Crafting a Query

I saw your "Just Do It" article in WOMAN'S DAY yesterday. I've never seen that format, why you resist/why we insist in a self help article. Have I just overlooked it or did you or the WD editor come up with it? Since this magazine is so readily available, I think it would help your blog readers to read the article and also read the query you sent for it. (You've posted queries before, but we didn't have the matching article). Would that be possible?

Unfortunately, I searched my old email files and can't find this exact pitch, but I can give you an idea of what it looked like and how it came to fruition.

To answer your initial question, no, this isn't a standard format, this is how you land a story...but taking a generic topic, in this case, things that we all put off (which women's magazines cover endlessly), and spinning it into a clever package. For those who haven't seen the article, each thing that we might procrastinate (i.e, eating more fiber), is broken down like this:

Why You Resist Doing It: blah blah blah
Why We Insist On Doing it: blah blah health advice blah blah

Here's how I came up with it: I know that my editor at Woman's Day likes "fresh" spins on ideas. The magazine isn't going to cover crazy, outlandish topics. Rather, their audience likes good, smart advice on day-to-day, evergreen subjects, but they like it given to them with an interesting tweak. So...to that end, I thought of the idea of "things that we all put off." But if I'd written my editor an email saying, "let's cover a story about things that we all put off," she'd have said, "snoozefest." Because there's nothing snappy or interesting about that subject, at least when you look at it superficially. So what I did instead was come up with crafty packaging: i.e, the resist/insist angle. See how I pitch the exact same subject matter but make it 100x more interesting by adding in the resist/insist suggestion?

For the actual pitch, I simply put together two or three topics that we later went on to include in the article - I can't remember what they were, but probably something like having more sex, making time for workouts, etc. I showed my editor how the article would break down, and then offered a list of other topics we could include and voila...story assigned.

Readers, how do you come up with unique pitches that you go on to land?

FYI: tomorrow, I'll be at BEA (Book Expo America), signing books and meeting and greeting. Will be back on Monday to report the scoop!

I'm Back!

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend! I, for one, went to a wedding in Calistoga, CA and then on to San Francisco (SFians - you can find signed copies of TDLF at Borders!), which was fabulous, albeit a really long trip. But we relaxed and caught up on sleep and ate way too much and drank wine, and all in all, it was great, though I did miss the kids (and hate toting my pump everywhere!). Anyhoo, back to reality today.


So...here we go.

I have my first national byline! Question for you is if I'm supposed to send my editor a note or a gift or anything??

Congrats!!! There are few things more exciting than seeing your name in print for one of the first times. Enjoy the thrill.

No, no presents - a well-written article is present enough for your editor! :) Instead, send her a note thanking her for the assignment, saying it was a pleasure to work for her, and pitch her another ass-kicking idea asap. Successful freelancing is all about relationship-building, and the two ways to do this are 1) to be gracious and easy to work with and 2) to make yourself invaluable to an editor by suggesting great ideas and following up with great stories. You might not land another assignment right away from this editor, but don't be discouraged...after all, this editor already knows that you can deliver...keep pitching and eventually, another assignment should come in.

Readers, how do you follow up to a new-to-you editor?

Agent Hunting

I am in the midst of trying to find an agent, and am wondering if you went thru any agent site to find the agents to submit your work to, or did you do the research on your own?


I've heard of people having limited success finding an agent via a search/matching site, for lack of a better term, but I've always found this a little weird. I mean, to me, you're the one who is completely responsible and in control of your career, and why would you pass this off to someone else and rely on him or her to be the one to suggest good matches? Again, this is just my opinion, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with it.


Not to mention, that there's enough information on the web that you can (and should) do this on your own. AgentQuery.com and PublishersMarketPlace.com offer such a wealth of knowledge that you should be able to find and target agents who are right for you, as well as learn more about them and get their contact info. Does it take some time? Sure. But as I've said before, part of being a good writer is being a good researcher, and I can't think of many things that are more important than finding the right agent, so time shouldn't be much of a concern.


But I'm open to changing my mind. So what say you readers? Have you guys used these search firms and have they worked? Or would you be open to using them or do you believe in the old-fashioned way of landing representation?


Btw, I'm headed to California through mid-next week. Have a great holiday weekend. Until then!

Well, Crap!

