Intro by Madz (who is very nervous)

[Madz]

Dear members,

This is my introductory post. I’m not convinced there’s any point in mentioning how nervous I am, but there it is: I am sweating bullets.

I have written a YA supernatural fantasy adventure novel for mature teens.

I wish I had found this forum back in September 2014 when I completed my manuscript and sent it off to 10 agents with high hopes. Only 1 responded semi-favourably (how embarrassing!). She said I had writing talent but she felt my sample was a little too full on; that it was trying to do too many things at once. She offered to take another look after I’d made changes. Now instead of believing in my own abilities, I spent £600 asking a literary consultancy to help me improve it. Needless to say it was a complete waste of money which resulted in a generic report filled with contradictions. I ended up feeling overwhelmed. I even thought about accepting that I just wasn’t good enough.

Did I learn my lesson? Sadly, no. I spent a further £140 getting mentoring – which left me even more confused than before.

I guess what I’m looking for is like-minded people who could guide a newbie. I would really like an impartial opinion on whether my first 3 chapters are good or requiring more literary TLC. Could anyone advise me of what I should do?

Thanks for any responses.

Madz

 

[Marc Joan]

Welcome. Re feedback and critique, we are all (nervously!) awaiting the opening of the Houses--i.e. genre- or subject-specific areas where you can post your work and get comments from all the Litopians who are also interested in that genre or subject. The kind gentlemen who design and run Litopia are working away on this [i.e. building the Houses] while the rest of us stare vacantly into space, waiting for the latest cup of tea to cool down [that's right isn't it Agent Pete?]. No need to be worried--we are all in the same boat & all keen to help.
Sorry to hear about your consultancy flop--there are a lot of self-proclaimed experts out there who seem to have their heads rammed up their own semi-colons.

 

[Marc Joan]

Besides, if you're sweating bullets you'll have plenty of ammunition to use in response to unreasonable critiques.

 

[EPHahn]

Welcome, welcome, nervous Madz! I just joined last week and am in a very similar boat! I am just wrapping up my second book in a YA pre-dystopian series that deals with genetic purification and special gifts. I am looking forward to these Houses for assistance in strengthening my original manuscript. I'm up to 5 rejections (three very kind but vacant and two less kind, but equally vacant). Upon the suggestion of someone here, I reached out to an old acquaintance who is also a novelist and asked that he read my book. I am so sorry for your wasted time and money! How incredibly frustrating. I would be happy to read your chapters, though I am not published yet myself and so I am not sure if that is what you are looking for. I am an avid reader, however! Best wishes!

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Frankly Madz, to get such a response (positive) from one of the first ten agents is amazing. Sad to waste the money, when you could polish the work yourself, especially once you get some additional feedback. I can only say I must have sent out fifty before a positive response, and the important point here is, that agents don't usually give any. Also, it is normal to edit/rewrite a novel (etc.) at least eight times before it is really ready to be sent to agents; certainly from what I've research that is the case, and in practice it seems right.

So take heart, but hold onto your money. Also as a word of caution, say WELL clear of any agent or publisher who offers to take your novel on but asks you for money. RUN (as I and others have). Oh, and welcome!

 

[Madz]

Wow! Thanks for the replies guys. I didn't think I'd get any until maybe tomorrow.

Can't wait for the Houses. That sounds like a really exciting development. And I will definitely be storing those sweaty bullets for con-artists posing as literary critics.

EP your book sounds great! If you could, I would be honoured if you wouldn't mind having a look at my opening chapters. Btw I LOVE the Hunger Games but I wasn't feeling it with Divergent. What about you?

 

[Karen Gray]

Greetings, the colony is a friendly place, you'll soon feel right at home. Re nerves, we all have them, it's how we deal with them that matters, and having like minded folks to share experiences with will help a lot.
As well as the Houses we are eagerly awaiting the next flash fiction competition. It's a good way to practice an test yourself in short bursts.

 

[EPHahn]

Wow! Thanks for the replies guys. I didn't think I'd get any until maybe tomorrow.

Can't wait for the Houses. That sounds like a really exciting development. And I will definitely be storing those sweaty bullets for con-artists posing as literary critics.

EP your book sounds great! If you could, I would be honoured if you wouldn't mind having a look at my opening chapters. Btw I LOVE the Hunger Games but I wasn't feeling it with Divergent. What about you?

Absolutely. I'll send you a message with an email.

Hunger Games is one of my favorite YA series, for sure. Absolutely devoured it. I really loved Divergent the first time I read it. I only sort of, kind of enjoyed Insurgent and absolutely HATED Allegiant. In fact, I rewrote the ending to send around to my friends so we could all have some resolution.

