How Book Reviews Improve Your Query Package

Authors across the globe can support me on this one - reviews are vital to our success. The good and the bad - we need them to show that people have picked up our writing, read it, and felt compelled to say something about it. But they come few and far between. Here we stand, on internet street corners, with pen and paper in hand begging. A cardboard sign at our feet desperately stating: 

Will write for reviews...

We get it, our readers lead busy lives and the fact that they invested a piece of their disposable income and free time in us, their author, is humbling. But dare we ask for just a bit more? 

I've only just started reviewing books and was initially doing so because there are books and authors out there who I absolutely love and I wanted others to know about them. Then it morphed into understanding that I'm doing "my part" in the writing community by supporting other authors and their works.

But as I sat there preparing this week's book review it struck me how each review written was making me better at presenting the material to strangers in a disconnected, informative, (and even eye catching) way. 

I realize now how writing reviews for other authors helps me practice my query letter, synopsis, and pitch for my own writing. And as a writer who seeks to have published work this is wonderful news! We think that writing the novel or book of poetry or essays is the hard part, but really it is just the beginning. While the words can flow through our fingers to the keyboard to create our masterpiece the moment someone asks us to boil its entirety down to a paragraph we freeze. It's a sincere struggle and across laptops everywhere there is a collective groan. Well here's our opportunity to practice the dreaded query package. 

By writing reviews not only are you helping the author, but you are helping yourself. Here are the benefits to you:

Query Letter:

The layout of a query letter is interchangeable depending on the reference source, but the contents are typically the same. 

• Find a way to catch the publisher 
• Give a snippet of a synopsis 
• Explain why your work is different and similar to others in the same genre
• A bit of who you are

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy - right? Right...?? Yeah. Right. 

When writing a review you are forced to do just that - 

• Hook fellow reader's interest immediately
• Give a short synopsis so they know why they want to read it
• Offer examples of how it is similar to other books and what makes it different
• A bit of how you reacted to it - in essence, how the book related to your world 

Synopsis:

I think this is what I hear complaints about the most - it requires us to dissect our precious baby, suck out all the key points, and slap them together into some mutilated mix of an interesting, yet informative paragraph. Ok, maybe I'm being dramatic, but when you are looking at a blank page and have to do all the above, it feels rather daunting.

When writing a review you are emotionally unattached to the work - as much as you want to do it justice or make sure your points are driven home, you still aren't invested in the work itself like you are your own writing. This makes practicing synopsis writing all the better because it trains you to distance yourself from the work and focus on what matters. It helps you to trim the fat, so to speak.

Pitch:

You've made it to the final round and are sitting across the table from an editor, agent, or publisher in a quiet room. Your palms are sweaty and for some godforsaken reason your throat has dried up. It's time to give your one minute pitch and the pressure is on. But what do you say and how do you formulate something in advance that will pique their interest? Practice. Practice writing the pitch and practice speaking it. Your opening statement - the hook - the thing that is going to catch their interest is the piece that gets your foot in the door. And it takes practice to be able to come up with a good one.

When writing a review you are virtually offering free advertising (if you are praising it) and so a well written review will hook a reader into becoming interested in the book as well as building a desire to read further into your review of it. Like a pitch, your opening statement needs to be catchy, flashy, boom! Impactful. Maybe it is funny or dark. Witty or a play on words. 

It might feel cheesy or even inauthentic (what I struggle reconciling with the most) - but you know what? 

It works.

Artists: Know Your Value!

I'm going to make this straight to the point. There are a few reasons for the saying "starving artist"and one of those reasons is the common exchange of doing work for exposure. Often this is exposure given by a big name company so the opportunity seems amazing for the artist because of all the traffic flow to their website, store, or album. But exposure doesn't pay the rent, put food on the table, or gas in the car. Exposure doesn't pay school loans or put clothes on our backs. Exposure is good, yes, but you need to demand more.

Musicians, painters, writers, and creators need to stop accepting exposure over money if we are ever going to be able to collectively lift ourselves out of the shadows and into the limelight. Author and blogger Kristen Lamb recently posted about encouraging a boycott of the Huffington Post and I'm right on board with her. Here is a company who makes millions of dollars a year from advertising off the backs of unpaid contributors... and they are proud of it. Something's gotta change! I have my own soap box on this topic, so here we go...

Self-publishing authors, this is to you - stop listing your books for so cheap. You took time and energy to write your novel, novella, poetry, whatever; you invested your own money into the project. By permanently listing your books for free or at $0.99; you are bringing the whole literary world down with you. Stop it. Stop it right now. Put it on sale for cheap, that's fine, but why should you discount your work all the time. Demand more and value your work more. Please, I beg of you.

