Guest Blog: RWA Conference Review with Joanna McKethan

I was sad to miss the annual Romance Writers of America Conference this year.  It's a pretty major conference (the major conference, if you write romance!)  The conference lasted from June 29-July 1, this year held in New York, NY. 

But just because I wasn't there, doesn't mean I won't post a review - I called on the talented Joanna McKethan to write a review for me!

In addition to being a  PRO member of the RWA, and another member of the much-vaunted (by me, anyway) HCRW chapter, Joanna is also a member of the Gothic Writers and the North Carolina Writers Network.  You can pick up a copy of her novel Lady in White at Red Rose publishing, and keep an eye out for A Deadly Provenance, which won 3rd place in the 2007 Haunted Hearts Contest.  She's also a published author of over 60 poems in various literary journals and poetry anthologies (one in both English and Russian!)  Joanna published her first short fiction in Americal Girl at 16, and went on to work in the writing industry for 8 years, split between working as an assistant editor at Cooperative Extension Service at the University of Kentucky, and four years writing features and a newsletter at Vision Verlag in Starnberg, West Germany. 

And, because most writers also have a day job, Joanna is a professional artist who owns j'Originals Art Studio in Dunn, NC.  She paints watercolor and oil paintings on commission and has also taught art for 30 years.  As an award-winning artist, you might catch her exhibited on regional and national levels.  She's a member of the Portrait Society of America and of the Southern Watercolor Society, and has served as a board member of the Wathercolor Society of North Carolina for 12 years. 

So what did Joanna think about the RWA conference?  Here's her take:

Wow--about the conference itself--the keynote luncheon was simply incredible-- listening to Diana Gabaldon of Outlander fame, Steve Perry who writes thrillers, both NY Times best-selling authors, and Tess Gerritsen whose series detective inspired Rizzoli & Isles answer expertly placed questions. That in itself would have been enough for me. But then we got to hear Sherrily Kenyon and Madeline Hunter tell their stories, and what mind-boggling, stirring stories they were.

We got chances to pitch our own finished novels to major agents and editors, including those on the NY scene, rake in free books from top publishers, devour incredibly informative workshops and meet members of national interest groups (mine being Gothic Writers) that we had never seen before. I particularly liked Michael Hauge's workshop on character arc and plot/novel structure, but also those which encouraged us to get savvy with the marketing tools of the industry.  Plus, our published authors got a chance to sign books for their fans - the HCRW made a good showing at our panel!

For my own part, I got pitching sessions with 3 literary agents (all top choices for me personally), one a New York agent, and a request for a full from a top publisher. I am racing to get it off to them, now. I made some terrific new friends, got and gave some good pitching tips, made neat contacts, heard scuttlebutt insider tips you only get from conferences, new books I want to read and I had two or three "revelation" type ideas for presenting my WIP.

The total conference cost for me was around $1300, but this isn't all at once. You pay the conference fee first. My room for four nights, shared room, was $485, which was charged to my card last, my meals were $120-$150 of the $200 cash I took to spend. My flight, with insurance, with broker, was $230, and the optional shipping of my books home was $53 (their largest), for a grand total of (how much was the conference fee? 375 or 450?) 1300-1365. I have made a commitment to myself to afford myself one major conference a year in each of my expertise areas, which has more than elevated my craft in each area. Entrepreneurs ALWAYS know they have to put back into the business, often repeatedly, before they take much out.

Oh! And I bought a book from Michael Hauge, $20.

I recommend the conference to people in several phases: first of all, to beginners:  to get a notion of the scope of the industry which will inspire and light a fire under you, straight on. Secondly for those with a completed book to get opportunities to pitch novels to editors and agents who are otherwise closed to open queries. And thirdly, if you're needing fresh infusions or if you've won something, to bask in it a bit.

Okay, you want to know my crazy conference story? Get this. I made the mistake of returning to my room to get my evening earrings & returning to an overloaded elevator system. None of the elevators would take me down on this computerized elevator system. Our conference had overloaded the brain and I was told I "had to wait." I was on 42nd floor of the Marriott Marquis. You talk about a panic attack. Trapped? Moi? Alternate routes? The staircase! So I trotted known 36 double flights of stairs so as not to miss the award dessert banquet--my legs were trembling at the end when I got on the escalators at ninth floor. My thigh muscles clinched and didn't return to normal until Tuesday! But I did get to see the awards given, including Virginia Kantra from our own HCRW. I heard there were two finalists from my gothic group. Oh well. It was still one hundred percent worth it.

