OT: Puttering with POV Characters

Current Project: Proposals for two MS
Status:  Inching along
Since this is my third post of the month, I decided to post off-topic.

Today I got to thinking about how point-of-view (POV) character choice affects scenes. Everything that takes place in that scene is filtered through the POV character’s senses and interpreted through their mind and emotions. It makes sense, then, that sometimes a POV switch can totally alter the reader’s experience of a scene—while at other times, not so much.

I decided to rewrite the opening paragraph of my Steampunk Romance work-in-progress in different POVs to see how perspective shapes a reader’s initial impression. 

Sojie

Hot spring sunlight made an oven of the black widow’s weeds Sojie had donned to hide her identity while she and her two companions escaped from Portland. A breeze off the Columbia River failed to penetrate the dense veil that hung from her hat like a shroud.  She ignored the unladylike odor of the sweat that pasted her wool bodice to her torso like a potter’s glaze. Sojie had learned to ignore pain and sweat while turning dull clay into rainbow works of art over her scientist-mother’s objections. She smiled. Mother would be most displeased to learn her prodigal daughter had defied her to search for her missing father and brother in Boise.

Jett
Jett pretended to be mesmerized by the dirigibles that bobbed in their berths like flying leviathans, mentally cursing his lack of meteorological foresight. From beneath the brim of his hat, he kept surreptitious watch over a young woman shrouded in black who perched on the edge of her cafe chair in the blistering sunshine. When he’d insisted Sojie disguise herself as a widow traveling with her older brother, he should have considered the possibility of unseasonable heat.  Why couldn't he remember that other people couldn’t tolerate extreme temperatures the way he could? She’d wanted to cut off her hair and pass as a boy, but surely no man would have mistaken her sweet, earthy scent for a male’s. Even at this distance, his jaw ached with the effort of tamping down his primal response to her body’s perfume. 

Zack

Zack’s attention shot back and forth between the stiff back of the girl in widow’s weeds who sat at a nearby outdoor café table in the hot sun and the line of parched miners and cowboys who waited in front of him for a turn to purchase a cool drink. He eyed the looming airships moored nearby and then spat a stream of tobacco juice into one of the large brass spittoons the City of Portland provided for airship passengers. How could those leviathans possibly stay afloat? He hoped he wouldn’t regret accepting this job. Jett had offered him a genereous sum to keep Dr. Hemming’s runaway daughter safe on this crazy journey to Boise.

When you read Sojie’s POV, what were your impressions? Did you feel grounded in time and place? Were you hooked?

Now consider Jett’s POV. What changed for you?

Zack is an important secondary character, not the hero. Would using his POV at the beginning of the book confuse you as a reader?

Which opening paragraph did you prefer? 

Quote of the Day

Two more tips on querying from Miss Snark's archives:

From 3/9/07:  "There are people in your office right now with a run in their stocking, unshined shoes, three weeks past due on a haircut and drenched in Eau de Gauloise, but that is NOT how they showed up for the interview that got them the job. A query letter is like a job interview: put your best foot forward. And remember, the default answer on query letter is NO.  What I look for is something that makes me say YES."

And

From 3/18/07:  "Nothing beats plain straightforward description in a query letter. It's when you get all fancy that you shoot yourself in the foot. If your description sounds like a snotty wine waiter at an overpriced faux french bistro "a clever little novel drenched in atmosphere with an insoucient streak of historical je n'est ce quoi circa 1832" then you've just assured me that not only is the novel not quite right for me, it will need a trip to Lourdes to be publishable."

Weekly Progress Check-In

This is the Mid-Willamette Valley RWA's weekly check-in.  Every Monday we encourage members and visitors to let us know how their writing is going.

Today is Monday, June 27, 2011.

Are you on track to reach your goals?

There are 187 days left in 2011.

Weekly Calculations:

If you write 1 page per day, you can write 46750 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 2 pages per day, you can write 93500 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 3 pages per day, you can write 140250 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 4 pages per day, you can write 187000 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 5 pages per day, you can write 233750 more words by the end of the year.

So how are you doing?  If you have gotten off track, this is the week you can regain your momentum.  Tell us how you're doing, and set a fresh goal for the upcoming week.  A page a day is a book in a year.  You can do it!

