By Eleanor Hecks

Many writers are all too familiar with rejection. You pour your heart and soul into a piece, imagining how it might sound to readers, only to face the crushing reality of a “no” in response.

For writers, the publishing world can feel like an endless uphill battle paved with setbacks and self-doubt. It is enough to make even the most steadfast question whether it is all worth it.

The truth is that hope is what keeps you going. While rejection is part of the process, so is resilience, and learning how to maintain that resilience is key to flourishing as a writer.

1. Develop Resilience Through Practice

Resilience takes time to build. Yet, you can cultivate the grit needed to prosper as a writer through consistent practice and willingness to push your boundaries.

Set Small, Achievable Goals

One effective way to develop resilience is by setting goals. These could be as simple as writing 500 words daily, completing one short story a month or submitting to a handful of publications each quarter. Small goals create a feeling of accomplishment, helping you maintain momentum even when larger milestones feel far away.

Over time, these efforts build perseverance and teach you to push forward in the face of setbacks. By celebrating these small victories, you remind yourself that progress is happening.

Experiment With New Styles or Genres

Consider stepping outside your creative comfort zone. Experimenting with a new genre, style or format can be a powerful way to reignite your passion for writing. Try your hand at screenwriting or explore creative nonfiction — these experiments make the process of writing feel fresh and exciting again. Even if the results are far from perfect, trying something new can help you develop confidence in your ability to adapt.

2. Gain Peace and Mental Clarity

With constant noise and rejection in the publishing world, finding moments of peace and clarity can feel like a lifeline. They are essential because they quiet doubts, clear mental clutter and create space for creativity. Whether through mindfulness or age-old traditions, these strategies can restore balance and keep optimism alive.

Finding Solace in Nature

Sometimes, the best way to clear your mind is to step away from the page and into the great outdoors. Take it from Al Roker — the beloved journalist and Today Show weatherman — who finds peace by walking along the lake. On his walks, he prays, meditates and allows the rhythmic sounds of nature to help him process life’s challenges.

This simple but profound activity of reconnecting with the natural world can offer renewal, helping you return to writing with fresh eyes and a calmer spirit.

Cultivate a Positive Mindset

Rejection can cloud your vision, making it hard to focus on the progress you have made. However, building and maintaining a positive mindset enables you to reframe those feelings.

Instead of seeing rejection as a stop sign, consider it a detour leading you to refine your craft and find the right audience. Practicing gratitude journaling helps you reflect on the wins and reminds you of the joy that writing brings.

Engaging in Labyrinth Prayer

Labyrinth prayer is an ancient practice that promotes peace and introspection. Walking a labyrinth’s purposeful, winding path mirrors life’s journey, offering a chance to reflect and release burdens. As you walk, you can focus on a word or phrase to center your thoughts and open yourself to creativity.

3. Build a Support System

Writing may feel like a solitary pursuit, but surrounding yourself with a community of fellow writers can make all the difference.

Online or local writing groups offer a space to share struggles, celebrate wins and exchange constructive feedback. Hearing others’ stories of persistence can inspire you to keep going, even when the odds feel stacked against you.

4. Reframe Rejection with Growth

Rejection is an inevitable part of any writer’s journey that can feel like a dead end. Rather than viewing it as a failure, consider it an opportunity to grow.

Every “no” you receive can share some insight. Many of the world’s most successful authors — including Stephen King — faced repeated rejections before finding the right publisher. Therefore, persistence is key.

Use rejection as a stepping stone by implementing the following:

• Extract the lesson: If feedback is available, read it carefully and objectively. Identify areas where you can improve and incorporate that into your next draft.
• Celebrate the effort: A rejection means you dared to put yourself out there — a feat in itself. Celebrate the progress you have made by submitting your work.
• Diversify your submission: Avoid pinning all your hopes on one opportunity. Submit to multiple outlets or publishers to increase your chances of success.
• Keep a rejection journal: Track your submissions and rejections. Over time, this can help you see patterns, measure growth, and remind yourself how far you have come.

Holding Onto Hope and Moving On

The publishing world may feel overwhelming, but hope keeps writers going. To keep that optimism flowing through you, use practices to help you get through the ups and downs with grace and determination.

Every rejection, challenge, and moment of doubt is a step toward honing your craft and finding your place in the literary world. So, keep creating and trust that your voice will find its audience.

Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine and a freelance writer passionate about helping other writers of all genres grow their following and community. You can find her work featured in publications such as IndependentPublishing.com and Self-Publishing Review, or connect with her on LinkedIn to keep up with her latest work.

Guest Contributor

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You’re not writing. It’s been a few weeks now, and your regular writing routine has gone out the window.

Are you struggling with a legitimate writing crisis, or are you just procrastinating?

It’s not always easy to tell the difference. If you’re not writing and you’re not sure why, ask yourself these questions to find out.

1. Are you going through a real-life crisis?

If you’re going through a crisis like a serious illness, loss of a job, death in the family, or divorce, it’s completely understandable if you’re not writing. Trying to navigate these sorts of situations can take all your reserves to the point where you have nothing left for your story.

Action steps: Give yourself a set amount of time to recover. Choose a date when you’ll get back into your writing and mark it on your calendar. When that date arrives, start small—write for 10 minutes a day, for example, until you get back into the habit.

Another option is to switch gears with your writing and use it to help yourself through the crisis. Instead of working on your story, journal about what’s happening in your life.

Release your difficult emotions onto the page. Research shows that expressing your emotions through writing can help you recover faster from trauma and clear your thoughts so that you can more quickly find solutions.

2. Are you struggling with your story? 

Ask yourself when you stopped your regular writing practice. Were you struggling with your story at the time? Perhaps you were in the middle of your novel and got stuck. Or maybe you realized that your plot was going off the rails and you didn’t know how to get it back.

When we come up against a wall while writing and don’t know how to get over it, procrastination can set in. Instead of seeing your story as something you enjoy working on, you begin to see it as an obstacle, which you naturally want to avoid.

Action steps: First, don’t rush to judgment on your story. It’s easy for writers to decide that they’re having trouble because their story isn’t any good. But this is almost always the wrong conclusion.

Instead, what’s missing is skill. Imagine if you gave your struggling story to a master writer you admire. Would that writer be able to fix it? If your answer is “yes” (which is most often the case), you need to learn more about storytelling so you can find the solution you need. Research writing books that may help, along with courses and workshops, and take action to improve your skills.

Want a shortcut to valuable writing help? Scroll down to the i need help with… section on the home page.

You can also invest in yourself by hiring an editor or book doctor. Few authors reach their full potential without help. Give yourself every possible chance by working with a professional. When you get that breakthrough in your story, you’ll be glad you did.

3. Are your energy levels low?

Most of us have to fit our writing in around our day jobs and family responsibilities, which means that the bulk of our energy is often depleted by the time we sit down and write.

We need that extra energy if we are to stick to a regular writing practice. If you don’t have it, you’re probably procrastinating on your writing simply because you feel too tired.

Action steps: Think of yourself as an athlete. If you are to keep up a regular writing practice, you need to get 7-8 hours of sleep per night, exercise every day (a daily walk is great), eat a healthy diet, and practice a daily stress-relieving activity like meditation, yoga, journaling, or crafting.

