A Word From Our President

Breaking the Rules

We had a wonderful critique meeting last month - our first! - and I wanted to say how very proud I am of both our readers, and our critiquers. Our readers were brave to put their work out there for us to pick apart, and our critiquers were both generous and cautious. Remember the goals when critiquing:

1) to help her improve the work

2) to help him get published

And the only way to do that is to keep her/him writing! (Which means be constructive, not destructive with your critique.)

When I was sharing my thoughts about the critique process, I mentioned breaking the rules. In other words, if three people in a critique warn you about not making your hero an actor or sports figure, you have to consider their suggestions carefully. You could change your story to make it more marketable, or go full steam ahead, ignoring the market no-no's.

Here's my advice: write the story that has to be told. In other words, if you can give your hero a more marketable career (military, anyone? LOL) then do it. When you write against market, it's like pushing yourself upstream in racing rapids. That said, if the essence of your story stems from your hero's career choice, then be loyal to him and write the book.

Breaking the rules can be frustrating and exhilarating. Write the story, send it off, and start another book. Don't get stuck pining over the one that wouldn't sell. You have no control over that part of the process. But you do have control over writing that magical story that your hero/heroine wants you to tell. Celebrate every moment spent in front of your computer enjoying their tale.

Until next month: write on!

Pat White

www.patwhitebooks.com

RING AROUND MY HEART, Love Spell 2004

Special Note from the editor: Pat’s book, RING AROUND MY HEART, WON the reviewer's choice award for BEST CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE of 2004!! Congratulations Pat!

Pulse Points

Published authors, please email Steve with information on your forthcoming books!

The following authors have books which are on the shelves in February and March, 2005:

Alecia Holiday	w/a Jax Abbott	Super 16	Smooch Books	Feb 05
Katie MacAlister		Sex, Lies, and Vampires	Love Spell	Feb 05
Stella Cameron		Testing Miss Toogood	Mira	Mar 05
Joanne Otness / Jena MacPherson	w/a Molly Charles	Chasing Galahd	Five Star	Mar 05
Pam Toth		Prescription: Love	Silhouette Special Edition	Mar 05

These works will be published within the next six months:

Sharron McClellan	The Midas Trap	Sil. Bombshell	Apr 05
Jane Porter	The Frog Prince	Warner Books	May 05
Katie MacAlister	Fire Me Up	NAL	May 05
Marianne Stilllings	Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evie	Avon/Harper Collins	May 05
Cynthia Rutledge	Rich, Rugged...Royal	Sil. Romance	June 05
Jane Porter	The Sheikh's Virgin	HQ Presents	June 05
Pat Pritchard	By The Beautiful Sea	Kensington Zebra	June 05
Suzanna Carr	Confessions of a Wicked Woman	Kensington Brava	June 05
Suzanna Carr	Beach Blanket Bad Boys	Kensington Brava	June 05

Articles

What are You Doing to Defeat Your Self-Defeating Behaviours?

by Susan Lyons

What are your New Year's resolutions? To be more productive, get in shape, be positive about yourself and your work?

Most of us finish up a year by evaluating what we've done and how we feel about it, even if only in a vague, general way. And we start the new year with dreams and all good intentions for making them come true.

But when you finish up that new year, how many of your dreams came true? Did you even remember what those dreams were, as you progressed through the year?

How can you do better? By identifying your self-defeating behaviours, and committing to concrete methods for defeating them.

In January of 2004, several members of the Greater Vancouver Chapter signed up for an online course sponsored by the Kiss of Death Chapter of RWA, and presented by Margie Lawson, called "Defeating Self-defeating Behaviors: Allow Writing Productivity and Creativity to Soar." And in January of 2005, another group (including some repeaters) did the same.

What did we learn?

For a number of us, some of the techniques were things we'd already read/heard in books and courses in psychology, time management and/or writing. But for a lot of us, there were some new techniques, plus a refresher on techniques we'd once learned but were failing to apply. For a number of people, there was an "aha" moment and/or a major turnabout in attitude and approach.

I think we'd probably all say that not all techniques resonated with us. Nor, I'm sure, would the instructor expect them to. But most participants did come away with something - often many things - of value.

Part-way through the course, one person said the biggest value to her was "the intentional creating of mental space to do this type of work." So, perhaps that's lesson number 1. If you want to achieve something, you have to make a commitment. Perhaps for you that means spending some money, signing up for a course, and committing some time - not just getting a book out of the library and hoping you'll find time to read it before it's due back. Note that the participant said "mental space". That doesn't just mean carving an hour out of the day and sitting in front of your computer, it means making a mental commitment to identify your problem areas and change them.

