Author Heather McCorkle

For those who lost their lives on that fateful day, and all who have lost them since in the fight against terrorism, we appreciate you, we love you, and we will not forget. 

Hosted by the fabulous Brenda Drake , #PitMad is a Twitter pitch party where writers can pitch their completed, polished manuscripts to agents and editors who will be perusing the feed. It is a great opportunity that has landed many an author an agent, and even contracts with publishers based off an editor's interest from #PitMad. So how do you join in? First, you must have a completed and polished (this means no first drafts!) manuscript that you feel is ready for submission. Next, come up with several great 140 character pitches to post on Twitter throughout the day. Then, watch for agents and editors to favorite your pitch. If they do, check their profile for a way to submit to them (they will likely have tweeted details on how to that day, if not, click on their website link). A favorite means you are invited to submit. That means, if you aren't an agent or a publishing house editor, do NOT favorite writer's tweets. You can retweet them, but don't favorite the...

Everywhere I find writers I find them talking about how to break through writers block. At first I thought, I'm a freak, I don't get writers block. I thought maybe it was like some sneaky ailment that was hiding in the shadows waiting for the right moment to pounce. I figured I would get it someday, I just didn't think I had. Well I had, I just didn't know it. I was stuck on a point in my book the other day that needed something more, I just didn't know what. So I went and brainstormed with a friend of mine who is interested in the story. Presto, we came up with that something that was missing. One friend or another always helps me talk it out and figure out what the story needs. When I don't have access to a friend, I take a walk, go ride my horse, or contemplate the story while in the shower (which oddly works wonders). These methods relax me and get the creative side of my mind working. One of the best suggestions I can give to those who get writers block...

© McCorkle Creations For all of my American friends out there enjoying a barbecue, apple pie, or fireworks today, I invite you to raise a glass of whatever you are drinking to the true reason for the celebration.  239 years ago, the Declaration of Independence (prepared by a committee of five men~sorry ladies, no equality back then~and drafted by Thomas Jefferson) was adopted on this day, granting us the freedoms we now enjoy, chief among them was our independence from the British Empire (two days prior, the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee). Ever a work in progress, it is not perfect, but it's ours, and it keeps us free.  Have a safe and happy celebration!

The word is out, I have accepted an Associate Editor position with the new and upcoming press out of New York, City Owl Press. Don't worry, I'm not about to stop writing~ever~I'm just putting my education to good use and expanding my horizons. I've always loved helping other writers and now I get to do it in the most amazing way. To hear more about City Owl, you can check out the announcement here . And to find out what I'm looking for, you can find my wish list on Manuscript Wish List (coming soon). Got great sci-fi/fantasy with romantic elements? Bring it on.

To use an outline or not to use an outline? I used to be vehemently opposed to them, I thought they limited my creativity like lines on a paint by number canvas. Boy was I wrong. I was forced to face the truth when I went to a retreat and my teacher made us write an outline. My book was finished I didn't see why I needed to write one, it made no sense. But I was there to learn and the man had been on the NY Times bestseller list several times, which made him hard to argue with. So I bowed to his expertise and wrote it, following my already existing manuscript of course. Halfway through I realized there were many problems with my story. A story which I had already sent to an agent to read. I was appalled and embarassed that I had made such mistakes. I never would have found them had I not wrote that outline. Things like, too many fight scenes (WAY too many), unresolved lines of plot, digressing from the plot, big things! I was lucky, the agent took me on. But guess what he suggest...

"OMG, you have TWO agents?! How in the world did you manage that?" I get this question a lot. The first part of the answer I got from a mentor of mine who is a NY Times Bestselling author: Write a great book. Sounds easy enough right?! Hah, don't we wish. Next you have to do your research and pick agents that represent the kind of book you've written. There are some great websites that allow you to search for agents based on what they represent. There is also a book put out every year called Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, & Literary Agents, its fantastic. If you can attend conferences, I highly recommend that because meeting an agent in person gives you a much better feel for who they are and how they might work than any amount of writing on a website ever will. Enter contests, both of the pitching variety you see on Twitter and blogs and especially at conferences and workshops. That is how I landed my two agents. My novel was runner ...