Happy Monday! Today I'm going to do a hybrid post: my not-abandoned-just-slacked-on meme, When I'm a Famous Author, as well as some pondering on query letters.
First, meme time. When I'm a famous author, I'm going to rock it at several lit conventions each year. I had SO MUCH fun at World Fantasy Convention in San Diego, and I really can't wait to go to another. Being surrounded with others who write in your same genre and being inundated in writerly stuff for several days - sigh. This year, WFC is in Toronto, and next year it's in Brighton, England. How cool is that?? I kind of have a feeling it might in Australia in 2014, because the Australians (Garth Nix and company) made a pretty big show at last year's con. I've also heard Dragon Con is pretty cool, though that's combo lit/comic con. Which cons would you go to every year to party with your writer friends??
On to querying, which I've been thinking about a lot lately. Since in the next couple months or so I'll be donning my war gear and heading into battle... I did something different with my query for Noir. I actually wrote it before I started writing the first draft. I had the voice and the main plot in my head, and it just kind of flowed out. It was interesting because after I finished the first draft and looked back at it, nothing major had changed from the original inspiration. I sort of pinned down the essence at the beginning. Has anyone else ever done this? Would you consider doing it as a pre-planning stage to your novel?
I hope everyone has a splendid rest of the week!
I've never written what would be considered the query first. I usually start with a short outline and build it up. If it works for you, stick with it!
ReplyDeleteAnd ComicCon would be cool. DragonCon as well, but someone would have to teleport me to the facility. I can't handle Atlanta traffic!
The thought of writing the Query first has me breaking out in a cold sweat. I'm putting that off as long as possible. It's my opinion that it's much easier to write an 85,000 novel than a query letter.
ReplyDeleteI'm so far away from everything,Conferences are a dream that probably won't becoming true for along time.
OH man, I don't know if I could write my query before I wrote my book...that's cool you were able to do it!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'd love to go to the WFC! Another one wold be Book Expo in NYC and SCBWI...also that Harry Potter one seemed to get a bunch of hype with all the authors that went to that author con there. Also ALA as an author...and that would be my goal as an author too- go to conferences!
Yeh I would love to be able to afford alllll sorts of conferences. I'd probably over do it and do them all!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if I could write my query before the novel either, but then again I know more now about queries then I did when I started my book.
I try to write my elevator pitch before I start. There was just an article in this month's SCBWI magazine about writing the query letter first and how it can act as a roadmap. Seems like a smart idea.
ReplyDeleteI've never pre-written my query before, but I have heard a lot of people say it is helpful.
ReplyDeleteAs for conventions, I think I would go to Comic-con every year. I know it is a lot of movies, but it is a lot of books too and I loved it the year I went!
I have never written a query first, but am tempted to write it for my current WIP.
ReplyDeleteYea, that will be great! Conferences really sound like an unforgettable experience. One of these days I'll make one. Or two.
ReplyDeleteI heard that was a good way to do a query, never tried it but may next time. Glad that worked out for you!
I've heard its actually good to write the query before the first draft cuz it grounds you. I do a logline, but not the full query.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to go to that fantasy conference. i know exactly what you mean... surrounded by your peeps and your thang. it's a little bit of heaven.
I'll do the SCBWI this summer.... always a great time!
I don't write Fantasy...but I'm willing to consider a switch so I can go to the Australia convention. :)
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love, that you wrote the query ahead of time and captured all that excited goodness and voice. Fantastic.
ReplyDeleteNever been to London or anywhere really. Would love to go someday.
You have an excellent week.
Cheers and Boogie Boogie.
I never thought of writing a query as part of the pre-planning stage, but what an awesome idea! I'll have to try that. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteOoh, come to Brighton! It's a fab city!
ReplyDeleteI often write a query before I write the story to sharpen the themes in my mind.
I'd love to go to WFC someday . . . sigh!
ReplyDeleteI tried writing a query before a story once. I never ended up writing the story, though. :P
Ah, I would LOVE to attend lit conventions! I don't think I'd ever be able to plan enough to write a query letter before the story. Although... a query letter doesn't have the whole synopsis, right? It's just the hook, which I guess I usually do have figured out at the beginning... It's all the stuff that happens between the hook and the ending that I seem to just figure out on the way!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a good idea to write the query before the first draft... then you don't get bogged down with all the small details... I've started doing that with one lines and summaries - focusing on the main plot an idea.
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