Sunday Decompress

Below is the replay of our Sunday afternoon discussion. 

And I’m pasting in the transcript of the chat below the video.

You can also check out the Showing Emotion replay or the Panel replay and the Writing Attraction replay.

13:05:25 From Tricia Wagner : Here is a website that offers a calendar of twitter pitch events – https://www.emmalombardauthor.com/post/twitter-pitch-party-calendar-for-2020 13:17:32 From Tricia Wagner : There’s one more pitch festival this year listed on the calendar: December 3 (8AM—8PM EST): #PitMad — Twitter pitch for all un-agented authors of every genre and age category13:17:50 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : That’s coming up pretty quick.13:17:52 From June Converse : Don’t they invest in great stories?13:18:19 From Dee Buckingham : We have two 70 year olds in a row as president. So someone has faith in us old geezers!13:20:04 From Tricia Wagner : www.reedsy.com offers many resources for authors, including marketing specialists and publicists, I believe.13:21:43 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : https://www.writersdigest.com/marketing-your-work13:23:07 From June Converse : I tried to use reedsy marketing and was told by 3 people that if I didn’t have a plan for 4 books in less than 2 years they had no interest in working with me13:24:05 From Tricia Wagner : A good question to ask yourself – why do you write? I sometimes feel that publishing challenges swamp the art of writing. 13:24:39 From June Converse : I had to ask myself what does “success” mean to me – that was very helpful in how to spend my time13:24:55 From Marty Preizler : How do you know if you’re even ready for an agent?13:25:15 From greek10 : prowritingaid.com13:25:28 From Dee Buckingham : Thanks, Niki.13:26:16 From Lisa Herron : That’s encouraging Tim13:27:00 From greek10 : It comes down to why you write? Money, love of writing, for your own satisfaction…13:27:52 From Marian : Thank you Tim for the pep talk!!!13:27:58 From Tricia Wagner : I look at pitching and publishing pursuits as a game. It’s a lot of work, but a pretty fun journey (if you can look at rejection playfully and avoid taking things too seriously). Anything can happen, but the true joy rests in the creative act.13:28:23 From Marian : Tricia, you should write a book about that! Nonfiction!13:28:37 From June Converse : you don’t query until the m/s is done, correct?13:28:56 From Tim Storm : Yes, June!13:30:14 From Tammy Letherer : I set a goal to query to 100 agents/publishers for my memoir and I didn’t get a deal until the 95th query. 13:30:46 From Marian : Tammy!!! Congratulations!13:31:28 From Tricia Wagner : Sure there could be.13:31:39 From Marian : Tammy, what did it feel like at #90?13:32:37 From Tricia Wagner : There does seem to be a fad of “mash ups” right now. 13:33:00 From Aline Soules : Good to know, Tammy.13:34:20 From Bart Mann : Hemingway wrote 47 drafts of a farewell to arms13:34:21 From Tammy Letherer : Marian, I was already looking twoard self-publishing, since that was my Plan B. But it felt really good to get that email! Btw, it took almost a year, which was also a cut-off for me. 13:35:04 From Dee Buckingham : He also says BRIDGES was one of his worst books. But shot it out anyway.13:36:07 From June Converse : fasion or passion?13:37:19 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : https://reasoningwithvampires.tumblr.com/13:37:33 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : https://reasoningwithvampires.tumblr.com/archive13:38:22 From Tricia Wagner : Doesn’t it make you wonder how many great books are out there – great works of art – unpublished because they can’t compete? But those books still have great value.13:38:33 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : Exactly, Tricia!13:39:47 From hzanville : Have a question about draft2digital and preparing draft to share w beta reads we heard about from Lenore 13:42:13 From Tim Storm : Who here has created an ePub version of their novel?13:42:23 From Tricia Wagner : Also, I’ve heard from many published authors that getting an agent or publisher isn’t a great definition of “success.” The journey that begins at that point is also difficult (sometimes described as excruciating). But of course I’m wanting that adventure.13:42:59 From Dee Buckingham : Could you elaborate on that? TRICIA13:43:23 From Yanina Sorge : I mentioned yesterday in the small round a certain German writing software: It’s Papyrus Autor in German and the English version is Papyrus Author. I like it more than Scrivener; 13:44:47 From Dee Buckingham : My favorite rejection came from WRITERS HOUSE after my agent left. She wrote, “Due to the events of yesterday (which was 9/11) I was able to read your manuscript. It did not move me.” Yup, the day after 9/11. Good day to read!13:45:40 From Tricia Wagner : Tammy or others could speak to this better. It’s just that agents, publishers, and contracts don’t guarantee delivery of the outcomes you might envision. I’ve heard descriptions of what it feels like when your creation becomes a commodity, and somewhat travels beyond your control.13:46:21 From Sharon Abrams : Yes…but George didn’t have to pitch. Folks waited for years for his first novel.13:48:21 From Tricia Wagner : And he’s George Saunders.13:50:26 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : I am not afraid to admit that I have never heard of this guy. I read genre fiction.13:51:31 