Lesson number 2 is to be honest with yourself and identify your self-defeating behaviours. Are they perfectionism, procrastination, negativity? Feeling like you're a failure? All of the above, and more?

Fine, maybe you already know your problem areas. Likely, you've already tried to change them, and found those bad habits are firmly entrenched. Stubborn as they may be, you can defeat them - or at least grapple them into submission.

The course provided numerous techniques and exercises. Very briefly, some that particularly resonated with GVC members included:

a.. Be positive. Defuse negative self-talk. Work on controlling the stressors and negatives in your life. Begin and end the day with positive thoughts: what's going to be (or was) good about this day, and about yourself in this day? Some days it's tough, but there's always something - even if it's the sunshine out your office window, a nice cup of tea, a co-worker's kind word, your own flexibility and resilience in coping with a problem, five minutes with a good book, or climbing under the covers at the end of a truly rotten day.

b.. Set goals: yearly, monthly, weekly and daily. Make them concrete and realistic, but don't be too slack on yourself - challenge yourself a bit. Divide your immediate goals list into two parts: the top priorities that should be achievable, and the "superstar" goals that you'll move on to if (and only if) you complete the first set of goals. Monitor your progress toward your goals, adjust if something unexpected requires your attention, and at the end of the period (day, week etc.), see how you did.

c.. Work with a career/change coach: When you set your goals, report them to your coach. At the end of each week (or each day, if that's how you and your coach choose to work), report on how you did. Your coach's role is not to chastise you if you didn't complete all your goals, nor to say "poor baby, tough day, you'll do better tomorrow." She/he is there to encourage and to nudge. For some of us, simply having weekly goals and knowing we'll have to report to our coach is a huge motivator to get those goals completed.

I took the DSDBs (Defeating Self-Defeating Behaviors) course in January of 2004. I reacted to many of the tools and techniques with "oh yeah, been doing that for years" or with "forget it - no way will that work for me". But I did incorporate weekly goal-setting and working with a career coach (who is another writer, in my local Chapter of RWA). A year later, I'm still doing both those things because they've proved hugely valuable.

Over the first year, my career coach and I added something to our weekly goals list: we expanded it beyond writing goals to incorporate everything we want to achieve in that week (including work, doctor appointments, family commitments, fitness, etc.). After all, our writing takes place within the framework of our entire lives, and we set writing priorities bearing in mind all our other priorities.

Now, when my coach and I look at our weekly goal lists, we can keep the various aspects of our lives in perspective, and in the appropriate balance for the particular week. One week, the day job and family commitments may simply have to be the priority, and we adjust writing goals accordingly - and can still feel good about accomplishing those goals during a very busy week. We're being realistic and positive, and continually reinforcing that our writing is an important part of our lives.

I took the DSDBs course again in January of 2005. What I came away with this time around was a desire and commitment to take both a shorter-term and a longer-term view with my goals. I still love the weekly-goals process, but now I also have a yearly-goals list. Well, okay, I did that last year too, as part of the course, then forgot to refer to it again. (Although, amazingly enough, when I remembered it at the beginning of 2005, I found I'd in fact accomplished almost everything on it - so, maybe it was in the back of my mind all along). This year, when I set weekly goals, I refer to my yearly-goals list to make sure I'm not losing focus on my longer-term goals. Also, I'm paying more attention to the immediate, short-term focus: I start each day with positive thinking and a plan for that day, based on my weekly goals. I end the day with a quick analysis of how I did, and a bit more positive thinking.

Another thing I've added this year is putting time estimates in my weekly goals list, then trying to pay attention to how much time a particular task actually takes. Most of us underestimate how long things are going to take, and end up not being able to achieve our goals because the week didn't have enough hours. Tracking time helps me learn to be better in my planning, and in evaluating whether certain tasks are really worth the amount of time I spend on them.

Three other people who took the course for the second time this year had a similar experience to mine. Different things resonated, and they found new approaches and fresh motivation.

If we can all maintain the techniques and commitment we learned in January, we're going to have a fantastic writing year!

Susan Lyons is a member of the Greater Vancouver, Vancouver Island, and Kiss of Death Chapters of RWA.

You're Fired! ....Now What?

by Amie Gray

I’m newly divorced—and not looking.

At first, our relationship was exciting. There was mutual admiration and respect—even a touch of awe on my part that this person liked me ... really liked me!

Or rather, my work. My agent offered representation two short weeks after I queried her. I said yes and pulled my submission from five other agencies. Initially, she said all the right things and made all the right gestures.

Then…nothing.

Two short months in our relationship headed south—she started ignoring my emails (only sent at intervals of every three to four weeks). She turned vague, wishy-washy, was hard to communicate with. All the signs were there.

Worried that I was being oversensitive and/or seeing problems when there were none, I talked with a published friend about my "relationship" of only three months. "You know that feeling you used to get in high school? When you just knew your boyfriend was going to dump you and everyone else did too, but he hadn’t done it yet? Well, that’s how I feel."

And even though she laughed, my analogy made complete sense to her. After all, she’d fired more than one agent herself.

That’s when I knew I had to "DO IT". I had to fire my agent.

Gulp. I’m unpublished, I’d worked my hiney off for a year to get somewhere in what can only be called a dog-eat-dog business. And managed to land an agent at a very prestigious agency with my third completed manuscript.

If writing and publishing were baseball, then firing your agent would be…well…firing your star pitcher.

Not fun. But I talked to my mentor and my critique partners and I made a plan. I took control of our relationship—as much as I could. I wrote a letter and told her how I felt. I demanded answers (but got none). I called more frequently. In essence, I made sure I did my job, because unfortunately being a writer isn’t just about writing a good book.

None of it did any good. The firing was still on.

I gave her until the end of January, then sent off a certified letter terminating our relationship. I’ve sulked and pouted and cried so much since that the voices in my head have gone quiet. My ranting and tears have scared my characters so bad, they’re in hiding. Or maybe, on vacation—which isn’t a bad idea. After talking with a writer friend who had also recently fired her agent, I decided we couldn’t be the only ones, and I was right.

I’ve talked with a dozen writers, including two Golden Heart finalists. Most wish to remain anonymous. The length of time with their agent ran the gamut from three months to eight years—I was with my own agent only six months. This writer said, "She did not believe in contracts because she felt the client and agent needed to test working together. When I experienced how she worked, I understood her policy." She’s since found a new agent with whom she has a wonderful working relationship.

I’m still angry. Not only with myself, but with my agent, who failed to do her job. When asked how they felt after the firing, the responses ranged from pissed off, angry, and frustrated, to relieved yet scared...and "I felt fine." Allison Brennan (Killing Secrets, Ballantine Spring 2006) said, "I felt relieved. Free. Stress-free. I had no trouble writing. I gave myself a two month "agent-break" to finish my manuscript; then I started the querying process again -- much, much wiser." By the way, Allison landed a new agent with her fifth manuscript and sold two weeks later.

Many of the writers who were kind enough to share their experiences told me about situations eerily similar to mine. Agents who’s enthusiasm quickly waned, who became unresponsive, refusing to communicate with their clients. What one writer called "fair weather" issues—or the dimming of that rosy glow. Fictionwriters.com http://www.fictionwriters.com/tips-firing-agent.html has a great article on warning signs to look for and I heard (or experienced) almost all of them:

Don't Call Me, I'll Call You...

The Black Hole—do you know where your work is being submitted?

Waning Enthusiasm

Throw It Against the Wall and See What Sticks

The Blind Leading the Blind

The "What About Me?" Syndrome

Major Chaos/General Disorder

Zero Clout

One Golden Heart finalist said, "Unfortunately, she wasn't very responsive--I never knew where my book had been sent until I fired her."

Funny, when I received copies of my own rejection letters I discovered my agent had submitted to a house she hadn’t even told me about. Thieme Jackson Bittick, a 2005 Laurie Finalist, said, "She wasn't terribly responsive to my questions about where she sent my manuscript, and I finally realized why--she wasn't sending it out." She’s not the only one who discovered her agent wasn’t shopping her work.

On the flip side, Theresa Meyer (Blue Moon Communications) who was with her agent 8 years said, "Frankly I still adore my former agent personally. She's a great individual, but I just felt like I had to move on or nothing was ever going to happen with my career." In every case, firing wasn’t something I or any of my fellow writers did easily, though we were all savvy enough to recognize the warning signs that things weren’t kosher. One writer said, "I'd thought about my decision for quite a while before actually doing anything about it, so I was ready," another said, she was "heartsick."

For some of us the thought and planning doesn’t make the firing any easier. What’s worse? A bad agent or no agent at all? Am I shooting myself in the foot? Why am I firing him or her? For the same reason anyone gets fired. Because the agent didn’t do his or her job. One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was this: Your agent works for you, not the other way around. Great advice but sometimes hard to remember in a business where we get knocked down a lot more than we get...well...anywhere! Since they work for you, they’re an extension of you, your representative in "the marketplace," and it’s your (mine/our) job to make sure that "employee" does their job, or take appropriate action.

