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inyri · 8 years ago

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Equivalent Exchange (a SWTOR story): Chapter 27- Black Hole Sun

Equivalent Exchange by inyri

Fandom: Star Wars: The Old Republic Characters: Female Imperial Agent (Cipher Nine)/Theron Shan Rating: E (this chapter: M) Summary: If one wishes to gain something, one must offer something of equal value. In spycraft, it’s easy. Applying it to a relationship is another matter entirely. F!Agent/Theron Shan. (Spoilers for Shadow of Revan and Knights of the Fallen Empire.)

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Black Hole Sun

Everything hurts.

Her body’s heavy, muscles aching like she’s been running for hours and scintillating patterns dancing on the reverses of her eyelids until she forces them open. Whatever she’s laying on, it’s cold beneath her back; the ceiling’s a dark void stretching far above her head and the walls of this place, wherever it is, the same solid black, so dense she could reach her hand out and press it flat against the surface.

And then there is a light shining bright into her eyes and the light hurts, too, but it’s hard to move so instead she just turns her head to the side, away from it. That helps a little. Nine blinks, once and then again, as a figure wreathed in shadow coalesces out of the dark.

At first she thinks it’s Theron, implant on his forehead glimmering as the figure moves toward her, but no- the location of the hardware’s all wrong and so is the shape of the face, the contour of his bald head-

“Hello, Cipher.” Watcher X smiles wryly as he draws alongside her prone body. “I thought it was time we had a little chat.”

She twitches, forcing herself onto her side, away from his outstretched hand. “You’re dead. Leave me alone.”

Does anyone stay dead any more? The thought drifts vaguely in and out of her mind, bothering her less than it probably ought to. First Revan, then Valkorion and now this- it’s absurd, really. Or- wait. Am I dead?

(If there is such a place as hell, it would figure she’d be destined to share it with the rest of the monsters.)

“Quite,” he agrees. “You made very sure of that. Quick and professional. Though I must say-” with a shrug, he sits down beside the bed- no, not a bed: too sterile, too metal-smelling- in a chair that she’s completely certain wasn’t there until he gestured- “watching oneself die really is disconcerting.”

She swallows.

“And no, you aren’t dead.” She didn’t say that out loud. How did he- “Your body is sleeping. Recovering.”

It’s easier to move now, her muscles unlocking; she sits up on a too-familiar operating table, runs her fingers over an irregular stain on the rim nearest him. (Eleven years ago she focused on that stain for nearly an hour, trying not to scream or gnaw through her own lip, while wire by wire he laid the implant along her spine.) “I’ve gone insane, then. I killed you. I hallucinated you as a side effect of the Castellan restraints and I’m hallucinating you now.”

“Did you really?” Watcher X crosses one leg over the other with a knowing smile. “And you went to the Archive all on your own, and somehow you knew exactly the right search parameters to solve a problem you didn’t even have a name for.”

Rubbing her temples- dead or mad or neither, she’s got a ferocious headache- she narrows her eyes at him as she considers. It was so long ago. She barely remembered what query she’d entered to pull up that first recording of the Minister, but she must have figured out-

She must have-

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

“You put yourself inside my head,” she scowls. “How?””

His smile widens. “You’re cleverer than that, Cipher. What do you think?”

“The implant, I assume. Straight shot to my nervous system.” At his approving nod she continues, tucking her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her shins. “But you’re not really Watcher X, are you? Not a ghost- a program? An AI?”

“Not precisely, but near enough that the difference isn’t important. The programming was somewhat rushed.” Hands pressed against the bridge of his nose, he looks at her over his steepled fingers. “It retains my personality, my knowledge base, but was meant to be an observation platform. You provided an ideal opportunity, but accelerated the timeline.”

“I really ought to have known better.”

He chuckles. “Yes, you ought to have. But you were very young, then.”

(She had been, hadn’t she? Scarcely twenty-two when Keeper sent her to Nar Shaddaa, she was so certain of things, so convinced of her own cleverness. She hadn’t trusted Watcher X, of course- he’d been imprisoned in Shadow Town for a lengthy list of very good reasons- but she’d thought he-)

“As I said,” he murmurs as she cuts the thought off abruptly and she crinkles her forehead in irritation- he needs to stop doing that, inside her head or not- “you were very young. But I’ve seen so very many interesting things though your eyes. You really do lead a fascinating life.”

She makes a face at him as he continues. Stars, if he’s seen everything she has- but then, Valkorion’s doing the same, isn’t he?

What an unpleasant thought.

“But my death threw rather a wrench into the works, to put in mildly, and this fragment is now all that remains of me.”

“If you think I’m sorry, think again.” If she’s asleep, why can’t she wake up? She shifts over, dangling her legs off the edge of the operating table. “Whatever assistance you claim to have provided, you’ve been silent for ten years and frankly I preferred it that way. Now tell me what it is that you want.”

“Right to the point. Efficient. A credit to your training.” He nods, lowering his hands into his lap. “I’ll be brief, then. Your new guest claims to want to help you, Cipher. Do not listen to him.”

She thinks she’s strong enough to stand. “I haven’t been.” Pushing herself up with both hands, she eases herself down until her feet touch something solid in the darkness. “Which hasn’t stopped him from trying to bore holes in my brain. But what do you care?”

“I know what it’s like to live with a bomb inside your head. There may come a day when you find yourself wishing it would go off.”

She shakes her head. “You, maybe. Not me.”

“As you say. Regardless, fragment or not, my continued existence is dependent on yours: if you die, I die. And if your consciousness is driven from your body, well-” a shrug, nonchalant- “I do not think its new occupant will permit me to remain.”

“I don’t plan on dying.”

“Neither did I.”

“Force, you’re a broken fucking holo. I’ll say it one more time-” half a turn and she’s facing him, arms folded across her chest- “what do you want from me?”

His smile is almost gentle, then, an uncanny thing. “I want you to survive. I can help you fight him.”

He doesn’t need to clarify who him means- she knows that perfectly well, and she suspects there is a reason he’s avoiding the name.

(It’s like the old game they used to play in school, crammed into a pitch-dark bathroom and chanting the rhyme toward the mirror in unison, where if the words were said in just the right way three times in a row- nothing ever came through, of course.

But rumor had it that in the Sith Academy, sometimes something did.)

“I can only fight so many wars at once,” she snaps. “I’m busy enough trying to keep his children from killing me, and he could have let Arcann do so at least once already. I’ve no choice but to tolerate him- for now, at least.”

“Like the Minister wanted to help? Like Hunter?”

Her lip curls. “Shut up.”

“As you wish. Your control block will help for the time being.” Snapping his fingers, he gestures away from her as a glowing outline forms on a far wall. “But he will keep trying until he finds a weakness he can exploit. I can- how did we used to say it?-” he considers for a moment- “run interference, but I thought it better that I make you aware of it first.”

“Now you decide to ask permission?”

Another shrug. ‘I’m strictly digital. His magics cannot hurt me, and his pursuit of me might give you some respite.”

“No.” She shakes her head immediately, not even allowing herself time to consider. “If you’re in here forever, so be it, but I won’t give you free rein of the place. I learned that lesson well enough the first time.”

Damn him. The implant has to stay- she and Lokin discussed it years ago and agreed there was too much risk of damaging her spinal cord to remove it, and even knowing what he’s done she’d rather risk a continued mental stowaway than permanent paralysis. But she trusted him once, more fool her, and now her head’s even more crowded than she’d thought.

“The offer remains. If you wish to reconsider-” another gesture, the outline broadening into a door- “I will be here. I will always be here.”

She takes a few steps toward it, her footprints leaving bright marks behind her on the ground. “Noted.”

“Then farewell for now, Cipher Nine.” His outline’s starting to fade as the door opens, a shadow against the growing light. “And don’t be too angry when you awaken. Your lover means well. But he doesn’t know what this place is to you.”

The brightness catches her, an irresistible pull forward even as she startles and tries to turn back toward him. “What do you-”

For a moment she is falling- or flying, she’s not sure which, weightless and graceful and haloed in the glow until she has to shut her eyes against it before it burns them out entirely. Someone’s calling her, somewhere far away.

Come on, Nine. Wake up. Please wake up.

She opens her eyes.

***

She opens her eyes.

For the first few seconds they won’t focus and all she can make out is a shape moving in front of her.

