How I Survived Pitching . . . And Other Sordid Conference Tales

Well, Hey-Howdy-Hey, TLN'ers!

I simply can't believe it's been a month since Nationals and I've yet to post about my fantastic voyage!! How very rude of me and now all my fun is past-news-worthy, but here it is anyways . . .

The five hour drive down to Anaheim was a blast. There is nothing like traveling with your writerly peeps and chatting about every aspect of writerly life. While The Dashing Mr. Simas is ever the engaging conversationalist, his eyes do tend to glass-over a bit, especially when I wax on and on about the latest writing on-dits. Thanks, June Rodriguez and Sheri Humphreys for the chatter!!

We practiced and honed our pitches, which paid off in spades. I was completely prepared for The Big Day! Of course, once we hit LA traffic, this country mouse clammed up and white-knuckled it clear to the hotel. I could've have kissed the parking valet I was so happy to be off the freeway! To make matters worse, everyone was saying the traffic was great. Potato, Po-ta-to, I guess. ;)



A patio full of finalists, well, except for those us who were 'arm candy'. lol

One of my travel companions, Sheri Humphrey's, was a GH finalist and she was sweet enough to let my roommate, June, and I tag along to dinner with several of the other finalists. What fun! I swear the excitement level jumped by 95% upon walking into PF Chang's quaint little patio dining area.

I left completely enchanted by Wendi La Capra and Nicki Salcedo. They were such fun to sit with and kept me laughing all through dinner! I even got to meet Kieran Kramer. Definitely a memorable night.

The next morning was my foray into the Beau Monde's mini-conference. I stapled myself to Sharon Lathan's side and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our time together. She's also a chaptermate and I just love her wit and zest for writing. The BM conference was a hoot, especially Isobel Carr's two hour talk on Regency Era unmentionables. Quite scandalous--and let me just say I'm so glad we don't have wear busks. No thank you! I met Delilah Marvelle and fell instantly in love. She's such a sweet lady and a fabulous speaker.



Anne Barton and some crazy lady ;)

I really enjoyed all the workshops I attended-both BM and RWA. The presenters were so knowledgeable and generous with their time. My "old-school" tablet--a.k.a trusty spiral bound notebook--is full of awesome tips and tricks for honing my craft. I met Anne Barton and had a devil of time restraining my giddy need to hop up and down! I adore her (and her debut WHEN SHE WAS WICKED is deeee-vine!! I scored an ARC--be jealous, be very jealous!) I also met Katharine Bone and Crystal Eliot. At the soiree, I got to meet Valerie Bowman and hang out some more with Sharon Lathan. Fun times!

Finally, the Pitch Day arrived and I spent two hours practicing in front of my mirror (thank you, John Conway for the tip), which made walking into my first-ever pitch session a lot less stressful. I didn't puke on any one or end up gasping into a paper bag. lol The first agent I pitched to gave me a high-five and requested 100 pages! Talk about being blown away!!

After the first pitch, I sailed through my other appointments and managed to navigate the Chum Bucket (or rather the pitch room waiting section) and "shark" a few extra appointments. I met some lovely ladies: Vivian Mere, Roxanne Price, and Deborah Grace Staley. They all kept me cool as a frappachino during the wait. Thanks, ladies!!

All in all, I got FIVE appointments: three agents and two editors, which led to four requests for either material or queries. It was an experience I'll never forget. I can safely say I'M A SURVIVOR! *wink wink*

Another highlight was getting to meet one of my former Mama Writer blogging buddies, Jeannie Ruesch. She walked me through the Literacy Signing, which was a blessing because I felt over-whelmed! We ate lunch together and I truly enjoyed her company. Thanks, Jeannie!



My YRW Peeps and I lunch

I also had the chance to get to know my fellow Yosemite Romance Writers better. It was a blast hanging out with Sheri Humphreys, June Rodriguez, John Conway, Elsa Bayley, Sharon Lathan, and Kris Lynn. Thanks guys!!

