Here you go, everyone!
SUBMISSION LINK
Miss Snark's First Victim
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Monday, September 7, 2015
On the Block--Tidbits
I want to make sure everyone's on the same page for the submission process on Thursday, so let me just clear up a few things:
1. Pertaining to the Baker's Dozen: If you were IN the auction -- as in, your entry was one of the 60 winners posted on the blog so that agents could read it -- you MAY NOT ENTER THAT SAME MANUSCRIPT IN ON THE BLOCK. However, YOU MAY ENTER ANY OTHER COMPLETED MANUSCRIPT. It's not YOU I don't want to see -- it's repeat manuscripts! Of course you may enter something new, and I hope you will. But many of the agents participating in On the Block were involved in one or more Baker's Dozens in the past. They do not want to see entries they've already either bid on or ignored, and possibly rejected after winning. Capiche?
2. All genres are welcome except erotica and erotic fiction. Why? Because, since its inception, I've kept this blog PG-13, and I intend to keep doing so. (This is in honor of the youngest participant in one of the Secret Agent contests--a 13-year-old budding author from India whose father stayed up with her very late, waiting for the submission window to open. I will never forget that! And I want this place to always be appropriate for the younger spectrum of my readers.)
3. For the newbies: The critiques and contests on MSFV are for fiction only.
4. Because I got a wee bit tired of people not knowing what "genre" means, I've asked Michael to change the submission form so that category and genre are separate. YOU NEED TO KNOW BOTH. (As in, you need to know what it is that you are writing.) There are 4 categories: MG, YA, NA, and Adult. This will be a pull-down menu, and you have to pick one. (Hah! No more entries labeled MG/YA or YA/Adult -- because there is no such thing!) Then you will be able to type in your genre separately.
5. To clarify: There is no longer an email option for submissions to the blog (for On the Block and every subsequent contest and critique round). All submissions will be accepted through the online form. I will post the link to this form on Wednesday.
Please ask any further questions in the comment box below!
1. Pertaining to the Baker's Dozen: If you were IN the auction -- as in, your entry was one of the 60 winners posted on the blog so that agents could read it -- you MAY NOT ENTER THAT SAME MANUSCRIPT IN ON THE BLOCK. However, YOU MAY ENTER ANY OTHER COMPLETED MANUSCRIPT. It's not YOU I don't want to see -- it's repeat manuscripts! Of course you may enter something new, and I hope you will. But many of the agents participating in On the Block were involved in one or more Baker's Dozens in the past. They do not want to see entries they've already either bid on or ignored, and possibly rejected after winning. Capiche?
2. All genres are welcome except erotica and erotic fiction. Why? Because, since its inception, I've kept this blog PG-13, and I intend to keep doing so. (This is in honor of the youngest participant in one of the Secret Agent contests--a 13-year-old budding author from India whose father stayed up with her very late, waiting for the submission window to open. I will never forget that! And I want this place to always be appropriate for the younger spectrum of my readers.)
3. For the newbies: The critiques and contests on MSFV are for fiction only.
4. Because I got a wee bit tired of people not knowing what "genre" means, I've asked Michael to change the submission form so that category and genre are separate. YOU NEED TO KNOW BOTH. (As in, you need to know what it is that you are writing.) There are 4 categories: MG, YA, NA, and Adult. This will be a pull-down menu, and you have to pick one. (Hah! No more entries labeled MG/YA or YA/Adult -- because there is no such thing!) Then you will be able to type in your genre separately.
5. To clarify: There is no longer an email option for submissions to the blog (for On the Block and every subsequent contest and critique round). All submissions will be accepted through the online form. I will post the link to this form on Wednesday.
Please ask any further questions in the comment box below!
Friday, September 4, 2015
Friday Fricassee
So the ON THE BLOCK buzz has been bringing us some new folks (welcome! welcome!), so I want to make sure that nobody runs pell-mell toward the submission line next Thursday without understanding what a logline is.
PLEASE GO HERE FOR LINKS ON LOGLINES.
Also!
Michael and I are looking for a couple folks who are willing to help us test the new bot tomorrow morning (Saturday). If you're available (9 to 10 a.m. EDT), please ping me on Twitter or email me at facelesswords(at)gmail.com ASAP. First come, first served. It's fun in a weird sort of way to try to break something, yes?
And, finally:
Yesterday, I tweeted this:
Backstory: My manuscript is too huge right now, and I've simply got to cut it back. Hence my glee in the above tweet! But someone responded to me that he hoped I'd saved the deleted text. And I hadn't.
