I agree on relationships, but we can also factor in the possibility of genuine love that transcends the conflicts, or misunderstandings. Too many relationships portrayed nowadays are entirely about conflict, fighting, betrayal, etc. The bottom line is that portrayed relationships need to be complex, nuanced, genuine, believable.

@BreakingUFC

2 ай бұрын

No one wants to read 70,000 words of happy smiley love

@SanphireJaide7

2 ай бұрын

@@BreakingUFC Since when is love all about 'happy smiley'? Not in my experience - not in anyone's if it's genuine. To love is to be vulnerable to suffering, hence 'com-passion' means 'to suffer with'.

@Sanakudou

2 ай бұрын

⁠​⁠@@BreakingUFC I don’t think that’s necessarily what they’re saying, it would depend on the genre and tropes they’re working with but it could definitely work if someone knows their writing craft well enough to not need to rely on the characters fighting with each other to create the conflict and narrative drive for their story. For instance if it’s not a romance genre novel and was instead a fantasy action adventure or a crime/mystery novel then the relationship doesn’t bear the responsibility of creating an engaging plot. But even for a romance you could fairly easy shift the conflict to external forces that the romantic pair will face side by side or instead they’re facing an external threat (a story-specific scenario and/or other characters) that are trying to keep their relationship apart. A simple way I’ve seen it explained is an author would be choosing between having the couple as a co-protagonist or dual protagonists, the former involves a singular shared goal and the later involves two independent goals between each partner, both scenarios would inherently alter the kind of central conflict the novel would have. So it’d honestly be premature to dismiss the viability of their story idea when it’s only a vague concept, just like any vague story idea it’d need to be presented as a specific premise to prove if it does of doesn’t have all the attributes of a compelling story. Additionally, while I can’t remember the exact name of it, I know there’s also a romance subgenre specifically to appeal to people who want “sweet” low stakes romances, with the subgenre’s most notable “rule” being the characters do NOT go through the End of Act 2 break up/make up cycle typical of most romance arcs, this subgenre even has a subgenre of its own where it’s specifically centred around Christian characters and Christian relationship values, so saying no one wants to read a story where couples don’t fight is being disingenuous. The multitude of subgenres and tropes exist specifically to cater for the vast divergences in taste/preferences among readers. Not everyone will like the same thing and there’s nothing wrong with that.

As is typical of good advice, once you hear it it makes perfect sense 👍

Great advice, Alyssa. Enjoy the new home. Happy reading.

I hope you are loving your new home, Alyssa! You were missed last week but we’re so glad you are getting settled! I’m loving your advice on writing conflict for characters. That’s a weak area for me and I’m going to use this to strengthen.

Oh how I was so enthralled with writing and watching your videos a few years back, even asked a random question just as a reason to be involved. I really loved the earlier feeling, I even day dreamed of having someone like yourself represent me as an agent. It has been three years since I last had motivation, survived cancer and lost both of my parents. I even ruined the laptop I used for writing due to my recovery from surgery. My newest question is, how does one find the means to carry on and better yet not have your writing style change in tone; something that I find myself doing. I know you're not a therapist lol but I feel you've had a fair share of pep talks in your career, writers, publishers, agents can all get a little mad. My hiatus has been long, going back to my earlier work leads me down a sad path. Writing something new just burns my butt about what I should be working on. I have a temporary tablet that I steal nightly from my little guy and will now binge some more insight into writing and developing a correspondence letter coherently, ironic I know considering this comment. Love that you've been still uploading and still have that infectious smile.

Beautiful background! 😍 And great advice, as always!

I hope you're loving your new home! It looks beautiful from what we can see in the background

@AlyssaMatesic

2 ай бұрын

Thank you so much!

I love your new place, cozy and elegant. Didn't see Luca on any of the shelves, though. :) Question: in my novel, I have the enemies-to-lover trope going on. How do I show the reader that the heroine is falling for the hero, without actually saying it..." he had been so thoughtful and caring this past week, she had begun to believe it could be possible to love him, despite their differences..." Isn't that just telling instead of showing?

