Literary Associate Elizabeth Copps is interviewed!

Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Elizabeth Copps, Literary Associate with the Maria Carvainis Agency, Inc. 

Elizabeth began her publishing career in 2010 as an MCA intern after graduating from Florida State University with a BA in English Literature. She was thrilled to join the agency full-time in 2011 as the new literary assistant. Two years later, she was offered the position of literary associate and is incredibly excited to build her own list of authors.

Elizabeth considers herself an eclectic reader, but she is particularly interested in literary, multicultural and contemporary fiction, women’s fiction, young adult and young adult crossover, gritty thrillers and mysteries, memoir and romantic suspense. She appreciates rich and believable characters who immediately draw readers into their world, and she is always captivated by a startling plot twist. Her favorite authors include, John Boyne, Chris Cleave, Gillian Flynn, John Green, Joanne Harris, Jhumpa Lahiri, Dennis Lehane, Stephen King, Daphne du Maurier, David Sedaris, Jeanette Walls, and Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

MCA’s clients include Mary Balogh, Sandra Brown, Candace Camp, Cindy Gerard, Kristan Higgins, Will Thomas, and Laura Wright among others.

Thank you for joining us, Elizabeth!

JF: Please tell us about your typical work day (and how many manuscripts you usually have waiting in your inbox).

EC: Our solicited manuscript log is ongoing, so I have a lot to sift through every day. I usually read between 5 and 10 manuscripts a week depending on whether I am reading partial or full projects. Regarding query letters—the agency usually receives between 20 and 25 letters a day. We try our best to respond to every query within 10 business days of receipt.

JF: What gets you excited in a query letter?  Do you have any pet peeves when it comes to submissions?

EC: Queries that read similarly to a blurb on the back of a book always make me sit up and take notice. I love tight, witty language. Additionally, I want to be hooked by a story’s concept from the first sentence or two of the pitch—but fascinating and unusual characters appeal to me as equally as an intriguing plot. 

As far as pet peeves are concerned, I have three biggies:

1. Failing to research our agency’s submission guidelines. It’s clear to me when authors have not done their due diligence. Query letters that are not personalized, or queries with 30 other agents copied on the same email are giveaways.

  

2. Providing biographical information before describing the writing project. I’m very interested in hearing about a writer’s credentials or reading a short biography, but a writer’s first job is to sell me on their book. 

3. Starting with an excerpt of the novel instead of a formal pitch. I appreciate receiving 10-15 sample pages in a separate attachment so I can get a sense of the writing, but it is disorienting to begin reading a sample without any context.

JF: Certain agents edit a manuscript prior to shopping it to editors. Others don’t. How would you describe your process?

EC: Providing our authors strong editorial feedback is a service we pride ourselves on at MCA. We want the best, most polished version of our client’s work to land on an editor’s desk.  

JF: What do you enjoy most about representing authors to the publishing industry? Least?

EC: In publishing, I really do feel like I get to have my cake and eat it too. I have the privilege of working with highly creative minds as well as impressively business-savvy men and women. I love that I’m in a position where the two sides of the industry merge.

The most unenjoyable aspect of the business has to be sending rejection letters. It’s a necessity, but it can be really difficult. Agents receive rejection letters too, so I know that it is never a good feeling to see one pop up in your inbox.

JF: Which social media venues do you consider most important for authors:  a website, a blog, Twitter, Facebook, or Goodreads? Are there others you recommend?

EC: Knowing their way around all types of social media platforms can only benefit authors, especially those who are hybrid or self-published writers. I will say that I believe having a strong website is a necessary foundation for any writer. A website should contain links to an author’s Facebook, Twitter, blog etc. as well as the option to sign up for a weekly or monthly newsletter. Play to your strengths. For example, if you know you can keep up a Twitter account, do so. If you know you hate Facebook and will rarely post, you won’t do yourself or your readers any favors by starting up an account.

JF: What one piece of advice would you offer to authors who plan to pitch their novel to you at Colorado Gold?

EC: Have fun with it! Tell me why you’re passionate about the book you wrote. If I can see how enthusiastic you are about the characters and the plot, chances are I’ll be excited to read your work too.

JF: What do you do for fun when you’re not working?

