Guide to Literary Agents - February, 2010

Note from Chuck: It's March 15, 2010, which means this contest
is now closed. Thank you for entering. Winners
should be announced within 7 days or so.
Meanwhile, our next contest should start
within a week or two, as well.

------------------------------

"Dear Lucky Agent" Contest:

Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance

Welcome to the third "Dear Lucky Agent" Contest on the GLA blog. This will be a recurring online contest with agent judges and super-cool prizes. Here's the deal: With every contest, the details are essentially the same, but the niche itself changes—meaning each contest is focused around a specific category or two. So if you're writing a novel-length work of urban fantasy or paranormal romance, this third contest is for you!

HOW TO SUBMIT

E-mail entries to thirdagentcontest@gmail.com. Please paste everything. No attachments. (Also note that I do not check this account. Only the agent does. Looking back over old e-mails, some people have wrote to say hi to me, or perhaps ask a question. Contact me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com.)

WHAT TO SUBMIT

The first 150-200 words of your unpublished, book-length work of urban fantasy or paranormal romance (adult or YA - both accepted).

Joanna says: "Please keep it to these two subgenres specifically. While you can incorporate a variety of fantasy elements, they still have to fall under these two categories. For those of you who are unsure, keep in mind that both urban fantasy and paranormal romance have a strong base in a real world setting (like Jim Butcher's Dresden Files or J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood or Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy). So no stories that take place solely on another planet or world!"

You must include a contact e-mail address with your entry and use your real name. Also, submit the title of the work and a logline (one-sentence description of the work) with your entry.

Please note: To be eligible to submit, I ask that you do one of two things: 1) Mention and link to this contest twice through your social media - blogs, Twitter, Facebook; or 2) just mention this contest once and also add Guide to Literary Agents Blog (www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog) to your blogroll. Please provide link(s) so I can verify eligibility.

CONTEST DETAILS

      1. This contest will be live for approximately fifteen days - from Feb. 27, 2010 through the end of Sunday, March. 14, 2010 EST. Winners notified by e-mail within seven days of end of contest. Winners announced on the blog thereafter.
      2. To enter, submit the first 150-200 words of your book. Shorter or longer entries will not be considered. Keep it within word count range please.
      3. This contest is solely for completed book-length works of urban fantasy and paranormal romance (either adult or YA). To know more about what falls into these genres, look at the bold text above.
      4. You can submit as many times as you wish.
      5. The contest is open to everyone of all ages, save those employees, officers and directors of GLA's publisher, F+W Media.
      6. There are more rules (most of them dealing with legal stuff) that you can find in the comments section of this post.
      7. By e-mailing your entry, you are submitting an entry for consideration in this contest and thereby agreeing to the terms written here as well as the terms added by me at the beginning of the "Comments" section of this blog post.

PRIZES!!!

First place: 1) A critique of 20 pages of your work, by your agent judge. 2) A one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com.

Runner-ups - second and third place: 1) A critique of 10 pages of your work, by your agent judge. 2) A one-year subscription to WritersMarket.com.

MEET YOUR (AWESOME) JUDGE!

Joanna Stampfel-Volpe is an agent with Nancy Coffey Literary. Books she's repped include:

Pieces of Sky, by Kaki Warner. This award-winning, Romantic Times Top Pick debut novel is the first book in Warner's Blood Rose trilogy (Berkley, January 2010)

Haunting Emma, Book One: Deception by Lee Nichols (Bloomsbury Children's, June 2010)

The Town that Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food by Ben Hewitt (Rodale, March 2010)

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!

Contests

Sunday, February 28, 2010 5:13:47 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [66]

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Agent Advice: Jeff Gerecke of Gina Maccoby Literary
Posted by Chuck

Agent Interview by

contributor Ricki Schultz.

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 Jeff Gerecke of Gina Maccoby Literary Agency. In his publishing career, Jeff has worked at the University of California Press and also as a foreign scout for publishers like Hodder & Stoughton in England and Wilhelm Heyne in Germany. He spent 17 years at the JCA Literary Agency, and has been out on his own, while affiliating with the Gina Maccoby Literary Agency, since 2005.

