Best of...Fiction Query Letters

Still at camp. Today is Thursday, which means the last day of regular activities. Tomorrow is full of all-camp games and, of course, the final dance. So sad...I'll be back in the real world for another year of ...life away from camp.

In the meantime, here's a followup to the post I did earlier on query letters. This is a revisit to the Fountain Pen, Inc. blog files, but good stuff nonetheless.

Beth
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Best of...Fiction Query Letters 1 at fountainpeninc.blogspot.com

Christmas In July? Start Writing Now

Just a reminder that I'm off at summer camp this week (yay!)

If you're a freelance writer, you really should be querying for the holiday season now. Here are two great articles to help get your thoughts moving and article ideas flowing....

Happy writing,

Beth

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Sample Christmas Feature Ideas by Allison Whitehead at the fabulous Writer2Writer.com

Getting Ready to Write about Christmas by Allison Whitehead...at Writer2Writer.com

Best of...Goals

I can't believe I'm at camp again. A whole year has passed and I still get excited about working with these amazing kids.

Since we're in the middle of the year, it's a good time to reflect, rejuvenate and re-goal your writing ambitions for the rest of 2008. To that end, here's a bunch of posts on goal setting for writers from my old blog at Fountain Pen, Inc. Enjoy!

Best of...Goals! by me at fountainpeninc.blogspot.com

The Art of Fictional Query Letters

Just a reminder that I'm gone at summer camp all week, but here's a question from a blog reader I thought you might find interesting...

Happy Writing,
Beth
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Dear Beth,

I liked your web site but can you recommend a web site for fiction writers like myself? I'm having trouble with the process of the query and I really would like to find some sort of group that I can learn from.

Sincerely,
S.H.

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S.H.,

I don't know about a group to join. Maybe you can get together with other fiction writers in your area and set up a semi-regular time to meet and go over your query concerns. You could even swap them or have a round-robin, where everyone gets a copy and time to comment.

As far as the actual writing of fiction queries, here are some places to visit for ideas and inspiration:

Queries to Editors

Charlotte Dillon's Write A Query Letter page (amazingly comprehensive--if you read this and still don't comprehend a query letter, you shouldn't be a writer)

Writing a Killer Query Can Be Simple by Natalie Collins at FictionFactor.com


How To Write a Query at AgentQuery.com

Sample Query Letter by Melissa Alvarez

Queries to Agents


How to Write Great Queries Without Resorting to Threats, Bribery or Coercion by Wendy Keller at Absolutewrite.com

How to Query an Agent by Holly Lisle

How to Query a Literary Agent by Richard Dooling (on his blog; also contains additional, excellent links)

Best of...Writer's Block

hey, guess what? I'm still at camp, but hopefully this revisited post from my days with the Fountain Pen, Inc blog will come in handy if you find yourself creatively blocked in any way...

Oh, My Gosh: Writer's Block by Beth at the Fountain Pen, Inc blog

Happy unblocking,
Beth

Help for Middle Muck in Fiction

Just a reminder that I'm gone this week at camp. Here's a post I'm sure will help many of you fiction writers in the crowd who struggle with the middles of your stories (me included):

2 Plot Tips for the Middle by Martha Alderson at her fabulous Plot Whisperer blog (stay and read a while--I guarantee you'll learn something)

Off to Camp...

Wow, hard to believe it's been an entire year since I was at camp, but it's true. And now it's time to go back!

I've worked with this camp for diabetic teengers since my brother (a diabetic diagnosed at age 18 mos) invited me 15 years ago, and it's truly the highlight of my summer. Just ask any of my friends from camp. I have an official countdown, and I usually start packing in June.

Camp is an amazing place full of super-wonderful-kids and staff and I am honored they keep letting me come back and help run the program. It's so fantastic to be a part of something that changes the lives of so many kids.

I'll be without the internet all week (I think I can survive), but I've lined up a blog post for you every day using Blogger's advance post option. Hope it works...lol. If not, have a productive, creative week and stop by the first week of August when life resumes again.

Oh, and I didn't forget about the contest. I'm going to keep it going during this week since I haven't had time to do anything with it. Every comment is an entry, and when I get back, I'll have Jason the Boy Genius choose one. Lots of goodies for the winner....