PRIZES:  The best prize is reaching your personal goal and finishing your book.  But if you need an extra little incentive, remember:  any chapter member who reaches her personal goal by the end of the year receives a prize at the year-end party.  Non-members can win, too.  Non-members who show up for at least 20 weekly check-ins will have their names entered in a drawing for a gift card from Powells, the world's largest independent bookstore.

Current Project: LEGACY series
Status: First book done; editing next five

Ever have a day slip by with your schedule so upside-down that you missed something important? I just did with what was supposed to be my Thursday blog post!

Since I have already shared my limited thoughts on conference tips and pitching, and was going to post off-topic anyway, I'll just share that I watched a fun movie with my son and grandson called HANCOCK, starring Will Smith as a superhero who starts out the movie as a drunk who destroys buildings and vehicles and streets while he saves people and fights crime.

Thought about the structure of the movie a bit while I watched it, but mostly tried to turn off the internal editor and enjoy the action, drama, interesting characters, and romance with a twist.

And now I'll exit stage right off the blog for this week to make room for our next post. Hope you all take the time to read a good book or watch a fun movie!

Hey batter, batter!

Current Project:Miscellaneous
Status:

Pitching is you tossing an idea out to an editor or agent and hoping they like it enough to take a swing. But what happens when they do take a swing and ask for more?

You sit down and run through the amount they requested one more time to make sure it's polished to a gleaming shine. You send the requested amount and then spit polish the remainder in hopes they ask for the full.

But you wait months and you hear nothing. Do you send an e-mail and give them a nudge? What happens when they asked you to send a partial and told you to give them a nudge after a certain length of time if you havne't heard anything, and they still don't respond?

How long do you wait?

If I haven't heard from an unsolicited query in six months, I write it off as a not interested, but how long do you wait to hear back from something you pitched at a conference and was requested? And how many times do you send a "nudge"?

Weekly Progress Check-In

This is the Mid-Willamette Valley RWA's weekly check-in.  Every Monday we encourage members and visitors to let us know how their writing is going.

Today is Monday, June 20, 2011.

Are you on track to reach your goals?

There are 194 days left in 2011.

Weekly Calculations:

If you write 1 page per day, you can write 48500 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 2 pages per day, you can write 97000 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 3 pages per day, you can write 145500 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 4 pages per day, you can write 194000 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 5 pages per day, you can write 242500 more words by the end of the year.

So how are you doing?  If you have gotten off track, this is the week you can regain your momentum.  Tell us how you're doing, and set a fresh goal for the upcoming week.  A page a day is a book in a year.  You can do it!

PRIZES:  The best prize is reaching your personal goal and finishing your book.  But if you need an extra little incentive, remember:  any chapter member who reaches her personal goal by the end of the year receives a prize at the year-end party.  Non-members can win, too.  Non-members who show up for at least 20 weekly check-ins will have their names entered in a drawing for a gift card from Powells, the world's largest independent bookstore.

ADVICE FOR ALL YOU PITCH VIRGINS

You’ve most likely read more than one article about deciding which editors and agents might be interested in your story; crafting an impressive short pitch, long pitch and (the all-important) elevator pitch; what to wear, what to say, and what not to say; how to relax, how to take notes, and the importance of practice—and more.

I decided to share something new: Lessons Learned from my ‘disastrous’ First Pitch. Ever. 


I attended the 2008 RWA National Conference with my sister, who is also a romance writer. We were both Pitch Virgins. We ended up assigned to pitch to an agent we’d never heard of because…okay, I forget why. Stuff happens at conferences.

Anyway, we looked up our pitch target, Nathan Bransford. Turned out he worked for Curtis Brown, a reputable agency that’s been around forever. And he’d been writing one heck-of-a-funny industry blog for a couple of years. He was looking for all types of romance. We both relaxed a little after getting familiar with him through his blog.

When the time came for me to pitch, a Writer Who Will Not Be Named came unraveled all over the Conference Volunteer because somehow we’d both been slated for the same time slot with Mr. Bransford. I suspected  WWWNBN would see blood on the floor before she'd give up her spot.

I figured that mistakes happen, and no single pitch appointment is going to make or break my career, because I won't let it.  The mistake wasn’t the poor volunteer’s fault. So I smiled and told her to give WWWNBN my spot. After thanking me profusely, the volunteer promised to make sure I got a chance to pitch to...someone.

