Advice for Authors at Every Level of the Publication Journey

with guest Emily Rodmell, Harlequin Love Inspired Editor.

Beginning Writers

If you’ve just decided that you want to write a book or have been pursuing writing for a short period, this is the time to learn. Read craft books. Learn the mechanics of writing. Study plot and conflict. Explore different genres and figure out the one that you enjoy writing the most. 

Connect with writing groups. Meeting with other writers in all stages of their careers can be a valuable experience, whether online in groups such as Seekerville or in person via RWA or ACFW. Start to explore where you want to submit your book. Research agents and publishing houses. 

It’s very important in this stage to finish a book to prove to yourself that you can do it. So many beginning writers have multiple unfinished manuscripts languishing in their computers. I’d advise finishing one, even if it will never be published. Typing the end will be a breakthrough that can propel you to the next step of your journey.


Pre-Pubbed Writers

You’ve finished a book…or ten. You’re writing with publication in mind. Now is the time to refine your work and strive toward publication. 

Just because you’ve finished a book, doesn’t mean it should be published. But even if it’s not, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a valuable learning experience. Each book you write will teach you something and help you grow as a writer. This is a good time to get feedback on your writing. Submit to contests. Judges are often authors or editors or agents, and getting feedback from them can help you refine your work. Find critique partners in the industry. While your mother may love to read your work, you can get more honest feedback from someone who didn’t give birth to you. 

Once you’ve gotten some good critiques or feedback on your finished manuscripts, try submitting to an agent or publisher. If you’re fortunate, maybe one of your contest finals already led to a request. If not, research where you want to submit and follow submission guidelines. 

Some quick submission tips: 

1. Address your submission to a specific person. 

2. Always include a synopsis. 5-7 double spaced pages is the sweet spot. 15+ make our eyes glaze over. 

3. Highlight your experience in your query letter. If you don’t have experience, show us your research and enthusiasm. Tell us why you think your book fits with us. Don’t apologize for your inexperience. 

4. Spoil us. Editors and agents need to know all the twists and turns in your book. This isn’t the place to tease your ending. Tell us everything that happens.

5. Once you submit, start writing the next one. Don’t refresh your email or reread your book and drive yourself crazy finding typos. 


Newly Published Writers

You’ve done it. You’ve finally sold a book. This is an exciting time, but it’s not the time to get complacent. It’s the time to buckle down and work. First, start your next book if you haven’t already. Often, writers find that selling book number two can be harder than the first one. The first one you’ve spent years working on and perfecting and submitting. Then writers try to write the second one in a few months, and it often falls short. So, don’t rush through it. Make sure you go through the steps that you did with the first one. Get critiques. Revise. Put it aside for a few weeks and read it through with fresh eyes. Take your time, so that you don’t submit a book that isn’t ready. And understand that while you’re working on the next book, you’ll still be doing work on the first. Revisions, promotions, dedications and edits will be coming your way. Make time for them. 

Mid-level Writers

You’ve sold a few books. You’ve gotten past the second book slump. You’ve made it. Many writers often fall into complacency at this point. But that is not the way to go. Even if you’ve gotten in a groove and are selling regularly, it’s vital to keep growing and learning. 

Here are some tips to keep your writing moving in a forward direction: 

1. Don’t compare yourself to other authors. Every author has a different journey. Just because someone else writes five books a year, doesn’t mean you must. Make your own personal goals and focus on those. If you compare yourself to others, you’ll always fall short. 

2. Set realistic deadlines. If it takes you six months to write a book, don’t set three month deadlines. Every writer goes at their own pace, and it’s better to have too much time than too little. If you write too fast, your writing quality may go down and impact your career. An editor would rather you set a longer deadline than miss one or turn in a rushed book. And don’t forget to include time for all the things you still have to do for prior books. 

3. Keep up with the industry and trends and adjust and grow your writing. The books a publishing house are looking for change with the calendar. If you’re still writing books that they were buying years ago, you might have trouble selling. Be flexible and look to grow your writing. 

Experienced Writers

Writing is your career. You’ve been writing for many years. People know your name, and it can open doors. Newer authors are coming to you for advice. Surely you don’t need advice, right? Wrong. Publishing is a changing business, and you can always grow and learn new directions. Genres go in cycles, publishing houses open and close, sales go up and down. To keep your voice fresh, you need to stay on top of trends and try new things. 

Here are a few tips for experienced writers:

1. If someone mentored you when you were starting out, don’t forget to pay it back. I was just at the ACFW conference taking appointments, and a good chunk of the writers came to me and said that Tina Radcliffe or Lynette Eason (one of my authors and the newly named ACFW Mentor of the Year) mentored them and sent them to the appointment. Editors always appreciate authors who are great mentors. Thanks for giving back, ladies. If you are experienced, consider sharing your knowledge with others like these writers do. 