EC: I’m a big foodie, and I should probably make my motto something along the lines of, “no cookie left behind.” I also have a serious travel bug. This year I am lucky enough to be doing quite a bit of domestic travel for business. Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee and of course Colorado are on the docket thus far for 2014.

JF: Now I would like to ask an off-track question. What did you dream of doing when you were twelve years old?

EC: I was convinced that I was going to be a famous painter. The best afterschool class my mom ever enrolled me in was called “Art Safari.” The classroom was in a converted warehouse, and the teacher filled it floor to ceiling with every art supply imaginable. The first day I walked in she looked at me and said, “Create!” It was pretty magical.

Thank you, Elizabeth!

You can visit http://mariacarvainisagency.com/ for submission guidelines, or meet with Elizabeth in Denver when she joins us at RMFW's Colorado Gold Conference, September 5-7, 2014.

Janet Fogg

www.janetfogg.com

Event! Event! 2013 Colorado Gold Contest Workshop!

Are you an unpublished writer of commercial novel-length fiction?  Interested in writing contests?

Join Chris Devlin, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer's Contest Chair, and Terry Wright, Co-Chair, on March 16, 2013 for a free workshop: Introducing the 2013 Colorado Gold Writing Contest!

Saturday, March 16, 2013
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Arvada Public Library
7252 W. 57th Avenue
Arvada, CO 80002
No RSVP required

Making the finals in RMFW's annual Colorado Gold Writing Contest is a great way to get your work in front of agents and editors. In fact, many past winners and finalists have gone on to have their books published. If you're thinking about entering Colorado Gold this year, then don't miss this opportunity to spend an afternoon with contest chair (and longstanding contest judge) Chris Devlin. Come learn what makes a good entry great, what catches a judge's eye, and how to avoid common mistakes.

Chris Devlin is a writer, blogger, and social media specialist. A long-time RMFW member active in critique groups and as a contest judge, this year she's Contest Chair. Her novel St. Vitus Academy: The Lazarus Rock finaled in the Pikes Peak Writing Contest in YA paranormal. She likes to study storytelling in different mediums to find the commonality among them.

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If you can't make it to this event, keep an eye on RMFW's 2013 Colorado Gold Writing Contest page for this year's deadlines and rules for submission. 

Janet Fogg

Janet is the author of Soliloquy, an award-winning historical romance, and co-author of the military history best seller, Fogg in the Cockpit.

Midnight Ink Acquisitions Editor Terri Bischoff Interviewed at Chiseled in Rock

Interview conducted via e-mail by Pat Stoltey. Originally posted January 24, 2012.

Terri Bischoff owned a mystery bookstore for several years, but now she’s the acquisitions editor for Midnight Ink, publisher of crime fiction in almost all its forms. Several Colorado authors have been signed by Terri—Shannon Baker, Beth Groundwater, Linda Hull and Cricket McRae—and Terri also joined us at the 2011 and 2012 Colorado Gold Conference where she took pitches from hopeful authors.

We welcome you to Chiseled in Rock blog, Terri. Thank you for agreeing to this interview.


Pat: It’s obvious you’ve been interested in crime fiction for a long time. But what about when you were a kid? What did you want to be when you grew up?

Terri: I read everything I could. I specifically remember Encyclopedia Brown and the Hardy Boys. I have a memory of me in elementary school, waiting for the bus after school, reading a really fat romance book. I would skim over the naughty parts, but I had run out of things to read and I found that at home!

Pat: What did you like best about owning a mystery bookstore? What did you like least?

Terri: There are several things I loved about owning a mystery bookstore. I have a bunch of author friends, some of whom I have the pleasure of publishing now. I also became great friends with many customers. And when I got a box of ARCs, it was like Christmas! What did I like least? Running the actual business. Huh, sort of mirrors my likes and dislikes as an acquisitions editor!

Pat: You are now the acquisitions editor for Midnight Ink. Tell us about your typical work day (and especially how many manuscripts you usually have waiting in your e-mail Inbox).

Terri: I don’t really have a typical day. I am checking and answering emails all day long. I can have three meetings a day or none. (Note that in one meeting, we could address four different books.)