“It’s been two hours, and she’s still out.” Theron’s facing away from her, jacket off, shirtsleeves pushed up to his elbows, pacing back and forth between her and a hovering holoprojector; his incessant motion makes if difficult to see past him to whomever he’s speaking to. She blinks, once and then again, as the room takes shape- industrial and sparse, ferrocrete walls and a corrugated metal roof. Too clean to be Dynamet. Where are they? “I don’t have a scanner here, but it’s not infection. None of the raks got that close to us, and I checked her skin once we got here. She was fine and then her nose started bleeding and then she just dropped-”

“Theron.” Lana glances past Theron as he moves out of the way, eyes meeting hers, and cuts in with one hand raised.

If he heard Lana he doesn’t show it, still pacing. “-and I can get her back to the ship, but if she doesn’t wake up I-”

“Theron.”

“-don’t know what else I can do besides-”

“Theron, would you stop?” Clapping her hands sharply together, Lana sighs at him as he finally stops pacing. “She’s awake.”

He startles and spins around abruptly, crouching down beside her cot (familiar, somehow, tucked back against a wall, the angles of the ceiling above pinging off a memory she can’t pin down) as she glances around the room and starts to try to sit up. She’s barely dressed, just her shirt and underclothes. What-

“Wait,” he says, “go slow. Are you dizzy at all?”

“No. I’m-”

I’m losing it, she doesn’t say. I’ve just spent the last Force knows how long talking to the AI living in my spine about the ghost living in my head. Never better.

“I’m fine.” As she says it Lana looks at her skeptically and Theron steadies her with one hand, helping her into a seated position; there’s a streak of dry blood across his forearm and a dark blotch on the front of his shirt. “I just fainted, I think. Give me a moment and I’ll be ready to go.”

“If you’re sure, Comman- Nine.” Lana sounds as doubtful as she looks, but does manage to catch herself on the title. “Another run-in with Valkorion?”

She nods and Theron looks at her sidelong, a flicker of surprise and something else she can’t quite read in his eyes. She should have told him sooner- no one else knew but Lana, even now, but he didn’t know that; she can feel the hurt radiating off him that she’d kept it hidden, just for a second, before he tamps it down and turns back toward Lana’s image.

But there wasn’t anything to be done for it. He’ll only worry that much more, and he worries enough already.

“Crisis averted.” He shrugs an apology at the holo. “Sorry for pulling you out of the meeting. I just wasn’t sure if-”

“It’s fine, Theron. You were right to call.” Rolling her shoulders backward until one cracks audibly, Lana stands up straighter. “Will you be heading back to Alderaan now, then?”

She nods. “As soon as we’re back to the ship from wherever this place is. We’ve got what we came for. If I hadn’t-” she gestures vaguely toward herself in lieu of words, wrinkles her nose in irritation at herself- “we’d have been gone already.”

“Let me know if I can assist. Oggurobb’s asking for more supplies again, so I’m sure I can twist his arm a bit if you need to co-opt some of the research equipment- metaphorically speaking, I mean.” Lana’s smile rather suggests a more literal approach. “But until I hear differently, I’ll plan for our usual update tomorrow.”

As she and Theron nod again, Lana waves and disconnects the call. She tries to push herself back up off the cot; her legs seem mostly steady, and with Theron’s hand still on her shoulder she manages to stand with minimal wobbling. “Was I really out for hours? I must’ve hit my head pretty hard on the way down, or-”

“You didn’t,” he says. “You were still right beside me. I caught you- well, you and the sample box, but then you seized, Nine, and I couldn’t get it to stop.”

She blinks. No wonder she’s still so fucking out of it, and- she wrinkles her nose. That would explain the acrid odor, as well. Lovely.

“Finally I remembered I had a dose of sedative in my medkit. That helped, but…” Theron frowns. “Seriously? You tell me it’s nothing and next thing you’re-”

She takes a step forward, out of his reach. “It was nothing. Just the nosebleeds, that’s all it’s ever been. I’ve never had a seizure in my life.”

“Well, you have now.”

“Apparently.”

Behind her, he sighs. “Sorry. I’m not angry, I just-”

“I’d certainly hope you’re not,” she snaps, “given that it’s completely out of my control.”

“You know that wasn’t what I- oh, damn it-” She’s nearly to the doorway- out to the main area of the building by the look of the room beyond- when he finally catches her hand in his and tries to hold her still. “I was afraid you weren’t going to wake up, okay? Or you weren’t going to wake up… well, you. ”

“But I did. And I’m fine now. Still me.”

Theron shakes his head at that, but if he had a clever reply he doesn’t say it. After a moment, he takes a deep breath. “Will you at least sit for a little while longer? We ended up with a big pack chasing us on the way here, and you might need to gun while I drive.”

“You can ride gunner, if you’re worried about my aim,” she says, pausing as he laces his fingers through hers; she’d have pulled away again if it was anyone else, but there’s a sweet affection in the gesture that stops her and makes her turn back toward him. “I’ll drive.”

“Nice try. You drive like a maniac at the best of times, let alone postictal. I’m driving.” He reaches up. At first she thinks it’s to trace along her cheekbone, one of his usual gestures when he’s trying to soothe her temper, but he stops at the neckline of her undershirt, at a scattering of droplets beneath one strap. “Once we get you cleaned up. I washed your armor, and I thought I’d gotten most of the blood off you while you were out, but it looks like I missed some.”

“It does have a tendency to get everywhere.” Though she doesn’t remember it being quite so bad- it must have started up again during the seizure.

Seizure. Shit. If it happens again, if she’s alone in the field-

It won’t. It can’t.

Shoving the thought aside, she turns back toward the main room. “Is there a refresher here, whatever we are?”

Theron nods. “No hot water, though. This place was decommissioned years ago. Honestly, I was a little surprised it still had power, but it was the closest quasi-secure building to the hospital that I had on my map. Before they shut it down, it was an-”

She steps through the doorway and the memory breaks on her like a sunrise and she knows this place, she knows it: a round table in the room’s center with her armor and their gear and the sample box laid out atop it, four chairs, a few empty shelves. Three more doors just like this one- two across the way, one to her left on the wall she’s passing through. An entrance corridor, further left. To the far right, the ‘fresher with its door standing open, once-white tile grimy with years of neglect but water beaded on the floor where he must have rinsed her things, drain in the back corner like every other ‘fresher in a prefab building like this one-

If she looks hard enough, she almost imagines her own bloody footprints, a lurid line across the threshold from tile to cold duracrete.

So that was what Watcher X meant.

-”old SIS safehouse,” he finishes.

(She knows.

It’s just that her room was opposite this one; she hadn’t placed it at first because she was used to seeing its reverse when she opened her eyes. The room Theron put her in, the cot she’d slept off the sedative on, had been Chance’s.

The one next to hers was Hunter’s.)

She inhales- one, two, three, four- and holds the breath in, filling her lungs, keeps counting and lets it out slowly, slowly, slowly. “I know. I’ve been here before.”

“You-” The catch in his voice is audible, and when she looks back over her shoulder at him he’s gone still and tense, jaw set and teeth clenched. “Oh, fuck me running. This place would still have been an active site back then.”

“Yes,” she says, and takes another few steps toward the open refresher door because the alternative is to keep moving away forever and she’s so, so tired of living that way. “Do you remember the night before we hit the Hoth fortress? You woke me up from a bad dream, and we spent the rest of the night talking about it?”

He nods.

Her bare feet leave marks in the dust as she crosses the threshold, turning fully around- as she does she could swear there’s a glint of glass from beneath the drain grate and stars, that’d figure after ten whole years; Republic cleaners always were shitty at their jobs- and raises her right arm out straight in front of her to chest height, palm upturned.

Theron blanches, presses one hand to his mouth. Clearly, he remembers.

“I didn’t know.” His voice is muffled behind his hand. “I promise you, I didn’t know. Let’s just go. The speeder’s right outside the entrance. If we run, the raks might not get scent of us until we’re already moving.”

“You couldn’t have known.” She lowers her arm. “There must be a dozen safehouses on Taris.”

“Fifteen,” he mutters. “Counting the decommissioned ones. But I should have-”

Forcing her pulse into regular time, her breathing to ease, she closes her eyes as a whisper starts to build in the back of her head. Oh, Cipher. Such a-

She pushes it away. No. They’re dead. Hunter’s dead, and Watcher X is dead, and Valkorion is dead, and her body is hers. She locked that door a long time ago and threw the key into the Void. She will not be a puppet. Not again.

No, she snarls, silent, and the voice goes quiet.

“You couldn’t have known, Theron,” she says again. “But you’re right. I ought to get cleaned up.”

Before he can stop her she presses two fingers against the panel to activate the water.

It’s as cold as she remembers, the stream fast and heavy, shocking her into alertness as it hits her skin.

“What are you-” Startled into motion by her audible gasp, Theron crosses the rest of the room in three steps and stands in the doorway, reaching his hand in to try to move hers off the panel as she keeps hers stubbornly in place. “Are you crazy? I told you, there isn’t hot water. You’ll freeze.”