2. Don’t assume that because you’ve made it, you don’t need to research and do your homework. We get a lot of multi-published authors who submit to Love Inspired, and it’s often harder for them to sell to us than a new author. Because they submit a proposal without researching and studying what we do and what a series romance book requires. Even if you’ve written 50 books, do your homework before submitting to a new house or agent. 

3. Always keep trying to improve your craft. Strive to make your next book your best book ever. Readers will thank you for it. 

Thanks for listening everyone. I’ll be in and out today to answer questions about writing or the publishing industry or writing for Harlequin. To start the conversation, tell us what stage you’re in and what the best advice you’ve been given is. 

Emily Rodmell is the editor for Love Inspired Suspense. She has acquired more than 45 authors in her career with Harlequin and is always looking for more. Send her your high-intensity romantic suspense novels and unique and interesting contemporary romances. She can be found on Twitter: @EmilyRodmell, Facebook: Emily Rodmell, Editor and Instagram: @nyc_editor_life

All comments go into the party hat for the Weekly $50 Amazon gift card drawing.

One commenter today will win an assortment of Love Inspired books from Seekerville in honor of Emily's visit. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.

We also have birthday videos from three of Editor Emily Rodmell's authors!

Debby Giusti

Terri Reed.

Sharee Stover

How To Build Your Fire When Your Wood's Still Wet

with guest Cynthia Herron.

Hi Friends ~ 

I’m delighted to join you today! Thanks so much for inviting me as your guest.

To kick off our fun, I fired up the stove. Scoot close. You can almost smell it! We have chicken fried steak with lots of “crispies,” hash brown potatoes, omelets made to order, and of course, angel biscuits with country style gravy. Oh, and there’s coffee, tea, and juice to wash down all the deliciousness. (And don’t worry about calories. I prayed those suckers right out. 😊)

Now, let’s get started!

When I jumped back into writing several years ago, a lot had changed. My craft was a tad rusty, but even more daunting? Social media. Tribe-building. Blogging. Branding. Website-wrangling. All those crazy, wonderful things that comprise a writer’s platform.

What on Earth did I know about THAT? In addition, I’m pre-published. Just how did one build something like platform from scratch? How did I start? What to do first?

As I toyed with various ideas, I remembered a funny analogy. (Except…not so funny at the time.)

Growing up, Sis and I had chores while our parents worked. Since she was several years younger, she got the easier tasks (isn’t that always the way?) My responsibilities included supper prep, laundry, and general housekeeping odds and ends. Also, in the winter, if the fire was lit, it was my job to keep it going.

Daddy schooled me in safety measures, but of course, he didn’t really have to because I was a teenager. And you and I both know, teenagers know everything.

That’s exactly why, when the wood box got low, I tramped outside in the snow and gathered a few more logs. But I didn’t use the dry logs—the ones underneath the covered tarp out back. Nope. I collected some logs in a different pile because it was closest. Easiest. Also, wettest.

Well, drat.

I hauled the wood indoors and tossed a few of those wet logs on the dying fire. Kerplunk. 

Well, wouldn’t you know it. Those buggers all but doused what was left of the fire. 

“But Daddy said you should use the other wood. I’m telling!”

“You won’t have to, Miss Know-It-All.” I glanced at my sister. “I have everything under control.”

I poked and prodded the remaining embers until, wonder of wonders, new flames sparked to life.

Hallelujah! I raised a fire from the dead! *cue the cymbals*

“See? Not so hard.” 

And then, God smiled. And…probably shook His head.

A few hours later when my eyelids started to swell and my skin broke out in a mottled, pink rash, Daddy didn’t mince words.

“Cindy, you didn’t use that wood out back I set aside? The wood I told you not to use?”

For crying-out-loud, how’d my beloved daddy know? It had taken a while, but I’d brought that measly fire back to life—and the house was toasty warm due to my efforts.

“…Because there was a reason I told you not to use that wet firewood. Besides being wet, those are the logs I wasn’t going to use. The ones with the poison ivy vines still attached.”

Oops. Should have listened. 

Little did I know, one day, that lesson would serve me well as I built my author platform.

It’s possible to build a fire from wet wood, but it takes time to catch. Usually, you first have to arrange dryer pieces of kindling beneath the wet logs. The idea, of course, is to dry out the wet ones, creating the ideal environment for a successful burn.

Let’s equate this to writing.

