Another Newbie Intro

Becca Jay · Aug 19, 2015

Hey, guys!
I'm a super newb. I've never blogged or joined anything like this before so I'll take any and all advice.
A little bit about myself: I write YA novels and fantasy. I've had one of my manuscripts looked at by an editor and have shared my ideas with my sister, my husband, and my friend. All responses were positive so I started trying to get published almost three years ago. I have yet to succeed. Every few months I change my query letter, revise my manuscript, and try again but I'm obviously doing something wrong. In yet another polite rejection letter from an agent, this website was mentioned. I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about putting my work out there but I think that's my problem. So here I am, trying something new! I don't have much experience in reading other people's work so I don't know how helpful I'll be in critiquing. But I do read a lot. Who knows? Maybe I'll do someone some good. Looking forward to learning from you guys!

Becca

Maryn · Aug 19, 2015

A pleasure to meet you, Becca. There's a lot of material here to help you on the journey to being published--and plenty more to distract you from the effort.

Meanwhile, though, do tell me the temperature in Phoenix, where I once lived. I'm thinking it's hot here (western New York state), but I expect you'll prove me wrong.

Maryn, glad you're here

regdog · Aug 19, 2015

Take some time and read the Newbie Guide and the Stickies found
at the top of Forum pages. They are your best guide to learning about
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
50 posts. Don’t make a mad dash to reach your 50 posts. That is frowned upon and can lead to your posts being deleted.
Take some time to greet fellow newbies, critique other members’ works, or join a discussion.

Announcements, Events and Self Promotion is for active members only. All obvious spam will be deleted on sight!

wishflower · Aug 19, 2015

Welcome! ^____^

I think you're going to like it here. It sounds like you're really dedicated, and this is a great place to grow. When I joined AW, I knew nothing about the business of writing. I learned answers to things I never would've thought to ask, enough that I was brave enough to apply for a publishing internship (and get it). All because of the awesome people here who volunteer their time and expertise.

In your post, you didn't mention having beta readers. After you've poked around a bit and gotten to know people and critted a bit in SYW, you might try beta reading and having others beta for you. It's invaluable, not only as a way to learn and grow, but to make friends with other writers. And in Share Your work, like regdog mentioned, not only can you post work for feedback, but also queries. It's not as scary as it seems, I promise!

You said you don't have a lot of experience critiquing, which is why this is the perfect place for you. The only way to learn is to do. So pop into SYW, read what other people are putting up and the responses they get, and jump in. You'll start to get a feel for it, and the things you learn from critting others are things you can apply to your own book. And while it's a little scary at first to put yourself out there, it's more than worth it.

Anyway, good luck! :welcome:

Fullon_v4.0 · Aug 19, 2015

Wow...I shouldn't be complaining about heat...

I really hope us crazy folks can give you a hand with your work!
Have no fear in sharing your stuff. Most of the criticism is very constructive. The folks here have the eyes of hawks - well, they're more like word scientists who dissect and see things that you never knew existed in your own pieces; both good and bad!

Becca Jay · Aug 19, 2015

It was one hundred and seventeen degrees last week, Maryn. It's about a hundred and five today I believe

I envy everyone in the north!
Thanks for the encouragement! I'm excited to get started. I was reading other people's posts at the Water Cooler and several mentioned SYW. How do I get involved? And I've actually never heard of beta readers before, wishflower. Is it kind of like SYW?

thehairymob · Aug 20, 2015

Writers Choice · Aug 22, 2015

Hello.

I am still bracing myself for the first rejection!!

Seriously, welcome to the forum.

Maryn · Aug 24, 2015

SYW, short for Share Your Work, is where members with 50 posts or more can put up a few thousand words for critique. It's separated by genre, so people who don't care for, say, westerns or horror can skip to what they do like. Often critiques are from people who write the genre, but those from people who read it but do not write it are equally valuable.

A beta read--hm, did I keep a copy of what I posted? Let me look--Yeah, in an earlier draft, at least.

The term "beta reader" comes from the computer industry's beta testers, who'd use a program or play a game its creators thought was ready to market, seeking anything which might still be wrong with it so it could be fixed before going public.

For writers, a beta reader is the very last reader before a work is submitted to agents or publishers or is self-published. The work a beta reader goes over is complete. It has been edited for content and grammar, copy edited, proofread, spell checked, and polished to a tasteful gleam, to the very best of the author's ability. It's totally ready to go.

Sometimes a writer who asks for a beta reader actually wants critique of a work which isn't yet polished and ready for submission. This is fine, of course, and can be quite useful, but it's not the same as a beta read.

Maryn, pleased to report today's high may not reach 80

Chase · Aug 24, 2015

Becca Jay said:
I'm a super newb.

You truly are super. :greenie

Sounds like your already well on your way to living your dream. :welcome:

.

Becca Jay · Aug 24, 2015

Thanks Writers Choice! I have to admit it hasn't gotten any easier to read a rejection email but my editor said the only way to get published was to never give up. That's what keeps me trying

Thanks for the encouragement, Chase! Appreciate it!

Another Newbie Intro

Becca Jay

In Perpetual Query Letter Hell

Maryn

Baaa!

regdog

The Scavengers

wishflower

blanket fort afficianado

Fullon_v4.0

Shard Knight

Becca Jay

In Perpetual Query Letter Hell

thehairymob

If I had a brain I'd still be dumb

Writers Choice

Maryn

Baaa!

Chase

It Takes All of Us to End Racism

Becca Jay

In Perpetual Query Letter Hell