Til then, happy writing!

Beth

Rough draft....DONE!

Yay! The rough draft for the October writing magazine article is done. 15 pages longhand, written with a felt-tip (it just felt good) and a massive hand cramp, but it really looks good. I'm excited.

I had a bit of a rough patch getting this one started. Usually, with nonfiction and articles, I can get the first whiff of a first sentence and dig right in, but this one took about two pages to nail down. And I started it with something I have never done before (that I recall) in an article for a national magazine: a personal story.

The idea for this article (the topic is the difference between romance sub-genres) hit me on my second day of spring break in the beautiful Sonoran desert of Arizona. Sitting there on the porch swing of my casita at 5:30 am (the sun rises early in Arizona), I tried, for about the third time, to read a new book I'd just bought and couldn't get into it. Granted, it wasn't a romance--it was a horror novel. Despite the fact that the last horror novel I read was IT by Stephen King (I still walk around sewer openings on the street and cry when I see clowns) in the fifth grade, the geographical foundation of this new horror book was something I'd done lots of research on and loved with all my heart...so I thought I'd give it a try.

No dice. I couldn't stop thinking, as I read, that this would not end with a HEA (happily-ever-after) but instead someone's (or many someones') deaths. Aside from the fact that the novel read like a straight line with minimal description and absolutely no character emotion or POV depth (all 3rd person limited...ick), I tried. Boy, did I. It just didn't work.

So, as I sat swinging and admiring the saguaros, I started thinking. What is it about reading different genres that attract different readers? I didn't dismiss horror as a genre worth reading---the way horror keeps fans glued to the edge of their seat and makes them scream in fear is a worthy goal for the author of horror. What I wanted to know is WHAT elements of fiction draw the reader to their favorite genre(s). I started thinking about how all genres have one or two fictional elements they do well. Sci Fi, horror, romance, medical thrillers...they all have something special.

When I got home, I toyed with the idea for a bit then sent off a note to the editor (with whom I have worked before and love working with). She liked it, especially since I hasn't been done before in the magazine, but I had to tailor it to the subgenres of romance fiction. Hey, no prob.

Long story short (is there such a thing with me?), I started the article with a much shorter version of this story as the introduction. I still have to type, edit and proof, but the meat is done. And none too soon. It's about time to pack and plan for another year of summer camp. I can hardly wait!

Almost a nerd

Jason the Boy Genius (I'm not joking about that!) is a big race car fan. He never misses a racing season with his grandparents at Mid-Ohio in Lexington, and this year was no exception. Despite being on a tight deadline, I agreed to go with the boys to the Indy race today (what fun, I go often but also miss some due to summer camp conflicts).

I justified my wasting a perfectly good writing day by convincing myself that I would balance it with reading and documenting the research for the next article on the way up. Since it's a good hour and fifteen minutes one way, I figured that'd give me two & a half hours of time going through interviews--my favorite but most time-intensive part of the article-writing process.

We pulled in just as I had started documenting the research after reading through it. The Indy race itself hadn't yet started, but the preliminary race (I call them Baby Indy cars; Jason's car-specific knowledge doesn't appreciate that) was about to get going. I figured I could watch that race, do all my spreadsheeting (on paper), and put it away in time for the big race.

Then I thought about all the folks I've seen over the years at Indy races and realized I'd never seen any of them carrying a spiral notebook and shimmery purple folder crammed full of interviews to the grass in the S-curves. Knowing I had better verify this idea was OK, I piped up from the back of the car.

"Hey, I've got a question. Do you think it would be OK if I took my notebook and folder with me to do a little...."

I didn't even get the question finished before two solid, resounding, almost reverberating "NO"!!!s came back in unison.

"You would be the biggest nerd ever if you did that, mom. No way." I could almost hear the teenage embarrassment in J's voice at the mere thought that his mother would be doing work while cars zoomed around the course.

I spared them both (and myself?!) the humiliation by leaving my stuff in the car, but couldn't help but notice that the lady in front of us was reading a romance novel during the Indy baby race. No one even gave her a second look.

Well, except for Jason and I. I was jealous; he was relieved someone else looked nerdier than his mother in public (for once). He's just lucky it was too bright to read in the blazing sunlight...