Go ahead and laugh! I wasn't laughing then, but I am now.

You can't have a conference without a crazy conference story!  I asked Joanna to share hers, and now I'd love to hear yours - add your story as a comment, and take a moment to laugh at everyone else's!  The five which make me laugh the hardest will be accumulated into a post for July 18th (Wow, I already know that I'll have a hard time choosing!)  Thanks again to Joanna McKethan for the terrific review!

A completely random and baseless prediction

It's dangerous when I think.

No, really.  Having a task which engages my hands but not my mind has led to antics such as the time I reenacted the French Revolution with tomatoes at work.  (Not my fault - the tomato slicer makes a sound exactly like a guillotine.  And I was on task the entire time... I just happened to be marching aristocrats from the Roma family to their beheadings as the masses lined up on the cutting board cheered.  See?  You wouldn't be able to resist, either.)

One of the things rolling around with the marbles in my head recently has been the concept of branding, as applied to e-publishing.

First of all, this is an idea based entirely out of the (il)logical confines of my head - there is absolutely no support for this that I've seen to date, no studies suggesting it, and nothing but my very basic grasp of marketing, American consumerism, and brand labeling driving it.

That said, I sincerely believe the concept of brand marketing is going to significantly impact the sales of e-published works within the next 2-3 years.

Why?

Because spamming in the self-publishing world is beginning to take off. Because, for every self-published writer who edits her works thoroughly and actually has a plot to her novel, three more do not.  Because a book bought through a traditional publishing house will always have had someone look at it and say, "this is worth reading" - meaning it's passed some minimal set of standards for readability and plot.

Therefore, I expect to see branding to become the next big thing on the e-bookshelves.  Publishers will start making their icon large enough to be seen on the cover art in a thumbnail, so that browsers will know the book has passed their inspection.  And browsers will probably begin creating brand loyalty such as formerly been absent in the literary world (Do you buy your regular books solely based on who published them - or do you buy them based on the pretty cover art and the intriguing blurb?)  If I know that Baen, for example, typically prints books with higher-quality plots and better editing, I'm going to be more likely to purchase from them online than a book from a publisher I've never heard of.

Obviously, this would be Bad News for small publishers and self-published authors.

As a writer, one of the things on my contract wishlist would therefore be that my ebooks include a visible publisher logo on the cover art (maybe discreetly in the corner, but still large enough to be seen on a thumbnail.)

Do you think this particular prediction has any basis in reality?  As an author, will you require a logo for your own ebook cover art, or do you think it's too soon to start the branding process?  Theoretically, what do you see this doing to the market?  Do you see a solution to help small publishers and self published authors stay in the game?

Industry Cliffsnotes

Just a quick rundown on some recent blogs by agents and authors.  That's right, Cliffsnotes for the writing industry!  Hopefully, you already follow some of these blogs, so you've probably already seen at least one or two of these already. 

On QueryTracker: Publishing Pulse runs through recent publishing news.  Highlights?  Updates on agents, including some closed for summer submissions.  (Updated: Chris Lotts, Janet Reid, Andrea Somberg)   (Kristin Lindstrom: no longer a lit agent. Chris Richman: closed for summer.  Joelle Delbourgo: closed for summer.  Scott Eagan: Closed for summer.)  Also, links on good writer pages, the effect of spoilers on writing, and a press release about JK Rowling's Pottermore.
Also on QueryTracker:  Why you need a Game Plan, an article explaining that writers, like businesspeople, need a game plan.  This is especially true if you're self-publishing, but also true even with traditional publishing.  Danyelle Leafty talks about developing a 5-year game plan.  Mostly, she points out that writers are now considered responsible for a lot of their own self-promotion.  She also points out that the point of social networking isn't to sell - it's to form a network of people to support you, make connections, and so forth.  If it doesn't work for you, don't do it.  Do, however, keep your website up-to-date. And find some way to connect to readers.  If you're self-publishing, you have to make sure you're professional, from your website to your book covers. 

On Eric Blank's Pimp My Novel:
Eric talks about why summer sales slow down.  Major points: Many publishing houses are connected to universities, so of course things slow down in summer.  Your agents will probably take longer to respond, and some agencies close to submissions in the summer. Use the extra time to write.
Also:  Eric talks about why the average advance is shrinking.  You know, that all-important cash advance that writers later have to wait for their royalties to earn out before making money off the royalties?  Yeah, it's getting smaller.  It's a lean market out there, and the original purpose of the advance was for authors to use to market their own books.  With the webculture growing, marketing is getting cheaper.  So publishing houses are shrinking their advances.

