Tag Archive for 'conventions'

Your Five Minutes Start… Now!

Posted February 15, 2010 by Gabrielle Tags: , , , .

Thanks to the wonderful Laurie McLean and the rest of the Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency, I had the fortune to spend my weekend at the San Francisco Writers Conference as an independent editor. For two days, my job was to advise writers in one-on-one sessions.

The catch? The sessions were only five minutes long.

Sign-up sheets were posted with each editor’s name and genre, and each attendee could sign up for a session with the editor of their choice. They could use the time to get a critique on their pitch, to get a critique on their first page, to ask questions… however they wanted to make the best use of their time.

For an extra $50, attendees could register for Sunday’s “speed-dating with the agents” session. That meant that their pitches had to be as refined as possible before Sunday. The five-minute sessions on Friday and Saturday were largely preparation for that. Writers had five minutes with us, but they only had three minutes with each agent. With just three minutes to get someone hooked, every moment counts.

I spoke with about twenty writers on Friday, and about thirty on Saturday. It was a whirlwind. It was dizzying. It was also incredibly rewarding.

I was the first editor to arrive, being the compulsively early type that I am, so I staked out the window table with the great view. It also happened to be the table in direct view of the door. My sign-in sheet said “YA, Fantasy, SF” but I also ended up speaking to writers of women’s lit, literary fiction, children’s fiction, short fiction, non-fiction essays… and each session was equally constructive, regardless of genre.

I could tell you fifty stories, one from each of those fifty quick sessions, and about forty of them would involve that amazing click of pieces falling into place. Some of them would involve even more rewarding epiphanies. A few might make their way into future blog posts (with the writers’ permissions), so stay tuned.

Most of the writers wanted to refine their pitches. Some of them had something already written and just needed feedback and a couple of word-choice recommendations. Some of them spent two or three minutes telling me what they had written about, in rambling, meandering language, and then I helped them pull out the most important points from what they’d just said. Three-minute explanations were quickly honed into thirty-second pitches: intriguing ideas expressed with powerful, evocative words.

A woman who sat down with a concern about how to market a collection of short stories with no cohesive theme, stood up five minutes later awed by the realization that there had been a linking thread between her stories all along — and a strong, intriguing one, at that.

Some of the writers wanted to know which genre or market I thought their manuscripts would best fit. Many asked me about the difference between middle grade and young adult. I drew heavily on this post by author Adrienne Kress, recommended reading for anyone else who might be curious about the answer.

For questions about the other edge of YA, I found myself referring writers to Scholastic’s Push imprint. Push prints some of the edgiest YA I’ve read — harsh, gritty, unapologetic and real. Murder, drug use, homelessness, pyromania, self-injury, sexual abuse… If you want to see how rough YA can get, read a few Push novels. I personally recommend starting with anything by my former colleague Brian James (gratuitous link to a review of his book DIRTY LIAR) and going from there.

Many asked me if I thought their concepts were viable. If the ideas sounded like a tough sell, we discussed how to slant the pitch or revise the content to make it more compelling.

I critiqued several first pages. I pointed out improbable simultaneous action, awkward dialogue, shifting perspective, punctuation, grammar and spelling issues; I discussed character voice, tone, age-appropriate vocabulary levels and whether the first line and choice of opening scene were compelling.

I discussed the “rules” of writing and when — and how — it’s acceptable to break them.

I loved the challenge of it, and the thrill of each success. But the real reward was the feedback. It felt great to be able to provide so much constructive advice to writers, especially in such a short time, and hear them tell me how helpful our few minutes of conversation had been. They were all so passionate, so focused and so ambitious that their energy was contagious and cumulative. By the end of each day I was exhausted and drained, but I still wanted to do more.

I had Sunday free to wander, so I checked back with some of the writers I’d spoken to. All of them reported nibbles; some reported larger bites. All of them were confident about their pitches and pleased with how the sessions had gone.

If you’re at a stage where you’re ready to show your writing to people in high places, and if you have the financial means to attend, I strongly recommend adding SFWC to your plans for 2011.