My Current Obsession: To Kindle or Not To Kindle

I've been having issues lately with wanting an Amazon Kindle. You know, the little ebook reader from Amazon that feels really good, looks really good and can take the place of my Leaning Tower Of Pisa-to-be-read stack...and go to the pool with me, too?

I hadn't even heard of the Kindle until my friend Steph got one as a gift. I marveled at it--not only am I a book-o-phile, but I'm also a gadget freak. Loved the way it felt and since I love reading ebooks as much as paperbacks, thought it was a great idea I'd save up for.

I've come closer to my saving goal (It ain't cheap, that's for sure...one of the other drawbacks) and want to be sure this is how I want to spend the money burning a hole in my pocket (as mom would say). I've been peppering Steph with questions recently, but am still somewhat torn.

Knee-deep in revisions and pending deadlines, I gave up on my quest only (temporarily) only to find a fascinating article at NPR today (and eerily similar to the evaluation shared by Steph):
Taking Kindle to the Pool by Lynn Neary.

Problem is, it really didn't help. Only made me more curious to get one for myself to judge the value. At over 300 smackers, it'd better be a value...lol.

How about you? Anyone have a Kindle and an opinion? (having a Kindle isn't required for opinion but it does make for valuable feedback!). I probably won't pursue it until after camp, sometime in August, but I'd still like your thoughts. Anyone? Anyone?

I'm a Guest Blogger...at Eric Maisel's Creativity Central

Just made a quick stop over at Eric Maisel's Creativity Central blog to find my guest blog post for this week. I've volunteered to do weekly posts on the creative life along with several other great bloggers.

Come, check me out and add a comment or two. Make it look like *someone* reads my stuff LOL!

Finding Creative Balance at Eric Maisel's Creativity Central blog.

Beth Reviews...Stranger than Fiction

My best friend is a movie buff. More like raving addict, IMHO. He sees almost every movie that comes out, and is one of those guys who line up at midnight to get into the first showing of movies that he likes and/or will be really big.

Some time ago, he told me that I needed to see Stranger Than Fiction because of my writing habit. Since Jason the Boy Genius talked me into a Netflix subscription (let's just say movies are rarely on my 'to-do' list), I got Stranger Than Fiction on Friday.

And here's what I thought...

What a cool premise. A little unsettling, especially to the woman who has umpteen unfinished manuscripts at all levels of completion lying around the house, but still unique. Emma Thompson (aka Kay Eiffel) made the perfect scattered, homicidal author. The touch of Queen's English really gave her that extra boost.

I didn't know Will Ferrell was in the flick, and I'm guessing my friend didn't mention it because he knows Will movies drive me crazy (not in a good way...). However, I was actually surprised by his unusually normal performance (it's the character). I felt so sorry for him as he sat on that final bus, all day long, reading the manuscript only to find out his fate. I also wanted to know more about what kind of mother doesn't make cookies for her kids (LOL). Call it writer's instinct but I had a hunch the watch had something to do with the ending.

I also liked how well the characters were characterized by simple means. Dustin Hoffman's character and his coffee (in the urinal?! LOL). Emma and her cigarettes. Will and his numbers. When we cut narrative to the bones in our writing, we can show the same things with meaningful symbols.

All in all, a good movie. If you were expecting a Siskel & Ebert review, you're outta luck.

There were two amazing quotes in the movie that I absolutely loved. Writers will understand!

First, when Kay and Penny are sitting beside the river and Kay is envisioning the car plunging into the water as they sit in the rain (and she tries smoking):

Penny: Sitting in the rain won't write books.
Kay: Well, that illustrates how much you know about writing books.

And the second is when Kay figures out how to kill Harold. Standing by the window, she and Penny have a casual discussion about the actual death scene:

Kay: It came to me.
Penny: How?
Kay: Well, Penny, like anything worth writing, it came to me inexplicably and without method.

Absolutely true. Don't try to deny it.

If you haven't seen it and you write fiction of any type, you really should check it out. It will certainly make me think twice about killing any characters in the future...

Agent's Call for Nonfiction Submissions

Nonfiction authors, stop pouting! The Caren Johnson Literary Agency is looking for submissions from you, too. Below is a snippet; visit http://johnsonlitagency.wordpress.com/2008/07/02/call-for-non-fiction-2/
for the whole story. And good luck!


