What's That Book Got That Mine Don't?

What does the published book represented by your dream agent or published by your dream publishing house have that yours doesn't?  Besides good timing, you'd be surprised.  Literary agent Scott Eagan shared a story about a writer who wanted to write for the Silhouette line so badly, that she literally honed her writing to sound just like the books she was reading.  Now, before you go trying to figure out how to paraphrase a published book, that's not at all what he meant.  She studied certain aspects of the published books until she could write her stories with their format.  I'm not talking formula here either, though in a way, you can see patterns.

We are all working on our craft and learning at our own pace, so often we might not honestly be at the stage where we can objectively look at what's on the shelves now, and what about it appealed to our Top Ten agents/editors.  And, before I get too far, let me just say that Susan Meier does a great series of blogposts on this very subject, so I suggest you check them out at http://susanmeierworkshops.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to-analyze-books-you-read.html

She has terrific ideas for how to analyze the books you read.  But there are other aspects that she doesn't really get into when it comes to analyzing a book of a particular line.  The truth is, different lines publish different kinds of books.  Sure two different houses might both publish vampire stories, but as Scott Eagan said, "the vampire from one line wouldn't hang out with the vampire from the other line."  There are differences, and if you want to work with a particular agent or editor, you need to identify those differences.

So, what do we need to look at?  I am targeting a particular line myself and have known I would like to write for them for a while, but I haven't submitted to them yet because my story just didn't seem right for them, even to me, but I wasn't sure why until I started analyzing some of the published books from that line.  These are the things I looked hard and nit-picky at:

• Hook--Not just what it is, but how is it different from others before it.
• Beginnings--I have heard not to start with dialogue, and I've also heard a great way to start is with dialogue.  So, which is it?  It probably depends on which line you want to write for.  Once you've studied a few published books, you'll have an idea.
• Dialogue vs. Narrative--I literally pulled out a highlighter and marked all the dialogue in the first chapter of each of my test books.  What did I notice?  Most of the first chapter was narrative in which the internal and external conflict of at least one of the main characters was revealed interspersed with meaningful dialogue.
• Sexual tension--How much, how is it revealed, are the stages of intimacy obvious?  Everyone knows you can't submit erotica to Love Inspired, but even an inspy line will have some romantic tension.  If you are targeting that line, you need to know how published authors were able to work that out.
• Character description--Some publishing lines are okay with a quick stats rundown of hair color, eye color, height, etc.  Others call for subtlety.  Read some published books and note in the margin when you get a visual of the character.  How was it revealed?
• Backstory--Once again, people get anxious that they have too much backstory or not enough backstory.  How do you know?  There's no definitive answer.  This is one where, once again, you have to consult those that made it to the shelves.
• Gender--For me, it's important to see what kind of heroes and heroines the line looks for and how he or she handles the dialogue, narrative, and description from each point of view.  Certain lines have only the Alphaist of Alphas, some allow Betas, and some have a hybrid that I have heard called a Balpha.  It's important to study and figure out whether the line you want to write for has the same kind of heroes and heroines that star in your book.

These are only a few items you want to look at to see whether what you write would ever fit at the publishing house with which you dream of working someday or is written in a way that would appeal to the agent you hope to snag.

Can you think of characteristics that stand out in the books from the authors or publishing houses you love?  This is the key to getting noticed and hopefully published.

Happy writing!

My Step-by-step Plan for How I Will Get Published Before the World Ends

Maybe you've heard, but we only have about two more years to live life as we know it.  According to the Mayans, the Hopi, and several other of those "vague but true" prognosticators, this is it.  So what are you waiting for?  Get out there and "Party like it's 1999", people.  Or something like that.  Anyone?  Anyone?

Okay, so maybe I don't buy that stuff any more than you do, but it has started me thinking about my own goals and dreams.  I don't think it's any secret to anyone who has chanced to look at my blog that I like to write and hope to publish.  However, until I had a little scare with mortality last year, I maintained that it was something I would do someday.  But the reality is, someday may be too late.  For all I know, the world will end tomorrow (disclaimer: no one has predicted that, so don't panic).

Another interesting tidbit that I came across was Kresley Cole's plan to get published.  She is one of my all-time-fave authors, and I fret and whine until her next book comes out because I love her Immortals After Dark series so very much.  Her next installment comes out this month, and I. Can't. Wait.

Interesting factoid, her husband and she were competitive athletes before settling into their current lives and when it came to publishing, she honed her writing skills the same way she prepared for athletic competitions--she worked hard at them.  On her website, she gives the following advice to aspiring writers and outlines the publication plan she had for herself:

"If you're set on publishing, then don't dabble. Decide if you're in or you're out. Then do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. I had a “25” plan. At any given time, I would have my writing out in 25 myriad forms—either contests, critiques, agent queries, publisher queries, etc. I believe you have to jump in with both feet."

Right now I have my writing out to three online publishers, one critique, and one contest.  Five down and 20 to go to catch up to Ms. Cole.  Truth is, I don't forsee being able to get things out in quite the same way, so here is my own plan:

Write 750 words five days a week (any five).  I have to be realistic considering I have a day job, a counseling internship, a husband, and three children.  Right now I have the rule of "5" in place.  I think I will add one a month, so that by December, I will have 16 pieces out in various places.  Now that means that when one rejection or (fingers crossed) acceptance comes in, I have to buck up and send another out to replace it.  It also means, I have to keep writing.  I have to submit more than one article or story if I'm going to get published before the world ends.

So, what do you think?  Is it doable?  Is it even realistic?  I'll let you know how it goes.  If you have a plan  you'd like to share, post a comment here.  I love to hear about others' roads to publication.

Happy Writing!