From Lisa Herron : Speaking of breaking the rules, the “rules” in writing are broken all the time. Is that more allowed in literary fiction? It’s tough to know when to break them.13:52:18 From Tim Storm : draft2digital13:52:51 From Tricia Wagner : D2D has a wonderful support team – they do respond to questions.13:56:23 From Tim Storm : I know a lot of authors who swear by Vellum for their ebook prep (Mac only, I think).13:56:41 From Tim Storm : Not sure if you’ll need something as powerful as Vellum.13:56:50 From Tricia Wagner : Yes Mac only. I’ve also heard it’s great.13:57:47 From Yanina Sorge : Papyrus says:” transform your manuscript into a complete polished e-book file or a hoígh-res PDF in just a few clicks”…13:58:08 From Yanina Sorge : high-res..13:58:59 From Marty Preizler : ePub may be another option.14:00:43 From greek10 : That’s how I did it. Finished book, then did outline. I could better see beats. etc that helped to keep pace and from chapter end to chapter beginning.14:04:05 From C. D. (Charlie) Monte Verde : she would have given you shit for ‘propulsively’ if you used it in script14:04:05 From Tricia Wagner : Perhaps it just wasn’t the right agent. Another person might connect.14:05:19 From greek10 : I agree with Tricia14:05:42 From Tricia Wagner : Seems like an encouraging propulsion into pitching to others.14:06:06 From greek10 : HAHAHAHA14:09:25 From June Converse : what is the best way to find a quality critique group14:10:37 From Tricia Wagner : The ultimate goal in writing emotion is the make the reader feel, right?14:10:57 From greek10 : That was difficult, I found one at a writing conference and another through WFWA and SCWA…keep trying till one fits your needs..14:13:23 From June Converse : diana galbaldon has one14:13:32 From Tricia Wagner : Tim Storm’s class! Writing romantic tension!14:13:43 From June Converse : diana galbaldon has book about how she wrote the sex scenes in outlander14:14:41 From hzanville : Chloe Benjamin does a good job i think with sex scenes14:14:55 From Tricia Wagner : Diana Galbaldon uses only examples from her own books. (I personally didn’t feel that her writing sexual tension is very effective, but I think I’m in the minority.)14:16:06 From Tricia Wagner : Also – sexual tension often is more psychological than physical.14:16:34 From Yanina Sorge : Tricia, i love Outlander so much, but I always skipped the sex scences, like it o my, are they finished now?14:17:10 From Tricia Wagner : Haha!14:19:56 From Dee Buckingham : Thank you ALL. I will follow up on those suggestions. 14:20:39 From Dee Buckingham : Ah, thank you for that comment.14:21:02 From Tricia Wagner : A MILLION THUMBS UP!14:26:13 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : @Yanina My mom did the same skipping with the Outlander series.14:27:36 From Yanina Sorge : Anne, haha! 14:30:08 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : See, this is why I write sci-fi. I get to just make stuff up ;)14:30:29 From Bart Mann : That is so true Anne14:30:46 From Sharon Abrams : I participated in several critique groups that were library based, and very “uneven.” For the most part, I worked a great deal on commenting on other’s writing and had little learning out of the process. The Tim Storm led critique group is different…merging instruction and feedback. He keeps us all thinking and sane.14:31:02 From Dee Buckingham : It’s so VULNERABLE.14:31:05 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : Agree, Sharon.14:31:36 From Tricia Wagner : I will exclusively work in critique groups led by a professional developmental editor.14:31:52 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : The challenge I’ve found with trying to start a critique group is a lot of folks aren’t ready. They have a lot of “tell me my baby is beautiful” syndrome.14:32:31 From Tammy Letherer : Anne, yes! Same here. 14:33:37 From greek10 : I just left a group that just wanted to hear fluff, good comments. Nothing negative. That wasn’t fitting my needs.14:34:27 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : That’s hard. Not going to lie, it makes me happy when my critique partners tell me good stuff. It makes me happier when they give me insightful feedback on what didn’t work for them.14:35:15 From Tricia Wagner : We really are.14:35:28 From Dee Buckingham : AAUUHH that’s so sweet.14:35:47 From Tricia Wagner : We’re legit honest, too.14:38:36 From Dee Buckingham : I like feeling like I’m the “Dumbest” person in the room.14:39:09 From Lisa Herron : Dee, you seem very insightful to me!14:39:41 From greek10 : Oh Dee, no way.14:40:13 From June Converse : I’m not scared of that — I can’t find that right now — I’m having the opposite problem14:40:32 From C. D. (Charlie) Monte Verde : “I’m wondering if you might consider changing…”14:40:51 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : Exactly, Charlie. “What about if you…”14:41:33 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : Too many people telling you your baby is beautiful, June?14:41:59 From June Converse : or spend a lot of time debating a verb choice14:42:51 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : In design we say that the chicken is involved. The pig is committed. ;)14:43:22 From Anne Dougherty (she/her) : @June – Oy. That’s rough.14:47:18 From greek10 : Thank you Tim, again wonderful weekend. Great to be with you again,14:47:23 From Dee Buckingham : Yes, that’s exactly what I meant