He is seeking: Commercial and literary fiction, including chick lit, true crime, mystery, historical fiction, and thrillers/suspense. His nonfiction tastes include: history, sports, politics, business, finance, technology, journalism, and pop culture. He does not accept: screenplays, sci-fi/fantasy, or romance.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

JG: I was already in publishing when I realized that lots of my friends were writers and that I sympathized with their circumstances more than those of the publishers I worked with, so wanting to represent their interests came naturally to me.

GLA: What’s the most recent thing you’ve sold?

JG: Over the summer, I sold a travel memoir by a British writer named Nick Jubber, who had spent considerable time in Tehran hanging out with students and living a life that couldn't be further than the idealized Islamic Republic would accept. It's called In the Shadow of the Shahs and DaCapo will publish it in the spring next year.
I had only just made the deal when the elections happened and those very same students went on a massive campaign to bring real democracy to their country. It was one of those truly inspiring moments, but also frustrating from a publishing point of view because we knew there was no way to get the book out in time to really capitalize on the situation while it was still on the front pages.
This just brought to the fore the difficult issues that publishing has of being timely when the world has begun to move so quickly. People are now doing books on Kindle directly for the simple reason that it's possible to get them out very quickly, and this seems like something that the publishing world needs to get a handle on if we are all going to remain relevant.

GLA: What are you looking for right now and not getting? What do you pray for when tackling the slush pile?

JG: The hardest thing to write these days is a really good thriller. There's lots of writers out there who are just doing the same old thing, and I read a lot of stuff that's okay, but just not galvanizing. Little Brown did a novel called Beat the Reaper earlier this year that was about a hit man turned doctor that struck me as a really sharp commercial idea and not the umpteenth iteration of Dan Brown.

GLA: Do you notice any trends in what you tend to represent? Subgenres or elements that particularly grab you?

JG: The biggest thing I've been struck by is the extension of the chick-lit/romance world into more mainstream publishing. This happened first when authors like Nora Roberts and Janet Evanovich went from writing romance to romantic suspense, but now we have all kinds of books that are chick-lit variations.
I've got a writer who just finished writing a three-book mystery series about a cosmetologist in a funeral parlor (Fran Rizer) who ends up dating the suspects in the murders, and I thought that was a brilliant way of broadening the audience.

GLA: Anything you’re not interested in?

JG: I just can't get into straight fantasy or romance.

GLA: Your bio says you seek academic subjects with commercial spins, which reach audiences outside academia. Can you give a few examples of books like this you’ve repped so writers can get an idea of what to send (or not send) you?

JG: I sold a book by a Palestinian-American history professor named Ussama Makdisi to Public Affairs, which will be about the sources of anti-Americanism in the Arab world. He's done scholarly books on the same subject, but this will be an attempt to reach a broader audience in a country where the Israeli point of view is generally taken as gospel. In general, though, the idea is to turn an academic thesis into a commercial one by focusing on narrative and personalities, rather than just ideas.

GLA: Where do you notice most new writers fall flat in chapter one?

JG: Especially in thrillers, there is a tendency to try to start with action by creating a scene with a character whose only role is to be killed. These efforts almost always end with the awful cliché of the victim's vision turning to black. I don't believe anyone should ever start a book that way. If you're trying to write about the killer, then it should be from his point of view.
One of the greatest thrillers I ever read is a book called Blood Music, by Jesse Prichard Hunter, in which the prologue shows a killer in the bushes of a park watching a woman and her baby sitting on a bench and waiting for the moment when he hears the internal music, which sets him off to do his thing. The real gotcha about this is that the scene she described was precisely the scene in which she sat frequently in real life, writing her novel with her baby at her side.

GLA: How do you prefer to be queried?

JG: I really only want to get e-mails. There are many agents who resist being queried this way, but my life is on my computer, and paper just gets lost too easily in my cluttered office. I want a very straightforward letter, describing the market for the book, the author, and giving a short paragraph of plot summary. I think everyone should paste in a sample. It's a waste of time not to, since the writing is ultimately what sells anything. Put "QUERY" in the subject line, and send to jeff.gerecke[at]verizon[dot]net.

GLA: What is the one thing you’d like to tell authors pitching you in person at a conference?

JG: Know your market. It seems strange, but many writers turn out not to be very interested readers. That means they have a very limited idea of what is out in the publishing marketplace. It is very important to me that a writer have passion for the kind of writing they are doing, and that means there should be writers that inspire them—and that's what I want to know more than anything.
All books are sold in the biz by making comparison to some past book or combination thereof as in Stephen King meets Janet Evanovich (tee hee) or something like that.

