How I Got My Agent

I Have a Literary Agent!

Let's just pause there for a moment and savor how sweet that sounds and feels.

I am elated to announce that the wonderful Stacey Donaghy of Donaghy Literary Group is now my agent.

My wife once said, "You need to find the agent who will love your work as much as we do." I have found that person. Her energy is infectious and her vision is clear. I look forward to our partnership.

How I found her was strategic and tactical. With the help of my network, the power of Facebook and Twitter, and some old fashioned luck, I am able to announce this news today.

Like all things, there is a story.

It started on September 20th with an announcement from Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisierio Literary, a friend of the Southern California Writers' Conference (SCWC).

Stacey Donaghy had been with the Corvisiero Literary Agency until recently. A new agency meant opportunity.

But I had missed that announcement. Thankfully, my mentor and freelance editor extraordinaire, Jean Jenkins (JJ), had seen the post and emailed me. Connections: JJ is one of the original founders and a workshop leader at the SCWC. Therefore Ms. Corvisiero was on her radar.

"New Agency to try," Jean wrote.

I hopped to the Donaghy Literary Group site. Scoured the submission guidelines, what she was looking for, etc. Everything seemed like a perfect match but then...

Oh NO! Per the submission guidelines, the agency said they like the romance to be "steamy." I don't do fifty shades type of stuff. So I wrote JJ. "I don't think I can do steamy."

Undeterred, JJ said, "Query anyway. Sometimes your idea of 'steamy' isn't the other guy's."

With her words of encouragement, I went back to the site, but...

Oh No! The site said not accepting queries until December 2nd.

The bad news was that on December 2nd there would be an avalanche of queries. I could get lost in the slush pile. I took the hiatus to learn as much as I could about Ms. Donaghy. Interviews, Publisher's Marketplace, Tweets. RESEARCH. I also bought a book from one of her clients.

At the same time, literary agent Jessica Sinsheimer and I had been chatting up a storm on Twitter--mostly about coffee and food. She then told me she was about to launch another round of the popular "Manuscript Wish List" on Twitter. This is the event where agents and editors tweet about what they wish they had #MSWL in their inbox.

And when #MSWL started, I followed the feeds. Then I saw this.

Stacey Donaghy is looking for Romance -- check!

Stacey Donaghy will look at queries in advance if I mention #MSWL in the query -- check!

I didn't waste time. I queried her -- following the guidelines EXACTLY! Please don't make your own guidelines. There's a reason agencies have guidelines.

I waited. A few weeks later she wrote me. She liked the opening chapter. She wanted the rest.

A few weeks later she sent me THE email. She LOVED the manuscript. She wanted us to talk.

We had a call (THE CALL) and it was perfect and powerful and empowering.

On November 30th, this happened

And you know what, the whole steamy thing...well, JJ was right (again). Ms. Donaghy loved the manuscript as is.

Lessons learned:

• Be involved in the writing community. Go to conferences if you can. Make friends and listen to experts. Learn all the time.
• Twitter and Facebook are your friend. Follow those in the business. Listen, learn, interact, be interesting and appropriate.
• Be opportunistic. Be ready to take advantage of lucky situations.
• Don't assume too much. When an agent says first ten pages, they don't mean first fifteen. But there are some things that are less clear. If you are unsure what an agent may mean (ex. steamy) go with your gut and take a chance. A good story will always get the eyeballs.

Thank you all for your support. 

If you want to keep up with my journey, please take ten seconds and follow this blog and/or subscribe.

Fight the good fight!

Dream Agents: The showdown

Searching for an agent?

As a loyal, devoted, rabid fan of mine, you will recall that some months back, I blogged about my dream agent. Cut to the chase, I said my dream agent is Martin Short in the cult classic movie the Big Picture, with Kevin Bacon.


Go read it, then come back.


Good. So with that in mind, I had to share with you my new dream agent. I saw this posted on The Southern California Writer's Conference Facebook page, so I just had to share it.


I need you (my friends) to understand why it takes so long to finish a novel--even after you think you're done.


You want opinions, so that you have a comfort level with the "goodness" of it, or said differently, you hope it doesn't suck. You want it to shine. Hence, you enlist the helpf of others. 


Most professional readers (agents, editors, etc) are very good, and when they give feedback, they are coherent, amazingly sharp and perceptive. In other words, they make your story better and your writing better. The only real way I found you can get this type of help is at conferences that accept submissions for agents and editors. 


Some so-called professionals, however, are all over the place, leaving you to wonder, did he/she read my work? Or is he/she asking me to be the ghost writer of the story he/she hopes I will write? This can also be true with writing groups. You need to pick well, otherwise you will be writing their story, not yours.


Yes, this video is a comedy sketch... but I will say this: I recently had a very similar conversation with an agent. Let's leave it at that :)


Enjoy!

And just to be fair, here's Martin Short, once again:

I must admit, I don't know which one is my favorite... Which is yours?