In addition to the agent and editor consultations, there are presentations and group sessions on a wide range of helpful topics. There are amazing networking opportunities and there’s time to explore some of the beauty and history of San Francisco. Space is limited and the conference sells out quickly, so if it’s the sort of opportunity that you think might benefit you, start thinking about it now.

And don’t think that this is a “mainstream fiction only” sort of event. It isn’t! Fiction, non-fiction, memoir, how-to, travel, romance, fantasy, science fiction, children’s, suspense, poetry… and I know for a fact that SF/F will be even more strongly represented next year. No matter your genre, if you’re ready to be published, there are people here who are ready to meet you.

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SF Writers Conference

Posted January 28, 2010 by Gabrielle Tags: , .

I’ve been invited to participate in the San Francisco Writers Conference, February 12-14 in downtown San Francisco.

I’ll be attending as an independent editor, giving one-on-one consultations with writers and participating in an “Ask a pro” session with other editors and agents.

The conference is in its 7th year, and is a great opportunity for writers to meet and network with industry professionals.

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9 Tips for the Novice (Professional) Con-Goer

Posted October 28, 2009 by Gabrielle Tags: .

I had written a post before Anticipation (Worldcon 2009) about being a panelist at a convention, and a couple of people have approached me since about general suggestions for first-time convention attendees.

Most of these suggestions assume that you’re a professional in the field, or an aspiring professional, but I think they can be applied all around.

1. There will always be someone More Important Than You, and More Successful Than You. Don’t be bitter toward these people for having what you want, and don’t cling to them to try to find out their secrets and soak in some of their wisdom or karma. They’re just people, just like we are, and sometimes it’s a relief to them to be treated like normal people. Treat them politely and as equals, and you’ll find that they’ll treat you politely and as equals, back.

2. Most of the people at a smaller, writer-biased convention are there to network, just like you are. If you’re talking to someone and a person you know approaches, don’t just wave or make them wait. If you don’t know for a fact that they know each other, introduce them and include them. Most conventions supply nametags, which make this a simple task. A professional or personal introduction can go a very, very long way. Everyone should do this, and it surprises and upsets me that more people don’t. By introducing people you know from different circles, or introducing people you know to new contacts, you’re spreading the habit and encouraging them to do the same. You’d want that introduction if it was your friend talking to someone cool. Offer them the courtesy, and you’ll be more likely to receive it from them.

3. If you’re representing yourself as a professional, look and act the part. Dress a little better than the average con-goer. It may mean that you don’t get to wear the witty t-shirt or let your cleavage hang out, but if you want to make a professional impression on people, unless those things are part of the persona you’re choosing to adopt, a nice business-casual look might be better suited. A shirt with a collar or a blouse with jeans, or slacks, can still be in a color scheme and style that don’t brand you as a total outsider, while making you look classy. Be conscious of your personal hygiene, too. Don’t torture the person you’re talking to with your garlic breath from lunch! You’ll always end up meeting the person you most want to meet when you’re least prepared to meet them, so I use that as a guide: dress the way you’d want to be dressed to meet that person, at all times.

3a. Take care of yourself. Most conventions are at hotels and convention centers – places surrounded by cheap fast food, expensive fast food, and little else. Stay hydrated, get enough sleep, and remember that caffeine, sugar, alcohol and carbs aren’t the only food groups, even if you do need to range a little further afield, or pay a little more, for the rest. Remember your vegetables and your vitamins, and your body will thank you.

4. Have a business card, a bookmark, some kind of something to hand to people. Carry them in your pocket or somewhere else in convenient reach, in some kind of protected way so that they’re not going to look like they’ve been in your pocket all day, but keep one extra card outside that container and flush to it, so that if you’ve only got a moment, you can hand off a card without having to fumble for it and make someone wait. Some conventions give out badge holders that are designed really nicely for this.

5. The best way to track down someone Important is to look them up in the programming guide, attend their reading, panel, or signing. If it’s a signing, you’ve got a few dedicated moments of their time, but it also brands you as a fan and not an equal. If you hang around after a reading or a panel, they’re in their “on” time then, unlike when they’re heading out for dinner with their friends or family, and they’re probably going to expect to be approached. If they’ve got a time commitment and they have to run off to something else, accept it gracefully. It happens. Otherwise, wait patiently with the other people who are hanging around to have a word with them, introduce yourself and say hello when it’s your turn.

