Headed out this weekend to attend SCBWI Western Washington Conference…which I see is sold out. Whoa. I’m glad I got my reg. in a few weeks back.
I want to pitch a couple of picture books, but I registered late and didn’t get any pitch appointments with agents/eds. I feel like I need to bring /something/ though, so I’ll bring copies of the manuscripts at least. I’m also trying to remember how to do a cold pitch letter. I learned about cold pitches the last time I was at a SCBWI conference… ten years ago in Honolulu… So to the Intertubes I go tonight.
Came across this terrific article on Query Letters by Nathan Bransford of the Curtis-Brown Agency. It’s got the skinny on the hook-line-and-sinker of how to capture an agent’s attention with a simple 8 1/2 x 11 piece of paper. If nothing else, I have a template to use when I send queries out after the conference.
I know publication isn’t the focus for the MFA program at VC, but it’s something I have/want to keep my feelers into while I’m in the program. It’s a way to understand the audience you’re approaching, I think. I don’t want to become market driven, but knowing what’s out there, what’s worked, and what’s being looked for will help me develop ideas more carefully, I think.
I’ve been updating my Goodreads Blog complete with a few annotations. So many books to read before the residency starts. Just counting the faculty books at one each is 17 books and in many cases of authors that are doing work I’m interesting in producing, I’m hoping to read at least two books, maybe three. In the meantime, I’ve been tagged by Dawn, one of my future classmates with the following meme:
So, from my WIP which I may/may not work on during VC: She eyed the other two again. “Well, I got corn fritters cooling on the table and hot coffee if you don’t mind the burn.” She stepped out of the house and started shooing them in as if they were chickens. “No need to be hanging on my doorstop like a bunch of vagabonds,” she muttered, then shut the door behind them once they’d all crossed the threshold.
Betty is such a cool character.
Alrighty - I don’t have five fiction folks linked to this blog yet, so if you’re here, consider yourself tagged.
Thanks for playing along-don’t feel bad, I was scrounging for people to tag too! I basically just selected the few blogs I follow and hoped they wouldn’t mind!
I feel the same way about publication. I don’t want to be market driven, and I know the focus of VC is to become the best writer I can be, but ultimately I want to see my work published. Not for the money or the fame, but for personal satisfaction that someone out there likes my work! But I’m also not rushing into it until after I have the MFA, so I can have the best chances of my submissions being accepted. Hopefully we will make some connections there that will be helpful to us…
I feel like everyone else is so far ahead of me, you’re all writing annotations and reading so many books. I’ve been focusing much of my time in completing my novel. I really wanted to get it done before school started, and I did! A few more revisions, and that’s what I’ll send for the workshop.
Your character sounds fascinating; I’m looking forward to reading more of your work.
**grin** True enough about the meme, Dawn! It’s always hard to know who will play and who won’t. I’m glad you included me though!
It’s hard not to compare oneself to others, isn’t it?
Here I was all amazed you got a novel draft done before we even start and you’re feeling behind ’cause you haven’t done any annotations or much reading.
I guess we all find our level, just like water, and be stretched in new ways too. I’m sure we’ll be swapping annotation ideas and books in know time. I’m hoping you bring your novel to workshop this summer!