Can We Submit More Than Once

I have three different opening paragraphs for your contest. Can I submit all of them?

Sure. Knock yourself out.

Send each one in a separate e-mail.

Scare-Your-Pants-Off #3

Constance sat straight up in bed, eyes wide open. Light from the full moon seeped through the window and cast shadows around her attic bedroom. She gazed about and then stood. Slowly, she walked to the window. It was still latched. Yet, she¢d felt . . . no, it was a dream . . . her imagination, nothing more. Again, an icy gush of air rushed passed her, almost through her. Her heart beat quickened. Her imagination? She caught a glimpse of something in the antique, full-length mirror. She hurried to it, only to see . . . screaming was the last thing she remembered.

Scare-Your-Pants-Off #2

She had lived in the old wooden house two months. The sounds the wood made had been charming and even funny but after time she had begun to notice that the creaks weren't under foot so much as roughly a yard behind her. When she walked through the intricate double doors into the dining room she heard the wood under her as it spoke in its language about weight and pressure and manner and permission to pass through. Along behind her came the slighter sound of another weight, another pressure, an altogether different manner. That this other had as much authority as she to walk these floors and halls was as disconcerting as the mere admission that another entity might be there at all. Once when she was going upstairs she started slightly at the sound of a tread on the stair just three steps below her. Out of the corner of her eye she glimpsed the merest flicker of a shadow of movement like branches in a breeze where there is no wind. Clutching her warm laundry to her chest, she fled the rest of the way to her room.

How Do I Protect My Ideas?

I have a question about personal copyrights. Sometimes I think about sharing a portion of my story (4-6 pages), but I worry that someone may take my idea and make it their own. I know that it would be a different story, because of how they would interpret it. But my question is how can you share your story with others (writing groups, online, etc) and make sure that you're protected? I don't imagine it happens often, but what do you do if it does?

Your copyright protection begins when you put the first word on the page. Copyright protects the uniqueness of your story--your unique and specific words in their unique, specific order; the unique, specific combination of traits for your main character, if he/she is very unique; possibly your world, if it's unique enough. It doesn't protect your idea or your basic outline or names/titles.

The best protection you have is to get your work published. Once it's out there, and especially if it's popular, editors will reject stories that are too similar to it. The more unique your story is, the more protection it will have. No one is going to accept a book about a vampire who lives in Forks, WA and whose skin sparkles in the sunlight unless it's written by Stephenie Meyer. That is unique.

The human/vampire romance, however, is not unique. You can't protect something like that. How many stories are there now about magical orphaned boys? About werewolves and mermaids? About people who see dead people? You cannot protect an idea; only your unique spin on that idea. If someone takes your basic idea and puts a new spin on it, they haven't stolen your work any more than Meyer stole from Tanya Huff or Robin McKinley or Annette Curtis Klause. Chances are there's probably already something out there that is similar to what you're working on. Perhaps you've even read it. But you've taken that idea and created something new. We can't stop that from happening, nor would we want to or we'd end up with only 25 books to read in the entire history of the world.

Now, as for protecting the unique ideas in an unpublished work, everything is a trade-off. Sharing your work in a writers group can give you wonderful feedback and improve your writing. There's always that possibility that someone, intentionally or otherwise, might pick up some of your uniqueness and run with it. You have to weigh the risks vs the rewards and decide what you're comfortable with.

This is my personal comfort zone: I share in face-to-face regular writing groups and classrooms, and in online writers groups and forums that require a password to enter. In these situations, I know the others involved can vouch for me if one of them "steals" my story. I do not share in a public forum, like a blog or a website, anything I intend to publish.

What about you, readers? Do you have this same concern? Where do you draw the line between risk vs reward?

Swear Word? What Swear Word?

The comments on the first Halloween contest submission bring up some good points. You're right, I said no swearing in the rules. That word slipped past me because that allusion to Shakespeare is so common that it doesn't seem to be actual swearing to me. I suppose we could either consider that a commentary on how I have become so inured to evil that I don't even notice it anymore... or it could be that because it's in the Bible I don't put it in the same category as some of the other, more offensive, words.

In this case, by loosely quoting that phrase from Macbeth, the writer is evoking all of the ghostly tone and emotional guilt from the original work, using it to foreshadow what is coming next. (At least, I assume something is coming next that will brilliantly reflect the implications of that quote.) It works. "Out, darn spot" wouldn't cut it. Another use would be to reference Rhett Butler's classic quote. That one probably would have floated past my notice as well.

"Hell" can be a swear word too or it can be a literal place--a place that someone might want to reference in the opening paragraph to a horror story. It could also be used as an adjective (that hellish blog is giving me fits), in which case, I would not call it swearing.


After thinking about this for hours and hours, I've decided to let the submission stand as is and to revise the rules as follows:

If you use one of the two words I've mentioned above, as described above, then I'll let you slide. Other words, or these words used merely as expletives, will cause your submission to be sent back for rewriting.