Pulling her undershirt over her head, she looks down at the smear of blood running angled along her chest. She ought to clean her clothes, too, soiled with blood and worse; they’ll be back to the ship soon enough. What’s an hour’s discomfort, bare beneath her armor? She drops the shirt at her feet and unclasps her bra and slides her underpants down over her hips and lets them all sit in a heap beside her feet, water soaking into them. “I’m not crazy. You know I’m not.”

“Of course you aren’t. That wasn’t-” Alarm flashing across his face, he reaches toward the panel again- that wasn’t what he meant to say and she knows it as well as he does, but it still stings when the voices in her head are actually real.

(This time around, at least.

Or maybe she is crazy. Maybe all of them are. Given those options, she hopes the voices are real.)

“Please,” Theron says, trying to nudge her hand down with his. “That’s good enough, Nine. You can finish up shipboard.”

She doesn’t move. “It isn’t so bad once you’re used to it,” she says, teeth chattering, and watches the blood trickle down her body to disappear down the drain, “and I can always turn it off when I want to. Can’t I?”

He looks down, watching the water swirl around her feet, and then turns silently and walks out of her line of sight; she can hear his footsteps echo across the room. After a long moment, as the water starts to run clear as she rubs at her skin with one fisted hand, she can see him again, standing just outside the door with the cot’s fitted bedsheet held out toward her.

He just stands there, holding the impromptu towel, until she’s finished.

When she finally shuts the water off and the last drops fall from the nozzle overhead, Theron waits for her to move, waits for her to take the first steps out of the ‘fresher into the room, and when she does he wraps her up in the sheet, arms around her body, until she’s warm again.

“Come on.” He looks down at her, chin resting atop her sodden hair, her face nestled into his neck. “Let’s get out of here.”

This time, she nods.

“Okay.”

*** A change of title for this chapter, which stubbornly refused to go where it was meant to, and as this seemed like a natural pause point given the profound lack of writing time I've had recently I thought I'd let it go here.

Next: Scientific Methods (for real this time), in which we build a better rakghoul.

#inyri writes #equivalent exchange #imperial agent #theron shan #cipher nine #nine/theron #a song to fit a mood i think

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subaru wrx 2018 insurance

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s-kinnyheaven · 8 years ago

Text

Agents And Editors And Other Confusing Things

Your book is done.

Finally.

You can breathe again.

You’ve written around work and kids and crazy in-laws.

You’ve worked late into the night when you are alone with the moon and early in the morning when the sun is barely cracking the horizon and you say to yourself, “I CANNOT believe I’m up this early. This should be illegal.”

You’ve slugged down both coffee and wine. Too much of both.

You’re wiped out. You need to go and spend a year at a spa but, alas, you cannot.

Now the second part of your wild writing journey begins.

You want to sell that sucker. You NEED to sell that sucker. You want to be a writer.

I get it, I do.

Here’s a VERY short form summary of what to do next in the rather frightening and intimidating world of publishing:

Find an agent. How do you do that? If you are going to writing conferences, if you’ve joined writing groups, if you have a critique group, you may well be hearing the names of different agents that people like. Check all of them out.

You can also buy/borrow books where the title is, basically, “How To Find An Agent.” Writing magazines sometimes have lists of agents who want to see new authors. Look for an agent in your genre. If you write science fiction, look for agents who represent science fiction.

Next. You must send out a cover letter, a few chapters of your book, and a synopsis to the agent. There are many articles online on how to write a cover letter. I am on deadline and hardly sleeping and super cranky so I cannot go into depth here.

But in the cover letter you’re trying to sell your book. In a paragraph, or two, hit the highlights. Another paragraph is about you and your qualifications. The synopsis is about two pages.

Agents will often say that they carefully read all submissions. That is impossible. They receive thousands. They would never sleep or eat. They will give your book a page to jump out at them, maybe two. Make sure those are the best pages you’ve written in your life.

Here is where I will tell you that I broke the rules when I first sent out my cover letter/chapters and synopsis for my book Julia’s Chocolates. (Please remember, I wrote many books that were rejected before Julia’s Chocolates. Every time I got a rejection I wanted to throw my computer through a window.)

Conventional writing wisdom says to find your favorite agent, and send the above package to him/her and WAIT FOR A RESPONSE. Friends, I will tell you the truth: A response may well never come from the agent. Or, if the agent asks everyone to query by email only, you may get a rejection letter within ten minutes of sending off your package. It will be a polite rejection letter but quite clearly they did not read what you sent.

Why did they not read it? Because that agent isn’t taking any more authors.

Here is my advice, though MANY people will disagree with me: submit to five or more agents at a time. When you’re rejected by one, send your cover letter, etc. right back out to another agent. People will gasp when I say this and say, “But what if ALL the agents want my work?” Then this is splendid news.

I sent my cover letter, pages, etc. out to a New York editor and three or four agents.

(Don’t send your manuscript to editors. It is usually a waste of time. That was my mistake a zillion years ago. I just didn’t know better.)

The editor never replied, the agents all wanted to see the full manuscript. I waited for my favorite agent to reply, the one that I wanted most, who I am still with, and I sent the book to him (After I finished writing it, that is another story) and he later sold it.

See? No problem.

If an agent likes what she reads in your chapters, she will ask you for your whole book. You will send it and then you will get down on your knees and pray loudly or you will meditate until your nerves stop screaming or you will send positive and powerful thoughts through the atmosphere towards the agent.

If the agent doesn’t like your book it will be rejected, probably with a form letter and that will feel awful, it does, I know it, I lived it, and I’m sorry if it happens to you. And, friends, it probably will. You will get rejected. ‘Tis the business. Stay strong. Keep trying.

If she likes your book, she will then ask to “represent you.” If you would like to be represented by her, if you want to work with her, you will sign a contract.

It is a long contract. It is written in legalese. Have an attorney look at it. The contract will state that the agent gets 15% of whatever you make on the book forever and ever even if we are invaded by purple aliens. It will say a whole bunch of other stuff, but that’s the most important part.

Your agent will then shop your book around to various publishing houses. Some will be big, part of the Big Five, and other houses will be smaller. You will, again, be on your knees sending magical thoughts into the universe hoping that a publishing house wants to buy your book.

If the publishing house wants to buy your book, they will contact your agent. If multiple publishing houses want your book this is very excellent news and there will be an auction.

Your agent will present to you any offers she gets for your book. If you like the upfront money the publishing house is offering and you understand and accept the percentage that you will get for every book sold, and a bunch of other details, you will then sign a contract with the publishing house. Get an attorney to look at this one, too.

The publishing house may just buy one book. It may offer you a contract for two or three books. I work off three book contract deals and I love them. I’m committed to my publishing house and they’re committed to me. If you trust the publishing house, take it and dance to loud rock music and rejoice.

What then? You will work with your editor at the publishing house. She will probably have suggestions/deletions/edits for you. You will work through your book yet again.

Hello, wine! Hello, coffee!

Once that’s done you will work with copy editors and go through your book another time. You will read through the proofs. Concurrently you will give information to the art department for your cover and they might use it, they might not.

You will wait months and then one day you will walk into a book store or you will look online and TA DA your book is there.

This is a glorious day. Celebrate.

Now about writing for small presses…

Or Amazon…

Or self publishing….

Marketing…

The money you should or should not accept….

Ha. No. Not today. That is a huuuggge article.

Keep writing, friends.

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shmow-zows · 8 years ago

Text

Agents And Editors And Other Confusing Things

Your book is done.

Finally.

You can breathe again.

You’ve written around work and kids and crazy in-laws.

You’ve slugged down both coffee and wine. Too much of both.

You’re wiped out. You need to go and spend a year at a spa but, alas, you cannot.

Now the second part of your wild writing journey begins.

You want to sell that sucker. You NEED to sell that sucker. You want to be a writer.

I get it, I do.

Here’s a VERY short form summary of what to do next in the rather frightening and intimidating world of publishing:

But in the cover letter you’re trying to sell your book. In a paragraph, or two, hit the highlights. Another paragraph is about you and your qualifications. The synopsis is about two pages.

Why did they not read it? Because that agent isn’t taking any more authors.

I sent my cover letter, pages, etc. out to a New York editor and three or four agents.

(Don’t send your manuscript to editors. It is usually a waste of time. That was my mistake a zillion years ago. I just didn’t know better.)

See? No problem.

If she likes your book, she will then ask to “represent you.” If you would like to be represented by her, if you want to work with her, you will sign a contract.

