Magna Cum Murder

Going to a crime fiction writers conference this weekend downtown at the Columbia Club (an old GOP stomping ground. No matter). Magna Cum Murder is an annual conference that until four years ago was held in Muncie, Indiana, at Ball State University. It's a relatively small conference -- a couple hundred people at most -- but always well-attended by crime fiction writers from around the world.

It goes from Friday to Sunday.

Sisters in Crime is represented there by our Speed City chapter. We are sponsoring a luncheon on either Saturday or Sunday.

As with most conferences, it's a great way to network with other writers at the receptions and dinners to talk and exchange ideas. And, of course, there are the panel discussions and booksignings.

The chapter has a table to promote our books which I will have to staff some time on Saturday morning. And, for the third year, we are sponsoring a flash fiction contest. We provide a prompt for a 250-word short story. Members of the chapter judge the entries on Saturday night and I will announce the winner at the closing luncheon on Sunday.

I never stay downtown at the conference. Hotel rooms are too expensive, particularly since the conference itself is a little pricey. So I come home every night. But it's still a great time and well worth the time, effort and expense.

Looking forward to a great weekend.

Thanks for reading.

MWA University

I probably shouldn't post a blog today because it's a holiday and no one is probably reading me today. But, on the other hand, I don't have many steady readers to begin with so it probably doesn't matter that much.

As you know, I went to MWA University in Philadelphia last weekend and had a wonderful time. I learned so much and met so many wonderful people. It was well worth the time and effort.

Of the six sessions -- and all of them were great -- there were two that were particularly useful.

First thing in the morning was Jess Lourey, whose topic was What to do after the idea. Lourey, a writing and sociology professor in Minnesota and the author of the Murder-by-Month mystery series, takes the pyramid approach to writing a novel. Through six steps, she starts with a one-sentence summary of the novel, then works her way into an expanded paragraph summary, creating a character bible, sketching a setting, doing a second one paragraph summary, outling the novel and, finally, actually writing the book.

Sounds like a lot, and it is. But the great thing about all the sessions was the teachers reminded us that they were giving us 'tools, not rules.' Use what you can and throw out the rest.

I don't care for outlining, although during NaNoWriMo I do outline. But what I took most from her were steps one and three -- the one-sentence summary and the character bible. It reinforced that I must be able to describe my work in one sentence and must be able to do it from the beginning. And I will know and understand my characters best by listing all their traits so I won't be forced into having to remember them all.

The other session I found particularly helpful was on character and was taught by the very funny Reed Farrel Coleman, who I enjoyed so much I friended him later on Facebook.

Coleman, who apparently doesn't outline, he says character is arguably the most memorable element of a mystery novel. Crimes come and go but it's the characterizations readers remember most. As I think of novels I enjoy, particularly if they are part of a series, the characters are what I remember most, not the plot. I have read loads of Sherlock Holmes, lots of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series, Sue Grafton, the late William F. Buckley's Blackford Oakes series, and others, And in most cases, characterization is what sticks out most.

Coleman said think of a character's most closely held and embarrassing secret. Even if it is never revealed, it helps the writer to understand the character and to write them with more depth, even if they are only minor characters. Of all the 20 Stephanie Plum novels, I only remember the plot in the third of the series. It is Stephanie, Lula, Joe, Ranger and all the others that I actually remember.

So there you have it. I wanted to write sooner but it's been a busy week.

Have a Happy Fourth of July everyone. And thanks for reading.

Mystery Writers of America University -- Philadelphia

I'm attending Mystery Writers of America University in Philadelphia tomorrow. It's a one-day event with an incredible lineup of teachers, including Hallie Ephron, Reed Farrel Coleman and the wonderful Hank Phillipi Ryan.

When I first heard about this one-day conference two months ago, I knew I had to come. The price is quite reasonable and it's in Philadelphia. I love Philadelphia, having once lived in the City of Brotherly Love for two decades.

And I'll have the grilled chicken with roasted peppers for lunch, thank you very much.