In this technologically-minded world, bells and whistles abound. For those who aren’t particularly tech-savvy or social-media competent, life’s an adventure. Add writer to that (especially one who’s still a little wet behind the ears and in the initial platform-building stages) and it’s an emotional roller coaster. 

Here’s what I did:

• I started slow. I didn’t jump into everything all at once. I observed others I admired. Edie Melson, Jamie Chavez, Kim Garst, Writer’s Digest, Writer Unboxed, and of course, Seekerville, to name a few.

• I followed experts in various fields and gained confidence through knowledge. A word here. Many refer to themselves as “experts” and aren’t. My rule of thumb is to always choose three or four reliable sources and see if their recommendations are similar and factual. 

• I joined professional writing organizations such as ACFW, ACFW MozArks, and RWA.  Connecting with other writers is important as we advance our craft and grow our sea legs.  

• Because every writer needs an online home, I initially built a simple WordPress site. I’m not too proud to admit I bought WordPress for Dummies to help me with this. (Later, I partnered with Jones House Creative who designed a fresh, new website with a whiter, cleaner presentation.)

• I purchased my domain name. If yours is already taken, use a variation that lets the world know you’re Jane Doe Author. (For instance, mine is authorcynthiaherron.com, not to be confused with another Cynthia who is an artist.)

• I started a blog. At first, my topics were all over the map. When I nailed down Heartfelt, Homespun Fiction as my tagline, I shifted my thoughts to encouragement-focused content. Ozarks trivia, slice-of-life vignettes, and motivation remain near and dear to my heart. No—blogging isn’t a must and you don’t have to do it. Writers write books, so that trumps blogging, however, be aware your online home is yours. Not some other medium’s whose algorithms are ever-changing. 

• I started a Facebook author page. Many writers feel comfortable with just enabling the “follow” button on their personal profile. This allows your fans to follow your public updates so that’s an option if you’d rather do that. 

• I opened a Twitter account and set up TweetDeck (to better organize my connections). 

• I created a LinkedIn profile (which lends a sense of professionalism) and I connected with authors, editors, agents, and industry contacts. Let me add—I don’t accept every invitation that comes my way. Call me a meanie, but a “professional clown” and I don’t share the same goals and objectives. Unlike Facebook or Twitter, LinkedIn isn’t the place to post personal updates. It’s a tool best used to showcase your attributes, accomplishments, work experience, publishing credits, etc. We might share blog posts or encouraging graphics, as well.

• I started a newsletter. I use MailChimp, and while there’s a bit of a learning curve, I’ve never looked back. Again, a newsletter is yours. So much more could be said here, but please check out Does a Newsletter Scare You? Five Ways to Rock It! 

• I joined Pinterest. Since my tagline is Heartfelt, Homespun Fiction I create boards and I pin with that in mind. Some of my boards are fun and creative, while many provide story inspiration and motivation. And yes—I do use secret boards for story ideas. So. Much. Fun! 

• I entered writing contests. Contests are a wonderful (unbiased) way to improve our writing and boost our self-confidence.

Now, let me just say, these are ways I chose to build a platform from scratch—things I felt I could successfully navigate without wrecking my writing time and without being a total slave to social media. You may choose other avenues that better suit your needs and personality. Totally okay. (As of July 2017, here’s a list of the Top 15 Most Popular Social Media Sites via Dreamgrow.)

As other Seekerville guests have mentioned, writers needn’t (and shouldn’t) feel like we must master it all. If our heart’s not in it, it shows. Dazzling Dinah may be all that and a bag of pork rinds, but some of us have different tastes and that’s where we’ll excel. 

Here’s what I learned:

• Listen to those we trust, those with a little more expertise. 

• Ask questions. 

• Learn from our mistakes. 

• Increase our odds of success by trying proven methods.

• Embrace what works. Discard what doesn’t. 

• Create something new.

• Adjust as we grow. 

• Reinvent as necessary.

• Don’t try to be Wonder Woman.

Here are some additional insights: 

• How to Love Twitter Without Going Crazy (My Unofficial Guidelines)

• Social Media Etiquette: Let’s Review

• Should Writers Blog? 

Here’s the bottom line:

• As with anything worthwhile, a writer’s platform isn’t built overnight. Rarely, do we burst on the scene with an immediate following. Connections, real connections (not just numbers) take time. No worries! We’ve all been there. We grow our presence by blessing others first. 

• My personal motto? Dedicate→encourage→serve→ bless. 

• And remember—there is no dumb question. (Over the years, I’ve asked a ton of questions!)

What about you? How did you build your platform and grow your presence? What tips would you share? Any pet peeves concerning social media? What things can we help with you with today? 

If you’re a reader, what draws you to an author? Besides great stories, what makes you want to know them better? 

