Category Archives: Stacey

March 03, 2010   DG&B   advice, queries, slush week, Stacey  
9

Stacey’s Slush Week entry

by Stacey

(For details on Slush Week, see Chasya’s introduction.)

We’ll start with the query on its own, then the response after the jump:

Dear Mr./Ms. (Insert Agent’s Name),

Life is tough, but Natalie MacKenzie is about to find that it gets a whole lot tougher when your stepsister is a succubus.

After Natalie is accused of burning the high school science wing to the ground (without anything more explosive than a pencil and paper), her father finally tells Natalie the truth: her mother wasnt human. Her father and stepmother decide to ship her off to a special school in Turkey where she can learn how to control herself and her fire abilities.

The only thing that makes the idea bearable is that her parents allow her stepsister and best friend, Olivia, to join Natalie and the other students for a two week tour of the country. On the way, Natalie and Olivia fall for the same guy, David, and when he chooses Natalie, Olivia makes a deal to become a succubus, which gives her power to have any guy she wants.

And she wants David.

Its up to Natalie to figure out how to use her fire abilities to rescue both Olivia and David–assuming that the other elements let her live that long . . .

My Stepsister is a Succubus is a young adult contemporary fantasy novel with 70,000 words. Although I have not yet published a novel, I have sold two magazine articles to the Ensign magazine. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
(Author’s name)


Dear Mr./Ms. (Insert Agent’s Name),

Life is tough, but Natalie MacKenzie is about to find that it gets a whole lot tougher when your stepsister is a succubus.

I really like this opening line. It gets right to the point and draws the reader in.

After Natalie is accused of burning the high school science wing to the ground (without anything more explosive than a pencil and paper), her father finally tells Natalie the truth: her mother wasnt human. Her father and stepmother decide to ship her off to a special school in Turkey where she can learn how to control herself and her fire abilities.

It’s very important to edit your letter carefully. Mistakes like “wasnt” instead of “wasn’t” really stand out. Also the paragraph loses the reader and begs some questions. It’s a big leap from “her mother wasn’t human” to “Her father and stepmother decide to ship her off to a special school in Turkey where she can learn how to control herself and her fire abilities.” Wait, what fire abilities? And if her mom wasn’t human, what was she? And what’s the special school, and why Turkey? This section needs to be reworked.

The only thing that makes the idea bearable is that her parents allow her stepsister and best friend, Olivia, to join Natalie and the other students for a two week tour of the country. On the way, Natalie and Olivia fall for the same guy, David, and when he chooses Natalie, Olivia makes a deal to become a succubus, which gives her power to have any guy she wants.

How old is the protagonist? You should include that information. How old is Olivia? It’s unclear how Olivia becomes a succubus, and who does she make a deal with? Fill in the blanks with clear, concise information.

And she wants David.

Its up to Natalie to figure out how to use her fire abilities to rescue both Olivia and David–assuming that the other elements let her live that long . . .

Is the fire her only gift? You might come up with a better description than “fire abilities” which you already used above. What is she rescuing Olivia and David from? Important to specify. And what are the “other elements”. Again, clarify.

My Stepsister is a Succubus is a young adult contemporary fantasy novel with 70,000 words. Although I have not yet published a novel, I have sold two magazine articles to the Ensign magazine. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Title, which I like, should be in all caps or italics to stand out. Good to describe it as a “young adult contemporary fantasy” and give word count. You might say instead of “Although I have not yet published a novel” something like “Although this is my first novel, I have articles published in Ensign magazine.” If you think you have any additional relevant information about your interests or background that speaks to this book or your writing, you could share it here to flesh the section out just a bit, not more than a line or two.

Also, it might be helpful to have a better sense of where you see this fitting into the marketplace, and if it compares to other books you love.
Finally, you should offer the reader a writing sample, and if you know the agent you are querying has represented a book or books you like, definitely let us know that. It helps to see writers who have done their homework, and can cite books on our list, and it really makes a query stand out from the competition. If you choose to do this, I’d recommend including it in the first paragraph of the pitch to grab our attention.

Sincerely,
(Author’s name)

 
Thanks so much for being a part of Slush Week!

February 24, 2010   DG&B   favorites, fun, historical fiction, lists, reading, Stacey  
2

Historical fiction

by Stacey

I came across this list of favorite historical novels compiled by Seattle Times readers , and thought I’d share it for those of you who enjoy a good piece of historical fiction, or for those of you who write in this category. I tend to do better with contemporary novels, but this is a varied and eclectic list that looks like a lot of fun, and I’m reading The Help now for our next DGLM book club, so I’m looking forward to weighing in on that book’s amazing commercial success and positive reader response. If you have any favorites (this batch focuses only on those set in the U.S.) that are note on the list, please share.

