QueryTracker Turns Two!

That's right. It's like a proud parent moment. Except I am not the parent, and well, Querytracker.net isn't a kid. But it's the same excitement!

Because we're having a party!

Click on the picture below for more details. Oh, and there's also a little blog chain contest going on. The grand prize of this hulla-baloo is a FREE WEBSITE designed by the awesome Carolyn Kaufman and QT's daddy, Patrick McDonald. That's right. FREE. (They're the Purple Squirrel Web Designers. Check 'em out.)

You want that, don't you? Um, yeah.

You get one entry into the grand prize drawing for every contest you enter. (Details on the carnival page, click below.) You can also get another entry by helping us advertise!

Simply make a post like this one you're reading on your blog. Make sure to use the wicked fun graphic and direct them to the carnival page for more deets. Then come back here and leave a comment with your link and real name. Or email your link with your real name to elanajohnson (at) querytracker (dot) net.

I'll make sure you get in the drawing.

Be sure to tell your readers to EMAIL ME (or comment here) their link and real name so I can put their name in the drawing. You can link to this post so everyone knows how to make sure they're entered for the FREE WEBSITE!

And hurry! You must have your blog post up by next Saturday, May 23 to get the extra entry.

Spread the word! Win a website!

Literary Agent Contest on the QueryTracker Blog

Lookie at what Archetype made! The woman can do anything. Give her some mad love.



Now, before you go all psycho and start sending submissions, be sure to read the directions here. The contest doesn't actually open until MONDAY people. That's Monday, April 13. But use this weekend to get yours ready, tell all your writerly buddies, post in your forums, oh and have a fantabulerific Easter!

Blog Chain - Shreddage

Okay, this round's topic was chosen by the ever-fabulous Mary Lindsey. Here's her prompt:

Are you in a critique group? If so, at what point do you send chapters to the members of your group? How detailed are the critiques you receive and give? Do all members in you group write the same genre?

I've been participating in crit groups for about 15 months. And I wrote a couple of posts for the QueryTracker blog on this topic (more on how to start and how to participate in crit groups). These questions are completely different, and I think, ones that every writer should answer and contemplate in their crit groups.

Whenever I post my work for critique, I think of it as going through the shredder. Sometimes I can't wait to see what's going to come out the other side, and sometimes I'm just plain scared. (Hey, I'm human, too.) Sometimes that shreddage can be scary--but it's almost always scary in a good way. (Not like those people up there. They're shredding lettuce. Yes. Lettuce. I guess it's uber-toxic lettuce because why else would they need the lab coats, rubber boots and face masks?? They take their shreddage seriously. As should your critters in your group. Man, this was a long parenthetical.) You need good shreddage to grow and stretch as a writer. But enough about that. Onto the questions!

1. Are you in a critique group?
Yes. More than one. I have a live crit group that I absolutely adore. I also own a forum at RallyStorm exclusively for YA authors. It's pretty much me and a dear friend, because we're not really sure about adding anyone else to the group and upsetting our uber-yen balance we've got goin' on. I love my fellow YA crit buddy. And I also have a precious group of friends who will read anything I want at any time. Their input is priceless.

2. At what point do you send chapters to the members of your group?
After I've looked at them so much my eyes are crossing, I can push apple+F and type in the exact line I'm looking for, and I'm about ready to select everything and hit delete. I believe that you should really look at your own stuff and make it as polished as possible BEFORE sending to crit buddies. There's nothing more annoying that trying to crit a first draft of someone else's writing.

Of course, one of the groups I'm in, we have to post 15 pages a week. Sometimes I'm not ready for that, but I do my best to get my pages out and pasted in a new document by Wednesday (I post on Friday). I look at them. Tweak. Change. Rewrite. Save. Thursday. Look again. Re-read. Tweak. Change. This only takes a few minutes. Friday. Email to self (can't post from a Mac, grumble). Read on PC (hey, it looks different). Tweak. Post. Read in post (different still). Tweak. Post.

I think this tweaking cycle is common among writers. (Please tell me it is, even if it's not...'kay?)

3. How detailed are the critiques you receive and give?
I think it depends. If the writing is strong, I usually just have "big picture" comments. Sure, I might have places where I think a stronger word would work better, or where the structure of the writing falls away. I'm a hugely character-driven reader, so I find that my critiques are geared toward the relationships in the story, how the characters are acting (or not acting), and making sure their dialog and actions are consistent throughout.

