Dear Kerrie: Organization

Every Monday I will answer your writing questions. So send me them by Friday each week. No question is too small or too big and I will do my best to get to all of them.


Dear Kerrie,
I am having a hard staying organized. I have piles of papers everywhere--receipts, blog ideas, book ideas, notes, statistics, etc. Do you have any ideas about what I can do?
Pat

Dear Pat,
By organizing the behind the scenes part of your writing life, it will clear your mind and allow your thoughts to flow better for your actual writing. With just a few simple systems in place you will soon feel more organized and more relaxed to write.

Organizing Your Ideas
There are a couple of things you can do to organize your ideas:

• Journal or Notebook
  Use this to write down all your ideas that come to you. Keep it with you, so you will always have a way to get those thoughts down. If you want to separate your ideas into blog, book, articles...find a notebook that has different sections.
  
• Hanging Folder
  Set up an "ideas" hanging folder in your desk. This way if you see something in a magazine or the newspaper you can tear it out and put it in your folder for later. You can write down ideas and add them to this folder as well.
• Note Cards and container
  Keep note cards with you at all times. As ideas come, write each idea separately on a note card. Then have a note card holder at home. You can even get tabs to put in the holder to separate your categories. Keep all the cards you have filled out in here. Then when you get ready to work on your book, pull out all the book cards and you are ready to go.

Receipts
You don't need anything fancy for your receipts, you just want to make sure you keep them for tax purposes.

• Folder
  The easy thing to do is have a manila folder that you put all the receipts in. You can organize them more if you want and have a hanging folder with manila folders inside that for each month.
• Envelopes
  Have an envelope for each month and put all your receipts in those.

Submissions
It is important to track everything you send out. There are a couple of ways to keep track of your submissions.

• Excel
  Create an Excel spreadsheet on your computer and track everything you send out. Be sure to put the date, what you sent, to whom, their contact info, the response, date of that, place for comments.
  
• Notebook
  You can also use a simple spiral notebook and keep a running list of where you send out your queries, proposals, articles...Be sure to put the date, what you sent, to whom, their contact info, the response, date of that and any comments.

By finding a system that works for you, you will find more time to write and you will rid your mind of unneeded clutter.

Kerrie

Query Letters Examples

A great query letter is a must in order to get the attention of a literary agent or editor. People ask me all the time how they can improve their letter or if I have examples.

Literary Agent Nathan Bransford has helped me out. On a few recent posts, Bransford highlighted a few queries that he felt were well written and prompted him to ask for the manuscript. If you are in the process of seeking an agent, be sure to look over these queries to see what catches the eye of an agent.

Anatomy of a Good Query Letter

Anatomy of a Good Quer Letter II

Anatomy of a Good Queryl Letter III

Happy querying!
Kerrie

Top 10 Books of 2009?

Here are the 10 books Amazon has deemed the 10 must-reads of the year so far.
Do you agree with their picks?
Have you read any of these books?
What books released in 2009 do you feel are missing from the list?

Cheever: A Life






Let the Great World Spin: A Novel





Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City





The City & The City





The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon




The Forgotten Garden: A Novel





Crazy for the Storm






Brooklyn: A Novel





The Gamble




Sag Harbor: A Novel

Dear Kerrie: Agents & Writing Classes

Every Monday I will answer your writing questions. So send me them by Friday each week. No question is too small or too big and I will do my best to get to all of them



Dear Kerrie,

I am on my 16th draft of my query letter for a YA Fantasy novel , have submitted to 114 agents, had 4 partial readings . . . and still no agent! What am I doing wrong? Or should I ask, "What am I not doing right?"

Darth Writer

Dear Darth Writer,

A literary agent does not get paid until a book deal is made and that is typically 15% of what the author gets. Agents put a lot of time and energy into getting an authors manuscript ready, so they want to take on projects they believe one of the big publishing houses will publish. There is a bigger return for them and their author.

So, it may not be that you are doing anything wrong, you might need to take a different approach. Instead of going through a literary agent for your first manuscript, try approaching some smaller presses. They don't publish as many books and they don't pay as well, but they usually take queries/manuscripts from unagented writers. Also, they are able to give their authors more attention because the don't take on as many projects.

Here are two small presses you might want to try:

Bancroft Press
www.bancroftpress.com

Kitsune Books
www.kitsunebooks.com

-Kerrie
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Dear Kerrie,

I have over thirty short stories published in various journals in the United States and other countries. I am currently working on novels and struggling with it. Everything I learned in writing, I learned on my own. Despite the published stories, I still find myself struggling with writing and confidence.