Lucky for me, our contract was verbal and I only have one manuscript tied up. Do you know what happens to the manuscript your agent has shopped once you fire her? Other agents won’t touch it—after all, it’s used goods. My most marketable manuscript to date is used goods. And if I take my manuscript back to houses she’s submitted to in the next year and sell it, she still makes her 15%. In the words of one Golden Heart Finalist, "Now, she's cost my GH final a probable home unless I can sell it myself. Other agents won't touch it because she was agent of record with the eight houses she sent to."

No one will touch it with a borrowed pen.

In my case, my other two completed manuscripts have already made the round of agents, so in order to land a new one, I’ll have to write something new. After spending six months working on revisions, it’s been tough. Some of my fellow writers, got right back on the proverbial horse, some, like Allison, already landed new agents and are selling or shopping their work, one has switched genres, a few, like me, have decided they’re not ready to hunt for an agent yet. One Golden Heart finalists very wisely noted that for some of us, "It was like going through a divorce."

So what's an unpublished writer to do once they've taken those two steps back career-wise? First off, don’t be too hard on yourself. Many authors go through more than one agent before they find that perfect fit. One unpublished writer noted, "I know how we don't like to get rejections from agents who say "I just didn't fall in love with it." But you know what? THAT is the agent I want, the one who falls in love with my book." She’s right, and all the personal recommendations in the world can’t guarantee a successful relationship with an agent.

Give yourself time to grieve and eat chocolate. Talk to other writers. You are NOT alone. Give yourself permission to not write and regroup, if necessary. After all, 9 to 5’ers get vacations (and mental health days hehe), why shouldn’t we? But don’t not write too long. Just like getting a divorce, you’ve got to get back out there and get your feet wet in whatever way works best for you. One of my own personal mantras is, "This is a business." Don’t ever forget that. Take back control of your career—for me, that involved writing this article.

I think this author summed up everyone’s feelings perfectly, "I kept forcing myself to write, because this is my dream and I'm not going to let anyone steal it away from me." Can I get an A-men?

Take stock of where you are career-wise. Put pen to paper! Make a plan! And stick with it!

Most importantly of all, consider it a lesson learned. In the words of one writer, "That first offer you get, when you've been getting rejections for years and when it's not a scam, is hard to turn down." And it’s hard to walk away, but you now know what you don’t want in an agent. You’re wiser, more savvy about the industry, less afraid to ask questions of prospective agents. And more prepared for the next time you land an agent—and you will. If you’re good enough to land one, then you’re good enough to land another.

Amie Gray currently writes erotica under the name Celia Stuart ("Summer's Seduction", Sex on Holiday by Black Lace Books June 2005). She's currently focusing her energies on a promotional website for a fictional bar in a fictional town (http://dancebluebonnet.com) and other activities that don't require an agent. Her website is http://celiastuart.com.

Market News

by Julie Moffett

Great news to report – lots and lots of brand new sales!! Congratulations to all!

NYT best-selling author Janet Evanovich has sold her next three Stephanie Plum titles to Matthew Shear and Jennifer Enderlin at St. Martin's in a major deal; Linda Lael Miller sold three contemporary romances and three romantic thrillers to Dianne Moggy and Tracy Farrell at HQN in a major deal; Erin Grady sold her as-of-yet untitled novel of romantic suspense about a woman who returns to her hometown and comes face to face with ghosts from the past and premonitions of the future to Susan McCarty at Berkley in a nice deal; and Lori Handeland sold her book CRESCENT MOON and two others in the author's werewolf series to Jennifer Enderlin at St. Martin's. (Publisher’s Weekly/1-19-05)

Tracey Bateman sold a three book, LEAVE IT TO CLAIRE mom-lit series, about a single mom and writer who is dragged away from her computer to heal after carpal tunnel surgery and invents a six-steps-to-a-better-life program to help her cope with real life to Leslie Peterson at Warner Faith in a good deal in a pre-empt; and USA Today best-selling authors Elaine Barbieri and Constance O'Banyon sold BRADFORD CREST, four interlinked historical romances about the strivings of the sons and daughters of a fabulously wealthy Galveston shipping magnate to Alicia Condon at Dorchester for publication in 2006. (Publisher’s Weekly/1-27-05)

Amanda Trimble sold her debut novel SINGLETINI, about a sassy, single girl in Chicago to Shana Drehs at Three Rivers Press,in a nice deal; and author Judy Baer sold an inspirational chick lit series called THE WHITNEY CHRONICLES, starting with NORAH'S ARK, featuring a pet store owner who finds herself falling for an animal-adverse cop, to Joan Marlow Golan at Steeple Hill in a nice deal for six books. (Publisher’s Weekly/2-1-05)

Chick lit author Emily Giffin sold her next two books to Jennifer Enderlin at St. Martin's. (Publisher’s Weekly/2-8-05)

Warner is launching a new trade paperback imprint called 5 Spot. According to a press release, the line will be dedicated to books that are “smart and fun, with attitude to spare, geared toward women who share those attributes.” Gathered under the new print will be chick-lit titles and related women’s non-fiction. Trade paperback editorial director Amy Einhorn said in a statement that 5 Spot will “showcase unique and intelligent voices.”

