Friday, December 3, 2010

Interrogation Room with Editor/Author Clarissa Yip

I am so excited! I have decided to go nuts with exclamation points. I have an author/editor in the house and she has agreed to answer our questions all day . Its not everyday we get a willing participant in the interrogation room, so without further ado I give you Clarissa Yip and one of the finest covers I have seen in a while.
Two weeks ago I asked you to send in your questions to get Clarissa warmed up, and she did not disappoint



  1. Karen: I would love to ask Clarissa, what are some of the things you look for in the opening pages to signal that you will continue to read?
Opening pages are very important. Like any story, there should always be a hook that draws the reader in in the first paragraph. Depending on who you sub to, the first page is significant as it will immediately show what a writer is capable of as an author in forms of diction, grammar, punctuation and writing ability. Usually for me though, I will read a submission from beginning to end. I find that most stories always have a rough start and an author doesn't show their true potential until after the third chapter in my experience, but I understand most pub houses are different. I always look for a strong hook and how the first page is set up based on how much white space, if there is dialogue or action. If you throw me a first page with passive voice, and I start seeing Zzzzzz, that might be an issue. I also don't like stories that start off with lots of info dumping or if the characters are looking, sighing...just doing nothing. Start the story off with a big bang, put me in the middle of the action! Draw me in! The first page does make an important first impression, so definitely brush up on those hook skills. 

  1. Sondrae: I would love to ask, what one mistake is an automatic rejection for you, no matter how good the rest of the story is?

Head hopping. As much as most authors think they can pull off being someone like Nora Roberts or Julie Garwood, I can't handle the head hopping. I don't mind one or two POV changes in one scene, but if I'm hopping from one paragraph to another in different character POV's and my head is spinning to follow what's going on, I have to put the story down. And we don't want that. I wouldn't out right reject anyone if the idea or plot of the book has potential. If an author is willing to fix it, then I would definitely love to work with them, but if they believe that head hopping is a style or writer's right of expression...then I might not be so eager. LOL.
  1. Michelle Teacress: Paranormal is popular now. Any idea what's coming next?
Paranormal is still kind of hot even though the whole wave is starting to slow down. I'm starting to see a lot of Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Steampunk and Space Opera. But I think the best advice would be to write what you know. If you write Paranormal, then stick with it. Throw in your own twist and make it awesome!
  1. L’aussie Most of the submissions you read must fall short of the mark. Do you get a *bling blang* moment when you read a mss that has 'winner' written all over it? What would most likely rock your boat?
LOL. I've yet to find the perfect story that will sweep me off my feet or actually rock my boat. No story is perfect and it takes so many drafts and rounds of edits for any story to be at its full potential. But when I do see a story that has 'winner' written all over it, I know I'd have to have it. It becomes my baby and I want to watch it grow to it's fullest and make that best seller's list. But seriously, I've yet to see the perfect story. I don't believe such thing exists. And if I did find one that I didn't have to do any editing for, I think I'd be scared. I love all genre's of romance. I'm an emotional editor/writer. If I see one that will give me the rollercoaster ride of my life, then I'm definitely bought. Why, do you have something to show me?
  1. Maria:  What would you be doing if you weren't editing for a living?
Wow, that's a good question. I've been editing for a while and studying this industry for the past few years and watching trends. I've learned so much about the e-publishing industry and it's affect. It's really interesting with the rise of so many e-publishers and the demand for digital books. If I weren't editing, I think I would be writing all day long and probably running around with my muse. I do miss writing when I'm in full editor mode. Instead of working on my own writing career, I'm helping my authors grow and become best sellers, but I seriously love it. I seriously don't know what else I would do. Maybe become a famous scrapbooker or some sort of translator. I love languages.
  1. Myne: What is your opinion on POV?
Well...POV is important as any element of a story, but the only type of book that will draw me in is one that knows how to utilize Deep POV and keep me in the character's mind. I'm not a big fan of First person present, but I know a lot of writers find that to be the easiest to write. I'm seriously all about the emotions and character developments. I highly discourage head hopping and having multiple POV's in one scene. That drives me crazy. Not a big fan of narration. If you know how to use POV to your advantage, then it should truly bring out your author voice.
  1. Erica & Christy: How do you feel about selling a "quiet" book with excellent writing or does everything these days needs to be HUGE HOOK/HIGH CONCEPT!!!
That is an interesting question. I think it depends on what you're aiming for and who you want to buy your story. It seriously is all about the whole plot line, characters, ideas, and how well an author can execute an idea along with how well their writing is. There's nothing wrong with a 'quiet' book as long the writing is excellent, but will the plot line, idea of the story, the layering, and characters keep the reader engrossed enough to keep turning the page? The market is competitive and so many authors use the same plots. It's how well a writer can spin their story from those old cliches and make it stand out from the rest. There seriously are so many publishers out there and if one doesn't like the whole 'quiet' book, then there will be another who will think differently. Publication is seriously so subjective.

