The HEA Cafe

Archive for May, 2007

Lyn and everyone else – I’ve moved Lyn’s first lesson to a post of it’s own rather than leave it as a comment on the last post.

Keziah

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now to begin! I think my material is a little different than the usual workshops about catching the eye of an edtior (or agent). I don’t think I really understood this stuff until I had sold around 3 books. So some of you may already be doing these things, but not realize it.

I think it’s always good to figure out what you’re doing right so you can do it again on purpose not by accident. Anyway, some of you will not understand all of this, but save the notes and go over them every time you’re getting ready to submit. I’m just telling you what I do. And I’ve sold over 20 books in 10 years and was a RITA finalist last year. So it must be working!!!

Now I’m trying to write 2 chapters this week amidst getting ready for weekend company, so I’ll be popping in and out and I’ve suggested that participants who post the exercises, ask other participants to respond to each other. I want you all to have the opportunity to get A LOT OF INFO and FEEDBACK this week.
SO HERE WE GO!

Tips for Pleasing an Editor—Lyn Cote

1-Understand an editor’s life and priorities– Do you realize every editor at Harlequin is responsible for around 35 authors? They do not each have a secretary. All the editors in one line share one editorial assistant. Editors are responsible for:
• reading proposals from their authors
• reading submitted and contracted manuscripts from their authors
• going through all the stages that are involved the production of a finished novel: revisions, line edits, copy edits, and galley proofs (or AAs)
• Writing back cover blurb
• collecting art information for the cover and following the cover art production schedule
• attending meetings, conferences and keeping their desks neat
• and their very last priority, reading through their slush pile of unsolicited manuscripts.

As you can see, the life of an editor is packed with details and a multitude of deadlines for many authors. Now if you are going to send a person this busy something to read, what do you think she would be most likely to read first:
• an envelope with the query letter?
• a thin manila envelope?
• a very thick Priority Mail envelope that shouts long and unsolicited manuscript?

Well if it were me, an editor with a whole lot of things to do and very little extra time at my desk, I’d choose the envelope with the query letter. Wouldn’t you?

So if you want a quick answer as to whether the editor’s interested in your project, just send a query and the first page of your manuscript or just the premise of your proposal. That is all she really needs to see. My second choice would be the thin manila envelope, containing the query letter, the first page of my proposal, and the first scene of my manuscript. That’s all an editor really needs to see to decide if she wants to read your whole manuscript.

Now if you prefer to send the whole manuscript to the slush pile, that is permissible. But you will wait a lot longer, months longer, to receive an answer.

AND believe me, if you don’t catch an editor’s attention within the first three pages or the first scene, you will not hear good news from her. So sending more is really counterproductive.

You need to send the right stuff to the right person in the right way to meet with success. That is what I am going to be teaching you in this workshop.

2-Craft a proposal that has what the editor is looking for
Immediate interest-something’s happening! who, what, when, where, how, why

For teaching purposes, I am going to start with the first few pages of my historical DORRITT first in my “Texas Star of Destiny” series for Avon Inspire which I will turn in later this year. It will debut in October 2008.

Chapter One

“Belle Vista Plantation (WHERE)
New Orleans, August 1821 (WHEN)

“You wish to marry well? By that, Jewell, you mean marry a wealthy man?” Dorritt Mott sat in her stepfather’s lavish parlor, the heavy afternoon heat weighing her down. (WHO, WHERE, WHAT, HOW)

“There can be no other meaning, sister.” Fanning herself, her younger half-sister took another promenade around the parlor. (WHO, WHERE, WHAT, HOW)

Dorritt ignored her mother’s shocked disapproval. She sensed that today was the climax of months of planning by her stepfather.” (WHO, WHY)

I’ve included a five W’s in parentheses. And I’ve chosen to begin with dialogue, I hope provocative dialogue, character -revealing dialogue—something crucial is happening in that stifling parlor. WHERE, WHEN and WHO are easy to locate.

To me, HOW deals with the condition of the characters and the setting—i.e., the heat, their emotion and activity.

The WHY is what is the underlying tension, something’s about to change, something’s in question, something’s pending.

Check your first paragraph or two and make certain that they always include these 5 W’s. AND NOTHING MORE!

Beginning writers ALWAYS tell the reader TOO MUCH.

The rule is: Only give the reader, especially an editor, the 5 W’s and keep them guessing!

DEATH TO BACKSTORY IN CHAPTER ONE!

Exercise: If you want to post your first paragraph or two (NO MORE) marked with the Five W’s and invite comments from other participants, please feel free to do that today, but ONLY MONDAY.

I will skim and pick out at least ONE which is a good example. But post yours and ask for comments, you might get some very good feedback from the other authors here.

Tomorrow we launch into the first two ESSENTIALS: Voice and How to Find and Develop Yours.

Join us here between 21 and 25 May to hear Lyn’s words of wisdom on how to please an editor.

Lyn Cote’s first Love Inspired was published in 1998. Since then she has worked with on over 20 books with 18 editors at 5 houses. And can still walk and talk at the same time! And since she is contracted through 2010, she must have figured out how to please an editor or many editors!

Get your questions ready!

Hi,

My life seems to get more complicated with each day. So I forgot to let the world of HEA know that my latest Love Inspired Suspense DANGEROUS GAME was released on May 8th, last Tuesday.

I particularly love this book because I love the hero and heroine. They are an unlikely pair to fall in love. Grey Lawson has just gotten out of prison after seven years and Trish Franklin is the first female deputy sheriff in the hometown he returns to. It also doesn’t help that Grey killed Trish’s father’s twin brother and that someone is recreating over and over the tragic drunk-driving accident that sent Grey to prison.

 

Readers must like this intriguing unlikely romance since it sold out in 2 days on the eharlequin.com site. Don’t worry– they sold out but it’s still available at your local Walmart or online.

 Sorry to be so tardy!

Lyn