Surviving Platform

What a great month of platform building! I took a free class through Writer's Digest (Robert Lee Brewer, Writer's Market) and got pushed into Tweeting! That is probably not my prime venue, but I do LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, and blog. What I learned was the important of linking those for more exposure. Just barely scratched the surface but realizing how important it is!

Now to choose favorites and find time to write and platform!

Links YOU can use!

An exciting day in the writing world!

Need to know about query letters? Check out the 12x12 November 10 webinar

https://juliehedlund.leadpages.co/cracking-the-picture-book-query/?mc_cid=fc9a9d6c40&mc_eid=d9c999a1f2





And from our own Write 6 - Proudly presenting Mister Michaels newsletter featuring up to the minute info on the Tannenbaum Tailors Debut!

http://mistermichaels.com/

loose ends

Not every day is perky, perky in the writing world.

I have several items out of professional critique - back in November. I have a couple of small animal creatures in my brain for the 12x12 story, but no idea what the little guys will do. I have a veritable slush pile out for consideration and the countdown to "After 8 weeks if you have not heard from us...." Every trip to the bookstore shows me another adaptation of Pete the Cat, who I love but is taking shelf space! And now the agent thinks children's books without a platform are not worth pushing. If I could draw I might be ready to self publish.

So why do I write, or continue to write?

Ah well - we all get bummer days. Then Monday some new agent will be listed on Writer's Digest and I'll rev up the hope again!

Time for a nap.

Bummer

 For the last 2 years I have worked with a literary agent in the Christian market. I have learned a ton from her about how to put together proposals and research platform data. I have networked on my end, had several pieces looked at by Christian publishers, but no sale.

This week I had a letter stating that the agency is taking a new direction, and it appears my agent is going to be busy on other projects.

The letter was not personally addressed. Essentially the message was that the industry publishes fewer book and are not taking risks. If the author does not have a big author platform "(yours included)" ...well, here's the name of their new project by someone who does.

This is quite a sad change from when the criteria was a good story and good writing, not name recognition. It is especially hard to see it in the Christian publishing world. Not sure Paul could get his Collected Letters published in this environment!

Writing is full of rejection. Luckily raising teenagers gave me skin of an elephant and 10 years in seminary taught me tenacity! Traveling to developing nations taught me to use squat toilet, but that may not quite so useful in this situation.

Scaling the Platform wall

I am feeling a little over-rejected at the moment so I decided to work on a 31 day platform challenge at http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/there-are-no-rules/2015-october-platform-challenge-guidelines?et_mid=787311&rid=239552513. I also have some of my favorite manuscripts out for professional critique.

Today we are participating in a live tweet. I am one of those who still reviews punctuation and capitalization even in e mails and FB posts - but the Tweet world seems to come so fast. Like messaging - but I only message people who know I can't spell.

Facebook, blogs, Twitter, website - how much time do authors spend on this? When do they write? I hope to get some guidelines as we work through the month. I still wonder - with all this effort, am I attracting the right group? Should I be on sites with other writers or on sites with moms who might buy the books?

If, that is, I ever stop getting rejections!

Fall 2015 books

http://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/weblog/2015/09/best-selling-picture-books-september-2015.html

Interesting list - mostly because the publishers are not the big traditional ones! The smaller ones may not be open to submission, either, but I'll check. You gotta have HOPE - or, failing that, stubbornness...

October

It's time to ponder the October 12x12 rough draft and revisions. Somehow the revisions come daily - and for sure after a critique meeting! (Thanks, guys!)

This month I am fascinated by Prairie Dogs - found the cutest video about some action called a jump-yip! Bet that is the title. The Native word for the little guy is Pispiza. So that's his name. But what is the story?

Here's a picture of the little chubby cheeked critter from Wikipedia. Not a source I use for research, but the pictures are so cute! What is it about small rodents?

Live in very social colonies and kiss to greet each other. There is so much there!

Professional Critiques

One piece of advice from the PB Summit - when manuscript revisions seem circular (Leave it in! Take it out!) on the advise of critique groups (I have two live groups plus 12x12 and SCBWI), it is time for a professional. I have two stories out to the pros now: Frank: the Wolf who Cried "Pig!" and How to Get a Dog in 10 Easy Steps. (See picture for the dog who proves it can be done!) Both critiques got discounts after taking the editor's classes. I like that better than sending because I already have an online relationship with the editor. And after the PB summit we have access to agents normally closed to submission so I want these stories Totally Ready!

Best Conference ever!

All Day Saturday (really ALL day!) was spent in front of the computer - one 20 minute break and some stretching but tons of terrific information! Tips from agents and editors, too. Attendees from all over the world and no line at the Ladies' bathroom!

Best learning: so many ways to be published including a new "hybrid" category. Platform can appeal to other writers or potential buyers/readers. Have to think that over some more. Also of course: revise, revise, revise. But not too much. Sigh.

I'll speak to my coauthor, Hairy Potter, about more revisions.



 

Reigniting the BLOG

The Write 6 have been together in person monthly (or so) since 2008! That includes 4 babies (soon 5), a wedding of one member performed by another, several parent deaths, and lots of revisions!

My next phase of the journey is to blog on my writing regularly this month.

Biggest joy: the initial idea and writing the first draft. I always think it is done! How could it get better?

Biggest challenge: steaming mounds of rejections and more recently just being widely ignored.

Here we go!

Robin