Fan-Girl moments: Alas, I had several. ;)

*Vicki Dreiling in the elevator:
Me: *gasp* "You're Vickie Dreiling!" (I'm sure Ms. Dreiling already knew that. lol)

*Fan-girl waved at Valerie Bowman (one of my favorite Tweeters) in the hallway like she should totally know who I am! (Can't wait to read her debut and totally loved her swag--she mailed it to me! What a gal!)



Shana Galen and one giddy me!

*Couldn't hardly talk when I met Shana Galen. Good thing she's so sweet! ;)

*Sounded like a complete stalker to Erin Knightley (another fabulous debut author!) when I raved about her website and all the fun things she's loaded the site with--namely the how to pack for nationals video.

*Saw Julia Quinn at the Avon signing and gushed on about her backlist and how a current radio song "Brighter Than The Sun" reminds me of my favorite book of hers with the same title. DOH!


Monica McCarty and Me

There were countless more, but suffice it to say, I've shared with you classic a la Sarah moments. lol I did score hugs from Monica McCarty and Tawny Webber, which totally made my day!

Experiencing the awards show was like watching the Oscars LIVE! Such beautiful gowns and shoes. OMG--the shoes. I'd break my neck, for sure! RWA 2012 was definitely a memorable moment in my life! I'm thankful I had the chance to go. I owe my mom, mother-n-law, and hubby big time for watching the kiddos.

It's gonna be hard to miss a year here and there. I'm definitely addicted!

Get Inspired By 2011 Golden Heart Winner Anne Barton!!

Wowza!! Opening day is finally here . . . and I ain't talking about deer or doves!

It's the first day for 2012 Golden Heart contest enteries!! Are you ready?

Whether the answer is a resounding "YES! Oh, YES!", "Hell no!", or "Eh. . . maybe", you've come to the 'write' place! Here to help shed some light and possibly answer many a novice writers' quandry is none other than ANNE BARTON!!

Ring a bell? Well, it should!! Not only was Anne highlighted as one of TLN's 'Novice To Watch' segments, but she WON the Golden Heart for the 2011 Regency Category with one of her TWO finaling enteries!!

Anne is definitely a rising star destined for a long and fabulous career. I've followed her for the last two years and have enjoyed watching her rake in the contest wins and GH finals. She's the kind of driven writer I look up to. I'd totally rock a "What Would Anne Do" bracelet everyday and twice on Sunday!

If you've been searching for inspiration, well, be prepared to be dazzled! Anne is one awesome lady!!


Seven Steps to Finishing Your Golden Heart Manuscript
by Anne Barton

RWA’s Golden Heart Contest for unpublished romance writers opens to entries today, and right now, hundreds of writers who want to enter are sitting at their computers, asking themselves, “Can I finish this story in time?”

The answer is . . . maybe.

At this same time last year, I had written 130 pages of my 330 page manuscript. (I know this because I keep a weekly record of my progress—more on that later.) Between the GH entry date and Thanksgiving I wrote 200 pages and a synopsis. I entered the story in the GH.

It won.

I should mention that it wasn’t my first manuscript. (It was my fifth.) It wasn’t my first GH final. (It was my third or fourth, depending on how you count.) But if I hadn’t pushed to finish that story, not only would I have missed out on winning a Golden Heart—I might still be writing that manuscript, stuck somewhere around Chapter 14.

So I’m going to share some of the tips that help me increase my word count without neglecting my family or my day job. (I often neglect other things, like laundry and houseplants. Please. Something’s got to give.)

First things first though. Go to the RWA website and carefully read the rules and deadlines. Seriously. Entering the GH is a big investment of time and money. You wouldn’t want to be disqualified because your partial was one too many pages or your FedEx package arrived at RWA headquarters the day after the deadline.

If you’ve read the rules and you’re up for the challenge, here are seven tips to help you finish that manuscript.

1.Assess where you are with your story. To enter the GH, you’ll need:
• A polished partial and synopsis (55 pages combined); and
• A completed manuscript.

How solid are the opening chapters? How far into the story are you? What’s the word count you’re shooting for, and (most importantly) how many words do you still need to write? Write down that number.

