Monday, November 14, 2005
No burnt offerings at Crime Bake
Agents, Editors and Publishers pose for the camera after their panel discussion, "The Face of the Industry".
A recipe for a two-day event that is inspiring, challenging and downright fun.
- Gather a large portion of healthy (and some unhealthy) New England mystery writers, a heaping of editors, agents and publishers and add them into a ballroom sized container.
- Add a dash of skip tracer, a touch of FBI agent and a hint of CIA experience.
- Mix them together and allow to marinate over breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Arrange in fascinating topics, such as: writing thrillers; professional detectives get their game face on; regular folks as amateur sleuths; how to disappear; a day in the life of an FBI agent, and everyone's favorite; writing sex and violence.
- Add the bonding agent: interaction with round tables and book signing.
- Top with the creative process live: real time novel writing.
- Decorate with headline authors like Tess Geritssen, Jeremiah Healy, and Linda Barnes.
- Dust with Hollywood movie authors or New York Times Best Sellers, Peter Abrahams, Joseph Finder, Lisa Gardner, Chuck Hogan.
- Serve with an optional side of 'pitch to an editor, agent or publisher'.
If you are a good cook, the result will be an event as superbly organized and entertaining as Crime Bake 2005 served up by the New England Chapter's of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime. Co-Chairs Lynne Heitman and Dana Cameron did an excellent job, stirring the pot and occasionally the plot line to create a welcoming dish for all tastes.
The annual event, a must for any reader or writer of mystery fiction, contained enough facts and tips to fill a reporter's notebook.
Give away items from sponsoring magazines, neatly housed in a canvas carry bag complete with handcuffed lobster motive, ensured the party continues long after the main event has ended.
Complaints, a few were heard, mostly to do with food or drink; too much vegetarian fair and coffe too cold and not enough. However, despite the conference title, this weekend was about mystery writing not gourmet cooking.
The staff of Kate's Mystery Books did a great job keeping up with demand, even under the pressure of hand writing both receipts and credit card slips. Things got easier after an emergency PA announcement, "is there a calculator in the house", enabled faster addition.
My only complaint; the canvas tote bag was nowhere near big enough to carry away the dozen books I bought that are now sitting waiting for me to stop writing and start reading.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Mystery writers night out
The streets have no names. No, not the title of the latest blockbuster from Jeremiah Healy. There are two exits from Davis Square T station. The blue one and the red one; well not quite but you get the idea. Choices are made, paths followed. I went right and on emerging was immediately lost. 6:45pm, meeting starts at 7pm, supposed to socialize from 6-7pm, this was a plan that was not coming together.
I walked towards the Square, more of a polygon really, past Dover Street and the Halloween store closing down sale and stopped. Being a good Boy Scout, I retraced my steps. Taking no name street, which was suitably dark, narrow and had people hanging about in the shadows, plus one person relieving himself in a doorway, I walked quickly, very quickly to Mass Ave. The house was where it should be and probably always was.
7:01pm, lights are on, Kates Mystery Books is the size of an average living room and has 15 chairs arranged in two rows, jammed in the middle of ceiling high shelves of books stacked double depth. People block the way. Towards the back is a dining room, again stacked high. A table in the centre, loaded with piles of books, books balanced precariously upright, an assortment of plastic cups and glasses, presents another barrier to this wary intruder.
Introductions begin, Lynne Heitman, Gary Goshgarian (aka Gary Braver), Peg DiCanio and then we are called to order. Newbies, (aka me) and a few others are given the opportunity to introduce themselves. Me - "I am an aspiring writer, hoping to be an inspiring writer." Did I read that somewhere or make it up? "I am unpublished; write short stories about internet relationships gone bad, road rage and an investigative journalist". The audience yawns, but very politely, there is no hostility, only disinterest. I have much work to do in crafting my story, defining my pitch and perfecting its delivery. Jeremiah later says that most authors write because they don't like talking to people and are bad at selling.
Jeff Clegghorn, military man, call sign 'Foggy', expertly pitches 'Er meets Blackhawk down', which I learn later is how an author would describe their work for a Hollywood pitch, rather than the single sentence 'Literary pitch'.
Barry H Wiley, non-fiction author of The Incredible Phenomenon is turning to fiction because "it's easier to make up facts than research them." To put this quote in context, Barry took 28 years to research Anna Eva Fay, the subject of his book, whilst working full time in Silicon Valley.
Another "newcomer', a published author with Five Star Publications is returning to the meeting after a 2 year absence to attend Kung Fu classes and is requested to 'remember which meeting he's at'. He is about to sign another contract.
This illustrious company is as daunting as the waterfall of multi-colored book spines clinging precariously to the walls. Participants denigrate the NaNoWriMo concept when it is mentioned, based on a bad draft in 30 days being just that. Some people just need to get past a bad draft.
Jeremiah, expertly delivers his talk on "How to Pitch to an Editor or Literary Agent", timed to coincide with the upcoming New England Chapter Mystery Writers Conference 'CrimeBake', in which he imparts the wisdom of his years of success. Hard-boiled down:
Do your homework.
Jeremiah's most important advice is that the first three pages are crucial to success. They are what an agent, editor and reader will use to determine whether to pick up your work and cherish it or add it to unsold pile.
Agents and editors base their buy decision on positive answers to the following questions:
I walked towards the Square, more of a polygon really, past Dover Street and the Halloween store closing down sale and stopped. Being a good Boy Scout, I retraced my steps. Taking no name street, which was suitably dark, narrow and had people hanging about in the shadows, plus one person relieving himself in a doorway, I walked quickly, very quickly to Mass Ave. The house was where it should be and probably always was.
