Goals!

With the start of a New Year writing and submitting time seems to reset. It just can't help but feel like an exciting time to kick up our heels, freshen up those goals, and make some brand spaking new ones.

As writers, goals can really help us move forward instead of flailing around in limbo trying to decide what we should do next. But this is important: MAKE YOUR GOALS REALISTIC!

I've seen this sort of thing so many times. People say they are going to sell a book this year (or five!) Or are going to get an agent (or even a specific agent!) These things are absolutely, positively NOT UNDER YOUR CONTROL! You cannot force an agent to love your work. And selling a book? It can take a multitude of people to say yes at one house alone for you to be offered a publishing contract. Not that it can't happen. I know you've heard it before, just write the best book you can! The rest is not totally up to you.

Of course, there are great goals you can make that are under your control. What do you want to write in the New Year? Do you have partially finished manuscripts that you want to get completed? What about submissions? Submission goals are great! (That's why I love Sub It Club!) There are cover and query letters to write. Maybe a synopsis. And research! Plus there's all that extra online stuff. Need to freshen up that blog? *raises hand. Update your about pages on your social media? *raises hand again.

So much to do! For sure, the more great things you write and the more well targeted submissions you make, the more chances you give yourself for publishing success. But, a successful year is going to be different for each and every one of us. Be sure to take your time constraints along with the way you work into consideration when making your goals. Of course, big goals are good, but be sure to put smaller ones in there too. Small successes can definitely help you keep going.

My goals can tend to get a bit out of hand. I have lots of things I want to write and not enough time to write them all. I'm in the process of going through my humongous list of picture book manuscripts and picking out the ones I think are most viable. I also have more than a few new titles I want to complete as well. I want to get my chapter book out for critique and ready for the next phase, which is hopefully submission. And I have a YA that keeps knocking on my brain. I'm 6 chapters in and feel like completion in 2014 as a goal is iffy. But, I can't help but put it on my list anyway. I'm a dreamer, and sometimes I surprise even myself.

Monster List of Picture Book Agents - Mary Cummings of Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises

Mary Cummings is the literary agent representing children's writers at Betsy Amster Literary Enterprises where she has been since 2008. According to the website, Mary represents children's fiction and poetry but not nonfiction.

There isn't too much online information on Ms. Cummings but I learned from a former client that, "she is kind, professional, and supportive, she loves lyric and she loves sweet!" Also, Mary works book by book.

There is a 2009 article, Made in Minnesota: The Rise of Agent Mary Cummings at Children's Literature Network.

You can see a few comments on submissions writers have made on Mary Cummings' listing at Querytracker.

Writer Maria Ashworth lists that she is represented by Mary Cummings on her website.

Mary Cummings can be queried via email with the entire picture book manuscript pasted into the body of the email. Read her entire submission guidelines on the Betsy Amster Literary website.

This post is part of the Monster List of Picture Book Agents. If you have any changes that you think should be made to this listing, please contact me or leave them in the comments. Thanks!

Avoid Clichés Like the Plague

Avoid clichés like the plague. ßHa! See what I did there?

Yup, we use clichés all the time. It seems to me that clichés come to be because they hold some element of truth. But haven’t we heard them enough?

Here's a fun game: pick out all of the cliche's that you hear in this song. I've never been able to make it to the end before rolling my eyes so hard I get a migrane.

Yup, it seems that songwriters can get away with using as many clichés as they want. Maybe because it makes it so easy to remember the words to the songs.

As writers we need our work to be fresh. Exciting! New! Surprising! A feast for the eyes. ßOkay, I’m cutting it close there. ßAnd there.

You see, it’s a lot quicker and easier to fall back on simple descriptions and clichés than it is to make something truly your own. That takes time, thought, and creativity-- those same old key elements of success. Dang it, it's hard work, but it's worth it!

So, if you need to fall back on cliche's, it's fine to do so in your first draft. Then come back and revise them within an inch of their lives. Your readers will thank you for it.

The Monster List Logo!

I've been posting to The Monster List of Picture Book Agents for a while now. Yes, sometimes there are can be longish periods of time in-between posts but I am for sure dedicated to updating the list as often as I can. So I'd like to present The Monster List of Picture Book Agents logo by Dana Carey!

