Query Letters

 

A query letter is sent to an Editor or Agent to solicit the sale of your book. This is not a blurb. This is not a synopsis. This is a letter explaining you and your book.

Things to think about:

Simple is better. Clear and to the point. Editors and agents don't have time to dig through a three page idea about your book. Be concise. Be bold. 

Each day an Editors and agents email may have hundreda to even thousands of submissions for them to sift through. Think about what would make your query stand out to them. What is special about your story?

Get more bang for your buck with your word use. Just like in your writing cut the adverbs and be straight and to the point about what you have written and who you are. 

Make sure before you submit to an editor or agent that you research so that you know what they are looking for. If your story or series fits that then word your query with items that attract attention because it is a fit. Don't bother submitting something they aren't accepting. Find the right editor or agent. 

Study up on Editors and Agents like a stalker so that you will know just how to get your story across to them. And if you are planning to send out a generic letter to 50 publishers all at once, that may not be the best plan. You may get responses and even requests but is that a right fit for you and your story? Do your homework. 

You can start out by introducing who you are and maybe even mention you understand the editor is looking for the type of stories that you write. Explain that story. 

Stick to 3 to 5 paragraphs of 3 to 4 sentences. No more than a page. And for goodness sake use spell check prior. 

You may want to write a short biography about you and mention you attached it for their review. 

If you have been published before by all means share your accomplishments but be brief. 

It's OK to mention what you do for your day job in your closing to add a little color to your presentation of yourself. 

You can read examples of query letters online for examples. 

Remember though that you need a polished manuscript to submit. And I mean polished. Not half done and unedited.

And don't forget to thank them for their time.

Read up on this.

Time to Write Week 22

 

Hello once again and another week of at least 7 hours is behind us. I hope you accomplished what was needed to keep you on track. 

Again we have different happening here so my posts from here on out will summarize what we need to complete for the coming week for each group. 

Group 1: those who have completed a rough draft of around 29 chapters. Last week you should have edited chapter 1 and coming up this week edit through chapter 2. 

Group 2: those who stayed with us through completing 20 chapters but whose story isn't finished. You should have worked on chapter 21 last week and coming up this week go on to chapter 22. 

Group 3: those who wish to join us newbies who should have done chapter 1 last week or who are starting a second story. Both work on chapter 2 coming up this week. 

So beginning next week that above would look more this this:

Group 1: Edits chapter 2
Group 2: Writing chapter 21
Group 3: Writing chapter 1

Easier for me so I csn add more hints and things ro work on while you are writing and working on edits. 

Remember the things we have worked on for 6 months. Negotiate your writing time. Find that hour A day or more. If you don't set that in stone with yourself and your family...no one will give you your writing time. 

Think about you and taking care of you. Are you not only finding your writing time but are you finding your me time. Maybe that means a walk. Maybe that means a nap but only when you got in your writing time. Maybe a lunch or coffee with a friend. How about a movie. Life just cannot be about a perfectly clean house and all the chores done so that you have nothing left. At least that is my thought. But find time to care for you each week. 

Use some down time to let your mind wander across your story and what is needed next. That's sometimes when I like my planning notebook near. Jot down ideas you might can put into the story. 

Speaking of that notebook. Those of you who are new should go back and read our previous posts on how to utilize a notebook for your writing an planning. In fact as you have time try to look at all the 2023 posts. Most should help push you along to get a story written. 

So go to it for this week. Even at an hour a day....or around 500 words a day you will produce something significant!!!

Onward. 

Hey and check out my author Kim Turner page where we can chat more.

More helps on Writing

So once you have a full rough draft it is time to spend time editing through your story. This means you. My plan here was for you to keep moving your story forward without going back to make corrections. I am sure for some of you that has been hard. But going back slows progress so learn to stop doing that if at all possible.

But when you have a rough draft it is time to go back and spend time with your story alone. It is not time for sharing the story yet. My theory is no readers until you have a fully edited story. Not your rough draft. 

If you hand off a rough draft to critique partners they aren't going to be able to help you well enough. You'll get more help along rhe way if you have off well written stories. 

