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2nd Draft Critique Service
Before you send out your work, have it edited by an established pro! |
Agency Gatekeeper
A literary agent shares secrets. |
Agent in the Middle
Agent Lori Perkins blogs and tells all |
Ashley Grayson Agent Blog
From the Ashley Grayson Literary Agency |
| Association of Authors' Representatives |
Barbara Doyen's Articles Page
Agent Barbara Doyen shares her knowledge. |
Barry Goldblatt Literary
A blog from the whole agency. |
BookEnds Agent Blog
Agents from Bookends Literary blog |
Brenda Bowen
Agent Brenda Bowen's "Bunny Eat Bunny" kids writing blog. |
Cameron McClure
Cameron, with the Donald Maass Lit Agency, runs her "Book Cannibal" blog. |
Caren Johnson Literary Agency
The official CJLA blog |
Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market Blog
This blog, run by Alice Pope, is a must-read for anyone writing in the juvenile market |
Chip MacGregor's Agent Blog
A Christian agent speaks |
Chuck's conference speaking schedule
See where Chuck will be presenting and when! |
Colleen Lindsay's Agent Blog
A new agent at FinePrint Literary blogs |
DHS Literary Blog
David Hale Smith's "Literary Show and Tell" blog. |
Diana Fox's Agent Blog
A literary agent talks publishing |
| Dystel & Goderich Agent Blog |
Eddie Schneider
An agent from JABberwocky Literary blogs. |
Elaine English Literary Agency Blog
A blog from the whole agency. |
F+W Bookstore
Buy Guide to Literary Agents and a bunch of other great WD Books. |
FinePrint Literary Management Blog
A blog from the whole agency. |
Folio Literary Management's Blog
All the agents chime in on this new blog |
Fresh Books Blog
An agency blog. |
Full Circle Literary's Blog
Agents from Full Circle Literary in California blog |
Girl Meets Book
Agent Jamie Brenner of Artists & Artisans blogs. |
Greenhouse Literary Blog
Agent Sarah Davies shares her thoughts and wisdom |
Hartline Literary Blog
A blog from the whole agency. |
Janet Reid
Agent Janet Reid of FinePrint Literary gives her two cents on anything and everything |
Jennifer Jackson's Agent Blog
An agent with the Donald Maass Literary Agency blogs |
Jenny Bent's Blog
From the founder of The Bent Agency. |
Jill Corcoran
A kids agent at the Herman Agency blogs. |
Joshua Bilmes Agent Blog
JABberwocky Literary Agency |
Kathleen Ortiz Agent Blog
Kathleen with Lowenstein Associates |
Kelly Mortimer
Agent Kelly Mortimer's "Perils of Publishing" blog. |
Ken Atchity
The president of AEI, a script and literary management co., blogs. |
Kid Lit
A blog by kids agent Mary Kole of the Andrea Brown Literary Agency |
Kimberly Cameron & Associates
A blog from the whole agency. |
Knight Agency Blog
Exactly what it sounds like |
Laurie McLean's Agent Blog
The "Agent Savant" blog |
Lit Soup (Jenny Rappaport's Agent Blog)
An agent at the L. Perkins Agency blogs |
Lucienne Diver's Agent Blog
A blog on "Authorial, Agently and Personal Ramblings." |
Lyons Literary Agent Blog
Agent Jonathan Lyons blogs |
MFA Confidential Blog
This new WD blog features Kate Monahan and all things about getting an MFA |
Michael Larsen's Blog
Agent Michael Larsen of Larsen-Pomada Literary Agents blogs about publishing and nonfiction writing. |
Miss Snark
No longer active, but this blog by anonymous agent Miss Snark still has oodles of priceless info in its archives |
Nathan Bransford
A popular blog from an agent at Curtis Brown in San Francisco |
Nephele Tempest's Agent Blog
An agent with the Knight Agency blogs |
Poetic Asides
A poetry blog from the editor of Writer's Market |
Promptly (Prompts Blog)
WD's own blog of writing prompts, run by magazine staffer Zac Petit |
Pub Rants
Kristin Nelson's Agent Blog |
| Publishers Marketplace |
Query Shark
Janet Reid's blog where she dissects query letters |
Questions and Quandaries Blog
WD staffer Brian A. Klems answers questions of all kinds |
Rachelle Gardner
A blog by an agent who specializes in Christian Writing |
Romantic Reads
Dorchester editor Leah Hultenschmidt blogs romance. |
Sara Crowe's Blog
An agent from Harvey Klinger blogs. |
Scott Eagan's Agent Blog
The great Greyhaus agent blogs away. |
Script Notes
A WD scriptwriting blog from Chad Gervich, TV producer |
