Of Dark and Stormy Night

I believe it was the winter of 1995, that I attended Of Dark and Stormy Nights, mystery writers conference in Chicago. It was a great experience, but I was lost. These are the situations that bring out the introvert side of me.

I planned ahead of time, what events I would sit in on and I was given a critique with Eleanor Taylor Bland, a published Mystery writer. I was in heaven when she said, “Submit it.” And “Would you like the name of my agent.” As I’ve written before, I did submit it, but I did everything wrong.

Since then, I have learned how the process works and I have learned to edit more thoroughly, and, the most important thing I have learned is to follow your instincts.

The process includes submitting a properly formatted query letter, to the right agent/editor and with a really dynamic part about your protagonist’s character featured. Don’t “tell” them about the world or the mechanics or how long it took you to write it. Write it as if you are a published author, assume they know writing a book takes time, and feature your protagonist. I am not covering more here, because there are a ton of agents/editors out there who cover it in detail.

For querying see two of my favorites: Brooklyn Arden: Manifesto and Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent

As far as for editing, just as with writing, you will have to do through trial and error to find what works best for you. There are no hard and fast rules and you can go crazy trying to follow everyone’s advice. For plotting: I tried small index cards, large index cards, two different rolls of paper, and charts up the wazoo (just what is a wazoo anyway?). I tried a ton of methods before I found out what would work for me and, with the internet, it is so easy (but still time consuming) to read all that advice and decide for yourself.

Following your instincts is my final point on this sunny (in Indiana) day. Because, I knew my book was not ready to submit and I did it anyway, thus proving to one agent out there that I was an amateur. My novel was not completed yet and it needed some work on editing, as well as making my protagonist a stronger person.

I may not have found an agent at that conference, but it gave me the self-confidence to know that someday I would. And, the corner to turn is in sight.

When is your edit done?

I changed the header of my blog to include a sentence Anthony Bourdain used on No Reservations. I know I have heard it before, but it is like a professor/friend of mine said to me one day when I was extolling a painting I had passed dozens of times but the brilliance of it struck me that particular day.

“You were just ready to see it.” He said.

As I treat my writing, this time, in a professional manner, it is the journey of writing that is so important to me. The internet opens that journey for all of us and I am so ready to see it.

When I began my Mystery, oh so long ago, I purchased some books and, having read Mysteries for years, felt I had the skills to write a Mystery. I had some minor publishing credits and have written for years. I then received an excellent critique, at Of Dark and Stormy Nights in Chicago, from a published author. But, I always felt the plotting was faulty and I put my nearly complete, but not edited, Mystery aside.

In Wyoming I belonged to an eclectic writing critique group. There were rhyming poets, free verse poets, a romance writer who was currently specializing in gay romance, and myself. I received some wonderful critiquing and grew in my writing. I miss all these fine writers.

On my own again, in Indiana, I turn to the internet. You can find it all, except maybe for endings, you just have to be open to what you find AND you have to know when to quit searching the internet and finish the blasted thing. I'm ready for that now.

But, when are you done? One of my first painting instructors, during a discussion on how to tell if someone is a professional quality artist or not, said, “A hobbyist is someone who completes their work, steps back and thinks to themselves ‘look what I did.’ A professional completes their work, steps back and says, ‘I can do better.’

Sometimes you just have to let go. I tend to work paintings to death. Now, I may be working this book to death. I do not want to work the life out of it. I wonder if there is a search to be had for “knowing when you are done?” Because, I am ready for it.