Fight the good fight!

Art is Never Finished

"Art is never finished, only abandoned."

Leonardo da Vinci

During my senior year in undergraduate school, I enrolled in an Art History class. This was a fun class. Basic premise was that through art, we could learn about the history of the people, the region, the era.

The professor (I can't recall her name) told us that during the renaissance, the only reason the artist in question stopped the work of art (painting, sculpture, murals, whatever) was because the sponsor of the piece "wanted the damn thing already." They were tired of waiting.

The artists generally had a hard time parting with it, because in their view, the work was not ready.

For an unpublished author, this is an interesting dilemma. We want to be published, yet each time we look at our manuscript, we find maybe "one more thing" to touch up. Speaking for myself, each time I read my manuscript, I want to modify something--again.

If you're doing it right, you're always learning about the craft, you're always reading more novels, and you're always writing. These three things have one significant impact -- they make you a better writer.

So it's only natural that what you know today, makes you slightly better, than what you were say, a month ago.

This isn't a dilemma in and of it self. But it's a problem if you don't hit send. I spoke to a few agents recently and they said something that nearly dropped me on my arse (I was going to say ass, but the way the British say it so much more refined.)

They each said that more than half the people that are asked to send in pages, don't. Don't! In other words, the agent is showing interest. They ask you to send them the manuscript (partial or full) and yet, the writer in question never follows through.

There are a variety of reasons, I'm sure. One is probably fear. What if they hate it? What if they love it? And when you start asking these questions, it is a natural step to think, "It's not ready yet." I need one more review, one more beta reader, one more proof reader, one more scene, one more adverb. That last one was a joke... you never need more adverbs, he said, passionately.

The reality is that you have no deadline. When you have no "sponsor" (agent, editor, etc) the only gate is you and your own inner-voice that doubts you and reminds you that you're not good enough, smart enough, or just enough. Please do not misinterpret this. You should NEVER send out material that is not ready. You need to slave over every word, and clean it up with a toothbrush, and have trusted people read and critique it. You must do these things and these things will take time -- a lot of time.

If you are signed, you don't have a choice. You throw caution into the winds and you let fate take its course.

Here's my recommendation. Set a deadline. Create goals that will challenge you. Declare it to others in your writing world. Then be committed to that timeline. Have integrity in your own words. Amazing things happen when you put yourself out there.

Then test it. Test the quality of your work. Be ready to share it with some people that you trust. Get their feedback, and be brutally honest with yourself. Be ready to internalize and understand the criticisms you get. It's not personal, it's opinions that may make your manuscript better.

I have a small, but badass set of first readers who want to see me succeed. So they will not let me make a mistake. I also have a mentor who is a NYT bestselling author who will call me out on the deck. He doesn't let me get away with anything. I also turned my work in to agents and editors at a conference (20 page critiques) to get their feedback. Was I nervous? Yes. But not knowing was worse. And once I had all the arrows pointing north, that's when I knew I was ready for a final proof read. Once you're there, the only next step is to jump in with both feet.

If you don't, then you take the risk of falling into Leonardo da Vinci's astute observation. Your art will never be finished, and one day you may decide to abandon it.

How do you know if you're ready? What criteria do you use?

Fight the good fight.

Figure Skating and the Subjectivity of Writing

I recently spoke to a fellow writer who was, to say the least, confused.

Let's assign a name to this writer -- Paul. Eighteen months ago, Paul landed an agent. In fact, three agents were interested in Paul's manuscript. He received accolades like, "brilliant," and "original," and "would be honored to represent."

He selected a reputable agent and they spent three months polishing said manuscript. The agent knew exactly who would love this story, and the agent was right. The editor at imprint of major publisher said "yes" and all was golden. Edits, proofreads, the whole nine yards.

Shake up at publisher, editor leaves, and the manuscript is now an orphan. Publisher is no longer interested because a) they already have titles slated for release similar to Paul's manuscript, and b) the shakeup is because they want to exit that genre anyway... so, best of luck.

No worries, right? After all, this thing is solid. Agents wanted it, and the first editor approached gobbled it up. How hard can it be? Nine months later, Pat is hearing things like, "the conflict isn't big enough," "I'm not connecting with the characters," and similar phrases.

Paul's a good guy, highly skilled at story telling, has written an excellent story, and I am sure it'll get published (if he doesn't then I worry about my own chances).

I wanted to cheer him up. But more than cheer him up, I wanted to explain something regarding the nature of this industry. Granted, what do I know, right? I don't have an agent, I don't have a deal... but I read a lot, I talk to a lot of insiders, and I know the nature of business--the machinery, the cycles... Because, after all, that's what I do when I don't write.

I asked Paul, "Do you watch figure skating?"
"What?"
"Figure skating."
"As in, guys in very tight pants spinning on ice?"
"Yes, that's it."
"Yeah, I guess I've seen one or two competitions during the Winter Olympics. Why do you ask?"
I felt like Master Yoda. I whipped out my iPad and found what I wanted on YouTube.

