Melissa Embry's Blog

For years, I've posted results of one of the most-anticipated events of the annual DFW Writers Conference: the Query Gong Show. And done the post-mortems as one after another, writers of literary query letters heard their efforts go down to defeat.

Last year, I did a review version--reviewing what not to put in a query. So, here goes again. Read this and, I hope, you will not weep.

For those who have never read this blog, and/or never been to a DFW Writers Conference, here are the Gong Show basics. Writers submit their anonymous query letters to a panel of agents and editors. These in turn, strike table-top gongs to signal the point at which they would stop reading if they received such a query in their own emails.

Right now, some readers are wondering, what the heck is a query letter?

In the literary sense, it's a business-like introduction from a writer to an agent asking if the agent is interested in representing the writer's work.

 The basic format includes:

brief description of why the writer chose to contact the agents ("your website. . . ", "you represent my favorite writer. . . ", etc.)the book's title genremanuscript word countthe story's "hook" (attention grabbing sentence)brief summary (not including the ending, spoilers, etc.)author's credentials, if anyThe entire letter typically occupies no more than one page, approximately 300 words in single-spaced, 12 point(ish) sized type. This format is for works of fiction. Querying for nonfiction works is beyond the scope of this post.
Now, back to the Gong Show basics.
Writers can be gonged once, even twice, by any panel member without stopping the reading of their letter. But three strikes and they're out!
What makes agents hit those dreaded gongs?
Some items stand out repeatedly. One is word count. Writers should have some clues about industry standards for their genre, especially for debut authors. At the first Gong Show, multiple simultaneous gongs sounded for a query which boasted 135,000 words. Luckily, the queries are anonymous. No one dashed from the room in tears.
Over time, writers have grown cannier about the word count issue. However, last year I was startled to hear agents carping about a 70,000-word entry for middle grade readers. "Middle grade" is a publishing term for readers aged approximately 9-12: those old enough to read independently.
Novels aimed at adult readers can easily hover around 80,000 words--higher for science fiction and fantasy works. Even classic middle grade novels such as the original Harry Potter clock in over 75,000.
How far out of bounds was a book of 70,000 words?
Ask a dozen agents, authors, and internet sites and you'll get two dozen answers. Writer's Digest cited 20-55K for middled grade, again, slightly higher for science fiction and fantasy.
WD also stated that middle grade word counts have been trending upward. Agents at the 2024 DFW said otherwise. That the opposite, in fact, is the case. I won't detail the reasons for this drop but be aware if you're writing for younger audiences.
Another, even more common reason for agents to hit the gongs has shown little improvement over the years: taking too long to get to what one agent called "the beating heart of the story."
This is the "brief summary" mentioned earlier. It's not a synopsis. If the agent wants a synopsis with the query letter, they'll ask for it. Check their or their agency's websites for specifics.
The brief summary typically will extend for no more than two paragraphs. It should include:main charactercharacter's desire/goalwho or what stands in the way of achieving that goal (antagonist)consequences of reaching the goal--or not (the stakes)Although this list sounds generic, agents still asked writers to let their own voices shine through. Just not in multiple paragraphs.
I probably should mention that though the query itself is in the writer's first person, the summary should be in third person to avoid confusion about who's talking!
Less frequently mentioned but significant dislikes from agents were queries that failed to follow through on the expected tropes of their genre or leaned on generic descriptions. 
Also, use of trendy, cliched, or overblown language; opening with unlikeable characters, gross-out language, or depressingly sad situations; assuring the agent that the story is "intriguing" or "a good fit" for them (they like to decide that for themselves); querying for sequels or a book series (although some agents are OK with mentions that a book is a stand-alone with sequel/series potential); misspelling the agent's name (really!); and failure to exercise sensitivity about issues such as gender/ethnic stereotypes, disabilities, and racial language.
And while getting the agent's name right, consider checking the Ms./Mr. honorifics. These can be tricky, especially if the agent/editor hasn't indicated what they prefer, or if they're nonbinary individuals. Best advice, simply use "first name + last name" as indicated on the individual's or agency's website.
Image: Wikimedia