Next, write at high-energy times of the day. For most writers, first thing in the morning is best. Even if you can fit in only 20 minutes, getting that writing time in before you do anything else guarantees that a) you get it done, and b) everything is downhill from there.

You may feel like you have more energy at night. Feel free to try that, but if you find that you’re procrastinating, change it. It’s common for writers to feel their willpower depleted by the time the day is done.

Finally, examine what else in your life may be depleting your energy. It could be that you’re engaged in activities you’d rather avoid, or spending too much time with low-energy people. Make a list of your potential energy-sappers and then make some changes to take better care of yourself.

4. Are you expecting too much too soon?

Being a successful writer takes much more time, effort, and education than we realize at first. Most well-known writers have been at it for 10 years or longer. There are a few exceptions, of course, but on the whole, we all have to pay our dues to learn the craft.

If you were expecting too much too soon, it can cause you to blame yourself for your supposed lack of success, which can lead to procrastination.

Action steps: Take the time to enjoy the process of learning how to write well. Don’t pressure yourself by believing that you have to make a lot of money or garner multiple awards early on. You are writing because you enjoy it, so allow it to evolve naturally.

We often feel that we have to justify the time we spend writing. Think of it another way—this is about you and your personal growth as a human being. You chose writing for an important reason. Honor that choice and follow where it leads. Return to the joy of writing and your procrastination is likely to disappear.

5. Are you doubting yourself?

Self-doubt has caused many a writer to procrastinate without realizing why.

You may be able to identify your self-doubt by thinking back over the events leading up to your procrastination. When did you stop writing regularly? Did something happen to precipitate that?

Maybe you received a rejection, got a negative comment from a reader, or had to endure a difficult critique. Maybe you feel like you failed on your third story draft and you’re beginning to think you don’t have what it takes to be a writer.

Anyone would wither in the face of thoughts like these. Indeed, it’s extremely common for self-doubt to be at the root of procrastination for writers.

Action steps: If you allow doubt to stop you, however, it will. Think of this as a battle between you and this monster that would stop you. The only way you can win is if you keep going, despite how you feel.

Get help if you need it. Write in short 15-minute chunks. Tell yourself you’re just practicing. Cheer yourself on. Tell your self-doubt that you’ll deal with it later—right now, you have to write.

Note: For more on overcoming self-doubt and deciding to be a writer no matter what, see Colleen’s new book, Your Writing Matters: How to Banish Self-Doubt, Trust Yourself, and Go the Distance. Get your free chapter here!

For more help on overcoming procrastination, see Overwhelmed Writer Rescuer Colleen’s course, “How to Finish the Creative Projects You Start.”

COLLEEN M. STORY - Resident Writing Coach

Colleen M. Story is a novelist, freelance writer, writing coach, and speaker with over 20 years in the creative writing industry. In addition to writing several award-winning novels, Colleen’s series of popular success guides, Your Writing Matters, Writer Get Noticed! and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue, have all been recognized for their distinction.

Colleen offers personalized coaching plans tailored to meet your needs, and frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find out more about our RWC team here and connect with Colleen below. Free chapters | Master Writer Mindset

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I still vividly recall working on my first story. The anxiety I felt when I thought of sending it out into the world made me instantly start to sweat. But I did send my script to a movie producer and director, and when I got her feedback, my worst fears were realized: “I can’t get past page 50. It is slow, nothing is happening.” 

I wanted to cry. I thanked her and asked for some time to fix it. She granted it to me and I went back to work. Two months later, I sent the script back to her and was thrilled when she called to ask how much I wanted for it. 

With the many novels, screenplays, and short stories I’ve written, I’ve had to face different versions of the same complaint: “This story is boring.” Every time, I have had to go back and tinker with my piece until the response became positive. This experience has taught me that boring stories tend to have the same problems. To be sure, I didn’t find them all by myself. I had help from many books on storytelling, with my favorite by a long margin being Robert McKee’s Story. We turn to him for the first factor.

Factor 1 :  Weak Conflict

“A protagonist and his story can only be as intellectually fascinating and emotionally compelling as the forces of antagonism make them.” — Robert McKee

This is the most influential and common factor. It makes sense because when you really think about it, at its core, story is conflict, and strong conflict can only be delivered by strong forces of antagonism. The solution is simply to intensify the conflict.

There are 5 layers of story conflict you can use to your advantage.

• Internal (character vs. himself)
• Personal (character vs. family and friends)
• Social (character vs. social world — institutions, governments, culture)
• Environmental (character vs. nature)
• Metaphysical (character vs. supernatural)

If the conflict between character and family doesn’t seem compelling enough, shift the focus to the social world or the supernatural. A popular story strategy is to blend more than two layers. For example, Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire) fires on all five cylinders. No wonder it grabs the attention as it does.

An important thing to note is that it is not always about intensifying the conflict vertically (across layers) but also horizontally (within layers). In some instances, the right solution will be to intensify conflict that already exists within a single layer by scaling up the size of actions and consequences between the opponents. In this, do not be scared to go to extremes.

For ideas on the various kinds of conflict you might infuse into your story, see Becca and Angela’s Conflict Thesaurus.

Factor 2 : Diluted Intensity

The main culprit here is shoddy plotting; the story is boring because there are too many scenes that do not move the story forward. Instead, they bog it down with their pointlessness. Audiences and readers expect scenes that are arranged with as strict an adherence to the principle of cause and effect as possible. Every scene should follow the previous one and move the story forward.

To fix this problem, you only need to edit out the weak scenes. On On Writing, Stephen King wrote that he has a habit of cutting 10% of his initial draft. In some cases, depending on how much material you have, you may have to cut way more than that.

Factor 3: Uninteresting Characters

It stands to reason that if stories are about characters, then an uninteresting character will create a boring story. What makes a character interesting? A combination of many things, but there are a few non-negotiables. I call them the GNFC components of character.

Goal: What does the character want? It’s very difficult to care about a character who has no desire. Why does he want it? Do we care that he wants it?

Need: What does the character need but isn’t aware of? Is he blind to something? This is usually that thing which he will have to attain or sacrifice to get to the goal.

Flaw: What bad habits does the character have? What’s the bad thing about him? Where is the devil in him? Remember that all characters, like all people, should have a mix of strengths and weaknesses to round them out.

Change: In what way does the character change in relation to the theme or as a result of story events? Is the change positive or negative?

Interesting is rarely about quirkiness, weirdness, or eccentricity. Rather, it’s about empathy. If we can relate to a character, we will be more invested in the character.

One last thing, which is just as important as the others: action. Many times, when the character is uninteresting, it’s because she is not doing anything. Things are happening to her instead of her taking steps and making choices that will determine her path. To fix that, make the character act. Give her a desire and set her off to realize it.

Factor 4: Uninteresting Events

“What is natural and essential to any thing is, in a manner, expected; and what is expected makes less impression, and appears of less moment, than what is unusual and extraordinary.” — David Hume

People consume an incredible amount of stories in their lifetime. This means that both writers and readers are familiar with the same story concepts. To hold interest, you have to subvert expectations every now and then. This relates heavily to familiarity with genre and knowing what the reader will be expecting at any point in time. Breaking genre conventions is a good way to go if you want to twist things in original and interesting ways. If what you’ve done has been done before, why do it again if not in a new way?

In Conclusion

With knowledge of these four factors, it should be far easier to add fire to a boring story. Most times, the key is in focusing your attention on the emotions you want the reader to feel at every moment. If you study life, you realize that it goes up, down, up, down, down, up, down, and so on. A story that stays on one level for too long will inevitably start to feel flat. But if you follow life’s advice when planning your story events and character’s emotions, you’ll be fine. (And for more help troubleshooting an uninteresting story, check out my free checklist.)

When did you last fix a boring story? What did you do to get it right? Share your story and tips in the comments so the writing community can also learn from you.

Gilbert Bassey is a writer and filmmaker who is dedicated to telling great stories and helping other writers do the same. You can follow his writings on medium and subscribe to his storycraft newsletter to get a free copy of the Ultimate Guide To Compelling Antagonism.

Guest Contributor

Interested in posting at Writers Helping Writers? Review our content guidelines to see what we’re looking for and how to pitch us your ideas.

The post 4 Ways to Fix a Boring Story appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

It’s a sad fact, but most writers don’t have a basement full of money, meaning we have to think carefully about where we spend our money and why.

Investing in our career is smart, when we can afford it. There are infinite workshops, conferences, resource books, memberships, courses, and coaching available to us. All can help us develop our skills, better understand storytelling, and navigate the business side of being an author. But what they don’t help with is a question that plagues us more than any other:

“Is what I’ve written any good?”

No matter how many books are under our belt, the same worries about quality surface.

Am I fooling myself that I have what it takes?

Did I just get lucky before?

Is this the book that ends my career?

Impostor’s Syndrome is always there ready to kneecap our self confidence.

On the plus side, I think wobbly self-confidence can also push us to do our best and it encourages us to seek feedback. (And we should. I recently posted about the importance of feedback, which is a powerful way to crowdsource opinions to help answer the question above.)

Knowing what type of feedback we need and when, and what help we should pay for and what we shouldn’t helps us make sure we’re sticking to the budget. So I’ve put together a list of people to seek when you need feedback, and share the different free vs. paid options.

Free Help For Writers

There are many different ways to get help as a writer without breaking the bank. The more you do on your own, the less you’ll end up paying when you’re ready to take your manuscript to the publication stage.

Alpha Readers are the first people to see your draft, and act as a sounding board as to whether the story holds together at a high level or not. They understand the writing will be rough and aren’t there for a quality check, just to help find glaring plot holes, underdeveloped characters, logic gaps, and other story problems that will need massaging to give the story good bones. In some cases, alpha readers are brought in as the story is being written, so they can weigh in on the story’s direction as it is being developed. Overall, most writers don’t use alphas and wait for beta feedback. More below.

More on alpha readers here.

Beta Readers are typically your first readers, people who may be writers but often are not, rather they are potential readers, people who enjoy the type of books you write and they won’t let a personal relationship with you get in the way of offering constructive feedback. They give “overall” feedback on the story (usually when it’s in an early draft stage so you know if it works or not), and will tell you what pulled them out of the reading experience, like a lack of emotional connection to a character, a confusing plot, etc.

You don’t need to pay for beta reads (although there are some services that do offer experienced editorial feedback, so do your research to make sure they are legitimate if you choose to use them.) You can find readers by asking people that you interact with online if they would like to beta read for you, or ask unbiased family or friends who read your genre.

• More on beta readers here.
• Here’s how to be an ethical beta reader.
• Grab this excellent Beta Reader Worksheet from Jami Gold.
• To organize feedback, try out BetaBooks (they have a free trial).
• Bonus: BetaBooks has a Book Club feature that matches books with readers.
• Did you know there are many Beta Reader groups on Facebook?

Critique Partners are those who will workshop a book with you, meaning they read each chapter and offer your feedback on any (or all) story elements that you want their opinion on. I recommend running through your book chapter by chapter at least once by other writers (yes, writers — having more than one partner means different perspectives and strengths are applied to your story).

Critiquing is free, but based on give and take: someone critiques you, and you critique them. This is work, but work well worth doing. Some writers try to find critters for a one-way relationship but this shortchanges them on a valuable opportunity to improve. Why? Because when you critique others, you learn a ton about what works and what doesn’t in a story. And once you “see” a problem in another person’s manuscript it becomes much easier to spot the same issue in your own stories. These epiphanies are golden opportunities to grow your skills quickly!

Critiquing shouldn’t cost you, although there are services who do charge, so again, if you go that route, do your research to make sure they are legit and are worth the return on investment (ROI). To find critique partners, ask your writer’s network or join a site like the Critique Circle. This is where Becca and I met and we have both workshopped many stories there. Other ones to check out might be Inked Voices, Nathan Bransford’s Connect with a Critique Partner, and Scribophile.

• More about critique partners
• How to know you’re in a good critique group
• Six rules to keep critique partnerships golden
• How to evaluate critique feedback
• Our 2-level critique checklist (life changing!)

Full Swap Partners are writers who are looking for a full novel read. Typically this happens when a writer has already had their manuscript workshopped extensively and they now need fresh eyes to have a look before they take the next step, either querying it or to hiring an editor to self-publish it.

Full swaps are about viewing the story as a whole rather than line editing, and passing on honest opinions afterward about the book. Swaps are often between writers who are more advanced and write in the same or similar genres. Typically the writers involved do not steer the other in any way so that they are not specifically looking for issues or problems as they read. This way it’s easier to see if improvements made during past revisions were effective. After the read is complete and the critiquer submits their impressions about the book, and the author may send along follow up questions on specific areas if they wish.

To find a writer to swap with, ask your network. Think about the forums you belong to, the social media writing groups you interact most with, and the people you trust. It can be beneficial to swap with people you don’t know because they will spare your feelings, but always research first. Ask questions about the person (and the story) to ensure it’s a good match. If you are seeking swaps as you move toward publication, you’ll want to make sure the other person’s work is of the same quality and that they are a skilled writer as reading a full manuscript is a bigger time commitment. No money changes hands for a swap.

Necessary Writing Help that Will (Probably) Cost Money

Keeping costs down is every writer’s goal but the trade-off should not be quality. A poorly written book will not sell, and this will only lead to self-doubt and disillusionment about making writing a career. Don’t be afraid to invest and pay for the help you need.

Freelance Developmental Editing is something to look into if you are self-publishing, but I don’t recommend it if you are trying to traditionally publish. Why? Two reasons. First, the publisher will assign an editor to you and they will ask for edits that align with their house style and vision, overriding any edits you paid for. Second, and I know this might sound harsh, but your writing should be strong enough to gain a contract without a professional editor shaping it.