5a. If you’re approaching someone Important as an equal, introduce yourself with your professional credentials, offer them your card if you can, and compliment them on some aspect of the talk they’ve just done. Don’t hand them something to sign. That instantly brands you as a fan. There’s nothing wrong with being a fan, but a fan is not an equal. If you want to be seen as an equal, forego the autograph just this once. The personal connection you could potentially make with them is more important.

6. Time can really get away from you at a convention. Flip through the schedule ahead of time, or in a quiet moment. If there are things you really want to do or see, list them out for yourself and keep aware of your list, or you’ll probably end up missing some of the things you were looking forward to. My list always has a few interesting options, where available, for each time slot. If I end up skipping the ones I’m not as into, that’s fine, but if I find myself at loose ends, or if I’m with a group wondering where to go, I have access to something I think would be interesting, or that features someone I’d like to see, without having to dig through the schedule for it.

7. Talk to strangers. Conventions are great opportunities to meet people with like interests and unexpected connections in common. You will miss out if you don’t network with new people. Even if they aren’t Big Name Important People, they may still have a lot to offer and there’s still potential for a friendship or even a professional opportunity that may surprise you. You never know what someone else does, or who they know! Going to a convention with a group of friends or colleagues is a lot of fun, but step outside your circle, too. Talk to the person next to you in line. Maybe they’ve traveled a long way, or have an interesting story to share. At the very least, it’ll be an engaging way to pass the time.

8. Be very aware of body language. If someone’s eyes start glazing over, if they start looking around and beyond you, or angling themselves away from you, it’s time to thank them gracefully and let them go. It’s uncomfortable to be cornered, and it’s uncomfortable to watch someone being cornered. I’ve been held hostage after panels by people who “don’t hear” my polite nudging that I have somewhere to be, or in one case, wouldn’t let me go even when a colleague came to take me away to our next scheduled event. Don’t be the guy (or girl) that people need to escape from.

9. Have fun! Don’t attend a convention with a checklist of people to talk to, or you’ll stress about it and forget to enjoy yourself. A convention, and even a panel, never turns out exactly the way you plan, and it’s the parts that deviate from your expectations that usually turn out to be the best and most memorable parts. Go with the flow, have fun, meet who you meet, and remember that you can’t be everywhere at once and you can’t do everything there is to do. Enjoy being where you are, and remember that there’s always the next one to do the things you miss out on.

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World Fantasy Convention

Posted October 26, 2009 by Gabrielle Tags: , , .

This weekend, I’ll be attending the World Fantasy Convention in San Jose, CA. If you’re going to be there and would like to say, please feel free to drop me a line. A comment or a note through the “contact me” page will get to me, and I’m @gabrielle_h on Twitter.

I’m not currently scheduled for programming, but you’ll be able to catch me at Philippa Ballantine’s reading at 10:00 on Saturday in the Garden Room.

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Shortcuts to Success

Posted October 1, 2009 by Gabrielle Tags: , , , , .

Here’s the only thing you need to know about shortcuts to a successful writing career: There aren’t any.

There are alternatives to the traditional process. Lots of them. But none of them are shortcuts.

Let’s look at a few.

1. It’s who you know.

Connections, as I mentioned in my post on Dealing with Rejection, will open a door for you, but that’s all they’ll do. They won’t walk you through it and they won’t guarantee what will happen on the other side. Networking can absolutely make you in this business. It can open opportunities you wouldn’t have dreamed of… but only if your product is good enough to stand on its own. Someone might take a chance on you as a favor, but not if it’s a losing proposition that might hurt their own reputation. Nothing’s going to happen for you unless you’ve already put the work in, developed your craft, and built the kind of credibility that will make your contacts proud.

Also to consider: Networking opportunities cost money. Even if you can write off your workshop or convention airfare and hotel as a business expense, you’ve still got to have that money on hand to lay out. There are a lot of networking opportunities happening around the world every year and it’s not realistic to go to all of them. You’ve got to pick and choose them carefully. And conventions, when you attend them as a professional, are work. You’ve got to have your networking persona on 24/7, have your pitch always at the ready, and still maintain the charisma and control not to come off as unfriendly or desperate. Then there’s the researching and preparation for your panels and the bookkeeping that follows up on the sales you make. The time you spend at conventions and conferences also needs to be balanced with your day job, your family time, and your writing time.