As an acquisitions editor, I walk the book thru the entire process. I present it to the acq. ed. board which requires me to research the book and its comparable titles. If we ok it, I make an offer and negotiate the contract. With the input of others, we request revisions – then I have to read the revisions when they come in. I present cover ideas, title ideas and tag lines and we decide on those as a group. For each season, I present at an internal sales conference. I discuss each book and place it in the market so sales, marketing and publicity have all the info they need to do their jobs. And these are just the highlights. Juggling is important in my world.

Sadly, I spend the least amount reading submissions. I don’t know right now how many submissions I have, but I am over a year behind, which is why I had to partially close submissions.

Pat: According to the Midnight Ink online submission guidelines, you do not take unsolicited submissions, but will accept submissions from agents or from contacts you’ve made at conferences or mystery conventions in the last twelve months. For those writers who are interested in pitching to you in person, which conferences will you attend this year? What do you look for in an 8-10 minute pitch?

Terri -- referring to the 2012 conference year): So far I am only scheduled for three conferences – Love is Murder, Malice Domestic and Bouchercon. I am also doing the RMFW May Education Event (May 19th at the Renaissance Hotel in Denver).

What do I look for in a pitch? First, I am a person just like any other person – talk to me and make eye contact once in a while. Second, know your book. Don’t call it a cozy if you graphically blow away four people in the first two pages. Third, tell me the key parts – word length, genre, main character info and plot info. Leave me time to ask questions – don’t mindlessly prattle.

Pat: When you review a crime fiction manuscript, what are the five most important things you look for in the first chapter?

Terri: Five things? I don’t know that I have any rules… the first chapter has to grab me. Either the character or the crime has to intrigue me.

Pat: In subgenres, what are you tired of seeing and what would you love to see?

Terri: I don’t know that I am tired of seeing anything. Even though vampires are trending down, if a well-written, well-conceived manuscript came my way, I would give it a shot. I don’t chase trends because it’s a waste of time. I am only interested in finding the best crime fiction out there.

Pat: Do you reject manuscripts for excessive violence or gore, profanity, or certain kinds of crimes?

Terri: I personally don’t like crimes involving kids, but I wouldn’t necessarily reject it. The only types I reject without hesitation are horror or fantasy/sci-fi crossovers.

Pat: At this time, are you more interested in mystery series or standalone novels and why?

Terri: We publish mostly series books because that is what most mystery readers are interested in – readers want the plot but also characters they can come back to. But as I expand the line and publish more thrillers and such, I will be picking up standalones. Thrillers rely more on the action and plot rather than the character development.

Pat: Writers are often advised to have a web presence before even selling their first manuscript. Of the following web and social media opportunities, which do you consider most important for the debut author: a website, a blog, Twitter, Facebook, or Goodreads? Are there any others you recommend to your authors?

Terri: I wouldn’t recommend a heavy social media push until you have a contract in hand. Most books take 12-18 months to publish with a traditional publisher. That is plenty of time to drum up interest. I would rather an author spend his or her time revising their book. And when book one is turned into the publisher, start working on book two immediately. I would not EVER recommend getting a website with the character's name or the name of the book until your editor has confirmed that name – publishers change titles most of the time, so don’t waste your money.

Pat: What do you do for fun when you’re not being an acquisitions editor?

Terri: Hmm… I used to read, but not so much these days! I love sports, so going to a baseball game or watching football is what I do on most weekends. I bowl. Fishing if someone is there to take the fish off! I also have three boys, aged 6, 4 and 4. They are a handful, so mostly I just try to keep them fed.

Pat: Terri, thanks so much for answering our questions. We hope to see you at another Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Conference soon.

Terri Bischoff blogs at Under Cover of Midnight—The Midnight Ink Blog with Terri Bischoff. Her January 3rd post on New Year’s Resolutions lists her personal and professional goals for 2012 (after she mentions her entertaining reasons for never making resolutions). The blog also features guest authors (and photos that reveal more about what an acquisitions editor does at work and at play).

Terri can also be found on Facebook and Twitter @TerriBischoff

For more information about Midnight Ink and its books and authors, visit the publisher’s website. The authors’ blog is InkSpot.

