Day 3

Today I pitched to two editors. Yesterday, I pitched one.

They all want the first 50 pages of my book.

Not only did I discover that I'm the youngest person at this conference, but I'm also only one of two that has had all three editors request a part of our manuscript. The guy in charge of our group thinks my book is highly sellable after I gave him a little more information regarding the series and was able to - thank God for this! - keep Tilion.

Aside from some name changes that I'm kind of okay with, everything is the same. My characters are all in place, the setting is fine, and best of all, I haven't had to bastardize my story for the sake of the greedy market. (Yes, I did just say 'bastardize'. No, it isn't a curse. It's a proper use of the word in its definition.) Although I'm sure to get some push-back on my established back story - because it's Biblical - I think that I'll be able to spin it well enough that if and when my book is published through one of these houses, they won't scream and run and hide.

That's my hope anyway.

So this conference has been highly helpful for me. Not only has it validated that my book is highly marketable, but it also has given me a solid pitch, more confidence in the writing world, and best of all, I now have absolute faith in God that He's working in me the way He needs. Despite my occasional kicking and screaming.

To all my fellow aspiring writers, I would recommend you take the opportunities you have to branch out and stretch yourself. I know it isn't easy. I nearly got sick the first day because of my nerves. But, once you survive it (and you will), you will be wiser, stronger and far more confident and prepared for the task you have placed in front of you.

You have only begun your journey.

Happy adventuring :)

Currently Writing: Nada. The plan? After New Years, I attack Genesis and ensure it's battle ready and then I send it off to agents. 'Cause saying in your query that you've already got houses biting for it will make me a shining coin among world beaten pennies.

Currently Reading: Brisinger by Christopher Paolini

Currently Listening to: "We Three Kings" by Stephen Curtis Chapman

Entering Adventure

Tomorrow I'm going to the library to search for these books.

In all of my searching for agents and editors (although honestly, I've only really looked at agents), I had constrained myself to the Christian market. The idea of going into the secular world scared the tar out of me. It still kind of does, if I'm honest with myself. Although, for some reason, I've never actually thought that the Christian market was where my books were meant to land.

Let's look at things. There's the secular market, where you have, well, everything. Then there's the Christian market. It's where everything even remotely hinting at God gets thrown. Books there tend to wither and die. They're allegorical and annoying. Not that allegory is wrong. It's just wrong for me. And boring. Take Ted Dekker's Color series (Red, Black, White and Green). I read through the first three and knew all of the plot twists that were going to happen halfway through the first book. It made the reading of the other two to be irritating. There wasn't any surprise or suspense. I know he can write it, because Adam was pretty dang good.

All of this to say that my books are not allegorical. I sat back while talking with my mom and realized that the people I'm attempting to emulate (C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien), are not confined to the Christian market. In fact, when you walk into a book store and search for Narnia, it's in the children section while Lord of the Rings sits in the Fantasy section. These two titans of writing have straddled the line between the Christian and secular world.

I wish to do the same.

I guess that means that I'm heading toward where I think I need to be. The research begins and hopefully (fingers crossed), I'll be sending out proposals within the next month.

In the meantime, anyone reading this - do you pitch a series differently from a one book, stand alone novel? Seeing as I'm technically only sending the first book in my series to people for publishing, I am pitching the whole five-book series. Is that done differently? Do I need to be sure to mention it in a query letter? Or am I pitching the whole story arc itself?

Happy writing!

Currently Reading: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Currently [Re]Writing: Unity
Currently Listening to: "Without You" by David Guetta feat. Usher

Gosh This is Hard

You know, as a child I always thought writing was something old people did. No one could actually do it in today's world and anyone that did got lucky and never really had the chance to live off of their struggles. Then one day, I was told that wasn't the case. Then we had people like J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer show up and I realized, hey, if they could do it, why not me?
And now at 23, I realize my child-self was right.
Publishing isn't just hard, it's like, super-impossible. I'm exaggerating of course. However a bit of me isn't. I've been searching for an agent to back my book series and perhaps help me get published. And you know what? As a new writer, NO ONE WANTS ME.
That's also a bit of an exaggeration. There are some people out there looking for new writers, and naturally I will be seeking them out with a video of me crying saying, "Please, please, please take me on! I promise I'm good!" But most agencies, both Christian and secular, don't want new writers.
I understand why. From a business standpoint, we're a major risk. All it takes is a little misplaced faith and BOOM, you're an agent or editor with a crappy book that no one wants to buy and a writer you've got to pay whining that it wasn't their fault.
But then what about those of us that are good? Now, I'm not saying I'm great. I'm not even comfortable saying that I'm good. But I've been told enough times by a wide variety of people that I am a talented writer that it seems a little silly to ignore them. Especially when among those people are friends who wouldn't really care if they hurt my feelings in the process of telling me the truth. Because to my friends, telling the truth and hurting someone is better than lying and snickering behind their back.
All of this to say that I might have to self-publish.
Now, that wouldn't be the end of the world. I'm aware of that fact. However, it really wasn't my first choice. I really would prefer to actually learn the publication process. But hey, for all I know that's the way I need to go.
For some reason though, that road seems so much harder. Self-publishing means doing all the work myself and me paying out before even a hint of revenue comes in. Granted, if it worked well, then all of the profit would come to me (at least most of it would, I think). However if it didn't work well, I'd be up the creek without a paddle.
It's a little discouraging really. I know that the traditional publication process can take up to a year and a half. By then the fantasy thing might be old news. It might not be, but all it would take would be some new fad to come along and suddenly everyone but die-hard fans would hate fantasy stuff. And where would that leave my novels? High and dry that's where.
So what do I do? Struggle along and hope I'm going in the right path? Or take a plunge and a leap of faith and self-publish?
Sometimes I wish for neon signs. And other times, I'm so incredibly glad I don't get them. This is one of the times I wish I got them.
Currently Editing: End Game: Genesis (Chapter 24)
Currently Writing: Alaster
Currently Reading: Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Currently Listening to: "Alive" by Superchic[k]