Click “Send”

Posted on by Mary

Two days ago I sent off my query letter and the first ten pages of my gender-swapped version of Treasure Island. 😬

I attended a writing workshop in May and signed up for two pitches with literary agents. One indicated an interest in my novel and provided me the email address for requested submissions. Why wait this long? Well for one thing, the agent said we had until the end of the year to do so. But most importantly — I needed to edit the novel yet again.

I had already edited the novel several times. Even so, I found plenty more changes to make. When I reached the end of the most recent go through I forwarded the novel to my first reader. She is a graphic artist who once worked at a small local press designing some of their books. She’s also an avid reader (for herself and with her young children) and listens to audio books. We had fruitful discussions about the novel that informed yet more edits. A friend of hers who teaches fourth grade squeezed in time to read my first ten pages and made insightful suggestions.

Using their feedback I worked on the query letter and first ten pages until it was time to just send off my submittal.

But I’m not done editing the novel. My readers had zeroed in on my most consistent shortcoming that I am now attempting to address.

I joined one of (I’m sure) a zillion writers groups on Facebook. Comments and questions are posted by first-time writers to experienced, published authors. If you want to receive a large number of comments on your post, just post “I just finished my first novel. How do I get an agent?”

I like Anne Lamott’s “shitty first draft” philosophy. It frees up the writer to just write! Don’t expect perfection. The first version is supposed to be lousy. Congratulate yourself for climbing the mountain. Celebrate in whatever manner is appropriate for you, rest on your laurels for a period, and then start editing!

The novice writer is inundated with replies pretty much along that line. Edit and edit again.

Of course, at some point you have to say you’ve done all you can. Time for a professional to look it over. Whether contracting a professional editor before submitting or self-publishing, or pitching to agents and editors in hopes of piquing their interest.

It’s exciting to have an agent or editor to express interest in your efforts. It’s also nerve wracking. A generic rejection can be devastating. A “not for us” response can be hopeful. If not them, maybe someone else. So, fingers crossed while waiting for a response.

I’ve immersed myself in my Treasure Island novel all summer and I’m still fiddling with it. For mental breaks (aside from the dog dragging me outside, reading, and watching Britbox or Acorn offerings) I’m now turning to another completed novel that needs significant changes.

A loss…

My gelding crossed the Rainbow Bridge in early September. It’s always difficult to make the decision to let go of one of our beloved four-legged family members, but the vet confirmed it was time. He turned 30 this year; we had 27 years together. He “retired” when my arthritic hips grounded me. Most recently he was allowed free range of the boarding facility and proved to be quite the character. Someone always had a story to tell on him when I arrived at the barn. He often sauntered into the arena to hang out with the trainer during lessons. And he was known for cantering in from the jump field out back to trot up the barn aisle much to the alarm of everyone grooming or tacking up. That’s my guy.

Wait! Stop Everything! Is That Historically Correct?

Posted on by Mary

I’ve been focused on editing (again!) my Treasure Island inspired novel. I thought it might be the most marketable and worth the effort to keep working on it. I’m making the usual changes to eliminate superficial words, phrases, and paragraphs as well as attempting to clarify story elements for the reader. Per usual I’m layering in more character development.

However, all of this comes to a screeching halt when I stumble on elements of historical accuracy! Writing and editing are set aside as I dive into the fathomless Research Well. Was that word used in 1834/1835? How did firearms of the era work? Was that card game still popular post Regency?

One of the advantages of writing Science Fiction and Fantasy is building your own world. Most fantasy novels are based on or inspired by actual historical cultures and/or periods. But you can make whatever alterations that suit the story as long as you can make the elements seem reasonable. Magic is always helpful with author-established parameters and limitations for the story world. Genius inventors can introduce technology a century or two earlier in your fantasy setting. Parallel universes can make incongruities acceptable.

Science Fiction has a basis in actual science. But there is always the opportunity to extrapolate current cutting edge science into the future. Or apply a “reasonable” tweak to known science to take it in a new direction. As long as the author can establish a non-magical explanation so the reader can “suspend disbelief” the story is good to go.

But I chose to set my novel in 1834/34 England and on a Caribbean island. I selected those years because of an actual event in the future Queen Victoria’s life. What was I thinking? Because I decided my protagonist would share a birthdate (and perhaps a cosmic connection) with the future queen.

Anyway — I am comfortable with fashion history and the world of horses. I’ve read 19th century novels and watched period movies and series. They provide some information about society of the period, but not necessarily the nitty gritty details (and movies are notorious for inaccuracies). So I did online research before writing, but in the process of writing the first draft and now editing for the umpteenth time I continue to encounter the need for additional research.

And everything comes to a stop while I attempt to discover how something was done then, whether something had been invented yet, what the social customs of the period were, and so forth. As is often the case in diving down the research hole, an exorbitant amount of time may be spent looking up the tiniest, fleeting detail. Instead of knocking out the next chapter or two, or editing several pages, the entire time set aside for writing is spent researching fashionable waistcoats, Christmas tide menus, or creepy crawlies of the Caribbean islands.

Then again, getting sidetracked by research has solved more than one story element. I discovered there was, indeed, a wine made especially for Napoleon. And I learned Princess Victoria’s first attendance at the Royal Ascot races ties in perfectly with my storyline.

Sometimes hitting a stone wall and researching a way around, over, or beneath it pays off.

Life Happens

Posted on by Mary

Twenty-twenty hindsight tells me I should have seen my doctor sooner. But I did not associate the odd issues I was experiencing with a specific illness. After I finally made an appointment in June I embarked on a medical “adventure” that lasted the remainder of 2024. Doing okay now — but I was benched for a while there.

I did manage to peck away at my umpteenth edit of Quest for the Thing and I’m nearly done with it. And I muddled around with ideas for The Crystal Sword, my latest story idea. I settled on photos grabbed off the Internet for the main characters, and I’ve gone through several iterations of names for the characters. I have a secret background for the main character, an idea for the opening scene, and a concept for the climactic scene. Lots to figure out for what happens in between.

Nothing like reading other books inside and outside the genre of the novel-in-progress (or hope to be in progress) for story ideas. I started taking notes from a popular YA novel on family dynamics within a rich household. And got a nonfiction book about a very powerful medieval family to study for political machinations as well as family dynamics. I received a copy of Percival Everett’s James for Christmas and decided to reread the origin story, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, before starting James. Man, it has been awhile! Like reading it for the first time. But it’s given me some potential plot ideas. From the rural southern slave states of the U.S. to a fantasy novel with centaurs? Well, very general ideas for moving the characters about.

The dog remains neurotic — my anxious little Sheltie should have been named Busby Berkeley for the major production he makes out of every little thing.

The horse is now free range on the boarding stable grounds and living the Life of Riley. He primarily likes hanging out in the arena with the trainer during lessons. He just turned 30 and isn’t as spry as he used to be to avoid the pasture shenanigans. To prevent additional minor (so far) injuries he had a free range trial period that he passed. Other retirees at the barn have enjoyed similar privileges. I’ve always called him a goober — and he’s proving to be even more so than I thought.

Now to return to my usual pursuits following my adventurous detour.