Leave a comment for a chance to win lunch, coffee, and books on me!

(Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.)

***

Original Image Credits: Pixabay

***

Author Cynthia Herron writes Heartfelt, Homespun Fiction from the beautiful Ozark Mountains. A hopeless romantic at heart, she enjoys penning stories about ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. 

Cynthia has a degree in psychology and a background in social work. She is a member of ACFW, ACFW MozArks, and RWA. 

She is a 2017 ACFW Genesis Finalist, a 2016 ACFW Genesis (Double) Finalist, and a 2015 ACFW First Impressions Winner. Her short story Words from the Heart appears in The Story Anthology (Karen Kingsbury/Family Fiction) via Salem Publications, 2014. 

Besides writing, Cynthia enjoys spending time with family and friends. She has a fondness for gingerbread men, miniature teapots, and all things apple. She also adores a great cup of coffee and she never met a sticky note she didn’t like.

“Cindy” loves to connect with friends at: http://www.authorcynthiaherron.com/

She also hangs out here:

http://www.twitter.com/C_Herronauthor
http://www.facebook.com/authorcynthiaherron
http://www.pinterest.com/cynthia_herron/

For love, fun, and encouragement ~


Sign up for Cynthia’s monthly e-NEWSLETTERS 

Writer Unboxed

with guest Jessica Nelson.

 I won't deny it: the box is comfortable. 

There's Ghiradelli brownies, a leather couch and my favorite blankie from Barnes & Noble, aptly named "the chocolate blanket." Not to mention there's air conditioning and books. A schedule. No surprises. No worries. Nothing that could possibly shake up my cozy little world.  

Yes, we all have our comfy place. 

Sometimes the comfy place becomes our cage, though.

Maybe you saw this picture on Facebook? My son is caring for his father's snakes. These reptiles are in little plastic containers that sit on shelves. Some friends on Facebook were concerned about the snakes escaping. They won't and they can't. There isn't enough space for them to slither out. Perhaps with creativity and persistence, freedom might be attained. If the snake grew desperate to escape, it might slam its body to the side. Even forward. And with enough momentum, perhaps the box might slide forward enough to allow the snake its release. But then maybe the snake might land on the ground and break some ribs? Or now, free of its cage, find himself hungry with no food in sight. 

As I looked at this picture, I was reminded of my own boxed life. Of yours. Of humanity's. Mothers. Fathers. Writers. 

Sometimes what we think is Home is actually a cage. Like an exotic bird, we swing on our perch, chirp our songs and live with the door to the world locked. There is nothing wrong with being comfortable and safe. There is nothing wrong with having a home. One of my favorite verses is "Contentment with Godliness is great gain." Aspiring to find a contented place in life is a good thing.

But what if you're on that swing, singing your song, and you lift your wings? What if you begin flapping and there is some deep, raw part of you waiting expectantly for the lift. For the rush of air beneath your wings. For change.

And...nothing happens.

You remain on the swing. There is an uncomfortable, painful gnawing in your gut that something more should have happened. But you can't figure out why it didn't. You can't find the change.

You are locked in a cage and your wings are clipped.

The world offers us so many different kinds of cages. The lifetime worker bee cage. The religious cage. The political cage. I could go on and on, but if I control searched this post, I'd find way too many instances of the word cage. ;-) And that would drive the editor in me absolutely bonkers.

It really doesn't matter how many prisons I can think of. What matters is: are you in caged? 

Sometimes we have no one to blame for our limitations but ourselves. We've clipped our own wings. Certainly, there are perils to living unboxed. Dreams can be squished. Ground into pieces by the harsh realities of life. For some people, shattered dreams is a danger too risky to encounter. Even if they are desperately unhappy, at least it is the unhappiness they know. 

Why do we trap ourselves?

I think anyone who reads the Seekerville blog is smart enough to know the answer to that question. Remember my first paragraph? Yeah...the box is safe. There's not a whole lot to fear when we have food, water, and bedding. But is clipping our wings living to our fullest potential? 

How exactly does it feel to know we're meant for more, to feel that when we flap our wings, we should be exploding upward in a flurry of sound and rhythm to meet the sky. We flap...and nothing happens. How does that feel?

It feels terrible. Yet people do it all the time. They choose a box for themselves, they hunker down, and even if they grow to hate their enclosure, they are too afraid to venture somewhere new. 

Let's tie this into writing. The genres we settle into. The face we present to the reading community. Brand is meant to help readers, not trap writers. A good publisher encourages us to become stronger and deeper writers. We should never let these things keep our creativity locked up, though.

You might wonder if you are at home or if you are caged up. They have similarities.

