Steps towards a literary life
Here are some necessary efforts that go into creating a literary life as a children's book writer:
1. Read regularly. Includes picture books, middle grade and young adult novels, adult literature, books on writing, blogs, newsletters and trade publications.
2. Research agents, publishers and editors periodically; collect research in spreadsheet
3. Write (Duh). To elaborate a tad further:
Picture books: concept, draft, revise revise revise revise ad nauseum.
This I have done/am doing. So far I have one manuscript I am using as cannon fodder for submission, one that I feel is nearly ready for submission to agents, one manuscript that I love conceptually but am still struggling with execution-wise, and two story concepts that I like a lot but are still in outline form. Plus a bunch of manuscripts that are in rough draft form. My goal is to have at least five PB manuscripts that are polished enough to show without shame.
Middle grade novel: concept, back story, story arc, plot, characters, prose and pacing, draft, revise revise revise revise etc.
Ugh. I have a concept. I have a general story arc and plot. I am still working on back story and characters, and have 50 pages drafted. Prose and pacing will come in the revisions. I have a looong ways to go, if I'm thinking this will be 250-275 pages. My goal is to have a first draft completed by the end of the year, and have it polished enough for submission by the end of next year, but who knows. I have another idea that I want to start fleshing out and working on, but I know I need to finish one novel first before I try starting another one. Just so I know that I can finish. Anyone can start something -- it's finishing that's key.
4. Get critiqued. Take the drafts of whatever I've been writing, and get them in front of other people for scrutiny. What holds up? What doesn't? What's missing? Then fix, and repeat.
5. Take classes. There are many ways to improve and learn, but I find taking classes the most structured and therefore the "easiest" method.
6. Submit to editors. I've begun doing so with one picture book manuscript -- the one I call my cannon fodder. Gotta toughen the hide with some rejection. So far I've got three rejection letters for my trophy case. Waiting for two more.
7. Submit to agents. I haven't yet started approaching any agents, but I'm keeping my eyes peeled for potential matches. Most editors/publishing houses don't take unsolicited manuscripts anymore -- an agent is necessary. My challenge will be finding an agent who is willing to take both picture books and middle grade novels. Most agents don't take picture books because the money they bring in isn't worth their time (advances are tiny and therefore their cut is tiny). Also the picture book market is suffering these days -- business is down 35-40 percent from a few years ago, according to the editors and agents on a panel I attended last summer. It's not going to be easy.
8. Create an online presence. At some point, I'll probably need to create a website and start blogging/tweeting in an effort to self-promote. Seems like that's a necessary part of being a writer nowadays -- people definitely have a greater chance of getting a book deal (and a fan base, which leads to books sold) if they have some sort of online persona. I have no idea what I'd write about though, if I had a blog that was totally public. The irony!
So there you go. In Carolyn See's "Making a Literary Life," she believes that a literary life also includes sending "charming notes" to writers and editors and agents every week. Which makes me squeamish to think about -- about as squeamish as creating an online presence. I'm not doing as much of #3 as I like, and haven't even started #7 and #8, but since I first began this journey over two years ago, I think I've made some progress. And that's all you can really aim for, right?
1. Read regularly. Includes picture books, middle grade and young adult novels, adult literature, books on writing, blogs, newsletters and trade publications.
2. Research agents, publishers and editors periodically; collect research in spreadsheet
3. Write (Duh). To elaborate a tad further:
Picture books: concept, draft, revise revise revise revise ad nauseum.
This I have done/am doing. So far I have one manuscript I am using as cannon fodder for submission, one that I feel is nearly ready for submission to agents, one manuscript that I love conceptually but am still struggling with execution-wise, and two story concepts that I like a lot but are still in outline form. Plus a bunch of manuscripts that are in rough draft form. My goal is to have at least five PB manuscripts that are polished enough to show without shame.
Middle grade novel: concept, back story, story arc, plot, characters, prose and pacing, draft, revise revise revise revise etc.
Ugh. I have a concept. I have a general story arc and plot. I am still working on back story and characters, and have 50 pages drafted. Prose and pacing will come in the revisions. I have a looong ways to go, if I'm thinking this will be 250-275 pages. My goal is to have a first draft completed by the end of the year, and have it polished enough for submission by the end of next year, but who knows. I have another idea that I want to start fleshing out and working on, but I know I need to finish one novel first before I try starting another one. Just so I know that I can finish. Anyone can start something -- it's finishing that's key.
4. Get critiqued. Take the drafts of whatever I've been writing, and get them in front of other people for scrutiny. What holds up? What doesn't? What's missing? Then fix, and repeat.
5. Take classes. There are many ways to improve and learn, but I find taking classes the most structured and therefore the "easiest" method.
6. Submit to editors. I've begun doing so with one picture book manuscript -- the one I call my cannon fodder. Gotta toughen the hide with some rejection. So far I've got three rejection letters for my trophy case. Waiting for two more.
7. Submit to agents. I haven't yet started approaching any agents, but I'm keeping my eyes peeled for potential matches. Most editors/publishing houses don't take unsolicited manuscripts anymore -- an agent is necessary. My challenge will be finding an agent who is willing to take both picture books and middle grade novels. Most agents don't take picture books because the money they bring in isn't worth their time (advances are tiny and therefore their cut is tiny). Also the picture book market is suffering these days -- business is down 35-40 percent from a few years ago, according to the editors and agents on a panel I attended last summer. It's not going to be easy.
8. Create an online presence. At some point, I'll probably need to create a website and start blogging/tweeting in an effort to self-promote. Seems like that's a necessary part of being a writer nowadays -- people definitely have a greater chance of getting a book deal (and a fan base, which leads to books sold) if they have some sort of online persona. I have no idea what I'd write about though, if I had a blog that was totally public. The irony!
So there you go. In Carolyn See's "Making a Literary Life," she believes that a literary life also includes sending "charming notes" to writers and editors and agents every week. Which makes me squeamish to think about -- about as squeamish as creating an online presence. I'm not doing as much of #3 as I like, and haven't even started #7 and #8, but since I first began this journey over two years ago, I think I've made some progress. And that's all you can really aim for, right?