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Did you know...?
Tanya
Michaels is also acclaimed women's fiction novelist
Tanya Michna. In addition,
she's hadshort stories and nonfiction essays
published. If you, like Tanya, are a zealous fan of either Janet Evanovich's
Stephanie Plum series or the ABC television hit Grey's Anatomy, you won't
want to miss the witty and insightful essay collections
Perfectly Plum (available June, 2007) and
Grey's Anatomy 101 (available August, 2007).
Frequently Asked
Questions
Where do you get your
ideas from?
I have an idea. Can I be a writer?
I have an idea, but I don't want to
be a writer. Can't you or someone else make a book out of it?
Do writers have to have agents to get
published?
I've heard
some lines/genres/publishing houses are easier to break into than others,
should I start there?
Where do
you get your ideas from?
I really, really wish I knew
because on the bad days, it seems like I'll never have another one.
Luckily, on my "receptive days," everything from the people in the elevator
at the mall to looking outside for the family cat inspires me.
The trick is to write down any snippet of an idea you have when you have it
and create a folder of potential gold you can mine when your muse isn't
speaking to you. (Susan Elizabeth Phillips has a funny little
paragraph about where writers get their ideas in her novel Ain't
She Sweet?)
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I have an
idea. Can I be a writer?
Anyone can be a writer.
Whether or not you can get published is a different question and is
dependent largely on perseverance, talent, perseverance, luck and
perseverance. Follow your heart, but don't forget to educate your mind,
too. Whether you want to publish poetry for children or romance novels,
there are resource books you can look at for market guidance and
professional organizations that can help you meet your goals (just research
any organization before you hand over any money). If you want to write
romance, I strongly recommend looking into
Romance Writers of America.
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I have an idea, but I don't want to be a writer. Can't you or
someone else make a book out of it?
I write the
ideas that speak to me, and I already have more deadlines than I do time to
write.
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Do writers
have to have agents to get published?
No. I sold my first seven
books without an agent. I'm very happy to have one now, but it is possible
to go it alone. The most important part is finding an agent who's
right for you. It's better to try to sell your work
yourself than to have a bad agent representing you.
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I've heard
some lines/genres/publishing houses are easier to break in to than others,
should I start there?
This is a tough business and
it's always tempting to do something we perceive as "easy." I don't advise
this if you're serious about writing as a career. I don't think getting
signed with any lucrative, reputable publisher will ever be easy. It's true
that sometimes a publisher will be looking specifically for one type of
manuscript, and if that's the kind of story you like to write anyway, seize
the opportunity and thank your lucky stars! However, don't sit down and
write a Texas-set vampire western because you hear Texas-set vampire
westerns are selling like hotcakes. The first problem is, by the time you
finish the book and an editor actually read is, the trend will likely be
over. The second problem is, if you don't enjoy writing that style, it will
affect the quality of your product. Finally, if you really want to succeed
in publishing, you have to think long-term. Do you want to make a career of
Texas-set vampire westerns and similar stories? (If you do, that's great.
If you don't and are only writing the first book to get a sale under
your belt, keep in mind that switching story types later can be like
starting over at square one.)
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Sites I visit regularly:
www.televisionwithoutpity.com (snarky but funny point-by-point recaps of
your favorite and least favorite TV shows)
www.janegraves.com
(love her books and her fun site)
www.eloisajames.com (one of my favorite Historical authors--very witty
and has an interactive fan site)
www.whedonesque.com (quick tidbits for people like me who loved every
show Joss Whedon ever wrote/directed/produced and saw his movie Serenity
on opening weekend.)
www.maureenhardegree.com (this southern short story writer usually has
new crafts and "meltdowns" each month)
www.eharlequin.com
(great hang out for readers to chat about different romance and women's
fiction lines and terrific resource for aspiring authors)
www.rwanational.org (a must visit for aspiring authors, mostly romance,
but RWA chapters also include groups for screenplay writing,
chick lit and fantasy/paranormal)
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