I AM BESIDE MYSELF WITH EXCITEMENT!
PAWS is the July - Sept Lit Club 4 Kids book club read! What an honour!๐ฅฐ
LitClub4Kids is a FREE online book club for 8โ13-year-olds run by
@Dymocksbooks
Children's Charities ... and A LOT OF FUN.
Join today at ๐
Dear movie producers,
Please go to the bookstores, buy all the books, and read all the books. Please stop remaking old movies when there is so much incredible new material available.
Thank you.
A shout out to all the authors who are not bestselling, not award-winning, not six-figures. You are needed, wanted, valued. Your books are someone's favourite. You inspire me. Please keep writing.๐
I want to share with you some of my recent rejections...
"Too quiet for our list."
"Well-written, loved it - too quiet for us."
"Enjoyed it but too quiet."
"Impressive. No."
"Just too quiet."
Poor quiet books. I feel sad for them and for the readers missing out.๐
If someone chooses to:
-query agents - good luck to them
-submit to small presses - good luck to them
-self publish - good luck to them
-a mixture of all - good luck to them
-write only for the fun - good luck to them
Just wish them luck. It's not hard. Writer snobbery sucks.
Writer writing 1st book: *has self doubt*
Writer writing 2nd book: *has self doubt*
Writer writing 3rd book: *has self doubt*
Writer writing 4th book: *has self doubt*
See the pattern? It doesn't go away so your job is to turn up & write anyway. Never let it stop you. โค๏ธ
Don't self reject. Hit send.
Don't self reject. Hit send.
Don't self reject. Hit send.
Don't self reject. Hit send.
Don't self reject. Hit send.
I mean it, writers. Stop self rejecting.
Enter the contest, query that agent, contact that reviewer. You just never know! โค
When you discover you've used a word twice in a paragraph & spend ages finding an alternative onLY TO FIND THIS WORD IS ALREADY USED IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH & THIS REPEATS UNTIL YOU THROW THE STUPID PIECE OF CRAP WRITING IN THE BIN YOU NEVER WANTED TO BE A WRITER IN THE FIRST PLACE
*cracks knuckles* *narrows eyes*
Kid chooses graphic novel: let them
Kid chooses non-fiction book: let them
Kid chooses newspaper/magazine: let them
Kid chooses cookbook: let them
Kid chooses to re-read an old fave: let them
Kid chooses to read: celebrate
#kidlit
#booklove
Today's
#writingtip
...
While
#writing
and worrying about people not liking your story and getting negative feedback, remember this:
SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE PUPPIES.
Yeah, it makes zero sense to me either but what you gonna do?
#writingtips
๐ฅ๐ฅMAJOR NEWS ALERT๐ฅ๐ฅ
I am beyond thrilled to be joining
@StormLiterary
as an associate literary agent! I've worked so hard for this!
Thank you to Heather, Vicki & Essie for the warmest of welcomes. I'm honoured to be part of this incredible team.
Query me next week! ๐๐
Would any teachers, librarians, educators, parents, etc. be interested in receiving a newsletter (maybe quarterly) celebrating and discussing all things disability & neurodiversity in children's literature around the world? ๐
Less than two years ago I was rather callously dumped by an agent. Now I have THE best agent an author could ask for, a publishing team that's nothing less than incredible, and FIVE book releases to celebrate in 2023. How quickly things can change. ๐ฅฐ
I won't review a book if I don't like it. I'd rather not rate it anything at all and be the only one who knows my thoughts. I will not put this negativity into the writing world and that's my choice. I'd rather tell readers what to read rather than what to avoid.
#booklovers
I wasn't ready to write the books I'm writing now until I was 40. There, I said it. Mental and emotional preparation are essential for this career and we need to talk about that way more instead of asking if we're too old or not. ๐๐ฅฐ
If you like writing romance, write it.
If you like writing SFF, write it.
If you like writing historical, write it.
If you like writing lit fic, write it.
If you have no idea what genre you're writing, just write it anyway.
It's your book.
So. Sick. Of. Genre. Snobs.
**THIS POST IS ALL ABOUT ME**
I've had a weird stressful year, not gonna lie. But one good thing I did through it all was finally write the book of my heart & then an agent fell in love with it & then I fell in love with the agent & now I'm proud to call
@alibelle
MY agent. ๐
One day, the unagented, unpublished, beginner writer could very well be the agented, published, experienced writer, so maybe it's best to show respect to all rather than only those at the top of the ladder today. ๐คจ
I'm autistic
I wrote a book about an autistic boy
It's not about autism
No one is "cured"
The boy is still autistic at the end
He's accepted by his peers at the start
His autism is not a superpower
It's an insight into the good & bad of one autistic life
I'd love you to read it๐
For anyone who attacks the writing community on Twitter with comments like, "following other writers is pointless; it's readers you want," it's worth bearing in mind that, besides all the valuable lessons we learn from our peers, most writers are (or should be!) readers too.