The crits I get vary from person to person. Because every person has something different they bring to the table. Literally. And that's what makes crit groups awesome. (Look at those bales of shredded paper. Isn't that...I don't even have a word for how super-stupendous that is. That's what my novel looks like after my crit group has laid their claws into it. And that's amazing too.)

4. Do all members in your group write the same genre?
No. My live group is varied. We have YA, historical fiction, romance, and LDS fiction. My online group varies too, from YA to MG to women's fiction to nonfiction to paranormal romance. I do have the YA group and that is obviously YA.

I don't necessarily think writing in the same genre is important. I think having knowledgeable, honest people is what really counts.

So don't fear the shredder. You need it. Crave it. Will be better for it. See what Abigail had to say and Terri will be up in this chain of madness tomorrow.

Blog Chain - Marketing Me

Okay, so this round of the blog chain started with H.L. Dyer. I think she's trying to kill me. Or something. Then everyone else in the chain is just fabulous, leaving me to look and sound like a complete loozr. Posting before me was Abi. And up next is Terri.

So here goes...I feel like George Costanza.

Not in my real life, but in my writing life. Because I'm sort of in between manuscripts right now. At least I don't live with my parents.

I don't really know how to market my manuscript. I've made a (totally lame) book trailer for the novel I just shelved. I loved Jess's ideas on necklaces and perfumes, but I don't have anything like that. Then we had songs from Kat and that totally rocked my world. I don't really have anything at this point in my life. Christine had some great ideas, and I'm going to be checking out the books she mentioned. But other than that...

What I do have is...me.

I think I'm my best marketing tool. I'm on facebook, myspace, twitter, I have this blog, I've written articles, I contribute to the QueryTracker blog. I'm trying to get myself out there. I'm pretty real. What you see is generally what you get. I have a unique name, so it's easy to Google.

I'm trying to network. That's it. That's my marketing plan. Have a recognizable name with established avenues to promote my novel once it hits the shelf. So far...it's a work in progress, just like everything else in my writing life.

What are you doing as far as marketing goes?

Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Okay, so this week is obviously music week, cuz that title is a song too. Le sigh. Can't win 'em all. Or maybe I am winning...

Anyway, today I'm asking for your best dialog. I'm planning a post on the QueryTracker blog about writing dialog and I didn't want to toot my own horn. Well, at least not quite so loud. I'm going to be using some examples from my own writing in the post, but I'd like to have some others.

So here's what I'm asking you to do.
1. Email me your best dialog. The most powerful line someone speaks in your book. The wittiest. The awesomest. Email: elanajohnson (at) gmail (dot) com. Oh, and put "dialog" in the subject line.
2. I may use it, I may not.
3. You can include a little blurb (if you want) that sets up the dialog. I don't need a one-page synop—or even a 250 word query letter. Just give me the context. (Example below.)
4. I'll credit you as the author and provide a link to your blog on the QT blog post. I'll also be analyzing why I think the dialog works so well, so if that bothers you, please don't submit. The readers of the blog will NOT be asked to critique your dialog - only I'm doing that. I'm nice. Promise.
5. The dialog excerpt shouldn't exceed 100 words. I want your very best! Your short very best.
























Okay, here's an example from one of my own WiP's. I don't want to say I'm the queen of dialog, although I am feeling quite Bee-ish lately.

This is a scene between Vi (Violet) and Zenn. They're walking in the park after dark—gasp!—and a hovercopter has shown up demanding to know why they've decided to become Rule-breakers. It's from a dystopian sci fi novel, just so you know. Oh and it's her birthday in a couple of week and Zenn's already said he has something for her. (blurb: 61 words)

Zenn turned toward me. "What have you done now?"
"Nothing," I answered. "I've done nothing this time." I'd been good for two months. It was the end of the term, the weather was finally getting better, and I didn't see any reason to cause problems.
"This time?" he asked. "What about last time?"
"Violet Schoenfeld, stay where you are!" a mechanical voice boomed. "The Green demands a hearing."
"Vi! The Green? What have you done?"
"Can I have my present now?" I asked.
(dialog: 79 words)

I am not going to analyze my own dialog here. You'll have to wait for the blog post on the QT blog. Neener, neener. However, if you'd like to rip me apart, that's fine. What does this dialog show? Do you get a sense of the characters? No? What do you get? Anything? Let me know. It's entirely possible this stinks of dead fish, but I kinda like it.