Steve Laube's Agent Blog
A Christian agent and former editor talks the biz. |
Suzie Townsend
A new assistant agent at FinePrint Literary blogs. |
Terry Burns's Blog
An agent with Hartline Literary blogs. |
Terry Whalin's Blog
"The Writing Life," as told by a former editor and agent. |
The Buried Editor
A blog dedicated to juvenile writing (YA, middle grade, picture books) run by an editor at CBAY Books and Blooming Tree Press |
The Gail Ross Literary Agency
The agency blog. |
The Inside Pitch Screenwriting Blog
A Hollywood Executive Talks About Screenwriting |
The New Literary Agents
A few new literary agents share advice. |
| The Rejecter (Anonymous Agent) |
| The Shatzkin Files |
The Sound and the Furry
WD contributor Nancy Parish talks writing. |
There Are No Rules
Jane Friedman of Writer's Digest Books, talks about publishing trends and has interviews online |
Tracy Marchini
An agent from Curtis Brown, Ltd. blogs |
| United States Copyright Office |
Upstart Crow Blog
A blog from the whole agency at Upstart Crow Literary. |
Waxman Literary Agency
A blog from the whole agency. |
Wendy Sherman Associates Blog
Multiple agents blog. |
Writer Beware
A site dedicated to protecting writers from scams of all kinds - including unscrupulous agents |
Writer Unboxed
Primarily devoted to genre fiction, this site features plenty of interviews with industry pros |
Writer's Digest magazine
This big hub has tons of online articles from past issues of WD. Check out the revamped new site! |
Writer's Digest University (Writers Online Workshops)
Online writing courses are taught by WD staffers and contributors |
Writer's Market
This pay site is our online database of listings (magazines, book publishers, agents, and everything else). It has more than 6,000 listings. |
Writing-World
A huge writing website and resource writers should check out. |
| Wylie Merrick Agency's Blog |
Zack Company Blog
Agent Andrew Zack blogs. |
|
 Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Footnotes: 4 Articles on Publishing Myths
Posted by Chuck
"Most of us can read the writing on the wall;
we just assume it's addressed to someone else."
~ Ivern Ball
Footnotes is a recurring
series on the GLA blog where I pick a subject and provide several
interesting articles on said topic. The whispering starts
whenever two or more writers are together—maybe over drinks or waiting
in line. You’ve heard about them at conferences and workshops. That’s
right folks, this week I’m serving up 4 articles on Publishing Myths.
1. Do editors really edit? Agent Nathan Bransford discussed this commonly held belief back in 2007.
2. Different avenues exist. Agent Wendy Lawton debunks the myth that the only way to find an agent is to pitch them.
3. There are lots of myths where self publishing is concerned. This post by Three Bean Press debunks many of them.
4. The Big 10. Freelance editor Erin Brown lists the top ten publishing myths and gives some thoughtful advice on what to believe.
Want more on this topic?
Footnotes
Wednesday, July 07, 2010 10:07:30 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00) 
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Sunday, May 30, 2010
Footnotes: 4 Articles on Dealing With Rejection
Posted by Chuck
"Look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock,
perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack
showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will
split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it,
but all that had gone before." ~Jacob A. Riis
Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA blog where I pick a subject and provide several interesting articles on said topic. Every writer at some point in their career must face rejection. Today I’m serving up 4 articles to help soften the blow.
1. You are not alone. 30 famous authors who faced rejection.
2. Words to write by. 5 reasons your manuscript gets rejected, as told by Victoria Mixon.
3. Three levels of rejection. Austrailian writer Damien Kane shows you how you handle each one may make the difference in whether or not that manuscript gets published.
4. It happens to everyone. Agent Nathan Bransford explains why every writer will face rejection.
Want more on this topic?