But before I played it, I gave Pat a bit of background about Torvill & Dean. During the 1994 Olympics, they were no spring chickens. They were both in their mid-thirties at that point, competing against teenagers and others who were in their prime. This was a story book return for Torvill & Dean. They had won Gold in 1984 in one of the most electrifying performances the sport had seen. Perfect 6.0's across the board. Back in '84 they were it. Could they repeat in '94 after a ten year lay-off?

We watched and Pat got the beauty of their performance. "That was beautiful," he said. "But I don't get it. What's your point?"

"Everyone said Torvill & Dean were the best that year, that they recreated the sport, that they raised the bar for beauty in figure skating. Yet..."

"Yet?"

"They got the Bronze medal."

"Bull$hit!"

"Yup. The judges claimed they wanted the dancers to go back to the 'traditional' and what Torvill & Dean did, included an illegal lift. Of course, no one was able to actually point out when this phantom lift occurred but that was not the point."

"What was the point?" he asked.

"30 million people saw one thing and cried over the beauty, but all it took was two judges to change the history of the Olympics."

The sport of writing is objective on all levels.

Good writing will eventually find its way. It may not happen today, or this year, or even this decade. But we all understand--must understand--that writing is a marathon. There will be false starts. There will be moments of unadulterated joy, and years of face-on-the-asphalt pain. That's how it goes.

Most people get hung up over the miracle stories. Sometimes writers get lucky and all the stars align--more power to them. But the reason we hear of those cases (example: first novel written was picked up with a three book deal and movie rights optioned, blah, blah, blah) is because they are so rare. Those are the carrots that lure so many people into this world of writing, but only the few will last the marathon.

It is a statistical improbability that anyone reading (or, alas, writing) this blog will have that type of fortune. So what? 

Do you think I would stop because of a rejection? I certainly hope you know me better than that. I hope I know myself better than that. But who knows, right? We are all human.

When the moment of truth stares me in the face, I hope I have the mental and emotional fortitude to smile, learn from it and go back to my next manuscript. Because I have stories to tell. And I will face many judges who will say no. One day, a judge will say yes, and I will keep the same cautious optimisim I have today. Because Torvill & Dean were objectively awesome, but the subjective nature of the game they played in, gave them bronze.

Fight the good fight!

BONUS - 1984 Winning Performance

I'm Lazy

It's true. But don't assume lazy is bad.

I think our schools and teachers have taken this perfectly good state-of-mind and have applied all types of bad connotations to it.

At it's core, I suppose being lazy is being averse or disinclined to work. One of my favorite non-fcition books is Timothy Ferris's Four-Hour Workweek. He asks, "Are you being active, or productive?"

I've never appreciated people who work hard and produce nothing. I appreciate people who work smart, and work on the right things. Work in and of itself is meaningless. Work should produce something. The question is, what is it that you're producing by working.

The high school years

When I entered 10th grade, everyone was yapping about college, applications, letter's of recommendation, GPA, SAT, blah, blah, blah. I needed expert advice. And no, Google was not an option back then. I'm not sure if we even had electricity yet.

I spoke with my Math/Physics teacher who I greatly respected. I told him I thought engineering would be good for me. I liked creating things from nothing. I loved solving problems. And I had a natural curiosity for why things worked the way they did. So he told me to skip the big schools where I would be one of three hundred students in each class. He pointed to the local university--Cal Sate University Northridge. I thought this was brilliant. My older brother had just started there.

I grabbed my brother's CSUN catalog and flipped to the back. I wanted a shortcut. It turns out, any SAT score would do if you had a GPA of 3.00 or above (not the case anymore by the way, but this was during the Jurassic era--less competition). For my international readers, 3.00 basically means you're getting a B (85%) on all your subjects. Maybe an A (95%) here and there offset by a C (75%) somewhere else.

Perfect. I had the solution. I knew how to maximize the result by minimizing the work. If I maintained a 3.00, I wouldn't need to study for the SAT. Suffice it to say I graduated with a 3.01. Yes, I've always been good at doing just what I needed to get by. The thing is that high school was somewhat irrelevant. College mattered and so would graduate school. But seriously, high school? High school was the time to fall in love, play the guitar, go to the beach, and live life. Tell me, honestly, what would create better stories and memories? Junior-Senior prom or the mating patterns of squirrels? Okay, bad example. It would be interesting to learn about a squirrel's mating pattern, but hopefully you get the point.

Back to wasting effort. Some of my high-school friends had higher GPAs than I did. They also planned on applying to CSUN. But they, for some ungodly reason, were enrolled in SAT classes. They were nervous, they had flash cards, you name it. Why? I didn't get it at all. That was wasted work. They would produce nothing by doing that. This is what I mean when I say, if the work produces nothing of value or of consequence, then don't bother.

