Showing posts with label agent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label agent. Show all posts

31 August 2015

"Win" or "Lose," Pitch Wars Might Change Your Life

When entering online writing contests like Pitch Wars, it's important to remember that, whether you make it to the next level or not, simply taking that step forward to bravely enter might be the catalyst that changes your life forever. 
 I've written about this subject many times before. Many times. Like here, here, here, and here. And here. I've talked about how I got my agent after NOT getting picked in a contest. And how my debut novel, TWELVE STEPS, was both inspired by a contest rejection AND how success in a contest ultimately led to publication.

You might think that I've already exhausted the subject, and I couldn't possibly have anything more to say. Unless, of course, you've ever met me. Because then you'll know that I'm constantly looking for new insights and lessons to learn from the trials I go through.

Three years ago at this time, I was a Pitch Wars hopeful, biting my nails to oblivion while I nervously waited for the mentor picks to be announced. In case you haven't read the blog posts I linked to above, I wasn't picked for the contest. And I was devastated. I wanted to give up on writing altogether.

But my amazing new writing friends ... all the people I met in the contest trenches ... wouldn't let me give up. So instead of packing away my story pencils, I wrote something new. (And that manuscript went on to become my debut novel.)

Last year, and the year before, I participated in Pitch Wars on the other side of the glass, as a mentor. And I got to meet a TON of amazing writers. My fellow mentors. My mentees. Writers who submitted their manuscripts to me, who I wanted to choose but couldn't. Writers who chatted with me on the Twitter #PitchWars hashtag. I've met my best writing friends in the contest trenches.

But you already knew all of that, didn't you? I've told these stories hundreds of times, so why bother writing yet another post to rehash the same old tales?

Because when I tell you that participating in  Pitch Wars might change your life, I'm not just talking about your writing career.

If you read my blog regularly or follow me on Twitter, you probably know that last April, I was thrilled to hear that the Air Force was sending us back to Maryland, back "home," back to the area where the climate is best suited to help with my health issues. And you probably know that in May, I was devastated to discover that my home had been destroyed by water and mold. And you probably even saw one or both of the auctions that friends in the publishing community put together to help raise funds for the repairs, when the insurance company refused to pay.

You've probably seen my repeated posts, thanking people for their help and support, and counting the many, many blessings that have come from this particular trial. I honestly don't know I could get through each day without the support I see from my friends.


And here's the thing, folks: The majority of those people helping me and supporting me and carrying me through the trials when I literally can't walk another step on my own? Guess where we met? Yep. Through Pitch Wars and other, similar, online contests. Even the friend of a friend I mentioned last Friday ... the one who helped me find a temporary place to live so my family and I won't be homeless while we're trying to repair our house. You guessed it. The mutual friend connecting us was one of the writers I met in this amazing community.

When I say that Pitch Wars changed my life, I mean it. Yes, the experience made me a better writer. Yes, I credit much of my publishing success to the lessons I learned from both successes and failures in the contest trenches. But publishing success is only a part of what makes Pitch Wars great. The real value in these online contests is the connection you make with other writers. 

The friendships you forge here may be the relationships that carry you through when the stress of real life pushes you down. That's the true value of Pitch Wars.


For other perspectives on how Pitch Wars changes lives, check out the stories and advice in this blog hop with messages from last year's Pitch Wars mentees.
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31 July 2015

Final Hours in the Auction to Save our House!

Once again, I'm overflowing with gratitude for the support and encouragement we've had regarding our efforts to save our house. The second auction, hosted by Emily Moore, has another great group of items available, and the auction actually had to be extended because the item donations kept coming in even after the bidding had started!

 There are only a few hours left in the auction (it runs until noon pacific time - 3pm eastern today - Friday 31 July), so I thought I'd post a quick list to make it even easier to find the perfect item for you.



Here are all the awesome items up for bid …
 
Critiques by Agents:
 
 
 
 
 Signed Books:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 Full Manuscript Critiques:
 
 Marketing, Social Media & More:

 Auction Item #6 - Marketing Consultation by Dea Poirier

Auction Item #21 -  45-minute phone consultation with Tobie Easton

Auction Item #29 -  Social Media Platform Analysis + First 50 Pages Critique by Carrie Ann

Auction Item #25 - Online Platform Graphic Design Package by Veronica Bartles

Auction Item #26 -  Swag Graphic Design Package by Veronica Bartles








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18 July 2015

When Thank You is Not Enough

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I am so grateful for the trials and troubles I experience in life! Not that I'm a glutton for punishment, or that I actually enjoy that miserable experience of feeling like the whole world is crashing in on me. But every disaster I've ever experienced has come with an outpouring of love and blessings ... and for that, I am truly grateful.