Footnotes
Sunday, May 30, 2010 11:54:48 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Thursday, May 06, 2010
Footnotes: 5 Articles on Writing with Voice
Posted by Chuck
"The human voice is the organ of the soul."
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA blog where I pick a subject and provide several interesting articles on said topic. Today I’m serving up 5 articles to help you develop your writing voice.
1. In your own words. Missy Frye discusses how to find your writing voice.
2. Your voice is your fingerprint. Finding your voice as a children’s writer.
3. Put yourself on the page. Holly Lisle lists 10 steps to finding your voice.
4. Make your characters come alive. The Writer’s toolkit: A voice journal for character development.
5. Get into the groove. Jesaka Long presents tips to developing your writing voice.
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Craft and Story Beginnings | Footnotes
Thursday, May 06, 2010 10:27:03 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Sunday, April 11, 2010
Footnotes: 5 Articles About Creating Characters
Posted by Chuck
"First, find out what your hero wants.
Then just follow him." ~ Ray Bradbury
Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA blog where I pick a subject and provide several interesting articles on said topic. This week I’ve included five articles on writing characters.
1. Keeping it real. Author Lauren Oliver discusses how to create realistic characters.
2. How does that make you feel? On the blog, Will Writer for Cake, Lynne Hoenig talks about how to get inside a character’s head.
3. Nobody’s perfect. Editor Emma Dryden addresses the appeal of flawed characters; writing memorable ones can make your manuscript stand out.
4. Creating Characters. Check out this blog post on creating characters from the Men with Pens blog.
5. Bigger is better. Check out these tips for writing male characters.
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Craft and Story Beginnings | Footnotes
Sunday, April 11, 2010 7:10:16 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)
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Sunday, March 21, 2010
Footnotes: 4 Articles on Agent Pet Peeves
Posted by Chuck
Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA blog where I pick a subject
and provide several interesting articles on said topic. You’ve revised
your manuscript and polished that query letter until it’s nice and
shiny; now it’s time to submit to agents. But before you send that
query, check out this list of articles regarding agent pet peeves.
1. A professional e-mail. If you’re using that cute nickname your boyfriend gave you as your e-mail address, you may want to change it.
2. Resubmit? What’s the protocol for contacting the agents you’ve submitted to once you receive an offer? Agent Elana Roth discusses her thoughts on the subject.
3. A big list. Here’s a “cornucopia” of agent pet peeves for you to check out.
4. Pass on phone calls. If you you’re thinking about pitching an agent over the phone, please think twice.
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Footnotes
Sunday, March 21, 2010 4:36:35 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Footnotes: 5 Articles on Writing Picture Books
Posted by Chuck
"You have to write whichever book it
is that wants to be written." ~ Madeleine L'Engle
Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA blog where I pick a subject and provide several interesting articles on said topic. This week, I’m serving up five articles on writing picture books.
1. Ten Myths about writing for kids. Do you know what they are? Check out the list on the Hogwarts Professor blog.
2. Picturebooks vs. Novels. Agent Michael Stearns discusses the uniqueness of representing picture books versus other genres.
3. Saying a lot with a little. Thus is the fine art of writing a picture book.
4. Three times a charm. Author Pam Calvert discusses the Law of Three and other tips for writing humorous picture books on her blog Woven with Pixie Dust.
5. Writing a picture book? Check out these 20 Do’s and Don’ts from Author Mem Fox.
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Children's Writing | Footnotes
Wednesday, March 03, 2010 11:15:01 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Footnotes: 6 Articles on Building a Platform
Posted by Chuck
Footnotes is a recurring series
on the GLA blog where I pick a subject and provide several interesting
articles on said topic. Most writers need one but don’t know how to get one. Of course I'm talking about platform, and this week, I’m serving up 6 articles on developing your visibility.
1. What’s a platform? Check out this post from the Killzone blog.
2. It’s all about marketing. Freelancer Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen discusses 10 ways to build your writing platform.
3. Author platform vs. writing platform. Before you have an author platform, you’ll need a writing platform, says Get Known Before the Book Deal author Christina Katz in this column.
4. Creating a platform. On the KC Writers blog, Dorinda Ohnstad discusses her plan for world domination via a writing platform.
5. Mythbuster. On the Writer Unboxed site, WD Publisher Jane Friedman dispels some myths about audience development.
6. Bite-sized tips for building your platform. Fiction writer Lindsey Edwards offers tips for both fiction and nonfiction writers.