In fairness, I knew that I would do well in the math section of the SAT. As for the English section, since English was officially my fourth-language, I knew it would be a tougher nut to crack. So, I read close to 1,000 comic books and probably close to thirty novels the summer before 12th grade. In the end, although I didn't "study" for the SAT, I did something else that helped me indirectly. I did the things that helped fuel my imagination and more importantly, my passion for stories.

###

Fast forward to this past January when I completed Aces. My mentor was so excited about it, that when I asked him to give me some guidance with the query letter, he told me to hold off on that. He took my manuscript and approached agents that he knew--agents that he had worked with in the past.

My lazy-gene kicked in. Why work on this horrible thing called a query letter, if I really didn't have to. However, I decided that some effort would probably make sense. After all, as much as I appreciated the desire to help me, I didn't know what would or could happen. But frankly, beyond a half-hearted attempt at the query, the months of January through March were just that--half-hearted. Instead, I worked on a new novel.

So what happened? From January until July of 2011, three amazing agents were considering my manuscript. The third agent sat on it for three months. I know it's easier to say no than it is to say yes. The maybes are the worst. But I got valuable insight from three great agents.

As I mentioned in my last post, I knew it wouldn't end well. None of them represented my genre, short of an author or two who were house-hold names. So to pick me up would be very very irregular.

In early Feb, the first one passed. In late March, the second one passed.

In April, when I finished the first draft of my new novel, I woke up from my lazy stupor and started reading on the topic in ernest. Some of my twitter friends, specifically @KatLovesBoho (Kathryn Sheridan Kupanoff) and @IamJPRoth (Jo Perfilio) gave me the type of feedback that helped me get it to a point that was closer.

In July, the third agent finally said no. That's when I got guidance from the great James Scott Bell, which got my query letter to the 90% mark. Then I reached out to Writer's Digest, 2nd Draft service. And finally, when I got more feedback from new agent Lauren Ruth, I knew that I was finally ready.

At this point, each and every word has been looked at, dissected, and washed with a toothbrush so many times that I can't imagine a query letter that would do a better job of capturing my story. And even then, it may not be enough. *Le sigh*

"Wait!" you must be yelling. "Nearly five stinkin' months on a one page letter. Five months to create 250 words? And that may still not do it? This sure seems like a lot of work for little value."

I think the math points to less than two words per day. Not very efficient. But this is a case where the work you put into the query letter is directly correlated with the improved probability of landing an agent.

Here's the thing about the publishing world. To get published by a major publisher, you need an agent. To get an agent, you need to query them. Each agent gets an average of 200-300 query letters a week. Some into four digits digits. If they like the query letter, they will ask for pages from your manuscript. No agent, no major publisher. So how do you get noticed by an agent? No, spraying perfume on the email query letter will not do the job. And even your keen insight into the mating patterns of squirrels will not do it.

The way you get noticed is two step process: (1) write an amazing query letter then (2) hope and pray.

I've got the hoping-and-praying bit down. And for once, I feel good about the query letter.

Fight the good fight!

Genre, Genre, Genre

I've been struggling with this "Genre" thing.

When I set out to write Aces, I thought of it as a contemporary romance novel. There was no doubt in my mind. And when I was done, I was still there. No doubt.

Now, after a few "professional" readers have gone through it, I have some doubts. Some will say, that it doesn't matter. But I have to disagree. I'll explain later...

My mentor sent my manuscript to three agents that he had worked with in the past. All three, awesome agents. All three, don't represent the genre. They represented Literary, or Children's/MG, or women's fiction, but not Romance. So when my manuscript went out to them, I knew how it would end.

And of course, I was right. I didn't expect them to offer representation. What I did get was two pices of information from each. One that encouraged me, and another that confused me.

Here's the basic reply I received:
"Thank you for letting me read this... loved/enjoyed the story... the characters are <<enter a nice phrase here>>... but... I don't represent <<fill in the genre here>>."

I was elated to see agents saying they liked what they read. But because I'm a bit of a scheptic, I also knew that they were probably being a bit nicer than normal, because someone they knew and respect had sent them my novel. So maybe they didn't love it... maybe they liked it. Maybe even liked-liked it... but probably not loved it. That's cool. At least they didn't voimit all over my manuscript.

That was the encouraging part. Now, for the confusing part.

You probably noted the little <<fill in the genre here>> comment.

Each of them said my novel was a different genre.

One said -- Romance (cool... she nailed it)
Another said -- Commercial fiction (oh, I see)
A third said -- Mainstream (okay...)

I'd like to think I'm reasonably intelligent. And with all my books on the craft, the market, and access to google, I would find the answer to this mystery.

After all, maybe all three are sort of the same, just a variation of the definition.

So I searched.

Nathan Bransford said on his blog back in 2008...