I say this because you’ll be expected to follow editorial directions and return quality work after a contract is signed. So while all writers do need an editor, we also need to bring our own skills to the table. If a writer leans too much on a freelancer so they can shop a book, it could leave them in a sticky predicament if their writing skills are not up to the task of following editorial directions once under contract. It’s best to apply yourself as a writer to learn the craft, taking advantage of the many blogs, books, courses, and workshops available to you, often for free. Then workshop your book extensively with critique partners. This, and your own abilities, should be enough to get your book where it needs to be to interest an agent and editor. However, if time is an issue and money is not (and sometimes this is the case), then hiring an editor might be right for you even if you do plan on traditionally publishing.

One important thing to note: if you are offered a deal by an agent or an editor on the condition that you pay for editing, this is a scam.

If you self-publish, you should hire a professional editor. No matter how strong we are at writing there will always be gaps in our knowledge. A professional freelance editor can help with this and because the story isn’t theirs, they also have the distance we lack.

There are different types of editors, so you should research what you need for your story. This is one part of publishing where paying is sort of unavoidable, so just make sure you choose someone who is professional and experienced in your genre.

Costs will vary, but if the price is too low, be aware that sometimes you get what you pay for. Always ask for a sample edit first so you can see their style and skill level, and don’t be afraid to ask for references from past clients.

• A breakdown of the different types of editing (with examples)
• Looking for an editor? Scroll down to “Editing Services.”
• 3 Signs it might be time to stop editing a manuscript
• How to boost your self-editing superpowers

Proofreading is something I recommend. You can pay for proofreading (Becca and I do) but it is also possible you might know someone who is very skilled in grammar and punctuation that may be willing to help you for free. Or, you can try to use a tool like ProWritingAid (good options for writers going the traditional route if their grammar and proofing skills need support).

Tempted on skipping this type of editing? I wouldn’t. If you traditionally publish, too many errors will pull the agent or editor out of the reading experience as they assess your story. And if you self-publish, readers will ding you on reviews if they notice too many mistakes. We are often blind to our own typos and grammar missteps, so another set of eyes can be really helpful. And, if you are a Canadian like me writing for the American market (or vice-versa) there will be all sorts of “isms” that a professional proofreader will catch. (Michael Dunne loves turning all my greys to gray and neighbour to neighbor!)

TIP: If you are interested in hiring a proofreader, ask for a sample page or two. We did this with 5 proofreaders, seeding certain mistakes into a sample, to see who would catch them all. Only one did, so be aware that not all proofreaders are created equal.

• Using text-to-speech as a self-editing tool
• ProWritingAid (free and paid options)
• Michael Dunne, proofreader (this is who we use)

A one-on-one Writing Coach is another option for feedback. While Becca and I are writing coaches we focus on groups, not individuals. A one-on-one coach is someone who will help you through the process of writing a novel by being your sounding board, and by offering you feedback, education, and keeping you accountable.

There are various places to find coaches. Many authors have a side business where they offer coaching because they have been through the book writing process. There are also highly professional coaching firms with a professional coaching team. The one I recommend whenever asked is Author Accelerator as I know the skill level of many of their coaches, and I love the fact that they partner each client with a specific coach based on the writer’s needs, genre, and style.

One-on-one coaching is often a higher price investment. But, what a writer learns while in a program will help them accelerate their writing skills exponentially. The knowledge they end up with can be applied to every novel moving forward. So for writers who are able to afford this investment, it’s well worth considering.

• What does a Book Coach do
• Watch a Book Coach in action in this Character Clinic replay
• Author Accelerator

Looking for MORE help? Check out this MASTER LIST OF WRITING & PUBLISHING RESOURCES.

The wonderful thing about choosing writing as a career is that there are many, many ways we can steer our own growth and development, and this in turn helps us develop our Writer’s Intuition, which lets us better evaluate feedback and view our own writing objectively. Opening ourselves up to learning at every step means each novel will get a little easier. It’s hard work, but that’s also how you know it is work worth doing.

Happy writing, all!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Story Feedback: Free and Paid Options for Writers appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Have you self-published a novel you had originally intended to send to literary agents (to see how it did)? Or, did you self-publish a novel, decide that publishing path wasn’t for you, and now want to send that book to literary agents?

Let’s talk about why sending previously self-published books to literary agents (or publishers) may not be the best idea.

As you are probably aware, there is no “right” or “wrong” way to go about publishing. Meaning, you can self-publish books, send unpublished manuscripts to agents, you can publish with an indie press… There are so many (great) publishing options in 2019 that weren’t available in previous years.  >> Check out my previous blog, How Should I Publish My Book?, to learn more about the publishing paths available to you.

In addition, with so many high-quality books being self-published, the stigma around this publishing path has been slowly fading over time. Though, I wouldn’t say it’s gone away entirely (yet).

However, there is one persistent question I see in the comments for almost every YouTube video I publish, and that is: “Can I query a book I’ve already self-published?”

The short answer is: No. Or, I don’t recommend it.

The long answer is one I’m going to attempt to get into today.

When I worked at the literary agency, the authors who queried me with a self-published project usually were querying that manuscript because the book didn’t sell well.

If a book didn’t sell well—meaning, readers had a chance to check out the story and decided they weren’t interested in it—why would industry professionals be interested in that book (again, if readers weren’t)?

The role of a literary agent is to find books they think they can sell to editors at publishing houses. Agents only make money when an author does. Once a book is sold, agents take a fifteen percent cut of what the author makes. (And good agents earn that fifteen percent!)

The role of an editor is to find books they think they can sell to readers. They want to find a fantastic story that they think they can edit, package, market, and hopefully make a profit on. If publishers don’t make money on the books they publish, they will have to downsize or eventually close their doors.

Therefore, if you have previously self-published a book that didn’t sell… well, most publishers won’t be interested in it for that very reason. 

The typical response I get to this is: “BUT BUT BUT I’m not good at marketing. If this book had been traditionally published and had marketing support, it would have sold better.”

Perhaps. But, then again, perhaps not.

While a good marketing strategy can absolutely help spread the word about a book, it’s not just about marketing.

Publishers considering whether or not they want to purchase a book will look at: 

1. The quality of the writing: Because, obviously!
2. The uniqueness of the story: Has it been done in a similar way before? If so, how is this story unique?
3. The marketability of this book: Do readers want to read this type of story?
4. Trends in the marketplace: Where do they think the market will be in two+ years?
5. Whether or not the publisher can make a profit

Most publishers also want rights to first to market. Meaning, they want to be the ones to introduce a story to the world. By an author previously self-publishing a title, the book has lost its “newness.” People have had a chance to see it. If they didn’t purchase it before, why would they purchase it in two+ years after a publisher has published it? 

In addition, even if a book is published traditionally, authors are still expected to participate in the marketing efforts. A common misconception writers have about traditional publishing is that they only have to write stories and the publisher does the rest (including marketing). While that may have been true in the past, it’s no longer true today. Therefore, if the book didn’t sell well before (with your marketing efforts), why would publishing it now be any different?

Now, if a book performed well and sold many copies, you will likely have agents and/or editors knocking at your door (without having to query them). Don’t forget that publishing is a business. Publishers are always looking for books that will earn them a profit. If a self-published book is selling thousands of copies, all bets are off for everything I said before. Again, if a title is doing well, industry pros will likely be coming to you (rather than the other way around).

