Inspired by Iceland

From the Inspired by Iceland project

I'm trying to post with my three-year-old twins playing in the room. Let's see how it works out (one comes up to have a dinosaur bite me).

I will post pictures of Iceland to help promote the Inspired by Iceland project. The pictures will be taken from their website unless I say otherwise.

I worked on my full proposal yesterday. I completed (and here comes the other dinosaur) the executive summary, which I had already started on, the character sketches, which is more like a character bible, so I might need to shorten it, and the author bio, which I'll probably need to shorten since I have no novel published (only a short story for charity and a Harry Potter related forum, which I created and administrated). I feel like I should mention both, since it is writing experience, although it's different from actual fiction writing.

--> Create an author bio and keep it related to writing fiction. Include this in your full proposal.

I already created the contact page, which was the easiest, and the two-page synopsis wasn't so hard either, since I followed Randy Ingermanson's instructions.

Now all I have left is the cover letter, which shouldn't be hard since it's almost like the query letter, an analysis of other books and compare them to mine (this is what I'm dreading the most, but will do after the weekend), and suggestions on how I could help market the book, which should be easy to write - fun, even.

I also think I might make a chapter-by-chapter synopsis. I read on a submissions page of one agent that she wanted such. This should be fun. (Pause to put on cartoons)

--> Write down what you need to write in your full proposal and do the easy stuff first. That way you feel accomplished and are more enthused to finish the hard stuff.

I decided to broaden my reading a little since most of it was vampire-based, and my book contains no vampires. I picked up Tithe by Holly Black, and although I thought the beginning was very dark for a YA novel, it sucked me in and I simply love it. I recommend it and can't wait for a little peace and quiet to read more (I'm about half way in, took great willpower to put it down last night).

--> Read a lot of books in your genre.

I also have Hunted by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast waiting (vampire-based, I know, but I'm still going to read it), and Fallen by Lauren Kate is on a waiting list at the library - Yes, they have these books in English in Icelandic libraries. It should be available on Monday, and I have plenty to read until then. I really love the cover of Fallen. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan also looked appealing, but they only have that in Akureyri, the big town up north (did you know that Iceland only has one city?).

And peace is out, I should go and play with the boys.

Take care!