 

[Jennifer Stone]

Hi there, hope your nerves are subsiding by now. We're not at all as scary as we seem, the career we're trying to pursue is a daunting one, but don't be dissuaded! The Colony is full of support and encouragement, so don't give up.

 

[tabby3]

The Houses, the Houses, my kingdom for the Houses. Welcome aboard.

 

[Carol Rose]

Welcome!!

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Meanwhile I could be looking for a place to live short term! May have to take the partner back to the USofA for health reasons....

 

[Madz]

Thank you everyone for taking the time to make a newbie feel welcome! Your kindness is greatly appreciated.
Alistair I hope your partner enjoys better health soon.

EP thanks - I'm just about to send you the first 3 chapters.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Hello Madz Just one really tough friend who reads and knows your target market is worth their weight in gold if you can listen and manage not to punch them in the mush. Which isn't necessarily easy. I have found a bit of time out from the MS, in my case, months, doesn't half show up where the story's too busy next time you look at it. Well done on getting this far; you've come quite a way already...

 

[1408]

Hey Madz! I think everyone has already said it all, but welcome and don't be nervous! Not around us, anyway.

I understand writing to agents feels like you're setting yourself up for rejection on a first date. I'm starting to consider beginning my query letter with "Why won't you love me?!" I'm sure with experience we'll get better though. We'll know what does and doesn't work and when to trust our gut over another person's opinion. I learned during university that I had to pick my mentors, or end up changing what I didn't feel needed changing for the sake of avoiding looking like I couldn't take criticism. What Katie said is absolutely right. You need people who understand your audience and what you're trying to do, who enjoy reading your voice and aren't looking to rewrite it with their own.

I'm sorry you had a rough time with literary critics and hope you find what you're looking for here at Litopia, even if its just chilling with a group of people who are stumbling blindly over the same hurdles as you are! See you around the forum!

 

[Lex Black]

Welcome to the Colony!

 

[Madz]

Thanks Katie-Ellen and 1408!

Finding a friend who will read your MS and find the weakness/es is indeed the kicker.

My degree is bizarrely in engineering (so I don't really have any friends how could help me). Long story, but I had a pushy father who refused to indulge his son's passion for English. He actually selected both my A Levels and degree for me (and hey, I let him because I was a wimp who was afraid of his terrible wrath). That's kind of why I paid money I didn't have to spend in the hopes of receiving honest feedback from a literary consultancy. I wouldn't have minded if the literary consultant had had a view to helping me on my way rather than bleeding me dry of funds with equivocal statements.

Anywho, if any of you lovely people would like to cast your appraising eye over my YA adventure fantasy novel (a mix of Islamophobia, terrorism, gods and other supernatural beings, told in first person (inspired by the works of Don Calame and Ned Vizzini)) then I'd be indebted to you. And if there's anything I can do for anyone, please let me know.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Oh, parents. I'm an old boot with children of 29 and 20 so I can say that. Parents can be like that. Mine were the same when it came to academic choices. I wanted to go to art college at 16; but at their insistence did Geog, Biol, History, French, Art and Eng Lit A levels, in two shifts, failed 2, and ended up doing a degree in art history and working in a museum for a while. Time will tell, they haven't actually held you back as a writer. Better, I now think, to have something not to do with writing in your training. It adds to your life larder stuff that people won't have, who did the obvious thing; a straight run from Eng Lit A Level to the MA and then a first book. What you will become, nothing can stop, but yourself. Even the rubbishy stuff is all grist to the imaginative mill sooner or later.

 

[Madz]

Thanks for sharing Katie-Ellen. Your words are a comfort indeed and you've also taught me a beautiful new phrase (which I of course immediately Googled!). "Grist to the mill". Awesome.

When I was a kid, I dreamed of growing up and working at the National History museum. My imagination was such that where most others saw dusty old bones, I saw rampaging, ferocious wild beasts running riot and chowing down on the visitors. I was a right nerd! lol

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Not much to beat a rampaging dinosaur, if it's animatronic or else bones or else at a safe distance of ooh, a few hundred million years or so. That is just the kind of thing a proper boy likes. Not nerdy whatsoever. And girls too. My oldest was crazy about Jurassic Park, the first film that is, and she still does a mean and really creepy velociraptor impression.