An alternative approach to querying a previously self-published title would be to write a new manuscript and query that. You can always write another book and send it to literary agents in the hopes of getting it published traditionally (should that be the publishing path you’d like to pursue). Just because you previously self-published books doesn’t mean you can’t traditionally publish titles later on. (Hello, hybrid publishing!)

It’s always going to be sticky territory (and likely a big fat “no thanks”) if you try to garner interest from a literary agent (and ultimately a publisher) on a title that has already been published.

*Please Note: This conversation doesn’t apply to self-published authors who work with literary agents for foreign rights and sub rights. Everything mentioned above is geared toward authors who want to remove a book from the market (for example, North American, English rights) and try to sell those rights to a publisher. 

MEG LATORRE

Meg LaTorre is a writer, YouTuber (iWriterly), creator of the free query critique platform, Query Hack, co-host of the Publishable show, blogger, and she formerly worked at a literary agency. She also has a background in magazine publishing, medical/technical writing, and journalism. To learn more about Meg, visit her website, follow her on Twitter and Instagram, sign up for her monthly newsletter, and subscribe to her YouTube channel, iWriterly.

The post Why Writers Shouldn’t Query Self-Published Books appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Heads up! Pitch Pro Sarah Isaacson has a Query Clinic here PACKED with info to help you escape the slush pile.

The purpose of a pitch is to hook a reader or land an agent.

You must be able to describe your entire passion project concisely and compellingly. But how do you accomplish this effectively without losing the heart of your work? I break it down beat-by-beat in this query clinic.

The Pitch:

Your pitch must consist of the following: the protagonist, setting, conflict or villain. It must display the title in all CAPS (not italics) and provide the genre, word count, and an author bio. Additionally, it is most compelling if it can be done in or around 300 words.

The Hook:

The best pitches also have a hook—a sentence that sums up the entire book in less than 25-words. Kind of like the logline you see on movie posters. The very best of them include irony. Irony is “an action which has the opposite, or different effect than the one initially desired.” Irony is what twists your plot and forces your characters to grow.

 Killer Hook Examples:

Imprisoned, the almighty Thor finds himself in a lethal gladiatorial contest against the Hulk, his former ally. —Thor: Ragnarok

(Irony: friends turned to foes)

Set in the South, a crusading local lawyer risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime. –To Kill a Mockingbird

(Irony: a white southerner defends an African-American man, also present: binaries of white/black, law/crime)

As he plans his next job, a longtime thief tries to balance his feelings for a bank manager connected to one of his earlier heists, as well as the F.B.I.—The Town

(Irony: the criminal falls for his victim, also a play on Stockholm syndrome)

What goes into the body of your query pitch, beat-by-beat:

• Protagonist and setting—present the main character’s world as it is.
• Catalyst or conflict—the moment where everything changes. The theme is stated.
• But there’s a debate because change is scary—she could gain something or lose everything—tension, risk.
• The plot or journey begins and sometimes the “B” story or supporting character (lover, friend, or mentor) can go here.
• Depending on the story, this is the moment where the protagonist gets what they think they want, or things turn for worse. Because sometimes what we want, isn’t what we need. Either way, it’s tense and uncertain!
• The villains are closing in, all is lost. This is emotional. The bottom. Doubt, fear, or a serious problem arises—it takes everything to regroup.
• Now a shining inspiration (or advice from the “B” story friend/lover/mentor) helps our protagonist realize that what they’ve lost makes way for something new. It’s time to try again.
• Rather than give away what happens in your final act or chapters, end here on a question or statement that circles back to the irony or theme within the hook. Can she? Will they?

Need help getting noticed in the slush pile?

Sarah Isaacson specializes in screenplay pitches, book jackets, and novel queries that pop. Her writing experience spans from movie trailer copy to Warner Bros. She’s worked in TV and film from Indie to Disney and has read more novels than she can count.

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Escape the Slush Pile: Elements of a Successful Query Pitch appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

In other words, the guy is a total jerk-turd.

Left unchecked, an Internal Editor sends writers running for the delete key, and worse, into the “I’m not good enough/what was I thinking/time to lick stamps for a living” zone.

I hate it when people give in to the “you aren’t good enough” voice because a) great stories belong on the page, and b) the writer ends up licking stamps for the rest of his or her life. (And ever since I read a story about a woman who licked a stamp with cockroach eggs in the glue and a cut on her tongue turned it into a roach baby incubator (*screaming*), the whole licking-stamps-thing has seriously freaked me out.

So let’s all agree your future should involve writing, not roaches. Okay? Good. Now that we’re on the same page, it’s time to do something about that gin-soaked sot who likes to criticize everything you write. In other words…

Make friends with your Writer’s Intuition.

Writer’s intuition is the part of us that knows the story is there. It believes in us, and is utterly convinced (and rightly so) that this tale is OURS, and only WE can tell it properly.

When we first start to write, our Writer’s Intuition is on the quiet side. It’s kind of shy. But it ALWAYS has pompoms and is ready to supply us with encouragement whenever you-know-who gets rowdy and belligerent. But as low key as it might first appear, here’s a big secret about our gut instinct:

It can convert our Internal Editor into a powerful writing ally.

You see, our writer’s intuition is what the Internal Editor wants to be. If you strip away the insecurity of the IE, add a dash of patience, well, we have somebody who’s really trying to help us.

Once we’ve drafted our novel and are ready to revise the reality is, we NEED to know when we’ve slipped in a cliché, written a cardboard character, or if our pace is slower than wheelchair race at a retirement home.

We all need an Internal Editor…just not a toxic one.

So how do we develop our intuition and transform the Internal Editor from Foe to Friend?

1) Mute the Internal Editor during drafting. That is one time you should never, ever let IE nag you. Drafting is pure creation, so give yourself over to it. Allow yourself free rein to transcribe the essence of the story without worrying if the writing is brilliant or not. (Spoiler alert: it won’t be. And that’s okay!) Just write, and have fun.

2) Take the time to learn your craft. Books on writing can give you a huge leg up. Blog posts are bite-sized gems packed with advice. Join a writer’s group, get involved in forum discussions, and take a workshop for a spin. Dig for knowledge wherever it can be found because the more you know, the more you will come to trust your Writer’s Intuition. The resulting confidence puts YOU in charge, not the Internal Editor.

3) Give freely to others. There is no better way to tell good writing from bad than critiquing. When we focus on another person’s story, we can be more objective because it isn’t ours. This distance allows us to better recognize what works and what doesn’t, and these lessons stay with us and can be applied to our own writing.

4) Start LISTENING to your intuition…even when you don’t want to. You know, like when your gut says there’s a problem with a scene but you tell yourself the Agent or Editor will find the rest so dazzling they’ll not notice it. Yeah, THAT.

Look, we all feel the temptation to hit SEND rather than slog through another revision, but it’s important we don’t give in. If your instinct tells you there’s a problem, get some fresh opinions on your story and revise as needed. You only get one chance to impress, so always send out your best.

