Revisiting old work

I recently read with my newly honed MFA eyes a middle grade fantasy novel manuscript that I'd completed a few years ago. I've always liked the story, but ooh, baby. What was I thinking?

While it wasn't a total embarrassment, it's obvious to me now how much work it needs. For one thing, first person doesn't sound right for this story. This is kind of a gut reaction, but I think the story needs an omniscient narrator, which is something I haven't tried. So as an experiment, I rewrote the first chapter in 3rd person omniscient and sent it to my critique group. They'll let me know their thoughts tomorrow. Regardless of what they say, I'll probably continue with omniscient because it's so much fun!

I'm not diving into each and every character's head willynilly. I'm being selective and trying to control the narrator's proximity, which is like the movement of a camera to me, from wide angle panorama to close-up. One YA author who is absolutely a master at this is Philip Pullman.

I also need to figure out some basic things like what this story is really about, and by that I don't mean plot. There's probably an overabundance of plot. While I was out running this morning, in a chilly northerly breeze that required my full winter running gear, I realized this story is about faith. Not in a religious sense but in the sense of having faith in others.

Another tiny little thing to figure out is what my main character wants. Her external struggle is clear (because I like plot), but the internal struggle? Not so much.

Probably most Vermont College faculty tell their students this, but it was my first advisor, Rita Williams-Garcia, who told me to find the answers to story problems within the story itself. So now I'm thinking that a possible answer to the main character's internal struggle question is to give her a trait I'd given to her younger sister--a preference for realistic stories over fantasy. That one little switch could also play into the faith idea.

Agent search begins

On my way home from a work/pleasure trip to the Pacific Northwest earlier this week, I finished revising my mystery novel. My critique group gave me feedback on it a few weeks ago. As I digested their diverse comments, I read the whole novel and noted things I wanted to tighten, tweak, and add. It's now ready, I think, to send out.

So I sent it the other night to an agent who'd requested the whole thing.

A few weeks ago I started researching and querying agents. I think querying is kind of fun. It's kind of like job hunting, which I also think is fun (at least it's fun when I already have a job and there's no pressure). I've used Publisher's Marketplace, Agent Query, and agents' own websites to learn more about agents and see if my book would be a good fit. Fit is hard to judge, though, just like in job situations. So much of this business is subjective.

Based on my research, I've made a list of agents who appear to be a good fit for my book. I'm querying a few at a time, beginning with agents who accept email or online submissions.

Yes, I confess that I am currently discriminating against agents who accept only snail mail submissions because email/online is easier for me. Of my handful of interactions with agents so far, this method of communication can be quick, which is good.

And to continue my whole laziness theme, I started with agents who request a simple query letter or a query letter plus sample pages. Agents who want a synopsis got temporarily bumped down my list because writing a synopsis is painful. But I did finally write one because it was a required part of SCBWI's work-in-progress grant application.

Some of my writer friends have asked why I'm starting with a search for an agent instead of an editor. I think this particular novel straddles a line between commercial/genre fiction and literary fiction that I think would appeal to an agent. It could stand alone, but it could also be the first in a mystery/detective series. An agent could help with this. Also, I think it's a little easier to find info on individual agents' tastes than it is on editors, which leads back to fit. A knowledgeable agent will know better than I which editors would be interested in this work.

Celebrating milestones under my control

Yesterday morning I reached the end of a good, solid draft of my YA mystery. Hallelujah!

I printed it out for my husband to read for plot. He hadn't read any of it before so he came to it with fresh eyes. He finished it last night while I went to my book group. He had some questions about the bad guy, which will help me decide what additional details I need to reveal. He also said he had an idea for the sequel, so I guess that means he thought it was decent.

My critique group will get copies tomorrow. These poor women have seen revisions of the first 5 or 6 chapters for about 2 years, but virtually nothing beyond that. At last they'll get to see what happens next.

I'm also trying to be patient about querying agents and waiting until the manuscript is really ready. I need a break from it before I reread it and revise. In the mean time, it's nice to read, read, read and start thinking about a couple of other projects.

Post-MFA blahs?

Not me. I came home from Vermont and dove right back into my mystery novel. Partly this was because I'd finally figured out how to get around the small hurdle that had presented itself around Christmas time and partly because all of my advisors want to know when it's done. Nothing like a little pressure.

So my objective is to finish a good solid draft and have copies made by Feb. 11 to distribute to my critique group. Last night I finished writing the climax. Even though I knew the broad strokes of the scenes, it was still fun to discover the little details of them along the way, living that first draft along with my character. I have 2 scenes left. I will have no problem meeting my self-imposed deadline.

I'm also going to be sending a chapter or two at a time to my little brother to read. He just joined the Army (as in he left for basic on Jan. 30). I told him that the one thing I found hard to bear in basic was not being able to read books or magazines. Letters were acceptable, however, and I gobbled those up. So I told him I'd send him my novel in pieces for something to read. He said that sounded like what J.R.R. Tolkien did with his son. I'd heard that too.

When I'm done with this, I have another novel ready to revise. I may try rewriting a chapter or two in 3rd person. I also have a new novel banging on the door, ready to come in.

So no blahs here.