Writing is the Easy Part

It’s all the other stuff that is difficult.

Think about it. You get over making a plot that works, a timeline that doesn’t have major flaws, characters that aren’t flat, dialogue that feels real, and even though there are tough spots, it is invigorating. It’s fun. Those are challenges you can surmount. They are within your control.

And then you get to the hard part.

If you agree–feel free to share this badge. Please don’t alter it.

Selling your writing.

Not just the polishing which takes time, but writing a perfect query letter to snazzle-dazzle an agent, crafting a synopsis that shows off you, your writing, your characters, your plot, and your story’s amazing standout sizzle.

You build a platform which is so dependent on hitting the right note to convince others to take precious time out of their lives and follow you, like you, comment on you, share you, etc. Creating brand ambassadors is no easy, quick, overnight happenstance. It takes time, dedication, and a slow and steady consistency that could try a monk.

Meanwhile you see others hitting their mark and accelerating past you. Reveling in success. And in some ways, it is yours too. It’s wonderful to see. You were there when it happened, you helped them with critiques or simply with a little cheerleading. They show you that it is possible. That dreams do come true.

But sometimes…

Sometimes it sucks. You know it. I know it. They know it. Sometimes you have a bad week where life beats you up, kicks you around, rubs dirt in your eyes, and makes it difficult to even meet your most basic goals or emotional needs.

You want to cry. You want to feel sorry for yourself. You want to tell the world they’ve forgotten about you and that they are missing out on something big. That it’s not fair.

But you. Must. Not. I repeat: You. Must. Not.

The Internet is forever. What is posted one day and deleted the next isn’t necessarily so. Alexa has a wayback machine, Google has a searchable cache. Think screenshots. People quoting, copying, sharing. Think before you post. Now and for always. And especially if you one day dream of becoming a “public” figure in some way shape or form. This even affects people looking for jobs these days–employers Google candidates. So be careful! If you have to vent, tell someone you trust in real life, not on a public, online forum.

Also remember if you whine and moan and carry on to your following you will be branded a bitter, jaded, what-have-you and that will be it. One day of sharing your deepest, diamond-hard angst and railing against the unfairness of the universe will break that carefully built house of cards faster than aiming a fan at it.

Have faith my friends. Know that the universe knows when it is the right time for you. Be encouraged. You can do it. You are not alone. Share your encouragement here.

Legit Literary Agents and Scammers: Tools to Separate the Two

Seeing as I use the searchable Agent Query database whenever I decide to query a project, I spend little time worrying about ‘fake’ agents or scammers. However, scammers hooking unsuspecting writers happens everyday and it is worth gaining some tools on how to identify the ‘bad guys’.

Over on Pub Rants, blog by agent Kristen Nelson, she discusses scammers and the handy websites Writer Beware and Preditors and Editors. She made a call to those of us with blogs to mention that scammers are indeed out there in case we have newbies checking out our sites. (It’s nice to know someone is looking out for us, isn’t it?)

Basically, an agent should never ask for money. (Check out the excellent article by Victoria Strauss for more tips on how to spot a scammer.) Agents get paid when you get paid. That means, you pay them NOTHING until they have made a book deal with a legitimate publisher. Now, some agencies do ask for a small fee to cover office expenses. However those fees should not be asked for upfront. Generally, they are taken off your cut of the book deal and should be mentioned in the contract you sign when you land your agent. And yes, it is common for agents to ask for 15% of what you make on book deals as their cut and 20% from foreign deals. It may seem like a lot at first glance, but agents work very hard for that money and in fact, often you wouldn’t even earn that 15% if you were dealing without an agent. Fact: agents almost always get a better deal for writers than writers do for themselves. Look at that, your agent just paid for him or herself AND you have more time to write and less worries. Awesome!

(If you are new to the game and aren’t sure what sort of things to expect from an agent, check out agent Rachelle Gardner’s list of things to expect of an agent and a couple things not to expect. They are worth checking out. As well, agent Ethan Ellenberg has an excellent article on how to pick a good agent.)

Back to scammers. If you are looking for an agent, you can also check to see if they are a member of AAR (Association of Authors’ Representatives) as those agents HAVE to act within the association’s code of conduct. That is NOT to say that if an agent is not a member that they are going to scam you. No, AAR is just another way to help you sort through your pile of potential agents. As well, check out Agent Query for a good agent. Check writer boards like Absolute Write Water Cooler and of course, the already mentioned Preditors and Editors and Writer Beware. You can also check out books on literary agents at your local bookstore like this one or this one.

Shop Indie Bookstores

Shop Indie Bookstores