After last year's Gong Show, a writer unable to attend asked plaintively, "what do agents like?"
The specifics of what a particular agent likes are beyond the Gong Show's ability to answer. The first steps are checking the agent's website and Manuscript Wish List, if available.
Additional sources of information include:Query Tracker, with lists of agents and links to their websites and other published information. The basic version is free, or pony up $25 annually for more info.Publishers Marketplace, listing deals (sales) by the agent, their market performance, and more. $25/month or $10 for "Quick Pass" with more limited features. There's also a free Publishers Lunch version.Your favorite authors. The acknowledgment sections of their books often list and thank their agents.And although I haven't heard it addressed at the Gong Show, an issue agents at conferences often mention is that of comparative (comp) titles. These are books in your or similar genres, usually published with the past two to three years, with similarities to your manuscript.
That's not similarities of plot. As one agent said, if it's the same plot as something already published, why would I want it? Instead, the similarities can be in tone, setting or point of view. They also need to be books which have significant readership. This information gives agents an idea of where your book should be shelved in a bookshop, which in turn helps them pitch it to publishing house editors.
For readership information, check Amazon and Goodreads both free.
Finally remember all Gong Show queries are anonymous and not addressed to specific agents. Use the information from them to revise and send to appropriate agents. They probably won't even remember hearing the first version at the Gong Show! 

 For some creatures, hibernation is a winter event. For Texans, it occurs during the deadly heat of late summer. But while I've struggled to keep my garden alive, other Texans have prepared an autumn-long list of state literary events. 

Here, in order of urgency, are some of the best.

September 1: The Dallas Mystery Writers Laree Bryant Memorial Scholarship contest is this Monday. It's a contest dear to many Dallas-area writers, celebrating Laree's life and legacy. As I've posted previously, the rules are simple:

Be on the DMW mailing list. It's free, by clicking on the link at the website.Don't have published fiction for the public (traditional or self-published) within the last five yearsOpen to all genres. See the site for formatting details of your writing sample and a brief biography, sent to sandysteenwrites@gmail.com. The prize is a ticket to the DFW Writers Conference (see more below) valued at $500. The winner will be announced at the DMW's meeting September 6.
September 12-14: ArmadilloCon is Austin's convention for science fiction, fantasy, and horror fans, now in its 47th year. See the site for details and registration. Entries for the associated writers workshop are now closed, but I plan to attend. If you see me, say hi!
September 13: Trinity River Book Festival is a Fort Worth multicultural event with multiple books, authors, ad running. Yes, get your heart pumping with the run-to-read event. Free, but see the site for event schedule and to register for promotional giveaways, updates, and notifications.
September 16: Tickets (free!) for the Richardson Reads One Book event are now available. Or add a $35 luncheon ticket with Rowan Jacobsen, author of the 2025 RROB selection, Wild Chocolate, about the quest to revive ancient cacao and produce the world's finest chocolate. 
The deadline to purchase luncheon tickets is September 10, but space is limited. 
Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. lecture are available (limited to 2 per order) on a first-come, first-served basis. Again, space for the event at First United Methodist Church Richardson, 503 N. Central Expressway in Richardson, is limited.
See the site for details or email richardsonreadstx@gmail.com for additional information.
Image by Carlos Villada for Pixabay September 27-28: AuthorPalooza 2025 fills the Ley Student Center, 6100 Main St., Houston (on the Rice University campus) with favorite authors and books. Sponsored by the Houston Writers Guild. See the site for tickets and additional information.
October 4-5: The DFW Writers Conference returns to the Hurst, Texas, conference center 1615 Campus Drive, in Hurst. Events include keynote speakers Kelly Bishop (The Third Gilmore Girl) and literary agent Carly Watters, more than a dozen literary agents and editors (one complimentary pitch session with ticket) and classes and workshops galore.
See the site for details and registration.
October 24-25: Registration for The Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference is now open. More details still to come. See the site or visit maybornconferenceinfo@unt.edu.
November 7-8: The 21st Tulisoma: South Dallas Book Fair connects readers with Black authors, publishers, and storytellers from across the country. At the African American Museum in Dallas Fair Park, 3536 Grand Avenue. Free. See the site for details.
November 8-9: The 30th Texas Book Festival returns to multiple venues in and around downtown Austin and around the Texas Capitol. Check the site for ongoing details, including the author lineup to be unveiled later this fall.

I was ready to post about the annual DFW Writers Conference, October 4-5, when a related post hit my inbox: a contest for a scholarship to the conference.

First, because the scholarship contest deadline is September 1, here's the lowdown about it.

The scholarship is from Dallas Mystery Writers, in memory of LaRee Bryant, a founding member of the group. The scholarship's winner will receive paid-in-full registration for the 2025 DFW Conference, valued at $500, to be awarded at the September 6 meeting of the DMW.