When we sell ourselves short by listing our work for free or at 10% of the cost of big name authors, musicians, artists etc. for the sake of exposure, we become our own worst enemies. It's like the real estate market. 

Your neighbor has a house identical to yours and they are each worth $200,000. He puts his house on the market for $150,000 because he wants to sell it quickly - guess what that does to all the houses around him? It brings their value down. Who would want to buy the house for $200k when they can get it for $150k? No one. So because one guy wanted to sell his house fast, he's screwed the value of everyone else's property. Don't be that guy, artist. Don't be that guy!

I know that on this website I post other writer's creative works as often as I can and I do pay them in exposure dollars. But that's only because I haven't anything else to give them at the moment. It's a mutual benefit because their work, links, and information are offered to my readers while my website is offered to their friends, family, and fans. I don't charge a penny for my time reviewing, posting, or advertising their work. And I don't make a penny from it either. See, I am repaid in exposure dollars, too. 

If I'm lucky enough to start earning sincere ad revenue to where I can take this website on full time and leave other work behind, then yes, I will definitely re-examine my rickety business model to compensate my contributors. That is a promise I make to you all right here and now. But until then, us little guys need to stick together and build together.

The bottom line - what I really want to tell all of your artists and creators out there - stop selling yourself short because even if you don't believe in your own value, respect the value of others. Stop giving your work away for free for the exposure you get from big names recognizing you. They are paid millions of dollars a year in advertising and you are helping them make that money. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being paid what you're worth. Like your mama always told you - don't give the shop away for free. 

The Art of Criticism: How to Apply It

My only bit of advice? Don't Take it Personally! This is the biggest, most important piece in this whole post. Whether the criticism is in favor or against your writing, no matter what, don't let it go to your heart or head. When we finally gather up our courage to share our work with others we risk someone thinking we are stupid, horrible at writing, untalented, with no commentary to add to the great dialogue of life.

It's terrifying.

But it is absolutely necessary if we want to improve our craft. We need the reviews and feedback of others to tell us what we've done wrong and, just as important, what we've done right. Take everything in and mull it over for a while before taking action. 

Ultimately, it is your writing, your manuscript, your art so you have the final say in how it is presented and delivered.

So go out and do it - write your heart out and see what you come up with. Be brave enough to share it. Brace yourself for the criticism. Know how to sift through the feedback to find which has value and which does not. And then apply it and keep writing. Never let someone convince you to stop, only to get better.

The Art of Criticism: Five Types and How to Handle Them

I've been writing since I was a kid just like many of you out there. And like you, I've shared my writing with my community whether it was my parents, siblings, friends, internet forums, writing groups, or professional editors. And, like you, I've had my run-ins with all different sorts of feedback and personalities. 

In this post I explain my top five most commonly experienced criticizers and how I've learned to balance their input with my writing and self-esteem. 

Do any of these ring a bell?

Who have I left out?

Five Types of Criticism and How to Handle Them:

1. The Wet Blanket - Oh the doubter. You know what I mean - that person who isn't very confident in what they have to say (which usually rolls over into other parts of their life) and whose only purpose, though likely unintentional, is to make you doubt yourself and your ability to convey an idea or be bold enough to write something that challenges the general norm. The Wet Blanket.

How to Handle: Step 1: Don't seek their advice. Chances are, you already know they are a wet blanket based on previous experience and conversation with them. If you can't avoid it or they offer their advice unsolicited, steel yourself against their hemming and hawing and keep your head held high. If they have crept in and you feel a need to be pumped up, seek the company of Type #2.

2. The Yes-man - Opposite of The Wet Blanket, this person doesn't really know how to break bad news to you so everything is amazing. Great for a confidence boost - like the last speech a general gives before you run into battle - but they aren't entirely reliable and you're not likely to get much true advice out of them. Everything is rosy and fine. 

How to Handle: Sometimes we need a boost to regain some confidence in ourselves, so I wouldn't say to avoid this person's criticism (or lack there of). Instead, just know your audience and be sure to seek further feedback from other sources in order to improve your work and craft. If you only go to The Yes-man you're only getting one, highly favorable, opinion.

3. The Internet Troll - They float around the internet, hidden in the comfort of their homes and coffee shops and subway seats, protected by the anonymity of the web, a chip on their shoulder and a sneer in their commentary. Maybe they are doing it for laughs, or to impress other people, or because they just don't have anything better to do. Maybe their ego stands in the way of their communication skills. I don't know. I'm not a fan of Internet Trolls no matter the topic of instigation, but they seem to run rampant these days; are even glorified.

How to Handle: Heed their advice like you'd heed a great white shark petting zoo. Do NOT engage! I made this mistake and I've learned from it. Just let them be and don't add fuel to their fire. Say "Thank you for your feedback" and leave it at that. No matter what, don't take it at face value, but don't ignore them completely either. Think logically about their comments and try to fish out any glimmers of truth. Then walk away and doing what you do.