It's my birthday in a month's time and I'm having a huge party that you're all invited to. Party details:
Everyone attends from home
There's no socialising
Maybe read a book if you want
Actually just pretend it's a normal night in
Coming? ๐
SO. MANY. YEARS.
So so many
So much giving up
So much perseverance
But finally, it's my turn to celebrate!
MY BABY HAS A HOME WITH THE INCREDIBLE WALKER BOOKS!
Out 7 April 2021 Aus/NZ & Summer 2022 UK
I'm crying. Dreams can come true.๐ถ
*screams for the world to hear*
If you're an adult reviewing/critiquing a kids book REMEMBER THAT IT'S A KIDS BOOK, WRITTEN FOR KIDS, AND YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY SAY THINGS LIKE "IT WAS TOO IMMATURE FOR ME" OR "THE MC WAS TOO YOUNG TO CONNECT WITH" ETC. BECAUSE THAT'S RIDICULOUS.
My giveaways usually flop but because I love
#Christmas
so much I'll try one...๐
-RT or ๐ to enter
-Earth only
-No. of copies available depends on no. of entries
-Choose PAWS or The Bravest Word
-Ends Nov 18
-Delivery by Christmas
-Sign & gift wrap available
๐๐พ๐๐๐พ๐๐๐พ๐
I just found the queen of all typos in my WIP...
It's so bad I can't even type it here...
I mean, basically, I misspelt "counting"...
To be precise, I left out one of the vowels in "counting"...
And I write for kids. ๐ง๐๐ฌ
#amwriting
#horror
#kidlit
**Warning: Ranting ahead**
When I see posts where people ask if they're too old to pursue publication and THEN SAY THEY'RE ONLY 32 I WANT TO PUNCH THEIR NOSE. FGS stop. Stop stop stop. STOP with this age nonsense. Please. ๐ก
My husband just told me I was weird and creepy because I congratulate people I don't know on their book deals and agent signings.
Now I feel weird and creepy.
If someone's:
-Signed a book deal, definitely congratulate them.
-Signed with an agent, definitely congratulate them.
-Typed THE END, definitely congratulate them.
-Written for the 1st time in months, definitely congratulate them.
No matter the achievement, it deserves a cheer!
It's a MASSIVE achievement if this year you got a book deal, won an award, signed with an agent, queried, self published, finished writing a book, started a book, decided to write a book! All. Massive. Achievements. Don't cheat yourself out of a much-deserved celebration. ๐ค
I'm not a publishing snob. If you want to pursue the trad path or self pub or small press it I support you. You wrote a book, right?!
BUT,
I am super sick of people complaining about the other. Like, be proud of your hard work but support others' regardless. We're all
#authors
.
Truth time: I'm about to share the WORST thing an author can do:
Once you've sent your book to betas, agents, editors, etc. DO NOT READ YOUR WORK IMMEDIATELY AFTER BECAUSE ALL THE MISTAKES WILL APPEAR MAGICALLY AND YOU WILL BE MORTIFIED.
PS. I definitely did not just do this ๐
ATTENTION WRITERS!
PUT YOUR WORK OUT THERE!
Stop being afraid.
Stop dithering.
Stop thinking you're an imposter.
Just send it out and see what happens. Yes, it could be rejection, but maybe it won't be next time. If you don't try you'll never know. โค๏ธ
Published writers are not lucky.
Published writers are the ones who never gave up, who wrote during and after being rejected, who chased, caught, and owned their dreams.
#writers
#writingtips
#writing
For all the
#writers
losing faith in their manuscripts.
I've read A LOT of manuscripts-1st, 2nd, 3rd drafts-&, hand on heart, have never read any that come even close to being as bad as the author thinks.
Have a little faith in your talent. Please.
#writingtips
#writingtips
Writers, you will never please everyone.
Writers, you will never please everyone.
Writers, you will never please everyone.
So don't try to.
Your readers will find you.
Write for them.