If the publishing house wants to buy your book, they will contact your agent. If multiple publishing houses want your book this is very excellent news and there will be an auction.

What then? You will work with your editor at the publishing house. She will probably have suggestions/deletions/edits for you. You will work through your book yet again.

Hello, wine! Hello, coffee!

You will wait months and then one day you will walk into a book store or you will look online and TA DA your book is there.

This is a glorious day. Celebrate.

Now about writing for small presses…

Or Amazon…

Or self publishing….

Marketing…

The money you should or should not accept….

Ha. No. Not today. That is a huuuggge article.

Keep writing, friends.

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willafigg · 8 years ago

Text

Agents And Editors And Other Confusing Things

Your book is done.

Finally.

You can breathe again.

You’ve written around work and kids and crazy in-laws.

You’ve slugged down both coffee and wine. Too much of both.

You’re wiped out. You need to go and spend a year at a spa but, alas, you cannot.

Now the second part of your wild writing journey begins.

You want to sell that sucker. You NEED to sell that sucker. You want to be a writer.

I get it, I do.

Here’s a VERY short form summary of what to do next in the rather frightening and intimidating world of publishing:

But in the cover letter you’re trying to sell your book. In a paragraph, or two, hit the highlights. Another paragraph is about you and your qualifications. The synopsis is about two pages.

Why did they not read it? Because that agent isn’t taking any more authors.

I sent my cover letter, pages, etc. out to a New York editor and three or four agents.

(Don’t send your manuscript to editors. It is usually a waste of time. That was my mistake a zillion years ago. I just didn’t know better.)

See? No problem.

If she likes your book, she will then ask to “represent you.” If you would like to be represented by her, if you want to work with her, you will sign a contract.

If the publishing house wants to buy your book, they will contact your agent. If multiple publishing houses want your book this is very excellent news and there will be an auction.

What then? You will work with your editor at the publishing house. She will probably have suggestions/deletions/edits for you. You will work through your book yet again.

Hello, wine! Hello, coffee!

You will wait months and then one day you will walk into a book store or you will look online and TA DA your book is there.

This is a glorious day. Celebrate.

Now about writing for small presses…

Or Amazon…

Or self publishing….

Marketing…

The money you should or should not accept….

Ha. No. Not today. That is a huuuggge article.

Keep writing, friends.

The post Agents And Editors And Other Confusing Things appeared first on Ms. Career Girl.

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shotbydalonewolf · 8 years ago

Text

Agents And Editors And Other Confusing Things

Your book is done.

Finally.

You can breathe again.

You’ve written around work and kids and crazy in-laws.

You’ve slugged down both coffee and wine. Too much of both.

You’re wiped out. You need to go and spend a year at a spa but, alas, you cannot.

Now the second part of your wild writing journey begins.

You want to sell that sucker. You NEED to sell that sucker. You want to be a writer.

I get it, I do.

Here’s a VERY short form summary of what to do next in the rather frightening and intimidating world of publishing:

But in the cover letter you’re trying to sell your book. In a paragraph, or two, hit the highlights. Another paragraph is about you and your qualifications. The synopsis is about two pages.

Why did they not read it? Because that agent isn’t taking any more authors.

I sent my cover letter, pages, etc. out to a New York editor and three or four agents.

(Don’t send your manuscript to editors. It is usually a waste of time. That was my mistake a zillion years ago. I just didn’t know better.)

See? No problem.

If she likes your book, she will then ask to “represent you.” If you would like to be represented by her, if you want to work with her, you will sign a contract.

If the publishing house wants to buy your book, they will contact your agent. If multiple publishing houses want your book this is very excellent news and there will be an auction.

What then? You will work with your editor at the publishing house. She will probably have suggestions/deletions/edits for you. You will work through your book yet again.

Hello, wine! Hello, coffee!

You will wait months and then one day you will walk into a book store or you will look online and TA DA your book is there.

This is a glorious day. Celebrate.

Now about writing for small presses…

Or Amazon…

Or self publishing….

Marketing…

The money you should or should not accept….

Ha. No. Not today. That is a huuuggge article.

Keep writing, friends.

The post Agents And Editors And Other Confusing Things appeared first on Ms. Career Girl.

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vitalmindandbody · 8 years ago

Text

Mamadou Sakho: ‘Whatever they say or do, they cannot replace what they took away from me’

In an exclusive interview, the Liverpool defender who is on loan at Crystal Palace, talks for the first time about his devastation at missing out on Euro 2016, what he did during his ban and his future

For Mamadou Sakho, there is no satisfaction to be had in vindication. He has known for over a year he had done nothing wrong, and that the fat burner containing higenamine, for which he tested positive after helping Liverpool to Europa League progress beyond Manchester United, was not included on the World Anti-Doping Agencys prohibited list. Uefa had admitted as much last July before, in the first section of a 104-page dossier released this week by its control, ethics and disciplinary body, the blame game over the players ban degenerated into petty finger-pointing between the governing body and Wada.

The real victim, the man who had been denied involvement in a cup final and a place in the host nations squad at Euro 2016, can only watch as the bickering shames the authorities. I worked so hard to prepare myself for the European Championship, to help my country, to wear the France shirt in a tournament on home soil, says Sakho. Now Ill never do that. Whatever they say or do, they cannot replace what they took away from me. My lawyer can see what happens next but, for me, I focus on other things. I have learned in life you should never look back over your shoulder, wondering what might have been. That is the past. Always look forward, at the next challenge. Its life. Good and bad things happen, but my mentality is always to try and find a positive. It is the only way to be and, today, I am really happy.

The last 13 months have tested that admirable mindset but, while his circumstances have shifted dramatically, Sakho is not one for changing. He is sitting in a backroom at The Hoxton, a hotel in east Londons trendy Shoreditch, a Crystal Palace loanee whose impact at Selhurst Park has helped wrest five wins from seven matches to ease Sam Allardyces team away from the condemned. A player more used to competing at the top end of a division has been a colossus a leader and organiser, a warrior and inspiration delivering everything Palace hoped he might. He has already achieved cult status among his adopted supporters, just as he had back at his parent club. On Sunday at Anfield, where he will be ineligible, he will watch on from the stands with both teams potentially, if privately, wishing they had him to plug the Sakho-shaped holes in their respective defences.

He admits to finding that scenario awkward, as if uncertain where his loyalties should lie, but it is just the latest twist to an unconventional year. Some of his setbacks have been self-inflicted perceived tardiness on Liverpools pre-season tour of the United States, for which he apologised and was fined, helped fracture his relationship with Jrgen Klopp but it was that routine drug test and the assessment of his urine sample undertaken at a Wada-accredited laboratory in Cologne which had nudged his career on its unexpected course. Sakho has never denied taking the product which contained higenamine and, after liaising with Liverpool, voluntarily made himself unavailable once Wada flagged up the positive test. Uefa would ban him for 30 days pending its own investigations, inquiries which ultimately saw it query whether higenamine should even be considered a prohibited beta2-agonist.

The centre-halfs last appearance for Liverpool had been as a goalscorer in a 4-0 victory over Everton. Less than a week earlier he had scored his sides equaliser in that staggering Europa League quarter-final comeback over Borussia Dortmund. Sitting out what followed fuelled frustration and anger, born of a feeling of helplessness.

But for me, the hardest moment was when I saw my Mum, my sister, my brother, my wife in tears they didnt understand the situation, says Sakho. That was difficult, seeing them upset. They were devastated, but I was there trying to explain to them I had done nothing wrong, and that everything would be alright. It would all be fixed. I was actually quite calm, quite peaceful, and just trying to reassure them. It was a time for me to be strong, and those who are close to me had faith. We knew that, eventually, I would be proved right.

Crystal Palace won their first four games with Mamadou Sakho in the team, including the victory at Stamford Bridge over Chelsea. Photograph: PPAUK/REX/Shutterstock

He would be, but not before he had sat out the Europa League final, where Sevilla eventually overran Liverpool, and been overlooked for Frances squad for the summers championships. Missing out on a home tournament, whose showpiece would be staged just across the Parisian pripherique from where he grew up in Goutte dOr, was cruel. Uefas disciplinary body would absolve him of any fault just 48 hours before the final. I knew the ban meant I could not be picked, so I spoke with the manager Didier Deschamps and promised I would come to Frances first game, and to their last game too, and that I hoped that would be the final. It was. I visited the team hotel in Paris the day before the final to show my support. My ambition is still to play for my country at the World Cup in 2018, and regain my place.