It's a really good novel: the film doesn't stay entirely faithful to the novel. The Richard Attenborough character gets eaten by the compys in the book. The price of hubris.

http://www.slashfilm.com/jurassic-world-plot-details-colin-treverrow/

 

[Alistair Roberts]

Sounds interesting Madz, I have a few dragons floating around my novels so I of-course think your work could be very interesting. As a qualified Horticulturist I have no experience with dragons, but doesn't stop me writing about them. Then if we put one in a museum, it could get interesting lol

 

[Jennifer Stone]

I have 'dragons' in my tale, I don't think a fantasy story is quite complete without one somewhere.
As for qualifications, I have Beauty therapy, Childcare and Painting & Decorating, absolutely nothing to do with the books I'm writing, but I suppose they could have influenced my work through the people I've met and could come in useful one day.
I love museums, art galleries, libraries, anywhere with history and that musty smell of old paper. I'm really interested in herbalism atm. I'd love to live as natural a life as possible, fresh food, herbs and fresh air, my idea of heaven.

 

[Michelle Watson]

Ah Madz,
I did a similar thing last year and spent a lot of money getting someone to review my book. Some of the feedback was useful but not as constructive as I'd hoped.
It's a tricky process knowing which way to go that's for sure.
I haven't attempted the send out yet. Still not entirely happy with it myself, but hope to be able to this year at least.
Maybe we could do a swap at some point

Dear members,

This is my introductory post. I’m not convinced there’s any point in mentioning how nervous I am, but there it is: I am sweating bullets.

I have written a YA supernatural fantasy adventure novel for mature teens.

I wish I had found this forum back in September 2014 when I completed my manuscript and sent it off to 10 agents with high hopes. Only 1 responded semi-favourably (how embarrassing!). She said I had writing talent but she felt my sample was a little too full on; that it was trying to do too many things at once. She offered to take another look after I’d made changes. Now instead of believing in my own abilities, I spent £600 asking a literary consultancy to help me improve it. Needless to say it was a complete waste of money which resulted in a generic report filled with contradictions. I ended up feeling overwhelmed. I even thought about accepting that I just wasn’t good enough.

Did I learn my lesson? Sadly, no. I spent a further £140 getting mentoring – which left me even more confused than before.

I guess what I’m looking for is like-minded people who could guide a newbie. I would really like an impartial opinion on whether my first 3 chapters are good or requiring more literary TLC. Could anyone advise me of what I should do?

Thanks for any responses.

Madz

Madz

 

[AliG]

Welcome Madz- great to have you here.

 

[Madz]

Michelle a swap at some point would be great! I can't wait till Pete sets up the 'Houses' again for peer-assessment.

Sending stuff off is a bit of a mixed bag, for sure. But when you get a nice agent who actually takes the time to comment on your work and give you some suggestions, that's always worth the stress.

Just today I got some feedback from another editor from a different consultancy. Her report is useful, with practical steps suggested for improvement. I guess all literary consultancies are not created equal! I wish someone would set up a list of the good, the bad, and the ugly ones!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Sounds interesting Madz, I have a few dragons floating around my novels so I of-course think your work could be very interesting. As a qualified Horticulturist I have no experience with dragons, but doesn't stop me writing about them. Then if we put one in a museum, it could get interesting lol

Sure you do. Snapdragons Wouldn't Snapdragon be a great fiction character, part flower, part dragon.

 

[Marc Joan]

Sure you do. Snapdragons Wouldn't Snapdragon be a great fiction character, part flower, part dragon.

My son and I once had a competition to find names of plants or animals that are themselves composed of names of other plants/animals--'meta-names', I suppose--e.g. eagle owl, catfish, dogfish, etc; I can't quite remember, but I think the winning entry was hummingbird hawk-moth.

 

[Marc Joan]

Long story, but I had a pushy father who refused to indulge his son's passion for English. He actually selected both my A Levels and degree for me (and hey, I let him because I was a wimp who was afraid of his terrible wrath). .

Be kind to him; he almost certainly had your best interests at heart. Parents who have looked into the abyss generally try to keep their kids from playing at the edge, and get wrathful when they do. My youngest sometimes thinks that I am some kind of evil dictator; but if it keeps her from falling, I will live with that.

 

[AgentPete]

Michelle a swap at some point would be great! I can't wait till Pete sets up the 'Houses' again for peer-assessment.

Working on it now, mate The tech is easy, but it needs multo introductory videos etc. Soon... And welcome abroad!

 

[Frances Gow]

Welcome, Madz. Hope you find what you're looking for here. You just have to remember that not everyone will like your stuff, but you just have to keep knocking on doors until you find someone who does. Hang in there and believe in yourself.