We're putting together a fantastic lineup of speakers. Stay tuned for more details!
Springfield, Missouri -- where Ozarks Romance Authors is based -- was just ranked by Amazon.com as the third-most romantic city in the USA!
Our local newspaper, the Springfield News-Leader, called to interview ORA President Jill Slack to see what we think of this honor. Jill is quoted in a story on the front page of the Saturday, February 11, 2012 edition.
We saved a screenshot of the story to share with you.
Click here to open the PDF and read: SNL ORA quote 3rd Most Romantic City 2-11-2012
What did Jill have to say?
Jill Slack, president of Ozarks Romance Authors, said she thinks the rating isn’t necessarily because Springfield is a romantic place all on its own.
“I think it’s more that it’s the people,” Slack said. “It’s more of a traditional area.”
Slack also said there are quite a few writers in the Ozarks, which might be why romance book sales are higher — purchased for inspiration.
“When you’re a writer, you’re also a voracious reader,” Slack said.
Here is a link to a press release from Amazon.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110208005991/en/Amazon.com-Announces-Top-20-Romantic-Cities-America
Excerpt from the original press release:
SEATTLE--Love is in the air. Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced its list of the Top 20 Most Romantic Cities in America. After compiling sales data of romance novels and relationship books (Kindle Books and print books), romantic comedy movies (digital movies and DVDs), Barry White albums (CDs and MP3s), along with sexual wellness products, since Jan. 1, 2011, on a per capita basis in cities with over 100,000 residents, the Top 20 most romantic cities in the U.S. are:
Amazon.com’s Top 20 romantic cities 1. Knoxville, Tenn. 2. Alexandria, Va. 3. Springfield, Mo. 4. Orlando, Fla. 5. Cincinnati, Ohio 6. Vancouver, Wash. 7. Miami, Fla. 8. Murfreesboro, Tenn. 9. Dayton, Ohio 10. Columbia, S.C. 11. Pittsburgh, Penn. 12. Clearwater, Fla. 13. St. Louis 14. Erie, Pa. 15. Clarksville, Tenn. 16. Everett, Wash. 17. Gainesville, Fla. 18. Las Vegas, Nev. 19. Rochester, N.Y. 20. Tallahassee, Fla.
Our 2011 writers' conference is listed in The Shaw Guides: The Guide to Writers Conferences & Workshops.
Ozarks Romance Authors
Website: http://www.ozarks-romance-authors.com Year Established: 1987 Program Description: Fiction writers conference that includes lectures, panel & group discussions, pitch sessions, Q&A. Number of Programs/Year: 1 Program Length: 1 day Group Size or S:T Ratio: ~75 Program Focus: Fiction, Humor, Mystery, Publishing, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Young Adult Faculty 2011: Literary agent Louise Fury; editor Lia Brown (Avalon Books); novelists Leigh Michaels, Shannon Vannatter, Shannon Butcher, Eliza Lloyd. Costs: $65 (early bird $60). U.S. Locations: Springfield, Missouri
Months: July Contact: Jill Slack, President Ozarks Romance Authors Springfield, MO 65802 United States Phone: 417-597-4716 E-Mail: ozarksromanceauthors@gmail.com
About ShawGuides Established in 1988 as a publisher of comprehensive worldwide guides to educational travel and creative career programs, ShawGuides has offered free online access to the unabridged, continually updated content of each guide since 1995.
You can search our updated database of career and recreational cooking schools, wine courses, golf & tennis schools & camps, high performance programs, writers conferences, photography, film & video workshops & schools, art & craft workshops, language vacations, cultural travel programs, and artists' and writers' residencies & retreats.
ShawGuides are recommended by many national and international publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Business Week, Fortune, U.S. News & World Report, and USA Today.
This is kind of funny!
It looks like someone has a blog set up to pull its content automatically from other sources on the web. The blog is about car stereo equipment. It picked up on the fact that our July 23 writers' conference will be held at The Clarion in Springfield, Missouri, and posted information about us.
Clarion Hotel = Clarion stereo speakers?
Apparently they found us through the news story on the Joplin, Missouri-based web site JoplinIndependent.com, so this stereo speaker site linked to that article.
If you're looking for Clarion speakers for your car stereo, we can't help you. However, if you are an aspiring author, we would love to meet you and see how our members, our critique group, and our monthly meetings with fabulous speakers can help you work toward your publishing dreams.
For information about our annual Missouri writers' conference scheduled for July 23, 2011, in Springfield, click HERE.
If you'd like to find out about our monthly critique group and meeting, click HERE.
Hi, future attendees of Ozarks Romance Authors' annual conference, which will be held in Springfield, Missouri, on July 23, 2011. (Sorry! I got the year wrong in the video.)
I wanted to show you something interesting. We're going to have a little quiz later.
Click to watch the short video at the top of this page and you will drive around with me (Jill, 2010-2011 president of Ozarks Romance Authors) in a parking lot on the southwest corner of East Battlefield and South Glenstone in Springfield, Missouri.
You'll see several buildings in the same, large parking lot.
There is a small building with a Game Stop store in the north end and an AT&T Wireless store in the south side. Behind this Game Stop building is the only Barnes & Noble store in Springfield.
Here is the quiz: What could the Game Stop building possibly have in common with this Barnes & Noble, which is where we're going to have the booksigning for our speakers the evening before our annual fiction writers' conference?
The booksigning will be here at Barnes & Noble, within walking distance of The Clarion Hotel, which is where our conference is taking place. The booksigning will be Friday, July 22, which is the night before our conference, from 4:00 - 6:00, here in this large, lovely Barnes & Noble store.
Are you curious about what this Barnes & Noble might have in common with the little Game Stop building?
I'll give you two hints. The clues about what they have in common are Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Yes, Brangelina.
Does that make you even more curious?
By the way, be sure to plan on attending our:
* Booksigning Friday, July 22, here at Barnes & Noble, 3055 S. Glenstone
* Annual Writers' Conference just down the road at The Clarion Hotel, 3333 S. Glenstone
in Springfield, Missouri.
Now, if you are curious about what this Barnes & Noble store (where our booksigning will take place) has in common with the Game Stop building, Brad Pitt, and Angelina Jolie, here are the details!
Ready?
1. GAME STOP BUILDING -- BRAD
Colonel Day's Levi's Emporium, which is where Brad Pitt worked as a sales clerk between the time that he graduated from Springfield's Kickapoo High School and went to seek his fame and fortune in Hollywood, used to be the only tenant in the Game Stop/AT&T building.
At that time, Brad looked like this:
I couldn't find any photos of the old Colonel Day's store, but the building has not changed much. Currently, the building looks like this:
Back then, it had an odd stucco finish with deep grooves to match the exterior of the Venture store on the west side of the parking lot. These were the only two buildings on the parking lot at that time, but the lot now also has Barnes & Noble, Office Depot, and Olive Garden.
The Venture store has been gone for many years and is now a K-Mart store.
This is the K-Mart Brad and some of the kids reportedly shopped at during their December 2010 trip to Springfield.
2. GAME STOP BUILDING -- ANGELINA
Take a closer look at the windows in the Game Stop building. Who do you see there, along with Super Mario?