During that whole period I spent time with my family, and with my charity [AMSAK] in Senegal and Ivory Coast. I know I have been lucky in my life and can give something back. We visited an orphanage, a school for deaf and dumb children, and a juvenile jail, speaking to the kids there, giving them advice because everyone makes mistakes. The most important thing is to learn, to share knowledge. Doing that does feel like a release, a chance to put out a positive message and show that everyone can do something to help in his own way. I am lucky I can use my status in a positive way and give something back. You have to help people find a better level, always. The world can be better as a result.

Life at Liverpool was always a game of catch-up after the suspension, with the issues over the summer confirming the team had moved on. An August switch never materialised and he went into the final hours of the January transfer window uncertain where his future lay. Palace, 19th and defensively fragile, won at Bournemouth on the night of the deadline with Allardyce unsure whether he would end the game having secured Sakho or the Everton striker Arouna Kon as his second top-flight loanee. There were frantic post-match telephone calls conducted by the chairman, Steve Parish, and the manager in a corridor at the Vitality stadium as the clock ticked down, with Sakho waiting in the clubs office up in Soho. It was only after midnight that the Premier League ratified the defenders arrival on a five-month deal.

Id only heard good things about the manager, and his being here helped make my decision easier, says Sakho. I spoke with [the Rubin Kazan midfielder] Yann MVila, who had worked with him at Sunderland last season, and he spoke so highly of the coach. He knows what he is doing, a top manager. Then there were people like Yohan Cabaye and Christian Benteke who told me this was a good team, a good club, and reassured me the move would work for everyone. Then there was the chairman. When he spoke to me on the telephone, he sold me his club. The passion with which he spoke about Palace it really touched me. He transmitted that emotion to me in the telephone call. Hes a man of his word. He made me want to fight for his club.

Look, it was still a big challenge, and a very different kind of challenge. But Im so glad I did it. I get a kick out of being out on the pitch, playing football again. I am playing in front of big crowds, fans who appreciate my style of play. Ten months is a long time, but theres no secret to hitting the ground running. No magic formula. I never stopped training and working really hard at Liverpool, over the summer and Im proud of the effort I put in. It is paying off. It comes from my parents. They came to France 30 years ago from Senegal and it was so hard for them. They had to fight for everything, and they transferred this mentality to me. It is in my football, and it comes from the upbringing my parents gave me.

Mamadou Sakho visited the France team during Euro 2016 to give them support and hope to represent his country at next years World Cup. Photograph: Dave Winter/Icon Sport via Getty Images

His seven matches to date have yielded 16 points, four clean sheets, a win at Chelsea, a first home success over Arsenal since 1979 and, most surreal of all, a celebratory jig of appreciation on the pitch from Sasa Curcic. Allardyce and Palace would be eager to retain his services if they retain their Premier League status, even with his asking price spiralling closer to 30m with each eye-catching display. But you know, to talk about my future now is almost… goste. Yes, selfish. It is not the time. My only goal is the mission I have accepted at Crystal Palace, and Im trying to help them succeed in what they need to do. Im part of a team, and its the team that matters. Not my future. Not my contract. Not what happens next.

Its all about seeing Palace safe, and were not there yet. If I wear the Liverpool shirt again I will gladly. I have three more years of contract there. But if I have to stay at Palace, I would do that gladly too. Im happy, I feel good here. Im also someone who is ambitious, so I will let my agent deal with that in the summer and well see where we are. If my future proves to be somewhere else well, so be it. Ill leave everything on my mothers prayers.

Sunday will be strange. I will be there with the Palace squad but, for this game, Im in an awkward position. I have a foot in each camp. I still belong to Liverpool, a great team with a great manager, a club I really appreciate. I had this great relationship with the Liverpool fans and the players. But I now have that same relationship with Palace and their fans. The team as well. Everything has gone so well in the last few months maybe this should be a case of may the best team win.

Liverpool will always mean something to Sakho, as was demonstrated by his recent post on Instagram on the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. But, today, I am with Crystal Palace, he adds, and we need those three points.

Read more: www.theguardian.com

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s-kinnyheaven · 8 years ago

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Agents And Editors And Other Confusing Things

Your book is done.

Finally.

You can breathe again.

You’ve written around work and kids and crazy in-laws.

You’ve slugged down both coffee and wine. Too much of both.

You’re wiped out. You need to go and spend a year at a spa but, alas, you cannot.

Now the second part of your wild writing journey begins.

You want to sell that sucker. You NEED to sell that sucker. You want to be a writer.

I get it, I do.

Here’s a VERY short form summary of what to do next in the rather frightening and intimidating world of publishing:

But in the cover letter you’re trying to sell your book. In a paragraph, or two, hit the highlights. Another paragraph is about you and your qualifications. The synopsis is about two pages.

Why did they not read it? Because that agent isn’t taking any more authors.

I sent my cover letter, pages, etc. out to a New York editor and three or four agents.

(Don’t send your manuscript to editors. It is usually a waste of time. That was my mistake a zillion years ago. I just didn’t know better.)

See? No problem.

If she likes your book, she will then ask to “represent you.” If you would like to be represented by her, if you want to work with her, you will sign a contract.

If the publishing house wants to buy your book, they will contact your agent. If multiple publishing houses want your book this is very excellent news and there will be an auction.

What then? You will work with your editor at the publishing house. She will probably have suggestions/deletions/edits for you. You will work through your book yet again.

Hello, wine! Hello, coffee!

You will wait months and then one day you will walk into a book store or you will look online and TA DA your book is there.

This is a glorious day. Celebrate.

Now about writing for small presses…

Or Amazon…

Or self publishing….

Marketing…

The money you should or should not accept….

Ha. No. Not today. That is a huuuggge article.

Keep writing, friends.

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shmow-zows · 8 years ago

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Agents And Editors And Other Confusing Things

Your book is done.

Finally.

You can breathe again.

You’ve written around work and kids and crazy in-laws.

You’ve slugged down both coffee and wine. Too much of both.

You’re wiped out. You need to go and spend a year at a spa but, alas, you cannot.

Now the second part of your wild writing journey begins.

You want to sell that sucker. You NEED to sell that sucker. You want to be a writer.

I get it, I do.

Here’s a VERY short form summary of what to do next in the rather frightening and intimidating world of publishing:

But in the cover letter you’re trying to sell your book. In a paragraph, or two, hit the highlights. Another paragraph is about you and your qualifications. The synopsis is about two pages.

Why did they not read it? Because that agent isn’t taking any more authors.

I sent my cover letter, pages, etc. out to a New York editor and three or four agents.

(Don’t send your manuscript to editors. It is usually a waste of time. That was my mistake a zillion years ago. I just didn’t know better.)

See? No problem.

If she likes your book, she will then ask to “represent you.” If you would like to be represented by her, if you want to work with her, you will sign a contract.

If the publishing house wants to buy your book, they will contact your agent. If multiple publishing houses want your book this is very excellent news and there will be an auction.

What then? You will work with your editor at the publishing house. She will probably have suggestions/deletions/edits for you. You will work through your book yet again.

Hello, wine! Hello, coffee!

You will wait months and then one day you will walk into a book store or you will look online and TA DA your book is there.

This is a glorious day. Celebrate.

Now about writing for small presses…

Or Amazon…

Or self publishing….

Marketing…

The money you should or should not accept….

Ha. No. Not today. That is a huuuggge article.

Keep writing, friends.

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willafigg · 8 years ago

Text

Agents And Editors And Other Confusing Things

Your book is done.

Finally.

You can breathe again.

You’ve written around work and kids and crazy in-laws.

You’ve slugged down both coffee and wine. Too much of both.

You’re wiped out. You need to go and spend a year at a spa but, alas, you cannot.

Now the second part of your wild writing journey begins.

You want to sell that sucker. You NEED to sell that sucker. You want to be a writer.

I get it, I do.

Here’s a VERY short form summary of what to do next in the rather frightening and intimidating world of publishing:

But in the cover letter you’re trying to sell your book. In a paragraph, or two, hit the highlights. Another paragraph is about you and your qualifications. The synopsis is about two pages.

Why did they not read it? Because that agent isn’t taking any more authors.

I sent my cover letter, pages, etc. out to a New York editor and three or four agents.

(Don’t send your manuscript to editors. It is usually a waste of time. That was my mistake a zillion years ago. I just didn’t know better.)

See? No problem.

If she likes your book, she will then ask to “represent you.” If you would like to be represented by her, if you want to work with her, you will sign a contract.

If the publishing house wants to buy your book, they will contact your agent. If multiple publishing houses want your book this is very excellent news and there will be an auction.

What then? You will work with your editor at the publishing house. She will probably have suggestions/deletions/edits for you. You will work through your book yet again.

Hello, wine! Hello, coffee!