I want books by journalists or experts in the field that take a new or different look at familiar subjects. A few books that I read and really enjoyed are: The Wal-Mart Effect, by Charles Fishman, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, by Michael Pollan, Legacy of Ashes, by Tim Weiner (not technically narrative non-fiction, but really enjoyable because of how readable it was), Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser, Nickel and Dimed: On Not Getting By in America, by Barbara Ehrenreich, and Nerds: Who They Are and Why We Need More of Them, by David Anderegg. I have two books on my list that I’m extremely proud of that fit into this category that I’ll highlight to give you an idea of what I’m desperate to see now: Once Again to Zelda: The Stories Behind Literature’s Most Intriguing Dedications, by Marlene Wagman-Geller and Where am I Wearing: A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories and People that Make Our Clothes, by Kelsey Timmerman.

Agent's Call for Contemporary Romance Submissions

Just came across this on one of my loops & thought I'd share. This is just a snippet; visit the Caren Johnson Literary Agency's page for the specifics:

http://johnsonlitagency.wordpress.com/2008/07/02/call-for-romance-2/

So here’s the challenge: I want to find 3-4 romance authors who have great contemporary romances (sorry paranormal and romantic suspense authors—as I keep saying, I have some great authors already writing this in my stable so I don’t want to have too much competition within the agency). Please send me great stories with well developed characters, fun plots and great locations (I’m an armchair traveler so don’t hesitate to set your stories in your hometown of Wichita, Kansas or Phoenix, Arizona; I’d love to hear about those places). Send all queries via email—submissions@johnsonlitagency.com— and let’s get some good stories going.

If fiction were nonfiction....

Thinking in terms of the writing process on this one.

Yesterday I went to the corner coffee shop to do a bit of editing, a bit of outlining and some writing. The editing was for one of the guest blog pieces I mentioned earlier, due this weekend. Wednesday evening, I wrote out the rough draft, and as I wrote, I finally got to the message I wanted to convey. It didn't start until the third page, but it was there, and it's highly unlikely from that point to the end that I will edit at all.

As I worked on rewriting the first third of the piece, I had a sudden realization that writing fiction and writing nonfiction should essentially be the same type of process: just write. Sit down, pen on paper, and just start writing.

But that isn't so. I marveled at the realization that in fiction, I struggle to get started. I will find almost anything to do before writing: dishes, take a shower, call my mother..practically any excuse to start. With nonfiction, I grab a pen, the portfolio, and launch into my writing, knowing that I'll probably draft a little, revise a little and work in better words and phrases.

It comes down to this: I start nonfiction knowing and expecting I'll draft, but start fiction with the need for perfection, which keeps me from starting at all many times.

Completely insane.

Do you have this problem? If so, how have you worked on it? It's very interesting to me, especially with the belief that if I can approach fiction with my nonfiction mindset, I might actually get somewhere....

Love Tarot? Check out this contest!

I've been raving to my writing girls about an online course I'm taking which integrates tarot reading with plotting via the Hero's Journey. I was a bit wary because I have ZERO tarot experience (except for being fascinated by it), and, well, let's just say my plotting stamina has something to be desired.

The course has been an absolute godsend. I have never in my life plotted more deeply into a book than I have, and we're only halfway through (but I digress).

Key to my understanding has been the excellent teacher, Stephanie Arwen Lynch. So imagine my surprise when I found out she's going to be not only chatting on a radio show about the Tarot (she *is* the current president of the American Tarot Association), but also hosting a contest for a free reading....:) I'm posting here to get myself into the drawing (definitely check out her blog if you're even remotely interested. Really fab stuff she's got going on!). You won't be sorry....


Let's Talk Tarot & Readings

Do you want to learn more about Tarot? Want to listen in as a professional Tarot consultant gives free readings? Want to be one of the people who gets a reading? Come join Stephanie Arwen Lynch, president of the American Tarot Association and professional Tarot consultant, as she chats with authors Mandy M Roth and Michelle Pillow Wednesday July 16th from 11pm to 12 midnight EST.

And you can win a free reading by posting this notice somewhere it hasn't been posted and leaving the link here. Have to leave it there or it doesn't count.