4. The Scholar - Oh yes, they do know everything there is about writing and style and voice and presentation and story arc. So much so that their word should be taken as gospel and any questions of their feedback is blasphemy and a direct insult of their intelligence. They are the kind of person more interested in editing your manuscript to form their world and voice rather than maintaining yours. Beware of the antithesis of this type - The Dropout - who volunteers to edit your work, but spks lyk dis, nah meen?

How to Handle: This type of reviewer would likely be excellent for grammar, punctuation, and spelling feedback. If that is what you are looking for, then this might be your best place to find it. Just make sure you tell them in the beginning that that is all you are looking for.

5. The Builder - An individual who is educated in their field who can offer you constructive criticism that will build you in spirit and skill. These are the kind of people who will tell you what they liked about your writing and then offer you advice on how to improve it. We love these guys.

How to Handle: This is the adviser you want to actively seek out. Work with them and appreciate their time and efforts. Buy them pie. Or don't. Value their input of the manuscript and their feedback. Ask them for help on continuity, sentence flow, and content. Ask for help with spelling, grammar, and punctuation. And write their verbal constructive criticisms down so you can reflect on them later. Lastly, become this person for your writing community.

No matter what, just keep writing!

The Importance of Writers Conferences

Last June I was awarded a scholarship to attend my very first writers conference via Wyoming Writers, Inc. I was nervous, unsure of what to expect, and completely alone when I arrived at the hotel hosting the conference. I knew of only one person who would be there, John Nesbitt, but I knew not where he was or when he would be arriving. 

On a dare to myself I had signed up for the first evening's critique tables where I shared the first chapter of my paranormal comedy. It was terrifying, exhilarating, and everything I needed to start my experience off in the right direction. My table partners were informative and kind - filled with great ideas and their own intriguing stories.  I made my first friends here and we were rather inseparable throughout the rest of the weekend. This table gave me the confidence to go boldly into seminars by myself because I knew I was on equal ground with all in attendance. It was perfect... and addicting. I have my eye on next year's conference and I cannot wait to participate in many others in the area. 

Below, I have compiled a list of fifteen things I learned from that first conference. I hope they help you along your way:

      1.) Go to as many conferences as you can! Not only will you be surrounded by like minded people, but you're also likely to learn a thing or two. It's a great place to network, learn about your craft, and stretch your comfort zone.

The Tall Mom, blogger and writer.

      2.) Write every day. This wasn't said so much as what I observed the successful people around me did out of habit. Write a poem, an essay, a letter to your mother, a review of a recent dining experience. Anything! Just write.

      3.) Editors are very approachable and most will be eager to help you along your way. They understand this is a numbers game and eventually the right person at the right time will reach your manuscript. Keep moving forward. Don't be afraid to ask questions, form connections, build a network.

Patrick Thomas of Milkweed Editions

      4.) Submit to contests all over the world (but don't worry about the ones who ask you to pay an arm and a leg to participate. $20 is a good max.)

      5.) Read books from all genres - even the ones you don't like very much and especially the ones who carry a similar theme to your own works. You'll eventually need someone to compare to when pitching.

      6.) Do NOT begin your sentences with participles - it leads to telling rather than showing the reader the world and is much weaker, even lazy, writing. "Walking into the room she turned on the coffee maker." vs. "She walked into the room and turned on the coffee maker." Be direct, stop skirting around the subject!

      7.) Connect with editors, authors, and writers outside of your genre. Even if they are unable to buy your idea, they may know someone who can! Networking without boundaries is vital.

Tiffany Schofield, editor of Fivestar Publishing

      8.) Sleep is not as necessary as you might think during a conference. Attend every event, even the 7am breakfast. Every minute spent within the community is a benefit.

       9.) Find beta readers who are unfamiliar with you to receive honest feedback which you can use critically.

      10.) At every opportunity, share your work. Open mic, paddle panels, critique tables, everything! The more comfortable you become reading your work the more confident you will become speaking about it. You never know who will be listening and what advice you can glean from your audience.

Open Mic Night - terrifying, but incredibly liberating.

      11.) You don't always need a filter like "she saw" or "he heard." You can simply state the action observed. "She saw the cat jump into a bag too small for its mass." vs. "The cat jumped into a bag too small for its mass."

      12.) "The strongest line in a paragraph is the last one." - Kent Nelson

      13.) To create a strong first page: "Go read the first 10 paragraphs of 10 great books. Decide which one you like best and retype it... See how elegant those lines are." - AaronAbeyta

      14.) Pitch the synopsis of your book to strangers. "Hey, just real quick can I get your opinion on a book?" *break into pitch* See how the individual reacts, ask for quick feedback.