Hi Alyssa - I recently encountered several writers commenting online that the blurb used for a query letter should be significantly more detailed than, say, the persuasive writing on a back cover copy, including spoilers the in the query. (I was directed to a 2018 blog link by a YA writer espousing this). That advice is the polar opposite of what I’ve encountered in the past which usually advises enticing the agent in the query and save spoilers for the synopsis. In fact, I’ve often heard your query blurb may even be directly repurposed for back cover copy. Is this a new or rising trend in querying, or just misguided advice? You and the channel are much appreciated!

The last line of my unpublished book is: 'This story ends here, but another one, waits ahead.'

Thank you so much for the help!

thanks for the advice!

I always gobble up all your content. ❤ Love the built in book shelves. You just need a spot for Luca to make an appearance in the background on occasion. 🐕🐾❤

Thank you!!🙏

For that last question, I have occasionally seen on agents' websites that they want to see page numbers on submitted manuscripts. Some have even wanted to see the book title and author's name in the header with the page number. Best advice for this? Either check the agent's website or ask the agent directly when they request a full manuscript.

@dexterpoindexter3583

2 ай бұрын

@jimgilbert9984 Doesn't that requirement make you wonder how often agents drop file folders full of manuscripts, only to find themselves faced with a pick-up-300-pages puzzle? ... There could be a yummy scene, and a main or sidekick character, in that picture!

@jimgilbert9984

2 ай бұрын

@@dexterpoindexter3583 I actually saw a desk stacked high with manuscripts, kind of like the one you see in the Office Depot Rubber Band Man commercial. 🎶

@dexterpoindexter3583

2 ай бұрын

@@jimgilbert9984 If we were watching that desk on screen in a packed cinema, we'd feel the pulse of our crowd's anticipation... don't know what's coming, but it's gonna be _good!_ 😸🤤

@jimgilbert9984

2 ай бұрын

@@dexterpoindexter3583 Yep!

Excellent advice, as always! Regarding the question about genre (fantasy or historical fiction), it states that the setting is "inspired" by medieval Italy, not that it actually takes place in some non-specific locale in the medieval Europe of our real world. In fact, it's specifically referred to as a "fictional land" which suggests that its setting is completely outside of our real world and its history. For that reason, I'd be hesitant to attach the word "historical" to its genre. If you've ever read the First Law novels by Joe Abercrombie - which are excellent, by the way - they take place in a similar fictional setting inspired by early Renaissance Europe, but it is a place nowhere to be found on our maps. Yes, the story has a few fantasy elements (a wizard, for example), but those aren't given huge emphasis (as they are in the Lord of the Rings) and in fact are rather sparse compared to what you would consider a "typical" fantasy novel. The main thrust of the stories and most of the characters are very much rooted in what could pass for our real world (but isn't), and deal with a lot of military, political, and sociological plotlines. These novels are considered epic fantasy, and I've always felt it's because the setting doesn't really exist and not so much because of those few fantasy elements. I don't know, maybe I'm way off base, but I just can't attach the word "historical" to a story that doesn't take place within our world's true historical framework. Thoughts?

Is there a best practice when it comes to asking authors for a blurb?

Is there a time limit on revise and resubmits? After reading my full manuscript, an agent I really admire says she likes the story and sees potential, but wants a little more complexity and gave detailed notes on how and where to incorporate this into the plot. She told me to take my time revising and not to rush, but I’m worried that if I take too long she might lose enthusiasm/interest. Thanks for your always helpful videos!

Question. Is it worth mentioning in the query letter that you have done rewrites to a novel you previously queried to the agents a long time ago?