2.Make a plan. Get out your calendar and circle the date when you want to be done. This year, manuscripts are due at the RWA office on December 2, but you need to set aside time for polishing, copying, and mailing. (My tradition was to mail my GH entries on the day before Thanksgiving. It gave me peace of mind that they’d make it to Texas on time and let me enjoy my turkey.)

Let’s say that the number you wrote down (i.e, the words you need to write in the nine weeks between now and Thanksgiving) is 50,000. We’ll divide the total number of words (50,000) by the number of weeks (9) to give us a weekly goal.

50,000 ÷ 9 = 5,555 Let’s round up and give ourselves a goal of 6,000 words a week.

There. 6,000 words week may sound like a lot, but it’s very doable—if you treat the job like a marathon, not a sprint. That means writing every day, or close to it. I recommend writing 1,000 words each day and giving yourself a day off each week.

3.Track your progress. This is important. Update your word or page count, daily if possible. You can use a primitive paper calendar (like I do) or a progress bar on your blog. You can give yourself little gold stars every day. Choose something that motivates you and shows how far you’ve come. A friend in my goals group shared Jerry Seinfeld’s productivity secret, and it resonated with me. The trick, according to Seinfeld, is don’t break the chain. When you see your word count steadily rising, you’ll start to think, holy cow, I might really be able to do this, and guess what. You’ll be right.


4.Write your little heart out. Stephen King calls it writing with the door shut. Lots of us call it giving yourself permission to write crap. Whatever you call it, write for the sheer joy of it, without holding anything back. At first, it’ll seem like you’re writing drivel, and then you’ll realize, hey, some of these scenes are actually pretty good, and before you know it you’ll be in love. With your characters and your story.

5.Don’t try to go it alone. (Unless that works for you.) Most of us, though, benefit from having a support system. It could be NaNoWriMo, a goals group, a few Twitter friends doing #1k1hr. Working with other writers makes you more accountable. It’s also a great way to connect with new people and have fun. I really like #1k1hr because you can almost always find someone who’s game. Just don’t be discouraged if it seems like everyone writes faster than you do. Even on my best days, I’ve never succeeded in writing 1,000 words in an hour. Fortunately, there are no losers in #1k1hr.

6.Fiercely guard your writing time. Guard it like a mama bear protecting her cubs. The problem is, you know things are going to come up. You won’t be able to say no to all the demands on your time, but do say no to the things that you can. Let your friends and family know that you’ve got a deadline, and try to schedule events after it, if possible. Don’t let the new fall season of TV shows tempt you unless you’ve met your daily word count goal—then, by all means, treat yourself.

7.Keep your eyes on the prize. Of course, the dream is to final in the Golden Heart and maybe even win. Dreaming is good, so let yourself picture your shimmery gown; write an acceptance speech if it motivates you. What you’ll start to realize is that the real prize isn’t the heart-shaped necklace. It’s a finished manuscript and the feeling of accomplishment that comes with it. No matter what happens in the contest, the time you spend writing won’t be wasted. With each sentence you write, you’re honing your craft, finding your voice, and discovering things about yourself.

About ten months from now, in a fancy ballroom in Anaheim, ten romance writers will walk up to the podium in front of 2,000 people and accept their Golden Heart awards. They’ll be from different parts of the country and possibly the world. They’ll be different ages, have a variety of jobs, and come from all sorts of backgrounds. Some of them will be fledgling writers and some of them will have been at it for decades. But they’ll all have one thing in common. They’ll be writers who found a way, in spite of life’s curve balls, to write their way to The End.

And one of them might be you.

Anne Barton is a historical romance writer with a weakness for reality TV, cute shoes, and caffeinated beverages of all kinds. Her Golden Heart-winning story, The Proper Miss’s Guide to Bad Behavior, sold to Grand Central Publishing and releases in early 2013.

Visit her at http://www.annebarton.com/ .


I'd like to thank Anne for being here today! I know I'm not alone in wishing her tons of success as she enters the next phase of her writer's journey. If you'd like to know more about Anne Barton, please click on over to her website. Congrats again, Anne!! ((hugs!))

THANK YOU, TLN'ers!! Hope your week has been treating you well! Anyone planning on entering the Golden Heart this fall?? I'm doing my best to join the ranks of enterants. All I can say is: Thank goodness for caffeine! ;)

Wanna Go For A Swim??