5) Pursue knowledge ALWAYS. As much as I would love to tell you that you will reach a magical point where your writing will be perfect, I can’t. None of us are experts, not even the most successful of authors. We can always strengthen our craft. Embrace learning and feed your passion to grow. Your writer’s intuition will grow with you!

Oh, and one more cool thing to note?

Well-honed writing intuition can free you from much of the emotional volatility you experience when someone is “dissecting your baby.”

A strong gut instinct for spotting good writing means you’re more confident. This allows you to disengage from negative emotions quicker because you can see the wisdom in the feedback you get (and sort good from bad). And because you’re in charge, the negative side of the Internal Editor fades, leaving you with a terrific partner that will help you create your best writing yet.

What do you do to improve your Writer’s Intuition? Let us know in the comments!

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ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post How to Become a Successful Writer: Develop Your Intuition appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

 Are You Committing These 10 Screenwriting Errors?

90% of the scripts registered with the WGA are never completely read by script readers. They are rejected early on by readers who are overworked and pretty intolerant of basic errors that would-be screenwriters make. If you want to be in the 10% that get fully read and receive that call for further discussion, then don’t make these 10 fatal errors.

1. Poor Development of the Main Character(s)

There are several potential goofs in the area of character development.

• First, don’t write physical descriptions of your main character(s). You may have a picture in your mind of a character, but first readers don’t want that picture. They want to develop their own physical picture as they read the script. It can be irritating to a reader to have a physical description forced on them in the beginning.
• Second, the character must face at least one issue that is big enough, even in comedies. If s/he does not, then there is no way the script can ever be translated into a full-length play or movie.
• Third, the character has to stay in character. Yes, events may change his/her mind about something, but the basic personality has to stay.

The way to avoid problems with consistency of character is to have your entire plot at least outlined before you begin to write page one. If you develop your plot as you go along, then you are trying to make your characters “fit” into a plot you are continually developing. It never works.

2. Poor Structure

If you are writing a script, it is assumed that you understand the components. You have to include each of those components in sequential order, and the readers has to be able to locate them as the script is reviewed. Of course, you know that you have to have an initial incident or conflict, followed by that initial turning point, the mid-point, a second turning point and then the climax and resolution. If you cannot identify these elements in your own script, something is wrong. The best way to avoid this is to have a storyboard before you begin to write. You are then able to label each plot section, know that your sequencing is correct, and see that each component is actually there.

3. Too Long/Too Short

One of the first things a script reader will look at is the length. These people know what you should know too. A script has to be between 90 – 140 pages. If it is too short, you have either left out important plot elements or truncated some of the scenes. If it’s too long, you have irrelevant content and scenes are too long. When scripts are not a reasonable length, the issue is usually poor structure. Return to your storyboard, take each section, read through that section of script and determine its “tightness.” If your script is too long, are you be-laboring dialogue by repeating a characters thoughts? If it is too short, do you need to develop an element further through more dialogue? The other possible problem, of course, is that the issue/conflict is not complex enough for a full-length script. Then you are back at square one.

4. Giving the Reader too Much Character and Scene Description

Script readers are very good with “filling in the blanks.” And they want to read something that lets them get their own mental pictures. So dump the long descriptions of the settings and characters. Descriptions should be minimal – just a couple of phrases. If you want excellent examples of this, pick up a copy of a Shakespearian play and read the descriptions at the beginning of the scenes.

5. Bad Writing (avoid writing mistakes)

Script readers are pretty much well-schooled in grammar, word usage, spelling and punctuation. They are happy to forgive a few typos, and of course, there are grammatical and agreement errors in the dialogue of characters who are supposed to have them. But beyond that you really need to avoid writing mistakes. Script readers are easily irritated by these types of errors, and that irritation will carry over to their overall feeling about your work. If you struggle with grammar and composition, find someone who is more expert to edit your script.

6. Unoriginal Plot and/or Characters (Derivatives)

Of course you have your favorite authors and playwrights. We all do. But your love for a particular character or storyline cannot carry over to your writing. Find inspiration for characters elsewhere – life is full of them. Use combinations of people you know or have known, unless, of course, your work is based upon some prominent real person. Script readers are looking for originality and they can pick up derivatives pretty quickly (so can an audience).

7. Tired Dialogue

What no one wants to read or hear is dialogue that is filled with tired and overworked phrases or clichés. It’s not fresh and original, and you work will be in the 90% rejection pile. As you write, flag those parts of dialogue that seem “tired” or worn and move on so you don’t disrupt your flow. You have time to think about fresh ways to say something later on. Go back to those flagged pieces when you are finished, get some ideas from other creatives you know, and freshen up those spots.

8. Characters Who “Tell”

The whole point of a screenplay is to tell a story through the actions and dialogue of the characters. When a character says, “I am really angry with you” to another character, you are boring the audience. When characters say, “I love you” too much to each other, you are boring the audience. These things need to be shown not told. If you have a character who is angry, in love, in crisis, etc., go back and study movies or plays in which characters had these emotions and issues. Get some ideas about how to show them through dialogue and nonverbal behaviors.

9. Not Resolving Every Conflict/Issue

This is known as “fudging” and it does not work. If you have not resolved everything by the end of your script, do not submit it. You cannot just gloss over stuff and hope it is not detected. It will be detected, your story will not be complete, and your submission will be rejected. You have to wrap everything up and “tie a bow” on it. Go back to your storyboard. Find every conflict and issue. Then mark on that storyboard where it has been resolved. Resolution of all means you have a “tight” plot, and this is what script readers must see.

10. Formatting Issues

Don’t have your script rejected because you failed to follow proper format. If you don’t understand the format for submissions, then get thee to a website that explains it or check with someone who is “in the know.” This is the easiest error of all to correct.

There are many reasons why scripts are rejected. Don’t count on a script reader to provide the details for why yours has been. S/he doesn’t know you personally and does not have the time to give feedback unless there is interest.

Norman Arvidsson is a freelance web developer with more than two years of experience behind him and also a contributing blogger.

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Why Scripts Are Rejected: 10 Screenwriting Errors To Avoid appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

I’m a book coach, and all day long, I have writers coming to me who want to work out the Where and What and How of their story. Many are in the midst of writerly anguish: they have a pile of agent rejections, or they are 2/3 of the way through their 23rd draft and they’re still not sure the book is working, or they got to the last scene and suddenly realize that nothing has happened in the last 150 pages so there’s nothing to resolve. They are not sure how to move forward or even if they should move forward. They are, in other words, full of doubt, and somewhere along the line, they have come to believe that the way out of that doubt and that anguish is to focus like a laser beam on these Where, What, How questions:

Where should my story really start? What needs to happen in the middle? How is the best way for it to end?

Nine times out of ten, they are asking the wrong questions. Instead of Where, What, and How they should be asking Why? – and not even about the story itself, though that is an extremely powerful exercise, too*, but about themselves as writers.

If you’re anything like me and almost all the writers I work with, your story has been haunting you for quite some time. It keeps you up at night. It nags at you when you are reading other people’s stories. It pops into your head at times when it is least welcome. It wants to be told. 