Want more on this topic?
Footnotes | Platform
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 8:57:24 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Monday, February 15, 2010
Footnotes: 5 Articles on Making the Most of a Writing Conference
Posted by Chuck
"We are all apprentices in a craft where
no one ever becomes a master."
~Ernest Hemingway
Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA blog where I pick a subject and provide several interesting articles on said topic. The conference season is rapidly approaching so this week I’m serving up five articles that focus on tips for writing conference attendees.
1. Make the most of your conference experience. The agent folks at Folio Literary Management list four things you should bring to every conference. Do you know what they are?
2. Do this, don’t do that. The agents at Dystel and Goderich discuss common mistakes writers make during pitch sessions.
3. First Conference? Never fear. Writer and guest blogger Jane Makuch shares her conference tips on the CWIM blog.
4. Batter up! Guest blogger Kerrie Flanagan shares advice on pitching an agent at writing conference. (She would know; she runs the Northern Colorado Writers' Conference.)
5. Maximize your time. Guest blogger Jessica Monday shares 5 tips to maximizing the Writer’s Conference experience on the GLA blog.
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Footnotes | Writers' Conferences
Monday, February 15, 2010 12:26:55 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Friday, February 05, 2010
Footnotes: 5 Articles on Writing Description
Posted by Chuck
"Don't tell me the moon is shining;
show me the glint of light on broken glass."
~Anton Chekhov
Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA
blog where I pick a subject and provide several interesting articles on
said topic. This week, I’m serving up five articles on writing description.
1. When is description necessary? Doyce Testerman answers that question.
2. Tips to remember when writing description. Children’s writer Anna Staniszewski offers her tips.
3. Using description to place the reader in the scene. Check out Bertum’s blog for great articles on writing description.
4. The art of description. How to bring your settings to life. On the blog Writing-World.com, writer Anne Marble shares 8 tips to bring your descriptions to life.
5. Selling the Sizzle. Writing description is like a barbeque cookout. Check out this post on the Murderby4 blog.
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Craft and Story Beginnings | Footnotes
Friday, February 05, 2010 2:48:17 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Thursday, January 28, 2010
Footnotes: 5 Articles on Writing Mysteries
Posted by Chuck
“What I like in a good author is not
what he says, but what he whispers."
~ Logan Pearsall Smith
Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA
blog where I pick a subject and provide several interesting articles on
said topic. This week, I’m serving up five articles on writing mysteries.
1. What a girl wants. In an interview on the GLA blog, Agent Stacia Decker discusses what she’s looking for in a mystery, as well as some ins and outs of the genre.
2. Hook ‘em Dano. On the working writers blog, they list 3 ways to make your mystery stand out.
3. Follow the rules. On the About.com fiction writing site, they list 10 rules for writing mysteries.
4. Look at all the angles. On her mystery writing site, Elizabeth Craig discusses how writers can improve an idea.
5. It begins on Page 1. On his blog, mystery writer, Bill Cameron debates the use of a Prologue.
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Footnotes | Genre Writing
Thursday, January 28, 2010 10:14:34 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Footnotes: 5 Articles on Romance Writing
Posted by Chuck
"You write to communicate to the hearts and
minds of others what's burning inside you.
And we edit to let the fire show through the smoke."
~Arthur Polotnik
Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA
blog where I pick a subject and provide several interesting articles on
said topic. This week I’m serving up five articles that focus on writing romance.
1. Before the loving, bring on the fighting. Heather Massey explores physical fight scenes between characters on Romancing the Blog. Even though the keepers of this blog are on hiatus, you can still mine the archives for great information.
2. No shortcuts here. On her blog, Brenda Coulter de-mystifies the writing life.
3. Molly Blake’s writing tips. On her website, Liz Fielding lists eight writing tips from her popular heroine Molly Blake.
4. She’s not watching television, she’s doing research. Jennifer Crusie lists five things she’s learned about writing romance from watching television.
5. They’re just not that observant. Over at the Free The Princess blog, writer Matthew Delman serves up his opinion on writing romance from the guy’s perspective.
