Lisa Mangum, Joshua Perkey, Kirk Shaw, Rick Walton, Stacy Whitman

Editors are not really copy-editing. Work on bigger picture.

Editors are a writer’s biggest advocate.

Get to know editors. Social media too.

Editors facilitate communication between reader and author.

If editor suggests a change, you can come up with your own solution for solving the problem.

Editors are starting to allow simsubs (simultaneous submissions).

Important to keep the reader hooked after the first few chapters.

Some writers start in the wrong spot – editors may be able to help.

Editors can help fix characterization, pacing, plot. But, they don’t want to have to fix everything!

Editors can’t fix voice.

Donna Milakovic, Lisa Mangum, J. Scott Savage, Chris Shoebinger, Kirk Shaw

Different types of queries – with manuscript, without, requested, slush

Different types of pitches – verbal (elevator pitch), high concept (take small idea and make it your hook, make it big). What makes your book different? Be enthusiastic about your story – infectious.

* manuscript.com – good info on pitches

Make sure to tell the ending. Position it for them – take subgenre and associate your book with titles there (not necessarily A-list titles).

Be simple, memorable, powerful, then stop talking!

4 sentences is about right.

Think of ways to increase your value to the publisher (in publicity, marketing)

Have others give honest reviews before sending your manuscript.

Publishers are more interested in building a brand.

After writing 1st book in a series, start a new project. This is so that if the 1st one gets rejected, the 2nd in the series is useless.

This one did not have lots of notes from me because I knew a lot already. But here they are:

iwritenetwork forums for bloggers

smashwords

createspace (amazon)

Jess Smart Smiley

Developing an idea into a story.

Do a mind map, lists, notecards.

Take one bubble and combine with another. Repeat.

Then take time away from the ideas and let it all germinate.

Get a solid concept.

Notecard method: split into 3 sections – Begin, Middle, End. Put B, M, or E on notecard.

Write 3-5 sentence description of what happens on each card.

Then add 2 cards to each one. Create a middle and end for each section – 2 sentences.

Then build what goes in-between.

Make the process as much fun as the book when it’s done.

Then, Rough Draft.

What story looks like, pacing, get to know story better, see what up against.

Finish rough before editing.

Next draft.

Final Edit.

Jason Alexander, Ami Chopine, Sandra Tayler, Chris Weston, Stacy Whitman

Imposter syndrome.

Reality –> everyone is making it up as they go!

Part of it is humility – knowing you don’t know it all.

And that is good –> willing to learn

Fear can keep you from what you need to do.

It’s okay to get it wrong. Get it wrong and move on!

No about smart, it’s about hard work.

Look at the evidence that you belong – of your own competence.

Write every day.

Spectate on the feelings you have in the moment.

Set goals.

Have somebody be your sanity check – honest affirmation.