Now for the contest rules:

No entry fee!Open to all fiction genresContestants must be on the Dallas Mystery Writers mailing list. There's no for joining the list. See the site and click on the link "James" -- that's James Gaskin, the group's tech coordinator. Or email him directly at james@gaskin.comContestants cannot have had fiction traditionally or self-published within the last five years. This applies to both short and long-form fiction works.Contestants must submit a 1000-1500-word writing sample, along with a bio of not more than 300 words, to include their writing goals.Entries must be submitted electronically as Word (docx.) documents, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins, in 12-point Times New Roman font.Email entries to sandysteenwrites.@gmail.com  All entries will be judged by the DMW Board of Directors. The deadline, again, is September 1.
LaRee Bryant was involved for more than 34 years with Dallas Mystery Writers. She was also a chapter administrator for both the Harvard Club of Dallas and the Harvard Business School Club of Dallas. See the DMW site for additional information and/or to contribute to the Harvard Clubs GoFundMe campaign to renovate LaRee's homestead.
Now, for some asides.
I'm not eligible to participate in the contest, due to recent short fiction publications. However, I hope my previous experience with this group may be helpful. 
A few years ago, I and several members submitted writing samples for evaluation by the DMW board. My sample was written in present tense. One of the board members insisted--loudly--that she couldn't even read anything written in present tense. Another simply wrote "Present tense. Ick," on my pages. The matter generated a protracted discussion in the group about how many of them detested anything written in present tense.
It's possible the prejudice about tense no longer exists. But you have now been warned. If the winner turns out to be someone who sent an entry in present tense, I'd love to hear from you!
I'm also not sure how the scholarship winner's registration to the DFW Writers Conference will be dealt with if the person had previously registered. That's probably a question to put to the conference organizers themselves.
Image: Pixabay 
So, now to the DFW Conference information.
The conference is a program of the nonprofit DFW Writers Workshop. It will be held at the Hurst, Texas, Conference Center, 1615 Campus Dr. As of this writing, the adjoining Hurst Garden Inn Dallas still has rooms available at conference rates. Regular conference registration for both October 4-5 is $449 through September 21. Regular one-day registration for either day is also available through September 21 for $250. Late registration from September 22-October 2 is $499 (two-day) or $299 (one day only).
Registration includes attendance at craft and business workshops with industry professionals, one complimentary pith/consultation session with a literary agent or editor (with additional pitch sessions available for purchase), lunch with keynote speakers, and more. 
See the site for additional information and a list of agents and editors who have committed. 
The conference also hosts a pre-con workshop, "Finding Your Voice," taught by award-winning, multiply-anthologized author Ari Tiso, a member of the Bribri tribe of Costa Rica.
The pre-conference workshop is October 3, from 12:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. Attendance is $50 for conference attendees, $100 for non-attendees. See the site for additional information and registration.

 Hot or cold, sunny or dry, no matter the seasons, there's aways time for writing that works out our story muscles. Here's a sampling of contests and submission openings hitting my inbox.

July 11: As mentioned in a previous post, this is the deadline for entries for the Writer's League of Texas manuscript contest. See the online form to submit approximately the first 10 pages (not more than 2,750 words) of a fiction or nonfiction manuscript in any of several genres. Writers do not need a completed manuscript but should also attach a synopsis describing the rest of the planned book.

Winners in all categories will meet virtually with a top literary agent (the final judge in their category) via Zoom. All entrants, winners or not, have the option of written feedback from an experienced editor.

Fees: For writers who request the written critique -- $75 for Writer's League members, $95 for nonmembers. For those not requesting a critique the fee is $35 for members, $75 for nonmembers.

See the site for online submission forms and additional information.

July 15-August 5: Wattpad's Watty Awards opens to stories in a variety of genres, written in either English, Spanish, Filipino or Portuguese. Stories must be complete, with word count of at least 50,000 (for English language entries) or 40,000 and marked "complete" for Spanish, Filipino and Portuguese entries.

Entrants must have a Wattpad account but there are no fees either for setting up the account or submitting stories. In fact, if a story posted at Wattpad meets the Watty requirements, it will automatically receive a designating banner.

The contest offers a variety of prizes, including $5,000 (USD) for grand prize winners in each of the four language categories. See the site for full details.

Now-July 31: Quarterly ezine New Myths is open to submissions. Editors try to balance issues between science fiction and fantasy, dark and light, serious and humorous, hard and soft science fiction, and longer and shorter works. 

