Writing Advice: Writing Through (or Around) Sticky Situations

When writing, I feel like the first three-quarters of my job is just setting up a situation to be as sticky as possible. The last quarter is getting the situation unstuck in a satisfying way.

While working my most recent project, I hit a spot in the story where I got stuck. Stopped in my tracks, nowhere to turn, back against the wall, stuck. And I stayed stuck for literally years. I loved my story, I knew my characters were where they needed to be, but I had no idea how they were going to get out of their sticky situation.

Finally, out of pure frustration, I started writing around my problem. I had my characters go do other, unrelated things. I let them talk about the problem with each other. I let them get as frustrated as I was.

I knew that the majority these scenes wouldn't make it into the final cut (though a few snippets sneaked their way in). I was clearly wasting time and clearly ignoring the looming plot problem, but it felt good to be writing and it felt good to give my characters room to roam. Then, one day, BAM. Of course. Problem solved.

I knew who was going to live and die, I knew how, and I knew what had to happen to get out of the sticky situation. Writing that last bit came very easily after that.

So, that is one bit of writerly advice for getting unstuck and (perhaps) beating writer's block (which, by the way, are two different things). It worked for me, so maybe it will work for you!

What do you do when you get stuck or have a seemingly unsolvable problem in your writing?

How Literary Agents Are Like Realtors

Recently, I've had a lot of people asking me questions like, "So how many publishers have you submitted to?" which makes me think it may be beneficial to explain in a little more detail exactly what's going on with this whole process... (Hint: The answer to that question is "none.")

Right now I am sending out query letters to literary agents. This means I email the agent a brief letter telling them about my novel. (No, I do not send them my novel outright.) Then I cross my fingers (and toes) and pray that they will respond asking to see either a portion of the manuscript or (even better) the full thing. More often than not, I can expect a form rejection politely declining. This past week has been especially full of rejections (by which I mean I've gotten three, which isn't so bad really). Nonetheless, to keep my spirits high, I have turned it into a cheer. Both my mom and mother-in-law used to be cheerleaders...how could I not? Re-Rejection! Re-Re-Rejection!

The good news is I still have two fulls out to agents, so there's hope!

Think of literary agents like Realtors and the book like a home you want to sell. The agents are there to help "stage" your book and make sure that it is as presentable as possible. They are there to help determine where your book fits into the current market and then will present it to potential editors and publishers. After that, they are there to negotiate your contract and ensure you get the best price possible for your book and that your best interests are respected in the contract.

Just because you get an agent does not necessarily mean that your book is immediately published (in the same way that getting a Realtor doesn't mean that your home is immediately sold). But it DOES mean you've got the right person on your team to get it there!

So, no, my book is not getting published (yet! Though that is the end goal!)
But yes, I appreciate you asking about the process, even if the you ask the "wrong" question! In a journey wrought with re-rejection, it's nice to have a few rah-rah-rahs from the sidelines.

The Good, the Bad, and the Wheaties Box

The good news: I got a positive response from two of the agents I queried! One is looking at a partial manuscript and one is looking at the full as we speak!

The badgood news: I got a rejection letter from an agent saying my book wasn't right for her.

Why both good? Because love requires judgment. Name one movie/book/food that people LOVE that other people don't HATE. It is good for people to have opinions, and it's all a part of the process.

I am reminded of the line from the movie The Incredibles - "When everyone's super, no one will be." A line I use to this day, except in wildly different circumstances. In college, it was usually, "If everyone has bird flu, then no one does" or "If everyone has homework, then no one does."

So what's NOT good? No response. I hate that. Even though some agents clearly state that they won't respond unless they want to see more, I'm still hoping to get an answer back. (Side note: the agent who responded saying no had also said not to expect a response unless it was a yes, so there is hope for this.)

For now, I am riding the wave of sheer joy that comes with a request for the full manuscript. I scared my cat (and probably my neighbors) when I read the email and started shouting. Allow me to parse this out for those who may not know...

Literary agents can get HUNDREDS of queries every week. (That said, I'm sure this number varies significantly depending on the agent. The "big names" get more than the boutique agencies, I'm sure.) Still, getting a request for a full manuscript is something akin to being invited to try out for the Olympic team. You've got your shot at the big leagues and if you can make it through qualifying, you'll be plastered on the front of Wheaties boxes in no time.

That said, the odds are not in my favor (in trying to get a novel published, it seems they never are), and I am not so naive to think that my work is done. The road to being published is a marathon, not a sprint, but it sure feels good to be taking those first steps!

Currently Reading: The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Currently Listening to: Helena by Nickel Creek