Remember, I don't want your dialog submission in a comment. Save the comments for your pithiness on my dialog. Or that picture of Adam Lambert...

Man, getting shredded has never felt so good. Bring it on!

Writing A Query Letter - Part One: The Hook

This series of articles was first published on the QueryTracker blog. I wrote them, so I'm going to post them here as well.

Okay, people. We all know that to secure a literary agent, you need to write a stellar query letter. You can get feedback at various writerly sites, but none better than the QueryTracker forum. People there are nice, honest, and want to see you succeed.

I know, I know. There are literally hundreds of websites where you can go to find out how to write a query letter. But, um, the fact is, you don't want just a query letter. You want a great query letter—one that sets yours above the others.

I know, I know, I know. There are literary agents who have blogged on how to craft these suckers. They're right. They have good advice. I'm no literary agent, nor an expert, but I did take a class at a conference on writing a killer query. We had to submit our letters before the class and the published author teaching the class reviewed them. Mine wasn't like, awesome or anything. But it did, ahem, win. I didn't get a publishing contract or even a bar of chocolate. I did get a round of applause for my hook and several nods from industry people. You know the kind. The nod of approval, large initial bend with several smaller nods of the head. One editor said she'd definitely like to read my book from the query letter. She did. I got rejected. Life goes on.

So I'm going to share what I learned in the class. It made my query better. The instructor taught that there are four parts to an effective query. I'm only going to talk about the first one today, and we'll visit the other parts soon.

Part One - The Hook

You need a good hook. Scratch that. You need a phenomenal hook. Something that really grabs the reader and says, "Read this! It's gonna be good! Then request my full!" In my opinion, the hook should do two things. 1. Grab the reader (aka the agent) and propel them through the whole letter. 2. Sum up the main plot of the novel.

Here are some I've used/written:

Jonathan Clarke has everything a seventeen-year-old boy could want—except for a beating heart.

This screams fantasy of some kind. At least to me. Or maybe that screaming in my head isn't supposed to be there…Anyway, I had a couple of full requests using that hook. I think it's quite grabby and it does tell the main plot, the driving force behind much of the novel. This dude, Jon, he really wants a beating heart and you better read to find out how/when/if he gets one.

Then I rewrote the book, which of course changed the main plot. So the hook changed to this:

Sixteen-year-old Annie Jenkins must control the magic to balance the realm—it's too bad her unknown abilities are hidden beneath her inhalant addiction.

I received a few more full requests—and a few more rejections. Apparently I can write a pretty good query letter, but not a good novel. Oh, and I'm a lover of the em-dash, what can I say? But this hook does, again, tell the main plot. All in 23 words. (I know, mine are kinda long.)

Sometimes the hook can be a little longer, like this one I wrote for a different novel:

In a world where Thinkers control the population and the Rules are not meant to be broken, fifteen-year-old Violet Schoenfeld does a spectacular job of shattering them to pieces. (29 words, but no em-dash! Go me!)

This hook A) Hopefully propels you to read the rest of the letter, and B) tells the main plot of the novel. That's what you want your hook to do.

I don't think there's one right way to write the hook, but lots of wrong ways. The point is, you need a hook. A good one. A strong one. A sharp one.

Your job: get out your whetstone and sharpen those hooks!

Look for part two of Writing the Query Letter - The Setup tomorrow.

QueryTracker Blog, I *heart* you

Okay, as if I don't have enough other things going on in my life, I'm going to be a contributing author to the QueryTracker blog! I've never been more excited about anything in my life. Well, maybe one or two things, but this seriously tops the list at this moment in time.

Me and my partners in crime writing, Mary Lindsey, Suzette Saxton, H.L. Dyer, and Carolyn Kaufman will be up and posting today. You should definitely go check it out. To accompany the awesomeness that is QueryTracker, this blog is aimed at aspiring authors. They will find helpful posts about query letters, articles about writing and publishing, guest bloggers from the publishing industry, contests, and anything else we think will help the writers of the world on their journey toward publication. Oh, and if you're an aspiring author and haven't visited the forum, dude you have to join. Now. It will change your life. Srsly.