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Footnotes | Romance
Wednesday, January 20, 2010 12:53:56 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Footnotes: 8 Articles on Query Letter Writing
Posted by Chuck
Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA blog where I pick a subject and provide several interesting articles on said topic. You’ve revised your manuscript to the point where you can’t stand to look at it anymore and now you are ready to tackle the dreaded query letter. Today I’m serving up 8 articles to help you on your way to writing that first-class query letter.
1. Check out a tank of queries - some good, some not. Before you do anything, check out Query Shark. Agent Janet Reid slices and dices query letters. Dive into the shark tank if you dare.
2. See the real deal. If you're looking for query letters that were successful in snagging reps, look no further than the site you're on. Chuck collects "Successful Queries" and agents chime in on why they worked.
3. Less is more. Literary Agent Nathan Bransford suggests writing more about your plot and less about you.
4. Voice is in the eye of the beholder. Good writing is often subjective even when
it comes to query letters. Author Allison Brennan’s post proves that.
5. Notes form a published author. Author Therese Walsh dissects the query letter that landed her an agent.
6. Twenty great query tips. At a recent writer’s conference, Literary Agent, Janet Reid dispensed her advice on writing queries. GLA contributor Ricki Schultz shares that advice.
7. Anatomy of a query. More great advice from agent, Nathan Bransford. This time, he looks at the anatomy of a query letter.
8. Need help drafting your pitch? Literary Agent Kristin Nelson has the workshop for you.
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Footnotes | Queries and Synopses and Proposals
Tuesday, January 12, 2010 11:18:31 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Sunday, January 03, 2010
Footnotes: 8 Articles on Synopsis Writing
Posted by Chuck
"We write to taste life twice, in the moment
and in retrospection." ~Anais Nin
Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA blog where I pick a subject and provide several interesting articles on said topic. Writing a good synopsis for your novel or memoir can be one of the hardest and most frustrating things we have to do as writers. Today I’m serving up 8 articles to help de-mystify the process.
1. A synopsis can sell your story. Agent Caren Estesen discusses why you need a good summary.
2. The advice "show, don't tell," doesn’t apply to a synopsis. Author Diana Peterfreund explains why.
3. Here's how to write one. Agent Nathan Bransford shares his guidelines on writing the synopsis.
4. Ask yourself five questions. Writer Beth Anderson asks five questions in order to write a tight synopsis. Find out what they are.
5. Keep it simple. Romance novelist Brenda Coulter suggests dropping the pretense and just tell your story.
6. A writer answers common questions. Writer Sally Hanan answers commonly asked questions about the synopsis.
7. Grab readers, even with a synopsis. Romance Author Meredith Bond believes you have to “grab them by their eyeballs and don’t let go” and that’s just the first paragraph.
8. See examples of fiction synopses. On this very GLA blog, you can see many posts related to synopsis writing - including several actual examples of synopses in all genres.
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Footnotes | Synopsis Writing
Sunday, January 03, 2010 1:00:02 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Thursday, December 24, 2009
Footnotes: 7 ''Best Of'' Lists for Great 2009 Books
Posted by Chuck
"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends;
they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors,
and the most patient of teachers." ~Charles W. Eliot
Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA blog where I pick a subject and provides several interesting articles on said topic. "Best Of" lists abound this time of year and books are no exception. Just in case you’re still looking for that last minute holiday gift or a good book to read, I’ve included links to popular best book lists of 2009. Several authors got it right and are included in multiple lists.
1. Publisher’s Weekly: Their list here.
2. Notable Children’s Books of 2009 by the ALA (American Library Association): Their list here.
3. Stephen King lists his Top Ten List when it comes to books. His list here.
4. The Best Young Adult Books, by LibraryJournal.com. The list here.
5. New York Times Book Review lists their picks. The list here.
6. Good Reads - a more populist site. The list here.
7. A Huge Compilation of Lists: How much time do you have? The massive list here.
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Footnotes
Thursday, December 24, 2009 3:19:19 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Sunday, December 20, 2009
Footnotes: 5 Articles on Writing Those First Pages
Posted by Chuck
"There's nothing to writing.
All you do is sit down at
a typewriter and open a vein."
~ Walter Wellesley "Red" Smith
Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA blog where I pick a subject and provides several interesting articles on said topic. You never get a second chance to make a first impression that goes for the first page of your manuscript too. Today I’m serving up five articles to help you make that first page count!
