I suppose everyone of us writers will be posting these within the next couple of days, but I officially made my goals last night, so I might as well post them right now.
At any rate, here are my New Year's Resolutions for the year 2009:
1. To send out 2 queries a week for Miss Midas, until one of two things happen:
a. I get an agent
b. I reach 100 queries sent
2. Finish PAMR, and by finish, I mean finish the first draft and then revise/polish until query ready.
2a. Think up a better title to PAMR.
Well, there they are. Lofty perhaps, but not unrealistic. I feel very good about them, and very excited to get started.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
A Christmas Quandary
As I have been working away on my current WiP, PAMR (short for post apocalyptic magic realism--a mouthful, hence the acronym,) I have done a lot of thinking.
First of all, PAMR and Midas, the novel that I am querying are . . . different. Very different. So, a scenario comes to my mind: Renee gets an agent with Midas. Woo hoo!!! Joyous day!! Let's be idealistic and say that Midas is published. Requisite celebrations follow. Then, Renee's agent is like, "Next!" Renee delivers her agent a copy of PAMR. Agent's like, "Uh, no. I don't represent Sci fi. Besides, this is nothing like Midas, your many fans (again, I'm being idealistic) won't want to read this."
Now, obviously I am jumping the gun, but not too badly. I need to make a few choices now. (right?) Here is the thing. I love Midas. I really do. But, I am falling very in love with PAMR. And they are so different, that I worry. Agents talk a lot about finding your brand. And while you can stray a bit once you are an established author, a new author needs to establish themselves a bit in their chosen brand. Not totally jump genres from book one to book two.
The quandary is this. I predict being done with PAMR, and by that I mean ready to send out, by the end of February. So, do I keep sending out Midas queries until PAMR is done? Or do I say, I think PAMR will be stronger, and halt querying Midas right now? Thing is, I'm obviously not sure if PAMR is stronger, since I'm not even done yet, but anyway that's beside the point.
None of this is all that pressing, since I have put a hold on querying Midas for the holidays anyway. But, come January, I might need to make a choice. (right?) *sigh* I guess I am just trying to sort out my thoughts.
First of all, PAMR and Midas, the novel that I am querying are . . . different. Very different. So, a scenario comes to my mind: Renee gets an agent with Midas. Woo hoo!!! Joyous day!! Let's be idealistic and say that Midas is published. Requisite celebrations follow. Then, Renee's agent is like, "Next!" Renee delivers her agent a copy of PAMR. Agent's like, "Uh, no. I don't represent Sci fi. Besides, this is nothing like Midas, your many fans (again, I'm being idealistic) won't want to read this."
Now, obviously I am jumping the gun, but not too badly. I need to make a few choices now. (right?) Here is the thing. I love Midas. I really do. But, I am falling very in love with PAMR. And they are so different, that I worry. Agents talk a lot about finding your brand. And while you can stray a bit once you are an established author, a new author needs to establish themselves a bit in their chosen brand. Not totally jump genres from book one to book two.
The quandary is this. I predict being done with PAMR, and by that I mean ready to send out, by the end of February. So, do I keep sending out Midas queries until PAMR is done? Or do I say, I think PAMR will be stronger, and halt querying Midas right now? Thing is, I'm obviously not sure if PAMR is stronger, since I'm not even done yet, but anyway that's beside the point.
None of this is all that pressing, since I have put a hold on querying Midas for the holidays anyway. But, come January, I might need to make a choice. (right?) *sigh* I guess I am just trying to sort out my thoughts.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
If I don't get more time to write, I am going to disown my family.
Or scream.
Or move back to Ohio.
Um . . . just kidding, any of you family that is reading this. I really do love you. . . *shrugs and smiles*
I just want to write. I need it. Badly. And it wouldn't hurt to be able to check my friends blogs more.
Anyway . . . that's all.
Or move back to Ohio.
Um . . . just kidding, any of you family that is reading this. I really do love you. . . *shrugs and smiles*
I just want to write. I need it. Badly. And it wouldn't hurt to be able to check my friends blogs more.
Anyway . . . that's all.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
The old Tagola
Bookwormed! Out of the blue by Jill
Here are the rules:
1. Open the closest book - not a favorite or most intellectual book, but the closest at the moment - to page 56.
2. Write out the fifth sentence on the page, as well as the two to five sentences following.
3. Then open your ms to page 56 and write out the fifth sentence, as well as two to five additional ones.
4. Tag five (or more) buddies to do this same exercise.
Well, here goes nothing:
1. Animorphs by K.A. Applegate. (I feel the need to say that I am at my inlaws house and they have lots of books for grandkids.)
"No. I don't think it works that way. You have to think at me to hear. Hey, watch this." Suddenly Tobias leapt through the air.
Well, it doesn't make much sense to me, since I haven't read the book. *shrug*
2.My WiP
"You should go back to sleep," Owen said. "You need your rest."
"For what?" Jetta's chest felt tight. She could feel the pressure rising to her throat. "I don't do anything."
"Bored?" Kris asked, contemptuously.
"N--no, that's not what I meant."
"Well, than what did you mean?"