2. Self-publishing

Self-publishing isn’t a shortcut. Don’t listen to the people who tell you it is. Yes, it’s a shortcut to getting a bound copy of your work, but it’s not a shortcut to success. All you’re doing when you self-publish is trading the long hours and hard work of submitting to agents and publishers with the long hours and hard work of tirelessly marketing and self-promoting. You won’t have any support system to sell and distribute for you, it’ll be all you, all the time. You will have to eat, sleep and breathe book just to break even on your print costs, and even then you’ll be fighting against an enormous handicap. You’ll have a very hard struggle ahead of you to get taken seriously by publishers and booksellers, and your opportunities for distribution will be extremely limited. You’ll be selling from your website and from the trunk of your car, and your most important challenge will be finding creative marketing strategies that make people look beyond the “self-published” label and actually read your writing.

Don’t confuse small press with self-pub. Small presses are still legitimate publishers and their place in the market is growing. To print with a small press, you still have to submit your manuscript, get it accepted, get a contract, and then the publisher prints the book.

Self-publishing is where you go out and pay a printer yourself. There’s no acceptance procedure, just a simple business transaction. You hand over your money and your file, and you get books.  The bias against self-publishing exists because of that lack of acceptance procedure. Self-pub does away with the gatekeepers — the agents, the publishers — who weed out the stuff that’s not up to professional standards. Thus, a lot of the material that’s self-published is of amateur quality and really isn’t ready or suitable to be published at all. That’s not to say that it’s all amateur. It isn’t. But there’s a popular perception that it is. If you’re throwing yourself into that pool, it doesn’t matter how good your book is, the struggle to distinguish yourself is going to be very hard work.

3. Podcasting

Recording a podiobook isn’t a shortcut to success any more than self-publishing is a shortcut to success. These writers aren’t circumventing the hard work that goes into landing a deal with a major publishing house; if anything, they’re working harder. While traditional paths to publishing deals involve sending and keeping track of a lot of mail, creating a professionally polished podcast with top-notch editing and mixing is a much harder and more time-consuming endeavor — even moreso if you’re determined to do a release with a full voice cast and ambient music and sound effects. Doing it for free in hopes of gaining some devoted fans and the ear of a publishing executive is really nothing more than a labor of love for the craft. It requires a lot of skill-learning and a serious investment of time.

A growing number of writers are finding success through podcasting their fiction. The podcasters who produce the high-end podiobooks that earn attention, really earn the attention they receive. They put out excellent, polished books with excellent, polished production values. On the down side, many of them will tell you that the editing and mixing takes up a large portion of their time, and that means that it takes time away from their writing, too. On the up side, fan feedback and praise can be a great boost to balance out the sting of rejection letters while you work on getting your novel noticed by people in high places. Is it a viable avenue to a print publishing deal? Definitely. You can even do it concurrently with the traditional query and submissions route. But it’s not, by any stretch, a shortcut.

—–

The point I’m making here is that, no matter what, your product has to stand up for itself. It has to meet a standard of quality and it has to be something people want to read. There are less-traditional paths toward publication that are open to you, but they’re no less work, they’re only a trade-off in terms of how and when you do the hard work.

You can do the legwork up front and send out hundreds of submissions to get yourself an agent or a publisher, go to a ton of conventions and workshops to make good contacts, or you can put the product out first and do the legwork afterwards in the form of tireless promotion and marketing. One form of work may be easier or more natural for you than another depending on your personal skillset and situation, but the amount of work is still the same.

The success stories that you hear about aren’t fairy tales that prove that shortcuts exist; they are examples of what can happen when top-notch talent and determination meet in the right place at the right time.

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Dragon*Con Schedule

Posted August 31, 2009 by Gabrielle Tags: , , .

I’ve got a very light schedule at Dragon*Con this year: just one panel, an awards ceremony, and a book launch. I don’t mind, because it gives me time to play. Dragon*Con is much more of a media con than the last few I’ve gone to, and I’m looking forward to a more leisurely pace and a chance to roam around, meet people, and see things.

