Fiction Notes

Tag: manuscript

  • Hot Potato: Let that Manuscript Cool Off

    You type, “The End.” Then, you write a fast letter to an editor and send off a couple sample chapters. Oops! You forgot one thing. That manuscript needs to cool off before you send it out. It is the single, hardest thing for me to do. I do not want to wait and besides that,…

  • Finding the Sweet: Dealing with Rejection

    Finding the Sweet Write what you want to write, say the editors. Write what you love, say the editors. I write. I love this! Well, say the editors, it lacks a plot. OK. I write what I love and make sure it has a plot. A good ‘un. (Hey, I’ve studied Hunger Games, and the…

  • The REAL Goal of a Manuscript Critique

    When you do a manuscript critique at a conference, you must be ready to push for an answer to a crucial question; and you must have a back-up plan. I’ve been backstage at conferences, in the break room where the editors are gathering and chatting. I’ve heard them come back from a critique session and…

  • 10 Ways to Beat the “Hurry Up and Wait” Blues

    I have recently turned in two project and in this slow business, it is time to “Hurry Up and Wait.” I don’t do this well. We’ve already taken vacations for the year. So, I’ve made a to-do list. Volunteer. There are some projects that I’ve wanted to do pro-bono, so this is the time to…

  • Old Manuscripts? 2 Questions Before Deciding to Revise

    I’m at a place where I’m looking for a new novel idea. (Yes, I’m still looking around for a new idea. I’m slow this time, but I think I’ve found an event that is fascinating. Reading background material now.) One strategy I’m using to find ideas is to re-read old novels from my file drawers.…

  • Donna St. Cyr: 2k9 Debut Novelist

    Introduced first in 2007, authors debuting children’s books have formed a cooperative effort to market their novels. Last year, I featured many of the stories of how the 2k8 Novels Were Revised. This is part of the ongoing stories from the Class of 2k9 authors and how they went about revising their novels. From Creative…