Luca is waiting for residuals.

Ive had this 8-book story in my head for 10 years, only started writing last year, im 24 now and hit 50k words today, what works best for me is I have a basic outline for the 8 books then I panst the rest. Whenever I'm stuck i go through the outline and sometimes I end up changing things like moving things that was supposed to be in book 1 to book 2 and vice-versa. Having a mix of both not only helps with writers block but also organization. Then again I'm writing an Urban-Fantasy novel so it may be different for other genres. Great video BTW

@beescheeseandwineplease889

2 ай бұрын

Are you going to write them all then publish? This way you can always go back and tweak events in early books to set up events better in later books.

Thank you for answering my question, Alyssa 😊

Does anyone remember the double novellas from the 70s, not always from the same authors, and sometimes upside-down from each other with a cover on each side? Sometimes thematically linked, sometimes not. They weren't around for long, but I discovered some authors that way!

@The_WriterVerse

2 ай бұрын

Well that sounds fun!

A new view of Mase Matestic and even more great advice! Thank you!

Perhaps a combination of plotting and pantsing 📖✍️🤔

@Ebony.B

2 ай бұрын

That’s considered plantsing! I’m a plantser 😂

As someone whose next project is most likely gonna be a novella (after MY FIRST NOVEL is self-published this week!), glad to hear your take. I'm in the camp that a story is as long or short as it needs to be... so I am hoping that when the time comes I'll be able to find someone who shares my vision for the story I want to tell. I really would love to be traditionally published some day :)

I read somewhere that a first draft is you telling yourself a story. It struck me because that's how I write, I can't do outlines because they seem to slow me down but, that's just me.

@Ebony.B

2 ай бұрын

My process is definitely like that too. I basically just have scene cards and a synopsis to help me along. Any more outlining makes me feel constricted.

I now have traditional publishers for two series (seven books), but when I had signed only one series I queried a Regency romance novella and the very first publisher who saw it, took it. Yes, get your work in its best form and get it out there!

I'm both an outliner and pantser, which works well for me. I think one should write the way which works best for you.

Haha my first novel’s protagonist also’s called Luca 😂 great name :)

About the second question... I've seen some agents ask why you are the person to write your book. This is where you can bring in your diversity, but only if the reason you wrote the book involved your diversity. For example: My first novel involved a lot of ghosts. To answer the agent's question about why I was the person to write the book, I didn't write that I watched a lot of horror movies involving ghosts. Nope. I wrote that I'd always been interested in the paranormal from an early age. I also told the agent that I was a Pagan, so I'd had dealings with spirits. Thus my knowledge about them and a lot of the information presented in the novel.

Alyssa, I love your videos! Helped me greatly in starting my own publishing imprint! Probably one question is what considerations there ought to be before purchasing a P-CIP block for your copyright page using ISBNs from MyBowker?

Great answers as usual Alyssa, especially the long chapter one - massive relief! I have a hypothetical question that I can't figure out by researching. If an author wants to get their book in a book box, how would they do it? Would the approach differ if they were self-pub vs traditional? Thanks in advance!

If you are a hybrid of plotting and pantsing, does that make you a shortsing or a skirtsing?

Thanks!

Alyssa, While I find myself re-editing my first three paragraphs quite a bit to get the right introduction, I usuallyfind my first draft of my manuscript usually flows better than my edited version. The first draft closely follows the storyline I daydream as I write it. However, I also do an outline to avoid writers' block. Is this weird, or can others identify with me?

2:48 Thing is, more and more agents are doing just that. I encountered a lot when I started my querying last year.

@beescheeseandwineplease889

2 ай бұрын

Mention it in your bio.?

@ravensthatflywiththenightm7319

2 ай бұрын

@@beescheeseandwineplease889 They demand to know your race because they want #OwnVoice novels. So let's say you're a particular race and wanna write about something other than your race you get rejected.

Thanks Alyssa Matesic for answering my question. I have another question for you for the next week can you have lets say two pov for a novel my book is written in third person limited but then I had a few chapters written in third person omniscient pov. Can I use both povs or do I've to use one or the other?

@ravensthatflywiththenightm7319

2 ай бұрын

Alice Borchardt did that with her Guinevere novels. First person for Guinevere, third person limited with Lancelot and other characters.

Hi Alyssa, Have you done a video on manuscript presentation? or can you do one? I am finding conflicting advice on how to bind it and should I use double-sided or single sided pages. Thanks.

Hey Alyssa, I've got a question with regards to querying. I've been querying a novel I wrote for the last nearly year or so. (So far no bites) Since I started querying, I've a written and revised a another book (completely unrelated, not a sequel). My question is, for agents that I want to submit both books to, should I wait some amount of time before sending the query for the second book or should I send out the query for the second book immediately after receiving a rejection for the first. Additionally, if there is a wait time, should that time be shorter when the agent specifically stated in their rejection that they'd be interested in me querying them with my future works? Thanks Alyssa, this channel has been really helpful to me on this journey.

Hi, Alyssa! I am currently querying for agents, and I have come across some that might fit my genre. They are British, though, and I am American. Would it be worth the effort to query agents in other countries, or should I just stick with the US for now? Thank you. I find what you do so helpful.

No. That's my answer before I watch if 😅

First.

At what point would you recommend a first-time author works with a professional editor? I’m hoping to get an editorial assessment done, but want to make sure I engage an editor at the right time. Is it more valuable to get it done earlier (i.e., as soon as I have a draft I’m happy with) or later (I.e., after I’ve gotten beta readers’ feedback and am almost ready to query agents) in the revising process?

@AlyssaMatesic

2 ай бұрын

That's a great question - it really depends on your process and preferences, but I do have another video that goes over some signs you're ready to work with a developmental editor: kzread.info/dash/bejne/goyNo6enaNO8oqQ.html I hope that helps!

I hear from a lot of people, " I would read books but they are always too long" I feel that publishers overlooking novellas is a big mistake.

Should a literary agent care in the least as to the race, sex, or any diversity characteristic of an author when assessing their book?

#Releasethelukacut

Thank you for sharing Alyssa

❤😂

Not one person should be including a bio section or personalizing any query. We shouldn't even include our name at that point. It should only be about the project's merit. That's a great way to reduce word count in a query. Also, there's no need to write a complete sentence with the genre/word count etc. The specs should be a little “box” at the top that the agent can see instantly. The querying process is completely backwards. I'm also against including comps. The agent should know where the book would fit. Let the writer do what writers do: Write. Also, a rejection should come with at least one specific. Writers are left completely in the dark. There's a limited amount of agents. They do know we're querying everyone who reps our genre, right? So the “why are you querying me/my agency?” is just wasting more time.

@r.brooks5287

2 ай бұрын

I know it's all nuts but it's like applying for a job, you have to prove you can follow instruction.

Glad to see people admitting they play the race card under the Orwellian definition of ‘diversity.’ Now can we focus on art?

Thank you for your tips, Alyssa! It’s comforting to know that a debut author **can** query a novella, but it will be harder. I think I’m just gonna try querying a novel 😂

Your videos are always encouraging to keep writing and hopefully reach the goal we all hope to achieve.