Guide to Literary Agents

Some Tips for Writing a Series
Posted by Chuck

When you find yourself in the position of planning or being contracted for a series of books—whether for two or twenty-two—it’s important to keep track of the details, and have a final goal in mind for your characters to reach.

Guest column by Jess Haines, author of
Hunted by the Others, the first in an urban
fantasy series. Jess also writes short stories
and screenplays, and has experience in in
technical writing and editing. See her
website here, or find her on Facebook.

First, you have to decide on some basic elements:

How is your series linked? Is it all written from the perspective of or following the same character from start to finish, or does it follow different characters?
What is the major, overarching conflict?
Who is the main character(s) and what do they want to accomplish? What do they have to do with the conflict above? What are some of the major obstacles they will have to overcome?
Who is the main antagonist(s) and what do they want to accomplish? What do they have to do with the conflict above?
Who else is involved? Why?
Which point of view will you be writing this from?
When and where is this set?
If a fantasy, what kind of fantastical elements are involved, and what are the benefits, drawbacks, and restrictions involved?

Based upon the answers to the above, know your limits. Use those questions as a starting point to flesh out your world and make it believable.

PLOT THE TIMELINE

One of the best ways to keep track of the overall story arc is to plot a timeline of significant events. Even if the timeline stretches far beyond what is covered in the books, it helps you keep track of what occurred, when, and why. Even if it is no more than a sentence or two beside a date, it will give you bounds to work within, and a greater sense of purpose as you fill in the details between one major event and the next. You’ll know where your characters are going, which helps you to plot out the answers to the questions of how and why. It also gives you a way to track what occurs between Point A (main character gets pulled into conflict) and Point B (main character puts an end to said conflict).

UP THE ANTE

Remember, your characters have to continually face increasing odds and challenges in a series, so don’t play your trump card in the first book. There should be ripple effects from the characters’ actions, so make sure you take these things into account and plan accordingly. Make note of them. Don’t keep your world static—have the actions and reactions of all the various characters, including behind the scenes, have an effect on each other. Even if you’re using different characters book to book, as long as it’s all set in the same universe, there should be some action/reaction going on at all times. Characters should grow and learn over time, too, so make sure if they’re making mistakes that it’s not the same mistake over and over again.

YOUR "BIBLE" (OR "CHEAT SHEET")

Another tip is to keep a “cheat sheet” of sorts. Use it to keep tabs on things like minor characters, background info that might have bearing on the novels, snippets of statistics or information that you may need to refer to later, etc. You can also keep a database tracking major character attributes (height, weight, skin color, eye color, certain groups they belong to, notable quirks in speech or personality, physical ticks, habits, etc). This can be an invaluable tool to refer to when working across a series where a minor character may only pop up once every few books—and you need to know exactly what they look like so your sharper readers aren’t left wondering why the character had blue eyes in the first book, and brown eyes in the second.

ADDING QUIRKS

Lastly, you should consider keeping a style sheet—a document that tracks “quirks” to your writing style. For example, if you want to insert text messages and emails into your story, but need to show how the text should be formatted differently to separate it from the rest of the novel (e.g., extra indent, justified, font size 12, use Courier New instead of Times New Roman), make a note of it on a separate document. This goes for spelling or grammar quirks, too. This can be a handy tool for you, your agent, your editor, and the copy editor.

What all of the above boils down to is—be organized. Be prepared. Be knowledgeable about your story and your craft. It will make for a far stronger series in the end.

This post is an online exclusive complement
to a spotlight on Jess in the Sept./Oct. 2010
issue of WD. If you don't have a sub to
Writer's Digest, what are you waiting for?
Get one now!

Want more on this topic?

Read Jess Haines's "How I Got My Agent" column

Author Suzanne Young on: How to Write a Series.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Breaking In (Writer's Digest) | Guest Columns

Thursday, July 29, 2010 9:49:42 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [5]

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

New Agent Alert: Foladé Bell of Serendipity Literary Agency
Posted by Chuck

Reminder: Newer agents are golden opportunities for new writers because they're likely building their client list; however, always make sure your work is as perfect as it can be before submitting, and only query agencies that are a great fit for your work. Otherwise, you're just wasting time and postage.

About Foladé: Most recently, she was an assistant editor at the trade publication Radio & Records.

She is seeking: literary, upmarket and commercial women’s fiction with a strong sense of story, voice and character; funny and relatable fiction; Daring YA books that showcase a fresh, unique perspective; literary mysteries/thrillers that aren’t formulaic or market saturated, contemporary historical fiction, African-American issues, gay/lesbian, Christian fiction, humor and books that deeply explore other cultures. No subject is out-of-bounds. She loves nonfiction that reads like fiction. Feel free to approach her with ideas adapted from blogs or websites with new views on pop culture.

How to contact: E-query. Send your query to submissions(at)serendipitylit(dot)com with "Query for Foladé" in the subject line.

Want more on this subject?

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

New Agency Alerts

Wednesday, July 28, 2010 10:15:45 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Alice Pope Interviews Me on the SCBWI Blog
Posted by Chuck

Alice Pope, the former editor of Children's Writer's & Illustrators Market, interviewed me yesterday on her big SCBWI blog.

It was the former editor of CWIM talking to the new editor, and it was a fun little back-and-forth. See the interview here.

My Writing Life

Wednesday, July 28, 2010 10:13:29 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [2]

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Agent Advice: Seth Fishman of Sterling Lord Literistic
Posted by Chuck

"Agent Advice" is a series of quick interviews with literary and script agents who talk with Guide to Literary Agents about their thoughts on writing, publishing, and just about anything else.

This installment features Seth Fishman of Sterling Lord Literistic. Seth has been with SLL since 2005. He represents, among others, Maggie Koerth-Baker, Erik Bergstrom, Molly Crabapple, Theo Ellsworth, Shawn Goodman (2009 Delacorte Prize winner), Ted Kosmatka, Keren Landman, Will McIntosh, Matthew Olshan, Tea Obreht, Nate Powell (2009 Eisner Award winner), Galit and Gilad Seliktar, and Bill Willingham’s prose work (New York Times bestseller and multiple Eisner and Hugo award winner).

He is seeking: literary and commercial fiction, popular science, young adult, sci-fi/fantasy and graphic novels (of both a traditional and literary bent). He is looking particularly for original, even fantastical stories.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

SF: I studied for an MFA in England, at the University of East Anglia, where I met a number of British agents, none too keen on adding the American student to their roster. So I was able to observe my classmates interact with the agents at mixers, etc., and realized that this was where you get the firsthand contact, where it all begins. When I came back to New York, I thought it would be a better place to start off.

GLA: What is a book coming out you repped that you're excited about?

SF: I have a number of books I’m excited about, of course. But one in particular is worth mentioning, Tea Obreht’s The Tiger's Wife, due out in March of 2010. Tea is 24 years old and is the youngest on the recent The New Yorker 20 Under 40 List. The novel has already been excerpted in The New Yorker, and her writing has already been lined up or has appeared in The Atlantic, Best American Short Stories, Best American Non-Required Reading, among others. She is truly a gem, and this novel is one of the best books I have ever read.

GLA: I haven't noticed many agents remark that they're interested in short fiction, but you did. Do you accept short story collections? Or do you happen to find a lot of fiction clients through their published short stories?

SF: Actually, I mention short fiction for slightly different reasons. Most of my clients write short fiction, and I, for one, think it is extremely important to cultivate one’s short game (wow, a golf metaphor) in order to maximize one’s career potential. What I mean is, I care a lot about short fiction and essays and I have made contacts over the years at all the major fiction posts and work very very hard to place my clients strategically in these publications. Going to a publisher with a publication in The Atlantic under your belt is an enormous advantage. And it often connects the client to other writers that are in the issue, that read the issue, that care about the short fiction world.

GLA: When you say you look for commercial fiction, besides the category of sci-fi/fantasy, are you open to any other pop genre categories?

SF: My take is pretty much that I’ll do what I like. Literary fiction is my first love and I’ve been having a lot of success with these writers, so I’d like to make it clear that I shouldn’t be pegged as an ‘only sci-fi/fantasy guy’. Still, I read sci-fi/fantasy when I was younger, and am now back into it, but that still means I’m looking for the best of the best, careful creative writing and imaginative intelligent ideas. I read some thriller, post-apocalyptic, heist, and mystery, but am not really looking for classical genre. I think I’m looking for something in these categories that define a new era of thinking, like the way my client Ted Kosmatka takes on physics in his writing. I am not really into zombie books, they feel awfully repetitive, but give me a zombie book with a new twist I’ve never seen before, and I’m game, as long as it is well written. (Er, I’d prefer vampires to zombies any day).

GLA: Looking over your recent sales, I see three debuts. What's it like to sell a writer's debut?

SF: This is an interesting question. Certainly there is something magical about starting a writer’s career, and oftentimes there can be more excitement around a debut than a ‘credited’ author, but all in all, selling these books are fairly similar (in a good way). I love finding new authors and helping them get their books into shape and then landing them a book deal. But I also really really love taking on new clients that already have books and are looking for new homes. In many ways, that’s a bigger challenge, having to go against what might be a tough publishing record and make an editor read the new book and not just the old book’s sales record. In the end, both groups of writers are just as happy, sometimes for entirely different reasons, and the phone call to tell them about an offer is amazing either way.

GLA: Interested in any kids stuff? Can you give us any specifics about what you do and don't want to see in the slush?

SF: I do like YA, on the older side, though I have a couple of middle grade and picture book clients. Again, it is all about the good writing and creative angle on what is probably a familiar idea. As to slush, I’d love to get material from authors who care about what they are writing. Who know we need double-spaced pages and easy to read fonts. Who reference publications in magazines (of any sort) and, as a bonus, know what kind of writing I actually like and look for. I want pages in order, not random chapters. And, certainly, ones that spell my name correctly!

GLA: Most common problems you see in the first 20 pages of a fiction partial?