As always, if you find a submission personally offensive, don't vote for it.

Scare-Your-Pants-Off #1

Erin soaked the stain five days: brownish red, spilled over the right leg of her jeans. Each day she pulled them out of the bucket, inspected, scrubbed. Brown particles floated away from the fabric, but the stain remained bright. She went online and looked for stain remedies: Blood: soak in cold water. Use hydrogen peroxide for stubborn stains. She pulled out the hydrogen peroxide and dabbed some on. White foam fizzled, bubbling until it spread over her hands and wrists. “Out, damn spot,” she muttered to herself, scraping off foam to see if the peroxide had faded the stain. But the foam grew back, creeping up her arms, edging towards her neck.

Scare-Your-Pants-Off Opening Paragraph Contest

I was recently reminded that I haven't done a contest in awhile. So in honor of Halloween, let's hear it for the Scare-Your-Pants-Off Opening Paragraph contest.


Submission Rules:
Write an opening paragraph (or two, but no more than two) for a horror story.

Maximum word count: None; but no slopping together multiple paragraphs and pretending it's just one.

No swearing or graphic gore. Set the mood with your WORDS, not with hack tricks.

Published paragraphs ineligible, as are entries for last year's contest. Other than that, you're free to recycle something you wrote previously.

Paste entire paragraph(s) into an e-mail and send to me. No attachments, please.

You may submit more than once. Send each submission in a separate e-mail.

SUBMIT it any time between now and Monday, October 29th.

I will post all paragraphs as they come in.



Voting Rules:

VOTE between October 30th and October 31st.

We'll have a Popular Vote winner and a Publisher's Choice winner. My winner will be the one who creeped me out the most. You guys can vote by whatever criteria you want, just don't make it a popularity contest.

Don't vote for yourself.

UPDATE: You may vote up to three times, but only once per paragraph. We're on the honor system here.

You may make all the comments you like, but VOTING COMMENTS must clearly indicate that it is a vote. (Ex: I'm voting for this one...)

Winner will be announced after Halloween.

PRIZE: A classic horror book of your choice (must be available in paperback and easy to find) AND full story (if there is one) posted here with a link back to your blog or website.

Establishing a Web Presence

When do you think it's important to establish a web presence?

Yesterday.

Before you ever have hope of being published(1), after acceptance of your manuscript(2), or when the book comes out(3)?

(1) If you want to, yes. Keep it professional so that when editors/publishers google you, it will make you look good. Professional does not mean it has to be business-like. A well-written slice of life blog is sufficient. This personalizes you to readers. Regular blog visitors are likely to buy your book when it comes out.

(2) Yes. For sure, get started on something now. Your publisher may have tips or suggestions for you.

(3) This is too late. You want it up and going no later than the day your book hits the shelves.

Do you think a blog is sufficient for a web presence?

Before you're published, yes. After you're published, you need a professional website: www.yourname.com. Doesn't have to be fancy but it must be attractive.

See also info on blogs, and here.

What the Market Needs by Josi Kilpack

Writer's are always trying to figure out what a market needs, what they should write to insure they get a publishing contract? They watch trends, talk to publisher representatives, and in the LDS market, they pray a lot. All in pursuit to the Great Mormon or American Novel, all in pursuit of giving the market what it needs. So what do YOU think the market needs?

Vampires?
Wizards?
Real issue conflicts?
Mysteries?
Thrillers?
Picture Books?
Self-help?

I know the answer :-)

Ready?

What the market is absolutely and completely hungry right now--today--is . . . all of the above, or, well, maybe none of the above.

All of them if the publisher can a) sell it and b) It's well written. None of them if a) You're the only one that thinks people will buy it and b) It's poorly written.

It seems obvious, doesn't it? Of course a publisher needs to sell the book to make it worth their time and money investment and obviously, it needs to be well written if it's going to sell. So, seeing as how obvious it is, here are a few things I've heard from writers in the last six months:

"I knew it still needed work but I had spent so much time on it I just had to finally send it in, ya know, like when you get to the point in a relationship where you either get married or break up." "I know I should have revised it, but I was sick of it and had another idea that was begging for me to get started, so I just sent it in. That's what they have editors for, right?" "I just need one of the editors at (publishing house) to take me under their wing, show me what I need to work on. If they would just give me a little time I could figure out what my weaknesses are." "I find that letting other people read my work before I submit shows a lack of confidence in my own ability. The most important person to believe in me, is me."
I know I'm beyond objectivity for comments like this, since my life has become completely entangled with submission guidelines, knowing the market, and presenting about the overall world of writing and submitting, but honestly I hear this and I say "Really?"

Would you go to a bank for a mortgage if you were unemployed and had no credit?

Would you show up for your first day on the job with a suitcase full of clothing and ask your new boss to help you pick out the outfit?

