Tag Archives: writer

March 13, 2013 · 9:00 am

Anatomy of a Full Manuscript Request

I’d like to share why I requested a full manuscript from someone whose query and first 20 pages I read. It kind of went like this…

imgresThe query was addressed to me correctly (i.e. Dear Ms. Epstein). I’m happy to be addressed informally, too, just as Linda. Either way is fine.

There were three short paragraphs telling me what the story was about. Actually it was only 9 sentences, which is great (although, to be honest, some of them were run-ons). The third paragraph was kind of snarky, which clued me in that I would probably hear some of that voice in the manuscript. And I like that.

The next paragraph gave me important info: TITLE OF THE MANUSCRIPT, word count, genre, and two comparisons. What I appreciated about the comparisons were that the author said her novel would appeal to readers who like the quirky sense of humor of a particular author and the strong girl characters of another author. She didn’t suggest that her manuscript was like theirs, that she was the next best selling author of these kind of books, or that her manuscript was even better than the ones she just mentioned.

imgres-1But she showed me that she’s thought about who might read her book. So I know she knows the market. Also, the two qualities she was talking about were things that I care about. So it seems to me that this author has done her homework to see what kind of stories I’m interested in. She didn’t spit back my words to me, like cutting and pasting from my agency’s website into her query.

Then she told me that she included the materials (i.e. the 20 pages) that I request in my submission guidelines; she thanked me for my time; and signed the email. So I’m already happy now, because she’s done almost everything correctly. She didn’t write anything about herself, and I do like to know something about the authors with whom I may potentially work. But it’s not a deal breaker for me that she left this out. So, I went ahead and read the first 20 pages, because not only had she written a good query, but it sounded interesting to me. It’s YA fantasy, with a twist on a usual fantasy plot. And it’s got feminist undertones (or at least non-sexist ones), and I really like that, too.

urlThe 20 pages zipped by. I saw a couple of problems, but nothing that’s not fixable. And when I got to the end of the first 20 I was left with the best question: What happens next?! So I requested the full. And I asked the author to include a short bio when she sends the full.

And that’s what it looked like when I requested a full manuscript this week!

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March 1, 2013 · 1:40 pm

An Agent’s Lament: My Interrogative Pronoun Rant

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1. Who is going to be the lucky editor who makes me my next offer? Who will win that particular prize? Because I’ve got some really kick ass manuscripts out on submission right now, and someone’s going to be snatching them up. Who is it going to be? Who are you?!

2. What is the deal with “New Adult” literature? I mean, is it just YA with more graphic sex? What do we really need another category of books for? Are bookstores going to make another section for it? What for? WTF?

3. Where are the writers who are writing the manuscripts that I wish were coming into my inbox? Where should I look? Writer’s conferences? Contests? Twitter? Yoo hoo! Where are you?

4. When will I ever have time to just sit and read a book for pleasure? Like, not because I’m staying current with the market or because it’s new and I need to keep my finger on the pulse? When will I ever have time to read something that was published a long time ago, just because I never read it, or want to re-read it? When will that happen?

5. Why do some editors never answer their phone? I mean, whenever I call I get voicemail. First thing in the morning. Lunch time. Mid afternoon. Right before 5. Even after 5. I know editors are busy. I mean, I really do know that. But there are some editors who never, ever answer their fricken’ phone. Why is that?

6. How am I really supposed to reject queries so people don’t lose hope and/or think I’m just another idiot agent sending a form rejection? I mean, honestly, I can’t give feedback on every rejection. If I did, I wouldn’t have time to do my job. How could I possibly do that? How can folks expect it?

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March 11, 2012 · 6:14 pm

Writing Authentic Characters & the Artifice of Cindy Sherman

I went to the Cindy Sherman exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art last week. It was truly fabulous. If you’re a writer and you don’t know who she is or about her work, I strongly urge you to check her out. As a writer myself, and as someone who edits and represents others’ writing, I find Cindy Sherman’s body of work fascinating, inspiring and even instructive.

I think that one of the challenges in creating believable characters, dialogue and voice in writing is not only to choose the right words, so to say, but also to achieve authenticity. My Mac-tionary/Macthaurus thingy that looks up words for me on my laptop says that authenticity means “of undisputed origin; genuine.” So when building characters and crafting the words that come out of their mouths, usually the idea is for them to be three dimensional, to be undisputedly who we are creating them to be. To be authentic.

For over 30 years Cindy Sherman has been photographing herself, posed, styled and dressed as types and characters of people. One of the things that makes her work brilliant, I think, is that she manages to climb inside her subject and is then able to project something out to the viewer, while simultaneously being the photographer and having the ability to capture that something.

As writers, we kind of have the same task. We need to be able to climb inside each of the characters we are creating, and then have them speak their words, take their actions, be part of a story. And I think a good writer doesn’t merely do this only for the main character. When we craft our characters from the outside, looking in, they just don’t read as authentic. What Cindy Sherman achieves in her work, because she is both photographer/stylist and model, is to highlight that discrepancy between who a character thinks they are and who and what we, as the lookers, actually see.

When you build a character or write dialogue, rather than writing it how you might hear it, try writing it how you might say it. Climb inside them to perform their actions. Then, after you’ve written, have someone read it to you and then listen. I think a shift in perspective like this is invaluable. It is inhabiting your characters. It is being the photographed and the photographer.

All of the above photographs are by and of Cindy Sherman, in the current MOMA exhibit which runs until June 11, 2012.

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