You will wait months and then one day you will walk into a book store or you will look online and TA DA your book is there.

This is a glorious day. Celebrate.

Now about writing for small presses…

Or Amazon…

Or self publishing….

Marketing…

The money you should or should not accept….

Ha. No. Not today. That is a huuuggge article.

Keep writing, friends.

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shotbydalonewolf · 8 years ago

Text

Agents And Editors And Other Confusing Things

Your book is done.

Finally.

You can breathe again.

You’ve written around work and kids and crazy in-laws.

You’ve slugged down both coffee and wine. Too much of both.

You’re wiped out. You need to go and spend a year at a spa but, alas, you cannot.

Now the second part of your wild writing journey begins.

You want to sell that sucker. You NEED to sell that sucker. You want to be a writer.

I get it, I do.

Here’s a VERY short form summary of what to do next in the rather frightening and intimidating world of publishing:

But in the cover letter you’re trying to sell your book. In a paragraph, or two, hit the highlights. Another paragraph is about you and your qualifications. The synopsis is about two pages.

Why did they not read it? Because that agent isn’t taking any more authors.

I sent my cover letter, pages, etc. out to a New York editor and three or four agents.

(Don’t send your manuscript to editors. It is usually a waste of time. That was my mistake a zillion years ago. I just didn’t know better.)

See? No problem.

If she likes your book, she will then ask to “represent you.” If you would like to be represented by her, if you want to work with her, you will sign a contract.

If the publishing house wants to buy your book, they will contact your agent. If multiple publishing houses want your book this is very excellent news and there will be an auction.

What then? You will work with your editor at the publishing house. She will probably have suggestions/deletions/edits for you. You will work through your book yet again.

Hello, wine! Hello, coffee!

You will wait months and then one day you will walk into a book store or you will look online and TA DA your book is there.

This is a glorious day. Celebrate.

Now about writing for small presses…

Or Amazon…

Or self publishing….

Marketing…

The money you should or should not accept….

Ha. No. Not today. That is a huuuggge article.

Keep writing, friends.

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char27martin · 8 years ago

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7 Things I’ve Learned So Far, by Tom Leveen

“7 Things I’ve Learned So Far” (this installment written by Tom Leveen, author of Hellworld) is a recurring column where writers at any stage of their career can talk about writing advice and instruction, as well as how they possibly got their literary agent—by sharing seven things they’ve learned along their writing journey that they wish they knew at the beginning.

This guest post is by Tom Leveen. Leveen is the author of eight novels with imprints of Random House and Simon & Schuster, including HELLWORLD, which launches March 21, 2017.

Find him online at tomleveen.com and on Facebook at /AuthorTomLeveen.

Howdy, writers! Last time we talked, I was a dewy-eyed debut author with a Random House imprint, high on a healthy advance for my first novel, and sure that world domination was right around the corner. Since then, I’ve been flown to Germany on a ten-day tour in support of one of my novels becoming a German translation. I’ve written for a very successful comic book franchise. My eighth traditionally published novel comes out March 21, with my ninth out in January 2018.

Wow! Sounds like things went great, Tom!

While I definitely count my blessings, the dew has gone from my eyes and the callouses from working in this industry are getting bigger by the week. That’s okay, it happens to everyone.

It will happen to you, too.

So here are seven (more) things I’ve learned about being a professional author I wish someone would have told me ahead of time.

1. You might lose at least one agent during your career.

I have lost three.

Most agents are “lost” simply because they leave their jobs. There is not much you can do in this scenario except wish her well and figure out if you’re going to stay with the agency (sometimes possible, but not always) or go in search of another agent.

Approach a new search just like the one you did previously: Assemble a list of prospective agents and start the submission process. If you’ve already sold a novel, you may have author friends willing to make introductions to their own agents, but do not expect this and do not take offense if they don’t. Any introductions authors make on your behalf to their agents are just that and nothing more: introductions. Agents won’t take a new client based solely on the input of one of his authors, and rightly so.

If you’ve sold novels already, mention them in your new queries. If you haven’t sold yet, focus on the novel for which you’re seeking representation, with no mention of your previous agent. When your new agent calls to chat about representation, then you can bring up your situation. And, being the professional you are, say nothing negative about your former agent. Be a pro and stick to unemotional facts when the subject of previous agents comes up. A new agent considering representing you will ask what happened, so be ready to give an honest but kind answer.

[How to Overcome Rejection by 200 Literary Agents (& Still Land a Book Deal)]

2. You will lose at least one editor.

I have lost four.

Editors get “lost” for the same reason as agents: They frequently switch jobs or are laid off as a part of industry changes.

Losing an editor means you’re losing a cheerleader for your work at the publishing house. Also, an editor who has already bought your manuscript in the past is more likely to continue buying; without them, you’re back at the starting line when the time comes to pitch again.

But losing an editor can be a good thing. If you wanted to branch out into a new genre, now is a great time to try. Or maybe an editor with more clout than the last one finds you and skyrockets you to fame and fortune.

The good news is that losing an editor should have no impact on your ability to sell future novels. Everybody knows editors come and go, so it won’t raise any eyebrows when you are pitching to a new editor.

3. Your book gets lost in the shuffle.

If the editor who acquired your novel leaves the company, a book that has been purchased but not yet published can get lost in the shuffle. With nobody around to shepherd your book, it can sit on a hard drive, abandoned. Your frantic emails to people in the company may go unreturned. Someone may email you officially rejecting the manuscript, unless you’ve already been paid the first part of your advance. In that case, chances are good the book will get produced as promised, though sometimes later than originally hoped for.

But sometimes, books just get lost, period. Publishing houses—large and small—are busy places filled with busy people, and I’ve heard of authors spending months trying to find out what is happening to a manuscript that got lost when an editor left. Sometimes another editor is assigned, sometimes not. Sometimes it falls to someone who is not even an editor to guide the book through to publication.

The good news is the book will almost certainly go to press if you were already paid your advance. The bad news is:

4. Your publisher doesn’t love you as much as you think.

Tape this above your computer: Publishers are in business to make money. That’s not a bad or good thing; it’s just a fact.

Please note that editors, the champions for your book, get into the job because they really do love finding and working with new authors. They are underpaid and overworked and no one would do the job if they didn’t truly, deeply love it.

That being said, publishing companies are, in fact, companies. They are there to turn a profit, not make your particular dreams come true. The chances that your book—of the many they are putting out that season—is going to get the extra love of table space at Barnes & Noble is remote, particularly if you’re just establishing yourself. Those extra spaces cost money, and that money is being spent on books they are relatively sure will sell well.

This is first and foremost a business, and as such, publishers can’t invest the same amount of time and money into every single novel out there.

[The 7 Rules of Dialogue All Writers Should Know]

5. Your readers love you, but not as much as you might think.

We love our readers! And some of them love us back! There will always be at least a handful who will loudly sing your praises, take time out of their own lives to promote you to friends, and generally become the reason you’re able to keep writing.

If only they’d leave a review on Amazon.

You know you “need” a social media presence. That’s mostly true, but use only those mediums that you’re comfortable with. And remember: “likes” and “retweets” and “shares” are not book sales. You know what actually sells books?

Word of mouth, and lots and lots of reviews on Amazon.

Sites like Goodreads are not booksellers, and reviews posted on such sites do not necessarily translate to actual sales. Reviews on Amazon, however, can land your book in automated marketing emails and recommendations lists generated by Amazon algorithms that can keep sales of your book humming along.

Encourage your fans and followers to post reviews on Amazon. There’s just no substitute. Be gracious to your fans when you meet them, and be sure to interact on whatever social media you’re using. But also ask for those Amazon reviews, because for whatever reason, it’s like pulling teeth to get readers to post.

Which brings us to:

6. You should have majored in marketing.

Or maybe you did, yet you still can’t get your book out there into readers’ hands.

There are a million articles, books, and videos on book marketing, and you should certainly study up on some of them (but be wary of “Can’t Miss Marketing Classes!”). There’s far too much to summarize here, but I do highly recommend these two starting points:

First, do not go into debt trying to market your book. It’s not worth it.

Second, I beg of you, do anything, anything other than a reading when you go to your bookstore events. I’m a trained theatre actor with more than twenty years of experience and even I don’t do “readings” anymore. They are enormously difficult to do well. Instead, talk about a topic associated with your book that you are passionate about. Or offer a class on something you are knowledgeable about and find a way to tie it to your book. Virtually anything is more engaging than an untrained author giving an untrained reading. Juggle kittens if you must, just don’t give a dry recitation of your favorite chapter.