GLA: Speaking of conferences, will you be at any upcoming writers’ conferences where writers can meet and pitch you?

JG: I may be at Killer Nashville. I guess that opens me up to a flood of invitations.

GLA: What would writers be surprised to know about you personally?

JG: I'm not sure if they would be surprised, but in my own Private Idaho, I am quite a computer geek and fan of ’70s punk rock.

GLA: Best piece(s) of advice we haven’t talked about yet?

JG: I've been saying it for years, but it's even more true now. Self-publishing used to be bad, but now it's different, because publishers are, on the whole, so undermanned that it is essential that authors have a strong DIY personality and find a way to market their books themselves—outside the business—to build up a platform that publishing people will recognize.

This agent interview by Ricki Schultz,
freelance writer and coordinator of
Shenandoah Writers in VA. Visit her blog
or follow her on Twitter.

Want more on this subject?

How can you improve your query letter?

Need to write your query to Etta and want some guidance? Check out The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters.

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)

Saturday, February 27, 2010 4:25:13 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

Cover Band Soap Opera: Types of People at Shows, Vol. 1
Posted by Chuck

Looking through all the pictures of my cover band shows, you start to see the same things over and over again. In other words, a lot of people who come to our shows fall under a certain grouping, and these posts will help show you some of the characters we see over and over again. Here is Volume 1. Note: These are all real photos from my cover band shows. (I even know some of these people.)

1. THE POINTER

Usually men, Pointers are guys who know how to have fun. And how do they express their happiness? Through a finger point. Some might shoot an index finger to the sky, others right at you. These gents are usually rockers, and have a tendency to request Motley Crue and AC/DC no matter how many times you tell them no. Pointers (homo sapien rockus pointus) are a common sighting at shows and are generally harmless. However, Pointers can turn violent after serious alcohol consumption (such as the two-beer dude on the left below).

2. TONGUE MEN

Tongue men are pack hunters, and find an excuse to stick their tongue out at anything or anyone. It's a sign of intoxication, but also a sign of an illness I call "D-Bag Fever." They tend to show up in large quantities or not at all, depending on the venue. The rarest of the tongue men breed is the Burger King Greaser (homo sapien tongus beefus). Below you will enjoy a rare sighting.

3. THE TERMINATOR

An exceptionally rare find, The Terminator (homo sapien WTFus) is often the first one on the dance floor, for better or worse (usually worse). These people are most noted for the out-of-place sunglasses, but are also identifiable by having shirts tucked in, and sometimes wearing a fanny pack. Ironically enough, they are harmless creatures but seem to frighten others away.

Cover Band Venting

Saturday, February 27, 2010 3:59:30 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [3]

Thursday, February 25, 2010

New Agent Alert: Marisa Iozzi Corvisiero
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 Marisa: Marisa is an author and an attorney as well as an agent. She is the founder of The Corvisiero Law Practice, P.C., a boutique law firm in midtown New York City, where she practices Entertainment Law and Corporate Law among other areas. In the last few years Marisa has merged her passions in writing and in the law into her entertainment law practice, and she is now representing several authors. Marisa and Lori Perkins of the L Perkins Literary Agency have recently formalized a relationship whereby Marisa is accepting submissions made to her via the L Perkins Literary Agency, and is now building her list. Marisa has a Facebook page and a LinkedIn network. A new website and blog are in the works.

She is seeking: Fiction interests include cross genre romance, science fiction, fantasy and urban fantasy, horror, literary, quality chick lit, young adult and children's books. Nonfiction interest include memoirs, how-to (in any industry), guides and tales about the legal practice, parenting, self-help, and mainstream science (no textbooks please).

How to contact: Send your query and first two chapters (or full book for picture books – illustrations are not necessary) to Marisa at marisa@lperkinsagency.com (UPDATED E-MAIL FROM MARISA).

Want more on this subject?

How many agents should you query?

How to write a query letter: The 3 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!

New Agency Alerts

Thursday, February 25, 2010 4:04:31 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

7 Things I've Learned So Far, by Kate Thompson
Posted by Chuck

This is a new 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 Kate Thompson.

Kate Thompson is the co-author of It’s So Hard
to Love You—Staying Sane When Your Loved
One is Manipulative, Needy, Dishonest, or Addicted.
She also wrote "Fill it In! A Forms Workbook for
Aboriginal Students." She is currently working on
her first novel. See her blog here.