#writers
#writing
5: Started writing
32: Sent 1st query
34: Signed w agent 1
34: Left agent 1 ๐ญ
36: Signed w small press
37: Small press closed ๐ญ
39: Signed with agent 2
40: Left agent 2 ๐ญ
40: Signed with agent 3
41: ๐๐คซ๐
ALWAYS WRITING BOOKS
NEVER GIVING UP
FOREVER BRAVE
*ages approximate
The dream agency I once signed with turned out not to be my dream agency.๐ฅ
My beloved agent was not yet an agent when I wrote the book I queried.๐ฅ
2012 to mid 2019 I sold nothing but since late 2019 I've sold 7 books.๐ฅ
You never know what's going to happen.๐
๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ
I am beside myself with excitement because...
๐
I HAVE TWO MORE BOOKS COMING OUT NEXT YEAR WITH THE WONDERFUL WALKER BOOKS!!!!!!
๐ฅณ๐ฅณ๐ฅณ๐ฅณ๐ฅณ๐ฅณ๐ฅณ๐ฅณ๐ฅณ๐ฅณ๐ฅณ
Scroll down for details!
Today's shout out is for all the authors who are not quite "cool" enough, not quite "in" enough. You don't need those friends who've snubbed you. The things you value are real & important. You inspire me. Keep writing. xx ๐
I'm preparing to open to queries on Monday. Please know that as an agent I will:
๐Work harder than hard
๐Treat all your words with respect
๐Take great care of my authors
๐Listen and learn and grow every day
๐Be honest and transparent
๐Have fun
I'm ready!!!!!! ๐๐๐
I could care less.
BUT YOU COULDN'T, COULD YOU? You COULDN'T care less and that's the whole point.
YOU COULDN'T COULDN'T COULDN'T COULDN'T.
Ugh. *dies on hill*
#amwriting
#writing
You know, I wasn't going to tweet my good news but my pal said to me: "How dare you? How dare you cheat yourself out of a celebration you've worked hard for? How dare you let it pass w/o acknowledging it?" So I did. And now I say this to you: Share your news. Have your moment. ๐
I wasn't going to share this because it's very personal, but I also feel strongly about obliterating this horrible myth that autistic people are "emotionless" and "unfeeling." My 9yo autistic son made me this without prompt, without gain, completely out of the blue. โค๏ธ
#Writers
, this year if you:
Published a book
Signed w/ an agent
Signed a pub deal
Wrote a book
Blogged
Didn't give up
Revised
Queried
Supported a writer
YOU WIN!!!!!!
(I think so anyway. ๐ค)
This weekend I read three books.
This weekend I left reviews for these books.
It took me less than five minutes.
There's no excuse for not taking the time to do such a simple thing.
Read a book then review the book.
#amreading
#booklovers
๐
Anyone currently overthinking? Because I have overthinking overdrive right now! And literally about EVERYTHING. All the emails I send, every word I write, each sentence I edit, eVEN THIS TWEET. Like, BRAIN, stop. Where are my overthinkers? I need you to make me feel normal! ๐ต
Dear writer losing hope,
How do you know the book you're working on won't be THE ONE?
You don't. So write it, revise it, edit it.
Stay hopeful.
Love from, Me.
Erm...so that news I hinted at...
๐๐ฑโค๐ญ
A children's book, MY children's book, is a finalist in the Queensland Premier's Award for a Work of State Significance. I'm still not convinced it's real...
Hubs: What you writing?
Me: Erm...book.
Hubs: Truth?
Me: Ugh, okay. But don't make me feel embarrassed.
Hubs: Okay...
Me: I'm planning my launch parties.
Hubs: For the book that isn't published?
Me: Yes.
Hubs: And parties, plural?
Me: Yes.
Hubs: Write your book.
#amwriting
I HAVE NEWS!!!!!!!
With permission, I am thrilled to say that I have accepted an offer of representation from
@eerie_o
at the
@JDLitAgency
! Anyone who knows me will be aware that this road has been with many a bump for me, but I finally feel I have found my partner for life.
My 9yo wrote a 2-chapter story last night entitled: HOW THE CHAINSAW FELL IN HIS MOUTH.
He took it to school today.
I'm awaiting the phone call.
#parenting
I just received an email from my agent that IS SO INCREDIBLE I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PROCESS IT. I literally emailed back to ask if it was real!!!! ๐คฏ๐คฃ
Oh. My. Goodness...๐ณ
I just got tagged in a bookstore's Instagram post telling me I'm their week's bestseller AND junior book club read!
Another incredible achievement unlocked! I feel like I'm living someone else's life. ๐ฅณ๐ญ๐พ๐ฅฐ
I am SOOOOOOOOO delighted to introduce you to MY VERY FIRST CLIENT at Storm ...
@JulieShattuck
!!!!!