(Did you gasp just then?)
Thing is, I am all about saving good stuff! But this wasn't good stuff. It veered too far from the arc, and I knew I would never use it. So I highlighted that chunk of 1000 useless words and POOF! Gone.
The tweeter's thoughtful advice got me thinking, though. Years ago, I think I probably would have saved EVERYTHING. As in, EVERYTHING. Now? I'm more seasoned. And I feel like I can tell the difference between things that MIGHT be useful later, and things that absolutely shouldn't be allowed to exist in the known universe. Yesterday's deletion definitely fell into the latter category.
I'm feeling like this is another hallmark of being comfortable in my writing skin. Of being sure that, for the most part, I know what I'm doing. I still get stuck from time to time, but I am no longer floundering. And there's a huge difference between being stuck and floundering.
It takes courage to tell ourselves, "Hey. I've got this!" Mostly we want to second-guess ourselves. Self-deprecate. Lament over our shortcomings. And, of course, none of that gets us anywhere. When we've worked hard and learned a lot, we need to stay in that place of YES-I-CAN-DO-THIS-THING.
Mind you, I'm not talking about delusions of grandeur. People who think they're great usually...aren't. People who think they know it all often know only half of what they need to.
I don't think I'm great, and I don't think I know it all. But I do think that I KNOW HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL. And it is with that level of confidence I continue to move forward.
And those are my thoughts for the week. Please share yours!
PLEASE GO HERE FOR LINKS ON LOGLINES.
Also!
Michael and I are looking for a couple folks who are willing to help us test the new bot tomorrow morning (Saturday). If you're available (9 to 10 a.m. EDT), please ping me on Twitter or email me at facelesswords(at)gmail.com ASAP. First come, first served. It's fun in a weird sort of way to try to break something, yes?
And, finally:
Yesterday, I tweeted this:
I just deleted 1000 words in one fell swoop. DO YOU KNOW HOW EXCITING THIS IS?? #amrevising #toomanywords #chopchop
— Authoress (@AuthoressAnon) September 3, 2015
Backstory: My manuscript is too huge right now, and I've simply got to cut it back. Hence my glee in the above tweet! But someone responded to me that he hoped I'd saved the deleted text. And I hadn't.
(Did you gasp just then?)
Thing is, I am all about saving good stuff! But this wasn't good stuff. It veered too far from the arc, and I knew I would never use it. So I highlighted that chunk of 1000 useless words and POOF! Gone.
The tweeter's thoughtful advice got me thinking, though. Years ago, I think I probably would have saved EVERYTHING. As in, EVERYTHING. Now? I'm more seasoned. And I feel like I can tell the difference between things that MIGHT be useful later, and things that absolutely shouldn't be allowed to exist in the known universe. Yesterday's deletion definitely fell into the latter category.
I'm feeling like this is another hallmark of being comfortable in my writing skin. Of being sure that, for the most part, I know what I'm doing. I still get stuck from time to time, but I am no longer floundering. And there's a huge difference between being stuck and floundering.
It takes courage to tell ourselves, "Hey. I've got this!" Mostly we want to second-guess ourselves. Self-deprecate. Lament over our shortcomings. And, of course, none of that gets us anywhere. When we've worked hard and learned a lot, we need to stay in that place of YES-I-CAN-DO-THIS-THING.
Mind you, I'm not talking about delusions of grandeur. People who think they're great usually...aren't. People who think they know it all often know only half of what they need to.
I don't think I'm great, and I don't think I know it all. But I do think that I KNOW HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL. And it is with that level of confidence I continue to move forward.
And those are my thoughts for the week. Please share yours!
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Kickstarter Campaign for WOMEN IN PRACTICAL ARMOR
Editor Gabrielle Harbowy is a long-time supporter of this blog -- and a personal friend and mentor. Please take a moment to read about this EXCITING NEW PROJECT:
It's the final push for the WOMEN IN PRACTICAL ARMOR kickstarter. This is an anthology of 20 fantasy stories about the kind of already-empowered female warriors who know to cover their bellies when they go into battle. Edited by Gabrielle Harbowy and Ed Greenwood, to be published by Evil Girlfriend Media, this anthology met its crowd funding goal in the first 48 hours.
