After a year and a half of constant rejection, I finally revised my first query into something a little more focused. It’s not quite as rambling as my first and it seems like maybe I knew a little bit more about what was going with my own book on at this point. Dear (Agent), I viewed [...]
Tag: new writer
Slimming Down
Revision can be painful. Digging into the words you put so much effort into writing, not to mention deciding which of them need to go, can overwhelm a writer with fear. Which words do I cut? Filter words? Entire paragraphs? Scenes, even? What if cutting this particular scene is wrong? What if it changes the [...]
On Work and Effort
I’ll admit that I’ve been slacking a bit when it comes to blogging (for the obvious reasons), but as I’ve scrolled through my Twitter feed, I’ve seen a lot of my writer friends elated either because they are about to send out their very first query letter or because they’ve received their very first rejection [...]
These Boots Are Made For Walking
Let’s talk shoes. What? That’s not related to writing? Of course it is! Bear with me. I love shoes. I know what you’re thinking already, but trust me when I say you’ve got it all wrong. To clarify, I love a single pair of shoes. So what are they? Pretty little red ballet flats? Sexy [...]
If a Writer Logs On
If a writer logs on, she’ll want to check her email before she starts working. When she checks her email, she’ll see she someone tagged her on Facebook. She’ll log into Facebook, and see she has three messages. When she checks her messages, she’ll notice one of them is from a writer friend. When she [...]
Tweet On
Once upon a time, writing was really a very solitary activity. Writers would hole up in a room by themselves, channel their inner muse (and hope that she showed up), and tap away on their typewriter (or - GASP - word processor) until a finished manuscript managed to produce itself. This was before the time [...]
Book Buddies
It probably goes without saying, but I love books. And if you’re a writer, it’s a good bet that you do, too. It’s hard for me to keep up with the constant stream of fantastic new releases, so I leave that job up to my friend Shanah, the Bionic Book Worm. If you haven’t checked [...]
The Sun Also Rises, Indeed
This is a difficult time of year even if most people would disagree. After all, the sun is streaming through my window, the grass is green again, the trees are bursting with tiny white petals that litter the ground like confetti, and the scent of lilacs carries on the breeze. Plus, Flip-flops.* But with all [...]
Will You Go Out With Me? Circle Yes or No
Remember middle school? If you’re like me, you’ve done just about everything in your power to forget as much as humanly possible about those awkward middle school years, but no matter how hard you try, there are still these lingering memories in the foggy corners of your brain of every horrific social interaction you’ve ever [...]
The Labor of Love
I won’t lie. When I first began writing with the intention of finishing and someday publishing a novel (or fifteen), I didn’t have the first clue as to what kinds of water I was dipping my toes into. (Hint: Deep, dark, swift moving, filled with odd creatures who will take a bite out of you, [...]
L. Ryan Storms 