And would you ever marry the guy that says "Hey baby, I either need to dump you or finally give in and make you my wife?"

It seems obvious in those cases, doesn't it? And yet dozens of writer's feel they are the exception, that their story is good enough that their grammar-defect won't be an issue. They continue to see editors as employees rather than employers. They continue to think that they are the exception to the rules repeated to them over and over and over again.

Getting published is a three point plan:

1. Write your best work--this means making sure other people agree that it's your best work. Hire an editor, trade with other writers, take a writing class. Don't THINK it's good enough, learn enough and get enough feedback to KNOW it's good enough. Keep learning, don't ever rest upon your laurels and assume you know enough.
2. Submit the right way--you're expecting an agent/publisher to respect you and your work enough to produce it. Respect them enough to submit the way that works best for you. If you've written your best work, don't screw it up by going slacker-face on the submission guidelines. With the internet and ease of getting the right info, don't flush it.
3. Don't give up--You'll have lots of reasons to give up. Even as you begin achieving success, you'll wonder if you should stop. You'll get rejected, you'll get bad reviews, you'll get frustrated, and discouraged, and get tired of seeing other people's success. But if you give up, you're guaranteed that you'll never get published. If you write your best work and if you submit the right way and to the right houses, you will eventually find publication. If might not be your first book--my first book is still on my hard drive as are many other writer's first attempts. Keep writing your best work, submitting the right way, and not giving up.

And remember, the longer the process takes, the better success story you get to tell later.

Find Josi at http://www.josiskilpack.com and http://www.josikilpack.blogspot.com

LDS Literary Fiction

I do a lot of reading in the LDS market and have found that nearly all of the books being published are more formula fiction, whereas the books being published nationally are more literary. Do you think that there's a place in the LDS market for literary books, and, why aren't we seeing them on the LDS market? Beulah

LDS literary novels don't come across my desk very often. I've seen a few attempts, but nothing of publishable quality. I'm sure the big publishers see more than I do, but they, too, must feel they're not up to par because they aren't publishing many.

There are a few that come close--I liked The Kaleidoscope Season by Sharon Downing Jarvis. There might be others, but nothing that really zooms into my mind as an outstanding LDS literary book. (But then, I'm tired right now and my brain is a little foggy. Perhaps I'm overlooking the obvious. Readers, help me out. Post titles in the comments section of books you think might qualify as LDS literary fiction-and why.)

A few years ago I saw a handful of published books that billed themselves as LDS literary fiction, but in my opinion, they weren't very good and they didn't sell well.

Is there a place for LDS literary fiction? I hope so but often "literary" is synonymous with "realistic" and there are lots of LDS readers who don't like the realism, who are uncomfortable with the soul-searching and life-questioning themes of the literary novel.

Why aren't we seeing them? In addition to the lack of good manuscripts, again, money is the bottom line. We know genre fiction sells; literary fiction is a risk. But I'd like to think that if I got a really good mss, it would be a risk I could convince the bean counters around here to take.

A Few Submission Guideline Links

I keep hearing about checking the publishers' websites for submission guidelines. I'm not that computer savvy. I went to a couple of sites and I can't find it. Help!

I'm in a good mood, so here you go. If your publishing company is not on this list and you want it added, put your info in the comments section.
Cedar Fort
Covenant
Deseret Book
Mapletree
Millenial Press
Spring Creek
Wind River
Zarahemla Books

What All Stories Are About by David G. Woolley

There was a time in my college days I didn't believe the script writing professor. He said all stories were ultimately about birth and death. The man was an ad director who retired from his Manhattan agency for a career in teaching script writing. Not that you can't trust ad people and their creative attempts to convince me I need a hand sewn magnetic head warmer to promote brain wave function, but they're the ones who hype high fructose corn syrup to reduce the risk of type four diabetes--the type of diabetes the coroner diagnoses. Can you really trust a professor who makes a comment using the word all?

I don't remember everything I learned in my college statistics courses, but when a lecturer said it was statistically possible to know if a question was true or false based on how it was phrased, I perked right up. You mean there is a real-world application for standard deviations? I admit my perkiness was more about not having to study the course material too deeply and still have a statistically significant chance of acing the test. It was the greatest find since Columbus used a time machine to transport the Pilgrims to Plymouth Rock. History is my best subject. My statistics professor was also the same scholar who advised a local frozen food packing company that the best way to insure lower rates of employee turnover was to hire applicants who scored below thirty percent on the company's entrance exam. Apparently exam scores predict a reverse correlation between the repetitive work of stuffing pasta into plastic freezer bowls and job satisfaction. Based on those findings I was willing to suspend my disbelief and I took copious notes to preserve forever the knowledge of how to divine which test bubble, A or B, to darken with a #2 pencil.