Yup, that's an image of Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, long before she and Brad became Brangelina. The Game Stop building has several large images of Angelina hanging in its windows.
Gee, I wonder if that was the topic of conversation on the Jolie-Pitt private jet. "Darling, did you see the large posters of me in the windows where you used to work? Shall I have the longitude and latitude added to the tattoo on my bicep?"
3. BARNES & NOBLE / STARBUCKS
This is the Barnes & Noble store that became famous in December 2010 when, while in town to visit Brad's family, Angelina stopped at the Starbucks inside of the bookstore and bought coffee. News of the sighting of Angelina, Zahara, and Shiloh made its way onto the Internet, including:
People magazine
JustJared.com
It was also during this visit that Brad and Angelina posed for photos at St. John's Hospital (where I was born) to dedicate the new Jane Pitt Pediatric Cancer Center, named in honor of Brad's mom, Jane Pitt. To see the story in People magazine, click HERE.
There you have it! Thanks for playing, and we'll see you at our fiction writers' conference in Springfield, Missouri, on July 23! Click HERE for more details about the great speakers and topics we have scheduled for the day.
P.S. Stop by Barnes & Noble in Springfield to have coffee, just like Angelina! Enjoy it, along with some conversation, during our booksigning on July 22. We can't promise you'll see Brangelina but, based on last year's event, we think you'll have a lot of fun.
Ozarks Romance Authors' members had a special treat Saturday, July 2, 2011, as author Louise A. Jackson was our guest speaker.
Louise's presentation was titled "From an Idea in My Head to a Book in Your Hand." She took us through the basics of the publishing industry with a healthy sprinkle of her journey toward publication and how the situation changes as you continue to be published.
We used our Twitter account to live-tweet during Louise's presentation, and we will now paste the transcript below.
If you would like to know about future live-tweets, become our fan on Facebook HERE and follow us on Twitter HERE.
Our next regular meeting will be Saturday, August 6, 2011, at The Library Station on N. Kansas Expressway in Springfield, Missouri. For details about our monthly meetings, click HERE.
Our annual conference will be held July 23, 2011, at The Clarion Hotel and Convention Center in Springfield, Missouri (on Glenstone, between Target and Friendly Ford). Details about our conference are available by clicking HERE.
Our speaker today is award-winning children's author Louise A Jackson http://www.louiseajackson.net
Louise is a member of Ozark Writers and Illustrators for Children
which is a group that meets here Saturday mornings
Like us, they meet 1st Sat of each month.
Children's group is having Workshop July 30 at The Library Center
Keynote is Paula Morrow, an agent who was an editor with Highlights for Children mag
Another speaker is Judy Young, a local author and former teacher
Ozark Writers and Illustrators for Children's web site is http://www.owaic.org
Another speaker at their July 30 workshop will be Vicki Grove
Our speaker today is award-winning children's author Louise A Jackson
Writing is a seamless garment. No matter the genre you write, it's much the same.
What should I write about? Who will read it? How can I make it interesting for them? Is this written correctly?
Every author asks these same questions. We can learn from each other in a variety of ways.
Today's topic: From an Idea in My Head to a Book in Your Hand
Not talking about self-pub today. There are great self-pub places, though.
Chicken Soup books couldn't find a publisher, so self-pubbed.
Now there are hundreds of publishers who would LOVE to have Chicken Soup.
You CAN be successful as a self-pub author. Louise's opinion: When you self-pub, it may be wonderful, but how do you know?
No other filter to say that you've gotten there.
Louise's personal opinion is if not good enough to pub on open market, she won't publish.
So this presentation is about traditional pub, not self-pub or e-pub.
Louise's first book began with a bit of family lore -- a clock that that was passed down
"Gone to Texas" was that book.
Every time you write a scene, your question becomes: Now what does he need, more than anything else, at this point?
"Gone to Texas" came from a family heirloom (clock) used in a fanciful way.
Don't hesitate to go with regional presses. They're smaller presses, but many are quite good.
After JK Rowling sold HP and businesses that knew nothing about publishing entered scene,
they compressed things and lost a lot. Naive men thought HP came along every other day.
Same thing happened in publishing that happened in banking.
Citibank, Bank of America bought up smaller banks. After they consolidated, regional banks started opening again
We have lots of regional banks that grew out of demand from "too big to fail" banks.
Louise's "Gone to Texas" was pub by regional press Eakin.
Peachtree Press in Atlanta is also very good.
Another book came from learning Springfield had a home for soldiers' kids orphaned by war.
Do a LOT of research! Louise is big believer in doing research.
You need MORE data than you will ever use. Then you'll probably need MORE research before finishing.
Get your idea, do lots of reseach. Begin to develop main characters.
Louise writes paragraphs in the character's voice to develop the character.
What's in his life that he doesn't want anyone to know? This drives their behavior.
Backstory is vital! Write your story, then go back and drop bits of backstory into the manuscript.
Louise strongly urges writers to work with a critique group!
@OzarksRomance Authors hold critique group 10am 1st Saturday of each month.
Louise's critique group meets weekly. She revises her work based on their critiques.
You've finished your book. Now what? Get a copy of "Writer's Market."
Do your research BEFORE sending your manuscript to a publisher.
There is nothing worse than sending your manuscript to a publisher who does not publish that genre.
Follow proper manuscript formatting guidelines -- double space, 1" margins, only 1 space after period ending sentence.
Never take for granted the editor is still at that pub house. They constantly move around.
By the time Writer's Market comes out, they may be gone. Web site might not be correct.
Pick up the phone. Call publisher. Ask if that editor is still there. If in doubt, ask if male or female.
Get the editor's name right! Develop the art of the query letter.
Conferences are vital for writers. We're having one July 23! Details: http://ow.ly/4lZmp
Louise says you can have 10 queries out for 1 manuscript, but only send ms to 1 house at a time.
Loads of info online of how to write a query letter.
Louise makes most of her publishing industry contacts through conferences.
She is going back to a national publisher (rather than regional) again for next book.
Someday you'll get call/letter saying they want to buy your book. Next to having a child, this is the best feeling EVER.
Enter contests! Put your book out there.
Louise's book "H is for Hope" helps the Rainbow Network. http://rainbownetwork.wordpress.com
Rainbow Network is a faith-based organization working to end extreme poverty in Nicaragua through housing, health care,
education, micro finance, and sustainable agriculture.
A lot of the process of writing means pieces of process take places simultaneously.
Louise was a teacher for many years and earned her doctorate in 1965.
Conferences Louise attends? Society for Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, Ozarks Writers League
Thanks for joining our live-tweet of author http://www.louiseajackson.net
Eliza Lloyd is one of the authors coming to speak at our annual writers' conference, and she just gave a little sneak peek on her blog HERE. In fact, this is the second time she has mentioned our writers' conference, which is scheduled for Saturday, July 23, 2011, in Springfield, Missouri. We mentioned the other occurrence HERE, along with links to Eliza's books.
If you like a sexy, steamy read, click on her titles below.
Follow Eliza Lloyd on Twitter! Her Twitter name is @elloydwriting .