If you’re going to be there and you’d like to meet up, the contact form on this site is a good way to drop me a line, or you can send me a message on Twitter (note: I don’t yet have the technology to access Twitter on-the-go, so don’t expect an instant response).

Or, if you’re feeling ambitious, you can meet me after my panel:

Friday 2:30pm, Hilton 204 – THE LIFE AND TIMES OF PODCAST NOVELS: How the podcast novel has evolved over the past five years, and the continued benefits of podcasting to promote your writing. Mur Lafferty, Michael Stackpole, Scott Sigler, Christiana Ellis, P.G. Holyfield, Gabrielle Harbowy

I will also be attending the Parsec Awards – Hyatt Regency V Ballroom – Saturday 7:00pm

This Thursday, look for a guest post by author David Sakmyster. I’ll be back on Monday, probably with a convention-inspired topic.

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Parsec Finalists

Posted July 27, 2009 by Gabrielle Tags: , , , , , , .

The Parsec Awards, presented each year at Dragon*Con, recognize excellence in speculative fiction podcasting.

I’m pleased to honor and congratulate the following talented clients, friends and colleagues for their nominations as Parsec finalists:

Philippa Ballantine (Erotica a la carte nominated for Best Speculative Fiction Magazine or Anthology Podcast)

Christiana Ellis (Christiana’s Shallow Thoughts nominated for Best Speculative Fiction Comedy/Parody Podcast)

P.G. Holyfield (Murder at Avedon Hill nominated for Best Speculative Fiction Audio Drama (Long Form) and The Dead Robots’ Society nominated for Best Writing-related Podcast)

Michell Plested (Irreverent Muse “Get Published” nominated for Best Writing-related Podcast)

Phil Rossi (Eden nominated for Best Speculative Fiction Story (Novella Form))

J. Daniel Sawyer (Antithesis Book I: Predestination nominated for Best New Speculative Fiction Podcaster/Team)

Congratulations to all the nominees. I will be attending Dragon*Con and the awards ceremony. Hope to see you there!

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Anticipation! or, How to Be a Good Panelist

Posted July 20, 2009 by Gabrielle Tags: , .

…That’s Anticipation: the 67th World Science Fiction Convention, otherwise known as WorldCon.

My programming schedule has been confirmed, my bio has been sent off, and I’m good to go! I’m doing a panel Monday afternoon on hard science fiction, and I’m looking forward to hanging out with Dragon Moon Press author Erik Buchanan. If you’re attending and want to get in touch, you can use my comment form to drop me a line.

Speaking on panels can be a little intimidating at first, but it’s not too frightening an experience. While I’m preparing for the convention, here are my tips for participating like a pro on panel discussions:

Things to bring with you to your panel:

1. A watch
2. A notepad and pen
3. Water
4. A copy of your book and a small display stand
5. Business cards / bookmarks / flyers / some sort of small take-away item
6. Name plate
7. A sweater or light jacket

1. A cell phone can substitute for a watch in a pinch, but not if it’s the kind of phone where you have to keep poking at buttons to keep the screen active. Take off your watch and put it on the table in front of you so that you can glance down at it without looking like you’re checking the time. You want to be aware of it, and be aware of how much time you spend speaking, but you don’t want to look like you’re bored!

2. A notepad and pen are essentials for me. If I think of points I want to raise while other people are talking, I can jot them down quickly so that I don’t lose my train of thought by the time my turn comes around. Also good for noting especially insightful observations by your other panelists, or recommended reading, or taking down the e-mail address of someone who doesn’t have a card to give you, or jot down plans for later.

3. Most conference rooms will supply water, but I wouldn’t rely on it, just because I wouldn’t want to be stuck without. It doesn’t hurt to bring your own.

4. Bring your book with you to give the audience a visual reference. Choose one book, or two at most, and if the other panelists aren’t putting theirs out, follow the crowd. Don’t hide behind a wall of them, and pick the one or two most relevant to the topics at hand. I’m doing a science fiction panel, so I’ll probably be bringing Crescent by Phil Rossi to display. I have a couple of small, clear plastic hinged plate stands (they look something like this) – I think they were all of 50 cents each – and they’re great for elevating a book so that the audience can see the cover clearly. I bring a few extra stands because people invariably beg to borrow them.