A few people have written me to say that they couldn't comment in the past few days, and yup, I just realized that there was a glitch last week. I have no idea why or what happened, but if you wanted to comment on a post or write in with a question, rest assured that as of today, I will get them and try to respond! Whoops, sorry! (And thanks to those who wrote me about the problem!) And there I thought that my posts and info on the signings were boring you... (Seriously!) Phew.

Pushing Press

Hey, wanna read an excerpt from the book? Until Amazon gets mine up, check out HarperCollins' "browse inside" feature here.


Question of the day: I love reading author essays, profiles, etc. in magazines - it makes me feel like I know them a little bit when I go to read their book. But I've never known how they land there. Did you send out freelance articles on breast cancer to coincide with the book launch?

Yup, that's exactly what I did, and that's exactly how these articles land there. Well, sort of. In my case, I could pitch various ideas to the editors with whom I had relationships, in the same way that I'd pitch any other piece. But this time, I could also send them a galley, and say, "hey, I have a book coming out in May, how about a piece on such and such?" The biggest assignment that I landed this way was an essay on my friendship with Lizzie that will be in the July issue of Fitness.


My publicist and other folks at Harper have also been doing something similar, and have been doing so since about six months prior to the book's release. They're the ones who crafted a fab press release, as well as the Q/A that's up on my site, and sent these out, along with a galley, to mags/papers/radio stations/tv etc. It takes a lot of people and a lot of work to generate press and buzz for a book, so we've all been in the trenches trying to do so for mine.


Pubbed authors: how have you gotten press on your own release? Readers: what sorts of articles do you like to read about books/authors? What grabs your eye so that you actually go to the store and buy a book?

Where are Those Damn Editors?

I'm having trouble finding the email addresses of the editors I want to reach. The mags' website offers only a generic email address and there's nothing in the masthead either. Writer's Market also doesn't have any specific editor info. Do you have any suggestions on how to go about this?

Indeed, I have a few:

The first: if you're willing to shell out a few bucks, check out mastheads.org. The site contains up-to-date info on who is who and who is where at a ton of magazines.

The next: surf the mag's website. Almost always - usually within the advertising/PR or sales sections - you can turn up the email format of that specific publisher. Just insert the name of the editor you want to reach, and voila. Example: jane_doe@condenast.com will work for any editor at Conde.

The next: Call!!! Too many writers are scared to pick up the phone and get answers to easy question. Call up the mag and ask which ed is right for your query and his/her email.

Finally: ask me. Somewhere on the archives, I've posted general formulas for most of the bigger publishing houses. I'll do it again here:

Conde: jane_doe@condenast.com

Hearst: jdoe@hearst.com

Rodale: jane.doe@rodale.com

Meredith: jane.doe@meredith.com

TimeInc: jane_doe@timeinc.com

I think that should cover it. Anyone have other great ideas to track down email addys?

Approaching Essays

***Listen to me on the radio today from 10AM - 10:40 EST on KTLR 890AM. You can listen to it on the web here.***

I had a weekend that sort of reminded me of aspects of TDLF. With two small kids, a career, an in-the-works new apartment, a marriage, a dog, etc (you get the point), I've realized that the first thing to go is often my social life. I know that any parent of young kids out there can relate. But this weekend, I had lunch with a fabulous friend on Friday, we had brunch with our awesome next-door neighbors (Broadway actors! Love them!) on Saturday, we went out with another couple on Sat night, and then I spent some time with Lizzie's parents, who were in town and wanted to meet my kids, on Sunday. All the while keeping our apt in tip-top shape for the open houses. Anyway, even though I was totally beat, I also felt so rejuvenated, not unlike how Natalie comes to feel. It's important to take time out and just have some fun, even if it's at the expense of the massive deadline that I have today (don't worry, I'm getting it done!) or playing catch-up with the blog. It was a good weekend, and not one I'll forget for a while.

Question of the day: I would like to know the best strategy for approaching editors when you have an essay to sell.

I've touched on this in the past on the blog (so search the archives), but the general rule of thumb is to have the entire essay piece written before you query the editor. From there, I like to write a very juicy paragraph or so, perhaps using my opening sentence from the actual essay, then providing a fabu summary of the piece. Don't send the piece as an attachment prior to getting the okay from the editor: that nearly guarantees deletion. Just write a very concise, catchy opener, list your credits and ask if you can send them the full essay.