Writers' conferences and conventions of this quality in the midwest are not easy to find. This year's conference is full of presentations and workshops by award-winning authors, plus our attendees can schedule pitch sessions with a literary agent and publishing house editor from New York City. Opportunities like this do not happen often in the Ozarks! If you would like more details about who will be speaking (and who will be taking pitch sessions) at our conference, click HERE.
Ozarks Romance Authors, a non-profit group for Missouri writers of all genres, was founded in 1987. The regional writers’ group holds its meetings the first Saturday of each month at The Library Station, 2535 N. Kansas Expressway, in Springfield, Missouri.
Visitors are welcome. Your first three visits are free. For details about upcoming meetings, please click HERE.
Our annual conference will be held July 23, 2011, at The Clarion Hotel and Conference Center. To learn more about the amazing lineup of speakers and workshops, click HERE to visit our conference page.
If you have questions about the group, please email us at OzarksRomanceAuthors@gmail.com or call (417) 597-4716.
http://elizalloyd.blogspot.com/2011/06/ozark-writers-conferencejust-around.html
Congratulations to the 8 finalists in our 2011 Weta Nichols Fiction Writing Contest!
Their entries are now in the hands of our final-round judges, literary agent Louise Fury and Avalon Books editor Lia Brown, who will be here in person at our annual conference July 23 in Springfield, Missouri.
During the conference, which will take place at The Clarion Hotel Convention Center (between Target and Friendly Ford on South Glenstone), we will announce the winners and present the cash prizes -- $100 for first place, $50 for second place, and $25 for third place. (If you are a finalist and can't make it, we will mail your prize.)
This year, we had a record-breaking 99 submissions from all over the world, representing many genres.
Many thanks to our first-round juges. Without them, we never would have been able to see our contest double in size.
Our 2011 finalists, in alphabetical order, are:
Linda Carroll Brad San Antonio, Texas "Hannah's Promise" Historical Romance
Cecily Cornelius-White Springfield, Missouri "Snatchers" Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Alice Cummings Springfield, Missouri "The Treasure Hunter's Lady" Fantasy Romance
Rebecca Davis Cincinnati, Ohio "The Goddess of Michigan Avenue" Paranormal Romance
Lily Herman Pont Vedra Beach, Florida "Out the Backdoor" Young Adult
Brenda Littau Pallyup, Washington "Love and Zombies" Romance/Horror
Normandie Ward Fischer Gloucester, North Carolina "Heavy Weather" Mainstream
Gail Zerrade Boise, Idaho "The Patriarch" Mainstream
If you are interested in competing in our 2012 contest, please click HERE to follow us on Twitter, or click HERE to follow us on Facebook.
Would you like to be included in the fun, learning, and networking that we have planned for our July 23, 2011, conference? Click HERE for details.
Looking for a great way to support your favorite non-profit group while letting more people know that you are a fabulous writer?
How about adding a few pieces of ORAwear to your wardrobe?
Here is the link to go to our store: http://www.cafepress.com/romanceauthors
You'll find some cute things like T-shirts, sweatshirts, polo shirts, ringer T-shirts, caps, tote bags, messenger bags, teddy bears, license plate frames, and mugs.
Ozarks Romance Authors was founded in 1987 as a regional writers' group focusing on the romance fiction genre. The group was a chapter of Romance Writers of America (RWA).
Through the years, ORA evolved into a multi-genre group. Current members have been published by traditional book publishers, e-publishers, independent publishers, Kindle, Nook, and various newspapers, magazines, trade journals, and industry publications.
Members range from those who are just thinking of getting started in writing to those who have been published many times.
If you are interested in the publishing industry, we would love to meet you. Our monthly meetings are fun and informative, and our critique group can help you polish your manuscript and get it ready for agents and editors to consider.
Meetings are held the first Saturday of each month at The Library Station in Springfield, Missouri. This is just south of the intersection of Interstate 44 and North Kansas Expressway, or just north of the intersection of West Kearney Street and North Kansas Expressway. Click HERE to see a map.
If you have questions about the group, feel free to post a comment here, send us an email at OzarksRomanceAuthors@gmail.com, or call (417) 597-4716.
Two members of Ozarks Romance Authors are heating up the Internet today.
Barbara Bettis has welcomed Amanda Barke to her blog for Barb's popular "Writers' Wednesday" feature. Click HERE to see the interview.
AMANDA J. BARKE Amanda J. Barke is an author, editor, freelance journalist, singer/songwriter, and motivational speaker. She lives in the Ozarks (southwest Missouri) with her family.
Her work as a freelance journalist can be found in Ozarks' Senior Living Newspaper, Ozarks Mountaineer Magazine, Missouri Life Magazine, and various other regional publications. Her other articles can be found online at ehow.com, livestrong.com/lifestyle, and amykitchenerfdn.org.
As a motivational speaker, she travels all over Missouri promoting literacy in schools, teaching fellow writers, and motivating teens to follow their dreams. In 2010, she served as president of Springfield Writers' Guild.
She has been a member of Ozarks Romance Authors since early 2011.
Visit Amanda online by clicking HERE.
Her children's book, "The Sleepy Little Sun," is available online by clicking HERE.
Her novel, "A Distant Rumble," is available online by clicking HERE.
BARBARA BETTIS Barbara Bettis is an award-winning author of historical fiction, and a long-time instructor of English and journalism at the college level.
She lives in the Missouri Ozarks and is active in several writers' groups in the area, including Ozarks Romance Authors.
Visit Barb's blog by clicking HERE. Her main web site is HERE.
Be sure to check Barb's blog for future Writers' Wednesday features!
Louise A. Jackson will be showing us the traces of writing a novel from the first idea to publication.
Louise A. Jackson, of Springfield, Missouri, is the national award-winning author of five children’s books:
She has written articles published in The Reading Teacher, Language Arts, and Journal of the West.
Much in demand as a speaker, Jackson is known for her spirited presentations to all ages and for her ability to inspire and encourage writers.
You can visit her website by clicking here: Louise A. Jackson
If you're unable to make it, be sure to "attend" via our live-tweets during the presentation. Just become one of our followers on Twitter by visiting our page HERE and then follow our Twitter feed on Saturday, July 2, 2011, beginning at approximately 1:05 p.m. Central Time (USA).
In the December 4, 2004, issue of Springfield Parent & Family Magazine (now published by the Springfield News-Leader and known as Ozarks Moms Like Me), Louise shared the story of how she got started as a writer.
Jackson discovered the writing bug at age 10 when her mother bought her a Kodak Brownie box camera, and told her to write a story about her favorite photo on the roll.
"I wrote a story about a toad in the dog's water bowl," Jackson said. "My mother and I then packaged a lunch, went up into the hills, talked about descriptive writing, and practiced over and over. I loved it! My mother gave me another roll of film every summer."
Ozarks Romance Authors, a non-profit group for Missouri writers of all genres, was founded in 1987. The regional writers’ group holds its meetings the first Saturday of each month at The Library Station, 2535 N. Kansas Expressway, in Springfield, Missouri.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Saturday, July 2, 2011, and you are welcome to come for our critique group at 10:00 a.m., lunch at noon, and our meeting with guest speaker Louise A. Jackson at 1:00 p.m.