1. Your words are like your kids. Love them well, do your best, and then let them go. They may or may not be a huge success in the world’s eyes, but once you release them, they’ll be greeted out there in ways you could never have predicted.

2. Learn everything you can about the publishing business before you try to get published—and then realize you probably won't really "get it" until you've gone through the whole process. Up to that time, it's mostly just theory, but at least you can ask intelligent questions.

3. Write on a regular basis. You probably write virtually every day, whether it’s a note to your child’s teacher, a letter to the editor, or your current opus. Pay attention to the quality of your writing if you want to build your skills (and your career). Variety is the spice of writing, not just life. Try silly notes in your beloved’s sock drawer, alphabetized shopping lists, a biography of your favorite author, a spoof ad, a horror story. Count them all as worthwhile if you’re enjoying yourself, learning something, and getting the job done.

4. Read on a regular basis. Okay, so variety is the spice of reading, too. Read cartoons, that big fat book you’ve been scared of for years, a thesaurus, a spicy foreign mystery novel, a joke book, a child’s story, your favorite magazine’s website. You get the idea. The more you expose yourself to good (and, I suppose, bad) writing, the better a writer you’ll be. Other people’s words, imagination, and sentence structure will fuel your creativity and help you hone your skills.

5. If you're not having fun most of the time, something is out of whack. Change your priorities or your career, join a writer's group, write a silly poem, take a course, take a break, write or read something different, go for a long walk, offer a workshop—whatever. Just do something to get back to enjoying the writing.

6. Love, or at least accept, your finished writings most of the time. If that's not working, reread #5.

7. Learn when to stop. No explanation necessary.

Kate Thompson

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!

Thursday, February 25, 2010 1:29:28 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

A Call For Success Stories!
Posted by Chuck

Here at Writer's Digest, we love success stories. For example, did you know that two writers who attended our huge Agent Pitch Slam in 2008 signed with agents at the conference and sold books in separate six-figure deals? That was pretty awesome to hear. And did you know that writers such as Eugenia Kim (The Calligrapher's Daughter, 2009 Borders Original Voices winner for fiction), Patrick Lee (The Breach) and Karen Dionne (Freezing Point) were just some of the many writers who used Guide to Literary Agents on their path to success?

If you or a friend used GLA or a Writer's Digest product on your path to success, let us know! We love testimonials that we can use. E-mail me at literaryagent@fwmedia.com. Did you enjoy a webinar perhaps? Get your agent at one of our conferences? Get a writing assignment after reading an article of ours? Let us know!

Also, there might be a chance that not you, but rather a critique partner or friend, used a WD book as their springboard. If you could pass along this message to them, I would be much obliged. Or perhaps you haven't sold a book yet but enjoy our books. Tell people through Amazon! We always love a nice book review, whether's for GLA or Writer's Market or anything else. Thanks, everybody!

Thursday, February 25, 2010 1:00:58 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

How to Create a Simple Writer Blog
Posted by Chuck

Writing is hard work. First, you have to write the story. Then you have to revise it, workshop it, revise it some more, write a query letter, do query research, then mail your baby out. While many writers think the work ends the moment they sign a contract, pros know otherwise. Being a successful author is an awful lot of work, not the least of which is promotion. A blog is an easy way to get started—all you need is a computer and an Internet connection.

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.

There are lots of great blogging platforms out there, each with good points and bad points. But most die-hard bloggers and social media tweeple swear by Wordpress.

Why Wordpress? Unlike most services, even the free Wordpress.com platform offers users a lot of templates and customization. Although this may seem unimportant, the Internet is blog central—making your blog stand out can help keep you up front in your readers’ minds. (And really, why pick vanilla when you could have mint choc chip with hot fudge sauce?) Another perk: Wordpress can be setup much like a website (more on this below). It’s also easy to move to self-hosting later on.

WHAT DO YOU BLOG ABOUT?

Not sure what to write or blog about? Start with whatever interests you—the book you loved/hated/roasted on a spit, the latest update from Publishers Weekly, things you’re struggling with in your novel. Blogging is a useful way to keep readers updated on your professional life, show off your writing chops, and show agents and publishers that you’re interested in going the extra mile.

