Happy Thursday, writers!
Writers tend to be in a hurry. We rush through the writing. We rush through revisions. We rush to start querying. We are anxious to see our books on the bookstore shelves.
I used to think getting an agent would signal the end of my book’s journey. But the truth is, it will only be the beginning. If I’m lucky, I’ll find a hands-on agent who will work with me on edits and rewrites for a year or so, before it goes out on submission to publishers. And then it might be out on submission for a year or longer. And when a publisher finally buys it, their editors will want to work with me for another year or so to polish the book. And then it will go to a copyeditor. And so on. The wheels of the publishing industry turn slowly. Recently, it feels like they've ground to a halt.
I've been thinking about this lately because I'm a person who tends to be in a hurry in life. Recently, I’ve felt the need to slow down. Maybe it's autumn coming in hot (literally). Trees lose their leaves in the fall to conserve energy, to conserve water through the winter, and so that extreme winter winds can blow through their branches more easily. I think I do the same in a sense—the approach of autumn seems to signal to me that it's time to slow down and shed some things that are no longer serving me or that I no longer enjoy in order to survive winter and start the next year renewed.
So, I'm in the process of letting go of some things. I’m making room so new things can come into my life and so I can devote more time to the things I’m most passionate about: family, writing, and book coaching.
How about you? Are there things that are no longer serving you? Things you can let go of that will give you more time and space for what is most meaningful to you?
I wish you a happy weekend.
XOXO
Leanne
"They say that all good things must end some day
Autumn leaves must fall."—Chad & Jeremy, from "A Summer Song" (1964), written by Chad Stuart, Clive Metcalfe, and Keith Noble
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Do you have a finished manuscript you're ready or almost ready to query to agents? Would you like some FREE help with the query process? I am mentoring six amazing book-coaches-in-training as they go through the Author Accelerator book coaching certification program. As a part of the training, the program requires three practicums. The third practicum involves helping a writer with a finished manuscript through the query process, including researching and finding ten suitable agents for the writer's book, developing a pitch plan, and assisting the writer with developing a query letter and synopsis. All completely FREE as a thank you for doing the practicum! If you're interested, please email me at leanne@leannephillips.com. Include your manuscript's genre and word count, and I'll see if I can hook you up with someone.
P.S. If you're interested in becoming a certified book coach, let me know. I'd be happy to talk to you and answer any questions.
THE WRITE STUFF
Every Thursday for the past two years, I've been writing about stuff I think will interest writers. Here are my latest (and final, at least for now) posts.
It's the End of the Blog as We Know It (8/31/23)
I'm stepping away from my blog and a few other things in order to focus on things that aren't getting enough of my attention. But you can still keep up with me here, in my newsletter. Thank you for being a subscriber!
Rejection: A Step in the Right Direction (8/24/23)
Putting rejection into perspective: every rejection is one step closer to that yes, and you only need one of those.
Shoot for the Stars Tip #6: Get That Close POV (8/17/23)
In my opinion, nothing beats that close, close third person point of view for pulling readers into a story and allowing them to experience another world.
Shoot for the Stars Tip #5: Add Some Texture (8/10/23)
Use craft tools and literary devices like subtext, subplot, themes and motifs to take your fiction, memoir, and creative nonfiction to another level.
STUFF THAT HELPED ME WITH THE CRAFT OF WRITING
I'm sharing a few of the best writing resources I’ve come across lately. I enjoyed these and hope you will, too.