I want to share here that a rough draft is not good. But a rough draft is a completed story you can now make better. I usually go through my stories 5 to 6 times before I share. 

Fatiguing your critique partners isn't good. I think Inhave been guilty of this mostly because my stories were long. So you do have to explain to critique partners what you need. A quick read through or finding every typo and error along the way. 

So when it's the best cleanest copy you have hand it off. But you do know you'll have to edit it again...and again. My first manuscript I actually edited through 9 times wiry three major story changes. Those required me to change things all the way through the story 3 times. So there is a lot of work that may go into edits. 

Sometimes the break from a story can be good so that you can edit thru your story with a fresh mind. It will be easier to have that bit of a break. Even a couple of weeks is a good thing. 

Hint: you want critique partners to be tough on you and ask about things. This will give you a better story in the end. 

Some of you may need to hire a writing coach is this is new for you. Some can be pricey. Other less but certainly where it can be afforded a really good thing. I have several friends who do this and could be a huge help if you are interested. 

BUT work thru your story for correcting what has been marked as concerning. YOU may not make every correction but some will need to be fixed. 

I get a lot of help from allowing my word narrator read to me or reading out loud. I catch more errors that way.

Tracking is excellent for keeping up with where things need to be changed or fixed. I highly recommend getting use to this if you are not familiar with it because most editors will utilize this. 

People sometimes cringe when it is suggested to cut a scene. But sometimes if a scene isn't pushing the story forward it had to go. But save it. Maybe part of it can be utilized elsewhere or even in another story. 

As I look at each scene I try to read through and ask myself why this scene matters to the story. If I cut it what would it change? If nothing let it go. Or I have pulled the gist out of a scene to add the gist into the chapter before or after so I could.let word count go. I write too long. 

When you have cleaned up all of what critique partners have suggested. Then read again and see about the polishes for perfect. This means tedious one sentence at a time reading and cleaning up further. 

And then read through it again. 

Now get to it!!

Time to Write Week 21

 

CONGRATULATIONS! 

You have finished the book!!!!!!
(If not keep working...maybe you aren't too far away from celebrating too!)

So a couple of things on how this blog will work for the remainder of the year. We have several groups when it comes down to it. 

Group 1: those with 20ish chapters and rough draft done. YOU ARE READY FOR FIRST EDITS!!!

Group 2: those who continue to work passed chapter 20 to finish a novel in a year or to finish with more chapters needed. 

Group 3: those who are moving the dial but who have not made it to chapter 20 but who continue to work on their manuscript. 

So each week from here I will push the editing group on what chapters need to be edited. And I will push the still writing group to chapter 21 with continuing a chapter a week. Those who are not up to 21 negotiate your time and push to get the writing done. It's oK. Just keep writing at the pace you can! Look at the progress made. It might also be that some of you have finished a 20 chapter story and may want to go ahead and move along with us at chapter 21 but have it be the chapter 1 of a new story. So with this blog plan you can complete a story in a year or 2 stories in a year. It's up to you. 

I hope the Thursday Posts are helpful too with writing hints. So don't forget to follow the blog...there is a place to put in your email for reminders. And come hang out when your writing is done to tell us how you are doing on my author Kim Turner Facebook page. I will continue supporting and encouraging there. 

So for the coming week:

Edits chapter 1. Spend a whole week on your first ch. Edits. 

Writing chapter 21....or more for those continuing.

Writing chapter 1 for newbies just starting with us or those who completed the first book and are beginning a second. 

I hope all that makes sense. I decided to to this blog to keep me on track. And it's helping for sure! Please share so others may want to join!!!

KEEP WRITING AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!

The What that gets in the Way

 
More hints for any of you who are still struggling to find time to Write. I may sound like a broken record here but if you don't negotiate even with yourself for writing time you are not gonna make the progress you want on your story.

What was my next rule? No going back to fix things in prior chapters. Just make a note in your planning book. You are keeping it still right?

But here are some other items that may be sucking up your time to Write. Just some random things where you may can plan better so time opens up....