1. Both are comfortable.
2. Both are safe.
3. Both are familiar.

There is a difference, though, and in my opinion, it is the power of fear. When you are home, you may be afraid to leave, but you still do it. Fear of the unknown does not hold you back. You wake up in the morning, eat, poke your head out and say, "What adventure can I embark on today?" You spend the day exploring, but you love coming home. 

If you don't like your home (the life you've created for yourself), yet you are afraid to do something new, to step out of your comfort zone, then perhaps you have clipped your own wings. Perhaps you are afraid to fly. 

Let's say you've been writing suspense for fifteen years but there's a woman's fiction playing out in your mind...but you don't write it because you have spent so much time studying the art of writing suspense that you refuse to do something new. What if you fail? What if you change to women's fiction and the market tanks? What if you invest more time into this new genre and you still don't get a contract? Or maybe you've always published devotionals but one day, this man runs into this woman in your imagination. And they are so real! They have pasts and they don't like each other, but external forces are drawing them together. You want to write this book so badly, but you're successfully published with devotionals. You have limited yourself. 

It's an unhappy place to be. 

There are ways to live unboxed. Here are a few:

1. Be Flexible

So an editor says she likes your story, but it's leaning toward romance and her publisher is acquiring women's fiction. Be limber, dear writer! If you want to see a new place in your writing life, then maybe you can take this story in a new direction. What comes out may surprise you!

2. Look for opportunities

A new publisher is opening up? Remember that one manuscript collecting dust on your hard drive? The one that won all those awards? It would be perfect for this publisher. Dust it off. Send it in. 

3. Expand Your Network

There's a big world out there filled with readers! With wonderful people who share our love of books and stories and dreams. Don't let your introversion keep you from developing new relationships. 

4. Stretch Yourself

It's hard to be flexible when you don't stretch. If you are unhappy with where you are, or if you are just looking for more, do a little bit of stretching. Stick your neck out and take a peek at the world. It might be worth the discomfort. They don't call them growing pains for no reason!

What kind of growing pains are you going through? Do you love what you write or have you unwittingly boxed yourself in?

Leave a comment and your name will be put in today's drawing. One commenter will win a copy of A Hasty Betrothal along with a bit of chocolate. Winner announced in the next Weekend Edition.

Jessica Nelson believes romance happens every day, and thinks the greatest, most intense romance comes from a God who woos people to himself with passionate tenderness. When Jessica is not chasing her three beautiful, wild little boys around the living room, she can be found staring into space as she plots her next story. Or she might be daydreaming about a raspberry mocha from Starbucks. Or thinking about what kind of chocolate she should have for dinner that night. She could be thinking of any number of things, really. One thing is for certain, she is blessed with a wonderful family and a lovely life. 

A Hasty Betrothal

A Practical Proposal 


Though Lady Elizabeth Wayland would rather spend her days with her beloved books than an uncaring spouse, scandal forces her to find a match posthaste. To escape the scoundrel who almost ruined her, Elizabeth accepts an unconventional proposal from a childhood friend. But when she finds herself falling for her husband-to-be, will she be able to convince him to return her love? 


Widowed cotton mill owner Miles Hawthorne vowed to never marry again—until Elizabeth's reputation is on the line. Their betrothal begins as a simple favor. As he spends more time with his fiancée, though, Miles finds that there's more to her than he ever saw before. And Elizabeth just might be the only woman who can slip into his heart.

Top Three Tips for Selling Your Novel Without An Agent

by guest blogger Dani Pettrey.

I know what you are thinking: You can’t get to editors without an agent. However, that’s not true. In fact, I received a publishing contract sans agent. While I do have a fabulous agent whom I’ve been with for years now, I didn’t sign with her until months after my debut novel released. I did, in complete transparency, sign with a different agent right after I received the contract offer as the idea of negotiating a contract on my own terrified me. Looking back, I can see that I rushed into it. There wasn’t anything wrong with that agent. He’s great. He just wasn’t the perfect fit for me. 

 Which is exactly why it’s important to hold out until you find the right agent. Don’t try to force a fit or settle for a mediocre agent as I’ve seen many pre-published writers do. If you sign with an agent, you want them to be a partner with you for the rest of your career and that’s certainly not a relationship you want to jump into lightly. 

While I do highly recommend finding the right agent, it’s always better to go without an agent than to sign with the wrong one. Now, does that mean you stop writing or stop pursuing publication until you find the perfect agent for you? By no means, and that’s what this article is all about: how to get published without an agent if you haven’t found the right one yet. Once you have a publishing contract, you have much more headway in garnering an agent’s attention and it puts you in a better position to, hopefully, sign with your dream agent—as in my case. 

