Author Mentor Match and Pez Proudly Presents

• Post By: Meghan Maugeri
• Date: November 3, 2018
• Category: Uncategorized

Hi Everyone!

I wanted to share a bit of good news. My MG contemporary novel, now titled Pez Proudly Presents, was selected to participate in a program called Author Mentor Match! Middle grade author, Tanya Guerrero, generously offered to mentor me as I rewrite, revise, and revise some more in order to prepare the manuscript to submit to agents. I can’t thank her enough for donating her time. She also made this beautiful aesthetic for my book (shown above)! I would honestly use it for my book cover!

If you were wondering, Pez Proudly Presents follows the story of a quirky eleven-year-old who sets out to write his first film, a rom-com entitled Dog Loves Cat, in order to win a screenwriting competition. His mom hasn’t been herself for months now, ever since her dance studio went out of business, but he knows for a fact that the $10,000 cash prize will make her happy again.

Don’t hold your breath, though. It’s looking like it’s going to be a big, big revision! Honestly, the characters and voice are working well, but the plot is a hot mess. (Pass the trash can, please!) Anyhow, I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and make this book infinitely better. I’ll keep you posted as it progresses.

Also, for my writer friends out there, I thought I’d share a rough timeline of my writing process for Pez. I’ve been working on a number of other things as well, but it’s already been quite a trip and I have a feeling it’s only just getting started. Of course, there’s no guarantee this book will ever find an agent, and even then a home, but I’m determined to keep working until it’s the best possible novel it can be. At the end of the day, that’s all that we can do, right?

So, keep at it, writers! Even when you get a no, often times that no comes with helpful feedback. All you have to do is listen. Thanks again to Tanya and to writer Alexa Donne who organizes the program! (Go follow them on Twitter @alexadonne and @guerrerotanya!) I plan to pay it forward as soon as I can!

TIMELINE

– Circa 2014- write first draft of a MG novel about two friends in a mobile park setting. The voice just isn’t working and I’m unsure how to fix it, so I shelve the draft, for a LONG time.

– Summer 2017-have an idea out of the blue to shift point of view in above novel to the boy character (now named Pez) and make the voice more comedic. Draft a new novel over several months with a focus on the filmmaking plot.

– Winter 2017- Submit Pez to a mentorship program called Write Mentor. Get no bites (*sobs*). Do get encouraging feedback from one mentor. Subsequently, rewrite opening chapters.

– Spring 2018–Submit to Author Mentor Match Round 4. Get a full manuscript request! (Yay!) But don’t get chosen. (*sigh*) Two mentors generously provide feedback with advice to focus on the friendship between Pez and Jasmine since it’s MG (whereas there was a crush subplot.) Subsequently revise.

– Early summer 2018–Submit to Query Kombat Contest and get chosen! (Yay!) Lose in the 2nd round. (The other entry wound up winning the entire thing. Just sayin’). Get 2 agent requests in the agent round, but get passes from both. (*sigh*) One agent generously provides feedback about cutting the number of subplots and making the voice more unique. Subsequently realize the manuscript needs a LOT of work prior to sending to more agents.

– Mid-summer 2018 –Find awesome critique partners through Twitter (#Pitchwars hashtag)

– Late Summer 2018–submit to Pitch Wars. No luck. Rewrite the opening chapters (yes, again!)  to emphasize the comedic voice even more.

– Fall 2018–submit to Author Mentor Match Round 5 and get in!