George Saunders on Overcoming Uncertainty in Writing
"An avoidance moment isn’t an actual thing—it’s just a way of thinking about those moments in a story that are somehow not there yet, that are not quite right; those places where the language gets imprecise, or the logic is somehow off, or the author inexplicably inserts a leap forward or backward in time, or a spaceship comes down out of nowhere—those moments that teachers tend to circle, maybe adding a (?) in the margins, or a cheery, 'Let’s discuss!'” (George Saunders for Lit Hub)
50 Examples of Dialogue to Inspire Writers
"It doesn’t matter what genre you write: every writer needs to improve their dialogue. And whether you’re writing a novel or working on a short story, ... dialogue is where characters come alive, and characters are the heartbeat of fiction. (John Fox for Write Better Fiction)
Tick-Tick-Boom!: Ratcheting Up the Tension with a Ticking Clock
"In the 1998 German thriller Run Lola Run, the titular character has twenty minutes to summon up 100,000 Deutschmarks to save her boyfriend, a bagman who has misplaced the money he is due to deliver. ... [W]hat drives the relentless pace throughout is the ticking clock that Lola has to beat ...." (Sandy Smith for Something Is Gong to Happen, the Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine blog)
STUFF THAT HELPED ME WITH THE WRITING LIFE
How to Find Compelling Comps for Your Book
"For many writers, coming up with comps is a daunting enterprise, but the important thing to remember is their key purpose: to show where your book would be shelved in a store or who your most likely readers are. Everyone from agents to publishing sales people to booksellers will have an easier time understanding what your book is like or who it’s for if a comparison can be made. 'If you liked X, then you’ll like Y.' It also shows that you know something about the current marketplace and how your book fits in it." (Star Wuerdemann for Jane Friedman)
You'll Never Write in This Town Again
"I have myself committed editing sins. I’m pretty sure my second professional edit turned a man off writing ever again. This year, I refunded a writer their entire payment because we had a misunderstanding about what the job entailed. ... I have been shamefully late returning feedback, sometimes more than two months late, and every day I’m late, my guilt makes me try to do even better so my actual work might bring forgiveness." (Allison K. Williams for the Brevity Blog)
How 50 Famous Authors Find Writing Inspiration
Donna Tartt came up with the idea for The Goldfinch at a yard sale. Jennifer Egan found her inspiration for A Visit from the Goon Squad in a hotel bathroom. Who knew? (John Fox for Writer Better Fiction)
How to Deal With Rejection: Celebrate!
"Throughout the years, I’ve learned that the first step toward many of the Big Hairy Audacious Goals we have “only” requires five seconds of courage. ... Sometimes you’re just one submit button away from a life-changing fellowship. Or one phone call away from a contact that could land you your next gig. The possibilities are endless, but first you have to, ya know, do The Thing. Of course, if you put yourself out there, rejection is inevitable. It’s also subjective, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less." (L'Oreal Thompson Payton for Jane Friedman)
STUFF I LOVED
No Story, No Life
"Everything we do begins with a story. Without story, we would perish. We don't get off that couch and head to the kitchen unless we have first told ourselves a little story: 'There's food in that kitchen, it will taste good ....'" (Michael Lederer for American Studies blog)
100,000,000 Taylor Swift Fans Can't Be Wrong
"It was my daughter’s idea for us to come to SoFi; she’s nearly 25, which makes this an Eras Tour for us as well. Tonight is the fourth Swift concert she and I have attended; the first was in 2010, when she was not quite 12. There aren’t a lot of artists—the Grateful Dead are an exception—whom I’ve seen more, but I’m delighted to be along for the ride. It’s not just all the parents with their kids, most of them younger than we are, respectively. It’s also the sense that this is a kind of heritage, a set of shared experiences: a tradition, as my daughter likes to say." (David L. Ulin for Alta Journal)
STUFF THAT MADE ME LAUGH
Welcome to Mary Oliver Garden
"My name is Blair, and I'll be your server today. To start, I have just one question: What will you do with your one wild and precious appetizer?" (Maggie Downs for McSweeney's Internet Tendency)
"My only advice is to stay aware, listen carefully, and yell for help if you need it."
—Judy Blume
"I write for those women who do not speak, for those who do not have a voice because they were so terrified, because we are taught to respect fear more than ourselves. We've been taught that silence would save us, but it won't."
—Audre Lorde
P.S. I have one spot open for one-on-one book coaching in 2023. If you think you might be ready to work on planning, writing, or revising your book, please email me at leanne@leannephillips, and we'll set up a free 30-minute consultation to talk about it.
Leanne Phillips
Writer | Book Coach | Editor
leannephillips.com