What I want to know -- and what I doubt any of the teachers will be able to tell me -- is how can I move forward in my writing career. Yes, it takes hard work and persistence. It takes learning the craft and networking. I know all that. And I have done that -- some parts more than others but I have done it all. I still do. Otherwise, I wouldn't spend the time, effort and money to attend MWA University.

But something is missing and I don't know what it is or how to get it.   

So I will go and listen, and learn, and ask questions, and talk, and network -- and have grilled chicken for lunch. I will do it all. I love being around writers, both the wildly successful and the aspiring unknown. It reminds me I am on a path. I tire of the path sometimes, even become discouraged. But I am always committed to it.

I am a writer, and that is that.

So lookout for me tomorrow Jess Lourey and Daniel Stashower. I'll be in the house and hanging on every word. So make it good.

Thanks for reading.  

2011 goals

I generally don't set New Year's goals or resolutions down on paper, so to speak, opting mostly to keep expectations quietly in my head. Whether I accomplish them or not isn't anyone else's business so I usually don't say what they are. But not this coming year. I'm putting them out there for everyone to see. (Or at least everyone who reads my blog.)

That's not to say that these goals are that ambitious. Frankly, they're not. But I wanted something obtainable to focus on and to shoot for, and I don't care if you know about them.

So, without further delay or possibly increasing your boredom, here they are:

1. I will attend two conferences this year. I already have one planned for early August, and perhaps the other will be in October. The reason for this goal is to expand networking. I don't do that well enough and attending a couple of conferences should help.

2. Write and try to publish four short stories. I tend to write long fiction -- novel-length fiction. It takes longer to do and just as long to make suitable (or what I consider suitable). Writing a few short stories should help focus my storytelling, character development and dialogue. Plus I should be able to start and finish it faster, and feel the gratification of completion quicker.

3. Enter at least one contest, either with a short story or with a novel-length work. First, I will consider ABNA in January if it is happening again. That will be for a novel. Then I will look for suitable short story contests.

So there you have it. I know it looks like I am reaching for the low-hanging fruit. And perhaps I am but I don't care. I am doing it in 2011. Check with me at this time next year to see how I did. I probably won't bring it up again before then.

Thanks for reading and don't give up on writing. I'm not.

Pitch session -- Some good news, some bad news

I got up from the table at the conference luncheon Saturday at 12:30 and went outside. I was anxious -- nervous, really, to the point of shaking out of my skin. I had nearly 40 minutes before my session with the editor at a New York publishing house and I wanted to calm down, clear my head and focus. I walked out to the hotel parking lot and got into the front seat of my car.

By 1, I had gone over my synopsis again. I had totally reworked it again the night before, staying up until 3 a.m. I was tired when I went to bed and it showed because, OH MY GOSH!, with only minutes to go before my meeting I found a misspelling in the FIRST PARAGRAPH, another one on the last page and a dropped word on the final page. I debated whether to use a black pen to correct them or hope she wouldn't notice. I opted for the black pen. It might appear unprofessional but it was better than having her think I was stupid.

So, as I was walking back into the hotel, I didn't think things could be worse except that I had developed gas after lunch and felt like the Hindenburg. It was difficult to contemplate feeling less comfortable going into an important meeting.

At exactly 1:09, I sat down with a very pleasant woman who had a firm handshake. There was little chit-chat. I had only 10 minutes.

Instead of having me give her a one-minute oral pitch, which I expected and had practiced over and over again in the mirror, she wanted the synopsis first. She read it straightaway and she was reading closely.

The editor gave a short, pleasant grunt at the point in the synopsis where I reveal a surprise. And there was a larger grunt near the very end when I reveal another surprise. She read it all. Every word.

She looked up and I quickly realized I wouldn't have to give the oral. My written words would have to do the work.

The good news came first.

She liked it. The story was interesting and the writing -- at least in the synopsis -- was good, she said. She liked the main characters and loved that I included good secondary characters. The plot had twists and turns and the synopsis was fun to read.