1. Agents tell all. Here on Chuck's GLA blog, freelancer Livia Blackburne discusses the 7 reasons why agents stop reading your first pages.
2. Kids must sound like kids. Writer Anne Spollen asks teens why they stop reading. The number one response: "It doesn’t sound like anyone they know."
3. Great examples of openings. Can you guess the book that claims these openings? On the Blue Rose Girl Blog, writer Libby Koponen includes seven openings that have at least one thing in common, they each thrust the reader into the story. Check out part one and two of this post.
4. Secrets from editors at an SCBWI event. Writer Tara Lazar recounts common problems children’s book editors find when they critique first pages.
5. General opening tips. WD editor Jane Friedman discusses the big mistake you want to avoid in your story opening.
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Craft and Story Beginnings | Footnotes
Sunday, December 20, 2009 2:07:18 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Monday, December 14, 2009
Footnotes: 8 Articles on When Writing Becomes Revision
Posted by Chuck
"The most valuable of talents is never
using two words when one will do."
-Thomas Jefferson
Footnotes is a recurring series on the GLA blog where I pick a subject and provides several interesting articles on said topic. Today's topic is revision. As the NaNoWriMo induced writing stupor wears off, you realize it’s time to revise that opus. I’m serving up 8 links from around the web to help you tackle revisions.
1. Learn to ID your mistakes. The Holt Uncensored blog includes 10 Mistakes Writers Don’t See, (but can fix when they do). The mistakes are common ones easily recognized by editor and agents—and now you can recognize them, too.
2. Map out your story. Award winning author Laurie Halse Anderson suggests taming that manuscript by mapping out the action, chapter by chapter, scene by scene.
3. Think of the beautiful finished product for motivation. Agent Mary Kole offers a pep talk to writers stymied by the revision process.
4. When is a manuscript "done"? Is it soup yet? On the Author 2 Author blog, they ponder the question, "When is a manuscript ready to be submitted?"
5. You only get one chance to make a first impression. This goes for your characters as well. Agent Sara Crowe confronts the question: Are your characters making a good first impression?
6. The pros talk revision. In her Fix-it Friday series, writer, Shari Green serves up weekly revision tips from published authors. Check them out! They may just be what you need to jumpstart your revisions.
7. Concerning critiques of your work. On the blog Constant Revisions, writer Simon Larter ponders the subjective nature of critiques, another necessary component to the writing and revision process.
8. The ultimate revision checklist. Agent Nathan Bransford's revision checklist is a great reference tool to use as you read your manuscript.
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Craft and Story Beginnings | Footnotes
Monday, December 14, 2009 12:51:36 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Friday, December 04, 2009
Holidays and Queries to Agents: 5 Perspectives
Posted by Chuck
"So Virginia, Should You Query During the Holiday Season?" That’s a question writers ponder with the first whiff of Christmas trees and mistletoe. You may be worried that everyone's out of the office, or agents are rejecting nearly everything now, thinking that many unpolished NaNoWriMo submissions are flowing in. To help make your decision, I've pulled five perspectives from around the Web on "Holidays and Query Letters."
1. Avoid those last two weeks. In a blog entry from 2008, agent Nathan Bransford suggests that there is no best time to query, but he does add that it's a wise idea not to query during the few weeks around Christmas and New Year's.
2. Don't rush your NaNoWriMo submission. In an blog entry on Writer Unboxed, the agent advice varies, but most agents agree that if you participated in NaNoWriMo, take time over the next few months to revise before sending that query. Don't make your submission another December rejection.
3. Holidays = More time to read? On Twitter, agent Kate Epstein suggests that the holidays are the right time to query agents as they may have more time to read the query.
4. Miss Snark says it doesn't matter. Miss Snark, during her brief but influential reign of the blogosphere, also weighed in on the subject of querying during the holidays.
5. Sometimes it's better, and sometimes it's worse. Editorial Anonymous says sometimes editors will read more over the holidays and sometimes they will delete more. It all depends on the particular editor.
As you decide whether or not query this holiday season, you may want to heed a piece of advice from Agent, Janet Reid, “You can query too soon. You can never query too late.”
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Footnotes
Friday, December 04, 2009 12:39:54 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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