I love the imagery Dana created to represent the list. Mysterious. A little intimidating perhaps. But behind the door there is opportunity! There are many agents out there who represent what you write. You have to open that door and find the agent for you!

I've known Dana Carey for a while now. Since a bit before she did her Unread interview with me I suppose. Not only is Dana is the Assistant Regional Advisor for SCBWI France, she's a fabulous writer and illustrator (obviously). Not too long after that interview I got brave and asked Dana if she wanted to trade picture book manuscripts with me. She did! I'm so glad I asked because now not only is she my good friend with a level head that I can also count on for good advice, she's also my partner in Sub It Club.

I didn't know this when I asked her to help me head up Sub It Club, but Dana was a graphic designer in New York City before she moved to France. I feel so lucky to have her in charge of all of Sub It Club's graphic design along with the Monthly Goalpost, Illustrator Postcard Posts, and day to day duties!

And now, not only will my Monster List posts look great, I can post them to Pinterest and make them a resource on the Sub It Club Pinterest pages as well!

THANK YOU!!! 

Dana Carey for being a wonderful friend, a fabulous critique partner, and for giving me the gift of a beautifully designed logo!

How I Track Submissions

Keeping track of submissions is important! I posted this over at Sub It Club, but thought I would post it here too because so many of you come here looking for submission information. Plus I've been really bad about blogging lately and it will make me feel so good to get something posted! So, here's how I track submissions:

Yes, I’ve heard the news. We should use a spreadsheet to keep track of our submissions. Lisha Cauthen showed us how to keep track of our submissions using fancy dancy newfangled technology. Pretty spiffy! But me, well, I prefer to keep track of my submissions the old fashioned way—with pencil and paper.

I know, it’s hard to believe!

There actually are a couple of reasons I like going old school for this. The biggest one? There are so many things that have to be done on the computer! Typing up manuscripts, blogging, social media, agent and publisher research… it goes on and on and on! If I can eliminate even one thing that I have to do in front of a screen, I’m doing it.

The other thing is, I like to be able to sit down and look through my submissions in a leisurely fashion. I can flip through pages. I have something tangible to hold on to while everything else about submissions being out is beyond my reach. I can look at every single sub I have out. The subs I’ve done for one manuscript, or all the subs I’ve sent to a particular publisher. My submission book holds all the information I need.

Back when I was starting out I didn’t need much. I didn’t have much to keep track of. But these days I like to have in depth information. My submission book has evolved into three sections:

• A Master List of all submissions that are out
• A Manuscript Page for each manuscript that is out on submission
• A Publisher Page for each publisher I have looked into

Now this may seem like overkill but it is a system I have found to be the most useful.

The Master List is a quick way to see everything I have out in one glance. I list date sent, publisher or agent, company, what sent and by which method, and expected response time. When I get a reply I simply put a thin line through the submission to cross it off the list.

Each Manuscript Page has the title of the manuscript on the top. I write the date submitted, who submitted to (both publisher and editor or agent and agency when applicable), how submitted (esub, snail query, etc.), expected response time, and actual response date. Plus I leave room for notes on response. (Form, personal, etc.)

When you do a lot of research on publishers, you see the beauty of having a page or two for each. On the Publisher Pages I list manuscripts sent, along with all the pertinent information I have listed previously. I also keep notes on things I find in my research. Tidbits on what a certain editor or publisher likes. Notable books that compare with mine. Stuff like that. The thing that has been especially helpful is writing down my manuscripts that might be a future match with someone while I am doing research for submitting a different manuscript-from manuscripts I’m not sending yet to works in progress. I am doing future research as well as working on getting a submission out and tracked. Far out man!

Now, you may have noticed that I write the same information in more than one place, but it really does make it easier later. When you’re only doing a sub or two at a time it really isn’t a big deal. It can actually feel like an accomplishment!

Tracking your manuscripts the old fashioned way really doesn’t have to be a big production, and keeping track of things on paper definitely does not have to be messy! There are a few “rules” that make it easier. Write neatly. Leave yourself enough room for response notes. Use a three-ring binder. That way you can add pages where and when you need to. It’s sort of like creating your own personal Writer’s Market, but with the information tailor made for you.

