All Things Middle Grade

Good point, Sage.

SheilaJG said:

My writing is a steaming pile of pigeon poop.

I'm a little down. I got a lot of encouraging feedback from the participants at WriteOnCon for my Minion School story, which was nice. But I was hoping for some agently feedback - on the boards, during the pitch sessions - I got nada.

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Did you check your PMs over at WriteOnCon? Sometimes the agents sent comments and requests that way... I'm just sayin'...

Oh, and it's kinda nice seeing your self-flagellation at the top of the page--it gives me a cozy sense of belonging, 'cause, ya know, I so can relate.

Also, I agree with Judy's post. That criticism was from just the one agent. If no one else has said the same thing, and/or if it doesn't, as Judy said, resonate with you, then you might consider stepping back away for a bit.

Or not--maybe you'll love the third-person version! (I'm trying to write a book in close third rather than my beloved first, and it's killin' me.... )

Just jumping in here to do a little dance of excitement! I had some problems over the last couple of weeks with my MG WIP, but I let it sit and did lots of plotting/dreaming in my head and the next step just came to me! Block over. Back to the adventure!
I really do go a little batty if I can't write, now that I think of it. No wonder I've been crabby lately.

toldyouso, I'm glad to hear your writing is moving along nicely again. I wish I could say the same. It's not my WIP I'm having trouble with though. It's my query letter which has run into a road block. I just can't seem to get it right, and I've been working on it, letting it sit, returning to it, and reworking on it for the last three weeks. I feel like I'm banging my head into a wall. Yet, for all my misery, I feel as if I'm getting nowhere. Has this ever happened to any of you? I'm about ready to run up the white flag.

I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. One year of difficult writing is no fun. I sincerely hope you're doing better now and feeling more inspired.

I feel guilty for even calling myself a writer, most days. Writers are supposed to actually write. Right?

wow, Sage, that's nothing to sneeze at.

In fact, it's pretty darn amazing, if you ask me.

Great job and keep it up.

Congrats to you, Sageie-poo!

(Sorry. This is the kidlit section. Occasionally, you have to put up with nonsensical rhyming. )

My son would just like to remind you all that thinking hurts.

MsJudy said:

My son would just like to remind you all that thinking hurts.

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Just growing pains.

Sage said:

I totally am. Especially this month.

This month, I wrote a whole novel, a short story for the kidlit contest, I'm writing a short story in the novel world for fun, and I'm turning an old novel into a short story to submit to the AW SFF anthology, and I'm excited about all of these things

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Kickarse!! Now that rocks

And yes, it's always ups and downs. I've just had a very good year so I am more bratty when it's not working. I have higher expectations! But I can relate to the year of struggling with writing. I had a few years in a row of that I think my new problem is that I get so excited by my WIP that I want to write it all the time, and it's still just first draft. I plot as I go so I do need non-writing time to think. I am used to the full slog of edits that was the YA book I finished months ago, which really benefitted from that rah rah rah! approach. Must. Not. Kill. This. With. Too. Much. Enthusiasm.

And query hell sucks. I have edited my letter so many times and really think I've gotten it pretty good, but it's slow. I have an agent reading the first three chapters of my YA and I am trying not to get excited or antsy.

Sorry, I am a bit obnoxiously happy right now. It's nice when you remember why writing is shiny and fun. Writing!
Heh.

starbeam said:

toldyouso, I'm glad to hear your writing is moving along nicely again. I wish I could say the same. It's not my WIP I'm having trouble with though. It's my query letter which has run into a road block. I just can't seem to get it right, and I've been working on it, letting it sit, returning to it, and reworking on it for the last three weeks. I feel like I'm banging my head into a wall. Yet, for all my misery, I feel as if I'm getting nowhere. Has this ever happened to any of you? I'm about ready to run up the white flag.

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Hate - hate - hate query letters. I've written a few that got me no where, but then I revised entire MS and I'm back to the query letter stage. Honestly, the only thing I hate to write more than a query letter is a synopsis. Why can't they just take my word for it that it's great and request the novel? Come on!

My sentiments exactly. I've been avoiding finishing the revisions on my synopsis until I have my query letter as good as it needs to be. With the fact that I didn't even know how to write a proper query and synopsis until a bout in query letter hell, it's no wonder that so many submissions to agencies end in the slush pile. Grr!

Queries are a bane. There are endless reasons why it isn't called Query Letter Heaven. A necessary evil, but evil, nonetheless.

Although I have heard people say they love writing queries. Go figure.

i'm sure most of you who have been around for a time have read the sticky in the SYW query section by katiemac about the three questions to answer in query, but if you are new here and haven't read her post and the rest that follow, it will really help.

i found this post helpful as well http://blog.figment.com/2011/07/28/top-ten-things-agents-and-editors-never-want-to-see/

especially the part about the ordinary kid

i found in my current manuscript my query-writing attempt actually revealed a weakness in the story itself (not enough character motivation for the character to act), so I went back and revised the story.

amarie - thanks for sharing that. helpful and informative. I looked around and also read her post on what agents and publishes do want.

Thank you, Amarie, for providing that link. It certainly is helpful. Sissybaby, how did you find the post on what agents and publishers do want? I've been searching the site, and I just can't find it.

Never mind, I just found it. Just needed to click on the word, blog.

I would read that, Tim.

Orphans, too, are everywhere.