A Colorado Gold Nugget by Terry Wright

This is my fifth year running the Colorado Gold Writing Contest for RMFW. It’s hard to believe that much time has gone by. Thinking back to the beginning, I recall how word had gotten out that I’d sold my auto repair business and retired, so Susan Smith and Jeanne Stein asked me if I’d take over for them. They’d been at it for five years, so I figured I could do the same stint.

First and foremost, I’m a businessman. My eye is always on the bottom line. Profit and loss. Red and black ink. Cost v expenses, time equals money. Buy low, sell high. When I saw the contest through my entrepreneurial eyes, utter disbelief overwhelmed me.

The sheer amount of paper the contest volunteers had to shuffle staggered me. The number of people it required to move all that paper, the amount of space it took to store, organize, and stack it, the cost of the materials, the printing, the packaging, the postage, and the hundreds of man-hours, oh my. I went into ‘bottom line’ sticker shock.

Susan and Jeanne helped me survive that first year. Afterwards, I looked at the numbers, put my business experience to the bottom line, and came up with a new plan. Electronic submissions. If other contests could do it, so could RMFW. I told the Board it would take a total revamp of our procedures and that I was willing to do the work needed to usher the Colorado Gold into the 21st Century. They gave me the go-ahead to devise a new, easier, and cheaper way to conduct the contest.

The next year we accepted paper and electronic submissions, a kind of weaning-off-paper process. The third year, we went all electronic. Expenses dropped by 67%. This allowed us to budget in more prize money and fund two new categories: Action/Thriller and YA. Not one penny was spent on paper supplies and printing.

The Colorado Gold is now leaner and keener.

Chris Devlin will be your Contest Chair next year. She’s a 25-year member of RMFW, and she’s judged the contest most every year for the last twenty. This year she’s helping me, learning the ropes, and she’s thrilled to be involved. Thank you, Chris, for stepping up. You're a Colorado Gold Nugget.

Contest opens April 1st. Go to www.rmfw.org/contest for all the details.

The 2012 Colorado Gold Writing Contest!

By Janet Fogg

Oh, so you’re just thinking about entering The Colorado Gold Contest for unpublished writers and want my thoughts? Let me ask you something first, though. It sounds as if you’re trying to find an excuse to avoid entering. Why? What’s the problem?

What?! You’re afraid you won’t win? Well, pull up a chair and let me share a few thoughts about winning. To be honest though, I’m far more anxious to talk about losing.

Yes, I’ve won my share of contests and it’s exciting. First you receive word that you’re one of the finalists in your category. At the big banquet, all spiffed in your fancy pants, your heart pounds when your name is called. You bolt to the podium amidst waves of applause. And then, the moment of truth. Who won? You did? Applause! The editor picked your entry and now she’s shaking your hand!

Shhhh… Here’s what you’ll do later, right? You’ll find her in the bar or hospitality suite and thank her for selecting your manuscript. Then, at the perfect moment, she’ll undoubtedly lean close and slip you a three-book contract.

Ahem. You really do write fiction, don’t you?

What will really happen is that you'll have an edge, and the final judge in your category might just request a full. Regardless, you’ll have increased confidence as well as additional credentials to boost your resume, which is very helpful in this profession of ours. But wait, there's more.

Cut to scene at pitch meeting: ME, many years ago: “Hi, Big $$ Agent! I’ve had several articles published as well as one short story, and I just won first place in the Colorado Gold Contest for my time-travel, Soliloquy... Yes, it’s complete, about 80,000 words. Sure, I have a few pages with me. Here.”

BIG $$ AGENT (flipping through the first three pages): “Well, at least you can write. Here’s my card, send me the manuscript next week. I'll take a look.”

Happy dance! Was it because I’d polished and honed and studied and fussed and fumed and listened to my friends in critique regarding those first 20 pages, which helped me win the contest? Most likely. But I didn't win first place the first time I entered.

Speaking of not winning, I want to talk about losing a writing contest and why that’s not a bad thing. Yes, I know it’s not politically correct to say “you lost,” but if you didn’t win that means you lost. Or does it?

Alone, in the dark (and sometimes stormy) night, I’d written my first book. Then I attended a class on How to Get Published. At the class I joined fellow attendees to form a critique group (Uff Da!). During that class I also learned about writing organizations, conferences, and contests. I learned about RMFW. I wasn’t alone anymore.

