Ask the Author: Susane Colasanti
Answered Questions (16)
Susane Colasanti
The process of publishing a book involves a LOT of hard work and patience! Your manuscript needs to represent your best possible work before you submit it to an agent. The first step is to complete your manuscript, then set it aside for as long as you can stand to. Pick it up several months later to revise. After so much time away from your work, you will see your writing with fresh eyes and will want to make changes that will improve your story. After revising a manuscript, I like to do one more revision so that the manuscript I submit is actually my third draft, polished to as much of a high shine as I can manage.
Following that initial process of hard work on your end, your manuscript will be in the hands of your agent to send to editors they feel would be a good fit. This is where patience comes in. You might not hear anything for a while. You might have to revise your manuscript again...and again. You might consider quitting all together when rejections start rolling in. Do not quit. Rejections are part of the publishing process for every author. The only way to take your manuscript to published book form is to never give up.
When an editor (or more than one editor) offers a contract, your manuscript is on its way to becoming a physical book. Now you will do a series of revisions in response to your editor's notes and feedback. How many revisions you do varies. My first book, When It Happens, needed nine revisions, most of them major. But my latest book coming out in July, Forever in Love, only needed one light revision. Hopefully this is because I have learned some things over the past 11 years and 11 books! Generally, the more you write, the more your writing improves, and fewer revisions are required as you move forward.
It usually takes over a year from the time your agent submits a manuscript to an editor to your publication date. As a point of reference, almost all of my books have been released in May, and those manuscripts had all been revised with my editor and on their way to copyediting by the previous May. Which is wild, because by the time a book comes out I have already written and revised my next book that will be out the following year!
As much as I love the idea of writing my books in beautiful notebooks with sparkly Gelly Roll pens in my favorite coffeehouse, I write on my iMac in Word. But you should def use the platform that works best for you. Happy writing :)
Following that initial process of hard work on your end, your manuscript will be in the hands of your agent to send to editors they feel would be a good fit. This is where patience comes in. You might not hear anything for a while. You might have to revise your manuscript again...and again. You might consider quitting all together when rejections start rolling in. Do not quit. Rejections are part of the publishing process for every author. The only way to take your manuscript to published book form is to never give up.
When an editor (or more than one editor) offers a contract, your manuscript is on its way to becoming a physical book. Now you will do a series of revisions in response to your editor's notes and feedback. How many revisions you do varies. My first book, When It Happens, needed nine revisions, most of them major. But my latest book coming out in July, Forever in Love, only needed one light revision. Hopefully this is because I have learned some things over the past 11 years and 11 books! Generally, the more you write, the more your writing improves, and fewer revisions are required as you move forward.
It usually takes over a year from the time your agent submits a manuscript to an editor to your publication date. As a point of reference, almost all of my books have been released in May, and those manuscripts had all been revised with my editor and on their way to copyediting by the previous May. Which is wild, because by the time a book comes out I have already written and revised my next book that will be out the following year!
As much as I love the idea of writing my books in beautiful notebooks with sparkly Gelly Roll pens in my favorite coffeehouse, I write on my iMac in Word. But you should def use the platform that works best for you. Happy writing :)
Susane Colasanti
Always! For the past 10 years, I have been writing one book a year. But at the end of 2016, I decided 2017 was going to be my Year on Fire, as a way of turning a lot of negative energy that was happening into positive energy. I made an executive decision to write three books in 2017...which I've already done! Right now I am in the revision stages. Hopefully I will be able to share good news about these new books with you soon.
This year the final book of my City Love trilogy, FOREVER IN LOVE, will be out on July 11. I am currently doing a giveaway! Just post a screenshot of FOREVER IN LOVE on your Goodreads Want to Read list to your Instagram or Facebook and tag me in your pic. Two winners (US only) will be selected to win a signed hardcover, plus another City Love trilogy book of their choice. Ends May 26 at 11:11pm EST. Happy summer reading :)
This year the final book of my City Love trilogy, FOREVER IN LOVE, will be out on July 11. I am currently doing a giveaway! Just post a screenshot of FOREVER IN LOVE on your Goodreads Want to Read list to your Instagram or Facebook and tag me in your pic. Two winners (US only) will be selected to win a signed hardcover, plus another City Love trilogy book of their choice. Ends May 26 at 11:11pm EST. Happy summer reading :)
Susane Colasanti
Thanks for the warm fuzzy, Jess! Congrats that you are getting ready to query agents. Super exciting! My best advice to you can be summed up in one word: patience. Finding an agent can be a long process, but it's really important that you find an agent who is a good fit for you. The right agent will love your work and be a supportive, enthusiastic advocate. Def worth the wait, so have patience for the process.