At least that's what I'd do. But there are others out there who are wiser in the ways of essays than I am.

So, essay-sages, what say you?

The Signing!

Whoops, sorry about yesterday guys. I know that I said I'd fill you in on the signing, but, well, life is so crazed right now for a variety of reasons, and the blog is sometimes the first thing to go. I know that you understand!

Anyhoo, the signing was a total blast. For reasons unknown to me, I was completely freaking out about it. My stomach was going bananas, I couldn't concentrate on other work, I was just a total mess! Which is just so weird because I used to do a lot of theater and performing, and I have no issues getting up in front of a crowd and making a general ass of myself, but ugh, I was out of my brain on this!

So after losing my mind for most of the day, I arrived at Borders and saw my mom snapping pics. :) How cute! So she shot one of me at the entrance:

Then my agent and publicist arrived and cased the store, handing out flyers, urging people to come hear me speak. Hee. Poor victims who just wanted to shop and not be bothered.

At 7:10, I was introduced to the crowd (most of whom I knew! LOL), and I read three passages.

For the curious minds who asked what I read, here's what I chose and why: 1) the opening diary entry. Sort of for obvious reasons - it sets up the entire story and helps explain the other two passages that I was going to read. 2) The beginning of chapter 2, in which she composes an email to Ned. (Pg. 13-pg. 16.) I felt like this section demonstrated that despite the fact that the book tackles a serious subject, there's a lot of levity to it as well. 3) Her first appointment with Dr. Chin. (Part way down pg. 23-most of the end of pg. 25.) I also wanted to choose a section that counterbalanced #2, a section that showed that indeed, there is depth to the book and that readers might (hopefully) find themselves on an emotional roller-coaster.

From there, we did a fun Q/A, and toward the very end, my son rushed down the aisle and demanded that I pick him up. Then proceeded to stare out to the crowd with awe. I think we found someone who loves the spotlight. :)

He remained on my lap while I signed books, as you can see here. Talk about a juggling mom!

And well, that was that...I signed, people eventually drifted out, and my husband and I headed home to eat some cold pizza. Ah....the glamorous life!

Come Hear Me Read Tonight!

Hey all you peeps in the New York area,

Swing by Borders at Time Warner tonight at 7:00 PM. I'll be reading and signing, and it will be a good time for all!

Here's a little preview of the window at Borders. I took this from my Blackberry, so it's not great, but you get the idea! So fancy that I'm nearly a semi-celeb. :)


Hope to see some of you guys there!

Slipping You the Secret Handshake

I am not new to writing, but I am new to having my writing published. ~rim shot~

I have just finished my second novel, and I am already working on the third...nothing like an optimist!But here's the question: How exactly does the secret handshake go? Left hand upside down first? Thumb up? Down? I know if I just knew this damned handshake I'd be all inside with the easy street crowd and not on the outside, in the sunshine, with my pale skin starting to pink in the sun.

LOL! Seriously, you made me giggle! Hee!

Well, just as I was sworn to secrecy over my sorority's secret handshake, so too am I over the published author's handshake. :)

Naw, look, I'll tell you what I know: unfortunately, as you've surmised, it's not as easy as an arched index finger that scratches the other person's palm while interweaving thumbs. Too bad, eh? But I think you have the right idea - you're still writing. Every time you start/finish/draft a book, you arguably should become a better writer. If, I should add, you don't simply regurgitate the same outline/prose/concepts in each book.

Have objective readers take a look at your previous work and tell you where you can make it stronger, then apply this advice to your next one. If you keep making the same mistakes over and over again, then you're just treading water. But if improve each time, then you're well on your way to publication. I can't tell you how many writers I've heard about who have 5 or 6 unpubbed novels in their desk drawers, only to hit success on the next one. (Jon Clinch, who wrote the best-seller Finn, comes to mind, if I'm not mistaken.)

And even published writers can learn from the past. I've written the first half of my second book, and I've been told by several people that it's better than TDLF. Why? Because I worked out a few kinks and think I'm a better writer now.

So keep writing...I think that's a better tip than giving you a fancy finger-hold anyway. :)

Readers - what's your advice that's the equivalent to a secret handshake?

Easy Editing?

