The Next Circle of Hell, Vol. 2

Shoeless

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Anyway, must have nudged the Fates with my plea of no news, agent has replied with the coy “more interest” email and has asked if I can supply synopses for the other books in the series in case anyone asks. Eep!

That actually sounds very promising. Looks like there's good news on the way!
 

Jeneral

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Eeeeeep! Asking for synopses is a Very Good Sign. Good luck!
 

s_nov

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Treehouseman!! That's awesome! And you're being remarkably level about this!
 

AcaciaNeem

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I’m gonna try and eat the ENTIRE BOX, lol!

Anyway, must have nudged the Fates with my plea of no news, agent has replied with the coy “more interest” email and has asked if I can supply synopses for the other books in the series in case anyone asks. Eep!

Now I did do, like, a bullsh*t version of a story synopsis last month that totally changed once I started writing the sequel (sigh, my Big Bad became my romantic lead sort of change, sigh, I do like my bad boys). I’ll try not to rush writing it. Unless someone is waving dollar-bills in my face with TAKE MY MONEY attached, interest shminterest.

All the best! You're being very calm about this, munching biscuits both literal and figurative--I'd be gnawing my finger off by now. Here's rooting for you.
 

AcaciaNeem

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Yay for second reads!

*takes like six optimism cookies*

I just talked to my agent the yesterday. We got two more r's with feedback. The one editor said she loved it but it wasn't as dark as she usually went (lol because it's literally about dead kids) and the other liked it but wasn't a huge fan of the source material to begin with. SO. The feedback is kind of all over the place, and I can't tell if that's good or bad! Or if I'm just trying to tell the future based on breadcrumbs and it's not going to happen.

Five editors left in the first round, and nudges going out at the end of the month. Eeeeeek.

Sorry about the R's. If it is any consolation at all, my rejections have been similar--'beautiful writing but meandering plot; taut plot, but not the kind of writing we're looking for at the moment.' Sometimes you end up wondering if they all did read the same MS.

Hope the other responses are more promising!
 

polishmuse

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Treehouseman, that sounds legit. I like your chill exterior, but I hope that good news comes your way and fast.
I'm still waiting for feedback from my outside editor friend on the book that agent is willing to read, and I think her taking time with it is good for my headspace in a way. Making me cool my jets a bit, plus I have LOTS of dayjob work to keep me busy -- too busy, since I haven't written all month. (shrugs)
 

Shoeless

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On my Twitter feed today, I'm seeing a lot of stuff from WorldCon, the big science-fiction/fantasy event that brings authors, industry people and the public together. Kind of bitter sweet for me, because it looks really cool, and at the same time, I'm seeing at least four of my agent's clients participating, doing author-y things like panels, and of course, noting my lack of qualification to actually go there. Oh well.
 

Treehouseman

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On my Twitter feed today, I'm seeing a lot of stuff from WorldCon, the big science-fiction/fantasy event that brings authors, industry people and the public together. Kind of bitter sweet for me, because it looks really cool, and at the same time, I'm seeing at least four of my agent's clients participating, doing author-y things like panels, and of course, noting my lack of qualification to actually go there. Oh well.

Me tooooooo. Actually, Worldcon without a book/award when you are a writer in limbo is a fairly dreadful thing - you’re not a fan or a beginner writer, and cannot enjoy it from that angle, but you are in no way holding “credentials” that allow you to hob nob with published writers who may share more similarities with you in terms of experience.

I had a terrible experience at LonCon back in 2014, when all my published friends were invited to this publisher party but I (querying for another book) was too much of a nobody even though I’d been in the trenches just as long as they had. All the cool parties were like that, and of course published people do *look down* on you a bit, they do.

I enjoyed being a fan at a big international con, but after graduating into my current role as a perpetually-the-bridesmaid writer, the bigger ones have became an awful source of anxiety and professional stress:cry:
 

Jeneral

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Hmmmm, I can relate since RWA is like that to an extent, though I feel that all in all it's a pretty welcoming space to unpublished authors. Lots of workshops on craft, and of course pitching opportunities. But when I went last year all my friends had their publisher parties to go to, and I was like "welp, see y'all later then..." *kicks rocks* But I don't think I felt particularly looked down on? Just at a different stage of the whole thing. But I do agree that it's a frustrating limbo to be in.

Speaking of limbo... I'm really, REALLY hoping that I can share some news with y'all next week. Fingers crossed.
 

Niiicola

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Can't wait to hear the news, Jeneral!

Oh man, I'm feeling the bridesmaid thing so much these days. A few months ago, I took my daughter to a book launch where I knew a handful of local kidlit authors, and she said, "Mom, how come everybody else here has their book published except for you?"
 

Shoeless

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Go, go, Jeneral!

Sounds like there's a lot of good news coming in lately. Nice to see that around here.
 

Qwest

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Treehouseman

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But I don't think I felt particularly looked down on? Just at a different stage of the whole thing. But I do agree that it's a frustrating limbo to be in.
.