Visitors are welcome. Your first three visits are free.
Our annual conference will be held July 23, 2011, at The Clarion Hotel and Conference Center. To learn more about the amazing lineup of speakers and workshops, click here to visit our conference page.
If you have questions about the group, please email us at OzarksRomanceAuthors@gmail.com or call (417) 597-4716.
Best-selling author Leigh Michaels is scheduled to be one of our speakers as Ozarks Romance Authors presents its annual conference July 23, 2011, at The Clarion Hotel in Springfield, Missouri.
Leigh's topics for this event include:
* "Things that Stump the Best of Us (Pacing, Backstory, and Transitions)"
* "Playing Fair: When Characters Keep Secrets" Leigh will also participate in panel discussions during the day with the other presenters.
Who is Leigh Michaels?
Leigh Michaels is the author of nearly 100 books, including 80 contemporary novels, three historical romance novels, and more than a dozen non-fiction books. More than 35 million copies of her romance novels have been published. Six of her books have been finalists for Best Traditional Romance novel in the RITA contest sponsored by Romance Writers of America. She has received two Reviewer's Choice awards from Romantic Times.
Her work has been translated and published in 120 countries in more than 25 languages, including Japanese, Korean, Hungarian, Polish, Portuguese, Czech, Bulgarian, Russian, Turkish, Hebrew, Greek, Swedish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Danish, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Africaans, Arabic, Indonesian, and Chinese.
She is the 2003 recipient of the Johnson Brigham Award presented by the Iowa Library Association to an Iowa author for outstanding contributions to literature.
She is the author of "On Writing Romance," published by Writers Digest Books.
She is the author of non-fiction books such as WRITING THE ROMANCE NOVEL, a step-by-step workbook, and CREATING ROMANTIC CHARACTERS. She is also the author of DEAR LEIGH MICHAELS: A Novelist Answers the Most-Asked Questions about Getting Published, and a cookbook, A TASTE OF LOVE. She has produced audio programs and written magazine articles on subjects of interest to writers in general.
She teaches romance writing on the Internet at Gotham Writers Workshop, www.writingclasses.com. Men and women from around the world have participated in her workshops, and a number of them have gone on to publish their own romance novels with commercial publishers. She is currently an adjunct professor in the School of Communications at the University of Iowa.
She wrote her first romance novel when she was a teenager and burned it, then wrote and burned five more complete manuscripts before submitting to a publisher. Her first submission was accepted and published by Harlequin Books, the first publisher to look at it.
To learn more about Leigh Michaels, visit her online at http://www.LeighMichaels.com
Ozarks Romance Authors, a multi-genre writers' group, has been a registered non-profit corporation in the state of Missouri since 1987. Meetings are held the first Saturday of each month, and the group's annual conference is scheduled for July 23, 2011, in Springfield, Missouri.
For a list of guest speakers and their topics, click here: http://ozarks-romance-authors.com/2011-annual-conference/
Ozarks Romance Authors, a multi-genre, non-profit group for writers (founded in 1987), met Saturday, June 4, 2011, at The Library Station on North Kansas Expressway in Springfield, Missouri.
The June presentation was by member Kelly Henkins, who writes as Angela Drake.
Her topic was perfect as we prepare for one-on-one pitch sessions at our July 23 annual conference, with Avalon Books Editor Lia Brown and Literary Agent Louise Fury of The L. Perkins Agency -- "The Editor/ Agent Pitch Session: How to Make it a Success!"
We live-tweeted during the meeting until Twitter gave us a message that we had exceeded the number of posts allowed. Follow us on Twitter at @OzarksRomance!
Here is the entire transcript of the live-tweet:
June 4, 2011 -- 1:10 p.m. CT
Kelly Henkins writes as Angela Drake. Her site is http://angeladrake.blogspot.com/ She is speaking to Ozarks Romance Authors today http://ow.ly/53hr3 Topic: How to have a successful pitch session with editor or agent http://ow.ly/53hr3
Register for our 7/23/11 conference for 2 pitch opportunities #sgf #mo #amwriting http://ow.ly/4lZmp
Avalon Editor Lia Brown and Lit Agent Louise Fury will take pitches at our 7/23 conf http://ow.ly/4lZmp
Everything is a "what if" that moves the story forward.
Same with your writing career.
Must continue to ask "what if" to move your writing career forward.
Pitching is one of those "what if's."
When will you have another chance to pitch your book to an editor or agent?
What if you don't pitch at our conference 7/23/11?
When will you have another chance to pitch? Need to take advantage of this opportunity.
Kelly's info on pitching was a result of a last-minute pitch opp with an editor 10 years ago.
She gave her 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices for pitching at the conference.
Got her conf packet and found out she was able to pitch to 2 that day.
Advice on having a great pitch?
Don't be nervous.
Kelly/Angela walked out of her first pitch session EVER with a request for full manuscript.
Agents/Editors told Kelly they are amazed by # of writers who have no idea what to do/say in pitch session.
Pitch session is like a job interview. Prepare for this!
You lose out if you don't target right editor/agent when pitching.
Sure, you'll be nervous. But be as prepared as possible.
Editors/agents are people, just like you. They've been on job interviews, been nervous, too.
Prepare well. Do your best. You are asking them to trust you to tell great story, meet deadlines.
They may ask you to make changes you don't totally agree with.
Separate yourself from the story and realize they know more than you.
You think your story is perfect? Pitch it. Editor/agent will ask questions, offer suggestions.
If editor/agent offers advice, don't be offended. Give it some thought. Will it work?
Editor/Agent knows what the book needs, often without reading it.
How do you prepare for those all-important 5 or 10 minutes in pitch?
Learn about the company. Dress appropriately. Just like a job interview.
You want this editor. Don't be mousy, mumble, etc. Be confident!
No such thing as a textbook pitch session/interview.
No editor/agent is the same. All are looking for certain things.
10 steps to making your pitch session go well...
1. Have the book finished.
What if the editor/agent asks for the full manuscript and you haven't finished?
Will you have time to finish it, polish, go over it several times, make it perfect?
All the time spent scurrying to finish book, editor/agent is waiting, accepting other offers, still looking.
She'll pick up the authors who are finishing the work and getting it to her.
Don't miss out on your opportunity because you don't have it ready to go.
Usually ask for first 3 chapters and synopsis.
Even if you get first 3 chapters and synopsis into the mail, don't let life grind to halt to finish book.
Must be in proper format and FLAWLESS.
You can't give a confident pitch if you don't even know what's going to happen in your story.
1 of first ? asked in pitch session is "Is this book finished?"
You need to know your story inside and out. If you pitch 1 story but change it, your pitch might be invalid.
If editor/agent wants to see story you pitched, but you changed it so much that it isn't the same...
... might not be interested since it's so different.
Basically, the blurb on back of book is your pitch.
Just like a reader deciding if she wants to spend $ to buy your book,
... editor/agent looks at pitch to see if she wants to take chance on you as writer.
Register for our 7/23/11 conference for 2 pitch opportunities #sgf #mo #amwriting http://ow.ly/4lZmp Avalon Editor Lia Brown and Lit Agent Louise Fury will take pitches at our 7/23 conf http://ow.ly/4lZmp
10 steps to making your pitch session go well...