 If you haven't yet heard about our house in Maryland being destroyed, you can catch up on the story here. I already mentioned how grateful I was at the outpouring of support I received in the days immediately following the discovery, but the love and support has been so constant and ongoing, I have to write another post to say thank you!

I'm especially grateful this week for Brenda Drake, who organized an online auction to benefit our house rebuilding efforts. And for all of my friends in the publishing industry (agents, editors, artists and authors) who have donated items for the auction! 

In case you haven't seen the auction yet, there are a TON of AMAZING items up for bid! Books for all ages, manuscript and query critiques, custom artwork, marketing consultations, editing services ... My amazing editor, Mandy Schoen even offered a 50 page critique PLUS 30 minute phone consultation about the manuscript! I'm absolutely overwhelmed by the amount of awesome in this auction, and there simply aren't words big enough to express my gratitude for you all. Both those who donated auction items and those who are bidding on them.

When Brenda told me that she was putting together this auction, I never imagined that she would have more than 90 people wanting to donate to help me! (Brenda said she had so many offers that she had to turn people away in the end. I can't believe how supportive everyone has been!!) There are auction listings for:
* Signed Books (including Advance Reader Copies for books that haven't even come out yet!)
* Marketing Help and Consultations
* Custom Artwork and Formatting Services
* Query Critiques
* Partial Manuscript Critiques
* Full Manuscript Critiques
* Query & Chapter Critiques with Literary Agents
* Critiques & Phone Calls with Editors

My twitter feed has been blowing up with notifications, and I simply can't keep up with all of the well-wishes and support that has been coming my way. But I wanted to send my gratitude and undying love out to all of you! If a grateful heart truly is a beginning of greatness, then I am well on my way to achieving that status. Because I am absolutely in awe. You guys are the best!!

For those who might be interested in the auction, I've included the links at the bottom of this post as well, sorted into easy-to-navigate categories. (Click on the item number to learn more about the item - and to bid. Click on the donor's name to learn more about the author / editor / agent who donated it. Many of the Pitch Wars mentors who have donated critiques for this auction have also participated in one (or more) of Brenda's Query & First Page Workshops. You can find samples of their critiques from those workshops on Brenda's blog, if you want to get a sense of their critique styles.

Signed Books (Including Advance Reader Copies!!)

Auction Item 22: Signed Copy of ANOMALY by Tonya Kuper

Auction Item 27: Signed Copy of REAPER Plus Swag by L.S. Murphy

Auction Item 28: Signed Trilogy of THE PAPER MAGICIAN series (paperback) by Charlie Holmberg

Auction Item 29: E-ARC and swag bundle of CHAMELEON by K.T. Hanna

Auction Item 30: Signed Copies of JERICHO RISING & JERICHO’S REDEMPTION by Mary Lynne Gibbs

Auction Item 31: Signed Copy of THE MAIDEN’S COURAGE by Mary Lynne Gibbs

Auction Item 32: Signed Copy of YOU’RE INVITED by Jen Malone & Gail Nall

Auction Item 33: Signed Copy of BREAKING THE ICE by Gail Nall

Auction Item 34: Signed Copy & Swag of ACROSS THE DISTANCE by Marie Meyer

Auction Item 35: Signed Copy of FREE AGENT by J.C. Nelson

Auction Item 36: Signed Copy of ARMAGEDDON RULES by J.C. Nelson

Auction Item 37: ARC OR Final copy of WISH BOUND by J.C. Nelson

Auction Item 38: Signed Copy of BASEBALL’S BEST ROOKIES by Russ Cohen

Auction Item 39: Signed Copy of WINTER CLASSIC by Russ Cohen

Auction Item 40: Signed copy of NUMBERS DON’T LIE: METS by Russ Cohen

Auction Item 41: Box Set of FRACTURED IMMORTAL and FINDING IMMORTAL by E.L. Wicker

Auction Item 42: Signed Copy of TIMEKEEPER RISING by Allyssa Painter

Auction Item 43: Signed Copy of DANGEROUS LOVE + bookmarks by Kara Leigh Miller

Auction Item 49: Signed Copy of THESE GENTLE WOUNDS by Helene Dunbar

Bonus Auction Item 3: Signed Copy of THE LAST FIFTH GRADE OF EMERSON ELEMENTARY by Laura Shovan

Bonus Auction Item 4: Signed ARC of MY SEVENTH-GRADE LIFE IN TIGHTS by Brooks Benjamin

Bonus Auction Item 12: Signed Copy of THIEF OF LIES by Brenda Drake 


 Marketing & Consultations
Auction Item 4: One Hour Marketing Consultation Call by Jen Malone Consults

