Chapter 11: Getting Constructive Feedback

For months you’ve been working on your manuscript. You’ve weathered writer’s block for several weeks and made it through to the end. In a blaze of excitement you are raring to start sending it to agents. Stop. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been sent the first draft of a manuscript. (How can I tell? Because it’s riddled with typos, errors, and inconsistencies.) You’ve spent so much time working through all the elements of the work; please don’t allow your manuscript to get passed on because of silly mistakes that could have been avoided.

Let me give you an example. I was watching the latest DVD version of a TV show I like. One episode revealed that the main character’s father had abandoned him as a baby. Afterward, I went back and watched the entire show from beginning to end. In season one, this same character mentioned a clear memory of growing up with both his mother and father. Obviously the show’s writers didn’t catch this small change of premise; I might not have caught it had I not been watching all the DVDs back to back. But this small story illustrates exactly why you should carefully read and revise your manuscript after it’s finished—to look for all those little details that need polishing, revising, moving, or cutting. This chapter includes information on rewriting, seeking advice from fellow writers, and developing community through critique groups. It will also cover information on how to get the most out of your participation in writers conferences.

It may have taken you several months, if not years, to finish your manuscript, and of course you feel like all along the way you have been self-checking for all the pertinent craft elements that we spoke of in earlier chapters. You may have even told yourself, “I’ve done my revisions already on a chapter-by-chapter basis.” If that’s true—excellent. But I urge you to go through the revision process even so; you never know what you may find to improve your manuscript.

Prepare yourself to do a series of revisions. You’ll be the first to revise your manuscript, but you’ll also revise based on feedback from a critique group or writing buddy, your agent, and your editor. The revision process can be very daunting and quite an emotional experience.

There are many ways to go about revising your work. I’ve found that the following process eliminates a lot of the editorial requests for revision that you might otherwise get.

1. Give yourself a little distance from the manuscript. If you have time to put it down for a week or two, great. This will allow you to come back to it with fresh eyes. You should ask yourself: Why did I write this story? And why should someone read it? Does it really have a core reason to exist?

2. Read the manuscript aloud. Often reading aloud will help you feel the pace. If there’s too much description, you will find yourself getting fatigued by it. If there’s too much dialogue or you have too many characters, you might find yourself getting lost in it.

3. Reread the manuscript in one sitting if possible. Make notes in places that you might need to come back to and look at again, but don’t make corrections at this point.

4. Go back to your notes. Fix those things that instantly popped out at you.

5. Before you arbitrarily start chopping up your manuscript, ask yourself a few overall questions.

a. Content: Does the story have narrative drive, emotional power, and an original style?

d. Execution: Does the story have sufficient pace and appeal or literary value?

e. Quality of Writing: Does the story have adequate balance of dialogue, description, and action?

f. Age Appropriateness: Is the content age-appropriate in language and message?

7. Start trimming. There’s usually material that can be cut or shortened. Look for inconsistencies, poor transitions, and words repeated too often.

8. Read the first page. Agents and editors pay very close attention to the first couple of pages of your manuscript. Make sure those pages really draw the reader in. Is there something unique about the character or the setup that will make the reader want to continue?

9. Do a grammar and punctuation revision. Don’t get distracted by this too early—it should be the last thing you do. There’s plenty of time to catch these errors later.

As you are revising, don’t worry about how long it will take you to tighten the manuscript. Editors and agents would prefer to see a well-polished manuscript than one that was rushed to their desk, especially after feedback has been provided. Michelle Poploff, vice president and editorial director at Delacorte, says, “I have an open conversational style with my authors. They know they can send me an email asking any questions about the process at any time. We communicate through emails, comments on the manuscript, meet in person when possible, or set up a mutually convenient time for extended telephone conversations. We go back and forth with ideas, suggestions, comments, and so on, for as long as it takes.”

I love revising and tweaking. (In fact, I’m sure my editor for this book at several points had wished I would just hurry up already.) Understandably, though, not everyone likes revising. But there are a few things to remember about this process.

First, everyone gets edited. I have never—and I do mean never—had a client whose manuscript came in perfect and didn’t get some editorial feedback. So don’t think you’re being singled out.