5. Business cards are my handout of choice, because I’m an editor and I want people to contact me. If you’re an author, print up some business cards or bookmarks or tasteful flyers that promote your work. Don’t be too aggressive about giving them out – the panel isn’t about you, and it’s not your infomercial – but set them out on the table in front of you and make them available if anyone wants to come up and take one afterwards.

6. Conferences usually provide a name card, but you may somehow end up not getting one, or you may end up losing it or leaving it behind. Or, you may have one of those names that’s misspelled more often than it’s spelled correctly, in which case it’s nice to have the insurance of having your own name card that you know is going to be right… just in case.  Plan ahead and print out your name in a bold, readable font on a landscape-oriented piece of paper, fold it in half, and you’ve got a backup name card for the table.

7. Climate control is a wonderful thing, but it doesn’t always control as well as it should. Dress in layers and have a light jacket or sweater with you if you can. In one panel I did at a recent convention, the air vents were right over the presenters and the A/C was blowing on us full-blast. Convention staff was informed and they were able to take care of it before the following panel, but we had to suffer through it and try not let it distract us. Temperature may vary from room to room. Be prepared and be adaptable.

Things to keep in mind

1. Be a professional
2. Do your research
3. Let the moderator moderate
4. Be a team player
5. Know when it’s appropriate to network
6. Relax!

1. Being professional means looking and acting the part. Arrive a little early so that the panel doesn’t have to wait for you. Dress a little better than the average con-goer and be especially conscious of your personal hygiene. Don’t torture the panelist next to you with your garlic breath from lunch! Also be aware of your body language when you’re speaking, and even when you’re not. You’re still up in the front of the room and on display. Don’t scratch, pick, or do things that will make watching you uncomfortable, and don’t play with your water bottle, click your pen, or do any other sort of nervous tics that distract from the other panelists while they’re speaking. Please turn your phone silent before the panel starts.

2. Don’t start off by saying that you don’t know why you’re on the panel, or that you didn’t know you were going to be on the panel. You were selected for your expertise and your opinions. Present yourself as someone who has both of those things. Research your topic as well as you can ahead of time, but accept that no amount of research can cover every question or angle. Still, the more prepared you are, the better you’ll be able to handle the unexpected. Research your fellow panelists, as well. If you have at least a little familiarity with their body of work, you can respond to them or hand questions off to them in a more personal way.

3. The moderator keeps conversation moving, gives everyone an equal chance to participate, and keeps the panel on topic. Don’t police the panel yourself, tell other presenters what to do, or watchdog others’ time. Let the moderator do it. Similarly, keep an eye on your speaking time, keep your tone respectful, and make the moderator’s job as easy as possible. Don’t be someone who needs to be policed.

4. Unless you’re a big name and you’re on a panel discussing your own books, it’s probably not all about you. Introduce yourself in the beginning and do refer to your body of work and experience as appropriate, but don’t use the panel as a time to rattle off your resume and star in your own one-person show. If you speak engagingly, if you entertain while displaying knowledge and insight on the topic at hand, your audience will be interested in learning more about you and following up with your work. But remember, they’re probably attending for the topic, not for you.

5. Arrive a little early and plan to linger a little after your panel if you can. Showing up early gives you a chance to meet your fellow panelists before things start up, and it also ensures that they won’t have to hold things up for you or start without you. Staying a little late gives anyone who didn’t get to ask a question, or anyone who wants to introduce themselves to you, a chance to do so. Or, it gives you a chance to follow up with your fellow panelists if they’ve said something you’re interested in discussing with them at greater length. The panel itself isn’t the time for any of these things. Don’t let a question turn into a personal discussion that excludes the rest of the room. Instead, mention that you’ll hang around for a few minutes after, or invite someone to take your card and contact you later.

6. Remember to relax, and remember to breathe! There’s plenty to make yourself nervous about, but in the end, don’t take your panels too seriously and don’t overthink them. They’re a chance to talk and share ideas in front of an audience, that’s all. They’re not lectures or formal debates. Have a little fun with them and give yourself a chance to enjoy the ride.