On BookEnds:
Jessica Faust points out that if you don't tell people about your facebook/website/blog/twitter accounts, nobody's going to follow you.  (I might be guilty of this one.  >.>   <.<   >.>  Oops.  Guess I'd better fix that!)

On Guide to Literary Agents:
If you don't follow BookEnds, then you might have missed that Lauren Ruth officially joined BookEnds as a new agent now accepting queries.
Also, an article on How to be a Click Magnet - getting higher on the search engine roll and getting more traffic.  Included amongst the 10 suggestions?  Use full names, specific (yes, even to the point of boring) titles, and keep the title under 65 characters (not words!)
Also: An interview with Deirdre Knight.  Always get to know the agents you're querying - if you plan on sending something to her, read the interview.  No cliffsnotes on this one, sorry: the homework doesn't help you if you don't do it yourself.  Well, maybe one note: apparently fanged unicorns win over zombies.

And on the close-to-home side of things (close to my home, anyway,) HCRW's own Virginia Kantra won the RITA award at the annual RWA conference!  Congratulations, Virginia! 
(Decoding the alphabet soup for my new readers: HCRW, is the Heart of Carolina Romance Writers' association, my local chapter of the Romance Writers of America.)

Just a happy little summer update on the industry!  Any news of note that I've missed?

Guest blog with Kathy Lane: Sexy Secondary Characters

Kathy Lane

 Joining me today is guest blogger and published author, Kathy Lane!  Kathy's first book, Bloodsworn: Bound by Magic, just won 1st place in the Fantasy catagory of the PRISM contest.  The PRISM contest is hosted by the Futuristic, Fantasy, and Paranormal chapter of the RWA, and her win was announced just yesterday!  Join me a quick congratulations! :) 
 Check out her website and her blog.  Also, her second novel comes out July 15, so keep an eye out!

ATTENTION READERS: Join me on my July Blog Tour and play my Scavenger Blog Game. Visit each of my blog/interview sites for the month of July and leave a comment. At the end of July, one lucky winner will receive a prize package which includes a copy of Bloodsworn I and II, a $25 Amazon gift card, and more! Happy July!

Strong, Sexy, Secondary Characters in a book are a delight to read. Yes, you’re rooting for the lead character, but it’s nice to have someone else to add a little spice to the story from time to time.

Depending on the type of story, secondary characters can also be essential in showcasing your Hero or Heroine. In books dealing with mystery or intrigue, of instance, it helps if the main character has someone they can bounce ideas off of. Internal dialogue is fine, but unless your Hero is omnipotent, there is a limit to his information. Put him in a conversation with his best buddy, and the possibilities for plausible deductions increase dramatically.

Conversations between a primary and secondary character serve a multitude of functions. They reveal secrets, create or relieve tension, and explore motives and conflicts without the dreaded ‘telling’. In some cases, especially when the author is great at writing dialogue, such interaction can set the tone for the whole book.

In addition to providing information, a secondary character can often develop into someone we love and want to know more about. In my first book, Bloodsworn: Bound by Magic, two secondary characters stood out according to my fans. One is Devlin Tragar’s best friend, Karess (who has yet to tell me his story, the rascal), and the other is Avera St. John’s First Blade and new best friend, Bracca Cu-Laurian.

True, Bracca isn’t your typical best friend, but he’ll do anything for Avera. And she definitely thinks he’s strong and sexy. So does a young widow named Sheren Ni-Annun who Bracca meets in Bloodsworn II: Linked by Blood. From the moment he sees Sheren, Bracca is drawn to her. Yet his life and loyalty is pledged to his Bloodsworn, Lady Avera. A man with his dark and violent past has nothing left to offer a gentle woman like Sheren. Or does he?



Kathy's up-and-coming second novel!



Duty vies with passion in book two of the Bloodsworn Series due out July 15^th, 2011.

Now, here’s my question for those of you who are playing my Scavenger Blog Game.

(1) What three futuristic, fantasy, or paranormal authors do you think have the best cast of secondary characters?  My picks are Jeanine Frost, Patricia Briggs, and Ilona Andrews. There are lots more out there, so let us know. Happy Reading!