SF: This is very personal, as some problems aren’t problems, they are clearly preference. But often a prologue is a problem. It usually means that there is something shoved into the beginning of the novel to add excitement. (Yes, Twilight has a prologue, but you tell me if it adds anything to the book – I’d say sloppy writing, but I suppose this is a perfect example of how subjective the industry is). Letters, people awakening in the first scene, really dramatic flashbacks/flash-forwards are often turnoffs, not because the writing is bad or you can’t do that as a writer, but to me, it is familiar, and feels uninventive. Again, there is nothing wrong with doing anything you want to start a book, but if you do the same thing everyone else is doing, you better make it stand out.

GLA: I don't know a lot about graphic novels but I see a few sales under your belt. Is the world of graphic novels growing? Shrinking? Staying the
same? Give us a peek into this world.

SF: Growing, for sure. But it is an interesting world. The trade publishers (Random House, Penguin, etc.) are all jumping into the game, some with very fine imprints (Pantheon, First Second, Del Rey). But most are not very confident in how to publish graphic novels, so they take fewer risks, don’t push them the right way, fail to take advantage of the direct market (comic book stores and conventions). It is very hard to get one sold, but we try because we love it, no? Graphic novelists have been doing some of the most amazing creative writing for years in an ostracized world, and now they are being more accepted, and it has been really wonderful seeing their creativity hit the big screen and the big publishers.

GLA: If a writer were interested in submitting a graphic novel to you, would they only submit the text? How should a submission look when it comes in?

SF: Again, this is tough. I prefer to take on writer/illustrators, that can do both. But, to submit to me I’d need a full script and about 5-10 sample pages of art, unless the artist has a portfolio I can get some info from.

GLA: Will you be at any upcoming writers conferences where writers can meet and pitch you?

SF: I will be at New York Comic Con, on a few panels. Otherwise, for the time being, I’ve nothing planned. But feel free to check out our website and submit to me that way.

GLA: Something personal about you writers may be surprised to know?

SF: Hmm. I am from small town West Texas. For some reason that usually throws people well off.

Writing your query? Check out The Writer's
Digest Guide to Query Letters. It's a great,
up-to-date resource for query letter writing.

Want more on this topic?

Interview with agent Jenny Bent of The Bent Agency.

Interview with agent Scott Eagan of Greyhaus Literary.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews)

Tuesday, July 27, 2010 10:18:10 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [2]

Monday, July 26, 2010

5 Rules for Writing YA
Posted by Chuck

1. The life of the story depends on the writer's ability to convince the reader that the protagonist is one of them. Teens despise fakes. You must know kids well enough to channel their voices, thoughts and emotions.

Guest column by Regina Brooks, literary
agent at Serendipity Literary. This text
excerpted from Regina's 2009 book,
Writing Great Books For Young Adults.

2. Don't condescend to your readers. Young people won't abide stories that suggest their turmoil or idealism will pass when they "grow up." Brent Hartinger, author of Geography Club, says, "I'm a big believer that kids are smarter than we think they are ... I think kids can handle complexity and nuances, and the advantage to writing that way is that the book appeals to both teenagers and adults. Don't deal with young people by trying to push them in one direction or another. Deal with them where they're at now.

3. Read, read, read today's YA fiction. A word of caution: Don't emulate your favorite authors, but learn from them,. You'll want to create work that is truly your own. The benefits to reading what's already on the market are phenomenal. It will familiarize you with what's selling, how kids today talk, what they wear, what issues concern them, and so on.

4. Silence your worries over commercial considerations. This allows you to concentrate on your primary objective, which is to tell your story. Keep your artistic integrity—your ideals—ahead of how commercially successful you want your book to be. If you focus on writing the best possible book, commercial success will follow later. The significant rise in the success of YA novels has opened the way for a multiplicity of categories, and just to give you an idea, I've listed some alphabetically: adventure, chick lit, comical, fantasy, fantasy epics, futuristic, gay-themed, historical, multicultural, mystery, religious, romantic, science fiction, sports and urban. If your story doesn't fit into any of these categories, you may have to invent one. Consider it an opportunity.

5. In your new world of YA fiction, erect no concrete barriers, wire fences or one-way signs. Instead, forge new paths. The YA field welcomes innovators. What will your contribution be? Think fresh. Remember that young people are trendsetters—they're always looking to differentiate themselves from others. It's how teens forge their own identities. Don't be afraid to push the boar out as well. Coming up with a fresh idea will set you apart from the pack and might be the thing that sparks an editor's interest in your work.

Want more on children's writing?

Examine Great High-Concept Hooks for Children's Books.

New children's agent seeking submissions.

How to write picture books for kids.

Buy the kids writers' bible: the Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market.

Interview with kids agent Joe Monti of Barry Goldblatt Literary.

Read a successful young adult query: "Wake" by Lisa McMann.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Children's Writing | Excerpts | Guest Columns

Monday, July 26, 2010 7:32:22 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [7]

Sunday, July 25, 2010

How I Got My Agent: Cicily Janus
Posted by Chuck

"How I Got My Agent" is a recurring feature on the GLA blog. I find it fascinating to see the exact road people took that landed them with a rep. Seeing the things people did right vs. what they did wrong (highs and the lows) can help other scribes who are on the same journey. Some tales are of long roads and many setbacks, while others are of good luck and quick signings.

To see the previous installments of this column, click here.

If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk specifics

Cicily Janus is the author of The New Face of Jazz
(Random House, July 2010), which Grammy-winner
Wynton Marsalis called "probably one of the most
important books on jazz to date." Cicily lives in
Colorado. See her website here.

A PAJAMA PARTY WITH AN AGENT GUEST

The old adage write what you know certainly applies to my success story as a writer. In 2005, I began to hear voices. I assume they’re the same voices the rest of you hear every day when you sit down at your computer. The writing bug bit me in the very worst way and, within a year, I had my first novel completed. In the fall of 2006, I attended my first writing conference in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. There were about twenty writers total and we all stayed in the same house where the daily workshops took place. I had no idea what to expect, nor did I think that writing would ever be my profession.

Gary Heidt from Signature Literary Agency was the agent scheduled to work with us. At some point during the first evening (we had all had our fair share of wine and beer that night), there was a knock at the door. I was sitting in the main living area in my pajamas. (As a matter of fact, we were all in our pajamas.) I, being the closest to the door, was roped into answering it. With a looser than usual tongue, I asked the man at the door if he was lost, seeing as he obviously didn’t get the memo regarding the pajama party. He laughed and said, “I only brought my agent costume.” After picking my jaw up off of the floor, I let him in. Throughout that weekend, not only did Gary give me his time in regards to the craft he also spent time talking about life and mutual interests like jazz.

AN INTERESTED EDITOR

Not once did I think of him as this scary entity or a future rejection … I thought of him as an ally. Throughout the two years following the conference, we kept in touch via e-mail. The e-mails were sometimes six months apart, but I made sure to keep them professional and courteous. My first novel never saw the light of day, of course, but I never once brought up the “question” of representing me in the future.

Fast forward to the spring of 2008. I was attending the Pikes Peak Writers Conference in my hometown of Colorado Springs. I had just completed my second novel and was slated to pitch it to an editor from HarperCollins. He rejected it. Later that evening, I got to know this particular editor and he mentioned how much he loved jazz. (Although the Pikes Peak Writer’s Conference is one of the larger in the country, I found plenty of time to get to know agents and editors after the scheduled events.) Eventually, I mentioned my idea about a book on jazz. He seemed interested in the project, and forked over some names of agents I should query. He also told me to have them send him the proposal. But, because of my established relationship with Gary, I couldn’t think of any one better to hit up first.

"YES I REMEMBER YOU, CICILY"

Within two weeks I finished the first draft of the proposal, garnered some attention from a few key players in the jazz community, and sent him the following email:

Hi Gary,

This is Cicily Janus. If you don't remember, I met you at the Mass. Writing Conference with Mike Neff in October 2006. I am writing to you because I have an editor from Harper Collins who is interested in seeing my NF book proposal titled, New Face of Jazz. This book would essentially be a field guide to jazz across the country. It will also touch on jazz education, influential artists alive today as well as various resources for jazz listeners and players. I have members of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Jane Monheit, and jazz musicians across the country already endorsing this project.

If this is something you might be interested in, I would be more than happy to send you my proposal via email or snail mail. Hope you are well.

Cicily

Within a few minutes, he replied and said to send it over. Two months later, he signed me on as a client. Although he really liked the first draft of the proposal, he made sure that I was also willing to work and apply his suggestions. Since then, we have tirelessly worked to bring this project to life. It took us four major proposal rewrites, 48 editors (48 rejections) and nine months to sell the book to my editor at Random House. Gary never gave up on me.

Gary didn’t remember me because of a pitch nor did he remember me because I hounded him about representing me. He remembered me because of our mutual love for music and the fact that I got to know him as a human being. Be who you are on a day-to-day basis because this is what not only has shaped your writing, but the traits that will ultimately determine your success as an author.

This post is an online exclusive complement
to a spotlight on Cicily in the Sept./Oct. 2010
issue of WD. If you don't have a sub to
Writer's Digest, what are you waiting for?
Get one now!

Want more on this topic?

Footnotes: 5 Articles on Creating Characters.

Footnotes: 5 Articles on Writing Description.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Breaking In (Writer's Digest) | How I Got My Agent Columns

Sunday, July 25, 2010 6:58:56 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [0]

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Cover Band Soap Opera: ''Rock'N Me'' by Steve Miller Band
Posted by Chuck

For anyone who follows the ridiculous adventures of my Cincinnati rock cover band, you may have noticed that I don't put up much video. Truth is, I'm self-conscious. Someone missed a note, or this didn't sound right, or that's blurry, blah blah blah.

Well, no more of that. This is my band playing "Rock'n Me" by Steve Miller Band at a recent summer show. That's me playing guitar on the right.