Do you think someone like myself, that has already been published in journal would benefit from a writing class? There is some excellent online ones. I never had any formal training and I never have been part of a writer's group.Would a writing fiction class help me gain confidence and improve my skills? Or do you think because I already have been published in journals that it would be too familiar.

Also, I am trying to switch from short story writing to novels but am having some trouble doing it. I constantly want to cut most description and details. I want to rush to a conclusion like a short story but my heart and dreams are with novels. Any advise? Should I stop writing shorts for good to change my writing skill?

-Bill

Dear Bill,

Confidence comes the more we do something. So in order to build up your confidence with novel writing, you have to forge ahead and not give up. You clearly have the writing skills since you already have short stories published.

In terms of writing classes, I don't think they can hurt. I believe we can always learn something new. If I were you though, I would see about finding one that is in person rather than online. The online classes are good, but if you are struggling with confidence, it might help to be in a room with other writers to help make connections and to get "in-person" feedback.

If you heart is into writing a novel, and you are not relying on income from the short stories, I would focus solely on the novel. You should set aside time each day to write and just write. Don't over analyse, don't worry about your skills, don't worry about submitting it...just get that first draft written. Then you can go back and rework it, find a critique group to help you and begin figuring out where you want to submit your novel.

Henry Ford said, "You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do." If you want to be a novelist, then you are going to have to sit down and write.

-Kerrie
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Dear Kerrie,

I have a question about query letters for TRULY first-time authors. Every example of a good query letter that I find online or in a book mentions some kind of credentials. I do not have any publishing credits. I also have not been to any writing conferences and therefore can't lead my query with "you asked me to send you this."

What is a truly first-time author to do? I've written two great novels, I have my degree in English, and I've been trying for years to get published. Is it possible for someone in my position to break in? Or must I write for newspapers and magazines first? I really have no desire to do that. I write fiction and have no desire to write non-fiction.

Are there examples of good query letters out there that were accepted on nothing other than the writing itself? I've ready many books and blogs on the art of writing a good query letter, so I understand how it's done. I do my research on each agent ahead of time, and I taylor my letter to their likes, needs, and desires.

I feel like if I could just get an agent to read my sample pages, they'd see it's good work. But I fear my queries are hardly read do to my lack of publishing history or networking ability. I am constantly writing and improving, and have been for 10 years. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. ~Jay

Dear Jay,

It sounds like you are on the right track. With fiction, agents are not looking for credentials as much as they are looking for a good story. So there is no need to spend your time trying to get published in a magazine. There are many examples of authors getting agents attention because of their query letters. You can read my interview with Jeramy Fine where she talks about how she found her agent.

Read my answer to Darth Writer above. Maybe you also need to think about approaching smaller publishing houses directly and not put all your time into finding an agent.

I have heard it said many times that writing is a craft, but publishing is a business. Now that your novels are done it is time to turn to the business side of things. Here are some ideas for you to get you going in that direction.

• Find and join a good critique group. Other writers can provide invaluable insight into what might be missing in your novels or query letters. Try to find an established group that gives good constructive criticism. I have been with a group for 10 years now, and I don't know how I would have gotten published without them.
  
  
• Attend writers conferences. This is a great way to meet agents, editors and other writers. A conference allows you to gain insight into the publishing world and allows you to find out how other writers are finding success. Visit the Shaw Guides to find conferences near you.
  
  
• Go to the bookstore and figure out where your book would be shelved. Look through the other books in that section to get a feel for what is selling. You can also read the acknowledgments. Most authors thank their agents in this section. Then you can query these agents as well.

Above all, keep trying. Many best-selling authors were rejected many, many times before finally getting published. So know that you are in good company.
-Kerrie

Getting Unstuck

Guest Blogger: Jeff Finlin

Singer/songwriter Jeff Finlin shares some great advice for writers about getting unstuck. Although he wrote this with songwriters in mind, his ideas work for all types of writers. Enjoy!
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When I’m writing, there are so many traps I get into when trying to complete a song. At first, the inspiration just flows, and on rare occasions, everything falls on to the page like a glittering vision of brilliance, so great and awe-inspiring, that the moon in the night sky actually shifts. I step back and wonder how on earth had that been so easy?

But most of the time, my initial inspiration turns into a slog, equivalent of building The Great Wall of China. All too often I abandon the idea for simpler things, like pooper scooping the back forty or scraping egg off the morning dishes. But when push comes to shove and the urge to complete a song starts nagging at me like an old Irish biddy, I’ve got to get myself unstuck and (good or bad) finish the damn thing, so I can move on to more delightful pleasures.

