Three Things for a Successful Author

I KonMari'd this blog post to leave the most important parts. I realised you didn't really want to hear lots from me on the craft of writing. However, the things I mention in here are things I wish I knew twenty years ago. It has taken me this long to figure these things out.

May they help you as well.

1.  Voice. You wanna know what will hook an editor or agent and get them to read on?  It's voice. If you ain't got that, nothing else matters, no matter how tight your storyline is or how deep your characters. If you can't hook and editor/agent/reader to want to read on, they'll never discover the other beauty.

2.  Attitude. A bit of humility goes a looong way in this industry. A chip on your shoulder will cost you. I presume you're in this for the long run. (I am. I have a Fifty-Year Plan.) Develop a sweet and humble attitude. Others will be happy to work with you if you do.

3. Patience. Assume it's gonna take a long time for stuff to happen. That said, do not procrastinate. Do. Not. Procrastinate. Everything else will take away much of your time in your Fifty-Year Plan. Don't give it any more. Get as much done as quickly as you can, and have patience for the rest.

Question for you: What don't you know right now that you wish you knew?

Yesterday

I'm sure you've noticed the datestamp on this post.

Yes, I was supposed to post Y yesterday, but things happen.

A few days ago Second Ladyship asked me what kind of superpower I would like. I told her I would like power over Time. I wish I could hoard or spend time the way I do money. Sometimes, like the next few weeks, I've got too much to do and not enough time in which to do it. Other times I've got a spare five minutes and nothing really useful with which to fill it. If only I could squirrel away those five minute coins into a really useful hour's worth of free time, that would be marvelous.

This week I have:

• A book fair coming up. Have a few things left to prep for this.
• Collaboration with other post-grad students on a science mission to Saturn's moon of Enceladus.
• Analysis paper on all the missions to Mars (Viking, Curiosity, etc) in relation to astrobiology.
• Massive cleaning.

Three of those things are really cool. One of them is not. They are all taking up my time.

List of things I wish I was doing this week, but don't have time:

• Writing. Yep, I won't get a single word of fiction in over the next couple of weeks. Sorry, Amanda.
• More promo for Her Endearing Young Charms, which is out 20 May.
• Painting that long-overdue mural on my office wall.
• Binge-watching something on TV. Normally I get maybe an hour or so a week. Yes, I spend more time exercising in the pool than I do watching TV.
• Reading. Have several books I bought in my TBR pile a few weeks ago that I haven't gotten around to cracking yet.
• Sit at the beach on a warm Djeran afternoon.

Things I'm glad I don't have to do this week:

• taxes
• full-time Day Job work
• piano practice
• lawnmowing
• riding the bus due to a broken-down car
• social work

So here's to Yesterday.

Why yes, I am a fan of The Beatles.

If you're also a fan, you might enjoy fellow blogger, music enthusiast, author, and fellow Woodland Creature (and regular Carkoon resident) Colin Smith's A to Z challenge dedicated to flash fiction inspired by Paul McCartney songs. It's so cool; check it out.

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Her Grace may forgo blogging for a few weeks while she finishes her astrobiology obligations.

A to Z Challenge: Envelopes

I confess a fondness for envelopes.

Whenever we get post, I'll carefully slit open the envelope at the left end (never the top!) and slide out the post. Most of the time it's something like a bill or school communication or even well-dressed junk mail. Whatever. That gets filed (cabinet, folder or round) depending on its significance, but the envelope is what I truly wanted.

On my desk, under my keyboard, is where the empty envelopes go.

This is my collection of scratch paper. I will sketch out my lists and notes on the backs of these envelopes (that's why they must be opened carefully, so to preserve their neatness and integrity).

I tried a regular notepad, but it simply didn't do. I don't know what it is about the envelopes, but they have an appealing charm. Maybe they are the right size and heft, to give my lists a substantiability.

The envelopes have to be used. I cannot use a pristine, unposted envelope. I feel I'm ruining its potential when I use it thus. But the posted ones, the ones that most people would simply throw away?

To me, they are gold.

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Her Grace is a listmaker. Also, for brainstorming, she prefers the sturdiness of an old envelope, as napkins, the traditional brainstormer's stationery, are too flimsy for her taste.

How to Stalk an Agent

You may start stalking agents at any time in your career, even before you've started a novel. Research is good.  DO NOT QUERY an agent until you have a complete, polished manuscript!  Here's a step-by-step guide to help you properly stalk an agent or fifty.

1. Do not get weird and creepy. Be professional at all times.
2. Make various contacts in the Industry. This is good for your career overall, and not just purely for the stalking of agents.
3. Look up agents. Writer's Marketplace, Agent Query, Agent Tracker, word-of-mouth, Googling (unless you're a Bing girl, then Bing away).
4. Make a list of agent names. Make a long list. The longer the better.  This shall hereafter be known as "The List".
5. Organise The List. This is a preliminary organisation, as these agents will be moving up and down The List at a later date.  At the top should be those agents who are open to subs and who rep your genres.
6. Time to stalk, author-style! Pick a couple of names and look up everything you can find about that agent. Pretty much all of them have web sites of varying sizes and qualities. Many of them have blogs, many of them Tweet. Stalk every single agent on your list who reps your genres. Get a sense of their personality, their professionalism, read their tips and suggestions.
7. Stalk Janet Reid aka Miss Snark aka The Query Shark, even if she doesn't rep your genres, simply because she is full of wisdom. Now go glean.
8. Find out what the agents like (SF, high-concept, YA, etc), what they're reading, what they want. Agents often advertise what they're currently looking for, often in interviews on various people's blogs. If you happen to come across an agent who is actively looking for something that sounds like your manuscript, move 'em up the list.
9. Network. Ask appropriate questions about the craft/submitting to those agents who answer such questions. Several of them will. Browse through their blogs first to make sure they haven't already answered your question.  This is a good way of narrowing down particulars. (Frex, "As you rep Paranormal, do you find it a hard sell in today's market?" or "Is it better to query agents in batches of twenty or fifty?" "Should I include X in a query letter?")
10. As you learn more about these agents, adjust their position on your list. Those who seem to be a better match for your CAREER (and not just this one project), move them towards the top.  Make copious notes explaining why they are where they are.
11. Write practice queries with these agents in mind. You can get your queries critiqued in all sorts of places.  I recommend this, especially if you have no experience writing queries. At the very least, read those blogs that crit queries.  Queries are your agent pick-up lines.  You want the suave ones, not the cheesy ones.
12. Come up with a list of Phone questions. These are the questions to ask an agent, should they call/email you to offer representation. This list can be tailored to each agent, if you wish. 
13. If you've done your stalking correctly, you should find you will have trouble sorting the top ten agents into an order, because they are all just so good.  Just lump 'em all into "Top Ten".  When you are ready to query (with a complete and polished ms), send it out to all ten.

And that's how you stalk an agent.

Everyone's methods vary. Feel free to add or amend in the comments.
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Her Grace has been developing agent stalking methods, as modern technology makes it real easy. Just remember, do not get weird or creepy.