As for writing advice at this stage, I encourage you to make sure that your manuscript is your best possible work. That entails revising, putting it aside for several months, revising again, and repeating until you know in your heart it is ready to share. A lot of writers I know share their drafts with other writers or friends for feedback, but whatever works for you is the way to go. Most of all, have fun! xoxo
As for writing advice at this stage, I encourage you to make sure that your manuscript is your best possible work. That entails revising, putting it aside for several months, revising again, and repeating until you know in your heart it is ready to share. A lot of writers I know share their drafts with other writers or friends for feedback, but whatever works for you is the way to go. Most of all, have fun! xoxo
Susane Colasanti
Hi Jessica! You can read my standalone books (the first eight books I wrote) in any order you would like. They are not part of a series. You can read synopses and find videos/playlists/other extras for these books on my website. But my City Love trilogy is a series, so you would read them in this order: City Love, Lost in Love, and Forever in Love, which comes out on July 11, 2017. Happy reading!
Susane Colasanti
So. Many. More. I have more books left to write than years to live! My ideas notebook is full and I am always thinking of fresh, new ideas. As long as I am fortunate enough to keep having books published and readers who support me, I will be writing many more books. My readers are why I write. The hope that I can reach out to them with my books and help them feel less alone is my inspiration.
Susane Colasanti
Yes! The new teen novel I am writing now (my 12th book) has more of a contemporary, realistic classification than romance, with a focus on heavier issues. Same with the books I am planning to write moving forward. But I am still incorporating love stories in my books.
Susane Colasanti
KEEP HOLDING ON was inspired by my own experiences with being bullied in junior high and high school. I wrote about some really embarrassing things that actually happened to me, things I would have been mortified to admit back then. But I’m not embarrassed anymore. If those things happened to me, they are happening to teens right now. So it was time to speak up.
I know how it feels to be relentlessly tormented. I know how it feels to constantly be anxious at school and at home, to feel like you’ll never find a place to belong, or like no one will ever understand you. Writing this book was my way of turning a negative experience into something positive. I want this story to reach out to teens in need. I want this book to help people feel less alone. If it does, then the horrible things that happened to me will have been worth it.
ALL I NEED came from a very different place. Readers often ask me if soul mates are real. They ask if boys like the boys in my books actually exist. Yes, soul mates are real and boys like those do exist! I know what it’s like to meet a soul mate. What it’s like to feel that instant connection. To feel like you’ve already known someone your whole life even though you just met. My main goal in writing ALL I NEED was to make readers feel hopeful. By the time you finish the last sentence, I want you to believe in true love, and to know that you deserve the kind of love you want to find.
I know how it feels to be relentlessly tormented. I know how it feels to constantly be anxious at school and at home, to feel like you’ll never find a place to belong, or like no one will ever understand you. Writing this book was my way of turning a negative experience into something positive. I want this story to reach out to teens in need. I want this book to help people feel less alone. If it does, then the horrible things that happened to me will have been worth it.
ALL I NEED came from a very different place. Readers often ask me if soul mates are real. They ask if boys like the boys in my books actually exist. Yes, soul mates are real and boys like those do exist! I know what it’s like to meet a soul mate. What it’s like to feel that instant connection. To feel like you’ve already known someone your whole life even though you just met. My main goal in writing ALL I NEED was to make readers feel hopeful. By the time you finish the last sentence, I want you to believe in true love, and to know that you deserve the kind of love you want to find.
Susane Colasanti
Readers often ask me if soul mates are real. They ask if boys like the boys I write about actually exist. I’m here to tell you that soul mates are real and boys like those do exist! I know what it’s like to meet a soul mate. What it’s like to feel that instant connection. To feel like you’ve already known someone your whole life even though you just met. My goal in writing ALL I NEED was to inspire readers feel happy and hopeful...and to always believe in love.