Here are a few tools I look at:

Co-writing

I’ve had snippets of songs and music stuck in my head and on paper for years. I come back and play them again and again like I’m flipping through a high school year book wondering “if I go back to that little beauty, could I score with her?”

Most of these snippets will never amount to anything, that’s the sad fact. They are snippets that led me to somewhere else. That’s Ok. Still, I keep coming back to them, hoping that maybe some day they will turn into something concrete. I try and not spend too much time with them by myself, as the longer they are kicking around, the more detached from them I become. Most of the time, all I’m doing is recycling something I’ve moved past years ago.

Lyrics are always easier for me. So I have a lot of them lying around.. Recently, I started an exercise in co-writing. I started sending my unused lyrics to other writer friends, and magic be magic, I got some completed songs back in the mail. If I ever think something is too precious to share with someone else I’m screwed. (We’re only as sick as our secrets right?)
I have found myself holding back from incorporating others into my work at times - either out of self judgment, greediness, or a lack of trust in the world and others. Frankly, most of the time I get so wrapped up in what I’m doing myself, that I simply don’t think to ask for help.

Co-writing is always an exercise in humility because I’m completely exposed to what other people think of me and my work before it’s completed. I feel vulnerable just thinking about it. I have to get over that, though, and open myself up to criticism and scrutiny for the good of the song. I’ve never been let down by asking for that kind of help. Through my experience, I’ve come to understand that there are forces far bigger than myself at play here. I tap into those forces by incorporating the experience of others into to my work.

In Nashville, co-writing is common practice, but when you live outside of that kind of community, it can be difficult to find different songwriters to work with. I would look up songwriting clubs or groups on the internet or in your area. There are lots of songwriters out there. It just may take some digging to find them.

Just finish something and maybe someone else will like it.

Randy Weeks, in this month’s podcast, talks about running into the problem of starting to judge a song before it’s actually completed. He’ll be in the middle of writing something and all of a sudden the thought comes into his mind that what he is working on is crap. (Before he’s even done with it!) He said that he has to change his way of thinking in order to get out of his head and into action.

“I finish the song by thinking to myself that the song I’m working on might not necessarily be for me to sing,” he says.

Taking the attitude that maybe someone else will like the song and sing it gives him the sense of purpose to go ahead and complete the song. He said nine times out of ten, in hindsight he comes to love the song and never has a problem singing it. It’s really about getting yourself out of the way and completing the action any way you can, despite what you might think about it.

Look at the song like a puzzle.

Sometimes in order to get beyond my self judgment, and the overwhelming task of completing and editing a song, I have to look at my piece of work like a puzzle. I have to turn it into a game. I sit back and look at what’s there and try to figure out what I need to fill in the blanks in order to complete the picture.

Firstly though, I need to establish that I’m headed for a completed idea. Am I looking to expand the concept of my idea or am I looking to rein it in to where it’s more understandable? Being the type of writer I am, I‘m usually trying to make my abstract thinking more understandable. I just think that way. I love to play with words to the point where no one knows what the hell I’m talking about anymore. But, that’s just me. I have to go back and ask myself through the process, “what am I really trying to say here?” or ”what does this really mean?”

If I have the general idea and my meaning and direction are concise, then a part of the puzzle might be to just throw in a line that has no meaning whatsoever. I might throw in something that just sounds good rolling off the tongue, or that creates an image that makes one ponder. If my song is serious I might say something funny or vice-versa.

Trusting grace

Sometimes I have to come to the conclusion that it just doesn’t matter. I realize that if I continue to struggle with a line here and a line there, constantly beating my head against the wall, that it’s only going to make it worse. I’ve come to the realization that at some point the harder I try the more elusive my goal becomes. Perfection only comes through accepting imperfection. Sometimes the only way to unwrap my ass from the pole is to just say “screw it”.

BUT – I still have to finish the song, RIGHT?

There was an instance in a song I wrote called “Miracle Along The Way” where I was in exactly that position. I had all but the second half of the last verse. I loved the song, but I didn’t know what to say to complete it. So I just started recording the vocal with what I had. I opened myself up to sing and when I got to the unfinished verse I just tried to get out of the way and sing whatever was there in my subconscious. I didn’t really even know what I sang. When I went back and listened to the take my jaw dropped, as I found what had come out of my mouth was the perfect addition and conclusion to the song.

There are other dimensions to ourselves worth exploring but I find I have to be in some kind of action to discover them.

What would Elton John do??