She didn't offer a single negative comment. Not one.

But there was bad news.

She edits general fiction but, in this case, general fiction doesn't include mysteries. Her parent company has a couple of major suspense/thriller writers but she wasn't looking for mysteries. She suggested I contact an editor in another division who might be interested in my novel.

Time was up. Just before I rose, she asked to keep the synopsis, I gave her my card and I took one of hers. With one final handshake, it was over.

I left a little sad that she didn't ask for the complete manuscript but overall I was actually pleased with the outcome. She liked it. She seemed to understand the story. And -- for the first time, I felt -- someone in the publishing industry gave thoughtful consideration to my novel.

It was over and I calmly left, returning to another room to hear another speaker at the writers conference I was attending. I had moved only slightly on the road to becoming a published novelist but my ego was intact.

And, thankfully, my situation-induced gas was gone.

After weeks of fighting back despair and feeling hopeless and discouraged at times, I knew I had been given a fair shake. I wrote her a "thank you" e-mail Saturday night. And today, I am back at work.

There is another novel to write.

Thanks for reading and don't ever, ever give up writing.

Writing style, and an embarrassment

I was reading my Writer's Digest today and I learned something, which, of course, is a good thing. There is something called "The Chicago Manual of Style."

As I have mentioned before, I am a member of a critique group in my local chapter of Sisters in Crime and have been reading material from the other members for the last 10 months. Also, since entering the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest, I have been reading excerpts written by other entrants. And I have been amazed at the style other people use. In many cases, it is very different from what I am used to, particularly when it comes to numbers and when to write them out and when to use numerals.

I am used to AP style. As a journalist, wire service style is the standard in the newspaper industry. Yes, it can vary a little from paper to paper. For example, at The Philadelphia Tribune, which is a Black newspaper, the word black is always capitalized when it refers to African Americans. But the basic style remains the same.

Since I had never heard of the Chicago Manual style, I haven't used it, although apparently it is used in the book industry. So I will have to investigate what it is, how to get a copy of what the style is and perhaps get a copy of the style book. Apparently, according to the article in WD, editors and publishers also recognize AP style but it must not be the first style used.

The most important thing mentioned in WD is that whatever style is used, it should be consistent. And that I agree with.

And on to another subject, when I logged in today, I noticed I got a comment from my last posting. It wasn't one of my best because I was angry and frustrated at the time I wrote it. But what does it matter? Only me (or is it I?) and a couple of my friends ever read this blog.

But I was totally bowed over to see it was from writer Chris Roerden. How in the world did she ever hear of this blog? And why in the world did she have to read that one? I felt so embarrassed. She must think I am a hack. (She wouldn't be the first.)

And I would go back and edit that posting but I may not. Mostly I want to remember what I was thinking and how I was thinking when I look back on my postings. The way it is is probably the best indication of that. But if other people start reading it . . .

Thanks for tuning in Chris. I look forward to meeting you at the convention in October.

Thanks to everyone else for reading and don't give up on writing.

Pitching a book

This is going to be an issue I will come back to -- pitching a book.

I am scheduled to do my first pitch during a conference I am attending in March. I am nervous about it and plan to mention pitching a book when my critique group gets together later this month. I asked a published colleague and she said it is hard and that she isn't good at it. But I need to start with a short, concise compelling summary of the book and to be prepared to go into more details if the person asks. And that I should practice, practice, practice the pitch at house several times before I go to the conference.

The person is an acquring editor at a large publishing house. There will be an agent there, too, but she doesn't represent the sort of material that I write. Her interests are YA, romance and some chick lit. The editor, however, is at least interested in general fiction, a broad and nebulous area that could mean anything and nothing at the same time. So, I'm just helping.

You can find virtually anything on the Internet and my colleague found something on pitching a book.

Below are tips for a great editor interview taken from some website :

Preparation pays off! With a little advance planning, you'll be able to walk into that interview with confidence and walk out with a request to submit your manuscript.

1. Think of your editor appointment as you would a job interview. You are selling yourself as well as your book. Dress professionally.