Turns out it was a pretty simple matter of semantics. If the question uses the words all or always, you can be 95% certain that the answer is false. When my script writing professor insisted that all stories are ultimately about birth or death, I was statistically skeptical. It wasn't until after he explained the nuances of his claim that I learned he fell into that narrow 5% category of being always semantically false while at the same time remaining true to the art of storytelling.

I said, "Where is the story of birth or death in the Sound of Music?"

He pointed out that when characters change they essentially let their old way of thinking or behaving die in exchange for a birth into a new way of behaving. What he called a new life. Maria, the Captain, all the Von Trapp children, the blond-headed telegram delivery boy of going-on-seventeen-fame turned Nazi. Even Max the freeloader who loved rich people ephiphanized new wine and stored it in a new bottle. There's something to that Jewish parable. It was Max who said he loved the way he lived when he was with rich people, but finally exchanged his greed and let his new-found Von Trapp Family Singers escape over the Swiss Alps.

Okay. Maybe my script-writing professor was right. There are metaphorical births and deaths in that rerun-of-a-drama, but that was an old story lost among millions of newer stories.

I said, "What about Ground Hog Day?"

I was willing to concede the stories of romance, drama even documentary. But comedy? I figured I had him until he pointed out that the main character in Ground Hog Day, when he discovered he was living in a repetitive day that re-cycled every twenty four hours, searched for happiness in the base pleasures of the world. When that didn't make him happy, he gave away his former life, essentially letting it die. It wasn't until he was reborn into a new life did the repetitive daily routine break and the story end with a satisfying conclusion.

Darn. I was forced to concede comedy too.

This is the point where I should limit my analysis to storytelling and declare that birth and death act as metaphors for character change. But its deeper than that. Character change just may be a metaphorical death and birth equivalent for salvation. The spiritual connections are obvious. Faith. Repentance (and its corollary forgiveness). Baptism. Atonement. Maybe what my script-writing professor was teaching me without actually mentioning it was that all things are spiritual. Even all our stories.

Always.


David G. Woolley is the author of the Promised Land series published by Covenant.

A Tale of Two Writers by Allyson Braithwaite Condie

Five years ago, in 2002, my dad and I both started writing our first books. I started writing mine almost as a knee-jerk reaction to his. He would send me portions to read and critique. I enjoyed it and I thought, “Hey, if my dad can write, maybe I should give this a try, too.” We both had a little more time on our hands than we had before or have had since—he was retiring, and I had just finished teaching high school and was awaiting the birth of my first child.

So, we were both writing…We called each other to talk about our books. We drove our family members crazy talking about our books. We inflicted multiple drafts of our books on each other.

My father and I share the same genes, and we are a lot alike. …We both want people to like us. We both hate rejection.

We are also very different. His first book is a non-fiction account of traveling through America with my younger sister; my first book is an LDS young adult novel. He is agnostic; I am a devout Mormon.

But, as we walked down the path of writing and marketing a book together, we had many shared experiences, and our similarities came into play much more than our differences. We joked about who had the most rejection letters. When a new one came in, we’d forward them to each other or read them to each other on the phone. At one point, the same agent was considering both of our manuscripts. (He ended up rejecting both of us-- another shared experience.)

And then, about two years ago, our path diverged.

My first book (Yearbook) was accepted for publication by Deseret Book and was published last September. My second book was published in June. My father’s book is still not published, although all the bigwigs (Penguin, etc.) have had him under consideration at one time or another. So, he waits and sends out more queries, and hopes. …

At one point early on in our journey, he sent me copies of Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird and Stephen King’s On Writing, both memoirs about the authors’ writing. In Lamott’s book, she mentions the movie Cool Runnings, in which the coach of the team says, “If you’re not enough without a gold medal, you’ll never be enough with one.”

My father is a capable man, he excels in his career, and he is an exceptional father and husband. I think he knows that he is enough.

But just in case he has those moments, as I do sometimes, where you wonder if you are enough, I want to remind him (and perhaps myself) of a few things:

The publishing industry is subjective. We all know that money must be made, that people’s opinions may differ, that the gold medal of publication doesn’t always go to the one who should get it.

And, as any published author can tell you, even getting published—being lucky enough to grab that gold medal—doesn’t mean you feel like enough. You are still scared when you have a book signing, and worry that no one will show up. (And sometimes, no one does.) You worry that people will make fun of your book or have something negative to say about it. (And sometimes, they do.)

But ultimately, our worth is not measured in sales numbers or books in print. It is measured in whether we were good to those we loved, and whether we were loved. And, on all those accounts, my father is more than enough.



Allyson Condie's books, Yearbook and First Day are available at Deseret Book and other LDS bookstores.

Editors Are People Too by Ronda Hinrichsen

Several years ago, I wrote a profile piece for a national children's magazine. To make a long story short, the photographer they'd hired fell through, and the magazine's art director called and asked if I could take the required picture instead. I agreed, but since I am not a photographer, I asked if he would tell me exactly what he wanted while I recorded it on my answering machine--just so I wouldn't make any mistakes.