Sometimes when I’m stuck, I have to look at what other folks might do, in order to get past my own limitations. Yes, I am limited in knowledge as well as scope. Sometimes I paint myself into a corner so deep I have to look at other people’s work and see what they might have done. I fall back on craft. The craft of other artists and writers. Usually that gets me out of my own head and I start looking at the piece of work in a different light. I’m always surprised how simple other people’s work is when I break it down. Something I thought was so profound turns out to be something like:

Oh baby baby
Oh baby baby
Oh baby baby – with a good melody.

I go back to my work and it helps me simplify it and see what makes it powerful to begin with.

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Jeff Finlin is the creator of The Songwriter Chronicles and has seven albums including Ballad of a Plain Man, Alive & Retrospective Volume 1 and Epinonymous. His song Sugar Blue was featured in the film Elizabethtown.
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Questions?

Please send me any writing/publishing questions that I can answer on Monday's "Dear Kerrie" post. Remember, no question is too big or too small.

Have a great day,
Kerrie

Dear Kerrie: Agents & Genres

Every Monday I will answer your writing questions. So send me them by Friday each week. No question is too small or too big and I will do my best to get to all of them.




Dear Kerrie,
I write fantasy and mainstream ethnic fiction. My ethnic fiction is the first book I will finish and start looking for an agent. So what do I say regarding future plans? As a new writer, how can I make sure of getting an agent who won't be put off by genre difference?
-Lost Wanderer

Dear Lost Wanderer,
Finding an agent is like finding a partner for marriage, business or tennis. You have to find the person who is the right fit. Finding an agent is no different. They all have their own distinct likes and dislikes. Your job as a writer is to research agents; find out the clients they currently represent and they types of books those authors publish. This will give you an idea of what they are looking for. One great way to find an agent is go to the bookstore and find books in your genre. Read the acknowledgements in the front of the book. Typically authors will thank their agent. By doing your homework ahead of time, you will be able to find the right agent for you and it will save you disappointment in the future.

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Dear Kerrie,
I have completed what I consider women's fiction. It could also be called a whydunit. It could also be called contemporary fiction. Since the definitions of women's and contemporary fiction often overlap, I am considering querying agents who specialize in either genre. Any advice??
-Betsy

Dear Betsy,
I agree that the definitions of women's and contemporary fiction do overlap. Your question kind of relates to the one above from Lost Wanderer. I think the first thing you should do is find books that are similar to yours and find out who is representing those authors. Then go ahead and send out your manuscript. I don't see anything wrong with sending it out to agents who specialize in either genre.

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Dear Kerrie,
Your conference this past winter gave me the confidence to finally start my YA fiction novel. Now I halfway through, and wondering what will happen when I'm done. I've heard I should set it aside and "let it marinate" for awhile, and then go back and edit. But I'm wondering, how long should all of this take? And should I be starting to think about the marketing side yet?

Dear Kathleen,
I am thrilled to hear the conference helped you. First off--Keep Writing! Don't worry about marketing, editing, submitting until that novel is done. Then once your novel is done-celebrate. Finishing a book is not an easy task and you should reward yourself for completing it. Then I would put the manuscript away for a week or so, maybe work on something else or take a little break. Then it is time to reread and edit the entire manuscript. You can do this on your own, with a writing buddy or with a critique group. Finally when you feel your work is the best it can be, then start looking for a literary agent or a smaller publishing house that accepts unagented work. Marketing is a topic for another time--when the rest of this is done.


Thanks for all your questions.
Until next week...
Kerrie

Write For Free?

Freelance writing is a business and because of it, writers should expect to be compensated for their time and I mean all writers. I am not someone who thinks that if you are a new writer you should expect to give your work away for free in order to gain clips. Granted, you may not get thousands of dollars for your first assignments, but you should expect some payment.

When I first started freelancing, I initially went for the "big dogs" because I didn't know any better. I told my writers group (all experienced writers) I was going to send something to Better Homes & Gardens.

"You can't do that," they all said.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because, you don't just start at the top, you have to work your way up to a national publication," they all replied.

"But I have something that is a good fit for them."

They all shook their heads at me. Against their advice I sent in my piece to BH&G anyway. It was no Pulitzer-winning piece. It was a short craft idea but I knew it was a good fit for their family department.

Two weeks later I got a call saying they liked the idea and wanted to publish it. I got the contract, sent the short piece and got paid for my time. My first ever clip appeared in BH&G a couple of months later.

I didn't get any other assignments with them, but I went on to publish full-length articles and features in other national magazines as well as regional publications--each time getting paid for my time.