Submissions should be 10,000 words or less and previously unpublished. Pay for accepted stories: 3 cents/word with minimum of $50. See the site for details.

Image: Jill Wellington from Pixabay

August 6: Also as mentioned previously, this is the deadline to submit manuscript entries for the horror/fantasy/sci-fi writing workshop of Austin's ArmadilloCon. Dates for the convention itself are September 12-14, but workshop participants need time to read their fellow writers' stories! As always, at Austin's Southpark Hotel, 4140 Governors Row.

See the general site for basics, then follow the link for entry fees for the entire event, including workshop, as well as detailed instructions for writers.

Now-December 14: Minotaur Books and Mystery Writers of America announce their Best First Crime Novel competitions. Open to writers who have never published a book-length work (although check special rules for self-published authors). The winner will be offered a publishing contract by Minotaur Books with a $10,000 advance.

Manuscripts should be original books not less than approximately 65,000 words. And of course, a murder or other serious crime should be at the heart of the story!

At the contest site, readers may notice that Minotaur's Malice Domestic award for best first traditional mystery went unclaimed in 2025. Wouldn't it be a shame for that prize to go unawarded again? See the contest site for specifics, which include mysteries on the cozy-ish side.

***

Is there more? Of course!

Check out hundreds of possibilities at Reedsy and Contest Lists
.

Happy writing!

 I try to keep posts as wide ranging as possible. But these freebies are too good not to share, even though they only benefit lucky residents of two North Texas cities -- Dallas and Richardson.

First -- just for kids:

Now-June 5: Want to write a book of your own? And see it published and on the shelf of your local library? If you are a resident of Richardson, Texas, entering grades 5-9, check out the Richardson Library's Young Author program.

What you'll get: participation in a seven-week writing course, working with a published author and illustrator of children's books, to guide you in creating a picture book for kids ages 3-7. You receive a personal bound copy of your book while another copy is added to the library's collection, available for check-out.

Plus, you'll have honed your illustration and storytelling chops big time.

What you'll need: attendance at a minimum of five of the seven weekly classes each Friday, June 6-27 and July 11, 18, and 25. Classes run from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Richardson Innovation Headquarters (IQHQ), 1302 E. Collins Blvd., in Richardson.

You will be responsible for turning in two copies of your book cover and the book pages by August 1.

You'll also need responsible grownups to get you to and from the class site and maybe remind you of each week's homework assignment. And to sign the contract you make with the library to follow through.

Tell the grownups to hurry! Registration for the course is due by June 5!

So, how much does this cost? Nothing! It's totally free, thanks to the Friends of the Richardson Library.

For more information, call/email librarian Kelly Keller at 972-744-4358 or Kelly.Keller@cor.gov. And check out library's website.

Image by kalhh for Pixabay***

Next: for all ages:

May 31: Dallas Public Library branches hold SMART Summer Kickoff Parties from 10 a.m. - noon. Stop by your local branch to register the whole family for the summer reading program, play games, get free books, and more.

This is for Dallas, library card carrying residents only. Don't have a card? No worries. They're free to anyone who lives in, teaches at or attends school in an educational institution within City of Dallas city limits. Cards also available to City of Dallas employees.

Check at how to get library cards here.

The summer reading program runs from May 31-August 9. For every 10 days of reading or being read to, kids ages 0-18 earn a free book of their choice, up to three times over the summer.

Want more? Complete 10 discovery activities and 10 creative activities and earn a free food coupon, up to twice over the summer, while supplies last.

Complete 30 days of reading, make 10 discoveries and create 10 new things by August 9 to be entered for a grand prize.

Check the Dallas Library's site for details.

***

Finally, the one you've been waiting for -- the adults-only party!

May 31: Now you've got the kids signed up for reading programs, or maybe you're just age 18+ and don't want to be left out. Get yourself to the adults-only Summer Reading Kickoff Concert & Party at the Dallas Central Library (downtown branch), 1515 Young St. between the hours of 6-9 p.m.

There will be live local music, food vendors, water coloring classes, fun activities and, oh, yes -- free drinks. Soda and juice, or if you're so inclined, beer and boozy popsicles (limit 2 per person).

Caution, this is an 18+ event. A valid ID is required at check-in and for alcoholic beverage consumption. No one under 18 will be admitted. Seriously, find a sitter for the kids.

Of course, you should also sign up for the SMART Summer Reading Program! Get prizes for reading? What could be better?

See the site for details, including parking and access information.