To my surprise, he cleared his throat and haltingly said, "Uh, I, uh, I have a cold."

From that experience, I learned editors REALLY are people. Like me, they have difficult, yet hopefully fun, jobs to do; and yet they also have insecurities. The only problem is they hold the fruit of my dreams in their hands. But still, knowing they're people helps me navigate the publishing maze with a little less trepidation.

In many ways, it's like working with a well-meaning but not all-knowing building contractor. Most of the time he's c orrect and knows exactly what he's doing, but not always. Sometimes a laundry drain doesn't work right or a wall isn't perfectly square. And sometimes an editor rejects us. But, hey, he's (or she's) only human. They make mistakes, too.

I just hope I can always tell the difference between a mistake and an opportunity to correct--or rebuild, as the case may be.

You can read more of Ronda's writings over on TheWriteBlocks.

LDS Fiction by Tristi Pinkston

I thought I'd be able to post today and tomorrow, but the best laid plans...Thankfully, I've already received a few guest blogs. But please send more. I'd like a variety of voices to pick from. I know there are lots of good ones out there because I read them regularly! (You should know who you are...)


I’m about to get myself into a whole lot of trouble with what I’m about to say, but I’m prepared to roll with the punches.

The LDS market has had its ups and downs. Some fabulous books have been published, and some not-so-fabulous books have been published.

I’ve spoken with many a reader who has told me they are disenchanted with the LDS market. “I tried such-and-such book,” they tell me. “It was so poorly done, I couldn’t read it.”

That, my dear bloggy friends, is a problem.

The LDS market is very small still. We need to be holding ourselves to a higher standard so that when people hear the words “LDS fiction,” they aren’t immediately fighting a gag reflex.

The main issues readers seem to have fall into these categories:

1. Predictable plots – girl meets guy, one or the other of them isn’t a member, so they join, and they live happily ever after.

2. Bad editing.

3. Lots of preaching.

4. Cheesy dialogue.

5. Too froo-froo – the books don’t address real-life issues.

6. Problems are solved too coincidentally.


Today’s readers want meat. They want to sink their teeth into a story, not nibble around the edges of the frosting. This is not to say that they don’t want entertainment – they do. But they want intelligent entertainment.

As I see the potential the LDS market has, I get all excited to think about the amazing books we can turn out in the future. We have already done a lot to increase the quality of what’s available. I mentioned in today’s earlier blog that LDS authors are researching more thoroughly, editing more meticulously, and stretching themselves farther than ever before. That’s what we’re going to have to do in order to stay competitive with the national market.

Now, to you readers – there are scads of good LDS books out there. We now have authors that compare with nearly every nationally bestselling author there is. If you’ve read an LDS novel and been totally disenchanted with the market because of it, please, give it another go. The bar is being raised. New authors are coming on to the scene all the time and the established ones are honing their talents like never before.

It’s important that we support the LDS market as much as we can. The publishers need to see that there’s an interest in quality fiction – they are already putting most of their money into nonfiction because that’s what’s selling. Now, don’t get me wrong – there’s nothing bad about nonfiction. But if we want to keep seeing LDS fiction published, thereby making a way for talented authors to continue to make it to the shelves, we’ve got to get out there and show the bookstores what we think. Buy LDS fiction. Talk to your friends about it. If you find an author you really like, pass the word along. We can build this up to where the funds are present and the motivation is flowing. LDS fiction is still relatively new, and every new endeavor needs time to grow and develop. I think it’s starting to come into its own, and I’m excited to see it happen and to be a part of it.

Tristi Pinkston
LDS Historical Fiction Author
Media Reviewer
http://www.tristipinkston.com
http://tristipinkston.blogspot.com
http://members.families.com/tristipie/blog

Another Call for Guest Blogs

I have an event this weekend and need four guest blogs--Thursday, Friday, Monday and Tuesday.

Do you recall all the times I've blogged about how important marketing yourself is? This is your opportunity to amaze your fellow writers, to practice marketing and to have your work seen by millions (well, okay. Subtract a couple of zeroes.)

Blog about anything connected to writing and/or publishing. You're welcome to "recycle" a post from your own blog, if you like. You may shamelessly plug your own book/blog at the end of your post.

I'll pick the four I like best for this week, but eventually I will post all that are well-written, informative, and/or entertaining.

LDS YA for Boys

In one of your blogs [this one], you stated that your company isn't marketing YA fiction for boys. A company I submitted to told me the same thing. Does this mean I should just forget the LDS market for my "next Harry Potter novel"? (the Harry Potter comment is a joke, but the question is serious) Thanks!

It's not that no one is writing/publishing YA for LDS boys, it's that smaller publishers need to invest in books that they know will give them a return on their money. The chances are better with adult fiction than for YA. So you need to match your manuscript with a publisher that is big enough to take the risk (there are a few), or a smaller company with an owner who is personally committed to expanding that market and willing to swing by their toenails. (I personally don't know of any, but if a reader does, speak up.)