Also, when you’ve been offered editorial advice from someone in your critique group or even from your editor, you don’t have to take the advice. I say this sheepishly because I don’t want to send the wrong message. To be clear: when given editorial advice you don’t have to necessarily take the suggestion, but you must fix the problem. Author Bethany Hegedeus says, “Working with your editor is like working with a therapist. They help you articulate the vision of what you want and work to guide you, but you still have to do all the work.” I always tell my authors that they must stay true to the vision of their work; be authentic but be flexible. Editors have reasons for making their suggestions, and unless you feel very strongly about it, and sometimes you will, do take the suggestion. If you plan to stick to your idea, you must be able to justify it. And as you are formulating your justification for leaving it, be sure to think of your reader first.

Often you’ll need some time to think about how to make the changes. Be sure that when you make revisions you keep all the varying versions. I always date the file of my manuscripts, and I keep each version so that I can go back to the files later. You’ll find that sometimes things you’ve cut in one round may creep back into your manuscript later, or possibly into a future book.

You don’t have to feel like you are on your own when it comes to revising. There are many ways to get the feedback you need before sending your manuscript out to agents. The remaining sections will give you some examples of how to get others to review your novel.

- ADVICE FROM PUBLISHERS ROW -

Stacey Barney, editor at Penguin Putnam:

“Writers are the bravest people in the world and are defined not by publishing credits but by their courage and willingness to follow their muse despite even the most withering of critiques, their commitment to their craft, and their generosity of spirit. It’s a brave and generous thing to share words, stories, characters as personal to the creator as their most guarded secrets. Writers, from the novice and unknown to the most accomplished, are the heart, conscious conscience, and soul of humanity—the best of who we are and our mirror. I thank God for writers every day.”

While some writers are eager to release their work and send it to editors right off, others are a bit more hesitant. You hesitate to send it out, then you go ahead and release it and wish you hadn’t. If you do this, a critique group can make that process easier.

- AUTHOR WORKING -

Author Sundee Frazier says, “To me, writing a novel without seeking the input of trusted readers would be like trying to swim the English Channel alone. You’re just asking for trouble. The best input confirms something you already suspected but were too scared or proud or lazy to change. There’s also the inevitability that others will see meaning and connections in your work that you didn’t even realize you were creating. This kind of feedback goes a long way toward motivating me to complete my manuscript (or getting me to the other side of the channel, if you will). My first novel for young people would not have been nearly as good or complete if it weren’t for the suggestions of others. The entire tone of the book, where it starts, the cast of characters, and even the accessibility of the main character would have been much different had it not been for the constructive commentary of those to whom I entrusted my work.”

When setting up your own critique group, be sure to provide the readers with a list of overall questions so that they can evaluate your work. It’s best when you have all readers review based on a consistent set of parameters. That way you can determine if there’s uniformity in the remarks. In addition to the questions you asked yourself earlier, you may want to ask some or all of the following questions.

• Does the first chapter engage the reader and set up the basis for the rest of the story?

• Is the point of the novel presented clearly, and is it apparent to the reader?

• Is the language level (e.g., word choice, syntax, sentence structure) appropriate for the genre and consistent throughout?

If you plan to set up your own critique group and you don’t know anyone offhand, you should definitely hit the blogosphere. There are hundreds of blogs that speak directly to the young adult market. One of the most comprehensive I’ve found is www.asuen.com/blog.central.kid.lit.html. It is run by Anastasia Suen, author of more than one hundred books. Blogs are not only a way to get feedback on your novel prepublication but also a way to develop community around your book so that you can gain a readership. Once you have developed a community, they will support you once the book is published. Readers who gave feedback feel part ownership in its development. In addition, creating one’s own blog has become so commonplace in the young adult market it is almost a means of entry into the community of readers.

Oftentimes authors will post a chapter on their Facebook page and solicit responses or get feedback. This is another option. In fact, the Internet is full of social networking sites—websites designed to introduce people to other people—that can be used to your advantage. Sites like Facebook and MySpace allow you to create a web page dedicated to your work. You can also join groups of other potential YA authors where you can solicit feedback. Turn the Web to your advantage—use it to publicize and polish your work.

An additional option for getting feedback on your manuscript is to participate in writers conferences. As the number of aspiring authors has increased over the last decade, so has the number of conferences all around the world. There are conferences for nearly every genre of book, including young adult books. A writers conference can be a treasure trove of information.

