Why I might not connect with a character

It is so important for a reader to form an attachment to the characters right away. You may have a great plot, but it is the characters that are going to carry the story, it is through the characters' eyes that the reader will view the world you're creating. If I don't care about character, or what happens to a character during the course of the novel, then I am less inclined to continue reading. I'd like to share a few thoughts about connecting with a character.

 1. I will often find that a character feels "stagnant." That is a character(s) will stay the same throughout the story. The MC needs to have goals and motivations, and those goals/motivation need to realistically reflect the personality/voice of a character. Why are they doing what they are doing?

 2. The voice for each character should be different!!!!!! For example, a grandmother shouldn't sound like a teenager (that might be an extreme example, but you get the idea). Also, if the voice is too similar for each character, they become almost indistinguishable. The voice should reflect: age, gender, education, and social/economic background...pretty much the voice should show us almost everything about a character. 

These are 2 of the biggest things I've noticed, and I hope you'll find this post helpful!

 ~Jordy

Plot Device

Some of the best known plot devices are easily recognizable. For example, The One Ring in J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, or Zeus' Lightning bolt in Percy Jackson & the Olympians. According to Wikipedia, a plot device is an object or character in a story whose only purpose is to advance the plot of the story, or alternatively to overcome some difficulty in the plot. To me, a great plot device plants a seed that works within the rest of the plot; it gives the character(s) motivation, and helps move the story forward. And I think they make a story more interesting. Can you think of some other well-known plot devices?

Below is a really fun video by Seth Worley.

No response or form letter?

Hi everyone!

Hope everyone had a great weekend! I'm sorry if this post is repetitive. Recently, a number of authors have re-queried or asked for a status on their submission. I've mentioned before that time, unfortunately, doesn't allow us to send a detailed response as to why we passed on a project. Also, in our submission guidelines we state that we are only able to respond to the projects that we are interested in. That being said, I would love to hear what you all would prefer. Would you rather receive a from (rejection) response, or would you rather have no response? Thanks!

~Jordy 

Queries, partials and fulls...oh my!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I know waiting for a response regarding a query or partial/full request is killer. I just wanted to share a few things to keep in mind while you're waiting.

*If I requested a partial/full and you haven't heard back from me in 6-8 weeks, please feel free to follow up. It's quite easy to get backed up with requests, so chances are I just haven't had the opportunity to finish reading your submission. Also, please keep in mind that along with queries and requests, we also have our clients work to consider, which must take priority, so that may delay a response as well. I will definitely respond if I have requested material. 

*While I am very happy for the authors who receive an offer/offer(s) for representation and wish them all the best, recently, there have been a few times where an author will notify me after the fact, after they have already accepted another offer. If you have a partial/full with me, please keep me posted on any offers you receive...even if you would like to withdraw your manuscript from consideration (if you have an offer or an offer of publication). You can imagine how disappointing it would be to finish a manuscript, offer representation, only to find out that the author already signed with another agent, or signed a contract with a publisher.

*While I would love to respond to every single query I receive, unfortunately, time just doesn't allow. Also, please be sure to check our submission guidelines. We are unable to open attachments (unless requested), and please don't just send us links.

Thanks so much for reading! Have a wonderful week.

~Jordy

Cliche openings and other things that I've seen a lot of recently

It is very common to run across a number of submissions that have similar openings. I wanted to share what I see a lot of, and what will probably dissuade me from reading further.

1. We first see the character when they are waking up and going through a routine.
2. A dream. This sort of goes along with number 1.
3. Flashback.
4. A very descriptive/wordy opening that is all telling. The imagery may be well written, but it's always important to consider how everything you include works to move the story forward, or helps with character development. Is there another way to establish the setting?

Another thing I find quite often is a prologue. While prologues can be great, it's always a good idea to ask yourself if it is absolutely necessary.

Pet peeve: I've recently read a number of YA submissions where the characters attend a party, which I totally understand, but I didn't really see the significance, why the scene was important, or how it helped move the plot forward/tied into the rest of the story.

- Everything should tie together. I've come across scenes that really don't serve a purpose. I would always recommend considering why something is important, and how does whatever it is affect later events? Always think of cause and effect...even with character motivation!

When you read so many queries that have similar themes, they tend to all start to sound similar...with a similar voice, similar characters, settings etc. If the pages don't stand out, we won't want to read any further.

I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks so much for reading!

~Jordy

From Twitter: speculative fiction vs. sci-fi; what's the difference? Does speculative as a genre sell?

Recently, I tweeted that I was looking for blog post ideas. Please continue to send ideas! 

I received a tweet asking what the difference was between speculative fiction and sci-fi. From what I understand, sci-fi would fall under speculative fiction, along with other genres, such as fantasy, horror and dystopian--to name a few. Also, genre crossover is rather common, and a novel could fit into more than one category, especially sci-fi. 

Here are a couple of links with more information regarding sci-fi and speculative fiction.

Speculative fiction actually seems to be doing very well, which is fantastic! I love sci-fi and other speculative fiction because it's an escape from the ordinary; we get to read about cool things like visiting other planets, meeting aliens (hopefully mostly friendly), or traveling in time and space. 

@LisaArnseth thanks so much for your question, and I hope that helps! 

Updates and Call for Submissions

I hope 2013 is going well for everyone so far! I just wanted to do a quick blog post. I am running a bit behind on submissions and queries (I do have some that I've put aside to look at again, and I just haven't had the chance to go back through them). I recently requested quite a few full manuscripts from pitch contests, and a number of queries from another (#PitMad) that I didn't have the opportunity to look at fully yet. Also, while I try to review submissions in order, it's not always possible, especially if an author has an offer or offers. If you have a partial/full with me, I will definitely respond. Unfortunately, as much as Brittany and I would love to respond personally to each query, time just doesn't allow...see, this is why we need a TARDIS!

I'm also doing a Call for Submissions: 

What I would like to see:

*Romance (contemporary/historical) 

*YA (Adult/New Adult) -contemporary or historical, sci-fi/fantasy, action/adventure (think Goonies, Princess Bride, NeverEnding Story, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure). I would love to see YA that are heavy on romance. 

*I'm not really looking for non-fiction, suspense/thrillers, middle grade/picture books at this time. Also, please note we are not currently representing screenplays. 

Have a great weekend!!

~Jordy