Old People Writing for Teens, IV

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lisalulu09

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I have some questions about query letters.

How long are they supposed to be, word count wise?
How do you work out a novel's stakes?
 

wampuscat

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I have some questions about query letters.

How long are they supposed to be, word count wise?
How do you work out a novel's stakes?

They're supposed to be less than a page, so 250 words-ish. Stakes is the major conflict for the character whose POV is being used in the query. The stickies in QLH are absolutely amazing at explaining this way better than I could. Look for KatieMac's three questions.

I agree. Queries are hard. I don't even have something to query, but I've been hanging out in QLH for a while just trying to learn from other people's stuff because they intimidate me so much.
 

lisalulu09

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I'm just doing it for practice and in case I can use it when I submit Paragon Academy to uni.
 

RRK

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*waves*

Hi! I was pretty active around these parts a couple of years ago but then started a job that sucked up all my time and I've only recently re-committed to my writing. There's nothing more valuable than chatting with people who write the same genre I do, so I hope you all don't mind if I poke my head in every now and then.
 

Stuck In Kansas

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Hi RRK! Don't think we've met. (I'm the annoying old guy with the mullet--but not really. I mean about the mullet part. The rest holds true).

So...self-doubt time. Is it normal for y'all to doubt your writing while in the midst of it? Then, maybe, once you come around, have a few drinks, squint your eyes, look at it again and think, 'hey, maybe it's not so sucky, after all?'

Or do I just, you know, suck?
 

wampuscat

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Is it normal for y'all to doubt your writing while in the midst of it? Then, maybe, once you come around, have a few drinks, squint your eyes, look at it again and think, 'hey, maybe it's not so sucky, after all?'

Yes. Then wash, rinse, repeat. :)
 

RRK

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Yep, crushing self-doubt comes with the territory. :) The best feeling is when you look at something a month later and realize you actually kind of like it.
 

Dorothy

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Ack, sorry to hear about your illness. We had that going around in Minnesota. Good to hear you're going back to writing, and hope you hit it running. Also, I love the cover for 'My Sister's Reaper'; artsy and evocative.

Thank you on both accounts! :)

Feel better, Dorothy!

Thanks! :Hug2:

*waves*

Hi! I was pretty active around these parts a couple of years ago but then started a job that sucked up all my time and I've only recently re-committed to my writing. There's nothing more valuable than chatting with people who write the same genre I do, so I hope you all don't mind if I poke my head in every now and then.

Welcome back!
 

lisalulu09

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SIK: I feel like that at least once, if not more, with every WIP.
 

JKRowley

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Self doubt is part of the tortured artist toolbox, isn't it? I think it shows someone is critical of their writing and sees room for improvement. I get more worried about those who rave about their own work and refuse comments because this is how they want to tell their story.

Hope you feel better, Dorothy. You write more when sick than I do healthy.

Talked a friend into going to Macy's to see what's on clearance. We both spent too much money, but I scored a pair of Lucky Jeans that fit perfectly for $22.
 
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Sage

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Sage!!! I just got a request on Twitter from L0u1$3 Fury to send my stuff. Eeeep! I asked if she'd ever be open to unsolicited stuff, and she told me to send my work:D Not querying yet though....just found out R&R agent has the flu :(
So exciting!

I got a request for TM via #pitmad from an editor at Entangled, a small publisher I have been kinda tracking in BR&BC and impressed with.

Hey everyone! I'm just getting over an upper respiratory viral infection. Been home sick since Tuesday, which would have been lovely if I had gotten more writing done, but I was just too darn ill to sit at the computer too long. Only got 2K written in three days, but I'm feeling a little better today, so I'm going to try for another couple thousand. We'll see how it goes.
Hope you feel better soon. I just got over something that was definitely respiratory, but I recovered amazingly quickly (though I will be coughing for weeks, thanks to asthma)
 

lisalulu09

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So I found an old poem on an old (inactive) board that I'm hoping to touch up for the Un-Valentine's Day contest. Is it okay if I post it here to see if it's worth it. I wrote it when I was sixteen, you see. :tongue
 

Sage

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You might have better luck in the poetry SYW section, Lisa. I know I don't know anything about poetry.
 

Smiley0501

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Sage, I PMed you. :) Go you with the #Pitmad request

I'm baking chocolate chip cookies right now. Mmmm. And put in a request for 3 books at the library. Gonna do a ton of reading now that I'm on break from writing :snoopy:
 

Stuck In Kansas

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Glad I'm not alone guys. Makes me feel so less stuck in...Kansas. Thanks!

So, when I link my author's page on Amazon to elsewhere, these crazy Amazonians think I'm a "musician/band." Gah! Can't figure out how to fix it in my profile. Guess it's not that big a deal. Might get more interest that way (as long as they don't actually hear me sing).
 

lisalulu09

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Damn, I'm jealous of the baking going on.

BTW, the poem is up if anyone wants to read it.
 

Sage

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Cheering you all on!
I really wish I had known about #pitmad while I was at work, because I spent half the day standing around waiting for a scale to calibrate (it never did), and I really could have used the time to read and pitch
 

lisalulu09

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Sage: How do you add a Kindle book to your currently reading list on Goodreads? I want to know for tomorrow.
 
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