๐ฅณ๐ฅ๐ฅณ๐ฅ๐ฅณ๐ฅ๐ฅณ๐ฅ๐ฅณ๐ฅ๐ฅณ๐ฅ
Julie's clever and creepy MG dark fantasy is going to keep kids up at night in the best way!
Watch your inboxes, editors, THE SECOND BORN are coming! ๐
You know what, MAJOR RESPECT to everyone who's written, revised and polished a whole entire book AND taken the giant steps to query it. Not one part of this process is a walk in the park so big back pats to you from me. ๐๐ค
Oh my. ๐ฒ
When an author you admire and look up to reads your new MS and calls you a plotting genius amongst so many other compliments.
๐ญ
I think this is a career highlight to be framed in gold. I'm in shock.
#amwriting
#mglit
#writerslife
Things you don't need to write a book:
-a PhD
-a high-flying career
-professional writing experience
-industry connections
Things you do need to write a book:
-a story
-passion
-belief
-dedication
#writers
#amwriting
#writing
I HAVE A BOOK OUT IN 2021 AND YOU'D BETTER BE PREPARED FOR A WHOLE BUNCH OF AWKWARD SELF PROMOTION TWEETS FROM ME BECAUSE I'M ALREADY IN PANIC MODE THAT YOU'RE ALL GOING TO GET SICK OF ME OKAY THANKS BYE. ๐ณ๐ญ๐ณ๐ญ๐ณ๐ญ
Me: *sends MS to readers*๐
Me: Enjoy.๐
Me:๐
Me:๐
Me: ๐ฉI know it needs work lots of work but I'm really good at revising but even so you probs won't like it and that's okay so don't keep reading if you don't want to and stop anytime and it's rubbish actually DON'T READ IT
NOT EVERYONE WILL LIKE MY BOOK.
NOT EVERYONE WILL LIKE MY BOOK.
NOT EVERYONE WILL LIKE MY BOOK.
NOT EVERYONE WILL LIKE MY BOOK.
NOT EVERYONE WILL LIKE MY BOOK.
And this is okay and normal and doesn't mean I'm a bad writer. No book is right for everyone.
#Writers
, don't ever be ashamed or be made to feel so for saying you'd like to earn a living from
#writing
, or that you'd like to sign a 6-figure publishing contract. I believe a high percentage of writers, no matter what they say, deep down want the same. (And cue comments...๐)
And...AND...holy heartbeats. As I was typing that last tweet, my mum just messaged...
MY MUM WHO I SENT MY LATEST BOOK TO ON FRIDAY.
She said: "It's the best book I've read in very long time."
I'm crying.
#amwriting
#mglit
#kidlit
Yet ANOTHER person has suggested I stop & consider others having less success than me before posting about my own.๐
UGH. NO, sorry. I do not get this attitude. I love seeing others celebrating, vague tweeting & sharing their wins. Let people be, for goodness sake.๐
We know there are plotters and pantsers in the drafting world. But what about when it comes to editing?
Well, I can tell you now that I'm a ADDITOR rather than DELETITOR - I end up adding way more words than deleting!
#amwriting
#writing
Rejections suck. You can still move forward.
Bad feedback sucks. You can still move forward.
Poor reviews suck. You can still move forward.
Writers block & plotholes suck. You can still move forward.
But, without a manuscript you can't move anywhere.
#writingtips
#writing
Yesterday I typed THE END on my
#NaNoWriMo
project. I was the greatest writer with a bestselling book.
Today I have a
#writing
hangover. I'm a mediocre writer with an atrociously shite book.
Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings! Gotta love this emotional process. ๐๐
#writing
is easy.
For example, my best sentences today:
1. He did spinned.
2. Blood dotted the wood like blood.
3. "Why's it is?"
4. A loud thump paused him.
So, yeah, you is looking at a proper writer-y master.
