Top Tips for Before and After Receiving A New Book Contract

Hi! Mary Vee here. 

Spring is on our doorstep! A Season for New!

This month on the Writer's Alley we're introducing, discussing, and giving tips for some of those "new" chapters writers encounter. We have a lot to share! Julia, Sherrinda, and Laurie will also host weeks this month.

Alley Cats Celebrating a Contract 

In this first week of March, I am discussing the "New Book Contract." The differences between what we expect and what happens. 

The season before we receive a book contract is not easy. I know. We write manuscript after manuscript, pitching our stories to agents and/or editors, study the craft, hone our skills, then write another manuscript. Time passes.

Before Receiving Book Contract Tips:
1. Read more.
2. Choose to set aside time to learn something new about writing. Attend conferences. Read books on writing. Participate in online writing groups.
3. Be open to the critique of others. Join a critique group. I belong to two groups. One is designed for writing, reading our work aloud, and receiving encouragement. The other is submitting a chapter online and receiving content, grammar, and other forms of helpful advice. The key to benefiting from feedback is: listen to your heart, your story, and your characters as you make changes. 
4. Take the time to present only the very best edited copy when sending a query, proposal, or pitching to an agent or editor.
5. Read the Publishing House's Guidelines and follow them completely. A great book can be rejected even at this point.

Thanks to friends and family, our encouragers who hold us up when we become discouraged, we march on, submit, write, and wait. Oh, how we wait for the golden email: an offer for a book contract. When the news arrives at last -- CELEBRATE!! Tell everyone. Laugh. We are about to become an author. 

Like high school or college commencement, this is not the end of our work, but the beginning of chapter two in a writer's career.

Chapter two- After Receiving the New Book Contract Offer

1. The greatest favor you can do for yourself at this point is to have an agent. The wording in contracts is power-packed with legaleese so specific to book publishing that a family lawyer would struggle to accurately decipher the wording. Never pay an agent for this service. Agents are paid when you are paid.

2. Edits. Before and after the contract there will be layers of editing. Content. Line. Fact check. And more. Publishing houses vary in how much they will edit the manuscript. This will be discussed in deeper detail this Thursday night when I interview Ashley Clark. Details below.

3. Cover survey. This is a fun step. The publishing house will send a detailed questionnaire about the manuscript. This information will be used to design your book's cover. This survey is worth every minute you spend filling in the blanks. Years ago, a writer wrote down the wrong hair color for the main character. Fortunately, she saw the problem in the first cover draft, and the artist changed the hair color for the final cover. We'll discuss this more in the Thursday interview. Ashley really enjoyed this step. 

4. Edits. At some point, the publisher will send galleys to you. The galleys have your manuscript formatted for publication. Limited changes will be allowed, however, if you catch one of those crazy errors that always slip through...a homophone problem, a missing letter, etc, these can still be fixed. Be sure to read through the galley carefully. It's the last chance to correct errors.

5. Promotion. Marketing. Who could promote this amazing story about to be published better than the author? We know the story best! This is the time to put on a creative hat. There are marketing classes at writer's conferences, books, and online groups to learn from. Try not to waste time inventing wheels. Why invest in promoting? Isn't this bragging? No. Not really. Think of it this way. Say you went on a trip. At some point, you get hungry. A billboard catches your eye. A restaurant you like is at the next exit. Had the sign, or the ad on the GPS not been there, you wouldn't have known. Marketing simply lets readers who like this genre know the book is available for purchase. 

It's the steps before and after 
that truly bring lasting fulfillment.

*Tackle the steps one at a time. Don't rush. Each one is worth every minute spent.

*Read/follow directions carefully.

*Ask for help from those who have walked the journey before you.

*Share your experiences. There are those who want to walk with you. AND these treasured souls are the ones who will be there to listen, congratulate, and offer advice.  

JOIN US THURSDAY!

This Thursday at 8 PM Eastern 

on The Writer's Alley Facebook Page 

I am interviewing Ashley Clark, one of the writers here on the Alley. Ashley received her first book contract this year! Congrats, Ashley! She is going to walk us through the steps from that golden book contract email to publication. You are invited to toss out comments, ask questions, and give answers/advice to other commenters during the interview. 