[How to Easily Improve Your Author Platform in 30 Days]

7. You just started a small business. (Or large one!)

I got a nice advance for my debut novel, which scared me enough to talk to a tax professional before the first check arrived. Had I not done that, I’m sure I would have lost most of it to poor planning decisions.

Unless you are a tax professional, go talk to one before your first advance check arrives, no matter how much or little it might be worth. I’ve heard heart-wrenching stories of debut authors having no idea advance money was taxable income, only to experience quite a shock when the IRS came calling.

Ask about forming an LLC or company. While I cannot and will not advise you on that, I will say to get thee thither to someone who knows at least a little bit about publishing to advise you on how best to protect your book income as well as your overall financial interests.

In conclusion: Yes, publishing is a tough gig, but I promise—if you love your craft, if you love writing—it’s still worth it. Hang in there.

The biggest literary agent database anywhere is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the most recent updated edition online at a discount.

If you’re an agent looking to update your information or an author interested in contributing to the GLA blog or the next edition of the book, contact Writer’s Digest Books Managing Editor Cris Freese at [email protected].

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infinitehouseofbooks · 8 years ago

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5 YEARS OF INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS COUNTDOWN – JULY TO DECEMBER 2013 RECAP

INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS turns 5 years old in April of 2017. Due to a massive failure with the blog’s previous hosting provider, all blogs prior to February 2015 were lost. However, the administrator has the original assets on file and a calendar of featured content. As a lead-up to the anniversary, features will be released on the fifth of each month that chronicle a period in the blog’s past and some of the highlights still worth noting today. This post is the fourth in the series. Enjoy!

INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS (focused on interviews and guest posts) and sister site DISCOVER WORDS (now closed; focused on excerpts) both continued to grow steadily over this period.

Here are samples of some of the books showcased between July and December of 2013 at INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS.

July: THE FAMILY THAT STAYS TOGETHER by Deborah Plummer Bussey

This is still available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle.

Below is a reprint of the original interview with the author.

What initially got you interested in writing?

One of my fondest childhood memories was going to the county library that was located at the end of my street. In those days, absent video games, Xboxes, and iPads and when television only had three channels, I spent a lot of time at the library checking out book after book. My parents encouraged my reading and challenged me to read more than the ten books for the library’s summer reading club. That was always such an easy contest.

My sisters and I spent lots of time outdoors making up stories about each other, entertaining ourselves and showcasing the tales to a neighborhood audience. While a Girl Scout, my Scout Leader, Mrs. Ford surprised me with a blank journal as gift. “I noticed you liked to write,” she said when she handed it to me. I wondered how she knew that and at the same time wondered if it was true. Did I really like to write? I knew I liked to read, but was I a writer? I ended up majoring in English along with psychology and learned that I really did like to write and was encouraged to write professionally.

How did you decide to make the move into becoming a published author?

Because I was in academia it was publish or perish if I wanted to succeed. I was first published as a psychology researcher. I then decided to write a non-fiction book on friendship patterns for a wider audience than the professional academic community. After that process, I wanted to keep writing because I loved the process but wanted to have more fun doing it. A friend, an attorney who writes fiction in her spare time, encouraged me to write fiction.

What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?

I hope that is sparks the kitchen table kind of conversations about contemporary diversity issues—the tension between sexual orientation and religion, cross racial friendships and interracial marriages, stereotypes about age-appropriate behavior, the susceptibility of materialism as a way to achieve happiness. I also hope that they really like the characters and want to have Kathy and Tina as friends.

What do you find most rewarding about writing?

I write fiction because it is cathartic to make something up and not have to have citations for every thought that you put on paper as you do in academic writing.

What do you find most challenging about writing?

It takes a long, long time to write even a really good paragraph. The editing process is also grueling.

What advice do you give people wanting to enter the field?

The more you write the better writer you become. Also have a lot of diverse friends and experiences that will broaden your way of knowing and being and enhance your writing.

Is there anything else besides writing that people would find interesting about you?

In my next life, I am coming back as a Beyonce. If not as Beyonce then I will come back as a celebrity chef. However, a good friend of mine called dibs on Beyonce awhile back, so I have to have a second option. Since I love to cook it would be good to be a celebrity chef.

What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?

Please visit my website www.dlplummer.com or like my Facebook page www.facebook.com/DeborahPlummerBussey and follow me on twitter@ SisterNun

Thank you!

August: INHERITANCE RISING by Honey A. Hutson

This is still available on Amazon.

Here is a reprint of the interview with the author.

What initially got you interested in writing?

I’ve actually been creating and writing stories since I was old enough to start talking to myself! It was just something that has been deeply embedded in who and what I was to become.

How did you decide to make the move into becoming a published author?

I think I always knew I’d publish my work someday. I spent the first part of my life honing my skill and it was just a natural progression to spend the other part sharing that hard work with others who would enjoy it. I get no greater joy than to have others enjoy reading the stories I’ve created. All the money in the world cannot replace that feeling, which makes it all worth it no matter where I eventually end up in that career.

What do you want readers to take away from reading your works? I want them to take a sense of breaking stereotypes, of self-responsibility and building strong characters within ones self. Everyone has an important role to play in their own lives and others and no one should be afraid of embracing that role actively. My characters are active participants in their lives and those around them. I particularly emphasize strong female characters, no damsels in distress here!

What do you find most rewarding about writing?

Being able to create strong characters with a purpose all their own and bringing those characters to readers who love them. To have someone I don’t know walk up to me out of the blue and tell me how much they enjoyed a book or story I wrote is everything I ever wanted from my work and I’ve achieved that goal over and over again. It’s all about the readers and it is very rewarding to see your work enjoyed so much.

What do you find most challenging about writing?

Marketing and getting people to review the book is the most difficult thing. The work doesn’t end when you write “The End” or when it goes off to the publisher for publication. It has just begun.

What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?

I would say know what you’re getting into. Do your homework, understand that writing itself is hard work and knowing when to “kill your darlings” and being able to take criticism is critical. It is a lot of work and if you break it into actually pay by the hour you really are a starving artist for a long time before, and if, you ever make it. This is one of those things you do because you love it, the rest comes if it comes and if it doesn’t all you have is your love for the writing!

Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?

I love photography, the outdoors and traveling to new and spooky places! I live for autumn and Halloween, which naturally shows up quite a bit in my writing.

What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?

I have an author page on Facebook where I share give-a-ways of my books both hard copy and EBook and news of releases, interviews and snippets about my work and myself. This fall I have a new release coming and the third book in my series will be out around the end of the year and I might have a surprise coming for my readers in October!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Honey-Hutson-Author-Page/253292154720706

Twitter: @hhutson

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Honey%20Hutson

Goodreads.com: http://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=honey+hutson

Web Page: http://www.honeyhutson.com/inheritance-rising.html

September: SKY’S END by Lesley Young

This book is still available in paperback via Amazon and Kindle.

What follows is a reprint of the author’s original interview.

What initially got you interested in writing?

I’m a journalist so I actually write for a living, but nonfiction. I always thought if I wrote a book it would be something informational and deadly serious. But then I branched out as a reader a few years ago, and fell in love with genre, specifically, romance, sci-fi and urban fantasy. It was an awakening. At some point, I thought, ‘I could write this.’ I don’t know what actually triggered the doing part.

How did you decide o make the move into becoming a published author?

It was never so deliberate. Sky’s End was my very first crack at any kind of fiction writing ever. And it was very much an experiment. I would write a chapter, and read it to my husband, who bless him, appeared astounded and amazed, encouraging me to keep at it.

The next big hurdle came long after it was finished and I couldn’t land an agent. I took a pause from all the rejections. And one day it occurred to me that if I didn’t keep trying to sell my book, the story would never actually be shared. And that’s all that really mattered to me. So I started pitching all over again and I found someone who loved it — Deborah Gilbert, founder of Soul Mate Publishing and my editor.

What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?

Two things. I want them to experience powerful emotions. Whether they’re on the edge of their seat. Or angry, even, at my heroine Cassiel Winters. Second, I want them to feel a connection to Cassiel, like they went on an incredible trip together, one they won’t soon forget.

What do you find most rewarding about writing?

How I experience my characters’ journeys. There’s nothing quite like it.

What do you find most challenging about writing?

Finding enough time. Since I am just getting started, I still work full-time, as a journalist. I am headed straight for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (but it’s worth it!).

What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?

If what you write makes you laugh out loud, or burst into tears, if it inspires you, or gives you goose bumps, then don’t give up. Writing fiction should be an extraordinarily emotional experience — not necessarily always happy either. Bottom line: If it’s shattering your world, it will shatter someone else’s.

Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?