Meal Planning. Do this in advance and the shopping with it so that there is a plan and the items you need. This can save so much time. Hey and go casserole and Instpot or crackpot for meals to save time. Prep 2 to 3 meals or more foe the week so all you have to do is warm them up. Or make enough to freeze. This takes commitment. 

Social Media. When you want to get to your writing time resist the urge to sit down and scroll. This sucks more time from your day if you linger. When I know it's time to Write I put my phone elsewhere on silent. Some people also need to not use any social media on their laptop. Set a timer if you have to. 

Television is the same way. A big time suck where you may linger for hours each evening getting nothing else done. I have a few series I watch but often enough I watch them when it's convenient for me and not always on the day and hour they are scheduled. But while I sometimes keep the TV on for noise...I don't have a lot of set things I watch. 

Do you keep a to-do list? It may help. I have a calendar planner and I am a list person. Sometimes my lists are long but I break them up by priorities and then settle each morning on the 1 to 3 things I would like to get done that day after work. I use to get discouraged if I didn't get anything on my list completed but I have learned even one thing crossed off my list a day is progress. 

Planning in advance for errands and shopping...this fatigues me more than anything. So if I am going out I try to plan several stops together rather than running each day to some errand after work. This may be tiring on that one day but will free up the next few days where I do not have to go anywhere. Being organized is difficult. I am a work in progress at it. But I keep discovering helpful things here and there. 

Procrastination. That is on you. That is on me. Set a timer for your hour. Escape to your writing space and place your rear in the chair. It may help to set up you space with all you. Eed ahead of time. 

There is also overloading your calendar or event planner. Learn to say no. Learn to want your time at home. Learn to prioritize where you get more time home. JUST SAY NO!

When you head to a task be careful not to get sucked down a rabbit hole. If I take off downstairs to hunt an envelope or something from a file I have to do only that task or I will catch myself down there for an hour tidying up something. 

And if you use a calendar then block off chucks of time for each item you have to complete including your writing. 

Sometimes multitasking can send us whirling and not really getting anything done. If I ever have a week day off at home that I took for having a writing day I have to plan ahead for it. I get the meal plan set or cooked ahead of time. I get chores done the night before so I am few the next morning and I get my writing space set up and prep me some snacks for the day to make things easy. And I do not answer the phone or turn on the TV. I break each hour for standing up and moving around. Maybe a potty break or to let the dog out. I might grab my lunch but I do not do chores until I quit when my family gets home and it's time for supper. Sometimes even then my husband cooks and does the dishes so it's still my day to keep writing. 

Be intentional. Like above if it is your day to write maximize it!!!

Clutter in my home makes it hard for me to write. So work little by little to clear your life of the things that clutter for you. I am slowly going through my house and donating and tossing and giving away items I really don't need or do not use. Its a work in progress but it helps making cleaning easier. And if cleaning is easier you will have more time to Write. 

I have failed at this one but what about online shopping or ordering groceries to be delivered. I may need to venture into this one at some point. I did order most of Christmas online the last few years. I need to see about grocery delivery based on meal plans and at the same time seeing if I can save some money. Being organized will save writing time.
So many things can suck your time and we are all different on what monopolizes our time. Find your issues and begin chiseling away at gaining your time back for writing.

Time To Write Week 20

 We are at CHAPTER 20...Or hopefully your last chapter for this week! Seriously for those of you working on a 20ish chapter story you are almost done!!

Look back...you are there. You are almost there. 

For those of you who are writing more than 20 chapter hopefully this is a halfway point for you or you are continuing on! Keep it up. We are all getting there!!!

We have one week coming up for those chapter 20ish ending folks. 7 days. 7 plus hours and the ending to write. Go forth and get it done!!!!

20 plus wind down chapters this week!! 

YOU SHOULD BE PROUD!!!

