Writer Interview: Leigh Ann Kopans

I can't think of a better person to be my first official Writer Interview than the fabulous Leigh Ann Kopans. We met through Twitter and I can safely say she's definitely made a presence for herself in the community of aspiring writers on the net. Whether she's blogging at www.leighannkopans.com or tweeting (@leighannkopans), she's keeping all of us in the loop regarding querying, contests and the like.

I hope you all enjoy this interview about Leigh Ann, and follow her blog and Twitter.

AG: Tell us about your current project.

LAK: I’m currently querying a Young Adult Sci-Fi Lite novel, ONE, about kids with only half a superpower - Ones. My main character meets a boy who, if she touches him, can combine his power with hers to make the two of them fly. Everything’s peachy until they realize that the Superhero Biotech Hub is targeting them and other Ones for dangerous experiments that could rob them of their Ones, or worse, kill them.

My Work-in-Progress, CHROME, is a futuristic science-fiction retelling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt. I turned Moses into a 16-year-old girl and the Egyptian kingdom into a biodome that shields its citizens from a nuclear-war scorched atmosphere. There are robots and holotrees and chrome lions. All the plagues are tech-related. I’m about a third of the way through the first draft, and it’s all kinds of fun.

AG: Is it your first book?

LAK: Nope! ONE is my second and CHROME is my third. My first MS got a decent number of contest wins and full and partial reads, and finally racked up over 100 rejections before I retired the poor sweet thing to the drawer.

AG: How did you tackle the revision process before you queried? Did you use CP’s?

LAK: Yep! I had an absolutely AMAZING team of critique partners in three rounds. My first round had two in-line commenters and one reader for general feedback, then I went back and revised according to their (sometimes quite empassioned) suggestions. The second round, with one in-line commenter and two readers for feedback, read the MS after I completed that first revision. They suggested their own changes, I revised again, and passed it off to a good handful of betas, who read for wider-ranging stuff. Revisions after that weren’t too sweeping, but they did help me tweak some things, address some voice issues, and catch stupid mistakes (like a paper permission slip randomly popping up in a paperless society. Oops.)

AG: What was the querying process like for you? Any tips?

LAK: Let’s just say this - They don’t call them “The Query Trenches” for nothing. The feelings while you’re down here range from hope that it’ll end soon to complete and total despair. With downpours, smelly mud, and, of course, trench rats. And, just like real trenches, the best way to get through is by having a great group of buddies right there along with you, telling you jokes, helping you pass the time, and keeping your spirits up.

And, you know, eventually getting out. Which I’m still looking forward to.

I could say all sorts of things about the toughness of querying, llike, “It’s all subjective!” and “It just takes one agent to fall in love with your work!” Now, I don’t know about y’all, but at the end of my second querying run, that stuff just kind of makes me roll my eyes. Except on a very good day.

So I’ll just say this - keep writing, if that’s what you love, and keep querying, if you believe in your work. You never know what lies around the corner.

AG: Do you blog? Where can we find you on Twitter and the internet?

LAK: Yes! I blog about the writing process and my path toward publication at www.leighannkopans.com

And I’m pretty obsessed with Twitter - handle @LeighAnnKopans

AG: What online resources have you used to help your writing and querying and revision process?

LAK: I follow so many wonderful blogs, I can’t see straight! My favorite ones are those written by writers going through the same things I am, or the newly agented - people who are in the same place as I, or going through the stuff I’d like to be going through soon. I like to be able to peek just around the corner.

Also, following agent and agency blogs is VERY useful for a bit of a peek into the industry.

Lastly, contest blogs like MSFV, Mother, Write, Repeat, and Cupid’s Literary Connection are great places to learn about what catches agents’ attention and maybe even snag some requests! Highly recommended.

The biggest reason to follow the blogs of fellow writers and contest blogs, in my experience, is to find like-minded writers. I have found every single one of my beloved CPs by stalking them on blogs and contest sites, seeing what I would love to read (because I really do believe that CPs should have a certain love for one another’s work,) and proposing a CP test run. I didn’t know it would work out this way then, but those ladies have become very near and dear to me. I literally couldn’t do this without them.

Querytracker.net is where all my query lists live. The only thing I hate about it is the little red smiley face that pops up when you record a rejection. Like, does it have to be so RED? And FROWNY? Ugh.

Thanks so much, Leigh Ann! Keep us posted on all your projects!