As I'm reading your book, I'm curious about what other aspects changed. Has the tone remained the same and you've just tweaked plot points and characters? How different is the book from what you'd originally envisioned?

One thing I've always said about writing is that as an author, you shouldn't get too attached or fall too in love with any passage or particular part of your prose, and I think that this attitude served me well when it came to TDLF revisions. It's very easy to think that what you've written is genius, but writing a decent book isn't and shouldn't be easy, and thus the harder decision often isn't what to say, but what to leave out or what to cut.

So, with that out of the way, to your question. The tone has essentially remained the same. I "got" Natalie's voice from the get-go, and her voice is such a critical part of her story and her evolution that I never dreamed of - and more importantly, no one suggested - that I modify it.

That said, as I've mentioned before, I certainly made other drastic changes. After reading the first draft, my then-agent suggested that I might have started at the wrong point of the story - I'd originally started on the day that Natalie was diagnosed - and guess what? Turned out she was right.

So out when the first 90 pages. Easy come, easy go. Even though yes, I'll admit that it was a tad painful hitting "delete" on all of those pages. Then, we decided that Natalie needed to be more likable, more relatable. So I went back and threaded in the entire Price is Right plot line. Yes, it's true, the aspect of the book that seems to be among peoples' favorites wasn't even in there to begin with! I also went back and added touches and hints about Natalie's relationship with her mom: why Natalie was who she was and how she got that way.

And this doesn't even cover the stuff that shifted in my mind while I was writing the first draft: the shifting love interests, the role of Susanna Taylor (who I didn't realize would play such a pivotal role until I was writing), the friendship issues (won't elaborate too much on those, in case of spoilage). These all came up organically as the story took me where it did.

So, the bottom line of this post is really to say, go with the flow. I think often times, authors lose any chance of objectivity because they so passionately believe that what they wrote is solid gold. But there's a reason that we have critique partners and editors and agents. And that reason is because they make our writing better. So let them.

How do you guys feel about the editing process? Is it painful and ego-blowing or a means to a better product?

9 Things I Learned On the Way To Publication

Today's juicy post is brought to you by Writer Unboxed, so head over there to hear about the 9 things I've gleaned along the way.

I'm headed down to Nashville for the night to watch my (much younger) sister-in-law graduate from college, but I'll be back next week with more questions and answers. Yep, I know that I have a backlog, and I promise to get to them!

And Now, Back to Real Life

Before I tell you all about my launch day, I have another Q/A out! Check out Susan Johnston's fabulous Urban Muse, in which I participate in her weekly 5 Questions post.

So...yesterday came and went and now it's back to my regularly scheduled programming. I ran around like a nutcase - hitting bookstores all over the city (though I still have to tackle downtown - I just ran out of time) and signing stock. I had a nice convo with a wonderful bookseller named Terrance at Barnes and Noble on 86th St, in which he genuinely thanked me for coming in, told me to call in a few weeks to see if I need to sign additional copies, and then also stated that autographed copies really do sell better. See? I find that strange. I guess maybe because I don't collect books or anything, but do people really buy books simply because the author has signed them? Maybe it's a situation of, if a reader is debating between two books, he or she is more likely to buy the signed one? Thoughts? I'm genuinely curious about this.

From there, I fielded more emails than I could handle, and chatted with my agent several times about what was going on, as well as book #2. Oh, and said fabulous agent also sent me some gorgeous flowers, even conspiring with my husband (who, I should note, didn't send flowers - he sheepishly admitted that he thought about it, but knew that my agent was sending them, so he didn't....er, thanks, sweetie!) to find out what my favorite blooms are. (But hubby did know that the answer was calla lilies, so I let him off the hook. He's also listened to all of my stress rants the past week, so again, that helps me give him a pass.)

And then, that was that. Pub day came and went, and by nightfall, I was still sitting on my bathroom floor, reading How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night to my son, who was sitting on the potty, while waiting for him to "push pee-pee out of his penis." Yes, this writer thing is truly glamorous.

I think that for me, the sale of the book might have been more exhilarating. I mean, I've known for months and months and months that this day was approaching, but when you sell a book, it's such a thrill, not least because of the suspense behind it. Not that yesterday wasn't great - it was. To walk into a store and say, "I'm an author, and I'd love to sign my books," is any writer's dream. And I don't mean to undersell that. But now, life goes on. I sit and anxiously await my sales figures and continue to do press and push the hell out of it, and in the meantime, potty training, dog walking, and grocery shopping await.