"... commercial fiction is kind of an umbrella term for genre fiction (Mystery, science fiction, fantasy, romance, westerns, historical fiction, etc.). Chances are, if you're writing commercial fiction you're writing with some genre or genres in mind and are targeting readers of that genre(s)."

Okay cool. So according to this, romance fell into commercial fiction. One and the same. My theory was holding up nicely. At this point I hoped that maybe even mainstream could fall into that definition. I crossed my fingers (and a couple of toes).

So I jumped over to Agent Query.com under Genre Description, where it said:
"Commercial fiction often incorporates other genre types under its umbrella such as women’s fiction, thriller, suspense, adventure, family saga, chick lit, etc. Commercial fiction is not the same as "mainstream" or "mass market" fiction, which are both umbrella terms that refer to genre fiction like science fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery, and some thrillers."

Say what? So, according to AgentQuery.com, commercial is not equal to romance. Mainstream is romance. Great.

I read more. It went on to say, "Commercial fiction uses high-concept hooks and compelling plots to give it a wide, mainstream appeal."

So, commercial fiction has mainstream appeal. But it's not mainstream. Got it? Sure you do.

Well... I was confused. Nathan can't be wrong. He was a super agent for a while, turned author. Highly respected... but... but.. there's that but again.

I knew what to do. I would check out Dummies.com -- you know them. They do all the "___ for dummies" books. I found "Exploring the different types of fiction." Perfect!

It said, "Commercial fiction attracts a broad audience and may also fall into any subgenre, like mystery, romance, legal thriller, western, science fiction, and so on."

Oh, for the love of--! So commercial does include romance...

The challenge is that depending on which genre is the accurate genre, it changes the agents that I would approach. More importantly, it also changes the manner in which the query letter would be written. Why? This is what another agent who read my query letter said: "It sounds like contemporary romance, not commercial fiction."

:) Well... I thought they were the same. But I knew exactly what she meant. I had thought of this book as contemporary romance when I wrote it. So naturally, in my query letter, I would focus on the relationship of the boy and girl. Of course it would come across as romance.

You may ask, "If you wrote it thinking it's contemporary romance, why don't you just stick to it?" Go ahead, ask. Good, I thought you'd never ask.

Because, yet another two insiders said, "I don't see this book in the romance section of the bookstore. No bare-chested guy on this cover. It will be in the 'General Fiction' area with a lot of great love stories."

It sure would be nice if we had an equivalent to the unifying theory of physics. Maybe we can call it the Unifying Definition of Fiction Genres.

Am I over thinking this? My wife, in her infinite ability to cut to the bone said, "You're the author. You choose." I hate it when she's right. Which, if you've been keeping count, is nearly always.

In the end, I think it comes down to researching the agent. Check the site, find interviews, read their blog. Look at what types of novels the agent represents. Then look and see what they call that genre. If that "type" of book fits yours, call it whatever that agent calls it and be done with it. Simple... I need another double espresso!

Fight the good fight!

What Justin Bieber Can Teach Aspiring Authors

Say it ain't so, Ara!

Before you think I've jumped off into the deep end and have purchased a Bieber-Fever T-shirt, or have replaced all my conservative ties with purple ones, please take a deep breath, relax and read on.

My wife ordered Justin Bieber's documentary/movie ("Never Say Never") a couple of weeks ago. My boys (5 & 7) seem to enjoy his music, and my wife (who is always looking for any opportunity to show our boys that hard work pays off) made popcorn and turned down the lights.

This was my opportunity! Exit stage right. I was about to get nearly two hours of uninterrupted writing time. Score, right? Well...

It took about seven minutes until my wife called for me. I knew I should have put the noise-canceling headphones on sooner, but alas, I hadn't.

"What?" I asked, although it wasn't really a question--it was an accusation.
"You've got to see this." That's code word in our home. It means, come downstairs and check this out. Because, if you don't, we will all be disappointed in you.

I may have uttered a couple of expletives. I may have even said, "No one understands my pain." I may have.

I must admit that I walked downstairs having prejudged Bieber as another "created-in-the-studio" artist. No talent, but a phenomenal marketing engine. Thoughts of N-Sync & Spice Girls came to mind.

I went to the den and to my surprise, my boys (thunder and lightning) were watching this movie. I mean really watching it. Anyway, I walked over, sat on the arm of the couch and next thing I know, 90 minutes had elapsed and I was entertained beyond my expectations.

I went back to my office and sat in front of my manuscript, but instead thought of this young man's journey and the road ahead. It became apparent to me that if someone studied his road to success, then maybe on some level, we could apply it our own artistic journey. The journey of transforming from a writer into a published author.

12 things Justin Bieber can teach an aspiring author:

1. Create content that meets your audience's tastes

As writers, we have heard this before -- first, write a great book. I agree. But what's great to a romance reader, is not great to a YA reader. Know your audience. Ideally, you are a member of that audience. In the case of Bieber, the type of music he loved was the type of music he wrote. He understood what made him love artists like Usher, or Boyz II Men.