Busier than A-Rod's attorney

Sorry for the sports reference but my brain is almost mush at this point. What a busy day.

Not complaining--this is part of the reason writing is so much fun. Started the day by sending out the interview/questionnaire requests, then moved on to checking email, only to find I've been asked to guest blog in two new places (how cool is that?!) (details after they're hashed out). Had a morning meeting then a one o'clock phone interview. Yeah, the one I was dreading. Not out of fear but unfamiliarity. I've never talked with a PR person before (in terms of an article), but I had nothing to worry about.

It was a blast! I learned some absolutely fascinating health stuff that will not only flesh out this article (due next week), but gave me some GREAT ideas for a query or two to some big-name markets...ones I've been trying to get into for quite some time. Fingers crossed...

From there, I sent out more questionnaires, worked on a column and played with a few blog widgets. With dinner came another amazing query idea I'm itching to send out to the same big-namers above. Maybe I'll save that one so that when the rejection comes from the first, I can whip out another fab idea. Did some camp planning (soooo close to camp....), and am about to settle in and crank out a minimum three pages on the fiction WIP. I'm also taking part in my local RWA chapter's Power Draft this week, in which I pledged to finish chapter one of the fiction WIP. I'm 1/3 done, so I've got work to do.

Amazingly, I'm not tired yet, and I've been up since 6. Must be that good writing karma.....

Romance Authors are the BEST

...and not just because I am one!

I posted the call for authors this morning here, on my blog, and to three author loops to which I belong. A couple of great ladies passed it on via Twitter and other loops, and as of right now, I've sent out 53 questionnaires. Absolutely fabulous. I've always known romance writers are the best and this just confirms it.

Even better--the responses are completely awesome. I really am so psyched for this article. What's interesting is how the whole idea came about. I'll share that in an upcoming post.

If you're published and just stopping by at the request of a friend and wonder if I can use your insight--absolutely. Please drop me a line at: beth@bethmorrow and I'll be glad to send you the questionnaire. More sources mean a stronger article and more insight, so come on! Tell me what makes your sub-genre the best!

Wanted: Published Romance Authors

If you're a published romance writer and want a little free promo, I've got a deal for you!

I'm working on an article for the October '08 issue of the RWR (topic: sub-genres of romance) and need author interviews to round out the piece.

If you're interested, (the questionnaire is only five questions long and I need it no later than July 20th), drop me an email at: beth@bethmorrow.com or blog@bethmorrow.com and we can chat.

Do feel free to pass this on to any romance-writing friends who might be interested.

Thanks a bunch! Now back to the writing....

My kingdom for a pen....

I'm a ink-pen addict. I make no bones about it. I can't write unless I have the right pen.

98% of the time I'm a fountain pen girl. None of these new-fangled ink pens that stutter and leave blotches. I need the good, solid heft of a real pen to write, especially fiction, which I draft longhand first.

The other 2% of the time, I'm testing out new pens. I buy pens like most women buy shoes. Anything new, shiny, sparkly or with a pretty color suckers me in immediately. The guys at Staples (near where I used to work and now near my house) all know me by first name. If I have a bad day at school, I don't drink to forget my problems (well, ok, I do ...), I stop by the pen aisle on the way home and pick up something cool.

My latest trial-and-error is a success. For years, the only pen the hubby would use to grade lab notebooks and chemistry quizzes was the Pilot extra-fine. (In red, of course). A few weeks ago, I discovered the Pilot Precise v5 RT (extra fine as well)--in a retractable, not capped, form. I got a package (for him, I claimed) for fun.

I love this pen!! It's smooth and doesn't skip, drip or smear. (I'm a fast writer). I love the extra fine tip for scribbling extra notes to myself in the margins (or between lines) for future drafts. I'm not going to leave the fountain pens anytime soon, but this is a definite keeper.

(It takes so very little to excite me sometimes it's almost scary, but if you write longhand, you understand my happiness :))

When you write, which pen is your favorite? Tell me about it. Remember, every post gets you entered in the July 23 drawing by Jason, the boy genius. (a hint: he hates writing with pens. Pencils only. Maybe he's adopted...)

(and maybe an extra point if you can tell me from whom I filched the post title from...)