released spring 2011, by Farrar Straus & Giroux, Books for Young Readers. I love the kids in it – Nick & Jaycee – they’re really funny and real together. And a piece of trivia, the title comes from a Yoda quote that appears in the book, but you’ll have to read it to know where and why.
Can you tell us a little about your road to publication? It took me about six years of shopping my first manuscript, a piece of women’s fiction called The Jetty to get agented. You heard me, six years! The Jetty got some great editorial feedback (and was a Top Semifinalist in the first Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest), but never got published. In the meantime, I wrote The Pull of Gravity and another women’s fiction novel. Gravity got picked up first (a deal, finally, eight years after I set out to get one!), but I still have huge hopes for my women’s fiction. And, fyi, the editor who ultimately fell in love with and bought The Pull of Gravity came my way through a stroke of pure luck (not my agent). These days, I believe getting published almost always takes some luck, plus the talent to back it up when it comes your way.
Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? Why didn't you? Not really. I’m a lawyer, a mother, a wife. I’ve been around a long while. And I knew I wanted this more than anything. In my many years on this planet, I’ve learned I’ll pretty much accomplish anything I want to, as long as I keep trying. So, the only option was to keep trying. And, see, voila!
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and telling us about The Pull of Gravity and your publication journey, Gae!
Today, I'm continuing this week of inspirational interviews with author Bettina Restrepo. Her young adult debut, Illegal, will be available in 2011.
Tell us about your book. Illegal is the story of Nora, a Mexican immigrant who crosses the border illegally to find her missing father in Houston. We are all immigrants, so this story just isn’t about one nationality looking for family in a Texas town. It’s about how we love and survive.
I started Illegal in 2002, and it was accepted by Katherine Tegen Books, Harper Collins, in April 2009. Illegal will be in stores in January 2011. Nine years.
Can you tell us a little about your path to publication? Illegal was the book that taught me how to write, because I had to write it over and over again. My main character, Nora, began her “life” as a nine year old searching for a lost book. She grew into a 14 year old searching for her missing father across the border in Texas. This happened through revision. Lots of it.
Illegal was also rejected by twelve publishing houses (including Harper Collins in 2004) and over thirty literary agents during its pre-acceptance life – and I am grateful. The book wasn’t ready and had not found its proper home. I NEEDED the no (although each time it hurt). Now, I know have the best book I could write.
When I was first starting out, Cynthia Leitich Smith told me, “You don’t want to be published fast. You want to be published well.” It is my mantra today – because I am impatient.
While I was working on the book, I did lots of other things; magazine articles for children and adults, a monthly column for a glossy under different names, fired an agent, found another agent, published a picture book, quit my “paying” job to be a mommy, became a mom to a learning difference child, and read thousands of books. It helped that all of my eggs were not in one basket. When one egg broke, I didn’t feel like the entire henhouse was coming down. Today, I feel like a juggler of eggs.
How did I find my agent? The first time – a conference. We didn’t work out- which sometimes happens. The second time - a query letter.
After my first agent and I parted ways, I knew that I wanted someone with an editorial eye and a nurturing spirit.
I researched a long list and was received many full manuscript requests – but I wanted someone who was looking at me as a career writer, not just a quick sell. That person became my forever agent - Blair Hewes, of Dunham Literary.
Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? Why didn't you? Yep. I convince myself that I am an utter failure and tie myself into knots. After a considerable amount of self torture, I look back at what I have accomplished in one year, three years, nine years. I re-read the rejections letters. I re-read some of my terrible stories. I realize that I have matured. I savor the fact that skills I wished for years ago are now turning into my writer muscles. Feel the pain and then decide it won’t kill you. Take a nap, walk outside, pet the dog…. Then start again.
Then, occasionally, I pick up an application from Starbucks. Just. In. Case.
My advice to writers: Your story does not have to be on a bookshelf to have meaning. Write for the craft and the art of the story well told.
This is a picture of Bettina's "little man" saying, "Put down the manuscript and PLAY!"
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and telling us about Illegal and your publication journey, Bettina!
Today, I'm continuing this week of inspirational interviews with debut author Sara Bennett Wealer. Her young adult novel, Rival, will be available in 2011.
