Gah!
The weeks of madness have begun!
1. WRITING
Where have I been the last few days? Madly writing. Not blogging. WRITING. Madly. Writing fiction is lot harder than I anticipated. Silly me. But gosh, how I enjoy it.
2. PITCHING
My very first Agent pitch is next week at the Pacific Northwest Writers Association Conference. I am terrified. I must start practicing a 10 minute pitch, as well as a 4 sentence elevator pitch, but I have no idea where to start. “Write it like you write your book reviews,” one friend suggested. I’d love to, but my mind won’t grasp it. Gah!
Another stress point – the PNWA sent me an email apologizing that one of the three-or-so agents who accept Romance manuscripts can no longer attend. They’ll do their best to get me another appointment with an agent in my genre, but if they can’t they hope I still have fun at the conference. I’m terrified about pitching, but I still want to do it! Oye Vey.
3. NETWORK THIS
My business cards arrived from VistaPrint and they are cut off-center. All of them. Do I have time to reorder before the conference??? I don’t know.
4. WHAT NOT TO WEAR
The PNWA Literary Contest Award dinner is next Saturday, July 19th. My critique partner confirmed they do indeed call all the finalists up in front of the room. Oh NOOOOOOS! What should I wear???
The RWA RITA and Golden Heart Award dinner is Saturday, August 2nd. I hear finalists wear Oscar-worthy gowns. Is that true? What do regular conference attendees wear? What should I wear?
I don’t have time to go shopping. :( I have to WRITE!
5. IT’S MY PARTY AND I’LL CRY IF I WANT TO
My birthday is on Tuesday. Happy Birthday to me. You know what I really want? A publishing contract. ;) Where’s my fairy godmother?
Tags: writing, Pacific Northwest Writers' Association, RWA
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July 11, 2008 at 5:06 pm
((((Ciara)))) Oh, you are going thru a lot, aren’t you? Here’s just a tiny piece of advice a good friend gave to me when I had to do my first spoken engagement (thankfully that doesn’t happen very often). Before you go speak to the agent, close your eyes, take a deep breath and keep repeating “I can do this. I know the material forwards, backwards and upside down.” Rinse and repeat. The deep breathing is key though. Always remember to breath.
Happy Birthday a few days early. :D I’ll wish it to you again on the actual day. I hope you have something fun to do on that day. Don’t stress. Everything will go just fine. :)
July 11, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Pssh…That was me, by the way. My mom has been using my computer and I forgot. *eye roll* So, hi! :)
July 11, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Well, that’s annoying. Blogger keeps eating my comments. Anywho, I basically just said to take a deep breath and just jump right in. The more you try to psych yourself up, the more nervous you will be. :D Trust me, I get that way all the time! Good luck!
July 11, 2008 at 5:52 pm
The finalists do indeed wear Oscar worthy gowns. I felt SO out of place in my cheap (real cheap) Walmart dress and running shoes. So this year I treated myself and got something much fancier – though certainly not Oscar-like!!!! And I bought better shoes too.
July 11, 2008 at 7:06 pm
I have been watching your word count on your gchat away message. I have been in awe as it has steadily climbed. You are doing great! Keep up the good work :)
I agree with the deep breaths and knowing your material forward and back. Once you write it, practice giving the spiel. Anyone you can pin down? Give them your presentation. Your hubby? Say it to him so often that HE knows it forward and back.
You will do great!
July 12, 2008 at 8:18 am
I wish I could be your fairy godmother and say: POOF you have a publishng deal for your next 10 books ;)
me not going to RITA awards :( me so sad.
July 12, 2008 at 1:20 pm
If you’re at your HEA, I would suggest you go back and start your second draft and not worry about wordcount. For me, usually a ms will grow on 2D. Look for your most boring places and add conflict to make them your most exciting places. Also, there are probably places you rushed over that could be exploited or slowed down. I bet the wordcount just grows by itself.
You are going to do great! I am so jealous you get to go. For your meeting, might I suggest black and beige. One can never go wrong with black and beige.
July 12, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Hi Ciara,
You’re blog is hilarious. :)
As a fellow Zola finalist, I just wanted to say hello! I’ll be at the PNWA awards dinner, as well as RWA nationals, so I look forward to meeting you soon. Strangely enough, pitching (though it still makes me nervous beforehand) is one of my favorite things about conferences. I won’t be pitching this year, but I’d be more than happy to give yours a peek and provide any suggestions if you’re interested. Either way, I’m sure you’ll be wonderful. (Cocktails always help, btw. No more than two though. Until afterward. LOL.) Just take a deep breath and remind yourself that those scary, sharp-fanged agents/editors are just as eager to get their hands on a fabulous ms. (which you obviously have) as you are to hand one over.
Good luck!
Kristina McMorris
http://www.kristinamcmorris.com
July 12, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Oops! Make that “YOUR blog is hilarious.” I really, truly CAN spell. Although the heat and my two toddler boys are rapidly depleting my brain cells.
Okay… crawling back into my cave now.
July 12, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Ciara, I LOVE your new blog header. It’s so fun. I’m quite jealous, actually :) Oye I’m sorry about the Vistaprint cards. I’ve had good luck with them mostly, but have heard stories of others not so lucky. I’m about to order magnets for San Fran (if they expedite shipping!)
I’m excited your pitching! You’re going to rock. I know it :) I’m in the same boat, by the way, I’m like 7k from finishing a novella and I can’t do it. Been sitting on it for months. Finding other things to write. Bad me.
Happy upcoming Birthday!
July 13, 2008 at 8:53 am
I have confidence that you will work everything. Breathe. Don’t freak. Breathe. Eveything will be fine. :)
July 13, 2008 at 9:57 am
Ciara, I’m sure you’ll rock that pitch and everything! Good luck and happy early Birthday! :D
July 13, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Thanks everyone! i’ll let you know how it all goes, assuming PNWA can hook me up with a new agent.