The Deadline Dance

Most deadlines are stationary partners in The Deadline Dance. Not so for the Carrie McCray Memorial Literary Awards. The due date has moved. Submissions now must be postmarked on or before Saturday, August 22. Complete submission guidelines are available on the SCWW website at www.myscww.org

So what is The Deadline Dance? It's how we approach that fateful day when a submission is due. We step toward it with gusto and energy with the first sparks of an idea. Then back off in trepidation and fatigue as the real work begins. But then those 'aha' moments come and we pick up our pace again. Most of us continue that start and stop as we inch toward the deadline.

Some writers waltz. Their outlining, researching, writing and editing are choreographed in precise steps to the final date. Others believe they need to let the adrenalin build up and then they'll jitterbug in a flurry of writing as it all spills out. We all dance the dance that feels most comfortable.

I remember my first real Deadline Dance. I was a senior in Ms. Hayden's Senior Comp class. On Mondays she'd assign a paper, due at the beginning of class the following Monday. I was a busy senior with work, sports, a boyfriend and other schoolwork, so the first assignment I put off until the weekend and punched out my required three pages. I got an A. And I decided I'd found my writing method, my dance routine. I'd let the creative juices and ideas spin and whirl in my head all week and then Sunday night, around midnight, they'd magically coalesce and produce a masterpiece. I didn't actually have to do anything but show up for the final recital at the deadline.

That worked once.

Years later I saw my former teacher. I mentioned to her I'd become a published poet, thinking that would somehow redeem the mediocre grades from her class. She gave me that exasperated look teens reserve for their parents and countered, "Well, it's not like I just gave those away."

Ouch! Point taken. I show up much earlier and more consistently these days.

There are studies that attempt to explain how and why deadlines affect us the way they do. But no matter what dance we do, once thing I've noticed as the SCWW Contest Chair is that many writers wait until the last possible moment to place their manuscript into an envelope and slip it through the mail slot. What is it that keeps us from letting go of our work earlier? Are we waiting for the perfect word to replace the one we know just isn't right? Do we question or doubt our ability? Is is just a time management problem? Whatever the reason, hedging too close to the deadline can cause problems.

Some things to keep in mind as the new Carrie McCray Memorial Literary Awards deadline approaches.

1. Do a good final edit and let the manuscript go. We all want our submission to be

perfect, but sometimes we edit the thing to death and it lingers and never gets on its way.

2. Anticipate the unexpected. I've heard numerous stories about the computer that died

or the printer that ran out of ink or the medical/family/Act of God emergency that

occured the night before or the day of the deadline.

3. Have all your mailing supplies handy and be familiar with your post office.

There are several post offices in my area and they have different hours of operation AND

different clearing offices:Charlotte for some, Columbia for others. This affects both the post

dates and the time it takes for mail to get where it's going.

4. Allow for mail delays. Neither rain nor sleet nor . . . well, holidays can mess things up. For

the Carrie McCray we take note of when Labor Day falls and try to work around that. But

sometimes other things happen. An unfortunate incident occured with our High School

Writing Competition this year. A teacher dropped off a packet of entries the day before the

postmark deadline, but for some reason it didn't get stamped and sent until several days

later. The only thing I could do was return the manuscripts.

5. Read and follow the complete guidelines before you head to the PO. If you reread

them after you've sent in your work and then realize you've goofed somewhere, you can only

fix it if there's still time to resubmit before the posted deadline. If you have questions about

anything, my e-mail address is listed in the submission information and I'm more than

happy to help you out.

So now, go put on those dancing shoes and get moving. This dance ends Saturday, August 22.

Critiques and Pitches Day 2: What you should include (and avoid)

In the first part of this three-part blog, I offered advice on why writers need critiques and pitches. Now, let’s look at suggestions on what to include in your critique package and pitch preparation, and what to avoid in your critique package and pitch preparation. These suggestions are based on what I saw while I was a publisher and what I’ve seen in the past three years that I’ve been a publishing consultant.

First, here’s my advice on what you should include in your critique pages:

1. A synopsis. While this is optional for you to include for an SCWW conference critique, I encourage writers have one in their materials.
2. Formatted manuscript pages. When you register for your critique, you know you’ll only be turning in 10 pages or 30 pages. You want to make the most of those pages. Don’t fall for the temptation of taking out paragraphing. Don’t change it to single spaced paragraphs. Don’t delete the page breaks between chapters. Keep it formatted as a manuscript – double spaced, correct paragraphs, 12-point type, single-sided printing.
3. Your best, edited version. You’ve gone to all the trouble of registering for a conference and a critique. Make sure yours are not the only set of eyes that have looked at the pages. It’s impossible to edit yourself. Your eyes will fill in words you haven’t typed and will automatically correct errors. Whether you ask a friend to look at your package or you hire an editor, make sure you aren’t the only one who has seen your submission.