Cover Band Venting

Saturday, July 24, 2010 6:18:08 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [1]

Friday, July 23, 2010

I am the New Editor of Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market
Posted by Chuck

I just heard recently that I will be the new editor of Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market starting with the next edition (the 2012 edition). The news is both an honor and a challenge. Long-time editor Alice Pope helmed the book for ... well, a long time, and she did a fantastic job over her two decades steering the ship. I am honored to be the new captain.

Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market has always been a fantastic and popular resource for writers, and has sold more than 500,000 copies since its inception. I realize it is beloved in the kids writing world, so I can only tell you that I will do my best to keep it great and make it the best resource possible. I'm in touch with a lot of children's writers and agents each week, so I feel like I am up to this challenge. Talleyho, dudes.

(And in response to comments, YES, I will still be editing Guide to Literary Agents and doing this blog.)

The 2011 edition of CWIM
just landed in bookstores!

My Writing Life

Friday, July 23, 2010 1:01:17 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [19]

A Day in the Life of a Querier
Posted by Chuck

A Day in the Life of a Querier:

8:00 a.m. You're raring to go. You check and re-check your query letter.

8:30 a.m. You look over your list of agents to query and choose one. You double-check their guidelines and press send. You feel pretty darn good about yourself. You are confident she'll love it.

10:00 a.m. By now you've sent off queries to your top dream agents. You feel proud of yourself.

Guest column by Christina Lee, who is
currently querying for her YA novel. She writes
her own column for The Sun News and creates
hand-stamped jewelry for her on-line jewelry
business, Tags-n-Stones. She blogs all about
it on www.write-brained.com.

10:30 a.m. You complete a blog post that says something like "Querying agents isn't so scary after all!"

10:45 a.m. You receive your first form rejection. Basically, it says something along the lines of "While your work shows merit, I was not as drawn to it as I needed to be. I'm sure another agent will feel differently." You feel humbled. A shroud of doubt slowly descends upon you. You reconsider your list of dream agents and wonder if what you thought was a match made in publishing heaven, may have all been one-sided. It's not you, it's me ...

11:00 a.m. - noon. You mope around some more, and then change your blog post to include the title, "Querying Messes with Your Head." You re-read your first ten pages, and question whether you novel is good enough. You decide not to query anymore until you see other responses from agents.

12:30 p.m. You eat gobs of chocolate for lunch and get hopped up on caffeine.

12:45 p.m. You spy another query response in your inbox, and spend an entire minute staring at it before finally taking the plunge. You cringe while reading it and brace yourself for the worst. You receive your first request for a partial and fist pump the air.

1:30 p.m. You read and re-read your partial before hitting send, afraid to make any kind of mistake. You get a second wind to work on other things, like your newest novel.

2:00 p.m. You take a break and stalk the agent who asked for the partial on Twitter. You read what they had for lunch and note that you like Chipotle, too. You participate in Twitter conversations with other authors and marvel at the support of the community. Hearing their publishing successes doesn't make you nearly as green with envy today.

3:00 p.m. You receive another rejection. You focus in on the personalized line that reads "...your writing in the pages below was good, but..." You feel better about this one because the agent made the point to tell you your writing was decent. Which means you must not totally suck.

4:30 p.m. You receive a request for a full in your inbox. Feeling light as air, you dance around the room, considering the endless possibilities of your publishing career.

5:30 p.m. You spend time combing through your entire manuscript making sure you didn't miss any glaring typos.

6:00 p.m. You re-read the e-mail requesting the full and freak out some more.

6:10 p.m. You finally hit send and then cross your fingers and toes.

6:15 p.m. Before closing out your manuscript, you notice that a typo (that was not there five minutes ago) magically appeared on a page. You curse yourself for not noticing.

6:30 p.m. You spend family time preoccupied by that one typo and wonder what else you missed. You pray the agent is human, too.

7 p.m. - 10 p.m. You hit refresh in your e-mail in-box about one zillion times.

11:00 p.m. You fall into bed, exhausted from all of the effort your brain has exerted.

8:00 a.m. the following day. You look in the mirror and notice something brand new. You’re developing a thicker skin!

Writing books for kids or teens? One resource
you need is The Everything Guide to Writing
Children's Books.

Want more on this topic?

Agent Elaine Spencer talks queries.

What should you write in the bio paragraph of a query letter?

How to write a query letter - the three parts.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Guest Columns

Friday, July 23, 2010 12:36:13 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [19]

Thursday, July 22, 2010

7 Things I've Learned So Far (a satire), by Patricia Volonakis Davis
Posted by Chuck

This is a recurring column I'm calling "7 Things I've Learned So Far," where writers at any stage of their career can talk about seven things they've learned along their writing journey that they wish they knew at the beginning. This installment is from memoir writer Patricia Volonakis Davis.

Many writers who wish to become bestselling authors behave as though they already are bestselling authors. The strategy of “if you believe it’s true, it will become true” has been made popular by—fittingly enough—the bestselling book, The Secret. It’s a strategy that can work. That is, if you know how bestselling authors conduct themselves; and many new writers and newly published authors seem to think they do. Here are the seven things I’ve learned so far about how to become a bestselling author:

1. First and foremost, bestselling authors never need editors. The very idea is insulting. Think about it—how can an editor help you make your work better? You should be able to tell whether it has any flaws in it. Do you think Dan Brown needs to listen to an editor’s advice? Certainly not.

2. Bestselling authors demand the attention of other published authors. Whether it’s a blurb you want, a free reading of your manuscript, or dozens of questions answered, don’t be shy—be assertive. Issuing commands puts you in a position of authority. For example, I had one future bestselling author come up to me at a conference and say, “I wanted to attend your session, but there’s another one at the same time that might be better for me, so I’d like to sit with you at lunch and have you tell me what you’re going to say.” It takes a great deal of self-esteem to walk up to a stranger and insist on your rights as a future bestseller. She didn’t even offer to buy my book first. That’s confidence.

3. Bestselling authors ignore unpublished writers. Conversely, with everything you’ll have to do once your books start selling madly, you’ll barely have time for family, let alone friends. So to avoid making new ones, don’t waste time helping colleagues who can’t help further your career. Don’t be squeamish about taking this stand—it’s not uncouth, it’s just good business. With the steady and fixed way the publishing industry operates, it’ll be years before they’ll be able to repay you, if ever. Therefore, don’t write any online reviews for anyone, do not—heaven forbid—try to help anyone get a publisher; and most of all, if they do manage to get a book published, definitely don’t buy it, because The Law of Physics dictates that every book they don’t sell is one more you will sell.

4. Bestselling authors ignore their readership. In the same vein, as members of the literati, authors are elevated from the common person. Therefore, knowing who our readers are who enjoy our work, tell their friends about it, and even purchase additional copies to give as gifts, is unimportant. Your writing is too time-consuming for social networking.

5. Unless they give you a bad review. Bestselling authors do not ignore flamers or old high school enemies who anonymously leave 'one star reviews' on their amazon.com book page. Nor do they try to learn anything about their writing from a reader who takes the time to sincerely critique it. Bestselling authors announce on Facebook how offended they are that someone who paid for their book had the nerve to say what they thought of it.

6. Bestselling authors let the in-house publicist do all their marketing for them. This is a no-brainer. You’ve been assigned your own publicist, so let her do her job. Leave it exclusively to her to get the word of your new book out there. There are over 350 thousand books published in the U.S. annually, but your publicist has only about 300 of those new books and authors to work with each year. You know she’ll put yours in her 'Top Five,' because yours is going to be a bestseller!

7. Bestselling authors don’t let retail bookshops push them around. Would a bookshop be a bookshop without books—specifically—your book? Of course not. So once again, be persistent, especially with your local independent bookshop. They should be championing you, for sure. Expect that they’ll keep a spot open on their shelves for you always, even if new stock is coming in. If they do agree to a book event, assume they’ll do all the promotion for it; and then if it’s poorly attended, let them know you’re not pleased. If you’re a self-published author, be sure to haggle with your retailer over sales percentages. They’ll complain that they have overhead such as rent, utilities, and salaries to keep their doors open, and that online sellers are draining their blood, blah, blah, blah. Pay no heed, because if they don’t like the deal, you can just take your event to another bookshop, can’t you?

Writing a novel? Agent/writer Donald Maass
is a fiction writing expert, and his book
Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook
can guide you on your journey.

Want more on this subject?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

7 Things I've Learned So Far

Thursday, July 22, 2010 9:59:32 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [5]

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

How to Back Up Your Blog and Save Content
Posted by Chuck

Blogging is hard work. Once you’re set up, there’s idea generation, writing, proofing, posting, and interacting with your readers, usually two or three times a week. And if you spend at least an hour a post (I spend an average of two), that’s, say three hours of work per week, twelve hours of work per month, and 156 hours per year—or thirteen twelve-hour days. If something happens to your blog, that’s an awful lot of work to lose.

Guest post by Peta Jinnath Andersen,
freelance writer & editor. See her website,
*Insert Literary Blog Name Here*. She also
writes flash fiction and short fiction.

Most people back up their computers, but forget about backing up their blog. If you write all your posts in Word or some other word processor, you might be able to patch things up if your blogging service or ISP throws a hissy fit; if not, you’re kinda sorta screwed. Fortunately, backing up a blog isn’t hard (unless you’re on LiveJournal)—it just requires a few simple clicks.

Backup a WordPress Blog: Login to your site, then scroll down to “tools” on the left hand side. See that neat little export link? Click on it to create an immediate copy of your site (posts, pages, comments, custom fields, categories, and tags), then download it to your computer, or store it in some other safe place (I store back ups on my hard drive, and on a dedicated gmail account). Confused? Check out Chris Penn’s screencap and follow along with the arrows.

Backup a WordPress.org Blog: WordPress Database Backup is a quick and easy to install plugin that lets you set regular backup times and upload the data file to a server, or have it emailed to you. Although the site gives detailed instructions for uploading the plugin to your site, it can be installed directly through the WP plugin interface (scroll down the left hand menu).