2. Know your qualifications.
Do you need to be an expert? Expert on subjects mentioned in your book?
No, you don't have to be an expert. But know the topic well enough.
Maybe you worked at a summer job related to the heroine's career.
Maybe you've studied it well, researched well, have access to experts.
If non-fiction, being an expert is sometimes required.
Other qualifications? Holding position in writers' group, contest winner, degree in whatever...
...speaking at confererence or workshops, mentor other writers, critique group.
Anything that lends credibility and lets editor/agent know you are serious about writing career.
If writing non-fiction, need to show knowledge. Example?
Writing about hiking in national forest, and you do this as a hobby.
The more you pad your writer's resume with credentials, the better.
Take a college course on the topic you're writing about. Interview people.
Need to know about guns? Take a handgun course.
10 steps to making your pitch session go well...
3. Know the house.
Would you walk into a job interview knowing nothing about the company or job? No!
Learn about the publishing house. Who is the acquisitions editor?
It's not the senior editor. It's the underdogs.
Do they publish what you write?
Do you write steampunk but you're pitching to house that wants contemporary?
What about word count? What are they looking for?
Know your genre, the publishing house, and what they are looking for.
How many titles do they release in a month? Year?
Do they accept unsolicited manuscripts?
If they don't accept unsolicited manuscripts, here is your loophole:
You don't have an agent? You're not getting in that way.
Conferences are your loop hole!
If Writers' Market says a house does NOT accept unsolicited ms, why are they at a conference?
They are looking for ms.
They won't waste their time going to conf if they're not looking for new material, new writers.
Register for our 7/23/11 conference for 2 pitch opportunities #sgf #mo #amwriting http://ow.ly/4lZmp
Avalon Editor Lia Brown and Lit Agent Louise Fury will take pitches at our 7/23 conf http://ow.ly/4lZmp
Take advantage of conferences where editors/agents are accepting pitch sessions!!!
Conf can be expensive - tuition, travel, hotel, etc.
Choose conferences where you can get more bang for your buck.
Writer's Digest lists upcoming conferences.
Writers' associations list conferences in their genres.
Research conferences and find out where agents/editors will accept pitches.
Invest your money well in conferences with editors/agents accepting pitches.
Ozarks Romance Authors has 2 TOP NAME people coming to 7/23/11 conf, accepting pitches.
If you don't even know house's word count, how do you know your ms is right for them?
Guidelines are usually online. Do your research before pitch session.
Know the publishing house, know the editor/agent. Know what she's looking for.
If they're looking for contemporary romance, do you pitch sci-fi fantasy? NO!
Many editors/agents now have blogs and discuss what they're looking for. Do your research.
See what they are looking for. Look at their web sites.
eHarlequin.com often has free reads online. This is what's selling, so it's what they're looking for.
Don't let someone tell you no one is reading what you're writing.
Don't let someone tell you genre is dead.
Write what's in your heart, what you want to write.
Genres come in and out of style. It might come back if it's "out" now.
A year ago, you didn't see the word "steampunk" everywhere, but now it's hot.
A year ago, people were writing steampunk so they rode along and it's popular now.
10 steps to having a great pitch session...
4. Know the editor or agent
Editors/agents often have certain time period they're interested in.
Read their blogs.
Editors/agents often say on Twitter or Facebook if they're looking for certain things.
Follow them on FB and Twitter!
Are there authors who write in a way that's similar to yours?
You're not copying, of course. But similar genre, style, etc.
Are you more of a sweet romance? Women's fiction? Mainstream?
Is your writing style edgy? Are you the next Tom Clancy? What's your flavor?
Editor/agent hasn't read your stuff yet, but if you say...
"I write in a style similar to ____"
or "My story is a cross between ___ and ____"
... this helps editor/agent know more about your writing.
Can you find out something personal about the editor/agent?
Example: If editor/agent is a new mom and your story focuses on kids,
bring that up in the pitch session.
It's not all about your book. It's about the whole package.
Authors often mention their agent or editor. It takes detective work sometimes to discover.
Find out agent/editor of authors you like, authors who you are similar to.
Do research. Has editor/agent recently lost authors? Might be looking for new ones.
Some publishing houses won't work with certain agents.
Send email if you're curious. Ask agent if they work with specific houses the most.
You've done your homework, know everything about agent/editor you're pitching to.
Book is finished, flawless, and you've written blurb.
Now what? Take your blurb/pitch, stand in front of mirror, watch yourself deliver pitch.
Look at your reflexion. Make eye contact with yourself.
Look confident. First few times, you'll be wobbly. This is silly!
Get it out NOW, in front of mirror, and you'll feel confident at pitch session.
If you have a critique group (like Ozarks Romance Authors), pitch to each other.
You'll be more comfortable pitching to someone you know.
They'll see things you need to change. Stop fidgeting, etc.
They'll notice things that you do not notice.
Once you have the book finished, everything else is easy.
Business cards -- Vital if you are pitching!
White card with black print is best. No cutesy stuff!
Editor/agent often takes home hundreds of biz cards at a conference.
Graphics are OK, but not too busy or cutesy.
Use the back of biz card if you are pitching.
Set aside biz cards for pitch session and include on the back:
Title, target market, theme, word count
Don't put this on all of your biz cards for general networking. Only for pitch sessions.
This info will help you stand out and remind editor/agent about you.
Little things like this help you stand out immediately after appointment
Helps when you submit, too. Same info will be carried across.
Oops! Sorry! I lost track of which number we were on.
8. Dress appropriately
Business attire is best. Make a good impression.
If you want to dress casually for rest of conference, fine. Just change before pitch.
Women: Dress, skirt, pants, whatever. As long as you look polished.
A short heel is best, but do not wear flip-flops!
Men: Nice dress pants, business casual, possibly blazer.
Don't go into pitch dressed in a gimmicky way to promote your book!
Don't go into pitch dressed like Laura Ingalls Wilder!
This is not professional and it distracts from your goal.
Avoid cologne, perfume, jewelry that will distract.
The last thing you want is to attack editor/agent who has allergies.
Don't want her to spend your entire pitch sneezing at your cologne.
Dangly jewelry can be a distraction.
Kelly says she sees so many people go into pitches popping gum.
Sure, you just had lunch and you're worried about breath.
Use a mint instead of popping gum!
Neat, clean, and tidy is the key.
You're not out to impress with fashion sense. You're a confident business person.
9. Be on time!
Get there about 10-15 minutes early.
Yes, you will end up sitting there waiting. That's fine.
This can work to your advantage. If someone gets too nervous and drops out, you might go early.
You might end up with 2 time slots if person in front of you drops out.
10. Be confident!
You're there. You're prepared. You're confident. You're ready.
How do you feel? Are you getting nervous? Think you can't handle it?
Stop and ask yourself "What if?"
What if you don't go through with pitch session?
Don't let this end with you giving up without a fighting chance.
5 years from now, do you want to say "If only I hadn't chickened out"?
You'll look at friends' books on the shelves and wish you had followed through.
Be confident! You've come this far! Writing the book was the hard part.