 Mark your calendars for summer literary events -- and previews of some beyond summer -- coming up fast!

May 15-18: The annual Dallas Is Lit! festival sponsored by the Dallas Writer's Garret opens this Thursday (May 15) with Hear Me, See Me, a blend of poetry, music and movement at The Oak Cliff Assembly, 919 Morrell Ave., in Dallas. 7 p.m. Tickets $25. See the site for details and ticket purchases.

Dallas Is Lit! continues at 7 p.m. Friday (May 16) with former U.S. poet laureate Joy Harjo in conversation with Jodi Voice Yellowfish at the historic Texas Theatre, 231 Jefferson Blvd., in Dallas. Harjo is the first Indigenous person to hold the national poet laureate title. Tickets from $350. See the site for details.

While you're still at the Texas Theatre (yep, the place where JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested) follow Harjo's appearance with Late Night Lit, featuring spoken word artists and the first ever Dallas Is Lit! poetry slam. At 10 p.m. Tickets $25.

Additional events continue through Sunday, May 18. See the Writer's Garret site for details and locations.

May 24: The Writer's League of Texas Big Writer Meet-Up (site) hits nine cities across the state from 3-5 p.m. These in-person events and free and open to all, intended to bring as many writers together as possible. No formal program, but games, conversation and community. See the site to register and for additional details.

June 11-July 3: Sometimes all we want during a Texas summer is to sit in a cool place and let someone else do the heavy lifting. That's the idea behind the Rejebian Series of book reviews.

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay


Come to the Wesley Hall auditorium at Highland Park UMC, 3300 East Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, for talks by Texas writers and book reviewers. No fees and no reservations needed unless you opt for dinner. Books writing by speakers will be available for purchase on the nights of their event. See the site for complete list of speakers/authors, optional dinner reservations, and more.

June 13-14: On the other hand, what's a summer in Texas without a hotter than hell outdoor event? Like the annual Howard Days festival honoring Robert E. Howard, the early 20th century Texas inventor of Conan the Barbarian and more legendary literary heroes.

It's held in Howard's hometown of Cross Plains, Texas, with celebrations at this home (now the Robert Erwin Howard Museum, 625 SW St.) and around town. Mostly free or opt for the Friday night (June 13) banquet and silent auction for $25. (Note: make banquet reservations pronto -- Howard fans literally come from all over the world for this event!). The Cross Plains Review office gives fans a glimpse of the 1930's newspaper office where Howard briefly worked. The Cross Plains Library houses a growing Howardian collection. And the Cross Plains branch of the U.S. Postal Service offers an HD souvenir with a unique Howard Days cancellation stamp. 

See the site for additional information and to register for the banquet.

July 11: As mentioned previously, this is the deadline for entries for the Writer's League of Texas manuscript contest. Use the online form to submit approximately the first 10 pages (not more than 2,750 words) of a fiction or nonfiction manuscript in any of several genres. Writers do not need a completed manuscript but should also attach a synopsis descripting the rest of the planned book.

Winners in all categories will meet virtually with a top literary agent (the final judge in their category) via Zoom. All entrants, winners or not, have the option of written feedback from an experienced editor.

Fees: $75 for Writer's League members, $95 for nonmembers who request the written critique. $35 members/$75 nonmembers without critique,

See the site for online submission forms and additional information. 

***

Beyond summer, there are still events, but check deadlines and updates for the following:

Aug. 6: That's the deadline for manuscript entries for the horror/fantasy/sci-fi writing workshop of Austin's ArmadilloCon. Dates for the convention itself have been (mercifully) pushed back to September 12-14. But our fellow writers will need time to read and critique each other's offerings before then! As always, at Austin's Southpark Hotel, 4140 Governors Row.

Check the general site for basics, some of which are still sketchy. Then follow the link for entry fees to the entire convention, including the workshop, as well as detailed instructions for writers.

Sept. 27-28: AuthorPalooza, sponsored by the Houston Writers Guild, has been moved from its previously announced date of the first week in October due to a scheduling conflict. See the HWG site for details. 

 By now, news of the "de-extinction" of the dire wolf has thrilled -- or infuriated -- many of us. It's saying a lot for Colossal Biosciences, the Dallas based biotech company, to claim that the beasts resulting from genetic manipulations between an extinct animal and its closest living relatives is identical to the extinct one.

It's a great piece of self-promotion for Colossal, whose bruhaha overshadows the real triumph: also producing four living red wolves. They're a still-extant species whose declining population increasingly limits its genetic diversity and future viability. 