In the meantime, what questions do you have? 

Post them in the comments below.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Mary Vee has been a finalist in several writing contests. She writes suspense and mystery stories featuring characters like us. Her stories have gained recognition in the Selah and Phoenix Writing Contests. Daring To Live showcases a woman slipping into the depths of homelessness then discovers the only way to escape is to turn from the lies. Mary's years as a counselor, missionary, and caseworker to the inner city, Crow Indians, and peoples of Central America have strengthen the characters who live in her stories. She currently resides in the north with her hubby and two of her three children. Mary loves traveling, hiking, mocha, movie scores, and The Creator--the giver of our worth.

Mary would love to connect with you! Click the links below!

Mary Vee's Website
Mary's Blending Sites and Stories Blog
Facebook
Twitter: @MaryVeeWriter
Instagram: @MaryVeeWriter

Tipful Tuesday: The Key to Writing a Memorable Story Is...

The key to writing a memorable, lasting, bring-the-reader-back-for-more story is:

You.

Seriously. Our stories are best, the scenes flow, the characters are genuine when we insert the experiences from life rather than sit at the screen and attempt to create what happened next. Using these experiences will make the scene natural--and--it will intrigue, interest, and invite readers to want more.

Here's an example. Yesterday, I wrote this scene: younger adult brother arrives at older sister's house. He hasn't seen her in four years, and he didn't tell her he would visit. She opens the door. We are in his POV

To play the scene out, the worst I could do at this point is have the sister break into tears. Tears of joy, tears of memories. So happy to see him tears. etc. 

The second worst I could do to portray the scene is to have her ask a million questions. "What are you doing here?" "I didn't know you were coming? "How have you been?"etc.

Both of these would be expected. Have been done a million times. Reasons for readers to scan over the scene until something good happens.

Instead, I considered my own family dynamics. Four girls and one boy. I was an older sister to my brother. Being the perfect, wonderful person that I am, I couldn't possibly help this poor male character in this moment. BUT, I recalled MANY stories told by my husband. He, the younger brother of an older sister. Oh the tales he spun of his youth. The terrible sister, that he really loves. The horrible things she did, that he never retaliated for. Uh huh.

Yes, now I had great fodder for a humorous scene. She opens the door, and while projecting her absolute joy at his unexpected visit, she casts out the first insult, the kind only a sister shares with her brother while holding the door open for him. He returns the favor with brotherly harassing, picks up his suitcase and walks inside. In the muddled flinging of banter from days gone by, seasoned with grins and laughter, they greet each other and are now ready to move forward in the scene. Oh yes. This reads really well and hopefully leaves the reader feeling at home with these characters.

I've used my favorite childhood cake made by my grandmother who always ripped open the label in the store to read the ingredients. The cashier always wondered why she bought an open package. Grandma said the cake didn't taste as good when she didn't. See? 

When you sprinkle you into your stories, they will flow and be memorable. This, by the way is your voice. 

Your turn. Think of a memory from the past that could flavor a scene in your story. OR, tell one that you have used in a story already written. I'm excited to read them. :)


~Mary Vee
Photo by Mary Vee

Link to Mary's books: https://amzn.to/2Fq4Jbm

Mary loves to travel to places like New York City and Paris. Mary has been a finalist in several writing contests and writes for her king.  

Visit Mary at her Website, Blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

TipfulTuesday: The Hidden Promise In Our Stories

I confess. I am one of "those" shoppers who walk through a bookstore, glancing at covers and titles, seeking one to pick up and peruse.

The huge Barnes and Nobel in my mall put up a new display for "new releases". I glanced through the forty books beautifully shelved. Sadly only one cover caught my attention. I walked on to the next display.

My point today will not be that a great cover sells. Although it sure helps.

My point also is not the title, back cover, and/or the first page enhances sales...although they seem to.

The key to a fabulous book is this: If a reader is enticed to buy a book, then takes it home and snuggles up in their comfy living room chair, opens the cover and doesn't read the whole story in her normal time, she will set down the book with the fabulous cover, amazing title, enticing back cover, and intriguing first page and most likely not pick it up again.