#amwriting
#writerslife
I got a message from a beta reader who read my new manuscript a couple of weeks ago and said she can't stop thinking about my story and she even cried a bit and I think my heart just grew so big it burst. ๐ญโค๏ธ
#amwriting
#mglit
#kidlit
You know what's cool? Loads of you currently drafting novels are going to sign with agents and then be published one day and have actual fans and 5 star reviews and books in bookstores & libraries and appear at festivals and OMG FINISH YOUR NOVEL!!!!! ๐
Two days ago I told my husband that our 9yo son smelled unwell and was probably coming down with something. Yesterday it started, and today he has a full on cough and cold. Now it appears I frighten my husband and he thinks I'm some kind of canine witch doctor. ๐คฃ
#parenting
I just asked my hairdresser - while she was cutting my hair - what she did for a living and I think perhaps my awkwardness has peaked. ๐๐คฆโโ๏ธ
If you spend time looking up writers' stories on how they got their agents/ book deals, you'll quickly see that the pattern is there is no pattern. At. All. Only common denominator is the author's perseverance & determination. One day we'll be reading your journey. โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ
I sat on the outer ring of a group of women saying how morning sickness during pregnancy is psychological and probably used as an excuse lot of the time, and though I haven't been pregnant in years I wanted to punch each of them on their stuck-up noses because nope nope nope. ๐
I want to write the type of book that gets passed from hand to hand, that sits on a shelf for so many years, tattered and written in and dogeared and loved, and that someone will never throw out because they have to share it with their children and grandkids. One day. ๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐Remember the people who ๐
๐ support you through your ๐
๐ unpublished years. ๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
When you ask what someone's book is about and they brave up and tell you, it's then not cool, no matter what you really think, to make a face and reply by asking who would read that, or any reaction even remotely similar to this. Okay? Okay. Seriously. ๐ก
Please know: this dream I'm living has been over 10 yrs in the making.
Millions of words written
100s of rejections
Many shelved mss
Publisher closures
Poor contracts
Bad agent matches (plural)
"Friends" turning their backs...
I am no overnight success.
I am perseverance.๐
I love seeing new
#writers
on Twitter keen to meet and interact with other writers. Because THIS is what social media is all about and I wouldn't have half the support network I do if it wasn't for the
#WritersCommunity
on here. Writing is most definitely not a lonely career.
Ending my 2nd week as an agent & want to thank you all for sending me SUCH WONDERFUL WORDS. I thought you might be interested to know that I have:
received 256 queries
written personal responses to 88
requested 18 fulls
added 36 to a maybe folder
WOW! Roll on next week!๐ฅฐ
I said something similar not too long ago but I worry about people so am repeating:
Pinning all your hopes & dreams on one manuscript is a really dangerous game to play with your mental health & wellbeing.
Please, for your sanity, write multiple things.
#writingtips
#writing
So, big question that sparks a lot of debate when this advice is dished out, but: DO YOU WRITE EVERY DAY? And by write, actually type or write words as part of a novel, short, blog, etc., not just think about your words (which I think we all agree is writing too!).
#talkwriting
So what if you've never read any "classics"
So what if you don't read 50 books a year
So what if you only read kid's books
So what if you re-read books over & over
So what if you've never heard of half the books on "must read" lists
READ WHAT YOU WANT, WHEN YOU WANT, HOW YOU WANT
Dear drafting writer,
It's perfectly okay to write...
XXXX
or
WRITE LATER
or
BLAH BLAH BLAH
or
NOT WORKING
or
FIX
...as you go. Getting it perfect first time is not expected or required nor is it a sign of being a pro writer.
#talkwriting
#writing
Listen, writer pals, someone's always going to write more words than you or faster than you, or sign with an agent or land a book deal faster, or first time, or for more money, or shortlist or win awards, etc etc. Be happy for them. Be happy for you. You're still brilliant. ๐
Things I don't do which make other writers gasp...
-I don't save deleted material from my WIPs
-I never print out my MSs to edit
-I end writing sessions mid-paragraph or chapter
-I often write two stories at once
-I don't save every draft as I rewrite
Horrific, right?!!! ๐คฏ
Today, I received a form rejection for the MS that received multiple offers last month.
๐คทโโ๏ธ
*This tweet is for anyone querying and feeling a bit down.
Sorry to disappoint but I've built my Twitter platform organically w/ hard work & interaction.
I've never bought followers.
I'm not part of a RT group.
I don't have a street team.
No one tweets for me.
I'm real.
I don't lie.
I don't appreciate such assumptions about me.
So there!
Don't mix up your wish list & goal list.
Wish list: Get agent. Sign book deal. Publish multiple books. Win award.
Goal list: Finish new novel. Enter 2 contests. Send more than 1 newsletter. Query 100 agents.
You can only control so much so keep it real.๐
Once again, for anyone at the back of the room who still can't hear, YOU CAN PURSUE AND BECOME TRADITIONALLY PUBLISHED AT ANY AGE.
AT.๐
ANY. ๐
AGE. ๐
Yes, that's right. Any. Age. ๐ง
Did you hear that? Yes, good.๐
Writers, just a regular reminder to:
-DON'T PIN ALL YOUR HOPES ON ONE MANUSCRIPT
-BE OPEN TO REVISION
-BE PROFESSIONAL & POLITE ALWAYS
-MAKE AT LEAST ONE GOOD WRITER BUDDY
๐๐๐