Until then, here are my top three tips for landing a contract without an agent: 

1) Enter contests: I know many of you just cringed. Contests can be brutal, but sometimes you get excellent feedback. I entered a number of contests before selling and several of them helped me really hone my opening chapters. While this is an important part of the process, the key when approaching contests in the most beneficial way is to not fall into the ‘polish the first three chapters trap’. I know many a writer who has fallen prey of this trap. Working and reworking and polishing your first three chapters until they shine and then being able to final in contest after contest. 

This is great, but you still need to write the rest of the book. The key is that when you final, if the judging editor asks to see more, you have the entire manuscript to send him or her. I know my editor has found several authors via judging their contest entries. I also know several agents who have done the same. Go for it! Just keep writing.


2) Get involved: Join in the writing community. Editors and Agents are part of the writing community along with fellow writers. Take time to get to know your fellow writers, to learn from experienced authors, to follow agents’ blogs. Get to know the agents out there. Discern who might be a good fit for you and join in the conversation on their blog posts. Now, I’m not suggesting stalking. Really I’m not. What I’m suggesting is showing genuine interest in what is happening in the writing world, making connections, and really getting to know the community you’re entering into. 

Yes, writers get published without ever interacting, but why chose that route, even if you are an introvert. Contrary to what most people think, I’m an introvert. I love people and sharing time with them, but after a while it is draining and I need some quiet time to recharge. But I value the friendships I’ve made along the way and value the wisdom I’ve gleaned from various agents’ blogs. I am beside myself in amazement at the mentoring available to aspiring authors through individual authors and via organizations like ACFW. If you haven’t joined ACFW, you really have to. It’s full of wonderful people and amazing resources. Joining was the single best thing I did as an aspiring writer. 



3) Attend conferences: I know that conferences can be expensive -- believe me, I do. But they are so worth it if there’s any way you can make it to them. I highly recommend ACFW and I’ll tell you why in a minute. However, if you can’t make a national conference, make a regional or local one. There are a number of wonderful regional conferences out there where you have the amazing opportunity to sit down and chat with agents and editors face to face. Some that come to mind include Marlene Bagnull’s Greater Philadelphia Christian Writer’s Conference and its sister conference in Colorado, Blue Ridge Christian Writer’s Conference, as well as Oregon’s Christian Writer’s conference. The list goes on and on. Why am I such a big proponent of writing conferences? Because that’s how I met my future agent as well as my editor. God bless my editor. I finished my manuscript and felt God leading me to attend ACFW that year. It was last minute and my super supportive hubby said to go for it, so I did, but I was so late registering that I couldn’t get appointments with either the agent or editor I most wanted to speak with. 

But when God has a plan, there’s no thwarting it. My first night there my publisher participated in the Spotlight Session. The editor mentioned he was looking for what I wrote so I approached him afterwards (actually I leapt from my chair the second he finished speaking and nearly bowled the poor man over), and he was gracious enough to ask to see the first three chapters. A few weeks later I got an email from him requesting the full manuscript and a few weeks after that an email saying he was taking it to pub committee. Within two months of the conference I had a contract in my hand. It was amazing. I truly believe that if God has a plan for you and your writing, He’ll provide the opportunities. Just be open to His whisper. 

I do want to point out that this wasn’t my first conference nor my first manuscript. I’d been attending conferences for a handful of years and had written several manuscripts prior to selling so don’t get discouraged. Just keep writing, keep praying and wait for God to open the door. 


Any fellow authors out there have any other tips to offer? How did you sign with your agent or get your book contract? 

Aspiring writers and readers, I’d love to hear any questions you have about the submission process and how to prepare for conferences. I’m here all day and happy to answer questions. 

Thanks so much to all the wonderful ladies of Seekerville for hosting me! 

Blessings,

Dani

Dani Pettrey is a wife, mom, grandma, and the author of Cold Shot, the first book in the Chesapeake Valor series, and the Alaskan Courage romantic suspense series, which includes her bestselling novels Submerged, Shattered, Stranded, Silenced, and Sabotaged. Her books have been honored with the Daphne du Maurier award, two HOLT Medallions, a Christy Award nomination, two National Readers? Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, and Christian Retailing?s Best Award, among others.

She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves?the thrill of adventure, nail-biting suspense, the deepening of her characters? faith, and plenty of romance. She and her husband reside in Maryland, where they enjoy time with their two daughters, a son-in-law, and a super adorable grandson.

Cold Shot

In college, Griffin McCray and his four best friends had their lives planned out. Griffin and Luke Gallagher would join the Baltimore PD. Declan Gray would head to the FBI and Parker Mitchell would go on to graduate school as a crime scene analyst. But then Luke vanished before graduation and their world--and friendships--crumbled.