Keep it professional, though—it’s easy to fall into the trap of regular personal updates, such as what you ate for breakfast and how many times Baby has spat-up (twice in the last hour, if you’re wondering). Some details are okay—in fact, you’re more likely to connect with readers by giving them some idea of who you are—just don’t go overboard. And remember, if it’s something you’d be embarrassed to talk about down at the local coffee house, don’t put it on the Internet! Ready to get started? Here’s what you need to know.

SETTING UP

1. Head over to Wordpress and sign up. Think carefully about your domain name—you can’t change it later. (Your username and blog title can be changed in settings at any time.)
2. Follow the prompts and update your profile. Don’t just skip the “about yourself” section—take every opportunity to connect with your readers.
3. Check your inbox for the activation e-mail. Give the link a little love. (E-mail didn’t arrive? Check the update profile page to ensure your e-mail addy is correct. Scroll to the bottom of the page to change it.)
4. Log in at the top of the page.
5. Click on “My Dashboard” in the menu bar at the top of the page.

POSTS, PAGES, CATEGORIES & TAGS

Pages: Pages are exactly what they sound like—static pages with your content. You can have as many pages as you like, and they can be called whatever you like—on *Insert Literary Blog Name Here* I have eight pages (Home, About, Upcoming Publications, the NRI, SFWP.org, Books, and Contact). To make a page, scroll to the Pages drop down on the left menu, and click “add.”

Posts: These are blog entries. Let’s say you want to put some writing samples on your new site (a good idea, by the way). Find the posts menu then click “add new.” Type or paste your content into the text box. (Use the "Paste From Word" function if you’re pasting from a word processor.) Don’t forget a title! Scroll down the right menu, and select the categories your post fits—say, writing samples—then hit save (for a draft) or publish to go live. Voila!

Categories: Categories are like folders in a filing cabinet.They give you an easy way to sort posts and, in some theme,s create a handy menu bar. Since I use my website as both a blog and a freelance portfolio, I chose categories that reflect the areas I work in the most. You can use more than one category per post (only posts can be categorized), and create subcategories. Subcategories can be useful if you have a lot of similar content (say writing) but isn’t all directly related.

Tags. This is geek-speak for keywords. Tags are used in site searches, and are often listed somewhere on the post. Many themes also have tag clouds—a quick and easy way to show what you post about most.

Want more on this subject?

How royalties and advances (money) work.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket with just one book.

You have a contract but no literary agent - what to do.

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, February 24, 2010 9:29:44 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [8]

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.

This guest series by writer
Nancy Parish, who runs her
blog, The Sound and Furry.

Want more on this topic?

Footnotes: 5 Articles on Writing First Pages.
Buy Christina Katz's book on platform, Get Known Before the Book Deal.
Footnotes: 8 Articles on Revising Your 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!

Footnotes | Platform

Wednesday, February 24, 2010 8:57:24 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Secrets of Superb Writing: 8 Tips From Cecil Murphey, co-author of 90 Minutes in Heaven
Posted by Chuck

When Cecil Murphey (co-author of the best-seller 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life) became an author, he promised God two things: that he’d never stop learning, and that he would always give back to other writers. 114 (!) books later, Cec has made good on that promise by offering numerous scholarships to writing conferences, mentoring aspiring writers, and speaking to large groups of writers each year. I recently had the privilege of hearing Cec at the Hill Country Evangelical Free Church in Fredericksburg, Texas, where he led a session called “Secrets of Superb Writing.”

Guest column from Dena Dyer, author, speaker,
and entertainer from Texas. Her fifth book,
Let the Crow's Feet & Laugh Lines Come (Barbour)
will release in June 2010. For more info, visit her
website or her “Mother Inferior” blog.

With humor and honesty, Cecil touched on many mistakes beginning writers make—and gave us tips on how to avoid them.

1. Avoid “purple prose.” This refers to writing in which the author strains to sound dramatic and powerful. Usually, the result is melodramatic and strained. Examples: "When she saw his visage, her heart leaped into her throat. His feet flashed through the stripes of the late afternoon sun. The trees moved their limbs like an abstract artist piecing his design in the sky. Her dad’s mouth slammed shut like a bank vault a minute after closing." Write like you talk, Cecil advised us. That led to his second tip:

2. Be yourself. “People worry about others stealing their stuff,” he said. “But if you really write well and sound like yourself, no one can copy you.”