  1. Joanna: What is your writing process like? do you use Critique partners and betas like the rest of us?
My writing process? I'm a half plotter, half pantser. I get ideas when I'm driving or walking or just watching TV. Usually in forms of images and I'll stem my stories off of them. But I usually have to spend some time to get to know my characters before I can actually start writing. I have a wonderful group of critique partners. You gals should check them out. Passionate Critters. (http://www.passionatecritters.org/) I don't know what I would do without them. They've been so supportive through my whole career and they're great! I couldn't have found a better group of women to share my successes and my failures with.  I'm pretty normal as an author. I do everything like most people. I go through the same writing process, same crit process, and submission process. I seriously don't get any special treatment because I'm an editor. Maybe I'm a little better at editing my own stuff at times, but it's hard to look at your own work and not miss things.

Tell us about your book and Five Oaks

My new release is actually one of four from the anthology that was put together with a few of my other critique partners. A Passionate Christmas is dedication to our crit group and Decadent Publishing was crazy enough to take on all of us girls, but it's been a great experience for all of us. We've gone through many ups and downs together to get this anthology written and its only made our group closer. I'm sure there were times that they've wanted to strangle each other (maybe me..) a few times, but we've worked pretty well together. Definitely check it out. We have on-probation angels, assassin witches, paranormal investigators, and the normal city girl running away from home, all stories revolving around the same town of Five Oaks. I'm the only contemporary writer in this group (I claim the normal one.), but it's truly been fun.

Thank you so much for having me. If anyone has ANY questions please ask. I'll be giving away two copies of my new release, Snowy Encounters to any commenters. If you're curious about me, I'm blogging also at http://decadentpublishing.blogspot.com/ today. You can learn all my bad habits and win a copy of my book if you don't get one here. AND I'm also at http://30daysofdecadence.blogspot.com/. I stole something of Santa's and wrote him a...spiteful letter. I have prizes over there too. Yes, I'm everywhere. This was seriously fun! Thanks!

52 comments:

  1. That is one fabulous interview. Thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you :O)

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  2. Great interview ladies, thanks for the tips Clarissa :)

    Rach

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  3. Thank you Joanna St James for a fabulous interview and for hosting the amazing Clarrisa Yip! I love her insight into what writing grabs her as an editor as well as what doesn't! I'm so happy to read too that an excellent well written "quiet" book has every chance of competing with the high octane ones!!

    Thanks again, take care
    x

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  4. What an excellent interview. Loved that the questions come from different people. The answers were insightful. Thanks for sharing Clarissa!

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  5. thank you for your comments, i just realized i said i was going to go nuts with !!!!!!!!! but then I did not!!!!!!!!!! so here we go!

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  6. Great interview, Clarissa. :) You sound like an excellent editor and not at all scary. Do you think you'd ever be interested in taking pitches for a day?

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  7. An editor who reads past the first page? WOOT!

    Great interview. Thanks ladies!

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  8. This is a wonderful interview! Thank you!

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  9. It's always great when you answer right at any interview.
    Well done!

    www.thisisthediaryofanotmadblackwoman.wordpress.com

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  10. Fabulous! Really loving the interview Clarissa. So many thorough answers to great questions. Loved the advice on genre though. Some people can genre hop and write whatever is selling in the moment. I tend to want to write what speaks to me. Off to follow you around the blogosphere!

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  11. Love getting this sneak peek into the editors world. :)
    Congrats on your Snowy Encounters release!

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  12. Readers do need to be hooked right away. I give an author like a page or so. I don't have an expectation of a killer opening sentences for a hook. This is rare and not fair to the author or reader. But within a minute or tow I have to be hooked or probably move on to something else.