7:01pm, lights are on, Kates Mystery Books is the size of an average living room and has 15 chairs arranged in two rows, jammed in the middle of ceiling high shelves of books stacked double depth. People block the way. Towards the back is a dining room, again stacked high. A table in the centre, loaded with piles of books, books balanced precariously upright, an assortment of plastic cups and glasses, presents another barrier to this wary intruder.Introductions begin, Lynne Heitman, Gary Goshgarian (aka Gary Braver), Peg DiCanio and then we are called to order. Newbies, (aka me) and a few others are given the opportunity to introduce themselves. Me - "I am an aspiring writer, hoping to be an inspiring writer." Did I read that somewhere or make it up? "I am unpublished; write short stories about internet relationships gone bad, road rage and an investigative journalist". The audience yawns, but very politely, there is no hostility, only disinterest. I have much work to do in crafting my story, defining my pitch and perfecting its delivery. Jeremiah later says that most authors write because they don't like talking to people and are bad at selling.
Jeff Clegghorn, military man, call sign 'Foggy', expertly pitches 'Er meets Blackhawk down', which I learn later is how an author would describe their work for a Hollywood pitch, rather than the single sentence 'Literary pitch'.
Barry H Wiley, non-fiction author of The Incredible Phenomenon is turning to fiction because "it's easier to make up facts than research them." To put this quote in context, Barry took 28 years to research Anna Eva Fay, the subject of his book, whilst working full time in Silicon Valley.
Another "newcomer', a published author with Five Star Publications is returning to the meeting after a 2 year absence to attend Kung Fu classes and is requested to 'remember which meeting he's at'. He is about to sign another contract.
This illustrious company is as daunting as the waterfall of multi-colored book spines clinging precariously to the walls. Participants denigrate the NaNoWriMo concept when it is mentioned, based on a bad draft in 30 days being just that. Some people just need to get past a bad draft.
Jeremiah, expertly delivers his talk on "How to Pitch to an Editor or Literary Agent", timed to coincide with the upcoming New England Chapter Mystery Writers Conference 'CrimeBake', in which he imparts the wisdom of his years of success. Hard-boiled down:
Do your homework.
- Know your product - in one sentence, what are the succinct, positive characteristics of your product including characters, structure and a sense of the book.
- Learn about your customer. The customer is the agent, editor and ultimately the end purchaser (the reader). Research background information and make sure your pitch appeals to their professional and social interests.
- Close the deal - generally at a pitch meeting, which seems a lot like speed dating, the aim is to secure interest and the opportunity to follow up with a synopsis and the first three chapters (one of the quirks of mystery writing is that these really are the first three chapters, rather than random samples required for other genres).
Jeremiah's most important advice is that the first three pages are crucial to success. They are what an agent, editor and reader will use to determine whether to pick up your work and cherish it or add it to unsold pile.
Agents and editors base their buy decision on positive answers to the following questions:
- Will this work or person require a disproportionate amount of my time?
- Am I interested in the subject and am willing to do work on it?
- Does the author have the credentials to write and promote the work?
Finally, will the reader, browsing in a bookstore make it past each of the stages of decision and purchase? Will they be attracted by the title, want to read the back cover, open the first page, be it prologue or chapter 1, get past the first line, move on the first paragraph and want to read the first three pages before tucking it under an arm and heading towards the checkout?
If the answer is no to any of these, a no sale is the only certainty.
Outside the meeting, I had the opportunity for a few extra words with Jeremiah Healy. When he switched careers from trial lawyer to writer over 20 years ago, experienced writers would take a new author aside and advise them on the ways of the business. Time pressures no longer permit this. Fueled by the baby boomer years, there are more adults looking for that elusive second career that combines flexibility with income. Rightly or wrongly, an increasing number of boomers are searching for utopia as writers. At the same time fewer people are reading. Expectations are greater, competition keener.
The clues are there, the mystery unfolds.
If the answer is no to any of these, a no sale is the only certainty.
Outside the meeting, I had the opportunity for a few extra words with Jeremiah Healy. When he switched careers from trial lawyer to writer over 20 years ago, experienced writers would take a new author aside and advise them on the ways of the business. Time pressures no longer permit this. Fueled by the baby boomer years, there are more adults looking for that elusive second career that combines flexibility with income. Rightly or wrongly, an increasing number of boomers are searching for utopia as writers. At the same time fewer people are reading. Expectations are greater, competition keener.
The clues are there, the mystery unfolds.
It starts today...
The beginning of the end. An enthusiastic bunch of goody bag hunters gathered throughout the day at TOMBS on Brookline avenue to kick off the first day of NaNoWriMo. With apparatus that ranged from a PDA with folding keypad, clacking manual typewriter and ubiquitous laptop, not to mention good old pad and pencil, a varied band of writers, male, female, young and not so young set out on a journey together. Only time will tell how many survive to complete their novels.Under the hospitable eye of the coffee, goody bag making, cable supplying Skyler the group sat mostly in silence creating the first few hundred words of the 50,000 due by the end of November.
I managed 1853, mostly inspired by the view from the window and my protagonists desire to write her novel.
Right now, I'm just leaving Boston Public Library to head to Kates Book Shop at Davis Square for the New England Chapter Meeting of The Mystery Writers of America meeting.
Will I get there, will the novel get finished, who know yet, it's a mystery.