Come join us in this new adventure!

Querying is Hard

Status of my Life: I started querying agents on July 15. So almost a month in, and I'm on edge every time I check the email or mailbox. So not good for the heart. But I've finished something I was working hard on and started on a new project. Brainstorming is usually fun, and this time is no different.


Querying agents is hard work--almost a full-time job. Since my "real job" is starting again soon (I teach elementary school), I decided to move up my estimated query date of September 15. I started a couple of months early.

I use an excellent tracking system at querytracker.net to find agents, see their stats for requests, other's experiences, and add them to my list. It keeps track of when I sent the query, by what method, notes I have on the agent, when they responded, when I submitted requested material, everything! If you haven't signed up, you so should--it's free! I started with five agents. Researched. Carefully crafted my emails and letters. Affixed postage or hit send. All the while I needed a popscicle I was sweating so bad. Then I got a little braver and sent out some more. Over the past month or so, I've sent 30. And my heart flutters a little more every time. I might need a defibrilator soon.

I've received several rejections, a couple of exciting requests, and even bought a new printer. It's a long road, filled with palpitations, but I'm going to persevere.

I can haz agent? Maybe someday. Maybe someday.

Reading: THE EMISSARY by Kristal Shaff

Good Things, Bad Things

Status of my Life: Writing the end of one of my WiP's. Oh, and I better get that steampunk polished and sent off to WOTF! Not much time left...


Bad Thing: I realized I forgot to blog the last day of the conference on Friday. Oh well, I must have been so overwhelmed with so many good things, that I couldn't think straight. I highly advise anyone to go to a writing conference. Just being around other authors is intoxicating.

Good Thing: I started in a new critique group on the Forward Motion Writer's Forum this week. Yeah, like I need another forum to frequent. I don't actually read through all the forum talk, because let's face it, I'm busy enough on QT and AQ Connect. I'd like to get over to Verla Kay eventually, but I haven't made it there yet.

Bad Thing: My voices are going dim again...

Good Thing: I was able to coax the voices back last time and have some good starts to stories that fizzled when the voices stopped. And I know how to get the voices back when they go quiet. Some call this writer's block. I have voices...that could be labeled under a "Bad Thing" too, I guess.

Bad Thing: I hear voices...

Good Thing: A friend of mine finally read SHADOWS--a novel I've been shredded on continually for the past four months. I know it has problems, as everyone keeps pointing out to me. She loved it. Said it was her favorite one. I was stunned. I think I had to lift my chin off the floor with a Bobcat. So maybe there's hope...

Bad Thing: Sleeping through the alarm and being late to tennis. I love tennis and every minute counts!

Good Thing: Live crit group tomorrow. I love meeting with those ladies and laughing. It's so fun!

Bad Thing: Staying up until 1 AM, getting up at 6 AM, rinse and repeat. I feel like a zombie.

Good Thing: Swimming pools in the summer.

Bad Thing: Kids who won't go to bed when you tell them to.

Good Thing: Writing. I love being a writer.

Reading: THE EDGE OF MEMORY by H.L. Dyer and THE HOST by Stephenie Meyer

Writing Conference Goods and Bads

Status of my Life: Busy perfecting FREEBIES to send off. Probably tomorrow, then the real nail-biting begins. :)

I attended the first day of the Writers and Illustrators for Young Readers Workshop today. I met a friend I met at QT and we had a great afternoon. This is the third writing conference I've attended, and I'm going to compile a list of "goods" and "bads" about writing conferences.

Good: You feel inspired to be a better writer.

Bad: You have a list of no less than 10 new books to read - after the first day. The list grows with each session you attend.

Good: You get to talk to professional authors and editors.

Bad: Lunch is not provided. Dreyer's strawberry fruit bars are not available.

Good: You have time to reflect on what kind of writer you want to be.

Bad: The women's restroom always has a long line.

Good: No computer (at least for me) = no distractions from my thoughts and feelings on why I want to be an author.

Bad: You'll want to attend all the classes and have to choose which one you go to.

Good: You get to meet other aspiring authors, build a network of support, and really enjoy an afternoon with other fantastic writers!

Reading: LITTLE BROTHER by Cory Doctorow (2nd time!)