Also, we don't usually market directly to the young man because he doesn't usually go to the LDS bookstore to buy his fiction, his mother or grandmother does. But that is starting to change just a tad--with Leven Thumps, Fablehaven, and others...

So short answer, write your book for the audience you think it fits best. By the time you're ready to shop it to publishers, the market might be ready for it.

B.O.O.K.

Here's another funny one that I've seen posted in several places lately. I know it's not Friday, so technically is not a "Friday Funny" but I won't be posting tomorrow. I've got an event that is going to take up my entire day. The link takes you to the original posting.


Introducing the new Bio-Optic Organized Knowledge device
Trade named: BOOK

BOOK is a revolutionary breakthrough in technology: no wires, no electric circuits, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on. It's so easy to use, even a child can operate it.

Compact and portable, it can be used anywhere -- even sitting in an armchair by the fire -- yet it is powerful enough to hold as much information as a CD-ROM disc. Here's how it works:

BOOK is constructed of sequentially numbered sheets of paper (recyclable), each capable of holding thousands of bits of information. The pages are locked together with a custom-fit device called a binder, which keeps the sheets in their correct sequence.

Opaque Paper Technology (OPT) allows manufacturers to use both sides of the sheet, doubling the information density and cutting costs. Experts are divided on the prospects for further increases in information density; for now, BOOKs with more information simply use more pages.

Each sheet is scanned optically, registering information directly into your brain. A flick of the finger takes you to the next sheet. BOOK may be taken up at any time and used merely by opening it.

Unlike other display devices, BOOK never crashes or requires rebooting, and it can even be dropped on the floor or stepped on without damage. However, it can become unusable if immersed in water for a significant period of time. The "browse" feature allows you to move instantly to any sheet and move forward or backward as you wish. Many come with an "index" feature, which pinpoints the exact location of selected information for instant retrieval.

An optional "BOOKmark" accessory allows you to open BOOK to the exact place you left it in a previous session -- even if the BOOK has been closed. BOOKmarks fit universal design standards; thus, a single BOOKmark can be used in BOOKs by various manufacturers. Conversely, numerous BOOKmarkers can be used in a single BOOK if the user wants to store numerous views at once. The number is limited only by the number of pages in the BOOK.

You can also make personal notes next to BOOK text entries with an optional programming tool, the Portable Erasable Nib Cryptic Intercommunication Language Stylus (PENCILS).

Portable, durable, and affordable, BOOK is being hailed as a precursor of a new entertainment wave. Also, BOOK's appeal seems so certain that thousands of content creators have committed to the platform and investors are reportedly flocking. Look for a flood of new titles soon.

What it's really like talking to an editor

I've seen this on about a dozen blogs over the past week. I think it's incredibly funny, but then I don't mind laughing at myself either.

Chip's Guide to Marketing Your Book

On the advice of Candace Salima (see comments on this post; thanks, Candace), I checked out Chip MacGregor's blog. Hadn't seen him before. Interesting guy. Has lots of good tips.

I read a few posts, and found this one talking about marketing. That's been a frequent question around here, so I suggest you go read it. I agree with pretty much everything, except the cost of review copies. In a small market like ours, with small print runs, most books cost more than $1.00 per copy. Other than that, I liked what he had to say--especially encouragement toward internet marketing.

[If the link to that post doesn't work, go here and look for the Sept 13, 2007 post titled "How to Market Your Book and Lose Lots of Money."

Recognizing Greatness--or Not

A couple of months ago, someone asked if I thought I would have recognized something with as much potential as Harry Potter, had it come across my desk as a submission. (Read post here.) Of course, I said I would...but it's not always clear cut.

I was browsing Nathan Bransford over the weekend and found his take on that. He said it better than I did. Go read it.

And while you're there, bookmark his blog or pick up his feed. He has great info and he's pretty funny too.

Pen Names

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a pen name?

A pen name has one purpose: to hide or screen your identity from your reader.

There are several legitimate reasons to do that, the most common one is when an established author wants to write in a new genre. I talk about that here.

Some authors just have an issue with using their real name--either they are afraid no one will like their book and they don't want to be embarassed later, or they are afraid they'll be the next J.K. Rowling and want to protect their privacy. Sometimes the subject matter of the book is such that they need to protect their identity (for example, if it's a memoir about something that's socially unacceptable, or where you could get sued if people knew you wrote the book). Or maybe they don't like their real name. Or maybe the publisher doesn't like their real name. Whatever.

The disadvantage is that your friends, neighbors, old boyfriends, the teacher who said you'd never write worth anything, will never know it's you when your book ends up on the NYT Best Seller list.

