You betcha I'm excited. I just found out my short story Growth is being published in http://auslit.net/2011/03/30/basics-of-life-anthology/
The irony is the publication date will be around the anniversary of the events in the book. I won't go into details as I don't want to spoil it.
But one last thing:
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Super agent Ammi-Joan Paquette pitch competition on YAtopia
Agent Pitch contest on my Group Blog - YAtopia
Don't post here, the comp is at - YAtopia
Super agent Ammi-Joan Paquette has so kindly offered to host a pitch contest - our first, but definitely not last - on YAtopia. And seeing as she's currently closed to submissions, this is an opportunity you simply CANNOT miss out on.
It's really quite simple what you have to do. Ready?
1) Be a follower of the blog. Nice and easy.
2) Blog about this contest and include a link with your entry. If you don't have a blog, you may tweet or make a facebook status. But we prefer blog.
3) Create a TWO SENTENCE pitch. And not a massively long run-on sentence either. Two concise sentences that will hook Joan to your book and have her desperate to read more.
4) Include the opening line of your manuscript.
5) Manuscripts that you submit should be completed. I leave it up to you whether you decide to submit a half finished manuscript. You'll have to deal with it SHOULD Joan request you send her the full.
6) This contest will be capped at either 150 entries OR will end midnight on the 24th March.
7) Winners to be announced (along with prizes) on 31st March.
8) Only childrens and young adult categories will be accepted. Sorry!
What you need to post on YAtopia:
Name:
Email:
Story Name:
Genre:
Blog/Twitter/Facebook link:
2 Sentence Pitch:
Opening sentence:
Don't post here, the comp is at - YAtopia
Agent Pitch Contest!!
Okay, here is the post you've all been waiting for! (or maybe not, but you should be excited!!).Super agent Ammi-Joan Paquette has so kindly offered to host a pitch contest - our first, but definitely not last - on YAtopia. And seeing as she's currently closed to submissions, this is an opportunity you simply CANNOT miss out on.
It's really quite simple what you have to do. Ready?
1) Be a follower of the blog. Nice and easy.
2) Blog about this contest and include a link with your entry. If you don't have a blog, you may tweet or make a facebook status. But we prefer blog.
3) Create a TWO SENTENCE pitch. And not a massively long run-on sentence either. Two concise sentences that will hook Joan to your book and have her desperate to read more.
4) Include the opening line of your manuscript.
5) Manuscripts that you submit should be completed. I leave it up to you whether you decide to submit a half finished manuscript. You'll have to deal with it SHOULD Joan request you send her the full.
6) This contest will be capped at either 150 entries OR will end midnight on the 24th March.
7) Winners to be announced (along with prizes) on 31st March.
8) Only childrens and young adult categories will be accepted. Sorry!
What you need to post on YAtopia:
Name:
Email:
Story Name:
Genre:
Blog/Twitter/Facebook link:
2 Sentence Pitch:
Opening sentence:
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
WriteOnCon and their Fab prizes
Oh My Goodness. The most awesome conference every! Why? Because it's free if you have access to the Internet. Yep - that's it. No travel, no fees.
And there are Prizes!
Right now you can enter to win letter critiques from:
Jill Corcoran with Herman Agency Inc.
Ginger Clark with Curtis Brown LTD
Tina Wexler with ICM
Beth Fleisher with Clear Sailing Creatives
Marietta Zacker with Nancy Gallt Literary
Jennifer Rofe with Andrea Brown Literary
Sarah Davies with Greenhouse Literary
Just go to - http://writeoncon.com/ for more details!
About WriteOnCon in their on words:
WriteOnCon is an Online Children’s Writers Conference (rated MC-18, for Main Characters under 18 only) created by writers, for writers.
Our first Annual Conference was held: Tuesday – Thursday, August 10 – 12, 2010
Where: http://www.writeoncon.com
Cost: Free!
Who: That’s the best part—it’s for EVERYONE!
Attendees don’t need to take time off work, travel, or spend a truckload of money. They can enjoy the conference from the convenience of their own homes, for free—and the schedule is designed around working hours. (Transcripts are also available of the entire conference, should anyone have to miss part of it.) And everything for the conference takes place within this website, which means everyone with basic Internet access will be able to participate in all aspects of the conference—no additional software or technology required.
During the conference, keynote addresses, agent panels, and lectures are presented as blogs, vlogs, moderated chats, webinars, podcasts, and livestreaming. There is also a critique forum, where participants can post query letters and writing samples to receive helpful feedback and comments from their peers and industry professionals. And, as if that weren’t exciting enough, there are also daily contests, giving random winners everything from books to personalized critiques from agents.
It’s everything great about a writer’s conference, without any of the cost or inconvenience. Check back soon for our 2011 annual conference dates. And don’t miss our Monthly Live Events in the meantime!
And there are Prizes!
Right now you can enter to win letter critiques from:
Jill Corcoran with Herman Agency Inc.
Ginger Clark with Curtis Brown LTD
Tina Wexler with ICM
Beth Fleisher with Clear Sailing Creatives
Marietta Zacker with Nancy Gallt Literary
Jennifer Rofe with Andrea Brown Literary
Sarah Davies with Greenhouse Literary
Just go to - http://writeoncon.com/ for more details!