3. Come on, it's fun! I tag:
Kiersten
Natalie
Kasie
Candice
Here are the rules:
1. Open the closest book - not a favorite or most intellectual book, but the closest at the moment - to page 56.
2. Write out the fifth sentence on the page, as well as the two to five sentences following.
3. Then open your ms to page 56 and write out the fifth sentence, as well as two to five additional ones.
4. Tag five (or more) buddies to do this same exercise.
Well, here goes nothing:
1. Animorphs by K.A. Applegate. (I feel the need to say that I am at my inlaws house and they have lots of books for grandkids.)
"No. I don't think it works that way. You have to think at me to hear. Hey, watch this." Suddenly Tobias leapt through the air.
Well, it doesn't make much sense to me, since I haven't read the book. *shrug*
2.My WiP
"You should go back to sleep," Owen said. "You need your rest."
"For what?" Jetta's chest felt tight. She could feel the pressure rising to her throat. "I don't do anything."
"Bored?" Kris asked, contemptuously.
"N--no, that's not what I meant."
"Well, than what did you mean?"
3. Come on, it's fun! I tag:
Kiersten
Natalie
Kasie
Candice
Friday, December 12, 2008
I have reached Querying Nirvana
It's true. After long meditation under the a metaphorical Bodhi tree, I have obtained that state of mind--Nirvana--which is perfect calm.
Okay, maybe that's a touch dramatic, but I have, in point of fact, reached that stage in the
whole querying business where the uncontrolled emotions have ceased. I feel very calm about it all. Maybe it's partly due to the fact that I decided to go on a query sending hiatus for the holidays. Or maybe it's because I am too distracted with moving and being around my family again to care. And then, maybe it is because I am absorbed in my new book and have transferred all of my publication hopes onto that.
Whatever the reason, I think it's a good thing. I tend to the melodramatic, and man, those first few weeks of querying nearly wiped me out. I think Nirvana is a much better state of mind in which to approach the whole business.
Okay, maybe that's a touch dramatic, but I have, in point of fact, reached that stage in the
whole querying business where the uncontrolled emotions have ceased. I feel very calm about it all. Maybe it's partly due to the fact that I decided to go on a query sending hiatus for the holidays. Or maybe it's because I am too distracted with moving and being around my family again to care. And then, maybe it is because I am absorbed in my new book and have transferred all of my publication hopes onto that. Whatever the reason, I think it's a good thing. I tend to the melodramatic, and man, those first few weeks of querying nearly wiped me out. I think Nirvana is a much better state of mind in which to approach the whole business.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Goodbye Ohio, Hello Utah
I'M BACK!
Well, it's been one hell of a week. (As you may know, I normally don't swear, but the fact of the matter is, the week has been much more like hell than heck.)
At any rate, I'll spare you all the gory details of moving-driving-cross-country-for-three-days-with-two-kids-in-the-back-seat-plus-one-got-sick.
Needless to say, I'm back and oh so happy to be back. I'm living at my Inlaws house, so I need to set up my computer and get cracking on the blogs again.
But, for now, I just wanted to say that I missed all of your clever and amusing blogs. And I missed, I MISSED being able to work on my stories. Luckily, several very very nice ideas came to my mind on the long drive. I can't wait to get cracking.
Well, it's been one hell of a week. (As you may know, I normally don't swear, but the fact of the matter is, the week has been much more like hell than heck.)
At any rate, I'll spare you all the gory details of moving-driving-cross-country-for-three-days-with-two-kids-in-the-back-seat-plus-one-got-sick.
Needless to say, I'm back and oh so happy to be back. I'm living at my Inlaws house, so I need to set up my computer and get cracking on the blogs again.
But, for now, I just wanted to say that I missed all of your clever and amusing blogs. And I missed, I MISSED being able to work on my stories. Luckily, several very very nice ideas came to my mind on the long drive. I can't wait to get cracking.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Moving . . . again.
Yes, it's true, today is moving day for us. Now, you may ask, "But, Renee, didn't you just move?"
The answer to that is, "Yes, three months ago."
*weary, weary sigh*
At any rate, tomorrow morning we start the three day drive across the country. In two cars. (I know, good times, right?) So, needless to say I won't be posting, or commenting on all of your lovely blogs for a few days, largely due to the fact that I don't have a laptop. *shakes fist at the sky*
And, do you want to know the best part of all? Ben has State Boards today, so I get to pack the entire house all by myself!! Hurray!! Oh, oh, wait! There's one other fun fact. Last night a good friend brought us dinner, and we all got food poisoning!!! *crazed laugh*
The answer to that is, "Yes, three months ago."
*weary, weary sigh*
At any rate, tomorrow morning we start the three day drive across the country. In two cars. (I know, good times, right?) So, needless to say I won't be posting, or commenting on all of your lovely blogs for a few days, largely due to the fact that I don't have a laptop. *shakes fist at the sky*
And, do you want to know the best part of all? Ben has State Boards today, so I get to pack the entire house all by myself!! Hurray!! Oh, oh, wait! There's one other fun fact. Last night a good friend brought us dinner, and we all got food poisoning!!! *crazed laugh*
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