It might also create some issues if you're out there promoting your book and people recognize you, but usually only if you're already well known. For example, if Hilary (she's a first-name celebrity now, right?) used a pen name to write about politics. That could be a problem.

A similar problem is that some readers will feel cheated if they find out you're not using your real name. This is more of an issue with non-fiction where you're presenting yourself as an expert in the area you're writing about. They wonder if they can trust what you're saying.

If you want to use a pen name, talk to your agent/publisher about it. Discuss the pros and cons with them and then make a decision. Personally, I don't think it's a big deal either way, but I do like to see authors use their real names when possible because I think if they've gone to all the trouble to write a good book, they deserve all the credit and perks that come with that.

POV in YA

I've been told that for YA literature, most editors want it told in 1st person POV. The rationale is that 1st person is more intimate, and young readers can identify better with the main, or POV character.

I’m not sure I totally agree with that. I've been writing a YA novel in 3rd person, and I think it is very intimate, getting into the thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc. of 4 different characters, all having their own stories (sub-plots) that tie into the main character’s story. I was told recently that I should re-write it in 1st person as most editors won’t accept one written in 3rd person. If I were to re-write it, I think it would lose a lot, as I would have to cut out all the sub-plots that give the main story so much richness.

Is there any truth to that rumor?

Two words: Harry Potter.

Added to original post:
Perhaps I need to give more than a two word answer. Harry Potter, the biggest selling children's/YA series in the history of the world, is written in third person.

First person works very well for YA books for the reasons you list but it's not the only way to write. Do what works best for your story.

Getting on My Links List--Take Two

I've recently received several requests from bloggers asking to be added to my "Writing Tips for LDS Authors" links list (scroll WAY down toward the bottom).

It would be impossible for me to keep a list of everyone, so I have to be discriminating. But where do I draw the line?

After several days of thinking about this, I decided to draw the line a little closer to the descriptive title of my list. To be on the list, your blog must be PRIMARILY (as in mostly, almost all, only deviating a little bit on occasion) on the topic of writing and publishing for LDS authors; not a slice of life with a few tips thrown in, nor one that details daily experiences as an author. So, even though there were several blogs on my list that I personally love and read often, they got deleted because they are not PRIMARILY writing and publishing tips and information.

To get on my links list, your blog also needs to be kept current and posted to on a regular basis--at least weekly (although you're allowed to take vacations, as I just did).

However, because I want to support all of you in supporting each other, I have added two other links below the "Writing Tips" list:

LDS Blogs--a very long list of LDS bloggers
and
LDS Blog Webring--a shorter list of LDS bloggers, but the only other one I know about

Any LDS blogger may apply to these two lists.

If there are other lists and/or webrings for LDS bloggers, please let me know and I will add them to my sidebar.

Sordid Pasts

This is a little embarrassing. Thank you for letting us be anonymous. I have previously published some stories where the main characters' behaviors are--uh--not quite up to LDS standards. It was a long time ago and I sort of regret it now, but what's done is done. I haven't written anything in several years, but I now have an LDS story that I'd like to submit to an LDS publisher. Will my sordid past come back to haunt me?

Hmmm. That's a question I can't answer without more details, so all I can give you is a "Maybe; maybe not. "

It depends on several factors:

• How sordid was your past? Or rather, your stories?


• How widely read were your stories?


• Did you publish under a pen name?


• How likely are LDS readers to recognize you?


• What is your current story? Is it squeaky clean or edgy?

There are some publishers who most likely would not have a big problem with that. There are others who would not even look at your new manuscript if your previous ones were in the realm of erotica or graphic violence. For most, however, I think it would largely depend on the quality and content of your new manuscript.

At some point in the submission process, BEFORE YOU SIGN A CONTRACT, you're going to have to let your potential publisher know about previous publications. If your books were truly sordid, your publisher is going to need to have a plan in place to counter any possible repercussions--this could be anything from using a pen name to referencing a conversion in your bio.

I recommend dealing with it right up front in your initial query by listing your previously published titles. Then make sure that query and/or synopsis shines so brightly that they'll have to read your manuscript.

Whitney Awards List

I received lots of titles and have updated the list in the sidebar. If you sent me a title and it's not on the list, it's because:

1. I couldn't find a working link to it


2. The link you sent had info that indicated it was not published in 2007


3. It was an e-book (which I don't think are eligible) My mistake. E-books are eligible, as are self-published books.
   

Please make my life easier:
When you send a link, please be sure that it is correct. Do not add spaces in the URL, even if it's really long.

Disclaimer:
By providing this list, I am in no way endorsing the quality or content of the titles on the list. This is for your information only. Read the books at your own risk.