Tell us about your Book. RIVAL is a high-stakes duet between two seniors--once friends, now enemies--who are preparing to go up against each other in a major singing competition. To Brooke, winning means escaping the in-crowd for life as a professional musician. Kathryn, meanwhile, sees victory as the key to a much-needed college scholarship. As the big day nears, each girl must face her fears about the future, her scars from the past, and the fact that the person she hates most might just be the best friend she ever had.
RIVAL will be released in Jan/Feb 2011 by HarperTeen.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publication? When I started querying agents (for a book I wrote before RIVAL), I actually landed the first one I ever contacted. But it turned out we weren't the right fit, which proves what everybody always says about taking your time and making sure you partner with the agent who's right for you. I know that folks who feel stuck in the query trenches right now are reading that going, "Easy for you to say! You're agented and have a book deal!" I know how it feels to be so desperate you think you'll take anybody who comes along with an offer, because my second agent search took a lot longer than the first one did. But I still ended up turning a couple of agents down because I'd learned my lesson the first time. When I finally hooked up with Holly (Root at Waxman Literary), I'd done my research and knew she'd be a great advocate for my work, and I was right!
Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? Why didn't you? I felt like giving up several times! Even after I'd landed an agent. Because getting a good agent doesn't automatically mean you'll get a book deal. Holly and I did a lot of work to get me to this point, and there were never any guarantees that all of the revisions and submissons were going to lead anywhere in the end. The urge to give up was even worse during those long, dark days when I was checking my email every half hour and either getting rejections or no responses, all the while struggling to keep myself motivated to write something new. When you're working toward publication, you have tons of opportunities to walk away. You're the one who sets your schedule (work on the book tonight or watch Dancing with the Stars?) and let's face it - if you let the dream fizzle out, nobody else really cares. You're only letting yourself down. So you have to talk yourself into continuing to move forward. In my case, I figured I'd come too far to give up. I believed in my books and in myself as a writer, and I'd read enough in my genre to know my work could stand up to most of what was out there. I tell people it's like banging your head against a brick wall. You get to a certain point where the next blow could be the one that knocks it down, so you tell yourself you're either going to end up with brain damage or you're going to make it to the other side. But either way, you are NOT going to stop.
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and telling us about Rival and your publication journey, Sara!
I'm beginning this week of inspirational interviews with debut author Kathy McCullough. Her young adult novel, Delaney Collins, F.G., will be available in 2011.
Tell us about your book. The book is called “Delaney Collins, F.G.” and it’s being published in November of 2011 by Random House/Delacorte. It’s the story of a teenage girl who discovers that her estranged father is a fairy godmother – and that she’s destined to become one as well.
Can you tell us a little bit about your road to publication? I began as a screenwriter and went to film school at Columbia University in New York City. After many years in Hollywood, working a little as a screenwriter (mostly in TV) and a lot reading other people’s scripts and books for different film production companies, I decided to try writing a novel. I’ve always loved young adult and middle-grade fiction, and I was reading a lot of popular kids books for companies like Walden Media, which spurred me on further. I signed up for a children’s writing class with author Karen D’Arc, and the first thing she told us to do was to join the SCBWI, which I did. I attended their conferences, which were always inspiring, and after a lot of stops and starts on various stories, I finally forced myself to finish something – and then I rewrote it about 8,347 times. But, as they say, the 8,347th time is the charm, and I landed agents and they sent it out – and it sold!
Was there ever a time you felt like giving up? Why didn't you? I constantly despair while I’m working on something new that I’ve lost any talent I ever had, and that what I’m writing is a stupid idea, badly written. But I’ve never really seriously considered doing anything else, because I don’t want to. I’ve learned to live on very little money for the long stretches of time that “starving artists” often experience, because it’s more important to me to have time to write than to buy a new car, for example. (Proof: I drive a used 1990 Honda Civic – but mostly I take the bus...in Los Angeles!) As many writers have said before me: no one who does this is sane. You write because you have to. If you could possibly do anything else, you would. So that’s the short answer: I’m insane.
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog and telling us about Delaney Collins, F.G. and your publication journey, Kathy!
This week, I'll be interviewing five fabulous writers and debut authors who have successfully traveled down the long and bumpy road toward publication. I'm spotlighting one of them every day this week to hopefully inspire, entertain and/or encourage you to chase your dreams.