Being early is also good in case you can hear other pitches.
Listen and get an idea of questions asked, editor/agent personality, etc.
When you arrive for pitch, extend your hand and introduce yourself.
Basic etiquette is rare these days.
Introducing yourself shows you are confident and you're a serious business person.
Agent/editor often have questions/comments to help break the ice.
These questions help separate you-the-person from you-the-writer.
Then you give her the pitch you have rehearsed so well.
Let your passion for the story take over. That passion is what you want editor/agent to hear.
If you talk about book in monotone voice, it says you have no interest in story.
Don't have to bounce in chair and be all excited. Just let natural flavor of story come through.
Editor/agent will recognize you're at the end. Now you ask if she has questions.
Don't let her questions scare you. They serve a purpose.
She's trying to see if her house has a place for your story.
She might be thinking "We've been thinking about doing a line of ___" and you fit.
Answer her questions with utmost confidence. You know the answers. Don't get flustered.
If you can't tell her about your characters, who can?
She may even ask more questions to dig deeper. Be prepared.
When meeting is over, extend hand, thank editor/agent BY NAME for their time.
Remember biz card you wrote info on? Give editor/agent this biz card!
If she asks for first 3 chapters and synopsis, be ready to send it as soon as you get home.
Did she ask for hard copy or email? Send what editor/agent asks for.
Do not take your entire manuscript to the conference and expect editor/agent to take it!!!
While you are fresh in editor/agent's mind, send whatever she asks for.
When you leave pitch, take a minute to step aside and make notes about meeting.
Jot down whatever editor/agent said that will help your pitch stand out.
Did she suggest certain things? Make a note on back of another biz card along with editor/agent name.
Attach that biz card to ms if you snail mail it.
Or if you email it, mention this info in body of email.
Example: "We spoke at the ORA conference in Springfield. You suggested..."
Some editors/agents give you 3 keywords to include in cover letter w/partial.
This helps cut down on unsolicited ms. If you don't use 3 keywords, they pitch.
If editor/agent says not interested, ask what they ARE looking for.
Ask what they would like to receive.
Anything you come out of pitch session with makes you a winner.
Even if they don't ask for ms or partial, you have grown!
What if your manuscript isn't finished? Should you pitch?
Absolutely! Very rare to get this type of opportunity.
Ask professionals ins and outs that you want to clarify.
Ask about the business in general.
Sure, you could email questions but might not ever hear from editor/agent.
This pitch session can be a huge foot in the door!
Google "Predators and Editor" -- great resource!
Thanks for joining us today via live-tweet!
ORA's next meeting is Sat, July 2, 2011. http://ow.ly/5byNH
Follow us @OzarksRomance & http://www.facebook.com/ozarksromanceauthors for July details.
Reminder: Register for our annual conference by July 1 for discount. http://ow.ly/4lZmp
Attendees can pitch to Lit Agent Louise Fury & Avalon Editor Lia Brown! http://ow.ly/4lZmp
Have you registered to attend our annual conference in Springfield, Missouri, on July 23, 2011?
Once you register, you'll be able to schedule your one-on-one pitch session. Opportunities like this DO NOT come along often in the midwest. A pitch session can be one of the best ways to get your foot in the door and establish a relationship with your future editor or agent. Take advantage of this amazing opportunity now by registering for our conference by clicking here.
For Immediate ReleaseJune 2, 2011
Contact: William “Bucky” Bowman, Missouri Literary Festival chair, (417) 865-0450
Since Ozarks Romance Authors is a non-profit group for the benefit of Missouri writers and a member of the Springfield Regional Arts Council, we wanted to share information with our readers about this event coming up during the Missouri Literary Festival. Sounds like fun! High Tea with author Janis Cooke Newman planned Sept. 24 During 2011 Missouri Literary Festival: The Civil War
The public is invited to a unique author event – High Tea with Janis Cooke Newman, author of “Mary: Mrs. A. Lincoln,” from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Saturday, September 24, 2011, at the Creamery Arts Center, 411 N. Sherman Parkway, in Springfield, Missouri.
The event is part of the September 23-25, 2011, Missouri Literary Festival, which has three days of stirring programs and author events devoted to the American Civil War to commemorate the war’s sesquicentennial.
Tickets to the high tea are $25 per person and are available by calling festival chairman William Bowman at (417) 865-0450. A limited number of tickets is available. Tickets to the tea also provide general admission for all three days of the festival, a $15 value.
Newman’s “Mary” is told from the perspective of Mary Todd Lincoln, whom the author calls one of the most misunderstood women in American history. “Mary” is a story filled with love and war, sex and séances, assassination, infidelity, madness and politics. The book was honored as the USA Today’s Best Historical Fiction of the Year in 2006.
Newman is one of a host of national and regional authors of Civil War-related books who will talk and read from their books during the Sept. 23-25 literary festival at the Creamery in Springfield.
Events will run 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25. Tickets are $15 for the three-day event unless attendee has purchased a ticket for the Saturday High Tea.
Activities will include dozens of authors including headliners such as historian William C. Davis, author of numerous Civil War books including “The Battle of Bull Run;” Jeff Shaara, author of “Gods and Generals;” historian Adam Arenson, of “The Great Heart of the Republic: St. Louis and the Cultural Civil War;” David Wilson Atwood, of “Where The Mockingbird Sang – A Novel of the Civil War,” and many more regional and national authors of Civil War titles.
Other activities will include storytellers, discussions of the common soldier, demonstrations of the common Civil War family tent, period photography, Civil War-era music, quilting, a medical display, cooking demonstration, a celebration of African-American Poetry, entertainment by Marideth Sisco and Blackberry Winter at a Saturday night Authors Gala, children’s games and make-and-take activities, book sales and much more.
For more details or ticket information, go to www.missouriliteraryfestival.org, or call William “Bucky” Bowman, Missouri Literary Festival chair, (417) 865-0450.
Barbara Bettis visits with fellow Ozarks Romance Authors member Misty Burke to her blog for Barb’s popular “Writers’ Wednesday” feature. Click HERE to see the interview.
MISTY BURKE Misty Burke lives in the romantic Ozark Mountains with her supportive husband and four children. When not enjoying family time, she loves to write steamy romances. Creating exciting fantasy worlds filled with dangerously handsome heroes is one of her passions.
Misty currently writes stories for Summerhouse Publishing, Evernight Publishing, Secret Cravings Publishing, and MuseItHOT Publishing.
She is an active member of Ozarks Romance Authors, Romance Writers of America, FF&P (Fantasy, Futuristic, & Paranormal Chapter of RWA), and ESPAN (Electronic Small Press Authors' Network).
Her novel, "The Madame of Gravestone," is available online by clicking HERE.
Visit Misty online by clicking HERE.
BARBARA BETTIS Barbara Bettis is an award-winning author of historical fiction, and a long-time instructor of English and journalism at the college level.
She lives in the Missouri Ozarks and is active in several writers’ groups in the area, including Ozarks Romance Authors. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America.
Visit Barb’s blog by clicking HERE. Her main web site is HERE.
Be sure to check Barb’s blog for future Writers’ Wednesday features!