So why does it need your help? Because we've got just hours to go. And if we hit our next stretch goal, less than $2000 away, we'll be able to fund the second anthology in the series: WOMEN IN COMFORTABLE SHOES, stories about empowered female rogues, thieves, assassins, and other women who aren't afraid to do it solo, silently, and in the shadows.
Every dollar helps, and even a $1 pledge keeps you in the loop for everything going on with this exciting series, and goes toward further books from an award-nominated editorial team committed to showcasing emerging authors.
GO HERE TO SUPPORT THIS KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN NOW!
It's the final push for the WOMEN IN PRACTICAL ARMOR kickstarter. This is an anthology of 20 fantasy stories about the kind of already-empowered female warriors who know to cover their bellies when they go into battle. Edited by Gabrielle Harbowy and Ed Greenwood, to be published by Evil Girlfriend Media, this anthology met its crowd funding goal in the first 48 hours.
So why does it need your help? Because we've got just hours to go. And if we hit our next stretch goal, less than $2000 away, we'll be able to fund the second anthology in the series: WOMEN IN COMFORTABLE SHOES, stories about empowered female rogues, thieves, assassins, and other women who aren't afraid to do it solo, silently, and in the shadows.
Every dollar helps, and even a $1 pledge keeps you in the loop for everything going on with this exciting series, and goes toward further books from an award-nominated editorial team committed to showcasing emerging authors.
GO HERE TO SUPPORT THIS KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN NOW!
ON THE BLOCK: Submission Guidelines
Submissions for our first ON THE BLOCK auction are on Thursday, September 10--one week from today!
****UPDATED TO INCLUDE SUBMISSION LINK****
HOW TO SUBMIT
****UPDATED TO INCLUDE SUBMISSION LINK****
HOW TO SUBMIT
- Submissions are via WEB FORM ONLY. Please note: We still don't have a link for the web form, because we still have to run tests. HERE IS THE SUBMISSION LINK.
- Your entry will consist of a LOGLINE and the FIRST 250 WORDS of your COMPLETED, POLISHED MANUSCRIPT. No WIPs. If you wouldn't send it to an agent, please don't submit it to this contest.
- Your logline should be 50 WORDS OR FEWER. You are allowed to have up to 75 words, but YOU ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO WHITTLE YOUR LOGLINE DOWN TO 50 WORDS OR FEWER. (Note: The bot will not be able to distinguish between your logline and your submission. So, if your logline is 125 words long and your submission takes up the rest, you won't be rejected--but I won't be too excited by your entry, either. Same goes for having a really short logline and then adding more words to your first page. My eyeballs are going to be tired. Please don't make them MORE tired.)
- The submission window will open at 8:00 am EDT and will close at 10:00 pm EDT.
- All categories (MG, YA, NA, Adult) and all genres except erotica and erotic romance will be included. Unlike the Baker's Dozen Auction, there will not be separate submissions dates for children and adult entries. It all goes into one big pot, and I will pick the 24 strongest entries from that pot.
- There is a $21 entry fee, payable via Paypal. (Note: You do not have to have a Paypal account to enter. You may choose the "use a card" option on the Paypal screen.) Your entry will not be processed until your payment is received.
- You MAY ENTER if your entry was included in any Secret Agent Contest.
- You MAY NOT ENTER if you were in any of the Baker's Dozens. WHY? Because MANY of the agents from the Baker's Dozen are participating in On the Block. They DO NOT want to see and bid on the same material!
- You MAY NOT ENTER if you are agented! This contest is for unagented authors only.
- I will accept a maximum of 250 entries.
- WINNERS will be notified by email on Monday, November 2. If you do not receive an email, that means your entry was not chosen. I regret that, because of time constraints, I will not be sending rejection emails. If you enter the contest, please make sure to add facelesswords(at)gmail.com to your address book/contacts prior to entering the contest.
- The 24 winning entries will post on Friday, November 6. At this time, the agents (and lurking editors) will start reading. Also at this time, all readers may begin to leave feedback. Each entry will be assigned A TIME SLOT for the actual auction. This is the 10-minute window during which the agents will be bidding.
- On Tuesday, November 10, the entries will post in 10-minute intervals. Bidding for each item will only be open for those 10 minutes.
- Winning bids will be posted on Wednesday, November 11.
I THINK THAT COVERS IT! If it doesn't, please ask your questions below. I will modify these guidelines as necessary.
Once again, HERE IS THE AGENT LINE-UP!
This is going to be a high-energy fun time for all. Seven days and counting!
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