I waited with my sister for her pitch appointment. A few minutes later, the WWWNBN exited the Pitch Room with tears streaming down her face. Apparently the appointment she’d wanted so badly hadn’t gone well.

The volunteer who’d dealt with WWWNBN's tantrum approached me with a smile on her face. She was so grateful that I’d defused the situation that she’d spoken to Mr. Bransford, who graciously volunteered to give up part of his lunch break to hear my pitch.

I thanked her for her kindness, then bought Agent Bransford a roll of Lifesavers candy from the hotel gift shop (in case he was starved for lunch) as a token of my appreciation.

When the time came, we laughed together over my choice of candy. I pitched my not-yet-finished book to him and he asked me to query him when the book was complete. He told me to jog his memory in my query letter that I was the writer who brought him Lifesavers when he was starving, because he’d never forget that.

He forgave me for pitching an unfinished book; he learned I’m no diva; and he remembers me in a good way!  Who could ask for more from a first pitch?

So relax! Stuff happens.
Could be good news, could be bad news. You never know!

Quote of the Day

The inimitable Miss Snark had a lot to say about the query process.  Reading the archives of her blog can be a real eye-opener.  One point she repeatedly made is to research agents before querying--don't just send out random queries to people you know nothing about.  In her words:

"If you are querying a novel, you get an agent's name, contact info, and you learn about them by doing ALL of these: 1. Read the agency's website. 2. Read the listing on AgentQuery.com, Preditors and Editors, and Writers Digest. 3. Google the agent's name to find interviews, writers conference listings and other misc info. When you have done all three, you "know about" an agent and you may query."

Personally, I'd add two more useful places to get info about agents and publishers:

Absolute Write Water Cooler Bewares and Background Checks:

http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=22

And Publishers Marketplace (costs $20 per month, but you can just join for one month and learn about all the agents  and editors on your wish list and then unsubscribe):

http://publishersmarketplace.com/

Do you have any favorite ways to learn about publishing industry professionals?

Good luck in your search.

Conference Experiences of a Relative Novice

I made the decision a few months ago to attend the RWA National Conference this year in New York City. At the same time made the commitment to make an editor/agent appointment in order to pitch a book while I'm there. Confession time: This will be my first time pitching and, yes, I'm damned nervous about it. Since it is my first time, I don't have much to say about pitching right now. See me later in July, I'm sure I'll have more to say on the subject then. :-)

Conferences, though, are a different story. Others on this blog have already said some of the same things, but there are three things about conferences that I think ring pretty true: 1) you'll get something different out of a conference than I will; 2) not all writing conferences are right for all writers; and 3) not all writers need (or even want) to attend conferences.

Since I'm still a relative novice at conferences, I thought I'd share my experiences so far. This will be my third National Conference and I'm looking forward to this one for very different reasons than I had for attending the first two (San Francisco and Washington, D.C.).

I went to San Francisco because it was close and I was familiar with the area, having just moved to Oregon from San Jose less than a year earlier. I was very curious about the conference experience and thought it would be easier if the first one I attended was in familiar surroundings. I'm not the most extroverted person on the planet and I was at the very beginning of my journey towards publication. I didn't have a finished book to pitch or that I could talk about when asked what I write. I figured out pretty quickly that I probably should have been prepared for questions about my writing, but it honestly didn't occur to me before I left for the conference. There were times I felt a little foolish not knowing what to say, but that was my problem--the people asking were being polite, not trying to put me on the spot. Technically, this conference might have come at a time that was a bit early in my career for me to attend, but I'm glad I did. I sat in on some interesting workshops on the craft of writing, got an understanding of how the conference works, and I had a terrific time.

I came away from San Francisco revved up and intending to have a book ready for the next National Conference in Washington, D.C. Long story short, a year later and that book didn't exist. I'd learned a lot during that year, though, and since things were going good at the Day Job I decided I'd still attend the conference. I was a lot more comfortable that time around since I already had an idea of what to expect. Still not being an extrovert, though, I think I actually had fewer conversations than I did in San Francisco. That might have been because I was doing a lot of people watching (and I think I project invisibility when I do that). It had been years since I was last in D.C., so I'll also confess to spending some of the time on the Mall and at the Smithsonian. As for the workshops, most of the ones I went to were still craft related, but I attended a smattering of career oriented workshops as well.

