Yesterday, Tomio and I attended Litquake’s four-part panel on publishing and promoting your work at the very-cool-to-stroll-through California College of the Arts.
Here are some resources and bits I learned.
If you have any thoughts, questions, or experiences of your own, please comment or send me a message. I’d love to hear from you.
Websites
Publishers Marketplace
Scrivener
Wattpad
Organizations / Fellowships / Residencies / Opportunities
The Castro Writers’ Cooperative
The Grotto
SFWW.org
The Escapery
Hedgebrook
Women’s National Book Association – SF Chapter
Wellstone Center
PEN Emerging Voices Fellowship
Clarion Workshop
Launchpad
Viable Paradise
Taos Toolbox
California Writers Club
BookWritingWorld
SF Writers Conference
Books Mentioned
Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
Wired For Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence by Lisa Cron
The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface by Donald Maass
Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout
Podcasts
“Writers On Writing”
For more inspiration, 29 other podcasts! Ah!
Panel 1: Chelsea Lindman, Michael Carr, Andrea Morrison, Maya Sisneros, David Hale Smith
Getting Past The Gatekeepers
Don’t be afraid to send your query letter to younger agents.
“A great time to get started on next project is when you’re querying.”
“Keep on swinging.”
“We are gatekeepers now but quickly become fans and then advocates and business partners.”
The Query Letter
- References, if you have ‘em: writers “who’ve been through this process before” or editors, people willing to vouch for you
- Keep biographical information relevant
- Accurately communicate what your manuscript is about
- If It’s similar to other writers/books, share that (be accurate, have readers tell you if your writing is actually like Margaret Atwood’s, for example)
- Can list events like Litquake, conferences, MFA, internship, info that shows you’re serious
- Publishing credits (nice to have if you have em)
“The first 50 pages are really important.”
Panel 2: Janine Novac, Michelle Jeffers, Brad Johnson, Nina Schuyler, Cynthia Shannon
Building a Platform
Libraries are a great resource. They’re already doing the discovery work of finding books like that book you love.
SF Library: “We want to promote our local authors”
Local booksellers: come by, say hello.
Collaborate w/other authors – cross-promote – doubles the audience
Can be a conversation with another author
SF library – teaching CW classes
If not yet published…
Always have readers reading your work – ideally not people who already know you
Claim your online presence
Think about who you’re writing for
Define what you stand for – What do you want to be known for? What do you care about?
(There are special readings for debut writers, special fellowships, it’s practically its own genre. Great opportunity)
Panel 3: Ho Lin, Mae Respicio, Nik Sharma, Adam Smyer, Hilary Zaid
An Overnight Success Ten Years in the Making
Persistence and being stubborn are key qualities.
Learn your craft. Make sure basics are perfect.
What they learned:
Maintain a writing practice
Don’t compare yourself to others
Make time for family, friends, fun
Have a literary community (be a literary citizen :) )
“Good feedback resonates” – Don’t have to take everything. Keep listening to self, keep listening to others, be willing to change the book
Question to ask agent, editor: What’s your communication style?
(Tip: It’s nice to have a standing meeting w/agent so there’s no waiting for news in between)
WHAT AM I TRYING TO COMMUNICATE? Then I’ll know who gets it or not and why and who to listen to.
Panel 4: Leslie Carol Roberts, Mary Volmer, Scott James, Rebecca Gomez Farrell, Casey Bennett
It Takes a Village: On writing communities
Take advantage of SF/west coast publishing
“Writers here are more willing to talk to you.”
Same as previous panel: what is my intention? What am I doing? — How is it being read? Who is getting it? What’s working/not?
Lucky! There are so many independent booksellers here in CA!
Where can I contribute? Where can I listen? Where can I lead? How can I help?