2. Smile, introduce yourself, shake hands, and if you have a card, offer it to the editor. (Some writers list the book they are pitching on the back side.)

3. If you have time for brief chit-chat that could break the ice, go for it. "I attended your workshop, it was great..."

4. Tell the editor what type of book you've written (contemp/hist/paranormal), the title and length. Also mention the targeted line. A finished book carries more weight than an unfinished book, so if it's done, say so. If you've completed several, also say so, but pitch only one book unless the editor asks about others. If the editor says your book isn't right for her house, pitch another, or be prepared to ask lots of questions.

5. Go for the hook. Tell the editor whether it's a secret baby, amnesia, marriage of convenience, woman in jeopardy book and indicate the tone — light, dark, dramatic, comedic, etc. Tell the editor what makes your secret baby book different than the rest.

6. Give a brief one paragraph synopsis of the book that contains the main character's goal, motivation, conflict and resolution. Practice this at home before the interview. Don't give too many details. For practice at home, start with the basics—the external conflict. Eloise wants (goal)_____, because (motivation)______, but (conflict)_____. The conflict is resolved when_____. Then expand on this with a character tag. (A cynical cop wants_____.) The character tags can identify potential internal conflict/differences.

7. The editor may ask questions. Be prepared to answer. Don't go on so long you forget the time. If you can fit it in, give a little information about yourself and what makes you qualified to write this book. For example: If you're writing about law enforcement and you're an undercover cop, say so. If you're finished before your time is up, be prepared to ask a few questions of your own.

8. If the editor hasn't already asked to see the ms or a partial, close out the interview by asking if the editor would like to see yours.

9. Offer a friendly goodbye handshake and a smile.

10. Send the editor a thank you note within a few days.

All the tips made sense, particularly the first two. I plan to use the tips as a guide. By the second week in March, I will let you know how it goes.

Thanks for reading and keep writing.

Art vs. business

There is a difference between the art of writing a book and the business of publishing and selling a book. And because I am stuck in the place in between, I am very aware of the difference.

Writing is about art. It's the creative part. Publishing is about business, about promotion, advertising and public relations. Getting an agent is the first major step on the business side.

For the life of me, I don't know how the business side works. Yes, intellectually I have some understanding of the publishing business. But a deep understanding escapes me. And it is probably why I am not more successful as a freelance writer. I can do the work __ the writing, that is __ but promoting myself is difficult and unpleasant. And so getting more, well-paying work is difficult.

And I am afraid that publishing is going to be the same way. I can write a novel, from start to finish, in about six months. But promoting myself and my work is a difficult and unpleasant prospect. It has to be done but I'm not sure how to effectively do it.

But, with friends and colleagues, I am working on improving on the business side. I am going to a writers conference in two weeks, I am in a critique group and I am slowly growing a network of fiction writers. All of that is important in order to have a successful career as a fiction writer.

I just have to keep at it.

Thanks for reading and don't give up on writing.

Writers conference

There is a writers conference going on this week in Louisville, which is a mere two hours away by car, and I was considering last week about attending for one day this coming Saturday. On the day I thought of attending, there will be a panel discussion by a group of agents and book publishers on the industry, and pitch sessions are also planned. Both interested me.

But I was unsure __ fearful, really __ about attending. So I called a local bookseller whom I know and truly trust and asked his opinion, particularly about attending a pitch session.

He said first, I must be sure that there is an agent attending who is interested in the type of novel I have written. Check to that.

Then he asked had I ever been to a pitch session and I said no. He hesitated but it was clear he thought this was problematic. Eventually, he said if I have never been and have never practiced or prepared for a pitch sessio, there probablyisn't enough time for me to prepare for it between now and Saturday.

So I decided not to go.

There is so much I don't know about publishing but I am learning a bit at a time. This guy said I shouldn't worry about missing this conference. There are tons of conferences, including some close by. Another will come and probably sooner than I'd think.

Thanks for reading and keep writing.