Entering my first Colorado Gold contest was scary-fun. I remember being chew-on-your-elbows nervous when preparing my entry, to the point that I probably had the rules memorized from double-checking them. I already mentioned I didn't win first place in that first contest I entered. But in retrospect I did win, BIG time.

The RMFW conference and contest were my first real foray into the big, bad world of publishing. When I didn’t win first place I was flattened. Think fresh asphalt on a hot day. I was so certain that I would be the next Zenna Henderson or Julian May. The world of fantasy would be mine for the taking… and it wasn’t. But the writers and editors and agents at the conference welcomed me to their panels and luncheons and dinners, and we talked, talked, talked about writing and publication. I doubt that I’ve ever learned so much in so few days. But I was still sad about not winning first place.

At some point I hitched up my britches, grabbed a cup of tea, and carefully arranged my score sheets on the dining room table so I could study them on a warm, optimistic morning. Oh no, look at this, where I keep shifting POV! Oh no, look at that passive text! Deep breath. Oh wait, here’s a nice comment. This judge liked my synopsis, said the overall story holds together. And this judge said my voice is INCREDIBLE. All in caps! Wow! Then she said if I’d tighten my pacing, address a few mechanical issues such as POV and passive text, that she would have purchased my book if flipping through it at a bookstore!

I’d already sent out at least a half-dozen queries before entering that contest. I should dig them out and send apologies to each of those editors. Don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of my first manuscript, my very first try at novel-length fiction, but I now recognize how poorly it’s crafted, that it lacks pacing, subplots, and world-building. The comments from the contest helped me recognize what I needed to study to improve my next effort. And manuscript number two was better. I kept entering contests, reading, attending critique, learning, and most importantly, writing new words. Then, with manuscript number three I finally landed my first publication contract.

But let’s talk rejection for a moment. There could be an analogy made between losing a contest and that loss preparing you for a glimpse of the future, when query after query might trigger rejection after rejection. In other words, the contest is kind of an apprenticeship for the world of publishing. You want to win the contest and you want to win a publication contract. To win either there are lessons to be learned, words to write, worlds to conquer.

When an agent sends comments with a rejection this is a compliment, even though they're attached to a rejection. Just like in the contest, there are lessons to be learned from those comments. Yes, you do have to filter all comments, decide if you agree or disagree. But your writing will improve and someday you will win! First you’ll land an agent or you’ll meet an editor and pitch to them. They’ll love your story idea and request a partial, then a full. You’ll receive an offer and then… a contract!

So when it comes to writing contests, it seems as if losing might just be winning. Of course winning is winning as well. Guess that means you can’t lose, doesn’t it?

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Workshop alert!

Colorado Gold Writing Contest Workshop
March 24, 2012, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Lakewood Library
10200 W. 20th Ave. (West of Kipling at Miller St.)
Lakewood, Colorado

Here's your opportunity to get a heads up on the 2012 Colorado Gold Writing Contest. Join Terry Wright for this pre-contest workshop and learn how you can increase your chances of making the finals. That's what it takes to get your work in the hands of an agent or editor attending the Colorado Gold Writers Conference in September. It just might turn out to be the big break you've been working for. Publication. However, if your verbs are passive, your scenes are vague, or your characters are flat, and/or your synopsis is more plot than character, you might miss the final round. So take the time to benefit from Terry's 12 years of experience as a contest judge and coordinator.

For additional information on the contest, visit RMFW’s contest page.

Ten Ways to Get the Most from a Writers’ Conference

By Pat Stoltey

Since the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Conference is rapidly approaching (September 9-11 in Denver), it seems fitting to talk about how to get the most from your experience. Here are my ten suggestions:

1. Become a member of the organization sponsoring the conference. If that organization has a Yahoo! Group, join it as well. It’s the best way to make contacts before the event and find the volunteer jobs I mention in #3.

2. If you have an area of expertise useful to authors, send a workshop or panel proposal for the conference committee’s consideration. At Colorado Gold, some of the well-attended sessions are presented by unpublished writers or others with knowledge of marketing, firearms, critique groups, writing press releases, police procedures, digital publishing options, and more. It's too late for this year's Colorado Gold, but not too late if you're thinking about 2012 gatherings such as Northern Colorado Writers Conference in Fort Collins in March 2012 or Colorado Gold in September 2012.

