Querying

I've been dreading the process of writing a query letter almost since I first heard of it. Some of it is because I've never done one. I've tried to get prepared and been following Query Shark and BookEnds, LLC, who post real queries and break them apart to discuss what works and what doesn't (thanks, you guys). I've even joined QueryTracker.net, assuming that I will at one point know who to send the query letter to.

But my worry also goes back to my ms. It took me a year to come up with a title, because it has three distinct parts, and what title would fit the whole story? So how the heck am I going to write a query (in 250 words) for the dang thing?

So, I'm not there yet, not ready to write a query letter. Or so I thought until I read this post by Robin Weeks, and it got me thinking. Perhaps, as Robin suggests, the exercise of writing the query will help improve my final work. *sigh* Be sure to check her post because she makes some excellent points and because she includes a link to Elana Johnson's ebook called From the Query to the Call. I took a wonderful class from Elana at LTUE. She must be a nerdfighter because they are made up of sheer awesome.

Seems querying is on the mind of lots of folks. Ian Bontems posted about it today, too. He has some great suggestions as well.

Now that I finished Edit 8 and am ready to begin proofing (using a process Ian suggested, btw), perhaps I should consider writing a query.

For the experience.

You know. Just in case.

Anatomy of a Tale

I've been trying to work on WIP #3, but my recalcitrant WIP #1 keeps calling to me. One of my critique group members suggested I take a break from it for a month and work on something else, saying I might be able to view it differently when I go back to it.

But it won't let me alone!

As I've been stewing over how best to approach a reshaping of my tale, I need to accommodate the various plotlines and the three distinct parts of the story. I'm told I need to move the beginning closer to the triggering event, which is all well and good, but I need to include the stuff at the beginning because that includes a triggering event as well. *sigh* That implies a lot of jumping around.

Now, bear in mind, I tend to be a rather lineral person. My real world has order. I function best with order. Life happens in a linear way, and I cling to the stability of that straight forwardness. In my day job, one of my responsibilties is election official. I'm not talking about being a poll worker, who helps you on election day. I'm talking about the one responsible for the entire party.

The one who can get sued if I screw up.

So it should be easy to see why my mind thinks in terms of order. For example, I dang sure better have published the legal notice--in the specific time required by state law--identifying the time and place for the test of the electronic counting equipment, or one of losing candidates could challenge the entire election. You can't re-create an election. You can hold another one, but it's really a different election. Not everyone who voted in the thrown out effort will necessarily vote again, or be available to vote again (might have moved, died, be in a coma), or others may vote who didn't the first time, or some voters may have forgotten who they voted for (believe me, it happens) or changed their minds.

So I think it's understandable why I have this orderly mindset. Maybe that's why I so thoroughly enjoy works (like Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings) where the author cleverly blends flashbacks into the current, ongoing tale.

I think I may have found an approach to work around my disability in regards to WIP #1 thanks to Robin Weeks comments in yesterdays post, Brodi Ashton's revision post here, and Ian Bontems' planning post here. I think I know how to approach this now.

Thanks, guys!

ETA: I've been able to have a nice 'chat' with my good friend Donna Hosie about this issue, and she provided great input on it, helping finalize my decision and my approach. You rock, Donna!