Auction Item 19: Query + 1st Chapter + Skype Consultation with Rebecca Yarros

Auction Item 20: Character Personality Analysis by Lawrence Kotkin

Auction Item 23: Custom Author/Book Swag Pack by J.C. Davis

Bonus Auction Item 9: Marketing Consultation by Dea Poirier



Custom Art & Formatting
Auction Item 21: A Custom Digital-Only Book Cover Design by S.P. McConnell

Auction Item 24: Cover design by Caitlin Greer

Auction Item 25: Full Formatting Job by Caitlin Greer


 
Agent Critiques & Consultations

Auction Item 5: Query + First 3 Chapters Critique by Agent Roseanne Wells

Auction Item 6: Query + First 10 pages Critique by Agent Emily Keyes

Auction Item 7: Query + First 3 Chapters Critique by Agent Julia A. Weber

Auction Item 8: Query + 1st 3 chapters or A Full Non-fiction Proposal Critique by Agent Terrie Wolf

Bonus Auction Item 6: Query Critique by Agent Rachel Brooks

Special Bonus Auction Item: Query Critique by Agent Eric Ruben 

Editor Critiques & Consultations
Auction Item 2: 50 Page critique & 30 Minute Phone Consultation by Mandy Schoen

Auction Item 48: Query + 1st Chapter Critique by Editor Meredith Rich


Auction Item 9: Query + Synopsis + 50 Page Critique by Anya Kagan with Touchstone Editing

Auction Item 14: Query + Synopsis + 50 Pages Critique by Kim Graff with Wild Things Editing

Auction Item 15: Submission Package Critique by Maria Ann Green with Wild Things Editing

Auction Item 18a: Private Class: Editor’s First Aid by Lynnette Labelle

Auction Item 18b: Substantive/developmental edit by Lynnette Labelle

Auction Item 63: 1st Chapter Critique by Editor Tara Creel

Auction Item 64: 1st Chapter Critique by Editor Tara Creel

Auction Item 65: 1st Chapter Critique by Editor Tara Creel


Full Manuscript Critiques

Bonus Auction Item 7: Full Manuscript Critique by Ashley Turcotte

Auction Item 1: Full Manuscript Critique by Lara Edits

Auction Item 26: Full NA or YA Manuscript Critique by Molly Lee


Multi-Page / Chapter Critiques (& More!)
Auction Item 19: Query + 1st Chapter + Skype Consultation with Rebecca Yarros

Bonus Auction Item 13: Query + 50 Pages YA Critique by Jodie Andrefski

Auction Item 13: Query + 50 Pages Critique by L.S. Murphy


Auction Item 3: 50 Page Middle Grade Manuscript Critique by Jen Malone

Auction Item 10: 50 Page Middle Grade Manuscript Critique by Elliah Terry

Auction Item 11: 50 pages manuscript critique by Kelly Calabrese

Auction Item 12: 50 Page Critique by Jennifer Blackwood


Bonus Auction Item 10: 50 Pages YA Critique by Trisha Leaver

Auction Item 16: Query + Synopsis + 1st 3 Chapters Critique for YA by Brianna Shrum

Auction Item 44: Three Chapters Critique + B&N Gift Card Package by Jeanmarie Anaya

Bonus Auction Item 14: Query + 3 Chapters Critique by Sharon Johnston

Auction Item 17: Three Chapter Critique by Kara Leigh Miller

Auction Item 46: First Three Chapters Critique by Stacey Nash

Auction Item 47: Three Chapter Critique by Nicole Zolteck

Bonus Auction Item 2: Three Chapter MG Manuscript Critique by Laura Shovan

Bonus Auction Item 8: Query + 1st 25 Pages Critique by Agent Intern, Kyra Nelson

Auction Item 50: Query + 1st Chapter Critique by Sonia Hartl

Auction Item 51: Query + 1st Chapter Critique by Dannie Morin

Auction Item 52: Query + 1st Chapter Critique by Casey Lyall

Auction Item 53: Query + 1st Chapter Critique by Rosalyn Eves

Auction Item 55: Query + 1st Chapter Critique by Natasha Raulerson

Auction Item 56: Query + 1st Chapter by Natasha Neagle

Auction Item 57: Query + 1st Chapter Critique by Jennifer Hawkins

Auction Item 58: Query + 1st Chapter Critique by Marie Meyer

Auction Item 60: Query + 1st Chapter Critique by Ronni Arno

Auction Item 61: Query + 1st Chapter by Suzanne van Rooyen

Bonus Auction Item 5: Query + 1st Chapter Critique by Brooks Benjamin

Bonus Auction Item 11: Query + 1st Chapter Critique by Wendy Spinale

Auction Item 62: Query + 1st Chapter Critique by Sarah Glenn Marsh

Auction Item 54: First Chapter Critique by Roselle Kaes

Auction Item 59: First Chapter Critique by Laura Heffernan

Auction Item 66: First Chapter Critique by Linda Budzinski

Auction Item 45: Ten Page Critique by RuthAnne Snow

 Bonus Auction Item 1: First 5 Pages Critique by Lara Edits


 Query Critiques
 Auction Item 75: Query Brainstorming Package by Naomi Hughes

Auction Item 67: Query + 1st Page Critique by Kelly Siskind

Auction Item 68: Query Critique by Amy Trueblood

Auction Item 69: Query Critique by Helene Dunbar

Auction Item 70: Non-fiction Query Critique by Jenna Glatzer

Auction Item 71: Query Critique by Tamara Mataya
 
 Auction Item 72: Query Critique by Michelle Hauck

Auction Item 73: Query Critique by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Auction Item 74: Query Critique by Lynnette Labelle