    Nice to meet you, Clarissa.

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  13. Great interview/interrogation!
    Thank you!

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  14. Great interview, Clarissa, and I hope you find something to rock your boat soon!

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  15. Thanks for being here, Clarissa! Congrats on your book.

    Fabulous interview, Joanna. Love the way you set up the questions.

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  16. Wow, so much good information to take in. As a reader, I hate head popping too. I’ve put down countless books because of it (yet I accidently do it in my own writing sometimes).

    I do have a couple of questions:

    1.How did you get into editing and what houses did you work at? What publishing house would be your dream job?

    2.I’ve heard a lot about how editors and publishers hate getting books with cliché opening (one of the most hated being a main character coming back home for a funeral) yet, I see new books being published constantly with that same cliché and they almost always seem to do well on the bestsellers list. How do you feel about that? Do those kinds of beginnings turn you off or do you still give the book a chance to redeem itself? And if the book is good, do you insist that the author rewrite that beginning or leave it with that opening scene?

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  17. Great info, thanks for posting today! Sucking up now and going to check out your book.

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  18. Loved this interview. Joanna -- keep it up with these great interviews! And Clarissa -- loved learning more about you and hearing your thoughts.

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  19. Those were all excellent questions and I found the answers enlightening. Thank you Joanna for hosting Clarissa and thank you Clarissa for sharing your experience.
    Nancy
    N. R. Williams, fantasy author

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  20. Thank you for the valuable editorial advice! And I'm also one to be irritated with head hopping. Great interview and looking forward to the Christmas anthologies!!

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  21. wow, this was a really great 'n informative interview! Thanks so much to the both of you!

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  22. really fantastic interview! And what a fun way to create a novel! Sounds like you and your crit group had a lot of fun. Can't wait to read it.

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  23. Terrific interview! Everyone asked such great questions. Thanks for sharing, Joanna!

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  24. This is a great interview! There were some helpful tips--thanks, Clarissa and Joanna!

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  25. I love the part that says publishing is so subjective.

    And I'd love to write "quietly."

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  26. Excellent interview, Joanna. Thanks to Clarissa for her input on my question about the paranormal craze. Have a great weekend!

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  27. I loved reading this. Of course it took me all day since I started this morning and had errands to run. Parts I read twice, but on purpose. Great information. Thanks so much Clarissa and Joanna!

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  28. Lots of things to take away. Thanks for doing this Joanna. All the best with the book Clarissa and the others.

    Have a great weekend all..

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  29. Excellent, informative post! Thanks for a helpful interview and I thought the questions were fantastic!!

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  30. Joanna, briliant interview. Enjoyed reading it and also learnt alot - thank you and Clarissa. I'm going to hop over and check out Clarissa's blog too.

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  31. Thank you all for stopping by! I love comments and it gives me an idea of where everyone is going with their writing careers or just passing hoping to learn something and that makes me happy!

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  32. To Lia:
    1.How did you get into editing and what houses did you work at? What publishing house would be your dream job?

    I've been writing for a few years and it's tough. Everyone goes through the same learning process whether or not they want to, but in order to be successful, you have to continue to want to learn and improve. I started editing for Breathless Press about a year ago. It helps when you're a grammar freak and understand how to put a book together, but be flexible in regards to plot lines, styles, characters, etc. I've learned so much from my job in regards to writing and it's opened my eyes to many elements that make a good book. All authors have different voices and different styles, which make them unique. When I look at a manuscript, I know which writing level they are at and when I see their next manuscript, it should tell me if they've learned anything or have improved from their first. Every writer has to start somewhere. I never really envisioned editing my whole life, but I've learned so much as an editor about the industry and watching the industry revolve has been really interesting. I don't specifically have a dream publisher to work with. My whole goal is to ensure that all my authors are happy and their success means more to me than anything. I have a great group of authors at BP and I have to say I got really lucky. They're like my kids. But then I'm the type that doesn't sit still for anything. I write, I edit, but I'm also working on my master's in International Marketing, so I'm trying to fulfill many dreams before I turn old. LOL.

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  33. 2.I’ve heard a lot about how editors and publishers hate getting books with cliché opening (one of the most hated being a main character coming back home for a funeral) yet, I see new books being published constantly with that same cliché and they almost always seem to do well on the bestsellers list. How do you feel about that? Do those kinds of beginnings turn you off or do you still give the book a chance to redeem itself? And if the book is good, do you insist that the author rewrite that beginning or leave it with that opening scene?

