Query-ing Away

So I've been writing out my query letters recently and am loving it. I wrote quite a few queries back in the day but none at the right time. You see, I've never actually had my novel completed before writing a query out. Big mistake. Lesson number one: Write your damn book before sending out any queries! So any way I am writing out my queries and wanted to share some things I've learned.

So here we go:

                                                                         First write your name
                                                                        Address line one
                                                                        Address line two
                                                                        Phone number
                                                                        Email address

Agency's name
Address line one
Address line two
Phone number
Email address


Dear (Whoever is the agent you're contacting),

Then say something very small about yourself. Then tell them a bit about your book. After that jump right into your book synopsis.

Second paragraph tell them how grateful you are for their time. Then let them know you have the whole book done and that you'd be glad to send it.

:)

Again, this is just a theory one so far. I still must send them out but all this information is supported by many articles on the internet. Especially ones by successful Literary Agents on Writer's Digest's website.

Writing Along

Getting some good writing in these days. I am so close to finishing my novel I can taste it. I mean, really I should be writing that right now, but you know, I need a bit of break. Once I'm done with this last chapter I do wonder if I'll need an epilogue chapter? Probably.
Along with that I am helping my wife write a paper for her History of Photography class on Daguerreotype. Mostly just with research and encouragement. Interesting subject though. Technically the guy worked on it with a bunch of other guys in France and what not but he decided to name the technique after himself.
So I'm doing that and some other stuff. I recently finished with my third, I think it was my third, miniature notebook.  So I'm onto a new one and that is great! The fresh pages just waiting to be filled with innovative ideas. Its great. Also going to be drawing some great little illustrations for the season. I really have to get out and buy some illustrating board from Hobby Lobby. Things are going good and I'd like to keep it that way! Trying to post here with interesting stuff as possible. More good stuff soon.

The Works

So for those of you who are familiar with my blog, you will notice I've changed a few things here and added some things as well. I changed the layout and the design as well as the name of my blog as well, to 'The Works'. So as to be more clear as I don't actually have a production company called Fool or anything like that. It just sounds simple and more streamlined to me and plus it goes more with my URL as well.
I've added some pages and changed some around as well. Check them out in your leisure, I will be adding things to them as regularly as possible. Thank you for your patience. I hope to have some cool stuff to share soon.
Some of the new things are the Book Excerpts page which will feature the first chapter of every novel I write as well as the first short story or poem in any anthology I create. Also the Works page which will consist of pictures of all of my books that are available for purchase. I changed from having multiple galleries to just one so as to make everything more manageable as I do multiple different medias and no longer see any need to separate them. I'll post as much new stuff as I can. There is also the video portion of my blog where I post my professional work as well as my own comedy sketches that has been updated. In any case, check it all out. Leave some love and let me know what you think.

Coming Soon

Hey everyone so sorry for all the delays. More posts coming soon with updates and what not. Been busy with a few things so yeah. Coming soon.

Hotel Transylvania Concept Art

I know that these concept art sheets from HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA are already all over the internet but I just wanted to share them here in case anyone missed them. I love these all, they are such an inspiration!

 

 

 

 

Every Damn Day

There is an old maxim that goes behind the philosophy of any art form and that is important for any one trying to do anything in life really. That is the old adage; practice, practice, practice. Not that I am anywhere in life as it is right now but I know this one all too well. It is important to make sure that everyday you do something toward your art form (writing, illustration, photography, acting, etc.,) in order to actually further yourself.

You can all you want to, do one thing of your art and then try to promote the Hell out of it as you can, and then if you get somewhere with that awesome, but more often then not I have learned myself from doing such a thing that you end up just being disappointed. Instead of focusing on promoting one thing and putting all of your energy into that (which can work of course), I would say that while your putting the right amount of energy into it you also keep yourself moving and working on your next project and just plain old doing little exercises to keep your skills tight and ever evolving.

The mass amount of artists out there (in any form or shape) is amazing and great, especially now in this age of digital media and social media. It is a wonderful thing that there are so many different outlets out there for anyone to try out to get their story and their art out in the world. The world is diverse and huge and everyone has something to say.

This does however also make it harder for everyone to discern what artist is actually worth the time of any major company right now. Which ones are truly ready for their shot.

None the less it is great that so many people are waking up everyday now and focusing their energy on creating art.

The bottom line is that everyday you must do something to better your art and yourself! Something small to the start of something huge! Keep your goals in mind at all time!

My Top Five Books on Writing

Here it is a list of the top five books on writing in my opinion. These are the books I have read and often look back to understand the nature of the beast of what I am attempting to do each time I set pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. Get them any where books are sold!

1. STORY by Robert McKee
2. SCREENWRITING FOR DUMMIES
3. HOW TO WRITE WHAT YOU WANT AND SELL WHAT YOU WRITE by Skip Press
4. WRITERS ON COMIC SCRIPTWRITING by Mark Salisbury
5. THE DC COMICS GUIDE TO WRITING by Dennis O'Neil

These books are chalk full of great tips and tricks and craftwork all told by master craftsman themselves. STORY teaches you practically everything you need to know to what makes a story work with plenty of examples from popular films and television shows. The second book teaches the same thing practically just more so about the business side to it. The third book by Skip Press is a great tool for quick tips on formatting and the business side as well. Mark Salisbury interviews various notable writers of comics in this great book, some authors are Neil Garman, Grant Morrison and Kurt Busik, among many others. The last one is a quick read with many examples from the various great comics by DC Comics with examples on how it is they have developed stories as a company.

I can't tell you how these books will help you in your process to writing your masterpiece, only you can figure that out. What I can tell you, is that you will enjoy reading and learning from these books immensely and think of them often. Get on it!