I don't predict a happy future for the maybe-dire wolves presented to the world in still-adorable puppyhood. Apparently, they're growing to look like larger, rather improbably white-furred versions of gray wolves, a species about as closely related to actual dire wolves as chimpanzees are to humans. 

Does physical resemblance predict they'll behave as either gray or dire wolves? Especially without any existing adults to model whatever version of culture those animals may have possessed?

We can only wait and see. And write, if we care to, with the aid of some science-based books about the long, long ago. 

***

Dogs: Their Fossil Relatives & Evolutionary History, by Xiaoming Wang and Richard H. Tedford, with illustrations by Mauricio Antón

The cover illustration for this volume is actually of Borophagus secundus, one of the highly specialized, hyena-like "bone-crushing" dogs who once called the Americas home. Here's hoping no one ever tries to bring Borophagus back to life!

Wang and Tedford combined their work at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, whose sites include the La Brea Tar Pits that trapped many a dire wolf, and the American Museum of Natural History in New York in this easy-to-read story of the canine clan.

With the help of Antón's illustrations, Dogs explores such topics as the great diversity in the canine family, their hunting and social activity, and adaptations as well as extinctions during their near-total distribution around the globe.

The book also explores what is known about the domestication of that group of canines many of us call our best friends.

There's a lot to cover, given that when the book was released in 2008, there had been more than 214 known species of canids during the group's 40-million-year history, with more probably still to be discovered.

I admit skipping first through paleontological artist Antón's lavish illustrations, including eight full color plates. 

Given the time that has elapsed since the publication of Dogs, its illustrations do not depict what has become known since then about the coloration of the dire wolves who launched this discussion. They also do not depict a possible change of scientific name, from Canis dirus to Aenocyon dirus, reflecting the species' evolutionary distance from still living gray wolves. 

Antón's illustrations are so amazing, I've been searching for as many of his other books as I can find, including --

***

The Big Cats and Their Fossil Relatives.

In this 1997 volume, subtitled An Illustrated Guide to Their Evolutions and Natural History, Antón's name precedes that of the text's author, anatomy professor Alan Turner. It has even more color plates than Dogs. 

The Big Cats also gives the illustrator greater scope for color and markings, given that he's illustrating both living and extinct species, with the greater divergence in coloring among members of the cat family.

Anyone grieving over whether dire wolves' fur really was white, versus red or any other color, can take solace in the depiction of a white Homotherium, a sabertoothed cat. Anton gives its illustration a whitish coat that may have been advantageous in its mammoth-steppe Alaska environment.

As he also did in Dogs, Antón's drawings often detail the steps involved in reconstructing animals from skeletal remains to full body. 

 When I last posted here about spring literary events in the state, some had only limited information available. So, some updates!

Now-April 30: Submissions are open for the Houston Writers Guild anthology Journey into Hope contest. Word count should be no more than 5,000 words, and submissions in all genres must involve the anthology's theme, journey into hope, in some way. Winners and honorable mentions will be published, with first through third place winners also receiving cash prizes.

In addition, all prize winners will receive complementary 3-Day Pass registration to the AuthorPalooza Conference hosted by the HWG October 3-5, 2025.

Entry fees: $30 for HWG members, $40 for nonmembers.

Site the site for details.

May 15-18: Tickets will soon be available for the annual Dallas is Lit! festival of the Dallas Writer's Garret. Events include music, an evening with U.S. poet laureate Jo Harjo, books and author fair, Common Language Project reading event, and more. Check the site for details and to reserve space for authors, bookstores, literary organizations, and creative businesses.

Now-July 11: The site for the Writer's League of Texas manuscript contest is now open with complete information.

Use the online form to submit approximately the first 10 pages (not more than 2,750 words) of a fiction or nonfiction manuscript in any of several genres. Writers do not need a completed manuscript but should also attach a synopsis describing the rest of the planned book.

Winners in all categories will meet virtually with a top literary agent (the final judge in their category) via Zoom. All entrants, winners or not, have the option of written feedback from an experienced editor.

Fees: $75 for Writer's League members and $95 for nonmembers who request the written critique/$35 members/$75 nonmembers without critique.

See the site for online submission form and additional information.

***

Of course, check my previous posts for ongoing contests and state literary events. Meanwhile, wouldn't it be nice to have something local, preferably free, especially for those of us not close to major metropolitan areas?

