Hi there...Newbie author here

cmelanson

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Hi everyone!

I've been stalking through, after finding this wonderful place. I was trying to Google to find an agent's web site (when the link didn't work on Writer's Market) and found so many good pieces of advice here! So thank you, already. I have loved books my whole life and started more than I can count. I have lots of partially written novels/stories, but last month finally finished a novel I started back in 2008. It's a YA vamp novel. I've used Writer's Market to send out queries and am amazed at how different I feel every day...going from being thrilled to worrying it isn't as great as I think it is. It's great to find a community though. I'm sure I'll learn much more as I go along.

Claudette
 

kenebaker

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Hi Claudette, welcome to the forums. Don't stress - you are not alone in the rollercoaster ride that is the writing process. Ask questions - there are lots of good opinions here - and support too if you need it :)
 

cmelanson

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Thanks for the welcomes already! What I knew about publishing I actually read on Stephenie Meyer's website. I've only queried agents so far. I was wondering if the general consensus is that a new author should have an agent?
 

KellyAssauer

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Hi Claudette!

Welcome to AW!

Don't forget to read about AW basics in the Newbie Guide!

Questions about the forum software can be found in the
FAQ's menu in the handy blue bar at the 'top' of this page.

This common acronym list helps identify our mystifying abbreviations.

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See if Katiemac has the answer here.
and check out: Sara's 10 Basic Writing Tips!

If you're looking for critiques please read the 50 Post rule.

Posting your writing to the Share Your Work (SYW) area is explained here. This link covers the most common problems posts. found in SYW *Worth reading no matter how long you have been here!*

AW is a community built on the foundations of respecting your fellow writer and helping each other, it's the basic building blocks of how and why AW works.

Welcome to our community! =)


-kelly-

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rwm4768

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Welcome. Good luck with your vampire novel. Those things are getting really hard to break through with these days. But I bet yours is amazing (much better than Twilight).
 

regdog

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Take some time and read the Newbie Guide and the Stickies found
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Absolute Write.


Please read the FAQ about posting photos.


In fact we have lots of brilliant FAQs check them out.


Members who want to start a thread in Share Your Work to have work critiqued need
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cmelanson

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Thanks rwm4768! I don't know about it being better than Twilight...I know a lot of people don't like those books, but I couldn't put them down. I'd already been working slowly on my novel when I discovered them, but her writing really inspired me to continue. I wrote like mad for a while, but moved to Ontario to be with my husband. Things were kind of downhill for a bit. He was laid off, I had a series of horrible bosses/jobs that just made me too exhausted to write. Then I was diagnosed with early onset Rheumatoid Arthritis. I finally got my pain managed with Enbrel in Sept of last year and was able to write again and finish the book.
I hope it won't be too hard to break into that market, but I do have that fear. I've seen certain agents who say specifically they do not want vamp or werewolf novels. Mine is kind of different...I refuse to have any werevolves and my vampires aren't paranormal. They have science behind them. I've sent 32 queries to agents, but feel I have too little knowledge to query any pubs yet.
And to all thanks so much for the greetings and the advice...pointing me in the right directions. I'm sure I will find my way around soon. I'm still re-re-re-editing my book...lol. And it has a second and third, so I'm trying to add to those too (I have about 150 pages of those in bits and pieces), but I will find time to come 'hang out.'

Good luck to all of you out there querying....it's intimidating in a way I've never quite experienced before!

Claudette
 

Nick12

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Hi Claudette, welcome to AW. I think you'll enjoy the site (I've been a long-time reader). Anyway, Guelph... might you be even the slightest Storm fan?

Cheers either way.
 

tracivermillion

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Hi and welcome! I was inspired by Stephanie Myers too. Not the writing per say, but her personal story. As a busy mom, I related to how she got started.

Congratulations on finishing a novel! Hope to see you around. :)
 

L. Y.

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Welcome to the Water Cooler!
 

rwm4768

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Vampires based on science. That sounds like an interesting premise. Maybe you'll manage to stand out with that.

I probably shouldn't bash Twilight, but I've only read a few pages of it. I didn't find the writing style to my tastes. But some people love it. In fact, a lot of people love it. There definitely are appealing aspects to the story, what I know of it. People like a good chance to escape their boring lives, and you can't fault a book for allowing that.
 

Rockweaver

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welcome Claudette we are glad to have you jump into the ship.