    I'm not a big fan of cliches, but if an author can manage to draw me in and not think how redundant it's been played out, then sure. Make it work. One of the ones I hate seeing is where the heroine or hero is in the car driving to where the conflict is going to happen and all I can think about is, 'come on! Just throw me in the action!' LOL. Like I said thought, publishing is so subjective. Sometimes if something in a manuscript catches the eye of the acquisitions editor, it may work for one publisher and not the other. My recommendation would be to definitely do your research on the publishers and read their books. Get a taste of what they publish and make sure that they are legit. That's very important. There are many great sites with informative advice on all the publishers.

    In regards to best seller's list, it's hard to say. A lot of people buy because of the brand or what credentials the name of the author holds. It's really hard for me to buy a book and not want to edit it or have criticisms running through my mind on how it could have been better, but all editor's tastes are different. It's a hit or miss. It stinks for the writer, but that's reality.

    Beginnings. You know when a beginning works when you read it out loud and it flows, the reader is draw into the story and has a clear mental picture of what's going on and they're so curious to continue flipping the page. Editors aren't there to tell the author's how to write their books on how it should be written, but act as a guide/mentor to make sure the author's full potential is drawn out and shone through the book. So, if the opening works, then I would definitely say leave it, but of course, there is always room for improvement.

    Thank you so much for asking! I love having my brain picked and sharing whatever knowledge I know.

    Anyone else have anymore questions?

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  34. What a great idea to do an anthology as a group. Congratulations, Clarissa, to you and your group.

    (Glad they didn't strangle you. :grin:

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  35. Thanks you Maria! They haven't killed me yet, so I think that's a good sign. lol

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  36. Great interview, thanks Clarissa. And thank you Joanna for bringing her to us!

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  37. I haven't read any of your books yet, Clarissa, but I know you're an awesome editor!

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  38. What a great interview, Joanna! Such great questions. I agree with the head hopping irritation. I hate having to figure out what's going on all the time. Thanks.
    CD

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  39. ouch! ouch! I am a head hopper but I have long conditioned myself to minimize the head hopping. My CP gives me little gold stars if I can keep one POV for a whole chapter :)

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  40. A www, thanks Faith! I miss seeing you around! Thanks for stopping by!

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  41. Joanna, that's too funny! I like that concept, but too bad it doesn't work with my authors. Lol.

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  42. Wow, what a wonderful interview! I enjoyed the tips and encouragements. I do love being a writer. *sigh*

    ~Elizabeth :)

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  43. Clarissa, thank you so much for answering my questions.

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  44. You're welcome, Lia!

    I'll be hanging out here all week So if anyone has any questions, ask away!

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  45. Thank you, Joanna and Clarissa, for such a great interview. It was informative and positive. Clarissa, congratulations on your new release.

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  46. Great interview, as always! Really interesting to see some non-standard questions and non-standard answers, getting a bit deeper into the subject matter. Thanks!

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  47. Great interview Joanna and Clarissa. You had me hooked at scrapbooking and languages :)
    Excellent tips too! Catherine

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  48. The first paragraph and IF we're lucky, the first page -- I'm sure most editors/agents don't have the time to read past the first few sentences if we don't snag their attention right away.
    Write1Sub1

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  49. So much great information here, I'm bookmarking this to come back to.

    I think I once followed you and you followed me. Then a blogger glitch forced me to do a new blog. That loses all followers. I'm sorry I've been missing out on your posts! But I'm back now.
    Ann Best, A Long Journey Home

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  50. Thank you all! I love seeing people here!

    While I'll be hanging around the Interrogation room all week along with my wonderful anthology minions, please stop by

    http://romanceauthorhotspot.com/?p=330

    One of my fave publishers have been interviewed by me about their company and what they foresee into the future. It's Decadent Publishing!

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  51. I'm late getting to this fabulous post and so glad that I didn't miss it. Very useful insights from Clarissa. Thank you both!

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  52. Wonderful and insightful piece of advice. Hooks are a big yes-yes in any story so i am truly grateful for that. The POV advice was also spot-on. I hate writing in the 1st person narrative.

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I'd love to hear what you have to say, so go on & make my day