Now Griffin is a park ranger at Gettysburg, having left life as a SWAT-team sniper when a case went bad. The job is mostly quiet--until the day he captures two relic hunters uncovering skeletal remains near Little Round Top. Griffin just wants the case to go away, but charming forensic anthropologist Finley Scott determines that the body is modern--a young social justice lawyer missing since spring--and all evidence points to the work of an expert sniper. When FBI agent Declan Gray takes over the case, past and present collide. Griffin soon realizes he'll need to confront some of the darkest days of his life if he--and those he cares about--are going to escape a downward spiral of murder that crosses continents.

Leave a comment today for a chance to win your own copy of Cold Shot (Chesapeake Valor) & a $10 Starbucks card. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.


BONUS!! Get your coffee on! Two more chances for a Starbucks card! Winners announced in the Weekend Edition.

10 Things Writers Need to Hear - Missy Tippens

Kate Conner and Missy Tippens

10 Things Writers Need to Hear

Missy Tippens

Happy Mother’s Day to all our mothers out there! My daughter and I attended an Anchor Club mother-daughter banquet last week—an annual event that hit close to Mother’s Day this year. Very fun!

At the dinner, my daughter’s friend’s mother introduced me to her pastor’s wife’s daughter-in-law (did you catch all that? :) ) who was our speaker for the event, and is also a writer. Kate Conner was an amazing speaker, and has quite an amazing story!

Late one night, Kate wrote a blog post geared toward teen girls she’d worked with in youth ministry. She titled it “Ten Things I Want to Tell Teenage Girls.” She poured out her heart, and you can read the post by clicking here. (But be sure to come back.) The post apparently hit a nerve, because it went viral. Two million hits in two weeks! And, long story short, she ended up getting an agent and a 3-book contract with Broadman & Holman. So, so exciting!

Book to be released in August 2014

I told Kate it took me over 12 years to sell my first book, so my journey was much different. :) She was sweet and gracious, saying she knows that her story is certainly not the way it usually happens. It was so fun to see her excitement. I’m excited for her!

I was inspired by Kate’s talk to the girls at the banquet (she spoke about #2 and #10 on her list). And I decided I wanted to write 10 Things Writers Need to Hear. I based it loosely on Kate’s 10 points. These are things I would like to say to those who want to make a career of writing, especially new writers. They’re also things I wish someone had said to me. Some of these are things I still have to tell myself daily.

1. Write what you need to write or feel led to write. And do your very best work. Don’t chase the market, and don’t compromise your values just to make a sale. Don’t write something you wouldn’t want published and read by your grandma!

2. Don’t try to be something you’re not. I could never write romantic comedy about cowboys. As much as I wish I were, I am not hilariously funny like Mary Connealy. And I don’t live on a ranch like Mary. I am not Mary, with her life experiences.

Mary and one of her baby cows

But I am Missy Tippens…born and raised in Kentucky, grew up in a college town. Moved to Georgia for graduate school, married a man in seminary who would become a pastor, and have lived all around the Atlanta area in different sized towns while raising three amazing kids. I love small towns, love church folks and church activities, love the laughter of teens hanging around our house, love music and singing, love my pets (be sure to see Myra’s post tomorrow!), and love cooking (be sure to visit The Yankee-Belle Café blog). So I write about those things—and then enjoy reading Mary’s books and enjoy her daily doses of laughter from emails and the blog. And yes, I still sometimes envy the funny things she says. (I’m the type who thinks of funny things to say hours later!)

But what I want you to hear is this: You’re special just the way you are and have a lot to offer the world with your own personality and your own experiences. Bless us with YOUR stories. The ones only you can tell.

3. Don’t vent or over-share online. I mentioned this in a previous post (click here) so I won’t say more here. Just remember those words are out there forever. FOREVER.

4. Don’t get sucked into the hype of feeling like you have to be doing such and such promo or such and such social media, or that you have to do the exact same marketing plan as XYZ author. Sure, publishers may ask you to do something to help promote your book. But try to figure out where you feel comfortable. Then...write the books. And above all, don’t compare yourself to others, which is always a losing battle. Jealousy in this business can eat us up if we let it. We need to be rooting for each other and boosting each other up.

So find your own niche. Of course, this may involve some trial and error. But you’ll eventually find your comfort zone. This writing career is about balance. Just remember writing good books comes first and is the best marketing we can do.