Backup a LiveJournal Blog: Backing up with LiveJournal can be a bit tricky. If you’re only looking to backup a month or less worth of entries, it’s simple—log in to your account, then go to livejournal.com/export.bml, and follow the prompts. If you’re looking to backup your entire journal, you’ll need to use an external service, like LJ Archive (creates a searchable database of your journal) or LJ Sec (creates a clone on another account). LJ Archive is easier to use, though possibly not as comprehensive as LJ Sec. You can also try using Google Blog Converters to back your blog up/move to another platform, but it requires more than a bit of tech savvy. (Have a better way to backup LJ? I’d love to hear about it!)

Backup a Blogger Blog: Log in to your account, then click on settings for the blog you want to back up. In the blog tools section (up top), click on “export blog” then follow the prompt to download a back up of everything. Confused? Check out Google’s explanation for screencaps.

Do you back up your blog? Which service to you use? Any tips or tricks?

Interested in iPhone apps for something like
your book? Download a comprehensive webinar
from Al Katkowsky, whose book, Question Of
The Day, has been downloaded more than 100,000
times as an iPhone app.

Want more on this subject?

Peta's first guest post: How to start a blog.

Peta's second guest post: You've set up a blog - now what?

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Guest Columns | Social Networking and the Internet

Wednesday, July 21, 2010 9:59:32 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [14]

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

How I Got My Agent: Teddy Wayne
Posted by Chuck

"How I Got My Agent" is a recurring feature on the GLA blog. I find it fascinating to see the exact road people took that landed them with a rep. Seeing the things people did right vs. what they did wrong (highs and the lows) can help other scribes who are on the same journey. Some tales are of long roads and many setbacks, while others are of good luck and quick signings.

To see the previous installments of this column, click here.

If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk specifics

Teddy Wayne is the author of the novel
Kapitoil (Harper Perennial, 2010). He is a graduate
of Harvard and Washington University in St.
Louis, where he taught fiction and creative
nonfiction writing. The recipient of a 2010
NEA Creative Writing Fellowship, his work
has appeared in The New Yorker, the New York
Times, Vanity Fair, Esquire, the Wall Street
Journal, and elsewhere. He lives in New
York. See his website here.

IGNORANCE = BLISS

In 2004, at the age of 25, I decided to write my first novel. The fact that I hadn’t really written much fiction before and took no writing classes in college didn’t deter me. My ignorance may have worked in my favor in some ways; I churned out a draft in eight months, an industriousness I now know to envy.

When I had a finished manuscript by the next summer, I cast a wide net for an agent. The Internet was suitable for all my research—even back in those dark ages, it was surprisingly easy to track down just about any agent’s e-mail. I also asked a friend who worked as a literary scout for a film company if she had any suggestions. When I sent her my synopsis, she recommended a few agents and mentioned that her mother, a literary agent, might like it. I’d had no idea her mother was an agent, but did as I was told. I was leaving New York soon to go to Washington University in St. Louis for an MFA in fiction writing. Just before I left, another agent contacted me. She wanted to represent me, and we met. I told her I still had the manuscript out to a few agents and would give them a couple of weeks to get back to me.

Within my first few days in St. Louis, my friend’s mother, Rosalie Siegel, e-mailed me to say she loved my novel—ebullience I wasn’t expecting after a number of “Thanks-but-not-for-us” rejections. She responded very personally to it and had a long history in publishing. I felt she would work hardest for me, and signed on with her.

SECOND NOVEL'S THE CHARM?

Bolstered by another injection of ignorance, I assumed the literary world would soon be my oyster. Not quite; despite Rosalie’s great enthusiasm, persistence, and insightful editorial guidance, all the publishers we submitted the manuscript to passed on it, though we came tantalizingly close at a few places. After three rounds, we had exhausted her roster of major and indie publishing houses.

I was devastated, but, in a rare display of overcoming adversity, decided to learn from the experience rather than wallow. The first novel was too small, too jejune—comments several declining editors had made and which Rosalie, tactfully, shared with me, with the belief that it’s better for writers to know why editors do or don’t respond to their work. I began a new novel, called Kapitoil, at the end of my first year in the MFA program. Two years later, after I had graduated from the program and was teaching undergrads in St. Louis, we submitted it.

And guess what? It met another thunderous round of rejections—and this time it didn’t even come all that close. This blow was much harder to take. I was 29, with two seemingly failed novels under my belt; not quite the end of the world, but not an auspicious way to close out my third decade on earth, either.

THE DEDICATION PAYS OFF

With Rosalie’s encouragement, I revised Kapitoil that spring and summer, especially the second half. In November 2009, the second draft was ready to go. Unfortunately, it coincided with the financial crash and a time of severe bloodletting in the publishing industry.

But Rosalie believed in the novel and sent it out. And, to my shock and relief, several houses wanted to publish it. We eventually went with the Harper Perennial imprint of HarperCollins, and Kapitoil came out this past April.

Throughout our five years together, Rosalie has been as attentive, loyal, and supportive as I could hope. According to my inbox, she has sent me, as of today, a total of 1,538 e-mails, many in response to some anxious or silly query of mine, sometimes just about what books or movies we’ve read or seen lately—an average of about 300 per year. I have friends who wait weeks for their agents to get back to them. It’s a harsh world out there, with failure around every turn. It’s reassuring to know someone has your back.

If you're stuck on rewrites, check out Revision and
Self-Editing to help you on your journey.

Want more on this subject?

6 Keys to Revising Your Fiction.

The Different Stages of Querying.

4 Ways to Beat Writers Block and Write From Anywhere.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent Columns

Tuesday, July 20, 2010 9:46:32 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [6]

Monday, July 19, 2010

5 Screenwriting Tips All Writers Can Learn From
Posted by Chuck

No. 2: Start late. In individual scenes, don't waste valuable time on unnecessary entrances and hellos. See if a scene can be started in the middle. A writer who is willing to self-edit will often find that a scene is strengthened by cutting the first two, and often last two, lines of dialogue.

These tips excerpted from Neil Landau and Matt
Frederick's 101 Things I Learned in Film School,
(May 2010) one of five books in the
"101 Things" series.

No. 12: A flawed protagonist is more compelling than a perfect protagonist. Inexperienced writers may fail to imbue a protagonist with undesirable traits because they want him or her to appear likable and their cause noble. But a completely capable hero leads an audience to relax its attention: If he can handle anything, why worry? Audiences are usually fascinated by contradictions and shortcomings in a film's characters. The idiosyncrasies and failings we all have are even more compelling in a character that is otherwise heroic.

No. 25: Create memorable entrances. Your protagonist's character, style and behavior must be distinctive from the moment we first lay eyes on him or her. Does she trip on a carpet shag? Did she forget to remove a hair curler? Is he carrying a note-quite-concealed weapon? Is he a debonair smoothie amid a hubbub of confusion and crudity? Is she a lone, effervescent figure in a gray London gloom?

No. 29: Props reveal character. In Se7en, Morgan Freeman's character has a metronome besides his bed. Its ticking rhythm comforted him and helped him drift to sleep. But more significantly, the prop conveyed his desire, as an overworked city police detective, to control one noise in a cacophonous city.

No. 75: Make visual motifs specific. Motifs are visually evocative elements placed strategically throughout a film to amplify theme. They can also act as a structural or pacing device. Themes are broad and universal to human experience, but motifs should be specific to the story and directly relevant to the experiences of the characters.

Want more on this subject?

See a profile of script agent Garrett Hicks of Will Entertainment.

Is there a difference between literary agents and script managers?

Want a great database of script agents/managers, script contests, conferences and theaters? Buy the 2010 Screenwriter's & Playwright's Market today!

Check out an interview with script manager Marc Manus.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Excerpts | Guest Columns

Monday, July 19, 2010 10:04:28 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [2]

Sunday, July 18, 2010

New Agent Alert: Naomi Hackenberg of The Elaine English Literary Agency
Posted by Chuck

Reminder: Newer agents are golden opportunities for new writers because they're likely building their client list; however, always make sure your work is as perfect as it can be before submitting, and only query agencies that are a great fit for your work. Otherwise, you're just wasting time and postage.

About Naomi: She has sold foreign translation rights for The Elaine English Literary Agency and assisted Elaine with her commercial fiction projects since September 2008. She is currently looking to build her own list. Her academic background is in Creative Writing and American Studies, and she holds a Bachelor's degree from The George Washington University and a Master's degree from The University of Chicago. Naomi is a member of the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and an associate member of the Association of Authors' Representatives.

She is seeking: young adult fiction projects. Her fiction tastes include any and all novels with strong writing, stand-out narrative voices and compelling characters.

How to contact: E-query: naomi(at)elaineenglish(dot)com. Responds in 30 days. No attachments. "We discourage paper query letters, so those sent by regular mail will take a little longer for response." Send query only.

Want more on this subject?

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

New Agency Alerts

Sunday, July 18, 2010 11:01:19 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [0]

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Cover Band Soap Opera: Indianapolis Mini-Tour Lends Itself to Ridiculous Statements
Posted by Chuck

Last month, my rock cover band traveled to Indianapolis for back-to-back shows and our first mini-tour. Being it was our tour of any kind, complete with two nights in a hotel, we decided to make the most of it and throw in plenty of ridiculous tour-related comments at any and every opportunity -- even though we were less than small potatoes. Comments included, but were not limited to, the following:

"This wasn't in our contract rider."
"If I eat at one more Subway on this tour, I'm quitting."
"We can replace you on this tour."
"Where's the bus? Has anyone seen the damn bus?"
"Hello, Chicago!!! ... oh crap."
"All these cities are starting to look the same, man."
"We need a new opening band."
"I can't wait for this tour to be over and we can get back in the studio."
"The record company just called. They said if we wreck one more hotel room, they're pulling the plug on the tour."

