Got Questions?
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 Hey guys,
Just wanted to let you know that I'm welcoming new questions right now. I'm also considering overhauling the blog to something fresher, but I have no idea what that could be, so if there's anything that works/doesn't work/you love/don't love that I do here, please let me know. Any subjects you prefer to hear about? Anything that grabs your interest? Anything that puts you to sleep?
More specifically - does answering your questions still interest you? If so, what questions/topics are most helpful: agents, writing process, magazines, editing, etc. Or just all of it? Or if answering questions doesn't interest you, what does: just hearing inside scoop on the publishing process? Just trying to gestate how I can liven things up.
In the meantime, feel free to post your publishing questions below or email me at allison (at) allisonwinn.com.
Thanks!
Reader Comments (12)
It's very clean and easy to read. I guess it could be tagged slightly better, but not sure where to start! Sorry to be unhelpful.
Thanks! Yes, I'm so bad at tagging - I'll be more mindful of that in the future!
I love to know the day-to-day of a writer's life. You do a great job of that already, but more journal entries of sorts once in a while might give us more insight into your thought process, and how you approach certain things, such as discussions with editors, negotiation, what clutters your desk, etc.
I'm just throwing out ideas. Love what you're doing already, including the questions. I'm not even a novelist (or currently aspiring to be one) and I still read religiously.
Ditto Mridu!
As an aspiring new novelist I have found your blog among the most helpful information out there! So thank you for everything you have already done...Here are a few questions that have been buzzing around my head.
Q: I have completed my first novel and after endless edits...I am ready to start looking for an agent and completely overwhelmed by the process. How many do I query at once? Advice on how to keep track of what I send out?
Q: Synopsis. Dreading it and overwhelmed by it. I know agents ask for different lengths but I feel like I should have one ready even if its not requested right away. What length should I aim for? Is there a formula so to speak to work off of?
A suggestion- as a newbie- I would love to see more examples to the publishing process. I know you have shared your query letter for your first book and I found this really helpful...I would like to see more examples, either from you or maybe your other published writer friends? Even examples of rewrites-like you provided a week or so ago- is really helpful.
Thanks greatly!!
As you already know *giggles* I love your blog!
I love the day-to-day life, the advice, questions, interviews - everything.
It's easy to read, set out well, fresh looking.
love it!
I'd love to get a little more of a personal look at you and your process. I mean, not too personal, but I'd be interested in the little details of your life-- yes, what does your desk look like, how you juggle writing with making dinner in the evening (if you do), little bits of interesting facts you uncovered in your research or trips you took to meet with readers etc. I don't think there needs to be an instructional point to every post. I love your blog, though, so whatever it turns into is fine by me!
Not too long ago, I wrote a short story that turned out to be quite unusual. It had a problem with density, and so expanded to 10,000 words, and then once again to 20,000, and it is just over 30,000 words now.
The story had a relentless (and unbelievable) pace to it, and each rewrite was an attempt to let the story breathe, and become plausible.
The problem I am running into now is, I can't tell if the humor works any more. I had great fun writing it the first few times, and sometimes I would crack myself up so bad, that I would have tears streaming down my face and it was all I could do to see the keyboard to write the next sentence.
Is it normal to burn out on your own humor after multiple rewrites, and a thousand read throughs?
Thanks, you guys. This is SUPER helpful! I will definitely answer all of these questions (and the ones that I have been emailed to me), and will also try to include more day-to-day stuff as I go. THANKS!!
Here's something I've been thinking about. WHen you've finished writing a book, how long is it until you start writing the next one? Moreover, for first-time novelists, who may have spent years honing their first manuscript, would you offer the same advice? I've spent the best part of 7-8 years honing my magnum opus and now an agent is looking at it (first 50 pages only!), I feel bereft, as though I've got nothing to do. I'm finding it hard to concentrate on work too. Just a few thoughts...
Your blog is golden. I wouldn't change a thing -- love the day-to-day, love the Q&A, love the tips. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Hi Allison, love your blog, just bought your book and can't wait to read it. I'm wondering if you could talk more about the editing process you go through after writing the first draft. I'll be finishing my memoir soon and am wondering the best way to go about working on the second draft. Thanks for any advice!