Good news for historical writers -- Harlequin Historicals is broadening its horizons and is now accepting manuscripts set in widely diverse historical time periods, from ancient civilizations up to and including the First and Second World Wars. They are also looking for novels set during the Viking invasions to the turbulence of the Middle Ages in Europe, from Elizabethan England to twentieth-century families at war. Western American and Australasian settings are also welcome, with highly dramatic and emotional stories unfolding in the wilderness at society's edge. For more information, check out their website at eharlequin.com.

RWA’s Mystery Suspense Chapter Kiss Of Death presents: April 2005 Killer Instincts Workshop

Query Letters & Proposals - A 3 Step Letter Writing Formula

Instructor: Robin Matheson

April 1, 2005 - April 30, 2005

Build a query letter from the ground up!

Learn the pre-writing exercises that keep you focused on the big picture and save you time when it comes to writing a query letter. Master the "ABC Formula" that allows you to compose any business letter in 3 easy steps. Honest!

Review a fail-proof method for creating synopses that sell. In addition to the course material, students will have an opportunity to receive a critique of either a completed query letter or short synopsis.

Instructor Bio: Robin Matheson

Robin Matheson's first book, a romantic suspense entitled Keeping Faith, was released in July 2004 from Wings ePress and garnered a 5 Star review from Romance Junkies. Robin also publishes fiction under a pseudonym. A member of several writer's groups, Robin contributes regularly to chapter newsletters with articles on writing and research books. Robin holds a B.A.H. in Civilization and English from McMaster University and a Master of Education from the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. She's taught Marketing, Business Writing, and English as a Second Language at college, overseas, and, more recently, writing courses online. One of Robin's greatest passions is traveling. She and her family have lived in South East Asia and South Africa in addition to their home base in Canada.

Payment must be received by march 25, 2005

http://www.rwamysterysuspense.org/coffin.html

RWA’s Mystery Suspense Chapter Kiss Of Death presents:  April 2005 Murderone Workshop

Science Against Crimes: Using Forensic Science To Solve Your Crime  Scene Scenarios

Instructor: Robert Genna, Suffolk County Crime Lab Forensic Scientist

April 1, 2005 - April 30, 2005

The course titled "Science Against Crime" will cover all aspects of the forensic sciences, focusing especially on the crime scene. Areas such as blood stain pattern analysis, tracks and trails (i.e. shoeprints/tire tracks), bullet trajectories, and other types of physical evidence will be discussed as needed.

Instructor Bio: Robert Genna, Suffolk County Crime Lab Forensic Scientist

Robert Genna has been working in the forensic field since the 1970's and specifically with Suffolk County Crime Laboratory since 1977. His Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Forensic Science are both from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Qualified to testify as an expert witness in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, Genna has also taught at several universities including the University of Rome, Italy. .He is a regular lecturer for local police departments.

Payment must be received by march 25, 2005

Sign up today at:

http://www.rwamysterysuspense.org/coffin.html

Spring Contests

Updated and all sites tested...Compiled by Donna Caubarreaux....May be forwarded with credits.

"It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else."

--Erma Bombeck

Barclay Gold (Published)

Lake Country Romance Writers

Postmarked by March 31, 2005

Copyright of 2004.

http://www.lcrw.org/rulesgold.html

Noble Theme

American Christian Fiction Writers

Postmarked by March 31, 2005

First 25 pages.

http://www.americanchristianfictionwriters.com/nobletheme.shtml

Fire & Ice Contest

Chicago-North RWA

Received by April 1, 2005

First Chapter up to 25 pages.

http://www.chicagonorthrwa.org/contest.htm

Royal Ascot

The Beau Monde Chapter

Postmarked by April 1, 2005

Beginning and synopsis not to exceed 30 pages.

http://www.thebeaumonde.com/royalascot/

The Shelia

Valley Forge Romance Writers

Postmarked by April 1, 2005

Synopsis (up to 7 pages) and beginning of manuscript not to exceed 35 pages total for synopsis and manuscript pages.

http://www.vfrw.com/contest.htm