Cover Band Venting

Saturday, July 17, 2010 10:47:03 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [5]

Friday, July 16, 2010

7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting a Writers Group
Posted by Chuck

As a professional writer, it is my duty—and my pleasure—to encourage new and emerging writers along the path. A few years ago, I started a writers’ group with the support of our local Women’s Resource Center. I wanted to create a safe space for women to share writing, resources, contacts, and a few laughs … and Wild Women Writing was born.

Since beginning the group, I’ve seen many writers come and go. More importantly, some of them have stayed committed to the group and returned each month to read, critique, discuss topics of interest, and take their writing to the next level. Starting a group can be a lot of fun—it’s also a lot of work. Before deciding to take that step, here are seven questions to ask yourself, to help focus your intent and assess your level of interest.

Molly Anderson-Childers is a writer, artist,
creativity consultant, and photographer in Colorado.
(In fact, this photo is of her hands!)
Her work has appeared locally and nationally in
print publications, and can be found online at
creativity-portal.com and ediblesanjuanmountains.com,
to name a few. She blogs at Addictive Fiction
and Stealing Plums, and is currently working
on a novel. Her e-mail is stealingplums@yahoo.com.

1. What is your vision or intention for this group? Do you want a place to socialize with other writers, get feedback on current projects, or share resources and ideas? Be clear about this from the beginning, and your group will be off to a strong start.

2. What qualifications (if any) are you looking for in prospective group members? You can choose to open membership to emerging and unpublished writers, but be aware that they might not be as committed as professional writers. Again, be clear about what your intention is for the group, and choose your members accordingly.

3. Do you want to focus on a specific genre, or type of writing? This, too, will help narrow the selection of prospective members. It will also ensure that, once the group starts to meet, members will find they have some common ground.

4. How much time can you commit to this group? Ask yourself what you can devote to this new venture—and be realistic. If you only have time to attend meetings once a month, and can’t seem to fit writing into your schedule in the first place, it might be more appropriate for you to join an existing writers’ group, rather than starting your own. It takes time and energy to get a project like this off the ground—don’t commit unless you can follow through.

5. What are you hoping to gain from this experience? If you’re not getting what you need from the group, you’ll lose motivation. For example, if you need a group of beta readers for your novel, don’t start a group for brand-new writers. You’ll be better off with more experienced authors that can give you the feedback you need to take your work to the next level.

6. What are your goals or expectations for the group? Be very clear about this before you begin, and share your expectations with group members right away, to make sure everyone’s on the same page.

7. What processes need to be set in motion so you can begin, maintain, and grow your group? First, find a place to meet regularly, where you can have a bit of privacy and peace and quiet. You may need to advertise for members in a local paper, put up fliers, or make a few calls before you have enough members for a group. Know that this won’t be a good fit for everyone, and that you will lose a few members here and there. In the first six months to a year, you’ll probably see quite a bit of transience among group members—it can take time for a group to really gel. I recommend leaving the group open to new members until you’ve established a strong core of writers who attend consistently.

Once you’ve got a good group, don’t be afraid to delegate some of the administrative aspects of it to others. It’s important to give them some ownership of the group, and to let them help. Maybe you can elect someone to send out group e-mails to remind members of the next meeting, or start a blog for your group. One person might be in charge of finding guest speakers and planning events. Another member could be in charge of scheduling an open mike night with a local coffeeshop to promote your group’s work.

Beginning a writers’ group is a rewarding, challenging, and inspirational experience. I’ve seen women who were afraid to speak at their first meeting slowly blossom into writers, able to share their work and read it aloud in front of an audience. The best part? I was able to help them along this road, as more experienced writers once helped and guided me.

If you are looking for a critique of your
work, come to see WD editors personally
at the next Editors Intensive (Cincinnati,
Sept. 11-12, 2010).

Want more on this subject?

5 articles on making the most of a writers conference.

How to pitch an agent at a conference.

The next Writer's Digest Editors Intensive event is Sept. 11-12, 2010. All attendees receive a critique of 50 pages of their work.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Guest Columns

Friday, July 16, 2010 1:51:55 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [7]

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Live Near Clarksville, TN? Come Meet Me at the Clarksville Writers Conference, July 28-31
Posted by Chuck

In late July, I will be returning as a presenter to the Clarksville Writers Conference. Last time I presented, everyone had a great time at the conference, so learn some details about this upcoming event.

DETAILS

The conference runs from July 28-31, 2010, but keep in mind that only two days (the latter two) are the writers' conference itself. The first two days are an amazing yet optional Architectural Heritage Tour. This fun and affordable conference is presented at Austin Peay State University and the Clarksville Country Club.

I will be there presenting on "How to Get a Literary Agent" and "Writing the Nonfiction Book Proposal." As usual, I will be available when I am there (Friday and Saturday) to answer any questions from writers who feel brave enough to just approach me and start chatting.

WHO WILL BE THERE?

For starters, literary agent Gordon Warnock of Andrea Hurst & Associates will be taking pitches from writers. This could be a great chance to pitch to an agent in person!

Also, the keynote speaker is Alice Randall, Vanderbilt University Writer-In-Residence, award-winning songwriter and author of Rebel Yell and The Wind Done Gone.

WHAT ELSE?

There are about a dozen other speakers: poets, novelists, short story writers, including:

Darnell Arnoult, author of the Southern novel Sufficient Grace and the poetry collection What Travels With Us
Blas Falconer, poet, creative writing teacher and author of The Perfect Hour and A Question of Gravity and Light
Beth Ann Fennelly, award-winning poet, nonfiction writer and author of Unmentionables, Tender Hooks and Open House

Learn more and sign up here!

Writers' Conferences

Thursday, July 15, 2010 3:40:10 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [0]

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

The 8 Elements of a Nonfiction Book Proposal
Posted by Chuck

Writing a strong nonfiction book proposal can seem a daunting task at first. However, once you understand the elements required, you can create a proposal that compels agents and editors to want to see more of your work.

School psychologist by day and lover of books
by night, Christine Fonseca started writing
as a way to blend the two. Her upcoming books include
Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students: Helping Kids
Cope with Explosive Feelings (Prufrock Press 2010) and
The Ultimate Guide for Gifted Kids (Prufrock Press, 2011).
She also writes teen fiction. See her website here.

So what are the elements of a good proposal?

1. Overview. The overview presents the reasons why your book is needed in the market place. It may state facts and figures regarding wholes in your particular niche that you believe your book will fill. This is the section that will initially sell the agent or editor on the topic of your book. Make sure it is a strong hook!

2. Market. The market section tells the agent/editor the specific markets your book serves. Remember, the publishing industry is first and foremost a business. Therefore, it is important to give the agent/editor a broad sense of all interested parties in your specific book. My book, Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students, for example, is primarily a parenting book. However, it has secondary markets that include teachers and counselors. I made sure to include that in this section of the proposal.

3. Competition. The competition section is one of my favorite sections—both as a nonfiction and fiction author. This section provides a detailed analysis of competitive titles and why your book is needed. You will need to openly talk about the books most similar to yours and indicate why an agent or editor would want your book instead. Does it meet a specific need not addressed by the other books you mention? What does your book uniquely offer the reader? This is the section to address those concerns.
Sometimes you will find a book that mirrors yours in most ways. If this is the case, find a way to add something unique to your idea and clearly indicate the differences in this section. I have used side-by-side comparisons when my idea was very close to a similar book on the market. Such visuals can be very compelling as a reason for an editor to choose your book for publication.

4. Author Bio. This is your platform—and trust me, you are not going to sell a book without a strong platform in this market. This section explains in clear terms why you are the right person to write the book. If your experience and education contribute to your platform, be sure to say that. If it is something else, include that as well. It is important not to be shy in this section. Equally important—don’t stretch the truth. Just present the reasons why you are an expert on the topic of your book.

5. Promotion. This is another one of my favorite sections. This is where you discuss your promotional plan for the book. Things like your social networking, platform building activities, speaking engagement, etc all go into this section. An important thing to remember when subbing the proposal to editors, especially with small niche-markets, is the conferences in which your potential publisher will most likely exhibit. If you are willing to try to speak at those conferences that can go a long way to convincing your publisher to buy your book. Again, this is a business. The more you are willing to help with the promotion of your book, the better—for you and for the publisher. As with the other sections, it is important not to over-promise. If you do not want to speak at conference, do not say you will.

The next three sections related directly
to the actual book you are proposing.

6. Chapter Outline. Provide a detailed table of contents for your book, including any ideas you may have regarding book packaging or other details. You do not need to indicate the contents of each chapter—though you may want to mention format. Content will come in the next section.

7. Chapter Abstracts. This is where you have a paragraph or two summarizing the content of the chapter. It can be relatively lose, though my recommendation is to have your project as clearly thought out as possible, Many times agents and editors have specific questions about your work. Being clear on the project enables you to confidently answer those questions.

8. Sample Chapters. This is where you get to show off your writing skills. Most proposals include the first 2-3 chapters. If your book has sections that vary, you may wish to include a chapter from one of the other sections. In Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students, the first part is more descriptive while the remaining two sections include different tips and strategies. By including chapters from each section, the agent/editor got a clearer picture of my vision for the book.

When the proposal is complete, it will usually be anywhere from 20 to 50 pages or more—just like a partial with fiction writers!

To word to my fiction friends: Although fiction writers don’t typically need to create a proposal for their novels, the process of analyzing the market, looking at what makes your books unique within a tight marketplace, and plans for promotion are all things that can only help the fiction writer. Doing the market research can help you better position your book when it comes to securing an agent, selling the book, or promoting it once it is published. It can also help clarify your ideas if you are writing a book on a very tight topic (think vampires), helping clarify how you can make your book stand out and represent something fresh.

Nonfiction proposals are a lot of work—but worth it in the long run. Not only does it enable you to sell an idea to an agent or editor, it clarifies your project in your own mind. The clarification makes the writing process that much easier.

