Writer Interview: Brittany Pate

Today on the blog we have a writer who’s smack dab in the querying trenches—Brittany Pate.  She has great advice on revising and a solid approach to sending out queries.  Check it out!

AG: Tell us about your current project.

BP: I’m querying Fire’s Kiss, a romantic fantasy. It’s about Embyr, a half-demon who hides her power and pretends to be human. When Romeo McLennon, the leader of Death’s Horsemen and the most feared man in history, discovers what she is, he manipulates her into help him fight a secret war that’s been raging for eight hundred years. As she struggles to gain mastery of her power over fire without letting madness overcome her, she unearths the man Romeo used to be before he took on the facade of Death.

AG: Is it your first book?

BP: I’ve written others, but this is my first completed manuscript.

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

BP: I broke it down chapter by chapter, improving each one until I was (mostly) satisfied. I also had a good bit of help from a literary agent who requested a major revision. Sadly, that ended up with a rejection, but her critique made my manuscript so much stronger.
I do have one person who acted as my beta and CP. Without her, I don’t think I would have finished. I would have liked a few more pairs of eyes on it, but I just don’t have those connections yet.

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

BP: Querying was beyond difficult. I went through so many query letters, tweaking this or that, trying to find what worked. I still haven’t found it.
My tips on querying are to start out slow. If you get several rejections from one query, try revising. Enter contests, as many as you can find. Results are subjective, though, so be prepared for conflicting advice. Read contest entries from other writers to see if you’re making similar mistakes. Don’t forget to twitter-stalk the agent you intend to query. Most of them mention what they’re looking for, what they don’t want, and other random, helpful advice.

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

BP: I blog, though it has nothing to do with writing. My blog is here: Adventures in Retail
Twitter: Brittany Pate @brittanypate2
Website: Brittany Pate

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

BP: Gabriela Lessa’s blog hosts Query Wednesday, which has been extremely helpful for me.
QueryTracker.net has helped so much in finding literary agents and keeping my query list organized.


AG: Any extra info you’d like to add or discuss?

BP: Find someone to push you to finish that paragraph, that chapter, that manuscript. Then find someone to go through your manuscript with a fine-tooth comb. They’ll catch things you may have missed.

Brittany, thanks so much for sharing.  I think your MS sounds fascinating, romantic and epic,  so best of luck!  Keep us posted!