Here are a few things to include in your pitch prep:

1. Know your genre and make sure you state it. Sometimes that’s easier said than done. I’ve run into many proposals that start with “My novel is a thriller, with a touch of women’s issues and a sub-genre of fantasy.” The problem is, if you don’t know what you’re trying to sell, how will a marketing guru at a publishing house pitch it to book buyers?
2. Time your pitch. With the SCWW conference, an attendee will have five minutes to make a pitch. Then, the faculty member will provide five minutes of feedback. An agent or editor might even ask to see your work, based on the pitch. Use a stop watch. Force yourself to weigh each word. Be sure you’re speaking at your normal, conversational speed. An agent probably won’t ask for a submission from someone who speaks faster than a chipmunk or slower than a turtle (though, in all honesty, they likely won’t ask for a submission from any talking animal).
3. Watch yourself prepare in a mirror. It might sound silly, but this is a good way to make sure you’re going to make eye contact. You’ll also notice if you’re smiling, if you’re excited about the project, if your body language shows how confident you are about your manuscript.

Now, a list of things to avoid in your preparation for critiques and pitches:

1. Don’t break the rules. If you’re supposed to submit 10 pages, don’t submit 12 pages. If you’re set to submit 30 pages, don’t submit 35 pages. If you’re preparing a pitch, don’t prepare a 15-minute pitch.
2. Don’t send or pitch work that isn’t ready. If you don’t feel confident about your submission, switch to one of your manuscripts you feel is ready. Your lack of confidence in a work will show. If you aren’t excited, why should anyone else be excited? Also, if agents or editors say they’d like to see the entire manuscript, will you be able to provide it within 30 days?
3. For a critique, don’t miss the deadline for submitting materials.

Remember, all critique materials must be received by September 1, 2009. Mail your critique materials to:
Lateia Sandifer
SCWW Board
PO Box 503
Bamberg, SC 29003

In part three, I’m going to offer my advice on how to prepare for your one-on-one time during your critique or pitch.

Still have questions about pitches and critiques? Feel free to ask via a comment on the blog (you can be anonymous) or send an e-mail to conference@myscww.org.

Meet me in St. Louis!

I'll be taking a break from the blog , the conference, and the revision that's making me CRAZY next week. Mr. Husband and I will be in St. Louis on a semi-working vacation. The Gateway City is a special place for us and thanks to the best mother-in-law on the planet, we'll be kid-less. That means no strollers to be checked, no fridge-in-the-room requirement and we can stay out past ten! Thank goodness they're playing Michael Jackson in the clubs again. We can go dancing without looking like dinosaurs. (This applies to Mr. Husband more than me, you understand, since I am still in my thirties. He's crossed the bridge into his forties---although I will have to say it's definitely working for him. :-) )

The Cards are hosting the LA Dodgers, so we'll be going to a couple of games. (http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com). We've already got reservations at our favorite resturants---including The Feasting Fox (http://www.feastingfox.com) , and I plan to spend at least one day at the St. Louis Art Museum. And we may be able to fit it in Zoo in Forest Park! (http://www.stlzoo.org/)

What's the point in sharing my itenerary?

Sometimes it's great, as a writer, to take a break. See new things. Eat new food. Divorce yourself from all the distractions. It's amazing how just a few days in a different place can get you re-energized and re-inspired to write.

I've learned over the years to allow myself time to NOT WRITE. Sometimes NOT WRITING is the only thing that will push your writing to the next level. I'm not suggesting a long break---just a few days, here and there. It's kind of like being on a diet. If you deny your cravings too long, instead of having one piece of cake, you find yourself in Wal-Mart a 2am buying an entire bag of Baby Ruth Bars and eating them in the deserted parking lot. As a writer, you need a break from the self-discipline and constant brain activity it takes to be successful in this game. You need non-literary stimulation.

It's okay to take a break. It's okay to pause, take a deep breath and look around. You might find the answer to the plot problem you're having, or you may find the dynamic character that's destined to be the hero of your next novel.

Be good to yourself. You're the only writer who can write what you write they way you write it. Your brain, creativity, style are unique and valuable. Don't work so hard that you burn yourself out and never want to write again.

Stay inspired and look for me on the JUMBOTRON.

Stay tuned for the next two parts of Carrie's blog on critiques and pitches. I'm leaving you in excellent hands, dear readers.

