Day 4 of So You Think You Can Write Conference

Hello Fellow Authors! I hope you Romance Writers managed to get some time in at the Harlequin SYTYCW conference. There was so much good information again today. (Thursday), I know I'm posting very late tonight. I've been writing and lost track of time.
There was a great BLOG discussing Grammar mistakes that really bother the Editors. It was a wonderfully funny and helpful blog. Take a look at it if you get the chance.
There was also a really great BLOG about Finding the Essence of your Plot in two sentences. Also great information and really helpful if you are out somewhere and asked the question....so what is your WIP about. You can jump in with a quick couple of sentences that sum it all up...because really many people just want the short version ..., they just want that quick answer to see if they might be interested in hearing more.
There were also two really great online chats I participated in. (Yes, I'm finally learning to Tweet!)
The first was talking to Editors about the Revision process and the second was a live chat filling us in on what an Acquisitions Editor does.

I'm receiving a lot of  wonderful information from this conference. But one thing I'd like to say is the HQ Editors are amazing and patient people. They are not the intimidating people that are sometimes described in writing advice articles. They WANT to help us to be the best that we can be and they want to publish our stories. They do expect us to do our best but won't write us off if we show our human side and make a mistake.
 I was so nervous the first time I "pitched" a story that I perspired and stuttered so badly that my time was up and I hadn't been able to even "read" my pitch from the index card I was holding. It was terribly humiliating. I think the editor I pitched to wanted to cry for me! (Smiling.......I can smile about it now.) She told me to remember that Agents and Editors are humans and not to be so nervous. After joining in these online chats with the editors I feel I can tell you with confidence that you need NOT EVER be that nervous!
Keep Smiling and Keep Writing!

So you think you can write conference

Today I hopped out there and joined the Editors with a Twitter session. This particular session was to help you decide which Line your manuscript is suited for. We tweeted a short pitch and the editors guessed what line they thought matched our story.
This was my first time "Tweeting" and first time participating and I really enjoyed it! I think you ALL should join in.
 There's a full schedule of events for this week so find the Calendar of Events and enjoy the free advice. It's priceless information and it feels good to actually get to hear from the Editors.

For me, I've become torn regarding my manuscript. I originally geared it for Inspirational but there are some elements in my story that do NOT completely fit the guidelines. I do enjoy writing in a bit of fun and sassy elements so I think I have more editing to do to get it to fit the mold.

Although the new line called Heartwarming may be the fit I'm looking for. I am thinking it is. But I'll review the guidelines again and figure it out.

(** I didn't realize "miracles" are not allowed in Christian writing...surprised me!)

Give yourself a treat and head out to Harlequin's conference/contest!
Keep Smiling and Keep Writing!

ROMANCE WRITERS ~ So You Think You Can Write Contest

HARLEQUIN is sponsoring a wonderful writing contest. This is a great way for New Authors to gain  priceless knowledge and have a chance to land a CONTRACT!
Go to www.sytycw.com
This week they are offering a free conference. We're gaining valuable information right from the mouths of 50 Harlequin Editors! How amazing is that?!!!

Then next week the first phase of the contest begins. Submissions will be accepted until September 30th.
Join me in this great opportunity to be discovered!

    So far I've spent a lot of time trying to learn how to TWITTER! If you twitter you can participate in these wonderful "discussions" with actual editors! It's so wonderful! I'm hoping to be more successful tomorrow!
 BEST OF LUCK AND REMEMBER....SMILE AND KEEP WRITING!

No Simultaneous Submissions and the Three Month Waiting Period . . .

Hello Everyone! I'm sorry that I accidentally posted today's writing post to my other Blog site. It was another pep talk about continuing to submit in 2012 ~ We're already into the second month of the year! How quickly time passes! For me well ..., I've reached the standard 3 month waiting period on January 25th for the submission of my novel to AVON Publishers. The guidelines say,  If you don't hear from us in 3 months you can assume we are not interested at this time and you may want to submit somewhere else or words very similar. Okay, I'm not sure but I wonder why ...in this age of technology, these publishing houses don't have a software program that has a simple button to click on that "sends" authors a standard, "Not interested at this Time" form letter.  ????
After all, if I send my Query out to a Publisher that does NOT accept simultaneous submissions, that  means I can only submit it 4 times in an entire year! That really shoots down my odds of getting published.
Now, if they actually glanced at my submission say....two weeks to a month after I'd sent it in and IF they DIDN'T like it they could just "click" on the reject button and do me the courtesy of saying no in a much timelier manner and I can move on much sooner. For each rejection, I go through the work and make edits and try to tighten my work for the next time around. The sooner I hear back from a publisher the better, whether the news is good or bad!
So that's my Beef ..., I guess you can see, it's important to me.
Let's Keep Writing and Keep Smiling!  : )

One Month left in 2011

Just checking in and hoping that lots and lots of my writing friends have submitted your writing projects for publication! I've been pushing for publication in 2011. So far I have not heard anything on two projects but still keeping my fingers crossed! How are you all doing?
No Matter What we can't give up. Keep writing and submitting. I also am wondering if anyone signed up for NANOWRIMO this year? Did you make the word count by the end of November?
Let's just inundate the publishing houses this month with as much of our writing as we can before the New Year! Then we'll see if we can submit more pieces in 2012 then we did in 2011.

Keep Writing and Keep Smiling!  : )

Writer's Digest Short Story Prompt Contest

Hi Everybody!  Yesterday I was reading my January 2012 issue of Writer's Digest. I read this months writer's prompt contest and decided to enter. Like I said ..., submit, submit, submit! The 750 word short story title is
I WENT TO A FUNERAL TODAY

 The prompt was  about going back to your childhood home and finding it's been condemned.

 As always, I'll let you know how it goes.  How are you all doing? We have a month and a half to get something submitted in 2011 so keep writing and keep smiling!     : )

NANOWRIMO 2011 is on!!

Hello Fellow Writers!  The month of November is National Novel Write in a month challenge. You spend the month challenging yourself to write a 50,000 word novel from beginning to end in one month. I enjoy this challenge very much! You don't get any actual prizes and you don't get any promises of publication or exposure but you DO get self satisfaction when you complete the challenge. Not only that but you also have the great beginning of a good project to work on over the next year. I wrote my first messy draft of the novel I mentioned in my previous post during a November NANO challenge. I've entered the NANOWRIMO challenge twice and both times I've successfully completed the challenge. I hope many more will enter and enjoy the craziness of it all! Especially if you sign up now you're already a few days behind! (That's how I did it last year and I also worked on the first draft of a YA novel. That is still in the first draft stage.)
I've chosen not to enter this month due to my health and other projects I'm pushing to complete. But I think it's a BLAST and I recommend it to anyone, especially those who start a novel but never can get themselves to finish!
Keep Smiling and Keep Writing and submitting!        : )