Old People Writing for Teens, IV

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Freyja

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Hi guys! Hope you're all doing well. Just stopped in to say hi, and that today is my wedding anniversary. Been married 19 years now. ^_^

Okay, off to spend time with the family.

Wow. 19 years! That's wonderful. Happy anniversary!!!
 

Freyja

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I've had a very unproductive week so far. Sometimes it feels like I have an on/off switch. Either I write a lot in a very short amount of time. Or I produce nothing at all. There's no in-between.
 

parumpdragon

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I've had a very unproductive week so far. Sometimes it feels like I have an on/off switch. Either I write a lot in a very short amount of time. Or I produce nothing at all. There's no in-between.

We all do this - except I have a deadline/deadlines. I kind of just push myself through it ;)

Hope you're having a wonderful day otherwise! :hi:
 

RRK

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Happy anniversaries!

JustSarah, I took AP statistics in high school. I don't think there was a non-AP version available.

I went to an intense cocktail party yesterday where a bunch of writers circulated in a big room pitching to agents. I was one of the few doing YA, so most of my pitches began with, "Do you do YA?" Interestingly, a lot of the agents I talked to said they haven't done YA in the past but would like to start. One woman was an assistant for a long-established agent and said that the choice for her boss had been, "Become a dinosaur or represent YA."

Got a number of nibbles and had one agent (who is on my list of dream agents) almost leaping with excitement at the pitch. Now to do that pesky editing process so I can actually send it out!
 

mellymel

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Thanks Freya and RRK! :)

RRK, just be careful about choosing an agent who has little to no experience in selling YA. I could be TOTALLY off here (and someone correct me if I'm wrong), but I would think you are better off with someone who has success and good statistics (speaking of ;)) in selling YA. I would be worried that he/she may not have the YA connections in place with editors/publishing houses to really give your book a fair shot. I think it's awesome that she's making the move to jump on the YA bandwagon (finally--it's not like its a "new" area anymore), but I would just make sure if you do consider this agent (if they offer) that you ask questions and find out what editors they work with and whether or not any of them have connections with houses that rep YA. kwim?
 

parumpdragon

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I went to an intense cocktail party yesterday where a bunch of writers circulated in a big room pitching to agents. ...

Got a number of nibbles and had one agent (who is on my list of dream agents) almost leaping with excitement at the pitch. Now to do that pesky editing process so I can actually send it out!

Be careful, you don't want an agent who has never sold YA before. Your agent has to have proper connections and good sales figures for it, because it's such a competetive market.

Thanks Freya and RRK! :)

RRK, just be careful about choosing an agent who has little to no experience in selling YA...

totally.

"Guide to Literary Agents" even warns about this ;)
 

RRK

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Oh, yeah, I wasn't that enthusiastic about the people who aren't already established in the YA market, I just thought it was an interesting tidbit that of the 2-3 I spoke to who don't rep YA, all of them indicated interest in starting.

Fortunately the nibbles were mostly from people who have at least some YA sales under their belts (and the enthusiastic one is all YA).

Thanks for looking out ;) If this were two years ago I probably wouldn't have had a clue!
 

mellymel

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cool beans. it's hard to know who does and doesn't know their stuff about the workings of this biz. i'm still learning so much!
 

parumpdragon

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We all are learning all the time - some of the rules of engagement keep changing ;)
 

mellymel

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We all are learning all the time - some of the rules of engagement keep changing ;)

True dat. And SPing and E-readers are REALLY changing the game (much faster than I'm sure was ever anticipated).

Awww, Lisa. That's terrible. FEEL BETTER!!!!!!! Drink lots of fluids!!!!!!!
 

Dorothy

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Thanks for the anniversary wishes everyone. Reading all the comments, I kind of felt like Mel and I were married, lol. *winks at Mel*

Sorry you're feeling poorly, Lisa. Healing vibes. (Oh, and thanks for your facebook comment on my hubby's picture!)
 

RRK

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True dat. And SPing and E-readers are REALLY changing the game (much faster than I'm sure was ever anticipated).

Amen!

One of the agents I talked to yesterday said he had a client who'd written a dystopia he was having an impossible time selling. He suspected what they would end up doing was to self-publish (because she has some 14K twitter followers), try to get her preexisting fans to buy, and *then* try to pitch it to publishers again. Crazy world.

He also mentioned that I, as someone with no platform, probably shouldn't try that method.
 

parumpdragon

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Hello. :)

I have flu. :(

awww... drink lots of fluids. :Hug2:

True dat. And SPing and E-readers are REALLY changing the game (much faster than I'm sure was ever anticipated).

Awww, Lisa. That's terrible. FEEL BETTER!!!!!!! Drink lots of fluids!!!!!!!

yeah they are.

Amen!

One of the agents I talked to yesterday said he had a client who'd written a dystopia he was having an impossible time selling. He suspected what they would end up doing was to self-publish (because she has some 14K twitter followers), try to get her preexisting fans to buy, and *then* try to pitch it to publishers again. Crazy world.

He also mentioned that I, as someone with no platform, probably shouldn't try that method.

Yeah, I'm seeing this more and more with my subs as e-pub is picking up, and others talking about it. You have to have umpteen-thousand-followers, then you sell your book, then you get an agent/publisher/what-not to notice.
 

lisalulu09

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Also, before I forget, I have some questions relating to #fantasysideproject.

1. Has anyone ever written anything WITHOUT chapter breaks? What's it like?
2. What's the difference between high and epic fantasy (I want to know so I know what sort of books to look for for inspiration)?
 

Freyja

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We all do this - except I have a deadline/deadlines. I kind of just push myself through it ;)

Hope you're having a wonderful day otherwise! :hi:

I don't have any deadlines, but (in other types of work) I do best under pressure. So maybe I should enforce some kind of deadline from now on?


What word count do you guys aim to reach each day?
 

parumpdragon

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I don't have any deadlines, but (in other types of work) I do best under pressure. So maybe I should enforce some kind of deadline from now on?


What word count do you guys aim to reach each day?

right now I'm editing multiple MS to be returned to me editor.

Word count isn't a factor at this moment ;)
 
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