Just when you thought this week couldn't get any better, it does! The best part of this interview bonanza is that I'm not alone in spreading this positive beam of writerly light. Check out these other blogs (links below) each day this week for more inspirational interviews from writers who have book deals or agents, or both.
There comes a harrowing time in every debut author's life where s/he gets a case of acks 'n ded. Don't let the 'n fool you; a case of acks 'n ded is not innocent and delicious like mac 'n cheese. Acks 'n ded can fester if left uncontrolled... much like a rash. In fact, a case of acks 'n ded can compromise (if not take over) other parts of your life if it's not handled with care.
For example, you could easily get acks 'n ded McCrazy hair from trying to pull your acks 'n ded out of your brain. Worse yet, pull-your-hair-out McBald head is a follow-up symptom to McCrazy hair.
You could also become a serial tree murderer by slaying through mounds of paper during your acks 'n ded condition...
Not to mention, acks 'n ded insanity can ensue if it becomes too much to bear...
And if all this isn't bad enough, it's possible to come down with acks 'n ded amnesia... where you forget those closest to you at the most pivotal point of your acks 'n ded treatment.
Wait... what? You're allergic to random acronyms? What the heck is acks 'n ded, you ask?
It's the acknowledgements and dedication page that authors must write for their books. It's the one stop shop to thank the people, super heroes, or llamas (hey, whatever floats your boat...I'm not judging) who helped you along your way to publication.
The process of writing your acknowledgements and dedication page can be tricky. You don't want to be known as a long-winded loon, thanking everyone down to Luigi the tomato wrangler at your local grocery store (unless tomato wrangling is the basis of your story, of course). On the other hand, you don't want to forget to thank those most responsible for your success due to acks 'n ded amnesia.
I am currently dealing with a case of acks 'n ded... and I'm happy to announce that I'm almost finished with treatment.
Now it's your turn to spill the acks 'n ded beans. Have you dealt with an acks 'n ded condition? If so, how did you handle it? If not, who would you acknowledge and/or dedicate your book to if you were dealing with a case of acks 'n ded right now?
You can't get published if you don't have an agent... but you can't get an agent if you've never been published... and the cycle continues endlessly... like an evil, undying curse...
This is what I thought too until I got "THE CALL" (er, it was actually an email) from my editor wanting to publish THE LIPSTICK LAWS. I don't currently have an agent, so I must have broken the curse! Hallelujah - it's a miracle! How did this happen, you ask? Well, the short answer is I evaded the treacherous slush pile by NETWORKING. *Surprised gasp from the crowd*
It can be done, ladies and gents!
Networking opens doors where they might otherwise be closed and locked. Not to mention, once your networking antennas are out and working, you may find that you already know someone who knows someone who knows someone willing to help you escape the dreaded slush pile.
So, the best advice I can give to all aspiring authors is: network your tails off. And if you don't have a tail (which I hope you don't), network your behinds off! Get out your rolodex and figure out who knows whom. Then decipher whether those "whoms" are worth networking with... and so on and so on. If you don't have a rolodex filled with contacts, get yourself out there to meet people at writing conferences, workshops, critique groups, social networking sites, online chat boards, etc. A personal connection with an agent or editor at a writing conference, through mutual acquaintances, through a fellow writer's referral, or while stalking the agent or editor at a grocery store (okay, maybe stalking isn't a good idea) will suddenly take you from an unknown in the slush pile of doom to a solicited writer with a recognizable "I know you from somewhere" name.
Now, if your writing isn't up to par once you've networked your behind (or tail) off, well, it's not going to matter whom you know.... because agents and editors aren't biased to connections, they're biased to writing talent. Unless you're a celebrity (possibly Kevin Bacon?). So, perfect your writing craft before you network your behind off, because you'll need that behind to sit on while you're writing your masterpiece. Unless, of course, you're a multi-tasking trapeze artist who writes while dangling upside down from your knees, which in that case, you should have no problem getting a book deal or five.
So check out the Six Degrees of Separation theory for yourself. You never know, you may end up six degrees away from someone you'd never expect... case in point below:
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
I'm the author of THE LIPSTICK LAWS, a young adult novel published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on April 4, 2011. I'm repped by Sarah Davies of Greenhouse Literary Agency.