That was two years ago. Last year was the year of many changes for me and I didn't attend the conference in Orlando. I've listened to most of the recordings of the conference workshops. And I can say from those recordings that the workshops just keep getting better. If you can't go to a conference, the recordings are a great way of getting about 50% of the benefit of being there.

I say 50% because I think there's a great deal to be said for attending in person. There's an energy at National that I can't adequately describe. You can feel it as soon as you get to the hotel. It's a buzz that's generated by the excitement of being around other people who are doing the same thing you're doing and love the same thing you love--writing. It's quite an experience.

I have two goals for this year's conference. The first is to get through that pitch. The second is to talk to people. Of the two, I think the second is the harder for me. (LOL) Wish me luck!

As far as tips go, about the best thing I can recommend if you're attending a conference is to relax. Most conferences are designed with multiple things going on at the same time. You can't be in more than one place at a time, so it's inevitable that you'll stress over possibly missing something important. It can't be helped. So enjoy each event you choose to attend, and if it's National and you can afford it, buy the recordings to listen to the things you couldn't be at in person. Don't let the schedule get in the way of your having a great time.

Weekly Progress Check-In

This is the Mid-Willamette Valley RWA's weekly check-in.  Every Monday we encourage members and visitors to let us know how their writing is going.

Today is Monday, June 13, 2011.

Are you on track to reach your goals?

There are 201 days left in 2011.

Weekly Calculations:

If you write 1 page per day, you can write 50250 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 2 pages per day, you can write 100500 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 3 pages per day, you can write 150750 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 4 pages per day, you can write 201000 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 5 pages per day, you can write 251250 more words by the end of the year.

So how are you doing?  If you have gotten off track, this is the week you can regain your momentum.  Tell us how you're doing, and set a fresh goal for the upcoming week.  A page a day is a book in a year.  You can do it!

PRIZES:  The best prize is reaching your personal goal and finishing your book.  But if you need an extra little incentive, remember:  any chapter member who reaches her personal goal by the end of the year receives a prize at the year-end party.  Non-members can win, too.  Non-members who show up for at least 20 weekly check-ins will have their names entered in a drawing for a gift card from Powells, the world's largest independent bookstore.

Conferences: Love 'em or hate 'em

Current Project: April Fools Anthology
Status: Ready to write

I applaud all who win victories over their nervous fears and meet editors and agents. I agree wholeheartedly with all that has been said so far. I have fantastic memories from the conferences I have attended as well as the ones I have helped to put on. Conference rewards are many. I encourage every aspiring writer to attend conference, not only for the potential learning but for the social networking. The people you meet at conferences may well become your "new best friend." The energy at conference is exponential as well as addicting. I love the endorphin high and I seem to carry it with me for weeks afterwards. There are down sides however. At one Emerald City conference I attended, I managed an appointment with an agent. I was already published. Kennsington had released my first book Dakota's Bride. The agent was off-putting and brusk. She said we should be out having drinks not sitting a conference room. And that is about how far the meeting went. She didn't offer or ask to read my work, just told me how behind I was.

I digress again.

The message: Go to conferences you will enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. They are worth every penny. So what conferences are you all planning on attending. I'm thinking very strongly about attending Emerald City this year.

IS ATTENDING CONFERENCES WORTHWHILE?

Current Project: LEGACY family action series
Status: First book almost ready to go to publisher

Posted by: Genene Valleau

I used to go to every conference I could afford. I loved seeing people in person that I had only previously met online. Though nervous and unsure of myself, I waited with many others for a chance to meet an editor who could boost my manuscripts to the coveted status of "published." I absorbed material presented at workshops and came home motivated to write, edit, submit, and write again.

However, times have changed for me and I rarely go to conferences any more. Why not? Well, here are some things I consider before deciding to go to a conference.

Even after almost twenty years of writing, I still enjoy workshops and know there's always something to learn about the craft and business of writing. Conferences can provide wonderful workshops. However, I can also find great workshops online.

In spite of being an introvert, I enjoy meeting writers, editors, agents, booksellers and others involved in getting a book from creative brain to bookshelf. Again, I can "meet" all these people online, though it's not the same for me as meeting someone in person.

