ellen mcbee

I learned so much from Agent One-on-One Bootcamp!  This is an online class offered by Writer’s Digest University. I have lots to say, nearly all of it positive.

Probably best of all was that her feedback on my strengths matched what I’ve been told by others (including at Denver and Jackson Hole conferences).  Voice, dialogue, and character seem to be my strong points.

Anyway, the agent in question answered me promptly and sent my first ten pages back well in advance of the deadline. She was approachable and professional during the discussion, and her presentation on beginnings was very useful and valuable. I have to say if anyone is on the fence about trying one of these, this is the second one I’ve done and both were worthwhile. They might seem a little pricey, but not when compared to the costs of going to a conference.

The only complaint I have is that I thought there would be discussion with the other students and it was minimal. The course description encouraged people to share their writing and to carry on discussions, and I posted a few invitations, but no one was interested. I really need to get moving on finding a writing group!

In other news, my non-writing life continues busy. My kids have too many activities (all together, not individually) and I have too much housework and not enough time. So, what else is new? I’m still writing.

So, I’m continuing the World War 2 research.  I’m planning to draft it during National Novel Writing Month and I recommend this to anyone who needs that little extra bump to get moving on a project.  I’m nowhere near through with my research but it’s time to start writing an actual story.  I still don’t know where this project is going!

Anyway, earlier this week I finally finished dragging myself through Kristallnacht, a book by Martin Gilbert.  The accounts of Kristallnacht itself (when Nazi Germany erupted in “spontaneous demonstrations” against its Jewish citizens, destroying businesses and homes and arresting people and burning down synagogues) are harrowing enough.  And the chapter about the world closing its doors and turning its back on these people, even after the world knew all about the violence and outright thievery directed against them, is hard reading too.  But the worst part was how Gilbert summarized the deportations and mass killings.  A thousand a day, for seventeen days, and then all the Jews from City X were gone.

I’ve heard the six million figure as long as I can remember, and the three million ethnic Poles, and however many of other groups.  And it’s horrible.  Somehow, thinking about a thousand a day for however many days makes it more horrible.  It’s kind of like Matthew Shepherd and those guys who killed him saying he was intimidating when Matthew Shepherd was 5’2″ tall.

Anyway, I’m not sharing this to depress people.  But I’ve made another decision about the direction that the research is taking.  The Holocaust is a story that’s been told, by survivors, by those who were lost, by people who were there, and by people who weren’t but are far more eloquent than I am.  I want to write about the young people who fought and won the war.  And not just soldiers but underground, and all the support people.  Society didn’t really have the concept of New Adult then so I feel like I’m putting a new social construct onto an older society.  But all I can do is try.

I’m still waiting for a critique (I can’t remember if I wrote about that here and I can’t be bothered to look right now) of the first thousand words of What You Stand For.  It’s with an agent and I’m waiting to hear yes or no before I send it out again.  And yes, I have a new opening scene!  I figured out that what I really needed to do with the opening scene was to 1) show what kind of book this is; 2) show what kind of people these are; and 3) get the main conflict moving in the first scene.  I’m putting that up tonight too, so I hope everyone enjoys it.

I also want to say how grateful I am that people are following me–and reading and commenting.  I started this blog in the interests of getting myself out there as a writer, but now I’m enjoying it for its own sake.  It’s just a way to interact with the world as a professional even before I’ve made any sales or done any publishing.  And I hope you’re all enjoying the journey too.

So, as I’ve said previously, a few weeks ago I was at the Jackson Hole Writers’ Conference.  Not to try to sell the book (though I wouldn’t have said no to that!) but to get feedback, advice, opinions, and build some kind of network.

The experience was fabulous, and I’d really love to go there again.  It was two and a half days of classes, talks, critiques, and talking openly about this WRITING thing.  It was fun–and it felt valuable.  The two best talks I heard were those given by April Eberhardt, who spoke about the new ways manuscripts are published.  She was very frank about the advantages and disadvantages of traditional and alternative publishing.  The other best talk was given by Cynthia Hand, who spoke about the three things needed to be a successful writer.  I thought her seminar was very informative; she talked about the skill set and also the talents and ways to fire up the passion you need to carry you through.  Since at the moment I’m in editing hell, I really loved it.

But nowhere could I find the information I needed:  what kinds of things to take to the conference?  Also, what to wear?  So here is my own in-hindsight answers to those questions.

What to take:  Copies of the material you’ve submitted for critiques.  A water bottle and a granola bar.  An umbrella.  A cardigan or light jacket.  Pens and paper.  Pages you might like to show to people.  Pages for your reading (four minutes long, last evening of the conference).  And business cards.  Although, a note about business cards:  I thought nobody else there had any and it seemed a little forward to offer them.  But as soon as I mentioned I had a card in any conversation, other people were offering them too.  It was a pretty introverted group and many of them came with friends, so it was hard to find anyone to have lunch with.  After the first day I went back to the condo and made sandwiches for my lunch.

What to wear:  Comfortable shoes.  Otherwise, people were everywhere from polos and jeans to Western wear to business casual.  There were people wearing loafers or cowboy boots or sneakers or really cute sandals.  Since I have hard-to-fit feet, my shoes were pretty much uncomfortable.  I was on my feet more than I expected to be.  Also, in Santa Fe you pretty much see western wear on both men and women, but in Jackson that seemed to be just men in cowboy boots and hats.

A little more about reading:  I’ll post the reading I gave at some point, but it was fun!  I even got some “woos” in addition to the applause.  People were very interested in what I was writing and I talked to many new people afterward.  I did have to sign up for the slot on the first day of the conference, so if you go make sure to ask.  I will also say that I felt like a complete marshmallow.  There were readings describing industrial accidents, and some fairly serious poets, and science fiction, and nature pieces.  I read about two girls going to a fraternity party!

Anyway, with everything I learned and did there, I feel like I have a lot to process.  I don’t know how people go to more than one conference in a year, although I was looking at maybe going to Denver in September.  I just have to get my husband on board…