3. Volunteer to work before and/or during the conference. Volunteers assemble registration materials, work at the registration tables, moderate panels and presentations (which includes introduction, timekeeping, Q&A moderating, and room cleanup), gather donations for the hospitality room, and other duties.

4. If there’s a critique workshop included with the conference you choose, and if you have a manuscript ready for critique, sign up for one of these sessions even if it costs a little extra. This is especially worthwhile if the workshop sessions are moderated by agents and editors, as are the Friday afternoon sessions at Colorado Gold.

5. If pitch appointments are available, and you have a completed manuscript, sign up. If it’s your first time, don’t be afraid. There are plenty of online and print resources to help you master the art of pitching. Agent Rachelle Gardner has a series of posts on her blog that are definitely worth your time. Secrets of a Great Pitch specifically addresses pitching at conferences (and Rachelle will be attending Colorado Gold this year, so she might be exactly the person you want to listen to). Do not pitch your book to editors or agents at inappropriate times, but don't be afraid to chat with them during social events.

6. Study the program and the workshop descriptions before you go to the conference so you have a good idea which workshops and panels will be most useful to you. At Colorado Gold, sessions are ranked beginning craft, advanced craft, special interest, etc. to help attendees decide.

7. Arrive at the conference with a smile. Pay attention to people. If you see someone wandering or sitting alone, start a conversation. Listen. Exchange business cards. Make a point of talking to at least one new person at every session you attend.

8. Find out where your conference hospitality room is and make an appearance there each day, even if you don’t stay too long. While some rooms will be non-alcoholic and open all day, others will be small and noisy late evening events with a bar. Either way, editors and agents may be present. Be on your best behavior.

9. Some conferences provide a book of handouts with the registration materials, which is helpful for note taking. Be prepared to take additional notes during a workshop or panel. This year's Colorado Gold will have the booklet on a jump drive included in the registration packet. In August, the booklet will be available online for downloading.

10. When you get home, follow up on the contacts you made. Read your contacts’ blogs and leave a comment, or e-mail them. If an editor or agent invites you to submit a partial, follow through.

Veteran conference attendees, do you have any additional helpful hints for those writers going to their first conference?

Contest! Contest! Where do you get your leeches?

In September 2010, attendees of RMFW's Colorado Gold Conference were graced by the wisdom and humor of Connie Willis, science fiction writer extraordinaire.

After the conference I wanted more! While I’ve read most of Connie’s books, in reading about her life and career I found a number of quotes that made me laugh out loud. Here's one:

"When you're a writer, the question people always ask you is, "Where do you get your ideas?" Writers hate this question. It's like asking Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen, "Where do you get your leeches?" You don't get ideas. Ideas get you." — Connie Willis

I paused to consider my own leeches. One adopted me while I was visiting relatives in rural Illinois. My sister and I stopped at a dilapidated roadside antique shop, and as we wandered through the clutter I found myself wondering what people would be collecting in a few hundred years. Probably not pink Depression glass. The day before, we’d been discussing the Town of Nederland’s Frozen Dead Guy Days. That’s when the theatric Headhunters leech bit me, a leech that eventually evolved into a screenplay co-written with Karen Albright Lin.

Then there was that morning when I woke up with what has to be the most exciting leech ever! How good was that leech? (Keep it clean!) A phrase, what I thought might eventually be a book title, had nipped at my toes for years, since hiking with my husband one frosty morning in Yellowstone. When I woke up that Saturday… BANG! I didn’t want to get out of bed. I’ve drafted over 40,000 words of that leech and love curling up with it, though it’s grown in scope and is occasionally a bit daunting to get my arms around.

So, where do you get your leeches? Or share a “Williscism” with us, how you respond when an awe-struck reader asks, “Where in the world do you get those (crazy) ideas?" Or share both!

Please post these in the comments before January 8, 2011 and on January 10, 2011 we'll share a selection of top leeches or “Williscisms” and (drum roll, please) we'll also announce our winner, the blue-ribbon leech.

The winner will receive a DVD of The African Queen!

Janet Fogg

(Aren't you glad I didn't include a picture of a leech?)

Void where prohibited
No purchase necessary to enter
Need not be present to win

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