Auction Item 76: Query Critique by Nikki Roberti

Auction Item 77: Query Critique by Elinor Sattler
















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09 October 2014

What if the Princess REALLY Just Wants a Frog?? - (Announcing my Debut Picture Book!!)


Way back in October of 2011, I was actively querying my first YA manuscript when I discovered Tara Lazar's PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month - where you come up with an idea for a picture book every day in November). The challenge seemed easy enough, and so I eagerly accepted, certain I'd end the month with hundreds of ideas.

And guess what? It wasn't as easy as I expected. By mid-month I was grasping at straws, frantically looking for any source of inspiration. Any little shred of an idea. Just so I wouldn't have to count a big, fat zero for the day.

And in one of those "I have no creativity and what was I even thinking?" moments, I started thinking about my YA novel. KISSING FROGS. And I started playing the "What if?" game.
http://vbartles.com

What if there was a princess who loved frogs more than anything else?

What if she wanted a frog for a pet?

What if she loved frogs so much that she 
couldn't help kissing them goodnight?

What if she wound up with a castle full of princes, all proposing marriage...


But what if you really just want a frog?

 The idea made me giggle so hard that I couldn't wait to start writing. I pulled out my notebook and a special story pencil and wrote my first draft that afternoon. And it was brilliant. Hilarious. Beautiful. Perfect! (Okay, not really. It was a first draft. And first drafts are always messy and awful. But the potential was there!! And I was absolutely in love with my spunky Princess Cassandra!)

After many, many rounds of revision, including a full manuscript critique from Christie Wright Wild, feedback from more than a few online writing workshops, and countless sessions with my fabulous CPs, Amie Rose Rotruck, Laura Shovan and Connie Collins Morgan, who helped me figure out the perfect ending to my story ... I put the thing in a metaphorical desk drawer to wait for the right timing.

Fast forward to November 2013. I was hard at work on final edits for my debut YA novel, TWELVE STEPS, and I had signed with my dream agent, Jessica Sinsheimer. And it was time to figure out what to work on NEXT. (Because, in writing, there always has to be a next project. Waiting for things to happen is much too crazy-making if you don't have something new to focus on.)

"What else are you working on?" Jessica asked. "What would you LIKE to work on next?"

So I told her all about the other MG novels I have stored in various stages of revision on my hard drive. And the YA novels that I've written and abandoned. Or plan to come back to one day. And the shiny new YA contemporary novel that I really wanted to write, but I wasn't sure if anyone would ever love as much as I do. And then I admitted, "And I have this picture book. People seem to like it. I don't know. Maybe we could do something with that someday?"

She loved the shiny, new YA idea and told me to start writing it immediately, and then she asked me to send her the manuscript for THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS. (She loved it!)

Fast forward a few months ...

When the first "I love this book! I plan to take it to our acquisitions meeting next week" email arrived from an editor I'd had at the top of my Dream Editors list for years, I literally fell off my treadmill! (*Note: Reading life-changing emails while working at a treadmill desk can be hazardous to your health.)


It was an excruciatingly-tough decision, but as soon as I spoke to Kristin Rens with Balzer and Bray (Harper Collins), I knew she was the right editor for me. We talked about the story, the illustrations, and all kinds of other things ... and, once again, I found a partner I could be so comfortable with that I forgot my phone phobia! Not only did she (and the whole team) love THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS, but she shared my vision for the book. She pinpointed the few spots in the manuscript that still felt like they weren't quite right, and I loved her ideas!

I've been dancing around for a LONG time, waiting to announce this news, but the day has finally arrived, and I can shout it from the rooftops!!

Coming soon to a bookstore near you!! 
My Debut Picture Book: 
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS!!!!!




So for those of you who are keeping count … Yes, this means my first TWO book sales were BOTH based on the first manuscript I ever wrote. Two books (TWELVE STEPS, and now THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS), both inspired by the novel I counted as a failure. There is no wasted effort in the writing game. As long as you are learning and moving forward, as long as you never give up, you will find success. It may not be what you thought you were striving for, but if you keep working, you’ll probably find something even better.





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