When I was trying to sell to the big New York publishers, going to conferences meant a chance to meet editors in person. Perhaps they would request my treasured manuscript and I could write "requested material" on the envelope that moved my dream higher up in the pile to be read and considered for publication. However, my dream of being published came in the form of e-books and print-on-demand books--before that became the "latest rage." With no desire to sell to NY publishers, there's no longer a need to join the queue of hopefuls at conferences waiting to meet a handful of editors.

I've never seriously pursued getting an agent. Even when I was trying to sell to the NY publishers, I was targeting category lines that didn't require an agent. So that was never a big consideration for me to go to conferences.

Added to this list are financial and personal considerations I weigh before deciding to attend a conference. How much will the conference really cost when adding up registration, hotel, airfare or gas for my vehicle, meals, etc.? Will the time lost when I could be writing be balanced by what I gain from the conference? I also have a small herd of doggies that I would need to arrange care and spoiling for while I'm gone.

When I weigh the personal and financial costs against the benefits, I rarely go to conferences any more.

Will that change? I've learned to never say "never." In the meantime, I'll keep writing and publishing with my e-book publisher, looking for new readers and ways to cost effectively promote my books.

Now I'm going to turn the question back to you: is attending conferences worthwhile FOR YOU?

I'll take the corner seat, please.

Current Project: Many
Status: Still sane

This month's topics are both ones that make me cringe.

Conferences mean I have to leave my safety zone and go out among people I've never met or barely know and try and appear approachable when all I want to do in a room full of people is become invisible. It isn't in my nature to walk up to strangers and start talking. That's my husband's job. He does it well. He can strike up a conversation with anyone. I can't. I try every time I go to a conference. I push myself at least one day to make conversation with someone and I get nauseous just getting up the nerve to do it. I think of all the things I could say and then just sit there my tongue numb and my brain frantically trying to find a way out.

Now if I go into a workshop I'm teaching, I know what I'm going to talk about and I know the information so I feel confident. But to just strike up a conversation... what if they talk about something I haven't a clue about? What if they ask me a writing question that anyone up on publishing should know and I don't know the answer? Because most likely I don't since I don't focus my minimal brain space on that kind of thing. I focus on my writing craft and not all the politics. What if all they ask me is where I'm from and what I write? Whew... I can answer that but my overactive imagination can conjure up all the other scenarios as I sit there my hands sweating worrying how to start up a conversation. Yep, that's my neurotic self at a conference.

And pitching... I can have that sucker practiced and say it over and over in my head and out loud but someone ask me to tell them my pitch..Whoosh- it slips from my mind like a jewel thief, not even leaving fingerprints.

I hope you're much better at handling your nerves and hanging onto your sanity than I am. Are you social at conferences or would you be battling with me for the chair in the dark corner?

Visions of Pink and Blue

Most Recent Read: Changes, by Jim Butcher

Current Read: Academ's Fury, by Jim Butcher

Planned Next Read: Side Jobs, by Jim Butcher

*notice a theme here, with my recent reading choices?

Welcome! I am going to depart a little from writing about writing today. Our expected addition to the family is being a little stubborn about joining us. Or maybe I should say that it is enjoying the hot tub and 24-hour room service so much that it isn't ready to check out. Our older children are being very impatient, wanting to meet their newest sibling. Even my husband dearest has expressed his frustration a few times. This may be good - it makes me practice patience and setting a good example, to try to keep the rest of the family calm.

So, what am I taking to the hospital? In addition to the usual baby clothes and sundries, the laptop is going. And my favorite notebook, for plotting. Even while expecting a new baby, I cannot keep plot ideas and character development from walking onstage in the back of my mind. I cannot imagine not having my notebook with me, to scrawl new ideas down in in the wee hours of the morning. While a new little one sleeps peacefully under my chin. Ah, happy motherhood, happy writer.

One other note: I have really been enjoying Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. This is a newly discovered author for me, and it took me most of a month to read through this series. As a reader, I have been enjoying the character development, both within each individual book and in the series overall. Learning a lot, from studying the writing within this series.

And, no, we do not know if our newest addition will be pink or blue. But we hope to meet this newest little one very soon!