One writing instructor (sorry can't remember which one of the many I've heard) said:

We the writers make a contract with the reader, 

promising a story that will follow a course so compelling

she has to turn every page until the last.

This year, let's focus on ... not so much fixing a sagging middle, although this too is important--

But a growing overarching story that, like blowing up a balloon, expands, becoming with each word. Becoming what? Why the next recommended book by very appreciative readers.

For this reason, I chose today's photo. Colorful, cheery, glass-blown balloons floating in a Venetian store.

Some pitfalls to watch for:

1. While your MC should have a problem that gives the story purpose, she must be likable. Think Cinderella. We love her and feel for her plight from the beginning. Had the stepmother been the MC we probably would have put the book down.

2. When adding backstory, be careful not to repeat. Even when sprinkling in this essential information, as we are taught to do, readers will remember what was said before.

3. Shake up the beats. Lordy, lordy, do people really cry so much? Smile so much? Laugh so much? Instead, use setting, sounds, nature, anything that "is" to shake up those beats. Expand this essential storytelling time to bring meaning to the scene. Help readers see.

Let's aim for stories that "Become" until the last page.

~Mary Vee
Photo by Mary Vee

Link to Mary's books: https://amzn.to/2Fq4Jbm

Christmas is Mary Vee's favorite holiday. She loves to travel to places like New York City and Paris. Mary has been a finalist in several writing contests and writes for her king.  

Visit Mary at her Website, Blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

Merry Christmas

We are so happy to spend another Christmas with you. 

As writers, we are ever on the lookout for fresh, inviting ways to make our narrative and dialogue inviting. 

I love Christmas stories. Yes, even the Hallmark ones! And while the stories repeat the same message, they somehow invite us to read or watch yet another story. 

Whether you have a manuscript that takes place during the Christmas season or another time of the year, you can use Christmas when describing. Seriously! Because of God’s goodness, it is timeless. 

So, I'm hoping you will help grow this Christmas list for all of us to morph, borrow, or simply use:

Sweet like candy cane (use in kissing scene)
Warm as Christmas fire (hugs, kindness, etc.)
Merry as a child opening a Christmas gift
Joyful as Christmas music (spirit)
Sparkling like Christmas lights (eyes)

Your turn: Add an inviting Christmas picture to our list. 

Merry Christmas!

~Mary Vee
Photo by Mary Vee

Link to Mary's books: https://amzn.to/2Fq4Jbm

Christmas is Mary Vee's favorite holiday. She loves to travel to places like New York City and Paris. Mary has been a finalist in several writing contests and writes for her king.  

Visit Mary at her Website, Blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

The God Effect in Stories

Even as writers we don't always see details or truths or influences flowing in our books. 

Not all readers will either. 

BUT there are the many who will notice amazing details that spark their interest, cause them to think and respond to ... well... us, and their friends, and ... others.

This week I posted a photo. My thoughts: this is a dreamy place. A dock reaching out to a lake surrounded with trees. The unique aspect from my pov: part of the dock is underwater. This looks good... I thought. It was a photo story.

More than almost any other photo I've posted, this one sparked many responses. A few responders mentioned the dreamy doc setting. BUT the majority noticed a detail I had not.

In the foreground, small, and not in my thoughts, was a tool my husband uses. It rested on a wooden plank. Underwater. Although silver, it didn't especially stand out since the sun didn't reflect the shiny surface. Commenters asked questions that grew into conversations. 

How odd, I thought. I didn't even see it there when I took the photo.

As writers called by God to tell stories, we describe scenes, use interesting dialogue, explode action on the page, and develop relationships. Behind the scenes, God is using our work to touch lives in ways we don't even realize.

If this isn't incentive to set aside time to write, edit, and write more, I don't know what is. Our stories are important in ways we don't understand.  A tool used by God to impact someone we may not know...for His glory. Perhaps the story you have written or are writing is God's tool to impact your life.

So, friend, ready to write?

Has a reader pointed out something amazing in your story you didn't see?

