Just got a tip from a fellow editor (thanks, Alice) about the Backspace Agent-Author Seminar, Nov. 6-7, in Manhattan. It looks to be a large conference-like gathering with plenty of powerful agents in attendance. It seems like there will be free time built in where authors can schmooze with reps. This one is not to miss if you're in the area.

All the information is available online:
http://allagents.bksp.org/index.htm

At Killer Nashville, a trio of extremely knowledgeable publishing pros held a panel on the most common reasons why a manuscript is rejected by an agent. Below you'll find part two of this post series.

Maryglenn's top reasons why your manuscript can be rejected:

1. Not following the publisher’s (or agent’s) submission guidelines. The guidelines exist for a reason. 

2. Early overpopulation—too many characters at the beginning of a story, especially when they’re introduced quickly. She said she received one submission that had 40 names in the first chapter. If the reader has to flip back pages to clarify who’s who, the writer is in trouble. 

3. Not having consistent tense. Don't start a story in past tense and then switch to present in the next chapter.

4. Sex scenes with lurid and unnecessary details.

5. (For the query letter or nonfiction book proposal) – Lack of touch with reality. Mentioning Oprah or saying that your work will be a bestseller shows you’re not a professional. 

A few years ago, two prominent writers - romance writer Jennifer Crusie and mystery writer Bob Mayer decided to team up together and write a romantic mystery. The result was Don't Look Down, a book that received praise for its content, and press for how the authors teamed up to collaborate on such a project.

Since then, not only have Crusie and Mayer finished a second book together, but they've posted a blog that instructs on writing. Though the blog is now dead, just like with Miss Snark's site, there is a wealth of information left behind for writers to mine and enjoy.

The blog (called He Wrote/She Wrote) deals a lot with craft, and touches on numerous topics. Getting to know more about them is also wise if collaboration with another author is in your future. 

Ah, Maine in the summertime...

I had a great opportunity this past week—to attend the Writers' Conference at Ocean Park in Ocean, Park, Maine (25 mins. south of Portland) and present several sessions. Though the event calls itself a "conference," it's truly a retreat. The attendance is smaller than most, and the whole shebang lasts five days, with homework assignments each night for writers, poetry writings on the beach, and inside jokes galore from individuals who have attended this gathering many years in a row. (On the first day, I was sitting next to a woman who had been there 16 straight years. Two other nearby attendees were from Chicago and Ventura. Calif. No joke. They're hardcore.)

The gathering gave me a chance to sit down with plenty of writers and talk critique and craft—something I don't always do at conferences. The people were extremely nice and the Maine shore was ... well, see for yourself.

The coastline at 9 a.m. Ah, Maine. The state with
warm days, cool nights, fireworks aplenty, and
the locals who just want the &^%$ tourists
to drop some cash and get lost.

It was incredible to be with a group of people and talk writing, not so much business. Many of the attendees just loved to write (read: lots of poets) and everyone got several chances to read their work aloud. The retreat focused on the love of writing and reading, and that was enough to recharge even my batteries.

Me presenting a workshop. Note my cool
query letter drawing on the right.

In an earlier post, I was talking about how discussing pen names in a query letter is a sign of "Thinking Too Far Ahead" syndrome - a phrase eloquently coined by Evil Editor.

Today, I got a lesson in pen names from mystery author P.J. Parrish, and I thought I'd pass on some entertaining info.

Parrish said that the key to picking a successful pen name, should you ever get to that point where yoy truly need one, is a three-step process:

      1. Pick a cool-sounding name, as Mr. Pink would say. "P.J. Parrish" is a pseudonym, and it's pretty cool-sounding.
      2. Choose a name that will put your fiction work next to high-profile authors alphabetically. With the last name "Parrish," she has her work right next to James Patterson. Not a bad deal! (Parrish has been writing for 11 years and did not choose the name for that reason; however, she says this is indeed a reality of selecting a pseudonym.)
      3. Visit several bookstores and start to get a feel for what last name would have the likeliest probability of getting your books at eye level. Good one! It makes perfect sense.

It took three flights and two lost luggage bags along the way, but I finally made it to Nashville for the mystery writers conference, Killer Nashville. The Maine conference was very cool and I will blog more about that early next week when I get home and can have access to photos.

This post goes out to all those travelers who have ever arrived somewhere on business and had to go out and buy dress clothes because their luggage was lost. United is going to get one heckuva letter, I tell ya...

"Like finding a needle in a stack of needles..."

Kristin Nelson

A while back, I mentioned that several speaker presentations were recorded at the Writer's Digest Books Writers' Conference in May. Well, it took a while, but the speaker sessions are now available online.

Check out the Writer's Digest magazine Web site for all the details.

Along with the keynote speech from novelist Jodi Picoult, two of the recorded presentations are "Writing the Breakout Novel: Characters" by agent Donald Maass; and "How to Write an Irresistible Nonfiction Book Proposal" by agent Rita Rosenkranz.

Since its quiet start two months ago, the GLA blog has been helped along by numerous mentions around the Web. Just today, I saw that Writer's Edge posted a nice mention of this site.

