Lessons from Trade Fairs

This year I attended two trade fairs: Book-Expo America (the biggee), and the Books-a-Million trade show.

I posted elsewhere about BEA (http://jenniferonwriting.blogspot.com/2008/06/bea-and-things.html).

The Books-a-Million show was similar, on a smaller scale. Authors from several publishers signed stacks of free books (I had a beautiful swirly stack of The Redeeming that I hated to disturb.)


Other vendors such as Ghiradelli and Republic of Tea were there to encourage the bookstores to carry their products (or more of their products or their new products). The Republic of Tea sample I slammed down was mighty good. I love their tea. But I digress.

As at BEA, I noted that publishers were interested in showcasing their hardback mainstream authors and YA over genre. However, more genre authors were signing--Lynsay Sands, Julia Quinn, Stephanie Bond, and a couple mystery authors. There were quite a few Christian publishers there, and I was made aware that Christian fiction is trying new things--suspense, historical, and paranormal. Very cool.

The feeling at this show was positive and upbeat. The main complaint I heard was that the show was too short. They did half a day instead of an entire day, which I gather is a change.

The booksellers that came to my booth said several things that gave me cheer.

1. The Immortals series was doing well at their stores (yay!)

2. Paranormal romance is still walking out the door like it has fast little legs.

3. Romance is the top seller at most stores.

4. My books are doing well at their stores.

(Although I take statements such as #4 with a grain of salt--are they mixing me up with someone else? or just being polite? LOL)

Anyway, I gave away a lot of books, signed until my hand was sore, and met a lot of booksellers from the southeast, an area I don't get to often.

Nowhere did I hear complaints about book sales being down. Now, that doesn't mean they weren't (obviously), but that vibe was not in the air. Everyone seemed optimistic and upbeat. It could be that at trade fairs, you're supposed to be positive to encouage vendors to sign contracts with bookstores, but still, it was nice not to hear gloom and doom about the book industry. I get plenty of that elsewhere, real and imagined.

Here's me with my swirl of books.

Losses in the Writer Community

I heard today that Michael Crichton died of cancer. Last week, mystery author Tony Hillerman also passed away.



I wasn't a big reader of Crichton, although I was certainly aware of his works: The Andromeda Strain and Jurassic Park, his most famous, and the lesser known The Great Train Robbery, a personal favorite of mine.








I am a Tony Hillerman fan, enjoying the novels that followed Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee through various murders and other crimes on the Navajo reservation in northern AZ, NM, and southern Utah.

I'm always sad when we lose terrific authors, that their voices will be forever silent. Fortunately they both left behind volumes of great stories that we can read again and again.

I'd like to say good bye to both authors, and thanks for all the wonderful stories.

Radio interview

I did a radio interview last night at Blog talk Radio, which is available for listening at:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Whats-Hot-In-Romance/2008/10/21/Whats-Hot-In-Romance-

It starts right away--the controls are on the right hand side of the page. I'm talking about the Immortals series, why I write under many pseudonyms, how I write quickly, and about my upcoming new historical series.

Jennifer

Method for Just Getting the Darn Thing Written

You might think I've shut down this blog, but no. I haven't had a lick of time to post, between writing a new book, having to do revisions and read page proofs, give workshops, and run from one end of the country to the other.

Last week I went to Alabama to the Books-a-Million trade fair, then turned around and went to Seattle for the Emerald City writer's conference. Both were terrific, and I learned much. I hope to do a "what I learned" post soon. (short version: romances sell. paranormal romances sell very well. People in Seattle are nice.)

Right now, I'm busily writing about 30 pages a day. I figured out a way to write big chunks like that and keep my sanity, so thought I'd share it.

This method should work no matter how many pages you want to write a day--5, 10, 20.

First, I know pretty much what I want to write. Weeks ago, when I had nothing to say on this book, I couldn't have done it. But I've figured out in my head what I'm doing and where I need to go so I'm now just writing it down.

(Note that I didn't say I outlined it. Ha. Me and the outline don't mix. The best I can do is jotting notes every once in a while. You use whichever prewriting is good for you, or simply sit down and go for it.)

Second, I break my writing into three sessions. For me: the first one is in the morning at a coffee house (with bagel), second mid-morning to about 1 (after I get back from coffee house, putter arond a little, answer my email, etc.), third between lunch and dinner. After the third session I shut down (even if I think I can do more), enjoy dinner, family, tv, books, going out--you know, real life.

Each time I sit down at a session I say: "I'm going to write XX pages." (for me right now it's 10 pages per session, but for you it might be 2 or 5). I don't do anything (no email, no games) until that number of pages is done. I am allowed to go to the bathroom, refresh my tea, pet the cats, or stretch (which you should do) as long as it doesn't take me away more than a couple of minutes.

Each session ends when the page count is met. Period. Then I am free to go to lunch, pay bills, run errands, answer email, pet the cats some more (they insist), take care of family issues--until the next session starts.

Fit your sessions around your life. It's easiest for me to do morning, elevenses, afternoon, because that's how my life flows right now. Yours might be lunch, after dinner, three in the morning.

Why do I stop after the last session even if I think I can keep going? Because if I do too much in one day, I'll be too worn out to do it the next day. My brain cells will cease firing, and I will likely not make the page count that day. The point is to do a certain amount each day, enjoy the time off, and start fresh the next morning.