February 22, 2010   DG&B   advice, Jim, Stacey, writing  
8

Elmore Leonard tells you how to write

by Jim

I’d never seen Elmore Leonard’s list of ten writing rules before today. If it so happens that you haven’t either, I direct you to the Gotham Writers’ Workshop’s website. I came across the list via Mark Sarvas’s blog The Elegant Variation where he derides Leonard’s advice as “unhinged dipshitery.” I disagree. Now, of course we all know that rules are made to be broken, but there’s an awful lot of good sense here. And beyond that, Leonard’s a far better writer than Sarvas (in my opinion!). And #1: “Never open a book with weather?” That’s just great advice.

Leonard’s real point is that anything that can be cut should be cut. No one wants to see writing just for writing’s sake. So cut out the flibber-flabber and send us a novel that’s tight!

And, of course, take these things with a grain of salt. And look again to the advice of the other authors that Stacey pointed out on Friday. No one knows how you work, so there are no perfect answers, but it’s always good to take a look at the advice of others, especially those you respect, and sort out the good from the bad for yourself. But do take EVERY piece of Margaret Atwood’s advice because she’s delightful and would never lead you astray.

February 19, 2010   DG&B   advice, Stacey, writing  
4

Advice from authors who made it

by Stacey

It’s interesting to me, although perhaps not surprising, that my entries keep skewing to the children’s market. Not intentional, but just what keeps catching my eye. I recently saw this piece that I thought offered some good take-away advice for aspiring authors, not only those those writing for children. I think that anytime you get a collection of published (and in this case bestselling) authors in the same room, it’s worth listening to what they have to say. One thing that’s worth mentioning is that none of these writers set out to become bestselling children’s book authors, and I think most of us (see all of our posts at DGLM about how we got to where we are) take a number of different paths before finding the one that’s really right.

Thinking about the way to maintain and extend a successful career once it’s been established is an interesting conversation that continued the discussion. The ability to be flexible in terms of category and ride the market waves is one important comment that’s worth paying attention to, and the TOWEL acronym created by Marilyn Singer is comprised of a clever checklist of reminders to stay the course (Talent, Optimism, Widespread Interests, Endurance, and Luck).

I’d be curious to hear from our readers what they feel are the mantras that they keep coming back to in order to stay focused and motivated during the inevitable ups and downs of a writing life.

February 10, 2010   DG&B   advice, marketing/publicity, social networking, Stacey, Twitter  
7

The big picture

by Stacey

Pondering blog ideas while observing the blizzard of 2010 outside my window, I thought it would be a good idea to talk a little bit about authors and their commitment to social networking, and in particular building and maintaining a loyal audience that continues to grow long before and after a book’s publication date.

For nonfiction and fiction authors alike, the importance of connecting with your audience is crucial at every stage of an author’s career. At the beginning, it’s about finding your readers — identifying who they are and where they hang out online; then it’s about building and growing that fan base, but also about maintaining fans’ interest and keeping them coming back for more. It’s not helpful to put up a website or blog, or start a Facebook page or Twitter account, and only keep them active right before and right after publication. It’s about building a long term relationship, and it has to become a part of your daily routine. Seriously, none of this is new information, but it bears repeating because the results are clear and in many cases quantifiable. A recent example worth noting is my client, Shreve Stockton, whose book the Daily Coyote stems from her popular blog. An author who is intimately connected to her fans has the ability to stay close to his or her audience, and as a fringe benefit can even sometimes generate national publicity (and not necessarily directly book related, but that’s the point) months after a book’s publication.

There are a lot of resources available for anyone’s use on the web, and a long term commitment to building your name, creating ongoing content that is fresh and engaging, and creatively thinking of new ways to connect with readers are some of the ways to ensure a successful career that has longevity. Books have become only a part of the bigger picture of an author’s platform, and staying focused on these efforts will pay off in the long run in expected and sometimes unexpected ways. If you have any stories that illustrate this point, please share.

February 03, 2010   DG&B   children's books, lists, middle grade, reading, Stacey, YA  
2

Influential YA authors

by Stacey

Although I represent a wide range of adult authors and books, my research and posts lately have steered more toward the children’s markets because of my personal experiences, and also because a number of my adult authors are working on projects for the young adult and middle grade markets. I appreciate that this category has grown exponentially in recent years, and that there seems to be room for a real mix of creative elements. I came across this list on Omnivoracious, a blog run by Amazon book editors, and it breaks down the ten most influential YA authors of the last decade, the ones who it’s suggested most current authors are trying to emulate in some way. There are also a bunch of other authors listed at the end who might have made the list under different circumstances. If you are interested in this genre, either reading or writing, it’s a good introduction to what’s out there (although the list is in no way comprehensive), and what’s worked in the market over the last decade. It’s worth noting that even though this audience skews to a female readership, half the authors are men, and many of the books appeal to both sexes. I’ve liked a lot of these books, some of which have really broken new ground, and look forward to seeing what this growing market has in store for the next decade, when my own kids will be old enough to enjoy these books. Happy reading, and let us know if there are authors you feel would be a worthy addition to their list.