Photo credit: Crestock/aerial6

5. Sure, many of us have started or written what we call the book of our heart. But unless you want to be a one-book wonder, you need to get that book on paper and out of your system, then move on. If it doesn’t sell, don’t re-work it for a decade (unless you’re writing new stories as well). One of my regrets is that I didn’t move on quicker in the beginning. I spent three or more years on my first book (it never sold, and I just kept revising it over and over). I wish I’d had more to offer my editor after she bought my first book.

And one more thing. I’ve decided that each and every book can and should be the book of our heart. Our readers deserve that.

6. Use your emotions on the page. Don’t hold back. Nothing’s worse to me than a perfectly written contest entry that makes me feel NOTHING. Writing is catharsis. Let 'er rip while you’re writing! I love when I bawl like a baby while writing the end of a book (or while reading it back when it’s time for line edits). The opposite is true as well. If you’re falling asleep while writing (ummm…guilty—and yes, I went back and fixed it), then chances are the reader might feel the same way.

As scary as it sounds, we need to open ourselves on the page. It makes us vulnerable. And sometimes it feels kind of like those nightmares where you show up at school in your pajamas. But good writing requires honesty. If your stories touch hearts, you’ll have devoted readers who’ll wait expectantly for each new book.

Photo Credit: iStockPhoto.com/yenwen

7. Take care of your health. Sitting on our rear ends so much of the time can take a toll. That and the munching on junk as deadlines approach (please tell me some of you do this as well!). I’ll admit here, that with each of my first two books, I gained 5 pounds as the deadlines approached. Thankfully, I haven’t continued that trend! But exercise is a struggle.

My husband just told me he read an article about how walking helps with creativity. We need to keep moving. And take good care of our bodies.

8. Think about your reputation in the industry. I know we’ve all heard it said before: the writing community is small, don’t burn bridges. And I agree. But take that a step or two or three further. Keep your word. Meet deadlines. Turn in blog posts you’ve promised to do. Judge contest entries you’ve committed to judge. Don’t talk behind people’s backs. Be kind. Be generous. Be respectful. Be honest. And when you mess up, which we all do, then apologize. And do so sincerely.

When I was a kid, it about killed me to apologize, especially to my sister. My mom would tell me to do it, and I would barely mumble, “Sorry.” Oh, the pain of it! To admit I was wrong (heaven forbid I be wrong!). Nowadays, I’m much better at doing apologies (I can actually say TWO word apologies: I’m sorry), probably because I mess up so often and have lots of practice. The flip side of this is, if you mess up and apologize, then move on. Don’t get hung up on your mistakes.

9. Be strong and courageous. Take responsibility for your actions. When you have failures (which we all will), don’t play the victim or try to blame others. Share your gift, your stories, with the world, and then learn to deal like an adult, like a pro, when you get nasty reader letters or bad reviews. On the other hand, learn to deal maturely and wisely (humbly) with praise and success as well.

Nothing’s more humbling than a rejection letter or disappointing royalty check. But oh, how quickly we forget those humbling moments when we win an award or get a really nice royalty check. Either way, we must remember the glory, ALL the glory, goes to God. Without Him, we would be nothing.

My well-worn necklace from I AM MARYANN

10. I loved Kate’s #10 for teen girls. It really resonated with me because this is something I have always dealt with. In fact, a couple of years ago, I bought a necklace that had the words I Am Enough engraved on charms to remind me. My kids were surprised when I explained it. My son even said, “Why didn’t you get one that said I am more than enough?”  :) I shared with them that if I could have afforded another gold charm, I would have had customized a third one that added Through Christ. You know, I think maybe it’s time for me to go order that last charm.

I am enough through Christ.

Yes, we are.

You are unique, and God can use your experiences, your personality, your hurts, your joys…your voice…to touch readers. To change their lives. To change YOUR life. So don’t give up when the writing gets tough. Don’t quit when rejections pile up or sales are dismal. God has something to say through you. Let Him use you and your words.

What words would you share with writers today? Please stay a while and chat to let us know!

GIVEAWAY! I'd like to give away a pre-order copy of one of Kate Conner's books to one lucky commenter! (I'll order it now, and it'll be delivered to you once it releases in August.) Please LET ME KNOW if you'd like to be entered.

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Missy Tippens, a pastor’s wife and mom of three from near Atlanta, Georgia, made her first sale to Harlequin Love Inspired in 2007. Her books have since been nominated for the Booksellers Best, ACFW Carol Award, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, Maggie Award, Beacon Contest and a 2013 RT Reviewer’s Choice Award. A House Full of Hope was a Romance Writers of America 2013 RITA^® Nominee. Her most recent from Love Inspired, Georgia Sweethearts was an April 2013 release. Coming in October: The Guy Next Door. Visit Missy at www.missytippens.com, @MissyTippens on Twitter and

http://www.facebook.com/missy.tippens.readers .