5 Steps to Using an Agent Catalogue

Wouldn't it be great if there were some catalogue of literary agents, which you could pick up and browse at will?

Oh, wait.  There is!

Check out your local bookseller (I went to Barnes & Nobles, because there's one just down the street.)  A lot of large stores will carry books like The 2011 Guide to Literary Agents or a similar title.  If you're not in the RWA, or if you're looking for a different genre and haven't joined the association yet to get access to the association's list of agents, the book's a pretty good resource.  Heck, it's good even if you are a member.

But not every agency listed will sell your book.  And, as every writer should know, it's just plain silly to query an agent who doesn't sell your sort of book!  They don't have the connections, haven't studied your market, and may not even enjoy reading your genre at all.  So do your research before writing your letter.

Step one is to flip to the index.  That's right, the big books I've seen have a lovely little "by genre" index in the back, which will allow you to make a list of all agencies which might actually be willing to accept your novel (or your instruction book for decoding the mathematics behind taxes, as related to the housing market in China.  A lot of the agencies do take nonfiction.)  As for me, I only noted down the agencies I hadn't seen on the RWA website, or which I'd seen but not yet applied to.  No point researching someone to whom I've already sent a query!

Step two is to actually read the blurb provided.  Just because an agent sells romance, doesn't mean they sell paranormal/fantasy romance.  I marked everyone off my list who didn't sell my specific genre.  I also marked off a few who did, but who only take new clients by referrals, or who work with only established authors. 

Naturally, step three is to note down the contact information and preferences of the agency. 

Step for is not to query them.  Step four is to research them by going online, checking out their agency and their agents, and figuring out which agent is most likely to be interested in my work.  I also check out any blogs connected to the agency, and read through to get a better feel of what interests the agents, what their pet peeves are, and if they have any particular preferences for what should be included in the submission.

Step five, yes, is to actually send the query, and wait for a reply.  Try not to be like me and fidget too much in the interval, especially since it usually takes a few weeks for agents to get back to you.  Remember that they get hundreds of e-mails a week (sometimes a day.)  Jennifer Laughran suggests that waiting is good for you: if an agent sends something back immediately, usually it's a rejection.  They think about the submissions they like.  And, if you follow ettiquette, you should query no more than five agents at any one time, except in cases where an agent says they prefer an exclusive query (obviously, you'll be sending to just them.) In the latter case, they usually tend to be quicker on the return replies.

And, if you're lucky, step six will be to get a follow-up phone call, wherein you'll ask a lot of questions. 

For those published writers out there, how did you find your agent?  Through a recommendation, a conference, or a cold query?  Through a contest or a class?  How did you choose which agent to query?  And do you have any warnings or suggestions for debut authors?

Pitching in Person, as advised by Virginia Kantra

I'm going to keep this one short, since you'll go read the article if it's of interest to you.


Another blog for ya'll to check out: http://virginiakantra.blogspot.com/2011/05/write-on-wednesday-pitch-appointment.html

Virginia Kantra is a best-selling paranormal romance writer who also has a ton of great advice for budding authors.  This particular article is on giving pitches to an agent/publisher in person, if you happen to be in a place (like a conference) which allows you to sign up to pitch to such an esteemed person.  If you're planning on going with a traditonal publishing house, I recommend it.  Also, I'd recommend browsing through her other articles, even if you're self-publishing.  She's worth the read.

Dear goodness, another query???

Hey, I've made another revision of my query letter!  Just thought that I would show that I'm still working to make it better.  After taking a couple of classes and dragging my friends into editing for me (Thanks especially to Jess, Kat, and Gwyn!), I've made a yet another version.
You know what's crazy?  I'm still not satisfied with it.  I want to know more about my female lead.  BUT, it does address several main issues.  It's under 250 words; it introduces the book first; it demonstrates the conflict and doesn't bog the reader down in a multitude of subplots.  The entire purpose of a query letter is to get the agent to ask for more.  It's the synopsis that actually tells the story; the query is just a hook.  But still...  Maybe it's just perfectionism, but chances are, you'll see another version soon enough, if this one doesn't start getting responses (and quickly!)

By the way, a good query letter should supposedly net you at least an 80% request rate.  If it doesn't, you're supposed to rewrite it.  Mine didn't.  So, I took a few classes and rewrote it.  Wish me luck!

How many versions has your query gone through?  Have you ever taken a class, or found a book, that made the difference between a form rejection and a manuscript request?  And what was your biggest error?