Attention ORA conference attendees: Scheduling for pitch appointments with Avalon editor Lia Brown and L.Perkins Literary agent Louise Fury will officially open at 9am, SATURDAY JUNE, 11th.
Lia Brown is looking for: Single Title, Category, Contemporary, and Historical.
Louise Fury is looking for: Single Title, Category, Historical, Paranormal, Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Picture Books.
We ask that authors signing up for pitch appointments have your manuscript completed at the time of the pitch (although Louise says she will happily offer query or submission advice to those who do not have completed manuscripts, so long as they tell her up front the manuscript is unfinished.) Appointments will run in ten-minute increments between the hours of 9am and 12:20 pm on the day of the conference, so spots are limited.
In your email, tell me who you'd like to meet with (first and second choice, if applicable). If you have a preference for time, you are welcome to mention it at the time of sign-up, but we cannot guarantees those requests. Scheduling will be done on a first come first served basis.
Contact conference chairperson Cecily Cornelius-White at professorcecily@yahoo.com for pitch appointment sign up beginning JUNE 11th at 9am (CDT), when scheduling opens.
Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at the conference!
Have you discovered "Writers' Wednesday" yet? It is a feature on the blog of Ozarks Romance Authors member Barbara Bettis. Each Wednesday, she hosts a special guest to discuss their writing. It's always a quick, fun read. Click HERE to see today's interview with fellow ORA member Brenda Brinkley.
BRENDA BRINKLEY Writer/Photographer Brenda Brinkley has been a published writer since 1983. After taking sporadic breaks to raise a family, she now writes passionately. She has had more than 400 articles published, and her short stories have won awards and been published in a number of anthologies. Her photography has graced magazine and anthology covers, including the January 2011 launch of Ozarks Romance Authors' magazine (click HERE) and Ozarks Mountaineer Magazine.
Her latest project is a book for children titled "Cleveland the Green Camel."
Brenda's work has appeared in Ozarks Farm & Neighbor Magazine, Ozarks Mountaineer Magazine, and several editions of anthologies such as Mysteries of the Ozarks and Echoes of the Ozarks.
Visit Brenda's blog by clicking HERE.
BARBARA BETTIS Barbara Bettis is an award-winning author of historical fiction, and a long-time instructor of English and journalism at the college level.
She lives in the Missouri Ozarks and is active in several writers’ groups in the area, including Ozarks Romance Authors.
Visit Barb’s blog by clicking HERE. Her main web site is HERE.
Be sure to check Barb’s blog for future Writers’ Wednesday features!
When Ozarks Romance Authors meets on the first Saturday of each month, sometimes we have the opportunity for one of our members to "live tweet" during our guest speaker's presentation. If you follow us on Twitter (@OzarksRomance) you will see our live tweet take place at approximately 1:05 p.m. Central Standard Time.
At our May 7, 2011, meeting, one of our members traveled back home to the Ozarks from the Boston, Massachusetts, area to visit with family and speak to our writers' group. That member was Diana Groe, who wrote as Emily Bryan in the past and currently writes for Kensington as Mia Marlowe.
To learn more about this fabulous author, visit her web site, www.MiaMarlowe.com or her author's page on the official Kensington web site, http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/catalog.cfm?dest=dir&linkid=2836&linkon=subsection
The live tweet is on our Twitter page, but it's probably buried by now. We've had several requests to share the information, so we are posting the entire live tweet below.
It really helps if you stand on the shoulders of others. Don't have to go it alone.
Enter every contest that you can afford. If you have something worth taking a look at, enter.
Contests = excellent feedback from target readers and work in front of eyes of agents.
If you're in RWA and you win, place or show in RWA contests, your name is in RWA mag for industry insiders to see.
Publishing is such a subjective business. It's important to give them a reason to say no to you.
Win, place or show in contest = someone likes you, so industry insiders more likely to take a chance.
Diana wrote 2 complete manuscripts before 3rd one sold.
If you're working on 1st manuscript, this is your "training wheels" manuscript.
However, there ARE some people who DO sell their first book.
First novel pub in 2006 under her own name, Diana Groe.
Distracting the Duchess was so different than 1st book that she needed pen name, Emily Bryan.
Kensington liked her but wanted a NEW pen name, Mia Marlowe.
Must be flexible in this businsess, even if changing pen names.
We continue to learn, even once we are published. Continue to learn and grow.
Some writers are plotters. Some are pantsters. Some use Snowflake Method. Many methods. Use what works for YOU.
Christopher Vogler's Hero's Journey
Archetypes are characters that tend to reappear (not stereotypes).
Hero or Heroine = most important character of all. Comes from Greek "to protect and to serve."
Why is hero/heroine memorable? They live large. They are the person we'd like to be.
We want to at least try their life on for a while.
Primary psychological function of hero/heroine is letting reader slip into their shoes.
Character Arc = They must be different for having made the journey through the story.
Hero is the one who acts, not who is acted upon. They need to be the prime mover.
If hero or heroine practices self-sacrifices, it REALLY pulls in the reader. Motivated by someone else's danger.
Hero/heroine is how reader learns how this person deals with death (metaphorical or real). Death of dream, business, marriage, etc.
We read to know that we are not alone. We want to find out how others have dealt with loss because everyone goes through this.
Diana was so in love with her first heroine, but readers hated her. She was too perfect. Heroine needs to be flawed in some way.
"Monk" is a good example of flawed hero, and we are pulling for him all the way.
Another mask for hero/heroine or another character = mentor
Mentor represents call to our higher selves.
Mentors = editor in Romancing the Stone, Obiwan, Gandolph, Fairy Godmother
Fallen Mentor = used to be a hero, but has tumbled from pedestal
A League of Their Own = Tom Hanks is fallen mentor (former star player)
Sometimes mentor is inner mentor for hero/heroine = code of ethics, faith, Star Trek's Prime Directive
Mentor may morph into Threshold Guardian
Anything that keeps their forward progress down. Could be positive, negative, or neutral.
In some cases, value of having Threshold Guardian is showing potential danger in story.
Hero/heroine must be smart. Won't plunge into danger without any thought. Threshold Guardian can help with this.
Threshold Guardian might test to see if hero/heroine is worthy.
Threshold Guardian = neurosis
We want hero/heroine to earn everything they get. Threshold Guardian might help H/H be ready to face vill
Herald = another character. Signifies change is coming. Starts things in motion.
Herald could be force of nature, like tornado in Wizard of Oz.
Herald in Romancing the Stone = phone call to Joan Wilder that set story into motion.
Shape Shifter character = Might project what characters WANTS to see. Someone who changes abruptly.
Shape Shifter = Loyalty always in doubt. H/h wonders if this person will betray him/her.
Very last knot you want to untie in your story is relationship. Work it through to very end.
Hero might possibly be Shape Shifter. Example = Thomas Crown in The Thomas Crown Affair.
It has been said that your story is only as strong as your villain.
Shadow Character = psychosis
Sometimes it's the issues that keep the H/h apart. This is where shadow character is internalized.
Provide Hero with worthy opponent, whether internal or external.
Vigo Mortensen in GI Jane = Threshold Guardian / Shadow Character.