Susane Colasanti
Some of my book ideas have been inspired by experiences from my real life. Both WHEN IT HAPPENS and KEEP HOLDING ON were influenced by my own experiences in high school. The plots of a few other books, like TAKE ME THERE and SOMETHING LIKE FATE, actually came to me in dreams! And some ideas are triggered subconsciously. Basically, ideas come from everywhere :)
My favorite book when I was little (which is still my fave book) was THE LITTLE PRINCE. Although it is technically a children's book, there are so many important messages for readers of all ages. I take away something new every time I read it.
My favorite book when I was little (which is still my fave book) was THE LITTLE PRINCE. Although it is technically a children's book, there are so many important messages for readers of all ages. I take away something new every time I read it.
Susane Colasanti
Thanks so much, Lily! All of the ideas I have for upcoming books are love stories. Some are darker than others, but a connection between soul mates is at the core of each story. I feel like I was meant to write romance! That said, who knows what the future may bring. I am always open to change. Going with the flow is important...and if the flow leads me down a different path, I would of course explore the possibilities that could be found there.
Susane Colasanti
You know, I do have a few ideas for adult novels, but they always lead back to high school in some way! Teens are my people and I write for them. Plus my internal age is 16, which is always influencing my next books :)
Susane Colasanti
The main reason I write romance novels is to reassure my readers that true love is real. Soul mates are real. I want my readers to be inspired to find the kind of love they desire and deserve. By having a clear vision of the love you want to find and refusing to settle for anything less, you can find the love of your life, the person who feels like home to you.
Most importantly, you have to love yourself first before you can love anyone else the way they deserve to be loved. When I was in my teens, I thought that if I had a boyfriend I wouldn't be lonely or depressed anymore. But you are the only one who can fill those voids in your life. No one else can complete you. So while my love stories are about epic romances between soul mates, they are also about learning to love yourself.
Most importantly, you have to love yourself first before you can love anyone else the way they deserve to be loved. When I was in my teens, I thought that if I had a boyfriend I wouldn't be lonely or depressed anymore. But you are the only one who can fill those voids in your life. No one else can complete you. So while my love stories are about epic romances between soul mates, they are also about learning to love yourself.
Susane Colasanti
Right now I'm revising book three of the City Love trilogy. Which is so wild considering book two, LOST IN LOVE, doesn't even come out until May 3. But we always work over a year ahead in publishing. After the series is wrapped, I will be moving on to my next standalone novel. It will be my 12th book!
Susane Colasanti
I’ve always been interested in the concept of fate. The choices we make shape our lives, but I also believe that the Universe works in powerful ways. In SOMETHING LIKE FATE, I explore some of the questions I’ve been asking for years. How much does fate control our lives? If we follow one path instead of another, will we still arrive at the same endpoint? How can we explain things like major coincidences, deja vu, and that incredible sense of connection we immediately feel with some people?
I believe that we are the architects of our own destiny. This is why creating your dream life is totally possible, regardless of how bad things are. That said, life is a wild thing. There are some variables we just can’t control. Which can be really scary, since there’s no way to know exactly how our futures will look. Understanding that everything is connected helps to eliminate this fear of the unknown. If you are determined to make your dreams reality and work to achieve your goals with positive energy, fate will open doors of opportunity for you in amazing ways.
I believe that we are the architects of our own destiny. This is why creating your dream life is totally possible, regardless of how bad things are. That said, life is a wild thing. There are some variables we just can’t control. Which can be really scary, since there’s no way to know exactly how our futures will look. Understanding that everything is connected helps to eliminate this fear of the unknown. If you are determined to make your dreams reality and work to achieve your goals with positive energy, fate will open doors of opportunity for you in amazing ways.
Susane Colasanti
This is not an easy question to answer! I'm going with the City Love trilogy. Being able to follow my girls over three books and include all of my fave things and places about New York City has been super fun. And I love how the NYC magic manifested one of the scenes I wrote in the first book last night. On pages 37-39 of CITY LOVE, the girls pass Claire Danes on the street. Of course they decide to follow her like the hardcore fangirls they are. But last night that scene I had written years ago actually manifested when my friend and I saw Claire Danes in front of her townhouse. We were totally stalking just like my CITY LOVE girls...but you know. In an adoring way :)
Susane Colasanti
Read! Read books that make you feel alive, books you do not want to put down. Your passion for reading will fuel your passion for writing. Turn waiting time into reading time by taking a book with you everywhere. Read while you are in line, on the bus, or waiting for a friend. The more you read, the better your writing will become.
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