How to avoid melodrama in your story

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Welcome to another #AskMeAnything session! In this series, I'm responding to your questions about the publishing industry and how to write a better book. Leave me any additional questions in the comments and I will add them to my list for future videos!

MORE BOOK EDITOR Q&As:

RELATED VIDEOS:

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TODAY'S #ASKMEANYTHING :
01:34 - How to avoid melodrama in your story
03:09 - Do you need beta readers and critique partners?
06:00 - How do you respond to a full manuscript request?

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ABOUT ME:
My name is Alyssa Matesic, and I’m a professional book editor with nearly a decade of book publishing and editorial experience. Throughout my career, I’ve held editorial roles across both sides of the publishing industry: Big Five publishing houses and literary agencies. The goal of this channel is to help writers throughout the book writing journey—whether you're working on your manuscript or you're looking for publishing advice.

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MUSIC:

[ArtemisMS]

About 80% of the time you won't be able to include a message with your full MS submission because it will be through Query Manager. When I do get them via email, I just reply, "Thanks so much for your interest in my book! I've attached the full manuscript as requested." Short 'n sweet!

About long waits... two agents have had my full for six months now :-\ Three have had it for two months. It's really rough out there.

[tejaswinisureshkrishnan]

I just received a full request last week and I am happy that I kept my mail short and sweet although it is temptimg to be over emotional😂

[andyclark]

Alyssa and Luka, thanks for answering my question. I found bonus meaning there in that I can use the beta process to identify and reach out to my target audience. This does Not make it easier, but likely more meaningful. Bless you.

[ourdivinemouseoverlord]

Hi Alyssa, I recently found your channel and have found it very helpful. Thank you.

[ccbonanfant]

Question: I've written a contemporary romance novel, and once all is said and done with my many many revisions and edits - it's a little over a whopping 190, 000 words. I know this is longer than industry standard. I think I have 3 options (and would appreciate your expertise in picking a course of action): 1. Submit query letters with the 190k manuscript as-is and hope that an agent is willing to take a chance on something outside the norm, 2. Chop my manuscript into 2 or 3 parts (I've already decided this can be done given the flow of the story) and submit just the first book while letting agents know that there is a 2nd and/or 3rd book already written, or 3. Add a sentence in the query letter that says something like, "Though designed to be one cohesive story, there is potential to split the novel into a two-part or three-part series to better align to standard romance length." I'm leaning toward option 3 with the idea that splitting up the novel should be done as a collaborative discussion with an industry expert/agent, but I worry that it might make me seem like I don't know what I'm doing or like I'm not confident in what I have. Truth be told, it's ONE story, and although I could break it up, I really didn't design it that way, and I worry that book one would be kinda "blah" without the amazing TRUE ending of the complete story. Help! p.s. your channel is AMAZING! Keep up the great work :)

[of_ashes]

QUESTION: (In your opinion) How far is "too far" when it comes to the process of revision, before sending out queries and manuscripts? We strive to clear it of any plot holes, poor character development, and general inconsistencies, but after that's all done; is a great story in need of a few edits, more favorable to an immaculately edited dumpster fire?

[kerahollow]

Q: I've got my first rejection (which is so exciting because I feel like a real writer now. ^-^) and I chose a few smaller agents who stated they respond to all queries, as I was hoping to get some feedback before trying bigger agencies. The rejecting email stated: "Unfortunately, I don’t think your book would be quite right for my list at this time. Publishing is very subjective, of course, and I’m sure another agent will feel differently". Should I take this to mean that my query letter was okay, or was the agent simply being polite and I may need to tweak a few things in your opinion?
Love your videos(your hair is serving) you have been a huge help!<3

[merriberri]

Overuse of italics for emphasis also leads to something seeming melodramatic. Even if it otherwise wouldn't have. Anything that explicitly gives emphasis should be used sparingly. Italics, exclamation marks, even curse words. It gets to be repetitive because there is no synonym for a exclamation mark so it stands out a lot. And when everything is treated like a Big Deal by the characters everything has the same tension and it no longer feels as if there are real stakes. Just in my opinion from what I've noticed. Presenting the character has a person the readers need to get to know as they read, learning that characters tells, is much more impactful in my mind than going for dramatics because it often hits on something deeper than just yelling or what have you. Even if a character is supposed to be the emotional type that emotion still needs to be used at the right moments.

[aesweole]

Hi Alyssa! I’m quite a young author (I’m 16) and I’m working on my 2nd novel. And though my family supports me and thinks that I should try to get them published, I don’t think I will. First of all, I just don’t think anyone would work with such a young writer (quality of manuscripts aside). Plus, I view my age as an opportunity to strengthen my language (especially since English isn’t my first, and I write in it) and figure out genres I want to write in. But what age is “old enough”? Are there any rules about it? Because, 18 (legal age) still feels a little too young.

[TaxiMathGirl]

For a literary novel that uses a historical event, how do we best research the event? Can we use history books written by other authors? Should historical quotes be attributed within the text as being direct quotes?

[intellectually_lazy]

heck, i was proud to get my first rejection letter. i have it hung up on my wall. i only didn't get the other 2 bc i forgot the return envelope for asimov, and not only does the new yorker not accept submissions from unpublished authors, but they have a fake snail mail address. i'm sure my work was rejected on its own merit, and not merely on account of my unreasonable demands, which i'm in no position to make

[Fuliginosus]

Does the taboo about exclamation marks apply to comedy too?

[nosyt]

Q: Given the legal relationship between imprints and parent companies, is it correct to infer that if the imprint is a voting member in a particular professional association, that therefore the parent company itself is a voting member? As a hypothetical, let's say that a publisher has an imprint that's branded in such a way as to attract more politically conservative readers. If the imprint were to become a voting member of a radical right-wing association known to incite people to violence, could the parent company be legally implicated in some way?

Love your channel! <3

[Gburn]

My current WIP is separated into five parts, rather than chapters. Should I artificially separate the first 5k or so into three "chapters" when I query or note that I'm sending the first 5k because the book is presented in five parts (I know it's probably the former. Break it to me gently.)

[chuckwieser]

If someone needs a beta reader, I have done that for friends, members of my writing group, and professionally.

[nelhed]

I love your channel but sometimes I feel you have too much fluff at the start of your videos.