You may remember that Tara Sim’s YA manuscript Timekeeper was a winner in our Pitch Plus Five contest last year.
Well, this year Tara has some amazing news! Not only did she find a wonderful agent, but TIMEKEEPER is set to be published in Fall 2016!
To celebrate this amazing success story, we invited both Tara and her agent, the fabulous Laura Crockett of TriadaUS Literary, to share the details of Tara’s path to publishing.
1. Tara, how long have you been writing?
I’ve
been seriously writing since I was 15, when I wrote my first book. I
remember composing poems to my dad when I was six, and writing the odd
short story here and there, but it wasn’t until I wrote my first book
that I realized I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. The last 11
years have been a long exercise in craft and finding my style/voice.
been seriously writing since I was 15, when I wrote my first book. I
remember composing poems to my dad when I was six, and writing the odd
short story here and there, but it wasn’t until I wrote my first book
that I realized I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. The last 11
years have been a long exercise in craft and finding my style/voice.
2. Did you ever have a moment when you thought you were going to give up?
I
don’t think I’ve ever thought of giving up. There were episodes of
despair, though. Between graduating high school and my first year of
college, I had terrible writer’s block and couldn’t finish my third
novel. I eventually bit the bullet and finished it, and I’m so glad I
did, because it re-lit my passion. There have also been times, like when
I was querying, where I just wanted to crawl into a hole, but
eventually I knew I would climb out of that hole and get back to work.
It’s perfectly okay to retreat to your hole/blanket fort/underground
lair, as long as you get back into the fray afterwards!
don’t think I’ve ever thought of giving up. There were episodes of
despair, though. Between graduating high school and my first year of
college, I had terrible writer’s block and couldn’t finish my third
novel. I eventually bit the bullet and finished it, and I’m so glad I
did, because it re-lit my passion. There have also been times, like when
I was querying, where I just wanted to crawl into a hole, but
eventually I knew I would climb out of that hole and get back to work.
It’s perfectly okay to retreat to your hole/blanket fort/underground
lair, as long as you get back into the fray afterwards!
3. How did you decide to enter Pitch Plus Five? What was the contest like?
I
heard about the contest through a friend. Since it sounded interesting
and I liked the challenge, I entered TIMEKEEPER (my first YA book) and
got in. The contest was a great learning experience. I loved reading all
the different excerpts and pitches, seeing what worked and what didn’t,
what some people liked and what others didn’t. It taught me a lot about
subjectivity, and how something can be loved or hated depending on the
reader. That was humbling.
heard about the contest through a friend. Since it sounded interesting
and I liked the challenge, I entered TIMEKEEPER (my first YA book) and
got in. The contest was a great learning experience. I loved reading all
the different excerpts and pitches, seeing what worked and what didn’t,
what some people liked and what others didn’t. It taught me a lot about
subjectivity, and how something can be loved or hated depending on the
reader. That was humbling.
As
far as my progression with TIMEKEEPER, I watched in surprise as it made
it to the top 25, then the top 10, and then came out as one of the two
winners. It helped not only with my confidence in the project, but in
evolving the pitch and the first few pages, which are integral when
querying.
far as my progression with TIMEKEEPER, I watched in surprise as it made
it to the top 25, then the top 10, and then came out as one of the two
winners. It helped not only with my confidence in the project, but in
evolving the pitch and the first few pages, which are integral when
querying.
4. Tell us about your offer(s).
The
offer from my agent, Laura Crockett at TriadaUS Literary Agency, was
both expected and unexpected. I queried Laura a few months after Pitch
Plus Five, and shortly after I sent her the full manuscript she followed
me on Twitter. Sometimes agents will follow you for no apparent reason,
but I felt like this meant something. I even had a dream that she
offered me representation, but only if I brought her a pot roast (it was
a difficult time, mentally and otherwise). Strangely enough, that very
day, she called to offer on TIMEKEEPER–no pot roast required.
5. What’s next for you?
TIMEKEEPER
has just been acquired in a three book deal by Sky Pony Press. The
first book of the trilogy comes out fall 2016. For more info, check out
the Goodreads page.
has just been acquired in a three book deal by Sky Pony Press. The
first book of the trilogy comes out fall 2016. For more info, check out
the Goodreads page.
1. Laura, what about the pitch and the first pages of a manuscript is most essential to draw you in?
The
pitch needs to be concise. I’m most attracted to queries that read like
a book jacket — in fact, all of my authors had queries like that. A
bit about the setting, interesting situation with the main character,
the turning point in the plot, and then intrigue! Make me curious.
pitch needs to be concise. I’m most attracted to queries that read like
a book jacket — in fact, all of my authors had queries like that. A
bit about the setting, interesting situation with the main character,
the turning point in the plot, and then intrigue! Make me curious.
The
first pages are tough. I prefer to be dropped into it, next to the main
character, experiencing what they’re facing right that second.
Backstories and world-building should happen gradually, no matter the
genre. With Tara, her main character was on an assignment to fix a clock
tower and he was nervous. Why was he nervous? Why was it so important
to fix the tower? Can he really manipulate time? Who’s this deformed,
silent apprentice? I fell into the manuscript.
first pages are tough. I prefer to be dropped into it, next to the main
character, experiencing what they’re facing right that second.
Backstories and world-building should happen gradually, no matter the
genre. With Tara, her main character was on an assignment to fix a clock
tower and he was nervous. Why was he nervous? Why was it so important
to fix the tower? Can he really manipulate time? Who’s this deformed,
silent apprentice? I fell into the manuscript.
2. What was it about Tara and her writing that made you decide to extend an offer of representation?
She’s
intelligent, creative, funny, and such an excellent storyteller. That’s
what we’re about in this business. Tara’s manuscript kept me up late
into the night, her characters were in my head for days, and I wanted to
have that experience exclusively for all of her books. When you know,
you know. It’s like finding a new book to read, getting sucked in, and
now that author is your new favorite author and you will automatically
buy his or her work forever and ever, amen.
intelligent, creative, funny, and such an excellent storyteller. That’s
what we’re about in this business. Tara’s manuscript kept me up late
into the night, her characters were in my head for days, and I wanted to
have that experience exclusively for all of her books. When you know,
you know. It’s like finding a new book to read, getting sucked in, and
now that author is your new favorite author and you will automatically
buy his or her work forever and ever, amen.
~ posted by Sandra Held