Hi Alyssa, I have an unrelated question, regarding comp titles. I have watched your videos and others on this topic, and know how important these are when querying. Problem is, I cannot find anything remotely resembling my memoir. A young couple, (my husband and I) leave a suburban life behind in South Africa and move into a remote part of Namibia to do missionary work. Although the story is faith-based, it's not preachy, more about surviving the trials of carving out a home, coping with a different culture, animal adventures, personality clashes, injustice within the congregation, losing my husband and other family members but sticking it out in the bush for 30+ years. African travel stories abound, but without my motivation. Religious stories are mostly about escaping abuse of a fundamentalist childhood, nothing positive like mine. Can I say all this in my query instead of using comps that don't fit? Please help!

Wow beautiful home! Congrats

@AlyssaMatesic

2 ай бұрын

Thank you so much!

I like your dog. Can you do a video about illustrations (drawings)? Hi five ✋️

If Alyssa reply to my comment, I will start writing my own short novella with strong inspiration. 😁

Heres a question for next triple AAA wesday. Hi I love your channel. Im also a morning writer I get up at 5:30 am but I usually write at 6 or 7 am. Ive a question when a chapter you write is too long do you divided it in half or do you cut things done or leave it be?

Is it unusual for a lit agency's submission guidelines to ask for the full manuscript? I'd never come across this before until yesterday. It seems like the agency (UK based) is legit.

With that said on historical fiction. Whats the difference between speculative fiction vs conteporary fiction ?

#AskMeAnything I have a female villain who was supposed to die in my original draft, but after writing her (somewhat) sympathetic backstory, I became reluctant to kill her off. I'm considering writing a second book devoted solely to her redemption story. My question is: How do I ensure her survival, how do I get her out of this first book in one piece, without it feeling forced or overly convenient?

@JustClaude13

2 ай бұрын

The first question is whether the story is stronger if she lives or if she dies. I've had wonderful characters who died, regardless of my preferences, because that was a major motivation for the MC's actions. If you like the character but the story is stronger if she dies, then kill her off in the current story and create a new character based on her for a separate story. Try taking the story down a few alternate paths and see which one comes to the most satisfying conclusion.

If you can't decide between two different endings, can you query a novel with both? If so, what if the different ending changes the genre?

❤

Would one's chances of getting picked up by an agent be better if they queried agents or are just starting out, since they may have less submissions for the time being, or would that not make a difference? If it does, is there a way to find out what agents are relatively new?

If you are querying for representation do agents tend to lean away from debut authors pitching a series? If I’m trying to bait an agent to bite should I try and entice with a stand-alone ?

The novel I'm rewriting was epublished in 2008. One reviewer said the main couple falls in love too quickly. It's about midway through the novel. Is there a way to stretch out the time between their meeting and falling in love?

I wrote my first book and have been trying to edit it, but I’m completely lost. I keep hearing that the author needs to read it and make several/many edits before sending it to an editor. Is it possible to send a first draft to an editor to get a better idea of what’s working or not as far as structure/storyline?

Hi, Alyssa, and everyone else in the group. I apologize if my inquiry seems a little silly, but this is my first time writing, so please be tolerant. I'm working on a crime novel. My killer, the main character, gets introduced to you right away, and while his identity is known to the reader, the book does contain some surprises and revelations as the story continues. This is the query I have. My murderer and the man he abducted grow close, and I hope that their relationship will someday blossom into something more. Is there a risk involved? Is it appropriate for a crime fiction to include a romantic relationship? Furthermore, when is too many characters, TOO MANY?? I appreciate your videos. Many thanks.

I'm about a quarter of the way finished writing my first book. It is about my military experience. I'm writing it as fiction due to fear of a certain organization's retaliation. What genre would a military memoir-style fiction best fall under? Also, is it still dangerous to talk about certain illegal government activities I've witnessed even though it's technically a fictional book?

Your new background is beautiful. It would look great if your shelves were filled with books and there was a good place for Luca to join the show.

Stop whining about thumbs ups. Make good videos that are worthy of that instead.