Anne Barton shared notes from her trip to Orlando the other day. The quote she posted that really stuck with me the most was from one of La Nora's speeches at RWA'10.

*Writing is hard. Getting published is hard. Staying published is hard. Embrace the hard. Don’t stand on the edge of the pool complaining. Jump in and start swimming. And for God’s sake don’t complain about the water once you’re in.

Talk about putting the smack down! Mistress Roberts sure knows how to inspire and tell the hard truth. I love it!!

Her words got me to thinking. And let tell you the hamsters were spinning so fast my thoughts could have powered a city!

WRITING IS HARD. This needs to be a motto all novice writers need to start grasping. Anyone can plunk down in a chair and put their imagination down on paper. Seeing the process through to THE END is a whole other matter.

Two years ago, I gave up General Hospital and opted for parking my rear in a very old and uncomfortable office chair to write. I had the fresh-faced enthusiasm of the naive that I was going to be the next Julia Quinn.

I bet most you are wishing you had a dime for everytime a newbie spouts such a hope. LOL It's a VERY admirable goal, but one laced with hard work and heaps of grit to accomplish. I think acknowledging the fact that writing isn't a static endeavor is one of the most important factors in progressing to the next stage for a novice writer.

Like swimming, writing is an art. Even Michael Phelps had to practice and to do so meant spending hours in the pool. For writers, it's no different, except we're butt-in-chairs kind of athletes. ;)

Clicking on FB or Twitter will prove my point: There are a lot of whiners out there. A lot! Yes, we're all entitled to moan and groan, but the key element is MOVE FORWARD!! Keep making STROKES toward success!

Like Dori said in Finding Nemo: "KEEP SWIMMING!"

Standing on the edge of the pool won't get a book written. Dive in and swim around, sure fingers and toes will get pruny and hair may turn green, but for heaven sakes just keep swimming!!!

No one needed to come to this 'Hail Mary" moment more than me. I've set a deadline for myself to enter my MS in the Golden Heart this year.

Am I behind. YES!

Is it going to take A LOT of work and fortitude to achieve my goal? HELL YES!

Can I do it? YOU BET OUR BOTTOM DOLLAR!

Have I had my set backs? OH, YEAH AND THEN SOME!

I'm learning as I go! Just like swimsuits obstacles are bound to ride up! The important part is to take the dunkings and move onward! JUST KEEP SWIMMING!

Any one else up for a swim?

A NOVICE TO WATCH: Meet Anne Barton!!!

Welcome to the second edition of my new series, "A Novice To Watch"!!

I'd been toying with this idea for awhile and finally made the plunge when I met Anne this last fall. Well, I didn't actually "meet" her. I cyber-hunted her (ok, hubby-man would say I stalked her- but ignore him- I do. lol)

Why would I google Anne? What did the poor woman do to deserve my snooping?

Um, her entry, HOW TO REFORM A RAKE, took FIRST PLACE in the Historical category of the 2009 Southern Heat Contest. I pulled up her website and was dazzled! Literally dazzled! AND I knew you would be, too!

So, without further narrative, let me introduce you to the very talented ANNE BARTON- aka the lady whose entry gave mine the smack down! *wink wink*


1) If you were a book, what would your blurb be?

Anne lives a charmed life. Her days are filled with spelling bees, multiplication tables, and book reports . . . while her evenings are filled with lavish balls, house parties, and carriage rides. Oh, and devastatingly handsome heroes. Of course, real life occasionally intrudes--in the form of malfunctioning kitchen appliances, unruly children (some of whom are actually her own), and, all too often, a rather shocking number on the bathroom scale.

2) Using three words, describe your voice.

Witty, fresh, provocative.

3) How long have you been chasing the dream of publication? What have you found to be the biggest road blocks?