Also, I don't recommend doing 30 pages a day unless you have a lot of stamina or are a lightning-fast typist--right now I don't have much choice because I'm behind again, and need to meet a deadline.

My method may not work for everyone, but thank heavens it's working for me right now. Deadlines are hell!

I'm also excited because I just sold a new 3-book contract, but I'm not allowed to be excited during my sessions! I save it for in between. :-)

Jennifer

Cool new movie for Historical fans

The new movie The Duchess with Keira Knightly is about Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire--the beautiful, witty socialite beloved of all of London in the 18th century (except of course by her husband). I've always been fascinated by her and that time. I'll be interested to see how Charles James Fox is portrayed.

I have no idea how well this movie is done, but it might be worth looking at, if only for the costumes!

Info at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p hp?storyId=94662956

and: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0864761/

Jennifer
www.jennifersromances.com

My Agent Blogging Today

My agent did a blog/interview today over at

www.muchcheaperthantherapy.blogspot.com

He offers some good advice about agent seeking and the biz.

Jennifer Ashley

Live Radio Show tonight (9/2/08)

Tonight I will be talking (with my mouth) on Canned Laughter and Coffee radio show hosted by author Renee Bernard.

Date: 9/2/08
Time: 8:16 EST (that's 5:15 PST)
Place: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Circle-Of-Seven/2008/09/03/Canned-Laughter-and-Coffee

Or http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ and search on Canned Laughter and Coffee.

There will be a live chat at the same time, and if I can figure out the technology I'll answer questions, etc.

I'll be talking about Immortals: The Redeeming . . . well, anything Renee asks me, actually! She's a hoot, so it should be a fun show.

Looking forward to it!

The Importance of the Second Opinion

High time I did another post. I've been working my fingers to the bone after RWA Nationals, because of course conventions happen right when I have to do about fifty other things.

I haven't said much about critique partners, writing groups, and critique groups but it's a good topic.

I offer this advice:

1. Don't expect to find the perfect crit. partner/group right away. In my opinion, it's better to be on your own than be with a bad critique partner. Take time to find just the right person/people.

2. Find someone who "gets" you. If your goal is to write novels for Silhouette Special Edition, that will take a different kind of voice and storytelling style than if you're writing gritty thrillers for Random House. Your crit. partner should understand the genre and subgenre you are writing. (They don't necessarily have to write it themselves, but they should have read it and understand what the audience wants. This is true for everything from Young Adult fantasy to Harlequin to gritty thrillers at Random House.)

3. A critique group isn't a bashing session. Constructive criticism is helpful, saying "I can't believe you wrote that crap" isn't. A critique is pointing out weaknesses and saying why they're weak, and pointing out strengths and saying why they're strong. (I always start by saying what I loved before I get down to what bugged me.)

4. Wait 24 hours after getting the criticism to respond. The immediate instinct is to explain what the CP didn't think was good or didn't understand. Let it sink in--then decide whether to agree with the critique, ignore it, or ask for more clarification.

5. Find people who can turn your material around quickly, like in a day or two to a week. When you get published, deadlines are tight, and you need someone who can read fast so you can revise quickly. Likewise, if you decide to enter a contest, you need that critique so you can fix things before the contest deadline. Turn their material around just as quickly.

6. Don't believe everything your CP or crit. group says absolutely. Everything is subjective. If you have four people agree your hero is weak, your hero might be weak. If you get four different responses, then it might just be different tastes.

A true story: I once had a partial ms. critiqued by two different published authors. Each circled the same paragraph (description of the hero). One told me it caught her attention because it was wonderful and vivid, the other told me it was putrid (she used more diplomatic words, but that was the gist). Who was I to believe? (I never finished that book, btw.)

7. Don't let your ms. get critiqued to death. Give your CP or group a chapter or chunk and have them critique it ONCE. Fix it and move on. If you radically rewrite the entire book and want their opinion on the rewrite, that's fine, but again, ONCE.

8. Don't let your CP change your voice, your characters, and your plot into something they want to write themselves (and don't do that to your CP). It's ok if they don't like what you're writing, as long as they understand your audience and what you're trying to do. And a bad transition is a bad transition no matter what the genre.

9. On the other hand a CP or critique group who gushes about everything you do ("Oh, it's wonderful. Oh, I love it!") and offers no constructive criticism isn't helping you. Stroking your ego, yes; helping, no.

10. And last: Don't get critiqued to seek validation; get critiqued to make your writing stronger.

There it is, ten thoughts on critique groups.

I'm sure there's more. Feel free to add.

www.jennifersromances.com

RWA

I'm off to SF and RWA Nationals today. I plan to have a low-key RWA this year--meet with my editors, sign books, and listen. If I hear any good industry news, publishing tips, and whatnot, I'll report.

Jennifer
www.jennifersromances.com

On Professionalism

Someone on a yahoo group posted this link to a Writer's Digest article on professionalism, and I'm offering it lieu of a post.

I am working on a post about writers's block (which I suffered last year and am happily over--I want to share the misery and how I overcame it).

I'm also working on three books, two novellas, a proposal, and preparing for the RWA National conference in between various dr.'s appointments. Hence the blog has been a bit quiet.

Follow the link below to "Don't Be a Writing Diva." I especially like #11 and #18. #2 Send your book in before deadline---umm, I'll have to work on that one. :-)

http://writersdigest.com:80/article/dont-be-a-writing-diva/