There are a lot of questions floating around genre. You must understand why an agent cares and why the editor needs to know. But think about it from your perspective as well. Who will want to read this story? Who is your tribe? "My novel will appeal to to all current members of the Whig political party." Awesome, you're adressable market (the total market that could be converted into a paying customer) is a total of seven people.

2. Never stop improving your craft

I was amazed to see how this young man spendt countelss hours with his vocal trainer/coach. Yes, my friends, he actually sings when he's performing live--no lip sync here. In fact, in the movie, he had strained his vocal muscles so much that he had to cancel a show.

Understand that the two core elements that make you a better writer are: writing & reading. And by definition, those are on-going elements. Therefore, your education never ends. There is no such thing as "I am there now." That's an abstract notion. There is no "there" to get to, because it only ends when you've taken in your last breath. You work hard every day... oh wait, that's number three.

3. Hard work

You must work hard every day--but also be smart. Tim Ferris ("4-Hour Work Week") asks the question, are you being active or effective. Set goals (word count, marketing plan, etc) then go after them with passion and focus. You never make excuses. You never accept excuses. You are not only your own toughest critic but you must also be your strongest advocate.

When no one wanted to sign Bieber, he and his manager hit the streets--planes, trains and automobiles. He went from one radio station to another. Just he and his guitar. He sang live and won over the DJ's. And he started building an audience. He built his platform by hard work and determination. No excuses.

4. You can create your "Platform"

In the movie, Bieber's manager (Scooter) tells the story of how none of the labels wanted to touch him. I paraphrase: "You need the platoform. He needs Disney or Nickolodean. You nead the machine." 

Yes, the platform is important. How will people know who you are? How much work will it take to generate a buzz about this new artists? What the labels didn't understand was social media: Hundreds of thousands of You Tube viewers + thousands of Twitter followers = platform (a true fan base). This young man had a monster of a platform. Which leads to...

5. This Social Media thingy may be real

More of your potential customers (i.e. readers) spend eyeball time on their computer/iPad/smartphone than on TV or the NY Times. Understand what this means. You need to have a presence in where they're looking. Doing poetry readings at Chuck E Cheeses will not get you the audience you need. Also, you need to have an honest voice. You need to be interesting and relevant and entertaining (not like a clown, but you know... entertaining). You have to be humble. You have to be you. 

Your voice as a writer is that special, unique way you say things. Your followers will follow you because you're interesting and relevant. And when you have followers, don't be a snob. Everyone loves the underdog. Everyone wants to be recognized as one of the people that helped a talented individual breakthrough against impossible odds. Treat them with the respect that they deserve.

6. Good Hair makes all the difference

7. The advocate

Scooter is Justin's manager. This guy belived in Bieber when no one else wanted to touch Bieber. He saw the talent when Bieber was barely fifteen (on You Tube by the way -- that's how Justin was discovered). He knew there was something there. And through all the rejections, he was never dissuaded. He worked even harder.

Many aspiring authors, myself included, are searching for the right agent. I emphasize right. Not every phenomenal agent is necessarily the right fit for you. For my day job, I have hired hundreds, interviewed thousands. I only hire on fit. Fit matters.

I know its tempting to jump on the first agent that shows interest. But this is a long-term relationship. The fit needs to exist for both of you. You are both investing your time/money on a joint veture. The right person is everything. First Who, then What.

8. The connector

Even with an advocate, what Scooter needed was someone who knew someone. He went to Usher. Usher had the power, prestige and connections to help pave the way. Usher knew Scooter so he agreed to listen to this "kid." This kid, sang an Usher song acapella (no music, just his voice) and blew Usher away. As Usher says in the movie, "This was a no brainer." Maybe. But so far, no label had even considered Bieber. Usher was the connector. He found Bieber the producer, who in turn got this young man's music published.

You never know who will help you. I find that the writing community has a lot of gems. And I am not referring to just their talent. But I mean as humans. They want to help. They want to give back. Behave like a professional. Be a connector for others. Do it, even when you're a relative nobody. Help others. If you love something you read, tell the world. Karma has interesting a way of helping you down the line.

9. You must be born left-handed



10. Love those who love you

Treat your fans--your followers--with respect. They will be your wave to success. Treat them as if your career depends on it. Because it does.

At concerts, his team goes out and upgrades seats for fans. Or give them free tickets if they were left without seats. It's the little things that converts a fan into a believer, and then into a loud chorus of appreciation. They will spread the word about you. This is the essence of word-of-mouth. And in today's democratized digital age, you never know who will be that person who will advertise you in ways that no full-page ad in the NY Times could ever dream of touching.

11. You must know how to dance



12. The right team, the right attitude

I was impressed at the loyalty of his team. Sure, they are with the fastest growing artist in the world. Sure, they are now rolling in cash. But they were with him when he was a nobody. It wasn't easy for the first few years. There was nothing there. Yet, they stuck it out together. As I watched them in the movie I noticed something else. They were a family and they had the right attitude.