Tina Ann Forkner, author

      15.) Whatever you are afraid to do at a conference - GO DO IT! If you do not feel confident in your introduction take the seminar that will tear it apart. If you are intimidated by public speaking, jump in front of a mic. If pitching makes you sweat go pitch to as many people as you can whether they represent your genre or not!

My treat for participating in the critique panels. Yes, Dove, I really am.

Now go! Do! Get signed up for your first conference and have fun! I'd love to hear about some of the tib-dits you've picked up along the way.

Five Lessons I've Learned About Writing

I suppose, as a writer, this blog was eventually going to land on the subject so we might as well break that seal with something light and informative. Here are five things I've learned over the years about writing.

1.) "Words matter: Write to learn what you know." - Mary Anne Radmacher   I was introduced to this quote by my 7^th and 8^th grade humanities teacher, Sarah Harding. It has burrowed into my mind, set up camp, and echoed through the empty halls of my brain – hallways waiting to be filled with unwritten masterpieces. In this class we journaled a lot, created stories, wrote and performed speeches, and practiced free writing. The art of the free-write would seem easy, but in a world today where we are so outcome obsessed the free-write is quickly becoming a lost practice. This is my encouragement to you, as Ms. Harding was to me, to let it flow out of your brain and onto paper. Don’t worry about grammar or spelling. It isn’t the point of the exercise and so doesn’t need to be on your mind. Find an object in the room and write about it - see where the letters take you and find out what is hiding in your mind about the lamp at the other end of the room.

Ms. Harding was a light in my life at a time I was most impressionable. I have always loved to write, but for some reason I lost my passion briefly during 6^th grade. This disinterest or insecurity could have continued onward had it not been for Ms. Harding and her love of reading and writing. She allowed me to be creative and expressive in my writing and she pushed us all to write about anything, even if it was nothing. (No, really, she made a student write about “nothing” when he complained he had nothing to write about. I remember this 16 years later.) It’s why she stands out in my memory as a teacher; one I hold dear to my heart and one I will never forget. I look forward to sharing my writing with her soon.

Wyoming Writers, Inc Conference: June, 2015

2.) Going to writer’s conferences is important and fruitful. Go to mingle, to meet like-minds. Go to step outside of your comfort zone. And participate in everything! This last summer I went to Cheyenne for my very first writer’s conference hosted by Wyoming Writers, Inc. and I’m absolutely hooked. Not only did I make some lasting connections with other writers from all over the state, but I also met and became comfortable with editors and publishing house representatives. It took away the pedestal I had placed authors and publishers on and brought them down to earth with little ol’ me. We had an absolute blast over meals and open sessions. The seminars were educational (see number three), timely, and manuscript shattering. There was an open-mic night where we were able to share our work with others and critique tables where I earned valuable advice on a project I’m working on. In the beginning I was timid and scared, by the end I was proud and surrounded by friends. It was just wonderful.

3.) Close your eyes and put yourself in your character for a moment. Turn on all your senses – what do you see, smell, hear, feel? How is the wind blowing your hair? Are there ants at your feet? Now, take your reader there. Pull from all five of your senses when describing a scene rather than focusing on one. It creates a fully developed picture of the world your character is in and relays information to your reader that pulls them into your world and away from their reality. I learned this at the writer’s conference during a seminar with Laura Pritchett. I’ve sorted through my current manuscript and found places where I’ve neglected my senses and my novel I will be so much richer for it.

4.) Write every day! It doesn’t matter if it is just a word or a phrase or a poem or a novella. Bring your day to a stop for just a moment to jot down some words. And don’t worry about the end product or how you can use it; it doesn’t matter. The act of writing, creating, and flexing your creative muscles is enough to keep your writing skills sharp. I work a full time job, am remodeling a house, editing a novel, a furbaby mama, wife, and member of AAUW. So needless to say, sometimes writing isn’t at the top of my priority list no matter how badly I want it to be; and I know you are busy, too! But I take a brief minute or five out of the day and I write. I write for this blog or haikus for my Instagram account. I write little blips of nothingness that won’t ever see a reader’s eyes and I don’t care. Just write.

5.) Get outside and experience life. Begin viewing life through a writer’s eyes and see that there is a story in absolutely everything. In the penny on the ground, in the leaf of a tree. Challenge yourself to build the history by asking yourself why it is there or where it will go from here. When you start to view everything with a backstory or a future you begin to find inspiration in things that were once insignificant. And the things you experience? Find a way to throw it into a book or poem or some sort of something. This pulls back into number one – writing to learn what you know.  

These are my top five and I try to implement them daily. The exploration, number five, is a priority for me and, I find, I do my best writing when I am outdoors. 

Let me know what lessons you've learned in the comments below!