Tag: writing

feelings

it starts off small…

abby mumford

with a comment like THIS.

and a reply like THIS.

and before i know it, i’m having a conversation with an agent of awesomesauce and an editor from a big name publisher. both who work with kids books. which is what i happen to write.

sure, the conversation is lighthearted and about things unrelated to books, but this is the thing (all you Twitter naysayers out there): it’s all about networking. and no, that’s not the sole reason i’m on Twitter. i’m on there with the intention of education and sure, for a bit of procrastination. networking just happens to be a happy side effect since the publishing community is so active on Twitter.

and maybe now when my query comes in with the masses of other query letters, it won’t get smushed at the bottom of the electronic pile. maybe it’ll get moved to the top because, hmm, my name is familiar. and maybe when i’m agented and my MSS is being submitted, it too will go to the head of the class instead of being ignored because, hey, i “know” that girl from twitter and i liked what i saw.

let’s take a moment to savor that dream.

you know what though? even if this is just a big game of what if and none of it comes to fruition, for this tiny moment today, i feel important. people (of influence) were talking about me without any original input from me. that’s plain lovely.

score one more for Twitter.

feelings

fact finding mission

abby mumford

i learned something new the other day. it started off with boredom. boredom with my hairstyle at the same time i had a very posh wedding to attend. clearly i couldn’t show up with the same old hairdo, but my hair is stick straight. if i can get the ends to bend under, it’s a good day. i thought about what to do and decided i wanted something like this:

one problem. i can’t french braid. trust me, i’ve tried. there’s something so elegant and chic and yet casual about it. my friend carrie has worn her hair in a similar style, but i wasn’t sure if she could recreate it on me. as i sat there on the bed and let her nimble fingers twist and twine my hair, i was struck by the thought that i’ve known her for 16 years and somehow didn’t know this one small fact.

she’s a master french braider.

even after all these years, there was something i didn’t know about her. i loved this, but yet, i am freaked out when the character i’m working with (one i’ve known only for a few months) does something unexpected? why is this? why can’t i embrace that newness like i embraced the news about carrie? sure, my character’s not french braiding my hair for me, but that doesn’t mean she’s any less entertaining.

i realize you’re only going to know what people/characters want you to know, but how do you make sure to ask the right questions? and what do you do when something unanticipated arises in the plot or with a character? do you roll with the punches? do you manipulate things to your satisfaction? do you let yourself (and your hair) get twisted up?

feelings

analogy 101

abby mumford

how match.com is like querying an agent:

(1) you sign up for the website (match.com/agentquery.com)

(2) you troll through the interwebs searching for the boy/agent who has similar values, sense of humor, intelligence, ambition, track record, and/or represents your genre.

(3) you craft an email/query letter.

(4) you imagine all the ways this boy/this agent will be your missing piece.

(5) you revised that email/query letter.

(6) you (might) doddle your names together/craft your acknowledgments page.

(7) you ponder possible first date/THE CALL options.

(8) you polish the email/query letter to perfection because you have one shot to make that first impression, to entice the boy/agent with your/manuscript’s witty banter.

(9) you wonder if it’s excitement, anticipation, or just heartburn.

(10) you cross your fingers and hit SEND.

(11) rinse, return to step 2, repeat.

feelings

it’s time to focus

abby mumford

as i’m delving deeper into my writing, it occurs to me that i need to be writing more. not in the blogging, twittering or emailing sense, but in the noveling sense.

exhibit A

exhibit B

exhibit C

i will probably limit myself to writing blog posts (and commenting on others), as it may be the distraction i need, but other than that, i’ll probably seem a bit absent from the interwebs for awhile. i need to buckle down and write, so that’s what i’m doing.

*enters writing cave*