by Karen Krossing | Jan 25, 2013 | Book News
My upcoming novel, Cut the Lights, is the first of three books in the exciting new Limelights series. Conceived by Sarah Harvey, editor at Orca Book Publishers, the series offers compelling novels about the performing arts for ages 11 to 14. Singing, acting, directing, dancing — this series promises to dazzle and entertain teens who love performance.
In Cut the Lights, a director of a student-written Fringe Festival play is at odds with her cast and crew, until the breakdown of her lead actor forces them to work together. The novel captures the intense relationships that form during rehearsals and performances, and how a student director learns to empower her cast and crew both on and off the stage.
The series will also debut with novels by Tom Ryan, who published his first novel in 2012, and Robin Stevenson, author of over 15 books for kids and teens. Check out all three titles in Fall 2013.
by Karen Krossing | Jan 13, 2013 | On Writing
One of the hardest things about being an emerging writer is receiving the dreaded rejection letter. But why do we call them “rejection letters”? And is that really what they are?
As writers, we obviously have a good grasp of language – in particular, how to choose a certain word or words to serve a specific function in our writing. So I’d like to challenge the term “rejection letter” and even re-name it to be more accurate. I came up with three replacements:
The Not-the-Right-Fit Letter
Too many beginning writers send out a manuscript to publishers or agents without fully researching their current needs, preferences, and even submission guidelines. One of the most common reasons for a refusal to publish or represent is that the manuscript is not a match to their needs. So do yourself a favour, and read the books championed by each publisher or agent you submit to. You will have greater success if you correctly target your manuscript.
The Perfect-Your-Craft Letter
Sometimes, a close reading of a manuscript shows that the writer has more to learn before his or her work is ready for publication. This doesn’t mean that you’re a failure; simply that you’re still learning the craft. Read the writing of authors you admire to discover new techniques, take a course with an experienced and supportive author, and/or start a writing group to exchange feedback on your works-in-progress. Learning more about the craft will get you closer to your goals.
The Manuscript-Sent-Out-Too-Soon Letter
A manuscript that is almost ready is not ready enough. How will a publisher or agent know what you’re capable of writing if you’re not presenting your very best work? Get feedback on your work-in-progress before you send it out, and rewrite until the prose is beyond polished. It will take many drafts to produce a polished manuscript, but it will give you a much better chance of getting the result you want.
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Okay, so my new terms may not be as catchy as “rejection letter,” but they are more accurate and they’re not as discouraging. They imply that writers who receive one of these letters don’t need to give up, wallow in despair, or throw out a manuscript. But they may need to further research their market, perfect their craft, and/or revise, revise, revise.
The only way forward to publication is to take the next step, continuing to write and re-write with increasing knowledge of the craft and a clear vision of the marketplace.
My upcoming novel, Cut the Lights, is the first of three books in the exciting new Limelights series. Conceived by Sarah Harvey, editor at Orca Book Publishers, the series offers compelling novels about the performing arts for ages 11 to 14. Singing, acting, directing, dancing — this series promises to dazzle and entertain teens who love performance.