January 27, 2010   DG&B   fun, future of publishing, opinion, optimism, Stacey  
5

Reading and writing teens

by Stacey

I saw this very cool PW piece about a new initiative HarperTeen has recently launched. Seems like such a wonderfully smart, positive, and original way to get directly to an intended audience, and get them involved in the writing and publishing process. And what a great opportunity for young, creative minds to be able to share their work easily with other members of the site, as well as publishing professionals who will offer feedback to the top picks. There is even the grand prize of obtaining a publishing contract for the winner. It’s like American Idol for teen writers! It seems to have already caught on since “Inkpop had a soft launch in late 2009 and currently boasts more than 10,000 members ages 13 and up, and 11,000 written submissions, which include novels, short stories, poetry, and essays.” I hope that this site will succeed, and that a new generation of writers will emerge, shaped by the opportunities presented to them in this terrific new forum.

January 20, 2010   DG&B   awards, children's books, fun, reading, Stacey  
3

Newbery, Caldecott, and a Faux Pas

by Stacey

The Pulitzers of children’s books were announced this week, and the Newbery winner, Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me, was tweeted about by an insider at Random House 17 minutes before the award was officially revealed. Oops. Such is the danger of the digital age. The post was taken down almost as soon as it was put up, and Random House has been quiet about the culprit.

The Caldecott for best illustrated book goes to Jerry Pinkney’s The Lion and the Mouse, a wordless picture book.

If any of you blog readers have read or seen either of these and want to share your thoughts, we’d love to hear them!

January 13, 2010   DG&B   advice, children's books, fun, lists, reading, Stacey  
4

1001 children’s books

by Stacey

I saw 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up by Julia Eccleshare on Daily Candy and just thought it was so fun, and would be such a nice gift for new parents. A great resource for book lovers and the kids we’re trying to raise to be book readers.  Check it out, and let us know if they missed any of your favorites!

January 12, 2010   DG&B   about us, fun, Jane, Jim, Michael, Miriam, Stacey, why we are agents  
6

Why I Am an Agent (Stacey)

by Stacey

I think it’s so interesting to learn how people got to where they are. I guess everyone has a story to tell. It might be a stretch, but I’ll start at the beginning by saying that my agenting career, or at least the path there, began when I was a professional child actor starting back in the early 80s. I worked with an agent then and got to understand a bit about what they did, and I was also faced with an enormous amount of rejection! During college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, having spent so much of my childhood in front of the camera, so I studied film, and psychology. Upon graduation, I felt a little lost, like most post-grads do, and found a couple of internships in NY in film development, essentially looking for books to be adapted into movies. I eventually landed jobs at PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Hearst Entertainment, where I scouted for books-to-film, and got to knows agents, editors, and the book biz in general. I realized pretty quickly that trying to pursue a career in film in New York was an almost insurmountable challenge. I knew it couldn’t last because of how dispensable these New York film offices were, and so I planned to move to LA to infiltrate myself deeper into the world of film. With one foot practically out the door, I met my now-husband on a blind date and decided the west coast move was out, and I took a long look at what I wanted to do and realized that an agenting career, or at least a job at an agency, was the right direction for me to take.

When the opportunity to work with the esteemed Jane Dystel came up, my then-boss and mentor at Hearst recommended I jump on it. In February, 1999, a new and exciting chapter in my life began. I have to admit the first year or so was rocky, trying to learn my way around with no clients, lots of admin to handle (a highlight of which was hiring Jim and Michael, and I’m sticking to my story about Michael’s blue hair!), and little understanding of what this side of the business was really all about. I remember hearing Jane and Miriam talk so fast about so many things in our morning meetings and wondered if I’d ever really get the language of book publishing. But I was intrigued and up to the challenge, and before long, Jane started passing projects my way. I eventually started coming up with my own book ideas, signed up my first client, and submitted my first project to editors. The moment when I got the call that an editor was “running numbers” on a proposal I’d submitted, I thought I was having a heart attack my heart was beating so fast. I was hooked. One project led to another, and before long, I was selling lots of books in all kinds of different categories. And I was loving every minute of it. I think that being an agent is a little like being a drug or a gambling addict (in a healthy way)–you are always on the prowl for that high you get from selling books, and you never know when that big hit is going to come your way. And of course, once you start, it’s hard to stop.

Now almost eleven years later, I can say without pause that I am doing what I love, and feel rewarded in big and small ways with the work that I do. I am very grateful for the opportunities that Jane and Miriam have given me here over the years, and that they believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. I feel truly lucky that I have found a career that is satisfying and fulfilling in ways I didn’t think possible when my journey began so long ago. I have four kids at home now, and I love them enormously, but my extended publishing family of clients, colleagues, and friends is just as important to me, and I cherish each and every one of them. I am looking forward to a big and bright future for all of us in this wonderful and wacky world of words we inhabit.

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