At the average conference you’ll find workshops, keynote speakers, round-table discussions, moderated group sessions, writing exercises focusing on the craft of writing, one-on-one consultations with industry experts, and critique sessions. There are also personalized writing retreats for individuals and group writing retreats.

To find out more and to review a list of conferences, there’s an online resource called ShawGuides that features conferences and writers’ retreats around the world. It can be found at writing.shawguides.com.

The registration fee for the average conference can start as low as $100, but it’s usually more on the average of $500, depending on the location, the cast of professionals in attendance, and the history of successful writers who may have gotten their start there.

In assessing what conference to attend, be sure to find out if you will have the opportunity to have one-on-one consultations with editors or agents. This is invaluable even if your manuscript is still in the early stages. They can provide you with feedback early on, and sometimes that feedback may even take your manuscript in a totally different direction. Not only is the feedback helpful, but it also sets the stage for the opportunity to submit your work to the editor or agent later once you’ve finished.

When you have a one-on-one consultation with an editor or agent you may be asked to pitch your project to them in a very short time period. Some conferences pattern it after speed dating, where you only get five minutes to tell the editor or agent about your work. This forces you to have a succinct and clear message about your book, similar to what you might see on the back cover. But you also have to tell the editor or agent a bit about you as an author. It can be very nerve-racking, and it takes some skill to pull it off. However, editors and agents know how difficult this is, so often they will have a workshop set up for writers who plan to pitch, where they teach you all about how to do it. There are even books about it. One of my dear friends, Katharine Sands, has a book called Making the Perfect Pitch. It has helped many a writer with not only pitching at conferences but also writing the perfect query letter.

I always find it interesting when I’m at conferences and people sit down to pitch their story ideas to me. It’s not always the best pitches that produce the best books. However, those who can pitch their projects with aplomb are the ones I initially get excited about. Unfortunately, a writer’s personality, character, and dramatic effect are not always the same as what is found in the manuscript. The author’s style is often what sets her apart in this media-driven marketplace. If you can get someone excited by you and your personality, they will often take a second look.

There are typically a number of agents at the conference, and you will need to size them up quickly to determine who you will want to pitch your project to. The conference organizers will ask participants to sign up for one-on-one meetings. The list can fill up quickly. If you are not able to get a one-on-one because you didn’t sign up fast enough, there may be other opportunities to speak to your ideal agent or editor during the conference.

Agents and editors will speak on panels describing the kind of books they are interested in. You might have an opportunity to tell them a little about your project after the panel discussion. As much as you may be tempted, don’t pitch your work during the Q&A session of the panel. Another place you may be able to get specific feedback on your project is during a workshop session. Agents will sometimes ask for volunteers to share their work or use it as an example during their course. Not only will you get advice on your work but they may also request to see the full manuscript later.

The conference is also a place to meet other writers and form relationships. There are often critique groups being formed.

While this book was written to help teach you to write for the young adult market, you can educate yourself beyond these pages. There are a number of programs to help writers develop their writing skills for the YA market. I’ve found that most of the writers who have participated in these programs have landed at least an agent, and many go on to publish their work as well. Both agents and editors troll these programs for great talent.

And the exciting thing about several of them is that you don’t have to leave your home to participate. Vermont College, which designed the first ever MFA program for children’s and young adult literature, has a low-residency model that allows students to work directly with faculty through written correspondence, online work, and telephone conference calls. Other similar programs include Seton Hall, Lesley College, the New School, Rutgers, and Stanford University. I’ve included additional information on these programs in the appendix.

Finally, there’s one other way to get feedback on your writing—you can pay for it. (I mention this process last because it is the most expensive way to do it.) You can hire a professional literary coach, book doctor, or editor. The good thing about it is that if you hire someone good, your manuscript will be extremely polished. The bad thing is that the cost can be somewhat prohibitive depending on the professional.

If you are interested in going this route, you can ask editors, agents, published authors, or writing friends for referrals. Ideally you want to find someone who focuses his editorial development work on YA books. There are some companies that do just that—for example, namelos.com, run by former Front Street Books president Stephen Roxburgh. You can also go to publishersmarketplace.com. This website is chock-full of editors who can help you develop your work. Again, be sure the editor you choose is one who works on YA books, because he will be most knowledgeable about what agents want to see and the sensibilities of the market. And of course there are directories, such as The National Directory of Editors and Writers for Hire, compiled by Elizabeth Lyon, as well as publishersmarketplace.com