Surround yourself with people who care about you and your dreams. Don't dwell in the negative stuff. Rejection letters are a part of the game. Please, oh please, don't post them on your blog. Don't badmouth the agent who "clearly is blind since you're the best thing since JKR, in fact, she stole your idea about Harry what's-his-name." Argh! Don't burn bridges--this is a interconnected highway with many connections. But more importantly, don't demean others in this industry who are trying their best. It's not easy. It can't be. Think about it and you'll get it. Finally, it's a small industry. When you attack one, you attack a few hundred people down the chain, and you show that you are not a professional. When you are dealt a bad hand, remind yourself why you write in the first place. I don't know about you, but I write because I have to. Because my sanity depends on it. Because now that I know I can, how could I ever pretend otherwise?


Fight the good fight!

As seen on Twitter: Writing Prompts by Donald Maass - Consolidated

[Updated on April 27th, 2011 - Added April's writing prompts]

If you are a writer, this blog post is for you.

A month ago, literary agent and author, Donald Maass (@DonMaass) started posting writing prompts on Twitter. For those in the business, Donald Maass is a house-hold name.

He is not only the founder of one of the premiere literary agencies but also the author of a various books to help transform your next novel, into a breakout novel. Recently, the paperback version of his latest book, "The Breakout Novelist" was released.

Also, you know that I am a huge fan of James Scott Bell. Connection? Mr. Maass represents Mr. Bell. Nuff' said!

I got a lot of value out of these prompts and used them as my night-time "Do This" exercise. I'm editing my second novel while I query ACES. These helped me go back and revisit scenes, motivations, and more.

I understand that he plans on doing more of these and will also post them on his agency's site. Until then, I've compiled them. I wanted to have these all in one place, and said to myself, "Self, I bet your peeps would like these also."

If you like these, you'll love his books.

Without further ado, here are all of his promts, as seen on Twitter:

01 What’s the worst thing your MC does? Whom and how does that hurt? Now work backwards, set it up to hurt even more. #Maass

02 What’s the most selfless thing your MC does? What good change or effect does that have on someone unexpected? Add that in. #Maass

03 Find any violence in your ms. Delete any shock, fear or horror. Replace with two *conflicting* emotions that are less obvious.#Maass

Today's Breakout prompt may be tougher than it looks. Let me know. Ready? Here we go...

04 Choose a middle scene: What does POV character feel most strongly? Evoke that feeling without naming it, through actions alone. #Maass

A tragedy really puts things in perspective, yes? Help others, live strong, write. Today's Breakout prompt for whenever you're ready...

05 What should your readers most see, understand or be angry about? At what story moment will that happen? Heighten it in two ways. #Maass

We grow and change day by day. Characters can too, scene by scene. Today's Breakout prompt coming up...

06 How does your POV character change in your current scene? Work backwards. Make that change unlikely, a surprise or impossible. #Maass

It's Sunday, but no rest for fiction writers! Today's Breakout prompt coming up in just a minute...

07 What does a sidekick or secondary character see about your MC that your MC denies? Force a showdown over it. #Maass

Our friends sometimes know us better than we know ourselves. Today's Breakout prompt coming up...

08 What does a sidekick character know about your MC that your MC refuses to see? Force a showdown over it. #Maass

08 Over what does your MC disagree with his/her boss or mentor? When does the boss/mentor prove to be right? #Maass

Ever been in a place you just can't seem to get away from? Today's Breakout prompt coming at ya...

09 What’s a place in your story where something significant happens? Switch two other story events to that location too.#Maass

It's characters inner lives that make fiction involving. Adding to that is not subtracting from story. Today's Breakout prompt coming up...

10 In your current scene, what’s a setting detail that delights or disgusts your POV character? Why? Elaborate & add. #Maass

Sometimes it’s the small things in life that overwhelm us with their beauty. Today’s Breakout prompt sneaking up on you…

11 Find a small passing moment in your manuscript. What big meaning does your MC see in it? Add that. #Maass

How do we know that big events are truly big? Because of the details that stick with us. Today's Breakout prompt coming up...

12 During a big dramatic event, what’s one small thing your POV character realizes will never change or never be the same again? Add. #Maass

Weekends are a good time for reflection--by your MC. Today’s Breakout prompt is coming up…

13 For your MC, what are the best things about these times? The worst? Create a passage of his/her take on this era. #Maass

The world of the story is mostly the world as your MC sees it. Today’s Breakout prompt is on the way…

14 In your climactic scene, what are 3 details of place that only your MC would notice? Cut more obvious details, replace with these.

