A long time ago I promised monthly Q&As and I've failed miserably at delivering. So here we go. I will answer your burning questions on writing, publishing, 80s hair rock, my favorite action films, who I think wrote Shakespeare's plays - you get the idea. Ask and it shall be answered.
And we'll do this the first week of every month, except June, when I will be traveling to BEA. So that will be the second week. Deal?
Why a whole week? Because inevitably, a few people trickle in the day after and feel like they can't ask questions, even though I don't mind. Also it gives me more time to respond, and hell, let's get a real conversation going up in here.
So ask away, dear readers, ask away! And feel free to chime in with your own thoughts on the topic. I'll be highlighting my favorite comment/question next week. There might even be a prize.
How many hours per week do you spend on activities related to promoting Crewel? How many hours per week do you spend on working on future books?
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of story do you think you will write after the Crewel trilogy? Also, what are your favorite 2012 can't-put-it-down reads so far?
ReplyDeleteMy co-author and I will be attending a writers conference in the near future. During this conference, we will have the opportunity to pitch agents. Should we pitch our novel together, or maximize or time and opportunities and pitch the same novel separatly to different agents?
ReplyDeleteIt depends on the week obviously, since sometimes I have to drop stuff to get something to publicity/marketing. I spend probably 10-20 hours a week on promotion. It's harder to estimate that because I often fill in the cracks with promotion stuff if I get a few spare minutes here and there. I spend somewhere between 20-30 hours writing future books. I expected to spend more time writing, but there's a lot more business stuff than I imagined and I find that's the right amount of time for me to spend writing and still feel creative.
ReplyDeleteI actually started a new series, and I play with it from time to time, but it's a secret. I will say it has a scifi origin. I really want to write a MG fantasy for my children as well.
ReplyDeleteSo far I've loved Cinder and Starters, but I'm behind on my reading. Shadow & Bone is high on my wishlist.
If you weren't a writer, what would be your dream job?
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting predicament. I would say pitch together, and that's simply because part of your appeal will be that you are a writing team. An agent is going to want to see the whole package. That said, lots of writer teams are actually represented by two different agents, so you may want to consider if you want the same agent. You might find an agent that fits you both perfectly or you may want to consider if it would be best for your individual careers to have different agents. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteLibrarian.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the best way to build a platform before you send out query letters?
ReplyDeleteAre there days where you just *cannot* make yourself write? How do you get past that wall?
ReplyDeleteI think blogging about a topic that interests you and reaching out to that community is best, even if it is not writing related. I started a parenting blog that became well-read, eventually I handed it over to some other writers, but it gave me a start and taught me how to navigate social media. I was invested in the topic, so it was easier. So one of the natural progressions was to then transition to being a resource for mom writers (or at least pretending to be). I think if you are feeling overwhelmed that getting involved with a group blog or starting one can really help ease you in as well.
ReplyDeleteSomedays I wake up and feel pulled away by life - and I let myself go with that. You have to live life to write about it. But there are days when I feel like I'm just pulling teeth not writing. Those days I whine a little. I might try an exercise or a prompt or ask someone to do a writing sprint with me on twitter. Some days I write 1 word or 100 words, but progress is progress. I just try to be better the next day.
ReplyDeleteWho would your fantasy cast be for CREWEL if it got made into a movie and you could choose any actors/actresses?
ReplyDeleteCan you tell us any more about the cover because I can't work out what the image is LOL. I can see it's a mass of whirls and lines which I guess imitate the fast spinning of time etc but is there an actual image there? Did you have any say in the cover at all? (I do think it's pretty, by the way)
ReplyDeleteHi Lynsey, can you see the face? The main character is sort of hidden amongst the swirls of time and matter. I was shown the concept for this, which I LOVED. The only thing I asked for was a font change, which Macmillan did and it came out better than I could have imagined.
ReplyDeleteThat's hard because it seems like actors young enough tend to get too old very quickly! I think I'd want the main cast to be fairly unknown, but the main antagonist is very charismatic and handsome and I think Robert Downey Jr would be fabulous. There's also a character that makes me think of Angelina Jolie and another that could be played by Dame Judi Dench.
ReplyDeleteHopefully soon we'll really be debating the cast!
How has your life changed the most since you signed your agent, got your offer, received your first advance check?
ReplyDeleteHonestly? I sleep at night. I used to lie awake and worry about if we would have enough money to feed the kids and what was going to happen with student loans and then switch to analyzing just how much I'd F-ed up my life. I sleep now. Kids are fed. Loans are paid. And I feel like maybe I did something right after all.
ReplyDeleteI keep hearing CREWEL pitched as a 1950's-ish sci-fi. Does this mean it is set in the 1940's and 1950's (ala Mad Men...like everyone keeps yapping it is similar to)? Or how do you tie in the 1950's with CREWEL's world? Sorry if this question doesn't make much sense.
ReplyDeleteAlso...what had you planned to do with your Master's degree? Or what were you doing with it? It sounds like such an interesting subject to take an indepth look at?
Congrats on CREWEL's success and many wishes for much more ahead :)