Summarize Story Ideas

Summarize your story/arc
Define your characters motivations/arc
Define your story's plot
Outline your story by scenes quickly
Fill in more on the outline even the little things

Now begin writing a scene that is very strong even if out of order. I know this may totally toss plotters off a bit but hang with me here. Write a scene you vividly see from beginning to end. The idea here is that must be an impact full scene that you are excited about...that's the key to each scene. Honestly, that scene that you know already must be worth it or it wouldn't have been in your thoughts. So write it. Don't worry about typos and every minute detail....just get it typed or written. 

Now that you have it...that could be the starting point of your book or maybe it is somewhere in the middle. Now build around it. Pansters this may be easier for you unless like plotters you write in order or plan well before writing. Plotters just work with it. Or maybe that opening is your first major cool scene. Work with that if it feels better. 

So for starters just get the basics of the scene down. Then go back and fluff for better sentences, better words. Better dialogue. Better setting etc. This is still rough draft. Don't spend time here making everything perfect. 

Some have asked how long a scene or chapter should be. Thoughts and ideas can vary. I go for 3500 to 5K for a chapter. Every story is different. 

Things to think about with that first scene/chapter:

1. Opening Line. This needs to grab readers right away. Bam what happened or is about to happen. Suck that reader in. If you have a boring first line you will lose readers. 

2. Get the words down in the first chapter. Let your mind and fingers flow. THIS IS NOT TIME TO EDIT OR CLEAN UP.  This is just keep writing until this scene has all you wanted in it. 

3. Look back. Yep permission granted to give it a quick read and correct but no lingering for long. Does this chapter hit with a bang? Does it hold your attention? If not it wont hold the reader. Up the ante if not. Time to add more if needed. Or let it sit for a few days so you can think on things. Do not skip writing days just work on another scene for your hour a day.

Time to Write Week 19

 Whoa...this is a busy time of year. I have teens. One about to finish 9th grade and she is busy with color guard plans for summer practice. And my oldest is graduating HS....how did it all happen so fast?

So I am really having to plan life well to get each day to my writing. So I told my family. If I need ro have you somewhere or sign something. You have to find me and make sure it's on my calendar and bring me what you need signed. They know this now for year but it still gets crazy. 

So we are on chapter 19.....and pushing for 20ish and the ending. Wow...we are almost there!!!

This is when you need time. An hour a day is good but could you pull off a full Saturday at writing. Or could you give it a full weekend? Negotiate for an escape to stay in the story if you can. 

So working on chapter 19 this week and toward thr finishing chapter 20. YOU CAN DO IT!

See ya best week for the wind up! Follow here and on FB!!

Only 500 words a day...can do this!

So who is struggling in keeping up? Ya know what? That's OK. Please don't bail on this blog and the attempt in finishing your book. This blog should have pointers and help for you no matter if you keep up or not....but let me put it in numbers. 

500 words a day. 

500 words each hour a day. 

Could you do that and keep that pace? I think anyone who wants to write can. So let's look at the breakdown. 

I am asking you to write one scene or chapter a week. Just one. 

500 words each day for seven days is 3500 words. Perfect for a chapter give or take. This is doable don't you think?

And if we look at 500 words each day for 30 days then you'd have 15K words...about 3 chapters. That is why in planning this blog as we go we will look at about 3 chapters a month to focus on. 

So what does 500 words a day for 3 months look like?
90 days and you have 45K words. You gotta full story by that word count. Fluff a little and you have that magical 55K some houses want
 
But let's do 6 months at 500 a day and you'd have 90K. That is my sweet spot on story. Of course most of mine are longer. And I read recently that houses are looking for more than 55K and the sweet spot is 80K. 

I have set up this blog to post every Monday what to work on for the week and every Thursday some kind of helps will post. In between I will have some other random posts to help us all finish a book in 6 months or a year. The speed is your decision. 

Some will write faster than others and by all means don't let this blog slow you down. But for others the struggle to keep up may be real. But 500 words a day....we should all be able to do that. If you miss a day because there are no days off then make up the 500 word loss. Hold yourself to be accountable. Report in daily here if it helps. 

You want to finish the book or you wouldn't be lurking here on this blog. 

And please pop on over to my Author Kim Turner Facebook page where I will post more helps and encouragement each day. Together we can do this.