The 2011 Writer's Market, completely updated,
has thousands of markets for nonfiction writers.

Want more on this subject?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com

See a successful nonfiction query here.

Nonfiction words of wisdom from agent Ted Weinstein.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Nonfiction

Wednesday, July 14, 2010 2:56:34 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [6]

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

How I Got My Agent: Kevin Sheridan
Posted by Chuck

"How I Got My Agent" is a recurring feature on the GLA blog. I find it fascinating to see the exact road people took that landed them with a rep. Seeing the things people did right vs. what they did wrong (highs and the lows) can help other scribes who are on the same journey. Some tales are of long roads and many setbacks, while others are of good luck and quick signings.

To see the previous installments of this column, click here.

If you have a literary agent and would be interested in writing a short guest column for this GLA blog, e-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com and we'll talk specifics

Kevin Sheridan is an author of screenplays,
short stories, middle grade fiction, picture books
and young adult non-fiction. Someday he hopes
to actually publish one of those buggers. He’s
also an actor and a musician, which means if
he can’t play the tune he can fake it really well.
See his blog here.

GOIN’ FISHIN’

In October of 2009, I was told my position was being eliminated. In November, my hard drive crashed on my Mac and I lost everything I’d written in the past two years. Effective January 1, 2010, I was out of work, but with a decent four-month severance package. If my dog had died or my wife ran off on me, I’d have had the makings of a great country/western song. Instead, I decided to go fishing.

And so, armed with a tackle box filled with the 2010 Writer’s Market, Jeff Herman’s Guide To Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents, plus the 2009 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market just for good measure, I went Agent Fishing. I plopped down on the side of the Internet, strung up my first query letter, and cast it in.

My catch: absolutely nothing. But like all good fishermen, I had to wait it out—patience is as required for fishing as good bait (the query letter) and a great net (the manuscript).

KEEPING TABS

Now, any good fisherman knows that there are good spots and bad spots, and good lures and bad lures. When I started out, I read up on query letters and tried my hand at one that might’ve qualified for a novella if it were just a few sentences longer. See, I figured agents wanted to know the whole story—a little taste of the beginning, middle and end. Wrong.

I did my research, looked up the appropriate agents looking for middle grade fantasy, but got “I don’t think I’d be the best match in this instance” almost every time. After a while, even though I kept the e-mails, I had trouble remembering where I had fished before and where I hadn’t. Age sets in and the memory goes. Anyway, I decided to use Excel and create a spreadsheet with all the agencies I’ve written to, to whom I addressed the letter, their response, and the next step. (I’m an optimist. Check out my blog if you don’t believe me.) Pretty soon I had twenty plus agencies listed. A small number compared to some writers, I’m sure, but it was good for me.

Now I just needed to look at what type of bait I’d used. See, the more I read up on it, the more I realized my query letter was just too long—I think it was the two by four thrust into my forehead by Janet Reid of QueryShark (queryshark.blogspot.com). So I shortened it up—made the paragraphs more attractive with more white space, and tried again.

I GOT A BITE

Caitlin Blasdell of Liza Dawson asked to see the first fifty pages. Like a dozing fisherman whose line jerks and pulls I shot up and got myself ready. First fifty pages? Sure! As soon as I look over every single word at least fifty times. I looked through common clichés, passive voice usage, unnecessary word usage (I think I said “pretty” or “just” about 500 times each), and cleaned it up as best I could—served it on a silver platter.

And then? The three most delightful words I’ve ever heard…in my head … as I read them in an e-mail … in my entire life. From Caitlin: “I’m enjoying this.” EN-JOY-ING. She went on to ask for the full manuscript and a three-week exclusive because it’s my first novel—would that be ok? OK? Heck, you could’ve asked for my first born male child and I would’ve had him packed and ready to go! (He’s twelve. Those of you with twelve year-old boys would understand).

So I sent the manuscript, and again, waited. Three weeks took two years. I was about to give up when I wrote her back. The three weeks were up and I had a couple of other nibbles. "But wait!" she replied. "Don’t do anything! Call me on Monday! On the phone!" Wow. Me and an agent. I got to tell my friends, “Oh, sorry, can’t do it. I’ve got to call my agent.” Loved it.

Then came Caitlin’s news: She loved the story and the voice (great!) but the second half has to go (not so great!). Seems I had written a partial middle grade novel and partial history textbook. OK, so I got a little excited when it came to the history. After a long, eye-opening discussion, I knew I had a lot of work ahead of me, but what a great problem to have. Caitlin has since turned out to be everything I could ever hope for in an agent. Through it all, though, I’ve learned that you need to keep tabs on what you’re doing, don’t ever stop learning, and be ready to change anything you have to do keep moving forward. But most of all? Be patient. Enjoy the scenery. Keep writing. Something will happen, exactly and precisely when it’s supposed to.

Kevin mentions the Writer's Market. Lucky for
writers, the newest edition (2011) just came out and
features more than 3,500 updated markets to
get your work published!

Want more on this topic?

Agent Elaine Spencer talks queries.

What should you write in the bio paragraph of a query letter?

How to write a query letter - the three parts.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

How I Got My Agent Columns

Tuesday, July 13, 2010 3:01:21 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [4]

Monday, July 12, 2010

7 Things I've Learned So Far, by Macie Smith
Posted by Chuck

This is a recurring column I'm calling "7 Things I've Learned So Far," where writers at any stage of their career can talk about seven things they've learned along their writing journey that they wish they knew at the beginning. This installment is from writer Macie Smith.

Macie Smith is a contributing writer for
seveneightfive magazine (www.seveneightfive.com).
She also writes young adult fiction, poetry, and
dabbles in short stories. You can learn more
about her at www.maciesmith.com

1. Participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). NaNoWriMo challenges you to write a 50,000-word story in one month. You can’t look back; you must move forward. For writers at any level, it’s an intense challenge that builds discipline and fuels passion. Even when the Muses stop granting inspiration, you dig deep and write. Crossing the 50,000 word finish line never felt so good. The event takes place in November. Learn more at www.nanowrimo.org.

2. Words matter. They are precious jewels in the building of a palace. You must labor over each one. Make every word count. Avoid adverbs (those nasty boogers that end in –ly) wherever possible. How does a person stand angrily? Do they jut out a hip, cross their arms, or stomp a foot. It’s your job to show the reader. And for heaven’s sake, find another way to say a character “walked.” Walking is boring. Meandering, slinking, sashaying, or dashing about all make a scene come to life.

3. Edit other people’s work. It’s much easier to see the mistakes other writers make than to see your own, but chances are, you’re making the same ones. After you’ve spent time editing someone else’s piece, it’ll be easier to see where you need growth.

4. Remove yourself from your work before you edit. More editing advice? You bet ya! I can’t overemphasize editing because it’s where the rubber meets the road. Editing is where your idea is refined to gold. Put away your work. Give it at least a week or two before you look at it again, but a month is better, maybe even several months. You’ve drowned in words during the creative process and your piece will seem like a masterpiece, but after some space, you’ll see its true nature. Furthermore, don’t treat your work like its your baby, especially when you share personal events. They may be intimate and special, but they may not further your piece’s overall message. Giving yourself that space makes it easier to cut unnecessary details and hear other people’s critiques.

5. Become a name in your local writing community. Join a writers group for un-biased feedback (yes, your family and friends always think your work is fabulous). Write for local publications. Enter local contests. See if your local college has a literary journal/magazine. You may not get paid, but you’ll grow as a writer and build credentials. You’ll meet people who share your passion for writing. Plus, when you still aren’t published nationally, it feels nice to have some local recognition.

6. Connect to the larger writing community via the interwebs. This will give you perspective on the large size of the writing world, but it’s also a great resource. I’ve accumulated a vast wealth of knowledge by reading agent and writer blogs and following agents, authors, writers, and publishers on Twitter. But here’s the key: I followed their advice. You don’t know better then those who’ve been there. When agents say too many stories start with a dream sequence, I make sure I don’t use one. When authors share advice on writing techniques, I use them. My writing has only improved. If you want published, you need flawless writing, but you also need a grasp of the publishing industry. Staying connected and listening will take you a long way.

7. Persevere. In the words of Amy Grant (words we hope aren’t immortalized), “it takes a little time sometime.” But in this case, it takes a lot of time. Be patient. You won’t get it done overnight, in fact, you’re doing good to have it done in a year. Creating, writing, recreating, waiting, editing, getting feedback, editing, and reediting are lengthy processes. Add to that time spent composing query letters and waiting for a response. And you can’t stop there. Even when one piece/novel is complete write another. Writing is a process and a journey. It takes monumental effort, but to the writer, it is joy.

Writing a novel. Agent/writer Donald Maass
is a fiction writing expert, and his book
Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook
can guide you on your journey.

Want more on this subject?

Want to pen a guest column? Write me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

7 Things I've Learned So Far

Monday, July 12, 2010 2:30:05 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [4]

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Successful Queries: Agent Ayesha Pande and Justin Kramon's ''Finny''
Posted by Chuck

I'm re-posting Justin's successful query in honor
of his novel, Finny, being released this week
(July 13). Congrats, Justin!

-----------

This new series is called "Successful Queries" and I'm posting actual query letters that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. In addition to posting the actual query letter, we will also get to hear thoughts from the agent as to why the letter worked.

The 32nd installment in this series is with agent Ayesha Pande (Collins Literary) and her author, Justin Kramon, for the literary fiction novel, Finny (set for release July 2010). Justin keeps a blog of free resources for writers looking to publish their work at justinkramon.wordpress.com.

Dear Ms. Collins: (co-agent of Ayesha)

I am writing because I’m currently looking for an agent to represent my novel and short story collection, and I met you a few years ago when you came to visit the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. I just really liked talking with you in our meeting, and you seemed interested in the work I was doing, so I thought I’d get in touch to see if you might be interested in seeing some of my writing. I’ve heard that the writers from the Workshop who have worked with you have been really happy.