Reversals big and small are one of the most dynamic effects in fiction. Today’s breakout prompt in a moment…

15 What’s one thing your MC hates as the story opens? By the end have your MC love that same thing. (Or vice versa.) #Maass

To provoke a noticeable change, create a sharp provocation. Today’s Breakout prompt zeroes in on your current scene…

16 What’s the precise turning point in your current scene? Make its trigger more dramatic—or less obvious. #Maass

Characters’ convictions anchor them. Pulling up those anchors is deeply dramatic. Today’s Breakout prompt is sailing your way…

17 Who in your story has an ironclad, unshakable belief? Shatter or reverse it by the story’s end. #Maass

Engaging characters are passionately engaged in life. Their feelings tell us so. Today’s Breakout prompt coming up…

18 Give your MC passionate feelings about something trivial: e.g., cappuccino, bowling, argyle socks. Write his/her rant. Add it.#Maass

It doesn't advance the story, it deepens character. @suelder How does a trivial rant advance the story?

What do you stand for? What about your MC? Today’s Breakout prompt matters…

19 What principle guides your MC? At what moment is it most tested? When does it fail? Put it into action three times. #Maass

Saturdays are good for cleaning up clutter. Here comes today’s Breakout prompt…

20 Cut 100 words from your last 3 pages.You have 5 minutes. Fail? Penalty: cut 200 words. #Maass

Dialogue is an opportunity not to be missed—an opportunity for tension. No relaxing on Sunday, guys! Today’s Breakout prompt is…

21 In the last dialogue passage you wrote double the friction, disagreement, overt hostility or hidden agenda. #Maass

Exposition, inner monologue, stream of consciousness…whatever you term it, use it to create tension. Today’s Breakout prompt is…

22 In the last inner monologue you wrote insert one insight, question or worry that hasn’t hit you (or your MC) before now. #Maass

People’s observations—especially of other people—make them interesting. Same is true of characters. Today’s Breakout prompt is…

23 What does your MC know about people that no one else does? Create 3 moments when he/she spots that in others. #Maass

In fiction, obvious emotions rarely need stating. The reader’s already felt them. Go deeper with today’s Breakout prompt…

24 Find a strong emotion and replace it with a secondary one; find a throw-away moment and infuse it with rich feelings. #Maass

Secondary characters can come and go, making little impression—a shame. Today’s Breakout prompt is about to make a grand entrance…

25 Before a new character debuts, give your MC an expectation or fear. Make the reality three times better or worse. #Maass

MC’s make mistakes but often it doesn’t cost much. Today’s Breakout prompt is designed to hurt. Here it comes…

26 Whom is your MC afraid to let down? What is the sacred trust between them? What would cause your MC to break it? Break it.#Maass

What you don’t know can’t hurt you? Heck, why *wouldn’t* you want to hurt your MC? Here comes today’s Breakout prompt…

27 What secret is your MC keeping? Who is keeping one *from* your MC? Spill the truth at the worst possible time. #Maass

Why have your characters merely talk when they can snipe, attack, burn or lay waste—verbally, I mean? Here’s today’s Breakout prompt…

28 Set off fireworks between two characters. What’s the biggest skyrocket you can explode for the finale? Go ahead…kaboom!#Maass

Down to the last three Breakout prompts! Hope you’ve found them useful. Here’s today’s…

29 What’s the emotion or experience you’re most afraid to put your MC through? Go there. Do it. Now. #Maass

Emotional research: ask others who have @DeniseBruce22 but what if you honestly haven't lived that emotion yet..don't know how to write it?

Only two Breakout prompts left! How many have you worked into your ms? Be honest. Here’s today’s…

30 What’s the worst thing that happens to your MC? Work backwards. Make it something your MC has spent a lifetime avoiding. #Maass

This is it! The final day in this month of daily Breakout prompts. Which has helped you most?

For this final Breakout prompt, an adaptation of a classic Breakout stakes raising technique. Ready? Here it comes...

31 What’s the very worst aspect of the main problem your MC faces? Find one way to make it still worse. #Maass

And some nice news for Breakout prompt users: I'll be posting weekly prompts for the rest of the year. Stay tuned. #Maass

-- April 2011 --

Ever get an eerie chill, an empty feeling inside, and know--just know--you are somewhere unsafe? Here's this week's Breakout prompt...

32 Find a corner, crossroads or dark object in your story. Invest it with eeriness, unknown portent or dread. Go there three times.#Maass

It’s Breakout Tuesday. Today’s prompt is inspired by Anne Perry, noted for the moral power of her novels. But there’s a trick to that.


Does the message in your story drop like a rock on the reader’s head? Better is to make your MC sensitive to the morality of small moments.


33 Find a small hurt someone suffers. What’s the big principle or hidden injustice it represents? Stir your MC to anger over it. #Maass

Breakout Tuesday! This week begins a series of prompts focusing on plumbing emotional depths in your WIP. Here it comes...


33 In your current scene, what’s the strongest emotion? Why is it welcome? Why not? What’s good about it? What’s utterly wrong?#Maass

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Fight the good fight!