Oh, SFF is a weirdorama genre to be writing in, as the spread of "wealth" and influence is so unequal, with your George RR Martin Superstars and rank nobodies. It's very much a case of Worldcons being so huge that they have to limit the amount of people who can turn up to certain functions, and the limit is sometimes professional credits and "who you know". So certain functions are great for networking or getting "famous writer who will tweet a selfie with you or your book" which generates its own momentum. But a dreadful suck to be on the outside and not have the con-badge ribbon of "I am a person worthy of a conversation as I have been to X party." Its like people's eyes glaze over when they realise you're not anyone important, lol!

It's a necessary feature for all that it sucks. The last Worldcon I went to was so huge there was a train station on either end of the convention building. There have been certain corners jumping up and down in recent years that the outer/inner clique ran along political lines, but it's mostly friendship and publication based. And who is VERY good at self promotion!
 

Jeneral

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Wow, that's crazy!! Thanks for the insight. I love how the different genres have such drama. Romancelandia has had its share lately too. :D
 

Shoeless

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It's a necessary feature for all that it sucks. The last Worldcon I went to was so huge there was a train station on either end of the convention building. There have been certain corners jumping up and down in recent years that the outer/inner clique ran along political lines, but it's mostly friendship and publication based. And who is VERY good at self promotion!

The next WorldCon is in Dublin for 2019, right? I'm toying with the idea of maybe dropping in, especially since the site won't be in the USA. My only experience with the UK is a brief layover in Heathrow, so I wouldn't mind using WorldCon as an excuse to check out Ireland. Although yeah, being an introvert by nature, I can see WorldCon as basically just being a scaled up version of my highschool years where I hang out on the margins and watch everything happening to everyone else.
 

Harlequin

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I'm going to try and make the Dublin one, depending on how my youngest is. (He's autistic and ATM can't cope with me being gone all day, let alone an overnight stay.)

Lived in the UK 13 years come September and never been to Ireland. Always been too poor to really travel this entire time :/ But hey, if I make it, I'll definitely be lurking in the margins. Maybe I can persuade Spar and sideshowdarb to drop by, too.
 

Sparverius

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I would love to visit Ireland. I am part Irish after all haha. I even have a friend to stay with there, but I'm working on a film project then so it might be too tight to jet away.

Via writing, I now have friends all over the globe. So fun. :)
 

januarycomet

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Omg, hi guys.

I've been reading along here on this board but I've basically had the WORST summer and I couldn't really even summon the wherewithal to say hello. But congrats to all you lovelies who've gotten offers in my absence, and cookies+wine to all of you who have not! At least things have been happening!

And I'm back! Kind of. I'm back ON SUB, that's true. My second MS went on sub today, so.

*oozes back into the trenches of waiting and wallowing*

Hi again.
 

Shoeless

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Oh, hey, January! Long time, no see. I hope you coming back into the Circle means that the worst of the bad summer is behind you and things are getting manageable again.
 

Isobel

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Welcome back January!

And looking forward to a rush of good news soon from Jeneral and others soon ...

I've been in a pretty dark place the last week or so, between the rejections starting to come in from Round 2 on MS1 and the horrible uncertainly of what Agent will think about MS2. It's funny I started writing after the U.S. election in 2016 because I wanted to move into an imaginary happy place and now this thing that was my escape is making me so miserable. I wish I could do this as more of a hobby than an angsty-obsession.
 

Treehouseman

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The next WorldCon is in Dublin for 2019, right? I'm toying with the idea of maybe dropping in, especially since the site won't be in the USA. My only experience with the UK is a brief layover in Heathrow, so I wouldn't mind using WorldCon as an excuse to check out Ireland. Although yeah, being an introvert by nature, I can see WorldCon as basically just being a scaled up version of my highschool years where I hang out on the margins and watch everything happening to everyone else.

I'm going to try and make the Dublin one, depending on how my youngest is. (He's autistic and ATM can't cope with me being gone all day, let alone an overnight stay.)

Lived in the UK 13 years come September and never been to Ireland. Always been too poor to really travel this entire time :/ But hey, if I make it, I'll definitely be lurking in the margins. Maybe I can persuade Spar and sideshowdarb to drop by, too.

I would love to visit Ireland. I am part Irish after all haha. I even have a friend to stay with there, but I'm working on a film project then so it might be too tight to jet away.

Via writing, I now have friends all over the globe. So fun. :)

Dublin's a bit far for me but down under we are all going wild for the 2020 Worldcon in New Zealand. Its interesting that they picked another Non-US site that year - normally it alternates between US and overseas, but with the current political situation (and the pro-Nazi's protesting outside the San Jose venue bout not being allowed in) I think everyone's Completely Over It.

Managed to finish my synopses for the next 2 books - agent ended up emailing an hour later asking for them so he could send them around. Not sure where "series synopses" sit on the submissions process - part of the pitch or closer to acquisitions?? They're keeping it close to their chest.