It can be extremely useful to know why you think it’s haunting you. I actually believe that not knowing the answer to why is one of things that holds a lot of writers back. They know they like to write, they know they’re good at it, they know they have a story to tell, but they don’t know why it matters to them, or what, exactly, it means to them.

As a result, they write a book that doesn’t ever really get down to anything real and raw and authentic. They write pages that skate along the surface of things. And if there’s one thing readers don’t need, it’s to skate along the surface. That’s what the Internet is for. And cocktail parties. And the line at Costco.

Listen to Simon Sinek’s TED talk on how great leaders inspire action. It’s 18 minutes long, but even if you listen to the first 6 minutes you’ll get it. The main point of the talk is this: “People buy things because of WHY you do them, not because of WHAT you do.”

Writers want someone to buy something from us as much as the folks over at Apple and Nike. We do! Even before we talk about dollars and cents, we want readers to buy that we have something important or entertaining or illuminating to say. We want agents to buy that our idea is generous and alive.

So all this work you’re going to do on WHAT your book will be? It often all hinges on WHY you want to write it — on why it is haunting you, on what captivated you from the start, on what the spark was, on why you care so much. If you can articulate that, it will probably unlock the story in very powerful ways.

In 2002, literary agent Ann Rittenberg gave a speech at Bennington College that sums this up beautifully.

“What kind of writer can make characters [you care about]? I think the kind of writer who is not afraid to access the deepest places in himself, and is not afraid to share what he comes up with… I see plenty of writing that has kernels of good in it, but it’s hedged around with so much tentativeness, or uncertainty, or excess, or stinginess, that it doesn’t allow the outsider — the reader — in… Yet when I read something that speaks to me, that absorbs me, that remains vividly in my head even when I’m not reading it, I’ve been intimate with the person who wrote it before I’ve even met him. This isn’t to say I know anything about him. I only know he or she’s the kind of writer who’s willing to explore the deep essence of character….”

That’s the kind of writer I am guessing you want to be. So how do you get there? Ask yourself the following:

• Try to recall the moment your story came into your head. What took root in that moment?
• Why does it matter to you? What does it mean to you? It wouldn’t have stuck in your head if it didn’t mean something and matter to you – a lot.
• Have you been shying away from the truth of that moment – out of fear of how raw it is, or how powerful it is? Let yourself to get closer to it.
• Let that truth inform your story from beginning to end. Let it be the engine that drives your narrative forward. A story that has a single driving force tends to be a story that has a solid beginning, a gut-wrenching middle and a satisfying end.
• *Ask why of your characters, as well. Why do they care about what they care about? Why will it hurt them not to get it? Why are the afraid? Why can’t they do what they know they should? Why did they do what they just did? Why did they cry? Why, why, why. It can be the key to great writing.

Jennie Nash is a book coach, the author of eight books, and the creator of the Author Accelerator, a program to help writers break through procrastination and doubt and write books that actually get read.

Do you struggle with story doubt? How do you move past it? Let us know in the comments!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Overcome Your Book Doubts By Asking WHY appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Donna Galanti is here to share her journey to publication, so buckle in for a real look at how long this process can take.

Over three years I traveled a writing road to become published. It was challenging, and every step (forward and backward) led me to an agent, a publisher, and a 2-book deal. If you want to become traditionally published, I hope my journey helps you realize that it really does all start with one step, and ALL these steps will benefit you once you get that book deal.

1 step to get out of the comfort zone

Three years ago I crawled out of my writer’s cave and met other writers. I attended workshops, conferences, and networking events. I challenged myself to take a class on how to write in a different genre. Writing is impulsive. Be impulsive and take risks to get outside your comfort zone.

Are you ready for discomfort? Once you have a book deal…you’ll be asked to sign at book expos, present at conferences, do author panels, write blog posts, or present at school assemblies.

2 years submitting to 189 agents

I spent years submitting to agents. Be ready for rejection and combat it with more submissions. Your query letter is your sales tool to get an agent to ask for the full manuscript. Keep getting rejected? It’s time to revise that letter. New agents are prime for querying as they all want to build their client lists. I recommend following the Writer’s Digest Guide to Literary Agents. My friend and agent, Marie Lamba, has a great advice column on getting an agent here on her Agent Mondays.

Are you ready to keep pitching? Once you have a book deal…your agent may need to spend months pitching your book to publishers, and you await more rejection until it finds a home.

3 rounds with my developmental editor and 3 beta readers’ feedback

Spend the money and use a developmental editor. Frustrated that my manuscript was being rejected, I knew something wasn’t working. My editor at Writing Partner helped me see what I needed to do (three major rewrites over two years) and apply what I’ve learned. Here are 5 things I learned from my editor. Find the right beta readers who know how to decipher fiction and read the genre you write in. Give them a list of questions to help guide them.

Are you ready to take criticism and apply it to make your work better?  Once you have a book deal...you will work with an editor at the publishing house, or your agent as an editor. They will request changes – and expect you to know how to fix them. Will you know how? Be open to changes. Read my friend Kathryn Craft’s editing journey in regards to her book deal.

4 (and a half) months waiting for an offer

It takes a long time to hear back from agents and publishers who have your manuscript under consideration. While you wait, keep revising and submitting your work and getting feedback. Study the publishing market. Get free e-newsletters to Publishers Weekly and Publishers Marketplace. Read in your genre. Purchase books on how to write. See my writing resource list here. And keep coming up with new book ideas. Why? Because an agent doesn’t just want you for a one book deal, they want you for a long term relationship. When you get a call from an agent, they will want to know what other projects you’re working on. Have those ideas shaped into short pitches. I had mine on hand to seal the deal.

Are you ready to think about agents the same way? Once you have a book deal…On your new career path you need to prove you are serious about being an author, that you know your genre, and youre self-motivated to create a portfolio of writing. You want an agent who will guide and champion you. Research them before querying and talking with them and have your own interview questions ready. Here’s a great article I referenced before talking with my agent.

5 writing conferences and 5 novels read in an internship

As a writer you need to learn the writing craft, the business of writing, and how to build relationships in a writing community. I’ve been lucky to have met many folks through the Philadelphia Liars Club and their Writer’s Coffeehouse. Through an agent friend there, I was offered an internship with the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency. In this role I evaluated manuscripts. I learned how to deconstruct a novel. And I learned to see similar problems in my own writing and how to avoid them. I’ve also befriended many bestselling authors, online and at conferences, who want to help new writers. They’ve advised me, allowed me to guest post on their blogs, and have written blurbs for my work. They pay it forward. Someday you will too.

Are you ready to keep learning from your peers and apply what you’ve learned? Once you have a book deal…you will be elevated as a writer in a new partnership that requires you to be professional and knowledgeable in your craft – and you need to continue networking to build those valuable relationships that will boost your career.

6 in-person agent pitches

I’ve pitched my book to agents at conferences and at social gatherings. Think of it as a conversation. Agents need writers as much as we need them. Always be ready to talk about your book. Always have a business card on hand and ask for theirs in return.

Are you ready to pitch at a moment’s notice? Once you have a book deal…you will be promoting your book everywhere, formally at signings and informally in the grocery store. Have your book’s one-line pitch ready to share with that potential customer. Remember, YOU are the one person most passionate about your book.