So, seriously, give me the scoop on autographed copies. Do you buy books based on them?

Well....It's Here!

Before anything else: the fabulous Eileen Cook, whose debut, In the Stars, has been named one of Penguin's lead titles for 2008, was kind enough to do a Q/A with me, which you can find on her site.

Wow, today's the big day! And honestly, I can't remember feeling this stressed since my wedding day! (Let me rephrase: I was super-duper psyched and calm about the actual marriage, but stressed about the whole thing going smoothly. I don't think I ate anything that entire week.) Honestly, I can palpably feel the tension in my body - like the whole thing is curling into itself and forming one giant tension-filled knot. Which is insane, I know! I need to get out there and enjoy this damn thing, right?

So today, I'll try to. I had the dog walked this morning so that I could get to the gym and do the requisite running to exorcise some of my stress. And besides, somehow it didn't seem fitting for a future bestselling author (ha!) to be picking up stinky poop all morning. (We just changed our dog's food, and while you don't need to know any further details, well, things ain't pretty these days with his digestive system.)

So now, I'm going to head out to bookstores around the city to introduce myself and sign stock. Maybe that's when the excitement will kick in and the stress will abate. We'll see...I'll report back tomorrow!

Sick of Me Yet? My Pre-Release Weekend

Hee. Well, on the eve of my debut, I have a few Q/As and links to post.

Check out Mia King's fabulous blog (and fabulous book, Good Things - it's in its THIRD print run!) for a fun Q/A with me, as well as an ice cream recipe that ties into the book.

Then head over to the wonderful Larramie's blog, Seize A Daisy, for a few of my inner-thoughts just before the book officially hits stores.

From there, move on to Kerri Campbell-Fivecoat's, Write For You, an awesome blog about the ins and outs of the writing world, for another Q/A on my writing habits and ideas behind the book.

More Q/A links tomorrow!

So, this weekend, I prepped for the book's release in a few ways.

I started Saturday morning at the Revlon Run/Walk. While I run a lot on the treadmill, I've never actually done a 5k, so I was really pumped for it. I got off the subway just in time to spy my girl-crush, Mandy Moore, perform her new song, Extraordinary, and I was rapt. Love her! And was within 20 feet of her too, which thrilled me to no end.

The race kicked off, and I ran it with no problems - though I'll admit to crying through parts of it while I ran. All around me, people wore signs memorializing loved ones they'd lost or who were battling the disease, and it was hard not to get choked up.

But I raised nearly $6,000, and this year, my husband and I promised to match all of the donations with a donation to The MetaCancer Foundation, a foundation that was established in Lizzie's memory, so even when I hit a big hill, I kept powering through because I knew that what I was dealing with was nothing compared to what Lizzie had to go through. And it was a pretty cool feeling knowing that I'd helped raised 12k just by doing this little run! From the beginning, I'd always wanted to give part of the proceeds of the sale of the book back to charity, but donating a portion of the sale of each book is complicated, so this was my way of giving back. I've been very blessed, and I really believe in putting some good out in the world for no other reason than putting it out there.

So that was Saturday. (Topped off by seeing a fabulous movie, Waitress. Keri Russell is one of my all-time faves - I've already spoken about my Felicity adoration - and the movie didn't disappoint. Even my husband admitted to really liking it.)

On Sunday, we walked down to the Border's at Time Warner Center. I was shocked (and a little thrilled!) to see a giant picture of my mug in the window! My son ran up and squealed, "Hi Mommy!," which I think was just about the highlight of my life...all of the joyful elements of my life come together for one perfect moment. Then we went inside, and bam! My husband spotted my book front and center on the new release table. I signed some copies and did my best not to accost book buyers and shove the book down their throats, and then we all left to get some ice cream and with big smiles on our faces.

Very cool weekend, and certainly, a first-in-a-lifetime experience. Oh yeah, and a friend emailed to tell me that the Literary Guild called me "a writer to watch" in their newest catalog! It doesn't get sweeter than this.

More tomorrow, when, on release day, maybe it will!

I'm Unboxed! And Working Moms

I did a long Q/A with the lovely folks at Writer Unboxed, and it's live today. Check it out. They asked insightful, fab questions, and I'm thrilled to be a part of the site, not just for this Q/A, but as a contributor as well.