Critiques and Pitches: Why you need these, what you should include (and avoid) and how to prepare for it all! Part 1 of 3

Recently, a handful of writers have asked me if they should add a critique or pitch to their registration, which is better, what they need to do before their meeting at the conference, and how to format their critique. Luckily, most attendees don’t ask all those questions at once – what a mouthful! But you get the idea. Since I have a publishing background and have sat on the “other side” of the critique table several times, I have a different perspective that some of the other conference volunteers. I’m going to split my suggestions into three days and three posts – Day 1: Why you need critiques and pitches; Day 2: What you should include or avoid; and Day 3: How to prepare for your one-on-one time.

Here’s my advice on why writers need critiques and pitches:

1. If you crave input, feedback and suggestions, you should add a critique. Some writers are content writing for the pure joy of putting words on paper. However, most writers want to know what they’re doing right, what they need to improve and what they can do to make their work more competitive in the market.

2. If you’re ready to shop your manuscript around to agents, editors and publishers, a critique would really help, but definitely add a pitch. While you should be sending out query letters and manuscripts (while strictly following the submission guidelines of each professional you query), critiques and pitches at the conference afford you face time and reading time you can’t guarantee with a query. In 2008, about fifty manuscripts were requested by faculty members. At least one of those requests has already resulted in a published book. Several attendees from last year have shared news that even if their manuscript wasn’t a match for the faculty member who critiqued it, they got suggestions of agencies and houses to query. Some attendees even got introductions to these agents and editors.

3. If you’re tweaking your query and synopsis and need feedback on how you describe your story, a pitch session would help. Have you ever had someone ask what your book is about and it takes 30 minutes to explain? Do you dread putting together a two-page synopsis? Do you feel like you’re living in a vacuum and need to bounce your query approach off someone? That’s what you’ll be doing in a pitch session. You’ll have five minutes to describe your project. Then, the faculty member will have five minutes to ask questions and provide feedback. The faculty members won’t have any prior knowledge of your work. An agent or editor might ask for more of your work if you grab his/her attention during the pitch. In fact, publisher Karen Syed says most of her requests are based on one-on-one interactions with writers.

Next time, I’ll provide suggestions on what to include in your critique package and pitch preparation, and what to avoid in your critique package and pitch preparation.

Still have questions about pitches and critiques? Feel free to ask via a comment on the blog (you can be anonymous) or send an e-mail to conference@myscww.org.

Homophones: Words that Sound the Same But Should Look Different

Our conference chair, Ms. Carrie McCullough, will be blogging next week since I'll be out of pocket, and I'm sure she'll cover a lot of the editor stuff, but I wanted to take a second and go over some BASIC BASICS. There are some mistakes so monumental, so HUGE, that you NEVER, EVER, EVER want an agent, editor or publisher to see them. Remember the Pronoun Monster? He's a joke compared to the Homophone Dragon. And every editor has the innate ability to morph into the aforementioned Homophone Dragon at just the sight of one IMPROPER USAGE of the homophones below.

YOUR and YOU'RE
YOUR is a posessive pronoun. Use it when you're referring to someone's property, feelings, etc. Example: YOUR backpack looks very heavy.

YOU'RE is a contraction. It joins the pronoun YOU with the present tense of "to be"--otherwise known as "are."
Example: You're going to be sorry you were so mean to me!

ITS and IT'S
ITS is a possessive pronoun. Just like 'your', use it to denote possession.
Example: The dog chewed on its bone.

IT'S is a contraction. It joins the pronoun IT with the present tense of "to be"---otherwise known as "is."
Example: It's raining cats and dogs.

THERE, THEIR and THEY'RE
THERE refers to a place. It can be concrete (the building over there) or abstract (you don't want to go there.)
Example: Are the napkins over there by the china cabinet?

THEIR is a possessive adjective. Use it to denote ownership.
Example: The kids overcame their fear of water by learning to swim.

THEY'RE is a contraction using the pronoun they with the present tense of the verb "to be." It can only be used as a subject.
Example: They're going to a party later.

TOO, TO and TWO
TOO is always an adverb meaning "also" or "in addition to."
I'd like to go to the movies, too.

TO is a preposition used when you're talking about direction. It is also used to form the infinitive of a verb.
Example (preposition): I went to the market.
Example (infinitive): I want to play basketball.

TWO is always a number. It can't be used in any other way.
Example: Please send two pair of pants with your child.

WHO'S and WHOSE
WHO'S is a contraction of who and the present tense of the verb "to be."
Who's going to the party with me?

WHOSE is a possessive pronoun.
Whose house is this?

If you've been confusing any of the above words, check your closet. What you thought was the quiet hiss of the A/C might be something more sinister.