I share my story with you, not as way to gloat or share my accomplishments, but as a way to show you that when it comes to freelancing, you can and should expect to be paid and that you don't necessarily have to start at the bottom. If you have done your homework and you have an idea you feel is a good fit for a certain national publication, then send it in. You have nothing to lose.

I subscribe to a couple of freelance job e-zines, like Ann Wayman's at About Freelancing. With so much out there on the Internet there are many opportunities for writers. I get frustrated with the ads that are looking for "experienced" writers, but they are only willing to pay $5 per blog post or article. To me they are not looking for good writers, they are just looking for someone to string some words together.

I think it is the responsibility of all writers to expect decent payment for their time and work. When we don't and we write for free or for $5, we lower the bar for the whole writing profession. We give the message that we don't value our own writing--- so why should anyone else.

Garrison's Keillor's Take on Looking Classy & Smart

I am a Garrison Keillor fan. I find his essays funny, thought-provoking, and intriguing. Keillor is a master at finding a universal theme that draws readers in and connects them emotionally to the writing.

I came across an essay of his in the recent issue of Funny Times that made me lol (laugh out loud). He mixed twenty-somethings, newspapers and coffee shops, then added a touch of personal opinion about the Internet and the result was a fabulous piece of writing. I hope you will take some time to enjoy this essay.

21st Century Elements of Style
By Garrison Keillor

It seems to me, observing the young in coffee shops, that something is missing from their lives, the fine art of holding a newspaper. They sit staring at computer screens, sometimes with wires coming out of their ears, life passing them by as they drift through MySpace, that encyclopedia of the pathetic, and check out a video of a dog dancing the Macarena...
READ MORE

Dear Kerrie

Dear Writing Bug Readers,

My personal writing journey over the past 10 years has provided me with experiences in freelance writing, query writing, self-publishing, proposal writing, teaching, contests, column writing, short stories, essays, editing, critiquing, blogging, PR and marketing.

My role as Director of Northern Colorado Writers (NCW) has allowed me to follow my passion of supporting and encouraging writers. In addition I organize the annual NCW conference and through that have met agents, editors, authors, motivational speakers, and many amazing writers.

Because of all of this, I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge in the world of writing and publishing. I want to share whatever information I can with other writers so I will be devoting each Monday's blog to answering your writing-related questions as well as questions I get from the Northern Colorado writing community.

So send me your questions by Friday each week. No question is too small or too big and I will do my best to get to all of them.

Happy Writing!
Kerrie

It Really Is That Simple

A line from a book I read this morning caught my eye. It said, "in all things seek simplicity." My initial thoughts revolved around applying this concept to my life; not buying and filling my home with lots of unnecessary "stuff," having dinner at home each night with my family, taking time to enjoy my garden...

But then I also realized this is a great mantra for writers.
In all things seek simplicity

As the director of Northern Colorado Writers, I get lots of questions and comments from people that can be answered with one simple phrase: Just Write.

I have always wanted to be a writer, but I have no idea how to get started.
Just Write

I started a novel and I am not sure where the story is going.
Just Write

I have this great story idea about this boy who has this dream....
Just Write

Think about it. It really is that simple. To be a successful writer you just have to write. Every bestselling author and award winning journalist does exactly that--they write. There is no other way around it.

I also thought about how to apply this idea to our actual writing. For the most part, it is good to remember that simple is better. I think this is especially true when it comes to description. At times, we can go a little overboard and try to fit in as much as we can. All in the name of helping the reader recreate the picture we have in our mind. For example:

"Thirteen-year-old Mackenzie's brown, curly, shoulder-length hair, framed her oval face, showing the intensity of her green eyes as she frantically searched through her 12"x12" blue and white striped nylon school bag."

Is it really necessary to have all this description? Does it really matter if the reader pictures a purple bag instead of a blue and white striped one? How about just saying, Mackenzie ransacked her school bag.

Stephen King, in his memoir, On Writing, says this: "The key to good description begins with clear seeing and ends with clear writing, the kind of writing that employs fresh images and simple vocabulary."

Basically, In all things seek simplicity

I know first hand the life of a writer has challenges. I am not here to dispute that. But I wonder if we make the problems bigger and more complicated than they really are. If we go back to the mantra, I bet we can find simple solutions.

The plot to my story is boring--Let go of the excess and in order to get to the to core of the story

An editor has not responded to a query I sent two months ago--Call to check on the status.

My life is too busy now to write-Find one thing you can let go of in order to have time to write

So what can you do to simplify your writing or your life as a writer?

Peace,
Kerrie