#story #writing #behindthescenes #MaryVeeWriter #Godeffect #thewritersalleyblog

~Mary Vee
Photo by Mary Vee

Link to Mary's books: https://amzn.to/2Fq4Jbm

Christmas is Mary Vee's favorite holiday. She loves to travel to places like New York City and Paris. Mary has been a finalist in several writing contests and writes for her king.  

Visit Mary at her Website, Blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

The Lord's Blessings...

God has been so very good to us, right?

He not only calls us to be writers, but then he blesses us with opportunities to turn our work into fruit. Signing with agents. Publishing books. Meeting other writer's we've only know on FB. Applying our writing to other avenues. Sometimes, setting the work aside for a time. All for God's glory. 

God is good. 

Here is how God has blessed us. In the comments, tell us how He's blessed you.

Pepper Basham: God blessed my writing in so many ways. I publish three books this year, two novels and one novella. I also taught my first class at ACFW. (from Mary: A great class on how to write a good hero)

Sherrinda Ketchersid: God blessed me with my first book, Lord of Her Heart, published in May.

Krista Phillips: God blessed in an unusual way. He asked me to set my writing aside. He has shown me it is important to set things aside for a season, to let it grow stronger, and be more fruitful. (note from Mary- Krista's book, Match Me If You Can was published earlier this year.)

Casey Herringshaw: God blessed me with a desire to write. This is such a blessing. An intimidating one, but a blessing nonetheless. AND, I saw so many of you at ACFW!

Mary Vee: I am thankful for the two stories God helped me publish. One a Christmas story: Sylvia's Secret, A Christmas Story the other a fantasy: Fire and Thorn, A Fantasy. AND--in all the crazy road trips and conferences I went to this year, God let me see all but one Alley Cat. As a bonus, I even saw many of you at those conferences. I am soooo thankful!

Ashley Clark: I'm so thankful to have found a home for my stories at Bethany House.

Angie Dicken: I have been so thankful to have readers share in the celebration of my third novel, The Yellow Lantern, my third novel release.

Julia Reffner: I've really been blessed to lead a small group at Proverbs 31 Online Bible Studies. It's a way I feel God is able to use my writing on a daily basis and I'm loving it.

Amy Leigh Simpson: God blessed me with a new agent this year

Laurie Tomlinson: God helped me to finish a very difficult manuscript this year.

Karen Schravemade: I'm thankful I was able to fly from Australia to attend ACFW for the first time in eight years. It was a blessing to hug my Alleycats in person, some of whom I met for the very first time. 

Cara Putman: I am thankful to have survived this busy year.

Now it's your turn! 

Please share God's blessing in your writing life.

~Mary Vee

Photo by Mary Vee

Link to Mary's books: https://amzn.to/2Fq4Jbm

Christmas is Mary Vee's favorite holiday. She loves to travel to places like New York City and Paris. Mary has been a finalist in several writing contests and writes for her king.  

Visit Mary at her Website, Blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

When Introducing a New Character...

#TipfulTuesday

Of all the zillions of characters introduced since the first book published eons ago, several probably stand out to you. You could probably rattle off several, right? Sure.

On the other hand, we've read--and probably have written--some characters that have evaporated from readers' minds the second the page was turned. 

I'm thinking about the many characters who are introduced like this: a man wearing blue jeans a brown jacket and round glasses ...and blah, blah blah...his hair was brown, walked into the room. 

Usually, these character introductions droll on for a whole paragraph, and sometimes more. I'm bored. Seriously, the unique glasses did not help me see this guy as anyone interesting.

**Authors don't need to specifically describe a character when introducing them. A character simply needs to stand out from the crowd.**

Say my established characters are sitting in a restaurant and a waitress enters the scene. She is important (after all she is the one who killed the detective, but the readers won't know this until page 273.) She is wearing the same uniform as all the other waitresses in the restaurant, so why bother mentioning her black pants, white shirt, and company tie? She also has her hair pulled back like all the other waitresses and has a name tag that no one can read until she stands at the table. All of this can be summed up with a waitress burst into the room. 

What makes her interesting is the tattoo above her wrist. Ah, now we know which waitress. Your turn. Tell me what the tattoo looks like. Where have readers seen similar markings before? Uh-huh. Now you have it. The seed introducing this waitress has been planted. 