Make sure your villain isn't a cardboard character.
Every villain is the hero in his own story. Villain also needs something good, whether they love their children, nice to mother, something.
If but for a few bad choices, this person (villain) could have been so different.
You might want to redeem your villain.
Trickster = Character spreads mayhem. Good for sidekicks and also heroes. Bugs Bunny and other rabbit heroes across the globe.
Trickster can be catalyst for change.
Any character, at any time, can wear one of these masks.
The most satisfying stories have elements of Hero's Journey. Once you know them, will recognize in books and movies.
Orinary world
The title you choose sets the stage for your book. Give people an idea of what kind of a story they'll get.
Title is your first hook for the reader. Make it a good one.
Once you sell, your editor may or may not change title. But a dynamite title can help you sell.
Red Pencil Thursdays on http://www.miamarlowe.com blog. Looking for volunteers again. Email her through site.
Need 500 words of ms for Red Pencil Thursdays. She'll critique, send back to you, and then post on blog.
1st sentence of novel must surprise and delight. Grab them and don't let go.
Do not start first page of your novel with the weather (unless character is a meteorologist).
1st sentence is a promise to your reader that the story will move forward.
Avoid a backstory-dump! Don't spill your guts about the character. Tease the reader with info.
Foreshadowing is vital in the beginning of your story. Seeds of everything that's going to happen.
Hint at both the inner and outer conflicts in the beginning. Story must have both inner and outer conflicts.
Introduce H/h in unique way that draws in the reader. Something that will stick with reader.
Excellent example of introducing character is Carolina Moon by Nora Roberts -- "She woke in the body of a dead friend."
In the beginning, show what your character lacks. Something must change.
Sleepless in Seattle = Tom Hanks is burying wife and says it doesn't happen twice. All we need to know. Unhappy and we're pulling for him already.
For a good story, must also have call to adventure. Invite H/h to face the unknown.
Inciting incident = loss of loved one, temptation, something that stires restlessness, disorientation, discomfort.
Donald Maase says something must happen within first 5 pages to turn H/h's life on end.
Another vital part of story = refusal of the call
Why refuse the call to adventure? Why say no? Creates tension. Shows intelligence. Adventures are messy things.
The stronger the refusal, the more satisfying it will be when H/h jumps into it, finds out they are made for each other, etc.
Put a secret door into your story. Whatever you do, don't do ____. You know, at some point, they will face this.
Good idea to give H/h a wingman or wingwoman so they have someone to talk to.
Even with mentor, at some point, H/h must stand on his/her own. This is why mentors die. Obiwan, Dumbledore...
Threshold for adventure = usually toward end of chapter 3.
At this point, there is no returning to life as they know it.
Next portion of story = Tests, Allies, and Enemies. H/h will probably fail at first. Otherwise, the story would be over.
Approach to the Inmost Cave = Greatest challenge on journey. H/h must face his/her most daunting fear.
If your Approach to Inmost Cave is strong, your story won't have the dreaded "sagging middle."
Reward = After faced fear and moved foward, H/h get the reward. Could be true love, realization of goal, finding treasure.
Transformation & Revelation = Ritual death as hero overcomes greatest foe. Black moment.
Best if characters get into trouble because of something they've done. Because of their own choices.
Each action bridges on what comes before. Everything builds. Stakes are raised with each scene.
Black moment: Donald Maase says no matter how bad it is, make it WORSE!
The Return = Ready to go back to everyday life stronger, filled with purpose and deeper understanding.
Not all stories use all stages of the journey, but the most satisfying tales have several of these hot buttons.
Thanks for joining us for live-tweet of novelist http://www.miamarlowe.com speaking to Ozarks Romance Authors! #sgf
12 for critique group and 18 for meeting, which is great for a holiday weekend (Mother's Day)!
Barbara Bettis' guest today on her blog's "Writers’ Wednesday” column is fellow Ozarks Romance Authors member Mia Marlowe. Click HERE to see the interview.
By the way, Mia will be the guest speaker this Saturday, May 7, 2011, at the monthly meeting of Ozarks Romance Authors. Be sure to stop by! She will begin at 1:00 p.m. (Central Time) in the Frisco Room at The Library Station on North Kansas Expressway. We haven't seen her for many months, since she moved away from our area, and we are so looking forward to this visit and her words of wisdom.
MIA MARLOWE Mia learned much of what she knows about storytelling from singing. A classically trained soprano, she won the District Metropolitan Opera Auditions and has shared a stage with Placido Domingo. As she prepared for operatic roles, she devised back stories for her characters. Since she’s worn a real corset, and had to sing high C’s in one, she empathizes with the trials of her fictional heroines. But in Mia’s stories, they don’t die in a Parisian garret. They get to live and keep the hero!
Now an award-winning author, she writes historical romance for multiple publishing houses. Her debut title received advance ovations from romance luminaries. #1 New York Times bestseller Victoria Alexander says Mia’s Touch of a Thief has “adventure and heat and everything I want in a great story!” UK’s BooksMonthly has crowned Mia Marlowe “the queen of saucy historical romance.”
You can visit her at any of the following places: Facebook, Twitter, or her website.
BARBARA BETTIS Barbara Bettis is an award-winning author of historical fiction, and a long-time instructor of English and journalism at the college level.
She lives in the Missouri Ozarks and is active in several writers’ groups in the area, including Ozarks Romance Authors.
Visit Barb’s blog by clicking HERE. Her main web site is HERE.
Be sure to check Barb’s blog for future Writers’ Wednesday features!
Ozarks Romance Authors officers Jill Slack and Ruth Hunter spoke to Springfield Writers' Guild April 23, 2011.
Their goal was to introduce SWG members to the importance of social media and blogging as ways for writers to boost their careers.
President Jill Slack spoke about social media sites Facebook and Twitter for social media, and using WordPress for buidling blogs and web sites.
Vice President Ruth Hunter spoke about blogging strategies and using Blogspot to build web sites and blogs.
Springfield Writers' Guild is a chapter of Missouri Writers' Guild.
There was a good crowd at the Heritage Cafeteria for the meeting, which is where Ozarks Romance Authors used to meet years ago. Most of the SWG members in attendance do not have Facebook or Twitter accounts or blogs, and there were many questions to be answered following the presentataions.
It is always great for the writers' groups within our region to work together, and Jill and Ruth had a great time. They appreciated several Ozarks Romance Authors members who took the time to attend the SWG meeting, and there were a few who overlap with membership in both groups.
Ozarks Romance Authors, a non-profit group for Missouri writers of all genres, was founded in 1987. The regional writers’ group holds its meetings the first Saturday of each month at The Library Station, 2535 N. Kansas Expressway, in Springfield, Missouri.
Critique group begins at 10:00 a.m., lunch is at noon at Panera next door, and our meeting with guest speaker begins at 1:00 p.m.
Visitors are welcome. Your first three visits are free.
Our annual conference will be held July 23, 2011, at The Clarion Hotel and Conference Center. To learn more about the amazing lineup of speakers and workshops, click HERE to visit our conference page.
If you have questions about the group, please email us at OzarksRomanceAuthors@gmail.com or call (417) 597-4716.
