Building a Solid Weekend - Part 3

Today I spent a few hours rethinking a plot point of my current project. I should confess that I’ve actually been working on things for this manuscript for several months. Come to think of it, I’ve been reconsidering portions of a book I wrote six years ago.

Maybe you have some of the same issues. You’re almost done and yet you aren’t because there’s one more thing you want to fix. That one more thing turns into two, then three, then … Well you get the idea.

What to do? What to do? Rewrite, rewrite and rewrite again. Then? Edit, edit and edit some more.

But you protest, "I was done with it. I even wrote THE END."

That's fine, and you did write it in all caps so we'd know you really were done. There is one point I would make though, it can't hurt to go over your manuscript with a fine-toothed comb.

"No one goes through all of that!" You grumble. "I catch mistakes in printed books all the time."

So do I, but then again, we all make mistakes. That's why pencils have erasers and computers have a DELETE key.

A writer friend told me about a published author she’d recently heard interviewed. The author confessed that she edited her manuscripts more than fifty times before she was satisfied that they were as polished as they could be.

My friend and I chuckled at the thought of going through our manuscripts that many times before we submitted them. Then we both realized that that author had something neither of us had: published books.

I don’t know if a manuscript requires more than fifty edits, but every manuscript could use some rewriting and perhaps a little editing even when you’re convinced it’s finished.

Most of the sessions I highlight here are designed to give you the tools necessary to get your manuscript into its best form. And once it's in tip-top shape, the rest of these sessions are all about submitting your project to an editor or agent for potential representation.

Look these over and plan on showing up to at least one of them, your manuscript and writing career will benefit.

You’re Done (at least with the 1^st draft)! Now What?

Friday 9:00 –

(1) Editing Isn’t for Kids: The Young Adult/Children’s Markets from an Editing Point of View – Molly O’Neill

(2) Am I Done Now?: Editing from the First Paragraph to the Last Period – Carrie McCullough

Friday 1:30 –

(1) That’s Different … Get Positive Attention from Editors and What Will

Hurt! – James Frenkel

Saturday 9:00 –

(1) Courting a Query: Tips to Catch an Agent – Melissa Jeglinski

Saturday 10:30 –

(1) Case Solved: Finding Ways to Grab a Mystery Editor’s Eye – Toni Plummer

Saturday 1:30 –

(1) Not Kids’ Games: Making Your Young Adult and Children’s Manuscripts Editor-Ready Works – Molly O’Neill

(2) A Little Verb, A Little Noun: Creating A Synposis That Sells – Stephanie Sun

Building a Solid Weekend – How to Get the Most out of Your Conference Experience - Part 1

These days I find that I’m often thinking about the conference. And lately I’ve been thinking about what some of our attendees will be doing all weekend. Conference veterans will be reconnecting with old friends, waiting impatiently for their critique or pitch and hoping to find a bit of inspiration along the shore of the Atlantic. You’re also likely to be looking for a bit of wisdom from one or several of our faculty members. This series of articles is for you.

If you’re new to writing and even conferences you may be feeling overwhelmed by all the options in front of you. You’re weekend may be a blur of information and opportunities. It’ll be over before you know it and you’re going to wish you’d planned the time a little better. This series of articles is also for you.

I’m here to help. No, really I am. It can be a bit overwhelming and I would hate for you to miss out on something because you’re not sure what to expect from a particular class. Of course, we want you to have a great time and learn as much as you can.

This is the first blog I’ll post on the topic of how to get the most out of your weekend in Myrtle Beach. The list below is all about the beginning. Facing down that blank screen or blank page may be a little less scary after you’ve sat in on one of the following sessions:

Just Getting Started

Friday 9:00 –

Seeing and Hearing is Creating: Character and Plot Development Using Point of View and Voice – David B. Coe

Saturday 9:00 –

(1) It’s Not Just the Story: Learning Ways to Tell the Backstory to Your Characters – Lisa Tucker

(2) It Really Happened: What Agents Expect in Your Non-Fiction Proposal – Stephen Barr

Saturday 1:30 –

Using Your Head to Touch Hearts: Crafting Gripping Scenes – Lisa Tucker

Saturday 3:00 –

Don’t Forget the Details: Developing Fantasy Settings and Magic Systems – David B. Coe

Sunday 9:30 –

Narrative Strategy: How Important is the Opening of a Manuscript? – James Frenkel

How Do I Decide?

Conferences are exciting. And overwhelming. When you look at the list of classes and offerings, it can be difficult to decide what you'd most like to attend at a given time.

First of all, unfortunately, unless you're a master of quantum physics, you can't be everywhere and you can't attend every class. But that's okay. Sometimes too much information is worse than not enough. You don't want to overwhelm you body and your brain. You want to get your money's worth.

Here's my suggestion: Be honest with yourself about where you are in your writing path. Then select your classes accordingly.

Here are some examples:
---Ms. Rookie is still working on drafting her first novel. She hopes to finish it sometime in 2010.
***Ms. Rookie should consider taking classes on character development, plot and editing.

---Mr. Hadsome Sucess is polishing his second novel. It's nearly finished and he wants to start querying next month. He's freelanced for several regional magazines and he wants to move into the fiction market.
***Hadsome should considersessions on query letters, synopses and social networking. He should also be sure to attend any panels or Slush Fest sessions that match his genre.

----Ms. Got An Idea loves to read and she has a great idea for a novel. She's scribbled some notes but hasn't actually written anything yet. She loves the idea of being a novelist but she's not sure where to start.
****Ms. Idea should likely take a mix of classes: some on craft and some on the business side of things. Since she's not sure this is the business for her, it might help to hear a little about the money-making side of things. She should be sure to attend the Chapter and Genre mixers. This would give her a chance to meet other writers, in her genre and geographical area.

We all want to be multi-published, sucessful writers, but you have to start somewhere. By being totally honest with yourself about what you need to be successful you can make better choices. It's okay to be in the first leg of the race. Don't put the cart before the horse and try to force yourself to write a query letter when you're not even finished with your book. In order to produce a good book, you have to complete each step. There are no shortcuts, so don't kid yourself.