Ha! What a hard question to answer. I’m melodramatic, a recovering control freak, clumsy, addicted to dill pickle potato chips, formula bodice-rippers and test level rugby, and sometimes funny. Uh, so no, not really.

What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?

I’m posting blogs with extra stuff from the book about Or’ic for example at lesleyyoungbooks.com/blog and on facebook.com/cassielwintersseries. I also tweet fun stuff @lesleyyoungbks.

October: STAINED by Cheryl Rainfield

The book is still available in hardback and paperback on Amazon, Kindle, audio CD on Amazon, and also on Audible.

The author’s original interview follows.

What initially got you interested in writing?

I love books. I used to read almost constantly—even while walking to school or getting dressed in the morning. It helped me escape the abuse I was living, and gave me hope, comfort, and validation. So I had a deep love of books. And writing, for me, came more naturally than speaking—it was my safe way of communicating. My abusers told me they’d kill me if I talked—but they didn’t mention writing. (smiling) In my head, writing wasn’t talking. I loved writing—it felt safe to me—and I was also good at it; I got a lot of praise from my teachers. And I had a deep need to break silence about the abuse and torture, to try to make a healing difference. So my love of fiction and writing, and my need to have a voice and be heard, drove me to write and later to try to get published.

How did you decide to make the move into becoming a published author?

I’ve always had a strong desire to be heard (after being silenced for so long by my abusers) and to try to make a positive, healing difference in the world. Books are my way to do that. But I didn’t get serious about getting published, about studying writing technique and getting feedback from other authors and persistently resubmitting my work rejection after rejection, until I took a course on children’s writing that turned into a writing critique group. I stuck with that group for almost ten years, and kept honing my craft and submitting and resubmitting my work, until finally an editor picked my book out of the slush pile. That book was SCARS. And with that, I got my dream. STAINED is my third book published through a US publisher (I’ve also had two books published through a small Canadian press, and one self-published book) and it’s a delight to me every time. I’m so excited about STAINED coming out!

What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?

I want readers to know that no matter how deep their pain or what trauma they’ve suffered, they are not alone, there are other people who’ve been there and understand, and they are strong—usually stronger than they know. I want them to know that healing is possible, that things can and do get better, and that they can save themselves if they need to. Sometimes we have to be the ones to save ourselves—just as Sarah did in STAINED, and just as I had to over and over again until I was truly safe.

What do you find most rewarding about writing?

I love the feeling of writing flowing onto a page, of emotional truths being mixed into fiction and becoming more powerful, of having a voice now instead of being silenced—and of making a positive difference in the world through my books. It’s incredibly rewarding to get reader letters telling me how much they loved my books or identified with my characters or how SCARS helped them not kill themselves, stop cutting, get help or talk to someone for the very first time about their pain, feel less alone, or understand someone they know—even their child—who’s cutting or queer or a sexual abuse survivor. It’s such a wonderful thing to get those letters.

What do you find most challenging about writing?

I love writing and editing—it gives me a voice and it feels so right for me—but sometimes, because I’m drawing on my own trauma to write, I find it painful or find myself reliving some of my trauma. But what’s harder for me are the challenges in the business of writing. Sometimes I can find it painful to read a negative review—though I have to step back and remind myself that my book is not me, even if so much of myself is in my book. It’s so much easier for me to take in negative than positive (I was taught that through abuse), and even though I have so many glowing reviews, the bits of negative ones stick with me.

I also find it very painful when people try to challenge my books and remove them from libraries; I remember how much pain I was in and how horribly alone I felt as a child and teen, always looking for something in books that would tell me I wasn’t the only one and I wasn’t crazy. Books helped me survive, and I know from reader letters that I receive that my books are helping others survive and thrive now. So keeping my books out of the hands of teens who need it hurts. And all those years of rejections I received before I got published—those were hard and wore at my soul. Not the first few years as much, but after 7, 8, 9 years it really got to me and I started to feel despair. Thankfully I got published after about 10 years of rejections! It’s also hard when things happen like if you lose an editor you love or your publisher closes—my first publisher WestSide Books closed before HUNTED even got into the stores, and so I also lost my editor. BUT something wonderful came out of that—I’m now with a much bigger publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and am working with another amazing editor, both of who have treated me and STAINED wonderfully.

What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?

If you want to get published, I think it helps to read as much as you can, especially in the genre you write. Learn writing technique and editing—through books, conferences, classes, critique groups, and listen to the feedback you receive, especially if more than one person says it; it will help you get published sooner. But always listen to and trust your gut; sift through the feedback and only use what works best for you.

Research before you submit your book to either publishers or agents (or both); make sure you’re submitting your book to the appropriate people. Get a copy of Writer’s Market or subscribe to their website to find publishers and agents accepting submissions and their contact info. And if your dream is to get published, then don’t give up. Keep submitting, revising, and resubmitting your work. It took me 10 years and hundreds of rejections before I got published.

You can see some of the writing technique books I really recommend here: http://astore.amazon.com/rainfield-writing-books-20

Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting

about you?

I put a lot of my life experiences—my trauma, healing, and passions—into my work. For instance, like Sarah in STAINED, I know what it’s like to be held captive, withheld food and water, repeatedly raped, and having my life threatened. Like Sarah, I’ve been bullied, have struggled with body image and low self esteem, and love comics and superheroes. And like Sarah, I am strong emotionally, and had to be the one to save myself.

I always write strong girl characters and emotionally strong boy characters; I think we need to see more of them in books, TV, movies, etc. And I always have queer characters in my work, whether they’re the main character or secondary characters. I’m queer, and I think it’s important that the LGBT community is reflected in books in positive ways. I also try to incorporate other forms of diversity in my books.

I love writing, creating art, reading books and comics, spending time with my friends, and playing with my little dog Petal, a sweet hairy-hairless Chinese Crested dog. If you’re curious about her, you can see some photos up on my blog: http://cherylrainfield.com/blog/index.php/2013/09/12/my-little-dog-petal-companion-comfort-and-joy-to-this-writer/ I also frequently tweet photos of Petal and put them up on Facebook. (smiling) She is part of my family, and I love her dearly.

What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?

You can connect with me on:

My website: http://www.CherylRainfield.com

My blog: http://www.CherylRainfield.com/blog

Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/CherylRainfield

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/cherylrainfield/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.rainfield

my FaceBook author fan page: https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.rainfield.fan.page

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/raindew001

November: FRAGILE BRILLIANCE by Tammy Blackwell

This book can still be found in paperback on Amazon or on Kindle.

Here is a reprint of the author’s original interview about the book.

+ What initially got you interested in writing?

I think I was born interested in writing. When I was really young I wanted to grow up to be Dolly Parton. I would work hard on writing my country-western songs, even though I didn’t know how to do important writing-type things, like spell. Or hold a pencil. But I still remember some of the oh-so-insightful lyrics today.

+ How did you decide to make the move into becoming a published author?

Several things led up to me writing and subsequently publishing my first novel, but the thing that most made me think, “I can do this” was meeting some actual published authors for the first time. I realized they were just people who worked really hard and made their dreams come true. I decided if they could do it, I could at least try.

+ What do you want readers to take away from reading your works?

Blame it on growing up in the 1980s where all of our cartoons included a “one to grow on” or “knowing is half the battle” message, but I intend for my novels to be very didactic. I go into each of them with a message (or several messages) I want the reader to walk away with. (I know. I’m one of those adults. It’s horrible.) The biggest thing I hope my readers take away is the knowledge that we’re all strong in our own ways, and that our strength comes from staying true to our own thoughts and beliefs.

+ What do you find most rewarding about writing? Connecting with readers. The hardest days are worth it when someone tells me that one of my books has helped them through a hard time or made them smile.

+ What do you find most challenging about writing?

The writing part. Seriously, putting one word after the other is next to impossible.

+ What advice would you give to people wanting to enter the field?

Don’t just want it. Do it. Get your butt in a chair and write. It’s the only way to become a writer.

+ Is there anything else besides writing you think people would find interesting about you?

When I’m not writing books, I’m a YA librarian, which is pretty much the coolest job on earth.

+ What are the best ways to connect with you, or find out more about your work?

Website: misstammywrites.com

Twitter: @Miss_Tammy

Tumblr: misstammywrites.tumblr.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissTammyJean

December: IN ALL PLACES by Misty Moncur

You can still get this book in paperback on Amazon and also on Kindle.

Join us again next month on the 5th to find out the highlights of January to June 2014 as the countdown continues to INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS and its 5th anniversary in April 2017!

5 YEARS OF INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS COUNTDOWN – JULY TO DECEMBER 2013 RECAP was originally published on the Wordpress version of SHANNON MUIR'S INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS.

#infinite house of books #shannon muir

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