Image by XWu from PixabayLucky us! Besides its many in-Austin and online classes, the Writers League offers two free morning writing workshops in small Texas libraries in April.

April 19, Meg Gardiner (Unsub) and Stacey Swann (Olympia, Texas) visit the Coleman Public Library, 402 S. Commerce St., Coleman, for a writing workshop beginning at 10 a.m. Pre-register at (325) 625-3043.

April 26, Swann teams with Amy Gentry (Good as Gone) at the Salado Public Library, 1151 N. Main St., Salado, beginning at 10 a.m. Again, free, but pre-register at (254) 947-9191. Light refreshments provided at both sites.

By the way, attendees at the Coleman workshop are only about a half hour drive from the town of Cross Plains, home to early 20th-century writer Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan the Barbarian and more. However, note that Howard's house at 625 SW St. in Cross Plains probably will not be open to the public until the annual Howard Days festival June 13-14. More on that still to come!

 What's the favorite price for valuable items? How about -- free! I was reminded of this recently when a writing group member mentioned using a really helpful program. I have no idea how much it cost and won't mention the title (except it's named for a famous author!). But as the group member extolled the program's benefits I thought, wait, that's all available free online.

The benefit of buying a program is the labor-saving cost of not having to conduct the research alternatives. But for the exceptionally thrifty, here's a peek at some of the things I've found. Including stuff that may even be in the word processing programs we're using right now.

First up: Among the most anguish-inducing writing issues is one that has nothing to do with our writing skills. It's what number of spaces to use following the end of a sentence. Writers who learned to type on a computer can skip this point. But for anybody who learned to type on an actual typewriter, then got dissed by fellow critique group members, it's agonizing.

We know the answer. In order not to look like dinosaurs, we should only leave one space after a sentence. One of the clues of the college entrance scandals a few years back was that essay writer spaced TWICE after each sentence. This automatically signaled the writer as older than the average first-time college applicant. In this case, most likely a parent.

If this sounds like us or anyone we know and love, there's not even a need to break that two-space habit. We simply click on "editing" in our machine's toolbar. The tell it to "find" (space space). And "replace with" (space.) If this seems spooky, be assured our machines know what to do.

Our writing looks thirty years younger!

I once heard an editor at a conference say cleaning up the spacing was the first thing she did after receiving a manuscript. Although, for that, of course, she used a program.

Next up: Excessively long, complicated sentences/words. The ones our fellow critique members may describe as "run-ons" (although that's another story). This time, the fix isn't quite as simple as the space bar one. It's possible our writing programs already include it as well. But years ago, I learned to love the free Flesch-Kincaid grade level calculators. There are several of these, sometimes found under such titles as "readability calculators. 

They're also free at Grammarly but for those who want freedom from passwords, grab any available.

All iterations focus on how easy the text is to read. As a former reporter/city editor for a small-town newspaper (remember newspapers?) I click along at a level supposedly easy reading for a 7th to 8th grader.

This rating includes such factors as length and complexity of sentences, and number of syllables in words. A lower grade level doesn't reflect badly on a writer's intelligence, vocabulary or imagination. In fact, my writing has about the same Flesch-Kincaid rating as Lewis Carrol's imaginative poem, "The Jabberwocky."

That said, such readability statistics aren't a huge issue except in writing for very young readers. Although keep reading here for some other suggestions for their use in story character development.

What's next? How about passive voice? Is it a holdover from bad academic writing habits? Or maybe a cultural issue? I've seen and heard it most frequently in writers with backgrounds in former commonwealth countries. 

It's perhaps not surprising, then, that at least one BBC site notes passive voice can be used to make writing appear more formal and objective. So, it's not always a bad thing. Except in the sense that too much of anything can be.

Image: Sidney Paget at Wikipedia

What, exactly, is passive voice? And how do we fix it, if it even needs fixing? Passive voice is writing in which the subject (supposed actor), instead of acting, is being acted upon by the object (receiver of action).

If that sounds confusing, here's my go-to example: "There will call upon you tonight, at a quarter to eight o'clock. . . a gentleman who desires to consult you upon a matter of the very deepest moment. Your recent services to one of the royal houses of Europe have shown that you are one who may safely be trusted with matters which are of an importance which can hardly be exaggerated. This account of you we have from all quarters received. . . "

As readers will recognize, that's a quotation from Arthur Conan Doyle's inimitable, "A Scandal in Bohemia." Doyle's hero, Sherlock Holmes, notes the convoluted grammar to deduce, perhaps unfairly, that the writer's first language is not English.