Also, if anyone in NYC is participating in the Revlon Run/Walk tomorrow (I am!...I hope I can drag myself out of bed early enough to see my girlcrush, Mandy Moore, perform), they're giving away 100 copies or so of TDLF at the finish line...so run that baby superfast, and you can grab yourself a free copy!

And because I know that you come here for more than just Q/As with me (ha!), here's the question of the day:

Here's my deal, I'm a former lawyer, current stay-at-home-mom. I just started writing and got my first 2 clips last month in a downtown NY paper. The editor called me last week regarding a last minute assignment. As I'm just starting out, I was not going to turn him down and was quite pleased he thought of me to do the piece. The problem is, I have a regular sitter twice a week and obviously assignments/deadlines don't always coincide, of course, with when I have my sitter. I would love to devote tomorrow to writing but I am with my toddler all day on Mondays. Anyway, just wondering how stay-at-home-moms manage these issues. I can't really continue just writing late nights - I end up wiped for weeks on end!

Well, for me, I think it really comes down to time management. You mentioned that you do have a regular sitter, so that's wonderful. But when you say that the deadlines don't always coincide, I think it's up to you to make them do so. Here's what I mean by that: it sounds like this piece was a last-minute assignment, so let's put that aside and address that later. But part of the reason that I can juggle so many balls, I think, is that I'm incredibly organized. I sat down at my office today, knowing that I had A TON of things that I wanted to do OUTSIDE of work this afternoon, and immediately tackled my to-do list...which I'd written out for myself last night before I closed down. I recognize that between my dog, my kids, my need to get the gym, my errands, and today - a necessary mini-massage thanks to sleeping wrong and an incredible pain in my neck, that if I'm not efficient, it all goes to hell in a handbasket.

This is where I'm going with this: if you have a limited time to get your work done, you need to work really far ahead of yourself. It's really easy to put aside assignments that aren't due for a few weeks because, well, they aren't due for a few weeks. But as you said, who knows what else is going to pop up, and when you'll find the time to get to them. So, what I would recommend, is that as soon as you get an assignment, to start on it immediately. If you complete it early, all the better. Send it in early, and not only will you earn your editor's gratitude, you'll also feel a lot less stressed. Second of all, keep a list or take whatever organizational steps necessary to streamline your day. I've gotten a little lazy with my list-making as of late, and I've been far less productive. I mean, I can literally see the minutes ticking by when I should be doing something, and I'm not, simply because I don't have that list in front of me, and thus, I'm not as motivated.

And when it comes to last-minute assignments like the one you mentioned above, don't be afraid to ask for a day or so extension. You don't have to say that you hang with your daughter on Mondays: just say you already have a previous commitment, can you get it to him on Tuesday? I spend a couple of hours with my own daughter on Tuesdays and Thursdays, when she can't attend a pre-nursery class with my son, and when people ask if I can do a call or whatever at that time, I simply say that I already have a commitment. Period. Which is true. Just to my daughter, not to work. And if the deadline won't budge, ask your husband or whomever else is around to help you pick up the slack. Any juggling mom will tell you that it's not easy, but it is made easy by having a really, really good support team in place. It sounds like you already know that and are well on your way.

So working moms, any advice?

Q/A With Moi

Today's post is brought to you by the fabulous Sara Hantz, whose first book, THE SECOND VIRGINITY OF SUZY GREEN, will be published this fall. I remember reading about her deal on Publishers Marketplace - here's what it said: Sara Hantz's debut THE SECOND VIRGINITY OF SUZY GREEN, about a girl who joins a virginity club in her new town to try to make a new start, to Andrew Karre at Flux, by Sara Crowe at Harvey Klinger (world) - and thinking that it sounded like a hilarious concept. So I, for one, am looking forward to it!

Anyhoo, Sara was kind enough to ask me to do a Q/A for her blog a while back, so head over there to check out my thoughts on the agent hunt, having faith in your work, and how to become a better writer.

http://sarahantz.com/blog/

Enjoy!

The Other Side of the Coin

Admin note: A kind friend just informed me that the copy of TDLF that she'd pre-ordered from Amazon had been bumped from her cart. I know that Amazon recently shifted the release date of the book (to the correct one), so maybe that's the cause? In any case, if you've pre-ordered (and to those of you who have - thank you!!), you might want to double-check your cart.