Just as awesome, if not more awesome (awesomer?), was the news that The Frustrated Writer had recently posted a review of the 2008 edition of Guide to Literary Agents, and gave it overwhelming praise. (Thanks!)  See the full review here. Here's some of what the article had to say:

GLA Review Excerpt:

"So, you've written your book or book proposal, and you're ready to start shopping for an agent. Your first step should be to get a copy of the 2008 Guide to Literary Agents, edited by Chuck Sambuchino. This is one of the numerous reference books published by Writer's Digest Books, and it is a 'must-have' if you are looking for an agent...
      In all, the 2008 Guide to Literary Agents is an ideal starting point for anyone interested in getting his book published. Not only does this book explain the advantages of having an agent handle your book, but it also helps to explain how the author-agent relationship works, what you can expect from an agent, and how an agent acts as the writer's advocate when negotiating with a publisher...
      Most important, this book provides a detailed list of agents, their contact information, how to submit work for consideration, the types of books they represent, and in most cases, commission rates and a list of some of the books they've recently sold ... If you are serious about getting published, you should be serious about getting an agent, and this book is the perfect starting point for finding the right agent for you, and your book."

All my recent reading about fan fiction (bigger post forthcoming) brings up a thought about nonfiction. When I present at conferences, I often talk about magazine freelancing - and remember, freelancing is important because magazine writing is a great stepping stone toward building credentials and a platform, then writing a nonfiction book. During these presentations, I help writers identify markets, realize their strengths and compose query letters. But no matter how much instruction I give, people still want to know one thing: Where do you come up with ideas for magazine articles?

Well ... hopefully, these ideas will come to you here and there as you walk through life. But if you continue to hit a dead end concerning ideas, you can always take what others have done and piggyback.

Of course I'm referring to the all-important follow-up article. It's one of the first things they taught me at the newspaper: "Every story deserves a follow-up." It's true. Whether it's one year later or five years later or 25 years later, you can write an article focusing on what has happened since the "event" (or whatever) first transpired.

Examples:
      One year after the state school board (etc.) passed a controversial funding change, how has that impacted schools?
      Five years after that buffoon fan reached over the seats at a Chicago Cubs fan and (likely) cost the Cubs a playoff series, where is this guy now? Is he dead? Does he still get death threats? How does he make ends meet?
      30 years after a nearby oil spill, how are animals and environment still affected, if at all?

In a way, I consider such work almost to be "fan nonfiction." With fan fiction, you're taking what others have done and piggybacking on it with your own story. With a follow-up, you're taking someone's idea and just providing an update on the story. Anyway ... food for thought.

Reminder: Newer agencies 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.

East/West Agency 

1158 26th St., Suite 462, Santa Monica CA 90403, Phone: (310)573-9303. Fax: (310)453-9008. E-mail: ewmdwarren@aol.com. Contact: Deborah Warren, founder. Member Agents: Deborah Warren; Lisa Rojany Buccieri; Susan B. Katz (writers/illustrators in the Latino market, representing Spanish-speaking clients). Established: 2000;
adheres to AAR canon of ethics.

Represents 100 clients. 70% of clients are new/unpublished writers. Specializes in: "EWA is, purposefully, a niche agency, to facilitate hands-on, personalized service and attention to our authors and their books. EWA provides career management for established and first-time authors and our breadth of experience in many genres enables us to meet the demands of a diverse clientele. Understanding the in-depth process of acquisitions, sales and marketing helps Ms. Warren and her co-agents attain the stated goals for each of the agency’s clients: to close the best possible deal with the best possible editor at the best possible publishing house."

Currently Handles: 25% nonfiction; 75% juvenile books. Nonfiction areas of interest: Art/Architecture, Crafts, How-To, Humor, Interior design, Juvenile nonfiction, Language/Literature, Music/Dance, Photography, Popular Culture, Inspirational, Self-Help. Fiction areas of interest: Comic Books/Cartoon, Ethnic, Juvenile, Picture Books, Young Adult.

How to submit: Query with SASE. Submit: first 3 sample chapters, table of contents (2 pages or fewer), synopsis (1 page). For picture books, submit entire ms. Responds in 2 months to manuscripts. Recent sales: Biz Words, by Gregory Bergman (Adams Media); Just For the Frill of It, by Sonya Nimri (Scholastic); Adrian Glamour: From Silver Screen to Ruby Slippers to Purple Label, by Christian Esquevin (Monacelli); Just Can't Get Enough: Toys, Games and Other Stuff from the 80's that Rocked, by Matthew Robinson and Jensen Karp (Image).

Terms: Agent receives 15% commission on domestic sales; 25% commission on foreign sales. Offers written contract. Termination notice: 30 days. Charges for out-of-pocket expenses, such as postage and copying. Tips: "Send submissions to CreativeIdeaz@roadrunner.com, or snail mail (referrals only) to Requested Materials, EWA, 1543 Sycamore Canyon Drive, Westlake Village, CA 91361. Submit the manuscript as a Word document in Courier, 12-point, double-spaced, with 1.20 inch margin on left, ragged right text, 25 lines per page, continuously paginated, with all your contact info on the first page. Include an SASE and a manila envelope with appropriate postage to expedite our response."