Miss Snark's First Victim: Crits and Contests

Miss Snark's First Victim: Crits and Contests

Looks like I got a post number for this critique and contest--#1 --haha.
Let the fun begin and my ego shall be squashed--but nothing is too daunting for creating a good story(cause i do want it to be the best it can be)--bring it on!....*wimper*


This critique contest is a Gold Mine!I got the most incredible feed back that open the gates of clarity for me--like magic.

I'm at a snails pace --But on track.

Looks like I'm writing monthly posts here with the little time I can muster.
But I'm finished with this round of editing my manuscript.
Today I enter the 250 word challenge on Miss Snark's Secret Agent Contest. I may have a chance --If I can get the text under 250 words. Not easy for a non-techie--So I cut my words even more, for any sneaky ads (which i have no idea how to remove)--Just for a chance at some feed back on this Middle Grade Fiction. I am almost satisfied with the beginning. See it sieved through the eyes of strangers will be, ah, fun.

Also, today-- I begin the Agent search--Query-finished... the fun begins again, but I think it's all fun; the writing, the revision, the editing, the dreaming, the scheming, the fixing and the waiting---maybe Not the waiting --hate waiting. I guess that is something I am meant to work on.

I missed the Fool's Day --But every day is a new opportunity to be a Fool

I'm on the journey of editing--and presently at page 90 of the final edit.
My update: I've reworked the beginning of the story. I always felt it was the weakest--kind of an after thought, really since I wrote this Middle Grade fiction from the middle-- outward.

The beginning needed to be in the middle of something --Now my protagonist is, indeed--in action from the start. Reading Susan Bells The Artful Edit, dramatically enhanced my editing powers and opened the joy of editing. Mixing thing up-like making a collage and refitting the pieces, in any which way I choose or reuse. Fun, fun, fun. Now time to get back the story and get 20 pages under my belt for the day. Adios !

With the help of a friend today, I was able to look differently at my Middle Grade fiction and will be forever grateful for her clear critical, experienced thinking.

In a slight panic, I remembered I had notes from over the last few months to use as new eyes and went through my tears of scribbled sheets and post its, making more notes. This time on a Large Legal pad with attached sheets.

I saw that what I was putting in to the build up of the story, was subtle and I intended it to be, but maybe too subtle--the idea was already there and now to make it just a tad more sinister, with the new ideas ( few extra clues) that came together.
The idea was underlying and I was able to realize and confirm this with my notes.

Things are getting clearer-and I was able to TADA--create more tension.

Thanks Isabel !

A new Beginning

The first of March is tomorrow, and today I will clean away the the last of winter and fog of old and unused possibilities.

After a marathon week with my two wild and crazy boys, today, I renew my Middle Grade Agent search. I am realizing that my four rejections, may have something to do with there not being enough of a "hook" included with the ten sample pages I've sent.

I will to will a hook, into the world of Three Points that will raise an eye brow and pull an agent-ing adult into Abegale's world.

I've set up my twitter to collect cool and accepting sounding Agents; following along and reading their whims and accounts of the Middle Grade or YA publishing world. It is very efficient because I can still research publishing on the run or on the road. I wouldn't actually twitter as I was jogging. But I love my very smart phone for this and I can access twitter links with any 5 spare minutes.

Now, What I can really use is a good editing/word/grammar program for Mac--you may already notice this. And I will look into this. Time to edit --I'm feeling nervous. :)

My discovery and understanding for today, will be in the form of Querying, finding the "right" Agent for this middle Grade fiction. I have spent three years composing 89,000 words, which is too long apparently for a debut novel, especially in this genre. I sent out five submissions yesterday and got a No Thank you immediately-- a short and sweet no, within 3 hours of an email query.

Wow. As i've discovered today, all rejections are not equal (from another's blog-i may link, if i can find it again). The three I have received so far in total, appear not to be form letters, adding kind comments within. It seems, the agents were not-fully in love with the voice of the story. What can i do? I will, onward plow, specifically looking for the agent that, somehow i will know and importantly--they will know, if we're a "good fit."

I will use this blog to track my progress. I have until 3:00 on school days, before i pick up my two sons from school. (they hate after school) There is never enough time: to research, to twitter, to learn to submit-damn i just want to write-- and sing and write my songs and get back to the story of Abegale. One of the other characters is trying to tell me his story, Mr. Miller, the Gulf War veteran. I've already written a sentence for book two. I want to come out of first person and write the POV of some of the other characters--god this is fun.

Of all the creative pursuits in my life: sculpture, painting, singing; Writing has given me limitless potential to create a world of my own making and come alive with the feelings and trials or adventures of the characters, which entertain me.
Ten minutes to spare--gotta run, can't be late.