Welcome to My Blog/Newsletter
Why subscribe?
To read about another writer’s journey through writing, revising, querying, and learning
To see photos of my dogs 😉
To read about specific craft issues from the point of view of a book coach/experienced writer who wants to help other writers improve their craft
Strategic Revision—Be Ruthless
We all get attached to our words, our characters, our scenes. But a piece is often better served when we can be ruthless.
Takeaways from My Experience at the Highlights Whole Novel Workshop
Friendly and approachable faculty and fellow students
I’ve written earlier posts about the feedback from Crystal Allen, my faculty reader, before the workshop started. In person, Crystal was delightful. One afternoon during the workshop, she and I brainstormed about my dog novel, which was super helpful. We talked more in depth about some of her written feedback and how I’m planning to revise. We also had a second, scheduled one-on-one after my Brain Trust session.
How to Decide What You Need to Grow as a Writer
I’ve been in the kid lit world for more than 20 years, and it seems like the professional development options for novelists have expanded in recent years. This month (August 2024) I attended my first ever Highlights program, the Whole Novel Workshop. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Tough Feedback from my Highlights Faculty Reader
A week ago I received an editorial letter from my Highlights faculty reader, Crystal Allen. The letter was full of big picture feedback about my MG novel, No Dogs Dies in This Book. After reading through her letter twice and then going through her comments in the manuscript itself, I was convinced that she disliked this story.
Inspired by Elizabeth George’s Mastering the Process
I can never get enough of reading about how other writers write, so when I recently stumbled onto Elizabeth George’s Mastering the Process: From Idea to Novel (Viking, 2020), I eagerly dug in.
Agent Querying Update
To help normalize this process, I thought I’d give you an update on my agent queries and research. Of the 27 agents I’ve queried so far, 7 accepted queries by email, 1 by a form on the agency website, and 19 by Query Manager.
A Whole Novel Evaluation
In August I’ll attend my first ever Whole Novel Workshop at Highlights. I’m submitting my middle grade novel, No Dogs Die in This Book, the story that landed me an agent two years ago.
My Process for Querying Literary Agents: Finding a Good Fit
Finding an agent who’d be interested in your novel seems fairly straightforward in these days of social media and the Internet. There’s so much information available. And yet—so much information means even more to review and assess for fit. It can be time consuming for sure.
My Process for Querying Literary Agents: Start with the Book Description
There is so much good advice on the internet and in books about querying literary agents. Sometimes, though, it helps to see how one writer goes about it. That’s what I’m doing in this post—explaining my query process for my middle grade mystery.
The Agent Treasure Hunt Begins
After being able to say “I have an agent” for the last two years, I’m now back in the hunt for a literary agent. Looking for an agent is kind of like a treasure hunt for me. Lots of clues to decode about their interests and how my work might fit their list.