The Hazards of Being a Professional Waiter

I am pretty darn good at waiting. I actually like to think of myself as a professional waiter. No, not the kind that waits on tables. The kind that waits to hear back on manuscripts. If you're a writer you'd better get good at waiting because there's a lot of it.

That doesn't mean that waiting is always easy. Sure, sometimes it is. Like when you know the response time is three months and you've just sent the manuscript. Chances are it's going to be at least three months before you hear back. You can sub more, write more, etc. to keep yourself busy while you're waiting. But sometimes we just want to hear. Right now. Does anyone we've subbed to like our manuscript? Did they even open it yet? What if it didn't even get there? *gasp*

Well, in some situations we'll just never know. So many publishing houses and even agents have a no response is no policy now. I understand, it can be frustrating. We spend loads of time researching where to send our manuscripts. We know ridiculous amounts of information about people(agents and editors) we don't even know. Of course, we'd like to know them, that's why we're sending them our manuscripts. I've even gone so far as to send a submission to a publisher that insists on a three month exclusive but gives no response. So, I wait three months on my very well targeted, personalized submission that I spent hours on, then cross it off my list if I hear nothing. Pretty anti-climatic.

Another thing I've noticed as of late it that there are many houses and agents who are not reaching their goals on stated response time. I find this completely understandable. I can only imagine the piles of submissions they have to go through. And all the other things they have to do before they can take the time to read unsolicited submissions. It just means that I have to wait even longer than I had hoped I'd have to wait. And that I have to keep up with the various places I can find the agent or publisher's response time information if I am trying to figure out if I need to status query, which I am always reluctant to do. And also if I am dying to know. Which, if course I am.

Ooo, you know what stinks the most? When you've been waiting on a submission that is due. You go re-check the submission guidelines, and they have been changed to a no response or even a no submissions policy. *Sigh. It can be hard for a writer to keep up!

Why am I telling you all this? I just seem to be having one of those impatient moments. When I'd like to hear back on a submission. Even just one. Of course, I'd like it to be a good response. I've learned from experience that those definitely take longer to hear back on.

Yes, it's okay to feel impatient.What it's not okay to do is pester those you've subbed to. That will bring you a definite no. Plus it's just rude. Having to deal with all this waiting is just one of the hazards of being a writer.

Guess I'd better get back to revising the chapter book I'm working on getting ready to send out. Somehow having more to wait on makes it easier. If you're waiting on manuscripts feel free to hit me up. I'll wait along with you! You are, of course, invited to join our group at Sub It Club where we wait together. It somehow makes it a little easier, having others who understand, to share the waiting with.

Beware the Agent Bio

As you probably would figure, I try to keep on top of agent news for the Monster List of Picture Book Agents as well as for Sub It Club. Plus I'm a writer and I just can't help it! Anyway, I've come across something a couple of times that made me go, huh? Now, this is definitely not the norm and I am not even going to point out who they are, but I have actually found and agent or two who has used being a parent in their bio as their qualification to represent picture books.

You do know that as writers if we put that in our bio there is a 99.999% chance that we will get the old eye roll.

Since when has being a parent become a qualification to sell children’s literature?

Now, I’m not saying that as a parent you might not be completely immersed in picture books. I hope you are! I don’t discredit the hours and hours spent reading with children. On the contrary. I think it’s fabulous. You find out what kids respond to. What they love in a story and why. What they don’t like and why not. Plus there’s lots of great snuggle time!

But, if you’re going to have someone work to sell your writing, don’t you want them to have stronger qualifications? Or at least know enough to not to use being a parent as their qualification? You need someone who knows the intricacies of picture books. Understands how the words and illustrations support each other. And if you write in rhyme you need someone who is in sync with rhythm and meter as well. All in all, when you're looking for someone to help you make writing your career, you want someone you can trust.

So, read those bios before querying, my friends! And make the best decision for you and your writing. Like the old saying goes, having a bad agent is worse than having no agent at all.