Let me tell you a little about myself. I’m twenty-seven years old, a 2004 graduate of the Workshop with an M.F.A. in fiction. The collection I’ve finished was awarded the Michener-Copernicus Society of America Award, and I’ve received several other fellowships, including a Sun Valley Writers’ Fellowship and a BookHampton Fellowship. I’ve published about half the stories in my collection in literary magazines, including Glimmer Train, Fence, Story Quarterly, and Boulevard. A story published last year (“Shel” in Glimmer Train) was selected by the most recent Best American Short Stories as one of their “100 Distinguished Stories.”

The novel that I’ve just finished is a love story, told in third person, from the point of view of a woman named Finny Short. It begins when the main character is fifteen, and it moves across twenty years of her life, ending when she’s thirty-five. In addition to being a love story, it’s a story about a young woman embarking upon the adventures of growing up, adventures in which she meets many lively and eccentric characters, including a seductive heiress named Judith Turngate, a domineering-but-kindhearted mother figure named Poplan with a love of exotic Asian fruits and Irish fiddle music, and a narcoleptic piano teacher named Menalcus Henckel whose mysterious past turns out to bear on Finny’s future. My aim was for the book to be a densely plotted Dickensian adventure in which a young person emerges into the world. But instead of having it be a young man, such as David Copperfield or Augie March or T.S. Garp, I wanted to write a World According to Garp about a woman, navigating the hilarious and treacherous and heartbreaking paths of adult life.

I have enclosed an S.A.S.E. for reply, or you can contact me by email or phone – whatever’s best. I would love to send you work from the collection and the novel, if you think these books might be of interest to you. Also, two mentors – the writers Ethan Canin and Bob Shacochis – have said that I should mention they are fans. Thanks so much for your time.

All best,

Justin Kramon

Commentary from Ayesha

The letter is personable, well written, and makes mention of a past meeting or personal connection—something that is much more likely to evoke a response. A sad reality is that publishing is just like any other industry: knowing people helps. Justin mention other clients that Nina represents, which means he's done his research and knows his work would be the kind of thing she’d be interested in.

The Iowa Writers’ Workshop establishes credentials, but more so do the fellowships and publications in literary journals and the fact that he completed a novel. Many aspiring authors query too early and short stories are extremely difficult to place.

Justin mentions having the support of Bob Shacochis and Ethan Canin. Again, letting me know that he'll be able to get support by established writers, whether in the form of blurbs or joint readings or nominations for awards—that’s really important and helpful. I frequently ask debut authors to request a blurb to send out with the submission—it can help editors when they’re pitching to their editorial board.

The description of the novel is succinct and makes comparisons to other books. “Comps” are so important—they give us a way to place the novel within a literary context.

Want more on this subject?

Successful Queries: (Romance) "Proof by Seduction"

Successful Queries: (Mainstream/Literary Fiction) "The Art of Racing in the Rain"

Successful Queries: (Upmarket/Women's Fiction) "Simply from Scratch"

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Successful Queries

Sunday, July 11, 2010 3:06:52 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [0]

Friday, July 09, 2010

Successful Queries: Agent Elana Roth and Eli Stutz's ''Pickle Impossible''
Posted by Chuck

This series is called "Successful Queries" and I'm posting actual query letters that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. In addition to posting the actual query letter, we will also get to hear thoughts from the agent as to why the letter worked.

The 39th installment in this series is with agent Elana Roth (Caren Johnson Literary) and her author, Eli Stutz, for his middle grade book, Pickle Impossible, which was released in May 2010 from Bloomsbury.

Dear Ms. Roth,

A boy with a hidden power and the girl who was sent to stop him have 24 hours to win a pickle contest.

12-year-old Pierre La Bouche is a cornichon. That's French for "pickle," but it also means "good-for-nothing." A middle child who gets straight C's, he's never been No. 1 at anything. When the family farm goes broke, grandfather Henri gives Pierre a mission: to save the farm by winning an international pickle contest.

En route to the contest, Pierre meets Aurore, the charming but less-than-truthful granddaughter of a rival farmer. She's been sent to ensnare Pierre, but after a wake up call from her conscience, she rescues him. Together, they navigate the ghostly Paris catacombs, figure out how to crash-land a plane, and duel with a black-hearted villain who will stop at nothing to capture their pickles. In their most desperate hour, it is Pierre's incredible simplicity that saves the day. Always bickering but becoming friends, Pierre and Aurore discover that anything is possible, no matter how hard it may seem.

Pickle Impossible is complete at 32,500 words. I'm a technical writer by day, optimistic novelist by night. Recently, I've interviewed a host of pickle makers and French natives. My own pickles are fermenting in the kitchen. I grew up in Toronto and live with my wife and children in Israel.

Thank you for your consideration. I hope to hear from you.

Kind Regards,

Eli Stutz

Commentary from Elana

At the core of this letter are 3 main paragraphs. Two of them are about the book. The last and shortest is about the author. Sure, he tosses in a little tagline, which is totally unnecessary, but it worked here, so I'll leave it alone. Let's go through each paragraph:

1. The first paragraph introduces our main character and the set-up. He uses concrete things to describe Pierre. He throws in the French flair of the book right away. And he doesn't beat around the bush to tell me what Pierre has to accomplish.

2. The second delves a little deeper into the plot. It gives me the complication that will drive the story forward—someone is out to stop Pierre. And then Eli accomplishes the most important trick here: He gives me some fun examples of what will happen in the book without summarizing the entire plot. That is key because I don't want to read the whole book in the query letter. But he gives me flavor.

3. His bio paragraph is straight to the point, not overcrowded with his whole life history, and also ties light-heartedly right back to the subject of the book. I loved that he tried fermenting his own pickles. (He later told me they weren't very good.)

Here's the kicker. The total word count on this letter is 242 words. 242! Look how much he fits into 242 words. There's plot, character, personality and quirk. From this tightly-written letter I know I'm going to get a fun, zany story. Those of you who wanted 250 words just to pitch your book, take heed! Shorter is better.

This post is an online exclusive complement
to a spotlight on Eli in a forthcoming
issue of WD. If you don't have a sub to
Writer's Digest, what are you waiting for?
Get one now!

Want more on this subject?

Successful Queries: (Kids/YA) "Tagged"

Successful Queries: (Kids/MG) "Sway"

Successful Queries: (Kids/YA) "My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters"

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Breaking In (Writer's Digest) | Successful Queries

Friday, July 09, 2010 1:25:53 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [4]

4 Ways to Overcome Writer's Block and Write from Anywhere
Posted by Chuck

I did my best writing the last year of the 18 months I was homeless. It was the year I learned to dance with my lizard brain and write from anywhere. The lizard brain is an actual thing—a physical part of your brain called the amygdala. It’s the pre-historic lump near the brain stem that is responsible for fear and rage and reproductive drive, procrastination and, of course, writer’s block. It's responsible for why most of us can’t write from just anywhere. The lizard brain has convinced us that we just can’t.

Becky Blanton is a former award-winning
journalist, editor and photojournalist. She
spoke at TED Global 2009 in Oxford, England
about her experience of being one of the
working homeless for more than a year. She
is working on her book, Staying Hungry, about
how people create gourmet lives out of the
crap life sometimes piles on their plates.
See her website here.

The year was 2006 and it was the year the lizard brain kicked my butt. The month after my father died, I quit my job as a newspaper editor to travel, freelance and grieve. What began as an adventure became almost a year and a half of homelessness of living in a 1975 Chevy van with my rottweiler and my cat. It was a year of evading bored cops who liked to bang on the side of my van at 3 a.m. and tell me to “move along.” I worked a minimum wage cubicle monkey kind of temp job and forgot I could write. My lizard brain was in heaven—bathed in fear 24/7. I wasn’t writing anything. I was kicking out excuses like grocery store tabloids kick out new diets and celebrity rumors. It wasn’t until I confronted my inner lizard and kicked back that I began to write again. What being homeless taught me about writing from anywhere is this:

WHY YOU CAN'T WRITE

The lizard brain feeds on fear—your fear. He’s not particularly picky. As long as you’re bathing your brain with fear (adrenaline) like a teenager splashing on cheap cologne for a big date, he’s happy. The problem is, if he’s happy, you’re not writing.

1. IGNORE THE LIZARD'S LIES

You don’t need a computer. You don’t need to feel inspired. You don’t need a muse. You don’t need special software. You don’t need an office. You need a pen, paper and the ability to focus.

2. SIMPLIFY

Stress happens when the demands on you overwhelm your resources. When your resources are overwhelmed your lizard brain responds like rednecks to a new Jeff Foxworthy joke. If you’re stressing, feeling anxious or experiencing writer’s block and you’re working on several things at once —Stop. Work on just one. Don’t think about the entire book. Think about one chapter. If that’s too much, think about one page, one paragraph or simply the next sentence.

3. WORK WHILE THE LIZARD SLEEPS

Unless something life-threatening is happening, the lizard brain takes a few minutes to wake up in the morning. That 10 to 15 minutes you have when you first wake up, before you get out of bed with a novel idea, is a great time to avoid the lizard. Keep a notebook by the bed so you can scribble it down before the lizard realizes what’s happening.

4. GO HIGH-TECH

If you can’t write, talk. Use a digital tape recorder and talk your ideas out. Call a friend and tape the conversation the two of you have about your block, or story or writing. Use freeconferencecall.com and download the call and replay it immediately afterwards to help shake your block. This also works if you’re on location, stumble onto a great story and don’t have a tape recorder. Use your cell phone to call your conference call number to leave notes, or to do an interview.

Location, stuff and technology doesn’t matter as much as you think it does. Attitude and action do. I’ve written in the middle of forest fires, while homeless, on river rafting trips, at fires, while sitting next to dead bodies—anywhere. It’s a mental game—not a physical one. So practice. You can do it.