Weekly Progress Check-In

This is the Mid-Willamette Valley RWA's weekly check-in.  Every Monday we encourage members and visitors to let us know how their writing is going.

Today is Monday, June 6, 2011.

Are you on track to reach your goals?

There are 208 days left in 2011.

Weekly Calculations:

If you write 1 page per day, you can write 52000 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 2 pages per day, you can write 104000 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 3 pages per day, you can write 156000 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 4 pages per day, you can write 208000 more words by the end of the year.

If you write 5 pages per day, you can write 260000 more words by the end of the year.

So how are you doing?  If you have gotten off track, this is the week you can regain your momentum.  Tell us how you're doing, and set a fresh goal for the upcoming week.  A page a day is a book in a year.  You can do it!

PRIZES:  The best prize is reaching your personal goal and finishing your book.  But if you need an extra little incentive, remember:  any chapter member who reaches her personal goal by the end of the year receives a prize at the year-end party.  Non-members can win, too.  Non-members who show up for at least 20 weekly check-ins will have their names entered in a drawing for a gift card from Powells, the world's largest independent bookstore.

Writer People, Please!!! Control Your Conference Karma

Current Project: Putting together two proposals requested by an agent
Status: Beginning

So you’re going to a writers conference! Could be good news for your writing career; could be bad news: too early to tell. Many a writer’s career took off at a conference; many took a nosedive.

What controls whether or not your attendance is a good idea?

Your attitude and your behavior. Cool, huh? Your conference destiny is within your control! That doesn’t mean controlling it is easy or instinctive. Hard work and painful self-awareness are involved. Here are my no-holds-barred tips to get you prepared:

1.)    Know what you want to get out of this particular conference.

Having goals and focus is important if you want to make the most of your conference attendance. Your goal for your first conference may be simply to discover what it’s like and how it works. Some conferences offer unique opportunities, such as the chance to attend a workshop taught by someone you admire, or the chance to network with people from all over the country, or the chance to pitch to an agent who’s impressed you. Over time, you will grow as a writer. Most likely your needs and goals will change from conference to conference as well.

2.)    Writer people, please!

Remember: your reputation is a terrible thing to waste. Treat everyone with courtesy and respect. If someone is rude or hurts your feelings, write about it in your Conference Negativity Journal. Then focus on your positive experiences—of which there are always many more. First and foremost, don’t gossip, criticize or complain. Be professional.


After the conference, take your negativity journal home and burn it in your backyard fire pit. Cleanse any remaining anger from your soul. Decide if there’s a lesson to be learned from the unhappy experience. Then move on.

3.)   Build positive karma.

Volunteering adds to your positive image, besides giving you additional chances to network. For example, if you introduce a speaker (AKA agent, editor, best-selling author, up-and-coming writer), that person will remember you. That’s networking at its finest!


Or you might help set up the banquet hall with another unpublished writer, and two years later she may be a best-selling author who will remember you and agree to give you a quote for your debut book. I kid you not; these things happen. That’s positive karma at work.

4.)    Don’t chicken out. (Liar! You know exactly what I mean.)

If you plan to pitch, then pitch, dammit! The more you put yourself out there as a writer, the easier it gets. Really. Most agents and editors are very nice people who want to help writers. Even if they aren’t interested in your story, many will give you invaluable advice as well as feedback on your pitch.

5.)    Spread the love.

Smile, smile, and smile some more. Bolster spirits. Encourage participation. Ask questions. Really listen to others. Share the limelight. Hang out with other smiling people. Thank everyone for everything.


Remember that Conference Negativity Journal? Keep a Conference Gratitude Journal as well. Treasure this record of your conference experience. Read it often. Feel your power.

And smile.

Question of the day

To inaugurate our June topic, "conference tips and pitching," I'm going to break from my quote of the day and ask a question:

If you could be a fly on the wall at the RWA national conference in NYC at the end of June, what would you be listening for?

I'll be at the conference, attending workshops and at least a couple of special events with a lot of editors and agents (one for multiple subgenres and one for young adult fiction), and I'll be on the alert for any tips, trends and, of course, any agents or editors looking for submissions.

So what should I keep an ear out for on your behalf?  What type of work are you trying to sell?  What subgenre or publisher do you want to learn more about?  What kind of news will make you sit up and say "gee, that's the info I needed right now!"?