I do know how to alphabetize:
For the one person who thinks I don't know how to alphabetize book titles correctly, I know that the "A" and the "The" at the front of the titles don't count. But you know, I have a real job and a real life which do not include alphabetizing the Whitney Award book list. Nor does it include categorizing them by genre or publisher--although you are welcome to do that yourself and put a link to your list in the comments of any of these posts. But back to alpahbetizing, I use Blogger's Links List widget; I click "Alphabetize List" and it does the rest. (This is also why I must have a working link for each title. The Links List widget doesn't let me list a title unless it has a link.)

Isn't this amazing:
I knew LDS fiction was growing in leaps and bounds, but I had no idea. This list is certainly impressive, isn't it? And we still have several months left in the year. Please, keep the new titles coming.

Marketing Plan for Writers

Could you tell me what's included in a marketing plan? Is there a particular format? How can I learn how to put together an effective marketing plan? When is the best time to present it to the publisher?

Thanks. (PS Cedar Fort will publish my YA LDS novel in spring 2008--woo hoo!)

I've received marketing plans in all sorts of formats--from highly detailed and complex business proposals (overkill) to a simple numbered list. I don't have a preference--as long as I can understand the concepts and it doesn't take longer to read than your manuscript. (You're a writer; write clearly.)

Some publishers may have instructions on their websites.

Here are a few quick link for ideas. I am not endorsing these sites or the products offered on them, and I'm not sure how helpful each one actually is. I did a quick google on "marketing plans for writers" and skimmed the first few. I'm sure there are others that I've missed but this will give you a place to start. If readers know of some good sites or other sources, please post them in the comments section.

http://www.writerswrite.com/selfpublishing/hollowell.htm

http://ezinearticles.com/?Writers-Need-A-Marketing-Plan-Too&id=118526

http://marketing-plans.suite101.com/writers.cfm

(P.S. Good for you! Feel free to identify yourself in the comments section,)

Books Eligible for the Whitney Awards

As I've said before, I think the Whitney Awards idea is wonderful.

I've been meaning to make a list of eligible books but haven't found the time. Stephanie, over on Write Bravely, has started a list and generously agreed to let me post her list here. I've posted it in the sidebar using the links she set up on her blog. If your book is on this list and you'd rather have it linked somewhere else, send me an e-mail with your preferred link.

If you have a book (or know of a book) that is eligible for these awards but is not on the list, send me an e-mail with the title, author's name and preferred link.

Everyone else, check the list for books that you have read and like, then nominate them for an award.

UPDATED (9/10/07):

1. This needs to be a self-policing list. I don' t have time to make sure everyone who requests to be added to this list is actually eligible. It's up to you to check the eligibility requirements to make sure you meet them. If a book appears on this list that is not eligible, someone please let me know.


2. I don't care where the link to the books go--publisher website, author website, deseretbook.com, amazon.com. It is up to the person submitting the title to provide the link. I will change the link upon request by the a) author, or b) publisher.
   

Why Should I Care?

I've read several manuscripts lately that have pretty good writing, a good plot, no major mistakes or problems, they've even been submitted perfectly.

So what's the problem?

I just don't care.

When you look at fiction, you basically have two types--plot driven and character driven. You need both to make a good book. What I'm seeing a lot of lately are decent plots without the character development needed to make me care. It's really sad when the main character is about to be eaten by a shark and you find yourself mid-yawn.

Look at your characters. If you didn't know them so well, would you like them? Would you care about them? Will others care about them? If you're not sure, the best thing you can do is find some ruthless readers who don't know you personally. People who know you well will color what they're reading with your personality, they'll "get" your jokes, they'll "hear" your voice. People who don't know you rely on written cues to assess your character's personality and traits. If complete strangers care about your characters, you're probably okay. If they don't, do some rewriting before submitting.

Watch Out for Libel

Are you aware of any guidelines or rules of thumb for including actual people/places/events in works of fiction? I know this is commonly done in historical fiction, but what about works set in the present or recent past?

If there are no guidelines, what are your own thoughts on this practice?

Places and events aren't too much of a problem, it's people that can get you into trouble. The main thing you need to worry about is libel. If the person is still alive and they feel that what you've said about them has damaged their reputation, they can sue for libel. Public figures, celebrities, politicians, etc. are generally safe to write about, unless they can prove malice on your part. You can read more about it here and here.

Where you really get into trouble is if you fictionalize characters that you know on a personal basis (like neighbors or family members), and they are recognizable to themselves and to other readers, and they don't like it, they can sue. Or possibly never speak to you again. This can be a problem in memoirs, where an author's story is tied up with the stories of the people in their lives. It's a fine line and has to be handled carefully.

If you're going to include a historical person in your fictional piece, you should do enough research that you can portray that person accurately and fairly.

I guess my bottom line is, I wouldn't want someone writing about me without my permission and approval of the text, so I extend that courtesy to others. If it's a quick reference to a public figure like, "Debra had a crush on George Clooney..." or even Debra having a brief conversation with George, I'd be fine with it. But if Debra was having an ongoing relationship with George, that I wouldn't do without George's signed and notarized release form in my files.