Insider Secrets on Getting Published

By Laura Childs, New York Times bestselling author

If you’ve written a book, congratulations are definitely in order. I’m sure it’s been a long, difficult journey. But now, let’s see if we can get that puppy published, shall we? First off, you’re going to need an agent, which means you have to write a whiz-bang query letter telling that agent exactly why he or she should represent you. In other words, you’ve got to write a short, intriguing synopsis and then enthusiastically explain why your book truly is the next best thing. Here’s the important takeaway – agents and editors are always on the hunt for the next best thing. Usually that means a great story with memorable characters, because a character-driven story is what’s critical these days.

Just as important, editors are looking for breakout books – books that are different, don't re-tell the same old story, and stand out in their categories. Yup, that’s the tricky part. If you’re writing genre fiction you need to know what the current trends are and what kind of books are selling well. If you’ve already been lucky enough to score an agent, quiz them on what today’s acquisition editors are searching for. And if you’ve been asked to submit your manuscript to an agent, never mistake slow response time for interest. Don’t be afraid to keep the pressure on!

Okay, now let’s talk about what goes into a successful novel. Clearly, the internal architecture of your novel needs to be flawless. I’m talking about plot, pacing, turning points, character development, dialogue, and building suspense. If you’re a little shaky on these points, take a class, read a book, or ask an author. It’s going to pay off in the long run. Also, in today's on-demand publishing climate, no matter what kind of book you’ve written, it's hugely important to establish an opening story hook immediately. These days, editors don't want pages and pages of build-up; they want you to toss your reader directly into the action. As my agent once said to me, “You're writing mysteries, so you’d better deliver a dead body right there in chapter one!”

Good luck and please always believe in yourself. Don’t ever let a naysayer tell you that you’re too young, too old, not good enough, not smart enough, or don’t have enough experience. Banish those turkeys from your writing life, because if you work hard enough, if you believe in yourself, you will get your novel published!

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Laura Childs is the USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly, and New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. She also writes the Afton Tangler thriller series under the name Gerry Schmitt. In herprevious life she was CEO of her own marketing firm, authored several screenplays, and produced a reality TV show. She is married to Dr. Bob, a professor of Chinese art history, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs. Her most recent mystery, Egg Drop Dead, hits bookstores Dec. 5. Find out more at www.laurachilds.com

Writing Is Messy

By Kathleen M. Rodgers

Writing is a messy process. After nearly forty years of writing for publication, I’ve learned to trust what works for me. Every article I sold to Family Circle Magazine, Military Times, and many other publications, started out like this: first thoughts scribbled on whatever paper was at hand.

Sometimes I use legal pads or journals given to me by family members or friends. I joke that my first novel, The Final Salute, was cobbled together using sticky notes and index cards.

In 1998, I signed my fifth contract with Family Circle Magazine to write a 2500 word article about attention deficit disorder. Even before I pitched the article to my editor in a query letter, I’d accumulated hundreds of notes on every form of paper available. Once the ink dried on the contract, the pressure was on.

With notes fanned out in front of me on my living room floor, I attempted to puzzle together a story that I was getting paid a lot of money to write. For me, the only way to bring order to chaos is to wade through it. I did what I always do. I took a deep breath and plowed in. After several revisions, “Driven to Distraction” appeared in the October 1998 edition of Family Circle Magazine, where it was read by millions of readers around the country.

For my second novel, Johnnie Come Lately (Camel Press February 1, 2015), my first thoughts were captured in a spiral notebook for a novel writing class I took at Southern Methodist University. Once I got a few words down, I moved to my laptop.

Throughout the six years it took to write and revise this novel, many of my best lines were written in the margins of church bulletins, school programs, grocery store receipts, napkins from eateries, and the occasional paperback I happened to be reading at the moment my mind wandered from the path of reading to writing.

About eight months before I finished the manuscript, I dumped my work onto my kitchen table and attempted to organize the chapters. I’m old school in that I need to see the physical pages of the manuscript as I work. Holding each scene in my hand helped me see where I needed to revise an opening line or create a better transition from one scene to the next.

I’m in the middle of writing my third novel, and once again I am learning to trust the process. Now that my children are grown and I no longer have the need to go hide in my home office, I find myself back at the kitchen or dining room table, attempting to create characters that people will care about. Each night when I go to bed, I place the current scene I’m working on in between my alarm clock and my TBR pile. Having the physical pages close to me before I drift off to sleep is a reminder that my characters are depending on me the next day. Just like my young sons depended on me when they were young. They trusted that I would be there for them each morning when they woke up.

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Kathleen M. Rodgers is a former freelance writer for Family Circle Magazine, Military Times, and many other national and regional publications. Her first novel, The Final Salute (Deer Hawk Publications) has been featured in USA Today, The Associated Press, and soared to #1 on Amazon’s Top Rated War Fiction. Her second novel, Johnnie Come Lately (Camel Press), has been featured in Southern Writers Magazine, Stars & Stripes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and The Authors Corner on Public Radio.

Author’s website: http://www.kathleenmrodgers.com

Kathleen Featured in Southern Writers Magazine: http://www.kathleenmrodgers.com/page.html

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