About WriteOnCon in their on words:
WriteOnCon is an Online Children’s Writers Conference (rated MC-18, for Main Characters under 18 only) created by writers, for writers.
Our first Annual Conference was held: Tuesday – Thursday, August 10 – 12, 2010
Where: http://www.writeoncon.com
Cost: Free!
Who: That’s the best part—it’s for EVERYONE!
Attendees don’t need to take time off work, travel, or spend a truckload of money. They can enjoy the conference from the convenience of their own homes, for free—and the schedule is designed around working hours. (Transcripts are also available of the entire conference, should anyone have to miss part of it.) And everything for the conference takes place within this website, which means everyone with basic Internet access will be able to participate in all aspects of the conference—no additional software or technology required.
During the conference, keynote addresses, agent panels, and lectures are presented as blogs, vlogs, moderated chats, webinars, podcasts, and livestreaming. There is also a critique forum, where participants can post query letters and writing samples to receive helpful feedback and comments from their peers and industry professionals. And, as if that weren’t exciting enough, there are also daily contests, giving random winners everything from books to personalized critiques from agents.
It’s everything great about a writer’s conference, without any of the cost or inconvenience. Check back soon for our 2011 annual conference dates. And don’t miss our Monthly Live Events in the meantime!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Don't be a Twitter Twit
This fab group also respond to individual tweets in you may have sent them - as long as it's not a creepy tweet or an unsolicited pitch.
Following agents and editors on Twitter allows you to get a glimpse at their personality and an idea if you match up personality wise, which can be important for the agent/author/editor relationship to work.
However there can be a pitfall here. You, and the hundred of other aspiring authors following them, can come to feel like you know these people and expect that when you query them they will automatically offer you representation because you have exactly what they are looking for (according to their tweets).
So here's some things to remember:
- It's not cool to pitch via Twitter to an agent or an author unless they are holding a specific contest that requires it.
- Getting on well with an agent/author on Twitter will not guarantee you'll get a publishing deal.
- Don't rant on Twitter bagging out an agent/editor for rejecting your work. It'll get back to them and score you a bad rep - hello google alerts!
- Remember that the writing industry is subjective. A rejection doesn't mean that your work is not good, it just means that they didn't feel strongly enough about the project you're querying on to take you on (a friend of mine is getting published and scored her agent on around the fourth manuscript she'd queried her with - don't give up, keep writing).
- You can follow these guys on Twitter, but it doesn't mean they want to friend you on Facebook.
Take advantage of what Twitter has to offer writers, but keep it real and be cool about how you engage agents, editors and authors in that space.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Another amazing contest
Aspiring author, Chanelle Gray - represented by dream agent Victoria Marini & fellow YAtopian - is holding a Twitter pitch contest:
http://chanellegray.blogspot.com/2011/03/twitter-pitch-contest.html
1) The contest is now live!
2) It will be capped at the first 75 entries or, if we don't get 75 entries, it'll cut off at Midnight GMT on the 7th March.
3) You have to be a follower of my blog to enter.
4) You have to blog about this contest and post your link along with the twitter pitch. (If you don't have a blog, then Twitter or Facebook will do. But only if you don't have a blog - not instead).
5) Alongside your 140 twitter pitch (you'll be disqualified if it's longer) you'll be asked to submit the first three sentences of your manuscript - so make sure they're polished and ready to go!
6) Once the contest opens, it'll be first come first serve to enter. Anything after 75 entries won't be counted.
Remember, Michael Carr is looking for any age any genre. And works should be completed if he was to request the full manuscript, but you may take the risk without a finished manuscript if you choose.
Good luck! And don't forget to include a link to your blog post/twitter/facebook with your entry. And I'll allow posts to be made any time before you actually comment here. Including the same day. Please use the format as below:
Your name:
Title:
Genre & Age:
Twitter pitch:
3 Sentences:
Blog post:
So what are you waiting for! Get over to Chanelle's post and enter!
http://chanellegray.blogspot.com/2011/03/twitter-pitch-contest.html
1) The contest is now live!
2) It will be capped at the first 75 entries or, if we don't get 75 entries, it'll cut off at Midnight GMT on the 7th March.
3) You have to be a follower of my blog to enter.
4) You have to blog about this contest and post your link along with the twitter pitch. (If you don't have a blog, then Twitter or Facebook will do. But only if you don't have a blog - not instead).
5) Alongside your 140 twitter pitch (you'll be disqualified if it's longer) you'll be asked to submit the first three sentences of your manuscript - so make sure they're polished and ready to go!
6) Once the contest opens, it'll be first come first serve to enter. Anything after 75 entries won't be counted.
Remember, Michael Carr is looking for any age any genre. And works should be completed if he was to request the full manuscript, but you may take the risk without a finished manuscript if you choose.
Good luck! And don't forget to include a link to your blog post/twitter/facebook with your entry. And I'll allow posts to be made any time before you actually comment here. Including the same day. Please use the format as below:
Your name:
Title:
Genre & Age:
Twitter pitch:
3 Sentences:
Blog post:
So what are you waiting for! Get over to Chanelle's post and enter!