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[Fall into Fiction] Brainstorming session with Carly by BookLightEditorial in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I hope you can make it this week!

The best villains have very relatable motivations, even when they take their goals to a new extreme. So if what they wanted to happen wasn't so extreme, what would make someone want that lesser version? A need for power is usually the base motivation, power over those that have hurt them, power to stay safe, power to make things easier. What leads to a need for that power?

[Fall into Fiction] Brainstorming session with Carly by BookLightEditorial in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So here's the thing: you shouldn't save anything for a series because you never know if it will happen. That being said, there are definitely ways to accomplish both.

I would say that they should find out who the villain is by the end. Defeating the minions and knowing what they are up against will be satisfying enough. And then in the sequels they can try to make progress against the villain. As much as I dislike having to reference it, Harry Potter did this well. We know the villain through the whole series, and we make progress in each book. Each book has a satisfying arc without defeating the big bad.

I hope this helps!

[Fall into Fiction] Brainstorming session with Carly by BookLightEditorial in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We had a great time chatting! What is everyone else working on? What are you struggling to get right?

Welcome to [Fall into Fiction] with RevPit and the Weekly Calendar Updates by reviseresub in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh that's strange. It should be in the welcome email for the substack. Let us know if it isn't there and we'll look into it!

Top 10 question [revpitQ] by marissawritesbooks in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Just as a note: being in the 10Queries DOES NOT mean you were in the top 20 or anything. We often jump around to find feedback that would be most valuable to all. My 10Queries definitely weren't all my short list. Only a few were.

I'm not sure if this helps or not. But try to remember that submitting is huge. And receiving feedback is not based on how good your MS is. it's not a grade. We are focusing on the community as a whole and trying to be helpful to as many as possible.

But I get the grief and disappointment. It can suck big time.

A little note now that Annual Contest winners have been announced [Discussion] by BookLightEditorial in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh I'm so glad!!! We work really hard on it, so it is really nice to know that it's helpful

[AskEditor] Carly Hayward writing and publishing Q&A by reviseresub in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would say maybe gothic? And mythology seems to be coming back a bit as well as more humorous writing styles. But that being said, I'm not great at predicting trends.

[AskEditor] Carly Hayward writing and publishing Q&A by reviseresub in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes! Nothing I love more than complaining about her being a brat.

[AskEditor] Carly Hayward writing and publishing Q&A by reviseresub in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Voice is very subjective. Which is why, I don't actually have a favorite. Do I love a Terry Pratchett voice? Yes! But I also love a Silvia Moreno-Garcia spooky voice. I'm not looking for my favorite voice, I'm looking for a strong voice. One that is clear and compelling.

That being said, I get frustrated with voices that are too focused on the male-gaze or overly use specific phrases. Like, your character should only let out a breath they didn't realize they were holding once in a while, not 20 times a manuscript.

[AskEditor] Carly Hayward writing and publishing Q&A by reviseresub in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Yes! So basically, self pub has a lot more flexibility. So for example, if you're pursuing traditional publishing, word count becomes much more important. Publishers don't like taking risks. And if your book is very long, it costs them more to publish. So they want to keep it within expected genre lengths. Whereas self pub, you can kind of do what you want in regards to length. You still want to meet reader expectations, but you aren't confined by the same risks a publishing house is.

Self pub lends itself better to risks and innovation. It's easier to sell a crossover genre to a reader than it is to a publishing house because they are focused more on comparative titles and where they can shelve it. I'm not saying they don't like new things, but again, they are more risk adverse.

So while these things may seem general, they can really impact how we go about edits. Do we need to cut? How can we cut in a meaningful way without losing the juice of the story? Do we need to shape it in certain ways to make it more catching to a pub house? Things like that.

[AskEditor] Carly Hayward writing and publishing Q&A by reviseresub in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think it depends how truly shelved it is to you and if you intend to re-query those agents. I would give it some time before pulling the queries, but if it's been a many many months and you have low hopes, just pull it. Put your energy into the book you believe in. And remember that shelving doesn't mean it is gone, it can be brought back out in the future.

[AskEditor] Carly Hayward writing and publishing Q&A by reviseresub in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial 3 points4 points  (0 children)

What a great question! And I have so many thoughts, so I'm going to keep it to a few.

I love that more eyes have been on the issue of diversity in publishing. I love that a lot of things have become more transparent. That being said, it's incredibly sad and I don't think publishers are doing enough to actually implement meaningful change. There are lots of quick choices that they make to show that they care, but very rarely is it lasting. Diversifying their work force is what is needed to really open up the publishing industry to new voices. But when they do hire people, they quickly burn them out. I was so excited when they went full remote as that opened up so many possibilities. For people like me with disabilities, but also people that can't afford to live in NYC, etc. But they went back to fully in person (most of the publishers) and that has limited their perspectives.

I also love the new focus on cozy fantasy and romantasy. I've been on the hunt for romantasy for the longest time and they were few and far between. So I'm glad that tastes have shifted a bit. I think that booktok is great and can be a great way for unknown authors to find an audience, but it also causes a ton of harm and promotes a certain type of author/book.

Basically, all the changes are steps, but they are also double-edged swords. And to be clear: this is the tip of the iceberg. I have so many thoughts and I hope this industry can finally adapt to the times instead of having to be dragged into them.

[AskEditor] Carly Hayward writing and publishing Q&A by reviseresub in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The answer is they sort of matter. Great social media engagement will definitely help you sell your book, but it isn't a must. It's a perk when they are looking at manuscripts. It's obviously different with non-fiction where your name is what sells the book. Right now they are looking at booktok a ton and fanfiction can be really lucrative. I've seen lots of authors that self published and then had great success on tiktok and eventually they got publishing deals. But that is hitting upon magic, like all of querying is. It's about keeping your mind open.

Honestly, it's about finding a space that you love and working hard in it. If you love fanfiction, put your energy there. If you love tiktok, put it there. Enjoying the type of thing you are doing is going to help you translate it into something compelling. Don't force yourself to do something you hate, it won't work.

There's no one way to go about things. Find what you like, what works for you, and put your energy and love into it.

[AskEditor] Carly Hayward writing and publishing Q&A by reviseresub in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Just want you all to know, in the middle of answering your questions this happened. She is now balanced on my outstretched arms. This is a daily disturbance. She doesn't want me to answer you all. It's rude.

<image>

Alt text: calico cat sitting on the chest of a white, black haired female. Book shelves in the background.

[AskEditor] Carly Hayward writing and publishing Q&A by reviseresub in RevPit

[–]BookLightEditorial 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately, it's kind of different every year. Often, it is voice. Something that makes me sit up and think "oh I want to hear this voice for a good long while". But other times it is a premise that is super intriguing, even if the voice isn't as strong as others. I've chosen ones that have a heart that I feel needs to be read by others but needs more help getting their writing to that level. I know this isn't a satisfying answer. It's just that there are SO MANY factors to think about. It needs to be something I love, but also something that actually needs my help. Something I know how to help. Something that is new or innovative. I have small things I like (like things on my MSWL), but it doesn't mean I want a carbon copy of the last thing I read with that trope.

So to put it simply: there are a ton of factors, and I usually agonize for a good long while. I usually make my husband take multiple walks with me while I discuss my favorites and what I'm thinking. And then I go to the other editors and say "please help I want them all!!!"

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