We are so doing a haunted farm tonight. In the meantime, however, have some links because they are intriguing!
Literary agent Nathan Bransford gives the basics on how to get an agent. Need more than the basics? Then read this article with advice from eleven different agents regarding what to do and not to do. I found this particularly informative, especially with the reminder that agents are individuals with individual taste and requirements.
Not quite ready to query? Then take Doyce Testerman’s interesting advice on writing without distractions (even though he says not to). He’s talking about Nanowrimo, but this can definitely be applied to anything.
Fair warning: this article is sort of depressing and encouraging at once. It’s depressing because yes, it is that hard to break into the industry right now, but encouraging because it means not every rejection you get means the agent/editor hated your work. It very often is just a question of not knowing how to market it for an enormous profit.
Remember: rejections don’t necessarily mean “you suck.” They do mean “not yet,” and “not yet” just gives you more time to hone your craft.
So what DO these agents do, anyway? Here’s an article that clarifies. Oh, and agents aren’t the only ones with the power of rejection. Andy Warhol got rejected by the Musuem of Modern Art in NYC, and if that doesn’t make you giggle, then you have no soul.
Also, because I think the comic is funny and the writer has some good points: Letter to Twilight Bashers.
Enough jibber-jabber. Snippet time!
The blood on the threshold was fresh.
It glistened. Drops of it spattered the sides of the doorway as if its owner had shaken like a wet dog, and the long rusty door handles were slick and messy. Was it Caelan bleeding like that, dripping warm life away until he fell?
The doors were old wood, weather-worn and hung with decorative strap hinges that stretched across them like black iron vines. Alex wasn’t sure if he could break them. Instead he banged with his fist, shouting as loudly as he could. “Hey! Open up! Do you hear me? Open the door!”
An unshaven man did, looking highly alarmed. He also looked nearly human, but his eyes gave him away. The irises gleamed gold like an animal’s.
“Who is injured here?” Alex demanded, pointing at the threshold. “Answer me!”
“Aaah!” screamed the man, and slammed the door in his face.
Alex is not having a good day. 😀