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To the Stars

Posted March 30, 2009 by Gabrielle Tags: , , , .

Ad Astra was a great time. Huge thanks to the programming coordinators for having me out, and to all the authors, editors and other attendees I met and spent time with. This is my first time in Toronto, and everyone’s made me feel right at home.

I learned some important lessons: don’t wear heels you’re not comfortable running up and down a flight of stairs in, carry both of your business cards and your name plate at all times, don’t be afraid to pause and write something down (because you’ll kick yourself when you can’t remember it later), and don’t expect anyone to remember a thing you’re saying to them if the hockey’s on in the bar.

One of the best lessons I learned was from Ken Lillie~Paetz: When you moderate a panel, half of it goes the way you planned, half of it doesn’t. But don’t worry about it, because the half that didn’t always ends up being even cooler than the half that did.

He was, needless to say, right.

I feel like I offered some important lessons, too. It was gratifying to be able to express things I’ve learned in my editing experience and watch people nod in strong agreement, or lower their heads to write down my advice. It was great to be able to reassure writers that em dashes do exist on their computers, and explain how to find them.

It was great to meet up with the brilliantly entertaining Dragon Moon Press author Erik Buchanan, to talk with him about the editing process, the marketing process, and how approachably ruthless I’m going to be on his next book; and also to spend time with people like David G Hartwell, Robert J Sawyer, Adrienne Kress and Lesley Livingston.

Most of all, it was great to have an opportunity to express to a room full of writers why I love what I do—why I choose to work with the enthusiasm of new writers, and with the small press structure that allows real rapport to develop between writer and editor. I’m Editor-in-Charge, but I’m also working with the authors, doing my share of the actual copyediting and substantive editing. That’s the fun of it for me: recognizing a rough gem and giving it the little tap here and there that guides it into the jewel that it can be.

I welcome correspondence, I’m available for freelance editorial work in addition to my position as Editor-in-Charge at Dragon Moon Press, and I’m happy to accept questions and answer them here on the blog.

I can also be found on Facebook and LinkedIn as Gabrielle Harbowy, and on Twitter as gabrielle_h, but I like to receive at least an introduction and know who you are before I link back.

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Up and coming

Posted March 19, 2009 by Gabrielle Tags: , , , , , , .

SOLOMON’S GRAVE is now in print! Congrats to author Daniel Keohane, with whom it was a pleasure to work. You can purchase the book from Amazon.com via the link above, or by clicking on the book cover in my sidebar.

The fantastic podiobook NINA KIMBERLY THE MERCILESS will be arriving in print on May 15th. To celebrate the print edition, author Christiana Ellis is offering a new and improved version of the podcast. Listen to the first installment!

Also scheduled for release in May is THE NECROMANCER’S BONES by Deby Fredericks. This is the sequel to the excellent novel THE MAGISTER’S MASK. While the second book can stand alone, the first is an intriguing fantasy/mystery and well worth a read! Order MAGISTER’S MASK now, so that you can be ready for the release of NECROMANCER’S BONES.

For those curious, or in the area, here’s my current panel schedule (subject to change) for Ad Astra:

Sat 10:00 AM — Ballr. East — What’s In a Name (MODERATING)
What are the challenges and trends in naming characters, locations, races, etc? Where can you find names? Is there a push for more realistic-sounding names? Do more fantastical names turn some readers off?

Sat 12:00 PM — Ballr. East — How Not to Submit Your Work
Panelists present all the things you should never do when submitting your creations. There’s a right way and a wrong way to present the fruit of your labours, whether it’s a novel, comic, short story, art portfolio, or other creative work.

Sat 1:00 PM — Ballr. East — How to Edit Yourself
Authors and editors share tips on how to spot the problems that are so easy to miss in your own work, how to add a bit more polish to your writing, when and why you need to find a second reader, and how to prepare your draft so that editing goes as smoothly as possible.

Don’t be afraid to drop me a line via my contact page if you’re going to be at the conference and want to say hello.

Also, a reminder, I do have openings in my schedule and I accept queries for editing projects through my contact page, as well!

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