Question of the day: My question has to do with the other angle of freelancing--how does a person with a forthcoming nonfiction health-related book make contact with freelancers to be considered for book reviews, interviews, profiles, discussion of article ideas, etc.? Would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Good question, though I can only answer it from the perspective of a freelancer. But I'm hoping that there are some readers out there who have been in the position of promoting their own books who might chime in with ideas.

There are a couple of ways to go about this. 1) Hire a small PR firm who has reasonable rates or hope that your in-house publicist is proactive. The firm or publicist will take it upon themselves to craft a press release and blast it to all the necessary outlets, as well as come up with other snazzy angles to get your name and book in the press. 2) Write a press release yourself and do that same blast, though this might be harder for you, since you don't have the contacts. That said, I think it's Bacon's that has the email addys of just about every contact you'd ever need, and if you had the time and energy, you could put together a good list on your own. 3) Personally email all the freelance writers and editors you know to let them know about your book. As much as I just chatted about press releases, I tend not to read that many that are sent my way. A personal note or a referral from a contact/mutual friend grabs my attention much more.

So those are my thoughts, but I'm certain that there are a lot of other and better ways to go about it. So what say you, readers? What do you recommend for this book author?

Getting Started

What was the moment like for you the first time you sat down to type out your book of fiction? Did you write that first sentence and then the story took off? Was that first sentence the most difficult to write? (As it has been for me.) Or, by the time you sat down to type, had you already sculpted the protagonist and all her qualities in your mind so you were equipped to build the plot?

I'll be honest: I find that the first 25k words of a book are the toughest. I know that some people struggle with the second half...they lose momentum and run out of ideas, which is why so many people have half-written novels tucked away in the archives of their computers, but for me, starting out is the hardest. Because it just seems SO DAMN DAUNTING. That, like, from this blank page, a novel will emerge.

But, on to your question.

No, I didn’t (and don’t) just sit down and start writing. Both times, I had a pretty good idea of at least the first half of the book, as well as the characters who would be in it. I really like to come up with a loose plot – and I say loose because a lot of things change once I start diving in, ie, in TDLF, one of the main love interests wasn’t even an original love interest at all, and I’d planned to have a different character fill that role...but when I started writing, things just fell into place organically – and spend some mental time with my characters before I start writing. I think that if you don’t do that, you’re prone to writing rambling chapters without enough plot because you’re sort of feeling your way as you go. And that doesn’t lead to good writing. (See: my first draft of my first novel!)

So rather than force yourself to write, which, by the way, is still a good way to exercise your fiction muscle, I’d instead focus on your key character and what you want to do with her. What’s her story? What are the conflicts that she might be dealing with? Is she a go-getter? Ballsy? Complacent? Is she happy in her job/relationship/life? Etc. Spend a little time kicking that around, and then the writing will come easier, I think. In fact, after I get to know the characters in my head, the first line and the opening scene come to me pretty easily. I'm guessing the same will be true for you.

So readers - what's your process? Do you sit down and write or take some time to craft a background story before you begin?

Paying It Foward

I wanted to take today to give a shout-out to a fellow author, Jen Lancaster. Not only does Jen run the snarkalicious, Jennsylvania blog, and contribute to Snarkywood - a must stop for anyone who is interested in biting commentary on pop culture - but she's also the author of Bitter is the New Black, and Bright Lights, Big Ass, which is released tomorrow!

Now. Why did I title this post, "Paying It Forward?" Because, as you'll see when my book comes out next week (!!!), Jen kindly and graciously blurbed TDLF. And she did this not because she knew me or because we go way back or are tight buddies or anything like that, she did it because I sent her a blind email and asked her to read. Not only did she take the time to read, she then wrote me a kick-ass blurb.

It's really easy to feel alienated and discouraged in this industry - sitting alone in your office typing words onto a page that may or may not ever be read by the outside world - and generous people like Jen (and all of my blurbers) reinforce the notion that a lot of us enjoy giving each other a boost up.

So - go out there and buy Bright Lights! If you liked Bitter, you'll love this one. Same biting wit, same bruising commentary! Her chapter on finding a trainer made me laugh so hard that my husband kicked me out of the room.