Want more on this subject?

Word Count Guidelines for Novels and Children's Books.

Check out agent Don Maass's popular book, The Fire in Fiction.

20 Tips on Writing a Query Letter

How Money Works: Book Royalties, Advances and Flat Fees.

What are the BEST writers' conferences in the country?

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Guest Columns

Friday, July 09, 2010 1:08:26 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [6]

Thursday, July 08, 2010

Agent Advice: Chris Park of Foundry Literary + Media
Posted by Chuck

"Agent Advice" is a series of quick interviews with literary and script agents who talk with Guide to Literary Agents about their thoughts on writing, publishing, and just about anything else.

This installment features Chris Park of Foundry Literary + Media. Prior to joining Foundry, Chris worked as an editor for several New York publishing houses (Hachette Book Group, Random House) and helped launch an independent publishing company. She has a degree in English from Harvard University and lives in a Chicago suburb with her family.

She is seeking: memoirs, narrative nonfiction, Christian nonfiction and character-driven fiction, and she enjoys working with authors to develop books that are appealing and accessible to a broad audience.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

CP: It’s not terribly interesting—just your run-of-the-mill editor-turned-agent story. I loved being an editor, but it seemed each year more of the job was being taken over by duties that had nothing to do with editing. There were entirely too many days I found myself thinking, If only I could spend all my time working with my authors. And of course publishers only reward editors for looking out for their authors’ best interests when those interests align with their own. So I was already playing with the idea of switching to the agenting side when my family decided to move away from New York so my husband could go back to school. As an editor, I had great respect for Peter McGuigan and it was quite fortuitous that he and Yfat Reiss Gendell were launching Foundry at the moment I was leaving Hachette. Not to brag but my colleagues at Foundry are the best.

GLA: What’s something you repped that came out recently (or will come out) that you’re excited about?

CP: Operation Beautiful by Caitlin Boyle. An extraordinary movement that came out of an ordinary moment that we know all too well—picking ourselves apart in front of the mirror. Caitlin got sick of it one day and slapped a note with the words “YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL” on a mirror in a public bathroom—the note that launched a thousand Post-its! Notes on gym lockers, magazines, diet shakes in the supermarket, you name it. I’m not a big inspiration person, but the message and the means of transmittal were so empowering, and almost subversive in the way it took on all the negative messaging out there about image and beauty. The book is filled with stories and notes that are pretty inspiring—some from women fighting eating disorders, fighting cancer, fighting in Iraq.

GLA: How does your editing background influence your tastes and skills?

CP: It certainly opened my eyes to the reality of publishing. It made me realize just how many obstacles there are to getting a book published successfully, and how badly an author needs a passionate advocate. As an editor I used to prompt my authors, “Ask me about sales projections. Ask me about getting endorsements. Ask me if the book’s been presented to Wal-Mart” so that I could help them understand what was going on behind the scenes. I love that I now get to do that 24/7 in my capacity as an agent. As far as tastes go, I’ve worked on enough books that I figured out what I don’t like. Polemics. True crime. Serial killer novels. Diet and exercise books. I know it’s frustratingly vague, but I love being in the hands of a masterful storyteller, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction.

GLA: When we met in DC, you mentioned working with Christian titles. Can you explain more about what toe or toes you still have in these waters?

CP: Christian books make up about half my list at present. By Christian, I mean orthodox Christianity. I spend a lot of time responding to queries for New Age books and The Secret-type books, and sure, there’s a place for those, but I’m not your man. If Jesus is not mentioned, it’s not Christian to me. I haven’t yet taken on Christian fiction, because I haven’t read anything that made me fall in love. So at present it’s all nonfiction, and most of my Christian writers have some sort of platform in the CBA world. The CBA is taking its time embracing the memoir category, but when it does, I’ll be there. I recently placed a gorgeous memoir, A Good and Perfect Gift by Amy Julia Becker, about her struggle to understand what it means to be created by God when her daughter is born with Down syndrome. I’d love to see more of that kind of thoughtful, emotionally honest writing in Christian books.

GLA: Speaking of DC, did you take pitches? What advice do you have for writers when composing a pitch, whether one to include in a query or in person to an agent?

CP: Please don’t say There’s nothing like it out there. That really isn’t helpful. Try to find a few comparison titles so the agent can get a sense of the book right away. If you tell me your book is The Glass Castle meets The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, I’ll know instantly that it’s a emotionally rich memoir about growing up poor in the South, and since I love both of those books, I’ll move your query to the top of the pile. (And yes, in that example I’ve mixed fiction and nonfiction. Movie comps are good too. If the shorthand works, go for it.)

GLA: I’m a huge Vikings fan, so what was it like to work with Brett Favre on his illustrated autobiography when you were an editor?

CP: Well, I’m not sure if you as a Vikings fan remember this but Brett used to be a Green Bay Packer. I married a huge Packer fan, and in my vows I promised not only to support him in his devotion to all things Packer but to shift my allegiance as well. He got to meet Brett so I think I held up my end pretty well! When we visited him at his house, he was mowing his lawn. He’s as down to earth as everyone says he is. But my favorite Favre is his mom, Bonita. She’s amazing.

GLA: In addition to the Favre book, I see you recently sold a memoir regarding the New Orleans Saints football team. Do you have a fondness for football or sports in general?

CP: I definitely favor football, although baseball seems to translate to the page with greater success. What is frustrating about working with sports books is the frequency with which publishers use the R word—regional—to dismiss their potential. Believe it or not, a number of publishers used that word when they passed on Coach Payton’s book—after he and the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl! His book, Home Team: Coaching The Saints and New Orleans Back to Life, pubbed last week and just hit the New York Times bestseller list! Regional schmegional.

GLA: You seem to enjoy memoir and narrative nonfiction, but you also take any straight nonfiction subjects?

CP: Yes, I do play favorites. I just can’t get enough of memoirs and narrative nonfiction. I’m not much of a prescriptive nonfiction person. But I’m open to everything. I’d love to find a parenting book or a thoughtful piece of political writing.

GLA: It says you like “character-driven” fiction. Can you give us a better handle on what this means?

CP: I spent my first years in publishing as an editorial assistant working on a lot of genre fiction, and discovered that it’s not my strength. So I guess what I mean is that I like my fiction character-driven as opposed to plot-driven. No thrillers, suspense, romance, Westerns. I’m most drawn to women’s fiction and literary fiction that is accessible (meaning: don’t send me anything with stream-of-consciousness in the description).

GLA: What’s the best way to submit to you?

CP: A one-page query letter via email: cpark[at]foundrymedia.com, and an excerpt included in the body of the e-mail so I can get a taste right away.

GLA: Will you be at any upcoming writers conferences where writers can meet and pitch you?

CP: Unfortunately, not this year—staying close to home until the baby turns one. But I really should get out there more, am open to suggestions ...

GLA: Something personal about you writers may be surprised to know?

CP: That I’m not a dude! Although that misimpression is sometimes useful (say, when I’m contacting football stars). Chris isn’t short for anything. My parents named me after Chris Evert (not realizing her given name is Christine) and though I suffered through years of tennis camp I have nothing to show for it.

GLA: Best piece(s) of advice we haven’t discussed?

CP: I’m not so good with advice. None of this will be new: Spend time reading other people’s books—it’s amazing how many would-be authors look down on what’s out there and won’t deign to step foot in a bookstore. Find agents who have represented authors you admire by reading the acknowledgments pages. Memoir writers, don’t offer your story until you’re emotionally ready to promote it and talk about it ad nauseam. Try to be original and avoid derivative ideas. Buy a Crockpot and use the time you save to write. But not to write a Crockpot cookbook—that one is already on the bestseller list.

If you're interested in Christian writing, check
out the May/June 2009 issue of WD, with a
joint interview with Jerry Jenkins and Stephen King.

Want more information?

5 Signs a Literary Agent is a Good Match For You.

See examples of Successful Queries that agents liked.

Check out The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters.

How to Write a Synopsis for a Novel.

Facebook, Twitter and Literary Agents.

Confused about formatting? Check out Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript.

Read about What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

Want the most complete database of agents and what genres they're looking for? Buy the 2010 Guide to Literary Agents today!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Christian Agents

Thursday, July 08, 2010 6:38:46 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [2]

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Let Me Critique Your Synopsis: Webinar This Thursday, July 8
Posted by Chuck

Those pesky synopses for novels and memoirs are very tricky to do. Questions abound. How long should they be? Which characters should you mention? Should you have plenty of detail or just sparse mentions? If these questions are crossing your mind, you've come to the right place.

I'm teaching a webinar this Thursday, July 8, called "Critique Series: Novel Synopses" where you can get your synopsis critiqued!

DETAILS

The webinar happens at 1 p.m., EST, Thursday, July 8, 2010, and lasts for 75 minutes. Sign up here.

YOUR CRITIQUE

All registered attendees are invited to submit a 1-page synopsis for critique. Every writer who registers is guaranteed one critique. The page can be single-spaced or you can submit two pages double-spaced (which adds up to the same length). If you don't want your synopsis shared, say so and I will not share it.

4 Reasons to Attend

Plenty of agents are still requesting synopses with their queries, and you have to be ready to submit whatever an agent asks for.
Synopses used to be quite lengthy (and therefore easier to do), but nowadays agents want them short and sweet. I'll show you some basic tricks to cut down length.
With the critique, you'll get another opinion on your writing and the layout and structure of your story.
You can ask questions in real time. If you have questions specific to you, we'll address them live!

Who should attend? Writers of novels, kids novels and memoir. If you're writing any of those categories, you will need a synopsis to submit to agents. Sign up for the webinar here!

If you're confused as to what a synopsis
should look like, seek out the formatting
guidebook Formatting & Submitting
Your Manuscript, 3rd. Ed.

Synopsis Writing | Webinars

Wednesday, July 07, 2010 9:20:39 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [0]

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