7 months to write the first draft

I almost gave up. Remember, I challenged myself to write in a new genre? It was hard. I didn’t always enjoy it. I felt outside my comfort zone, but I gave myself a deadline to finish, and I stuck to it. And here are six things I learned about writing a children’s book during this process.

Are you challenging yourself to finish your book on a deadline? Once you have a book deal…you will be expected to meet many deadlines. You will be given an editorial calendar and go a few editing rounds on the manuscript, each time with a deadline. Got a two-book deal? You will be given deadlines to deliver a manuscript proposal and the manuscript on book two. You will have deadlines to meet for blog tours and other events. Keep a good reputation and make deadlines.

8 agents who had the full manuscript and rejected it

The biggest reason agents rejected my book? They didn’t like the voice—and that’s a personal choice. Your voice is your natural, unique expression. Wait for that someone who will love your voice. It can be the agent that helps you launch a career, like my agent, Bill Contardi with Brandt & Hochman. It can be the publisher, like Month9Books, who fell in love with my middle grade novel. If they love your voice in one book, they most likely will love it in others you write.

Are you ready to take rejection and keep persevering? Once you have a book deal…your changes to the story may be rejected. Your title may be rejected. Your next book idea for the second book in the deal may be rejected. Get used to rejection and think of it as positive traction.

And now it all comes down to one: One agent. One publisher. One deal.

I spent years preparing to publish my book and when it happened, it happened fast. Within a month I had an agent, a publisher, and a two-book deal. But look at the number of steps (and missteps) I took along the way to get to that ONE. Going through all these steps may be disheartening at times, but doing so prepares you to step into the authorial role and work with your agent to build a career. Because you will encounter these same steps as a published author.

Are you ready to take these steps again and again?

ABOUT DONNA:
Donna Galanti writes suspense, young adult, and middle-grade fiction and is represented by Bill Contardi of Brandt & Hochman Literary Agents, Inc. She is an International Thriller Writers (ITW) Debut Author of the paranormal suspense novel A HUMAN ELEMENT (Echelon Press) and its sequel, A HIDDEN ELEMENT (Imajin Books).

Visit her at:
www.donnagalanti.com

BECCA PUGLISI

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Eight Steps to an Agent, a Publisher, and a Two-Book Deal appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Patience is a tough one, especially when you’re trying to do all the right things – write consistently, get involved in writing groups, go through the feedback rounds with your critique groups. You seek out mentors, take workshops, dive into areas of writing, editing, publishing, and marketing to understand the full picture of what it means to wear all the many hats of a writer. You participate in the writing community, cheering others on and helping as you can.

But in any industry, writers develop at different paces, and luck can shine in different ways. It can be especially hard to be patient when others are publishing or hitting milestones and we are not.

Don’t get me wrong, we cheer for every sale and piece of good news that comes to our writer friends! But, sometimes a sliver inside us feels something else: Frustration. Envy. Worry. Doubt. These emotions lead to a plague of questions: Why haven’t I succeeded? Why isn’t it my turn for good news? Why can’t this be me? Am I kidding myself for even trying?

It’s very easy to let these negative questions send us on a downward spiral, sucking away our energy, our creativity and our strength to continue. Like Shannon mentioned in her post, it is impatience that leads us down this dark road.

So how do we fight it? How do we build up our resistance and stay upbeat?

I find for me, the best way to conquer impatience is to take it out of the equation. Once my book is in an editor’s hands, is there anything I can do writing-wise to make them say yes? No, there isn’t. Can I make them read faster, get back to me faster? No. So, why stress and get all impatient about it? These are things I have no control over.

Instead, I put my energy into what I CAN do:

—I can make myself attractive to an editor who may look me up online. So, I put time and energy into my online presence and platform.  

—I can continue to write & polish in case they want to see something else from me. I let go of the book that’s on submission and turn to the next project.

—I can continue to learn, which will help me make sure a cleaner product reaches their desk. None of us know everything–we can always improve. Learning is growing.

These are the things within my control, so I do them.

Here’s one solid fact, no matter where you’re at on the publishing trail: if you keep moving forward, you’ll get there. So, the next time impatience & negativity clouds your head space, TAKE CONTROL. Fight by putting your energy into things that will lead to your success!

Need help strengthening your mindset for the author journey? Check out these resources.

BECCA PUGLISI

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels. Her books are available in five languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post How to Conquer Impatience as a Writer appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.

Okay, first of all, saving trees is a good thing. But that’s not what I mean. All rejections, paper or otherwise, have a positive side.

1) A rejection means you’re in the game.

Lots of people talk about getting a novel published…someday. They cite the dream of holding a book in their hands (or on kindle) that will touch other people’s lives. Well, talk is cheap. You, my friend, are not content with talking–you are a DOER. Getting an R means you worked your ass off to learn to write well and then took the leap to submit…something that should be celebrated!

2) A rejection means you believe in yourself and your work.

Unless you’re a masochist, a rejection’s cheese-grater-on-brain feeling isn’t something one braves just for giggles. Everyone in this business knows publication is not for the faint of heart. When on submission, you lay yourself bare and say, “This is my work. I believe in it, and so should you.” The fact that you are willing to take the rejection hit SHOWS how much passion you have. How many other people can say they feel passion for their jobs?

3) A rejection is an opportunity to learn.

Each rejection, even a form, is a chance to re-evaluate what you’re presenting. Look at the materials sent to this agent or editor and put yourself in their shoes. Why did they pass on this? Is the query streamlined and voice-y? Does it contain a compelling hook? Is the writing solid in the sample you sent along–strong characterization, interesting premise, hooks to inspire the reader to keep reading through those first pages? Or are you relying on description or nice writing to pull them in and keep them going until you get to the good part on page 10?

Let’s say you decide the query is solid and the writing sample’s a shining monument to awesome. Ask yourself then if you targeted this person effectively. How much research did you do before hitting send? How well did you know their interests, their recent projects and authors’ work? Did you see they take YA in a forum somewhere and so fired off a query, without checking current websites/blogs/interviews to really understand what projects they want most?

4) A rejection is a challenge to do better.

Writers are fighters. If we weren’t, we’d choose some other profession with friendlier odds. Take the frustration over a rejection and challenge yourself to prove the Rejecter wrong. Turn a critical, honest eye to the material, evaluate, and PAY ATTENTION. Is there an above question that makes you feel a momentary flutter of doubt? If there is, chances are this is an area to focus on before sending your work out again. Let the fire of wanting to prove yourself be the motivation to strive for your very best. Don’t settle for ‘feeling pretty good about’ any aspect of your work or query. Be satisfied only when you feel you have done everything in your power to ensure success.

Final thoughts…

Rejections come with the territory, so try not to take them personally. Quality work and careful targeting are key, but it still comes down to a personal preference, something out of the writer’s control. Submission is like marriage, and it takes time to find the right person who will fall in love with your work.

Make it your goal to feel confident about your work and the rest will take care of itself!

ANGELA ACKERMAN

Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.

The post Writers, There Is a Positive Side of Rejection! appeared first on WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®.