Such a unique description initiates a good character introduction. What other striking details say something about the waitress's personality? 

While the reader is distracted by the action, he/she later remembers the way this waitress scanned the restaurant. A typical waitress focuses on her tables, her orders, her food that is ready to be delivered, but the waitress with the tattoo kept tabs on the entire restaurant. Why? Now that the clues are all in on page 273, we remember that it was the waitress with the tattoo who kept tabs on the entire room who happened to pick up a steak knife from the floor, twirled it around to sit point side out on her tray. Like a knife pro.

Since this is a suspense story, we, the writer, will let this waitress, the one with the tattoo, fade after the introduction, not totally disappear from the storyline. She will make tiny, periodic appearances before page 273, so insignificant the readers will be shocked in the discovery, aghast they hadn't seen the clues laced in story after a fabulous introduction. muwhahaha. 

I am a suspense author. You may write a different genre. You too can introduce characters in a memorable way. Look back at the moment when your hero or heroine first stepped on stage. He may seem like the amazing handsome hero...but aren't all heroes? What caused the heroine to take notice of him and only him? What helps the hero notice the heroine over all the other girls. Something is different. What is it?

~Mary Vee

Photo by Mary Vee

Mary Vee's newsletters take readers on virtual trips to various places. No umbrella. No packing. No passport. Explore something new in each letter! Sign up today at http://eepurl.com/dITkz5 The next newsletter hits email boxes on November 15.

Sylvia's Secret. A Christmas Story. I have a new book release! 

Fifteen days before Christmas, the staff at Sylvia Duvet's mansion discover she is missing. Her daughter arrives at Detective Carhill's office in a panic, concerned the gossipers and media will create their own story, embarrassing the family name. After all, a wealthy widow only disappears if...she simply can't bear to think of the possibilities.  

Click on the link below to read more.

Link to Mary's books: https://amzn.to/2Fq4Jbm

Christmas is Mary Vee's favorite holiday. She loves to travel to places like New York City and Paris. Mary has been a finalist in several writing contests and writes for her king.  

Visit Mary at her Website, Blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter

Resolve to Send the Requested Proposal

#TipfulTuesday

And yet another writing conference has ended. We scribbled reams of notes, made new friends, and hopefully had invitations to send documents to an agent or editor.

Most of us have had a day to rest.

Let's resolve to work on those requested documents this week. Write. Edit. Polish. AND set a reasonable date to send the information to those who asked for them.

Perhaps you heard an agent or editor say, "I have requested proposals for wonderful stories at conferences. Many are never sent to me."

We find the courage to make the appointment, present our work to the agent or editor, then go home and listen to the one who wants to ruin the gift given by God. Don't listen.

Let's start right away. Make a plan to complete the work to the best of our ability. Then, and this is the big one, pray and press the send button.

I am working on two proposals. I would like to send them to the two individuals who requested the documents within one month, two at the most.

How about you? How can we pray for you? We are cheering for you!

~Mary Vee

#TipfulTuesday #ACFW #Conference #MaryVeeWriter #resolve #WritersAlley #writingcommunity

Mary Vee's newsletters take readers on virtual trips to various places. No umbrella. No packing. No passport. Explore something new in each letter! Sign up today at http://eepurl.com/dITkz5 The next newsletter hits email boxes on November 15.

Sylvia's Secret. A Christmas Story. I have a new book release! 

Fifteen days before Christmas, the staff at Sylvia Duvet's mansion discover she is missing. Her daughter arrives at Detective Carhill's office in a panic, concerned the gossipers and media will create their own story, embarrassing the family name. After all, a wealthy widow only disappears if...she simply can't bear to think of the possibilities.  

Click on the link below to read more.

Link to Mary's books: https://amzn.to/2Fq4Jbm

Christmas is Mary Vee's favorite holiday. She loves to travel to places like New York City and Paris. Mary has been a finalist in several writing contests and writes for her king.  

Visit Mary at her Website, Blog, and her ministry blog to families: God Loves Kids. Or chat on Facebook or Twitter