I started writing my first romance novel in 2006 and finished it a few months later. I'd always imagined writing a book would be really hard, and it was. But I had no idea that it would be so much fun. I was hooked. When my next story finaled in the Golden Heart, I attended my first RWA National Conference in San Francisco. I was star struck at the huge literacy signing, and when I saw one of my favorite authors in line at the hotel's Starbucks, I hyperventilated. To be honest, the size of the conference was overwhelming. As you know, though, romance writers are some of the most generous, talented, and kind people you could ever meet. I made wonderful writing friends, and they've helped make the journey even more fun.

Fortunately, I haven't faced too many road blocks. I try to focus on what's under my control. If self-doubt starts to creep in or I get impatient, I know I need to get back to the joy of writing.

4) You have finaled and collected tons of accolades from contests. Is there a strategy to how you enter? Do you have any advice for contest newbies on how to make the most of a contest- good or bad?

I cut my writing teeth on contests, and judges taught me the basics of dialogue, point of view, and pacing. They pointed me in the right direction (i.e., books on craft, critique partners, etc.). Now, I like to enter a couple of contests when I have a new project to see how the story will be received. Some of my stories have done well and others so-so. It's hard to say what makes a certain story click with readers, and I sure wish I knew the secret.

I don't have any earth-shattering strategies for submitting to contests. I try to show a likeable heroine in a tough spot, introduce a hot hero whose goal is at odds with hers, and end with a big hook. In 25 pages or less.

My advice to someone thinking about entering their first contest . . . go for it! Contests are a lot of fun, and a great way to get feedback. Just don't forget to keep writing, finish that story, and then start another.

5) With winning comes getting your entry in front of some of the industry's top editors and agents. From their comments and advice, what did you find the most helpful?

That's a tough one. The comments I've received from final round judges have been encouraging but pretty general. Requests are nice, though! They give me hope that the editor or agent not only likes the story, but might believe it’s also commercially viable.

6) Give us an idea of your writing schedule? Are you structured? Or are you a pantser? Do you use any charts or worksheets/books?

I write in the evenings and on weekends--any time I can work it in. I belong to a weekly online goals group that really helps keep me on track. If I'm writing new material, I average 20 to 25 pages a week. If I'm revising, I shoot for three chapters a week. I start a story with a good idea of my characters and their goals, motivations, and conflicts. I usually write a rough synopsis that includes the three major turning points of the story . . . and that's it. The rest, I fill in as I go.

I like to try different strategies or tools, depending on the need. Sometimes I use a plotting board filled with colorful sticky notes (usually after I finish a draft) to check for any sagging parts of the story. I also use the framework of The Hero's 2 Journeys, by Michael Hauge and Christopher Vogler, as a way to make sure my characters are growing and behaving, well, heroically.

7) Let's talk game plan. What are your goals for 2010?

This is what I posted for my goals group. It’s probably way more detail than you wanted, but, hopefully, sharing it with you will keep me honest.

1st Quarter:
--Revise WIP from beginning to end.
--Begin outlining my next story, the first in a Regency trilogy.
--Act as category coordinator for my chapter's contest.

2nd Quarter:
--Work with my agent to prepare project for submission.
--Draft the first 3 chapters and synopsis of a new book.
--Redesign my website.

3rd & 4th Quarters:
--Complete a draft of the new book.

Ongoing:
--Work with and support my critique partners.
--Enter and judge at least 2 RWA contests.
--Attend at least 4 chapter meetings/workshops.
--Read at least 4 books on craft.
--Attend one conference.


Congrats on all your success, Anne! Thanks for letting me grill you. I'm looking forward to following your journey!

It was fun! Thanks for having me, Sarah, and I look forward to hearing great news about your journey as well. Happy (early) Valentine’s Day to you!

Right back at ya, Anne! I'm sure we'll be "seeing each other" soon since the contest season is getting ready to kick off! lol Best wishes and thanks for being an inspiration!

Ok, TLN'ers! You just met a rising star! Keep Anne Barton on your radar! I know we'll be seeing her name on book shelves soon! Feel free to scope out her beautiful website, just be prepared to be seriously amazed! www.AnneBarton.com

Thanks for hanging out with us today! To cheer those the snow left housebound, how about a beach song? (don't worry, there's hunkie-dunkie included!) Here's Kenney Chesney- NO SHIRT, NO SHOES, NO PROBLEM!