Going Deeper on Plotting (Holly Schindler)

Coming out of the pandemic, my career was not exactly what I wanted it to be. I'd subbed a couple of books, neither of which were picked up by agents. What was wrong? Were my numbers stinky? Not enough followers? I'd won awards. I'd gotten starred reviews. And yet...

Crickets on the subs. 

 

I decided it was time to stop guessing. Start investigating. I snagged a few craft books.

One of the first books I bought was Maass's The Breakout Novelist. (I know--I can't believe I hadn't picked it up before.) Anyway, Maass basically says that if you aren't where you want to be as a writer...

it's your fault. 

I mean, not in those terms, exactly. But that's what he says. It has nothing to do with numbers or awards or how many agents you parted ways with. 

It's you. 

And let me tell you, I breathed an enormous sigh of relief. 

If it's my fault, that means I can do something about it. 

So I signed up for webinars and online courses (yes--even after already having completed a masters in English). I worked on plotting. I dug deep. And then still deeper. I got so into craft, I actually didn't write anything the first six months of this year. 

I'm now about to rewrite one of those books that agents did pick up. There's no telling what will happen with it. 

But whatever it is, I feel, far more than I ever have before, that this book's destiny is in my hands. 

And it's a good feeling indeed. 

~

Holly Schindler is the author of the MG The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky.