WRITER WEDNESDAY: Demystifying industry terms

Last week Jessie helped us all by demystifying the genres we work with as writers. Some of us write Contemporary, others Paranormal Romance and still some of us mix and match to fit the story pouring out of us. Well, it got me thinking of a few more industry terms I know I've batted around. Is it? Isn't it? Are you? Aren't you? My terms? Beta reader versus Critique Partner. The may overlap, but according to YA writer and romance editor Heather Howland, they are not the same. Then, logline versus pitch.

A beta reader reads the manuscript and gives an overview opinion. It can be as in depth as they want, but their focus is on the broad issues like plot and pacing and characters.You want a beta in the beginning to gauge the interest you're generating with your story. They're also valuable at the very end after you've worked out all the kinks of the story with a critique partner

A critique partner takes that same read and goes a level deeper. They question word choice, sentence cadence, motivations, use of white space, dialogue, etc...They are available to brainstorm, cheer you on, and will gently tell you when a book you're working on needs to be trunked.

Short summary: A beta reader offers opinions. A critique partner offers solutions and support.

Another two I kick around and wonder about... logline versus pitch. So, I turned to my agent, for an Agent's Eye View. Here's what Gina had to say:

The term 'logline' has been adapted from the movie industry, where a single line summary of a movie script is used to quickly sort the mountains of material to be considered. In publishing, an effective logline can be just as useful, since you can quickly distinguish your story from the hundreds of others vying for the agent's or editor's attention at any given time. A good logline will tell the reader the major characters, the conflict, and, done extremely well, convey the story arc in a way that seems fluid, convincing and compelling. That's a lot to ask of a single line, so you can see why this should be given a lot of careful consideration!

A pitch is considerably longer and more detailed, and though the term used to be reserved more for verbal exchanges (like conference appointments or personal meetings) the term has begun to be used interchangeably (and sometimes confusingly) with query, though the pitch is exclusively about the story and lacks query elements like the author bio. Pitches are usually two-to-three well-constructed paragraphs and will give much more information than your logline, focusing on distinguishing your story from others already on the market with fresh characters and presenting your plot clearly.

Summary: Whether you're being invited to submit a logline, a pitch or a query, know that key to success is to present a fresh approach. If the story elements you're presenting are too familiar (or you are presenting them that way), your book's going to be lost in the avalanche of material editors and agents have to sort through.

So...I hope this was helpful for y'all. Knowledge is power, and I hope we here at the Oasis can help empower you!

TUESDAY TUNES: Songs For Prom

This week I asked the girls what song do you remember dancing to (or did you want to dance to) at your prom?



Jessie:
I don't know why this one stands out for me, but I remember dancing in a circle with my friends screaming the lyrics to "I Want You to Want Me" by Cheap Trick. It's not like the song was even current, but maybe that's why I remember it so much - since, as I've confessed before, I was a Classic Rick girl in high school.

AE:
My boyfriend at the time was not big on dancing. (He did look cute in a tux, though.) The only song I remember is Faithfully, by Journey.

Sheri:
Never Say Goodbye, by Bon Jovi. When this song began to play during my senior prom, about sixty of us grouped together in a circle and sang this song and cried a ton. It was such a spontaneous YA moment.

Jessica:
My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion. It seems it was the ONLY thing that was playing that year. :D

Nikki:
Baby Got Back of course. Wait, no. As always, I can never answer my own questions! They seem good at the time, and then I'm like "uh, I have no idea." I truly don't remember what songs I danced to, but I do remember really liking All I Want by Toad the Wet Sprocket. So I must have danced to it, right?

Chasing Time

We live in a world blurred by schedules, dates, and conference calls. Webinars, online meetings, and the neverending stream of emails linking us to tributaries of information strip us into strings of thin taffy. Our attention is needed everywhere. We seem to be forever chasing time.


As I sit here on my lovely hospital cot watching my daughter recover from foot surgery, I'm bombarded by how to handle the upcoming weeks. She'll be out of school for at least two weeks and then in her cast for at least eight weeks. Under normal circumstances, I'm pressed for writing time. How the heck is this going to work?


Then the storyteller withing me takes a breath, my writer's eyes and ears alert. 


We're on the pediatric floor of the hospital, situated almost across from the nurses station. It's 1:00 AM and all is quiet, except for the brief conversations exchanged between nurses. I'm sure you're aware that each patient is prescribed a plan of care. But these plans are not set in stone. As the patient's health and needs change, so must the care they receive. 


It got me thinking about the next few weeks and my writing time. 


Being a writer is more than just a j.o.b. Most likely you, like me, must set aside time to write and hone your skills. There's no time clock or set hours. Writers not only chase time, but chase the time afford us to write because for most it's time aside from daily jobs and responsibilities. If you're one of the fortunate writers who's received payment for an article, copyediting, or even the glorious novel good for you. If you haven't yet, no biggy. Writing is part of our gene structure ~ our inner sanctuary. It's a passion that settles us, calms us and brings meaning to our lives. 


Thus, be the writer you are with conviction and fortitude. The peace of writing will continually find you and grow. 


I will adjust my writing time as needed to care for my daughter and fulfill the rest of my normal obligations, but I won't get discouraged. For this saying really is true: 'Where there's a will, there's a way.' 


Have you ever been forced to take time away from or adjust time set for your writing goals and then realized it was all for the best?