Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Q is for...

There's a reason people dread writing query letters, and over the past couple days I've become well acquainted with that reason. I don't plan to share every detail about the query process here on my blog, but man, by the end of the past two nights my brain has been completely fried.

I wrote a version a couple months ago so really all I'm doing now is fine-tuning the details and working on personalized versions for the various agents whose blogs I read. I posted it on Absolute Write's Share Your Work forum and got a ton of great advice from people there, then yesterday I had some one-on-one help from my favorite author. It's almost there -- hopefully just a few more tweaks -- so it'll be ready when I'm done with the last of my edits.

My wip is still out with one reader (no pressure, I'm just giving a status update :P ) and once I make those changes, I'll send it to my proofreader and THEN I hope to be done. Done. Oh, except I also need to go over my synopsis. That will be tomorrow.

Phew.

I think my brain is still fried.

So how's your writing coming along?

16 comments:

Amy Sue Nathan said...

I just entered an "elevator pitch" contest. Very scary but very fun.

I figure with so many entries I'm not going to win - isn't that awful?

I have to get back to my WIP, I'm in what I hope to be my final rewrite, and then it will be editing and more reading and editing.

Summer is my season to be ready to roll.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Spy Scribbler said...

Well, I can't get started today, because the first thing I do when I sit down to write is see how Melanie is doing. But she's not on Facebook! She's disrupted my routine! I don't know what to do next! How do I start? Do I wait until Melanie gets online and then start writing? Do I start writing now?

I'm rather addicted to my routines. I hope all is well! :-)

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Amy, I read all the info on that contest, including the article describing the elevator pitch, but decided against entering. My brain was so fried by the end of the night that I couldn't condense my synopsis into 100 words. I have a one-sentence, but adding more was overly taxing my brain.

Good luck!!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Spy, LOL! We went to the gym as soon as I got up and then we had a leisurely breakfast. I needed a mental break!

Now go write. :P

Nadine said...

Q is for query, it's good enough for me.... *munches on a cookie*

I'm coming along with my rewrites, but I'm just not sure the direction of the book. I have 3 POV's at the moment and I think I need to narrow it down, but I don't want to...

Jen said...

Keep on keepin' on, Mel. *hugs*

The only writing I've done lately is for school and *ahem* forum posts. Too sickly with a sinus infection. Hard to think straight with what feels like a railroad spike lodged behind my eye and wiggling around in my brain.

LOL

word verification: caticon -- icanhazcheezburger smilie?

Melanie Hooyenga said...

*ogles cookie* I was this close to buying a box of Chips Ahoy this morning -- good thing we only had 200 pesos on us.

My other wip has three POVs and one of the things I keep wondering is if I should drop it to two. Good luck with that. :)

WendyCinNYC said...

Oooh, good luck, Mel!

My writing has stalled at the moment. Once the kids are in camp and the agent has greenlighted my next project, I hope to get going on something new.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Jen, I'm sorry you've been sick. That's no good. :(

Would a cookie help? *passes Nadine's cookies*

The writing will come...

Yes, you can haz cheezeburger. :P

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Wendy, that's so exciting!!

erica m. chapman said...

Sounds like you're doing just fine. I saw the query and it's coming along great.

Jen- so sorry you're sick- hope you feel better.

Finally finished, "Self Editing for Fiction Writers," by Browne and King, was very good, and now I've started writing again. It's crazy going back after reading writing books for three weeks or longer.

I've learned this much- I have a long way to go. Think of all you've accomplished! How proud you must be.

Here's to getting through the synopsis as well as you did the queries. Sorry about your brain, cookies heal all :)

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Erica, that's great you're moving forward. I always feel rejuvenated with my writing after reading a writing book.

Meanwhile, have you seen the most recent comments on my query? Ugh. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but jeez.

Travis Erwin said...

Rewriting Booty again and then back to the dreaded query wars.

Anonymous said...

Melanie,

Good luck with the query!

Half of my novel is edited and beta-approved. Down to the last half and then I enter query time.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Travis, that line just made me laugh, but I know what you mean. I need to write something with Booty in the title. :P

Good luck to you!!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Good luck Gypsy, it sounds like you're almost there!