…again (aka begging for representation)
Work has finally been completed on the latest draft of Book 1 the final word tally of which came in at 78,222. I’ve sent it out to a couple of readers for their feedback including Sean Reardon the kind proprietor of Mindjacker whose own book I won a copy of and I’m very much looking forward to reading.
It’s been suggested that I should put a couple of chapters on authonomy.com and YouWriteOn.com to get feedback and a shot at some editors but I need to investigate this further first. Has anyone else used these or similar sites?
In the meantime I’ve sent out queries to four agents, one in Ireland, one in the UK and two in the US, to their gauge interest if any and will probably add another half dozen to the list before the week is out.
How does one select who to send it to though? My current method involves asking these questions; whose books do I like reading? Who represents them? Ok then, let’s send it there. There may be a more scientific method but I haven’t stumbled across it yet. I know they say do your research, but does this count as research?
Anyway now I’m in the lull between books. I’m not sufficiently over the first one to allow me to go back to Book 2 just yet. Maybe in April I’ll revisit that haunt. Until then it’s query central,
Slán,
TF.80
Current Reading: Monday Mourning – Kathy Reichs
Room – Emma O’Donoghue
Current Listening: The Shepherds Dog - Iron and Wine
Into the Wild (OST) – Eddie Vedder
25.3.11
4.2.11
Killing
…your darlings.
Hello again. Happy New Year and immediate apologies for the time lag between posts.
I’m around a quarter of the way through the rewrite of book 1 and have committed a mass execution of ‘darlings’ with over 2,600 words getting the bullet; all of them in chapter 2.
After reviewing the notes from my critique pre-Christmas, I came to the conclusion that almost all of chapter 2 was back story and description. Now some of this helps with the motivations of my main character, but none of it drives the story forward with enough pace to keep a reader hooked. So it had to go. I’ve kept a copy of the first draft though as I think I’ll be able to rehabilitate some of it later on in the story.
In this rewrite I’m also getting to grips with ‘show, don’t tell’ which I’m finding a much harder exercise, hence the slow progress but I’ll persist.
I haven’t made any moves to get a new agent, no queries or sample chapters sent out. I am getting together a list for the future though, looking at writers that I admire and seeing which agency represents them. When this re-write is done, I’ll deal with penning a query letter and make a start on the many rewrites of that.
I did send the first 3,000 words of the rewrite and a brand new synopsis to the CWA for their Debut Dagger Competition, the closing date for which is today. So please keep your fingers crossed that it makes some impact.
Slán for now,
TF.80
Current Reading: The Fry Chronicles – Stephen Fry’s autobiography
Current Listening: The King is Dead – The Decemberists
Hello again. Happy New Year and immediate apologies for the time lag between posts.
I’m around a quarter of the way through the rewrite of book 1 and have committed a mass execution of ‘darlings’ with over 2,600 words getting the bullet; all of them in chapter 2.
After reviewing the notes from my critique pre-Christmas, I came to the conclusion that almost all of chapter 2 was back story and description. Now some of this helps with the motivations of my main character, but none of it drives the story forward with enough pace to keep a reader hooked. So it had to go. I’ve kept a copy of the first draft though as I think I’ll be able to rehabilitate some of it later on in the story.
In this rewrite I’m also getting to grips with ‘show, don’t tell’ which I’m finding a much harder exercise, hence the slow progress but I’ll persist.
I haven’t made any moves to get a new agent, no queries or sample chapters sent out. I am getting together a list for the future though, looking at writers that I admire and seeing which agency represents them. When this re-write is done, I’ll deal with penning a query letter and make a start on the many rewrites of that.
I did send the first 3,000 words of the rewrite and a brand new synopsis to the CWA for their Debut Dagger Competition, the closing date for which is today. So please keep your fingers crossed that it makes some impact.
Slán for now,
TF.80
Current Reading: The Fry Chronicles – Stephen Fry’s autobiography
Current Listening: The King is Dead – The Decemberists
13.12.10
Revising
… and competition
I’ve been looking at Book 1 again with a view to getting a new agent and submitting to publishers in the US. I contacted Inkwell Writers in Dublin and the lovely Vanessa expertly critiqued the first 3,000 words for me. All the points she raised will improve the text and the impact of the first chapters.
It was nice to get a view from someone who also writes and knows what they’re talking about so I’ll be applying her comments to the remainder of the text and putting Book 2 on hold for the moment. They also have a new website under construction with writer resources (probably launching this week) so check that out.
3000 words (+ Synopsis) is the required length for the CWA Debut Dagger award, for which the closing date is the 5th February 2011. While the prize money of £700 is minimal, the exposure to agents and publishers is invaluable with previous winners regularly being published.
Belinda Bauer's opening chapters of her novel Blacklands was highly commended in 2008 and was published this year as well as being selected for the Channel 4 TV Book Club . It went on to win the CWA Gold Dagger. So if you’re tinkering with your first crime novel i think it’s worth a punt to enter.
If nothing else It’ll give me some focus for revising the start of my tale anyway.
in the meantime I hope you all have a happy Christmas and bestselling new year
See you in 2011.
TF.80
Current Reading: The thing is... – Dave Fanning
Written in Blood -Chris Collett
Current Listening: Darkness on the Edge of town – Bruce Springsteen
Rufus Wainwright – All the Days are nights (song for lulu)
ABC to XTC - Author John Connolly's Radio Show
I’ve been looking at Book 1 again with a view to getting a new agent and submitting to publishers in the US. I contacted Inkwell Writers in Dublin and the lovely Vanessa expertly critiqued the first 3,000 words for me. All the points she raised will improve the text and the impact of the first chapters.
It was nice to get a view from someone who also writes and knows what they’re talking about so I’ll be applying her comments to the remainder of the text and putting Book 2 on hold for the moment. They also have a new website under construction with writer resources (probably launching this week) so check that out.
3000 words (+ Synopsis) is the required length for the CWA Debut Dagger award, for which the closing date is the 5th February 2011. While the prize money of £700 is minimal, the exposure to agents and publishers is invaluable with previous winners regularly being published.
Belinda Bauer's opening chapters of her novel Blacklands was highly commended in 2008 and was published this year as well as being selected for the Channel 4 TV Book Club . It went on to win the CWA Gold Dagger. So if you’re tinkering with your first crime novel i think it’s worth a punt to enter.
If nothing else It’ll give me some focus for revising the start of my tale anyway.
in the meantime I hope you all have a happy Christmas and bestselling new year
See you in 2011.
TF.80
Current Reading: The thing is... – Dave Fanning
Written in Blood -Chris Collett
Current Listening: Darkness on the Edge of town – Bruce Springsteen
Rufus Wainwright – All the Days are nights (song for lulu)
ABC to XTC - Author John Connolly's Radio Show
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