Readers will use it to deduce that the writer is a self-absorbed ass.

My normal word processing software will sometimes catch instances of passive voice. But in other cases, it can be dead wrong. All I can say is, practice. Pay attention to the squiggly lines. But use judgment.

By the way, Flesch-Kincaid rates "Scandal" overall at a 6th grade reading level but jumps to 8th grade when only assessing the note from the king of Bohemia. Because he's the kind of guy who wants to show everybody that he finished middle school!

I'll end with an easier issue. The last one I remember the writing group member mentioning was the use of adverbs. Adverbs are those parts of speech that modify verbs as well as their fellow modifying words, the adjectives.

However, most of the angst about their use focuses on adverbs ending in -ly. That's the low-hanging fruit. 

Again, go to the toolbar's "editing" and ask for "-ly." In this case, the solution may be as eliminating the word with that dreaded ending. Or we may need to consider substituting a stronger word for the verb being modified.

Or the writer may want to retain the word ending in -ly if it suits the character being described. Such as the king of Bohemia. Considering his note again, why not eliminate words such as the word "safely" in his phrase "safely be trusted"? If someone may be trusted, may they not also be safe to trust?

Not if the character in question is not himself trustworthy!

***

I noticed in my last post a promise to blog about comparative titles in literary query letters. However, I am still researching that. Will return when I have more answers!

 In my previous post about writing literary query letters, I teased the possibility of one of their complements, a story synopsis. At last, I'm willing to discuss synopsis writing. In fact, I just wrote one myself.

But not entirely by myself. Because once again I climbed on the shoulders of other, better writers of this form. As with the previous post, I urge actually reading the complete words of wisdom from writers Caro Clarke (The synopsis: what it is, what it isn't, and how to write it) and Sudan Dennard (How to write a 1-page synopsis).

Are there whimpers of panic at the mention of one page?

Unless our agent insists on a single page, synopses can run a bit longer, maybe one to two pages. But remember, as with agent gripes about too-lengthy query letters, their patience can run short on the overly-long.

First, a little housekeeping. As previously mentioned, the query letter itself should be written in third person to avoid confusion about which words are the author's and which are the character's. The synopsis, however, is strictly first person. The only words it contains are those of the author (although giving glimpses of a main character's voice may be OK).

Image by Melanie from Pixabay

Did I neglect to state what a synopsis is? It's an outline of the story, although without Roman numerals and all that stuff we may have learned in high school English class. It's not the novel's themes, relevance, or even comparison titles. Just the facts, ma'am. What actually happened, all the way to the end. Spoilers included.

So, we've got a several-hundred-word novel to boil down to one (maybe two) pages. How is that even possible?

For this, I particularly love Dennard's outline, imagined as a movie:

Opening image -- setting the stage for the storyProtagonist intro -- a few words about the main character and what they wantInciting incident -- what prompts the main character to take actionPlot point 1 -- the first action/decision that changes the story's directionConflicts & character encounters -- new life, new people, plus antagonist/villainMidpoint -- the 180 degree change from which there is no turning backWinning seems imminent, but. . . -- the main character thinks they'll win but oh no!Black moment -- the main character must find the guts to get through this nadirClimax -- the final struggle between the main character and the antagonistResolution -- happy ever after (or not), plus typing up loose endsFinal image -- has the main character succumbed or built a new life?Sounds a lot like the Hero's Journey we probably took a class about, yes?
Dennard's outline is based on her favorite movie, Star Wars (A New Hope). But not every story needs to feature do-or-die stakes or light saber-flashing action. To steal another example from the book How to Tell a Story, courtesy of public radio's Moth narrative experts, what the main character wants can be as simple as "I'll get these pretzels out of this (expletive deleted) vending machine, even if I have to break the glass!"
Finally, a few more housekeeping issues. Avoid subplots unless there's a half-page of blank space (as if!) at the end of your first page. Ditto, limit named characters to the protagonist, possibly a side kick or love interest, and the antagonist (Evil Vending Machine?).
If any other characters must be mentioned, use only their titles/descriptors (alien princess, repair person, etc.). Some writers (agents, editors, etc.) want the first mention of characters' names to be ALL CAPS/BOLD FACE. When in doubt, check the agent's/editor's website for specifics.***Still to come -- comparison titles. I blogged about agent Amy Collins' takes on these in my March 3, 2023, post, "From manuscript to published book: Part 2," but other agents have suggestions as well.