3. Be revealing. “If you don’t want to be self-revealing, don’t become a writer,” he said. “After all, I’d rather be disliked for who I am than be liked for who I’m not!”

4. Avoid clichés. “If it’s something you’ve heard before, don’t use it.”

5. To write good dialogue, listen to the way people really talk. “We don’t go around using other people’s names all the time,” Cecil explained. “But many writers use their characters’ names repeatedly in dialogue. It’s distracting.” ("CSI: Miami," are you listening? David Caruso needs to quit saying everyone’s name all the time!)

6. Let your sentences average no more than 20 words. “Years ago, short sentences were seen as choppy, but it’s simply the way people read now,” he explained. Similarly, he advised us:

7. Don’t be afraid to change with the times. “Words change and usages change,” Cecil said. “Don’t get hung up on that. It’s okay!”

8. End sentences with your strongest word. Instead of “Richard rattled the bushes with a stick he broke loose from a tree on the way in,” try: “With a stick he had broken loose from a tree on the way in, he rattled the bushes.” Bushes is stronger than the preposition in.

And finally, Cecil encouraged his audience to be true to themselves, follow their calling, be persistent, and keep growing and learning. “If you do these things, you will succeed,” he said. Great stuff, from an icon of the publishing world. For more of Cecil’s writing tips, visit his new blog.

Christian Agents | Guest Columns

Tuesday, February 23, 2010 10:20:35 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

Monday, February 22, 2010

How I Got My Agent: Jamie Harrington
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.

Guest blogger Jamie Harrington runs the blog,
Totally the Bomb, and also is on Twitter.

BIG-TIME SUCKAGE, THEN AWESOMENESS

I was totally addicted to World of Warcraft. I played it more hours than I care to admit, and even ran a guild. It was time for me to give the game up. You know, find something else to occupy my free time—so I turned to writing. I have a degree in Literature, and always wanted to be a writer, but I’d never sat down and actually finished anything. The second I started typing my first novel, Warcraft went out the window and I’d found my newest addiction. There was just one problem. My novel sucked. Big time.

I didn’t know this, of course, and queried it anyway. All the while checking out agent blogs, commenting on their posts, and trying to get to know them a little better. I discovered the awesomeness that is Twitter. (Oh yeah, I said it—don’t judge me.) That was the turning point for me. I talked back and forth with authors in the query trenches, chatted it up with a few that were agented or published, and even started making friends with the literary agents. While I was getting to know all these people, I started to see the total suck factor of my book and put it away, where I think it will stay for all eternity.

I’m totally cool with that.

Because then I read this blog post, and number 13 on that list totally jumped out at me. Dude! A YA chick villain. She had to be written, and I couldn’t write the words fast enough. I finished my second book in like a month and started querying.

BREAKING THE RULES

Why? Why did start querying so fast? Shouldn’t I revise first? Try to make it better? I thought I was totally above such things. My contacts from Twitter were really cool and many of them requested to look at the first part of my manuscript. Guess what? I totally wasn’t ready, and all my agent friends told me so. They sent me nice rejections, told me the concept was great but that it felt more like a first draft. (How dare they see right through me like that?!) Some even offered up helpful advice on the revision process and suggested things I should change. I realized that all my social networking and contact making was good for getting people to read my work, but it was pointless if the book sucked.

So I got to work. I revised the heck out of the novel. I changed it from first person present to first person past. I let anyone I could find beta read it, and I read everything good or bad they had to say. It was hard, but I knew it had to be done. The crazy thing is, when I finished the revisions, the book wasn’t just good enough—it was good. I was finally ready to query, but I’d wasted all those letters to those agents I’d made friends with. Rules of querying say you can’t just requery people. I couldn’t break those, right? Wrong.

I broke the heck out of the rules. I sent people letters telling them the truth: That I’d queried way too early and that I sent them a crap manuscript. I asked them to reread it and lots of them said yes. They requested fulls, offered advice on revisions, and many of them got really excited about Sketch.

FROM MULTIPLE OFFERS TO A PERFECT ONE

Finally, one of them said YES! He called me to make the offer of representation. I was standing in Target, my arms full of socks and underwear for my four-year-old. I dropped everything into the cart and walked right out to the car. It was really happening! I wanted to accept right there, but I knew better. I’d been reading agents blogs long enough, and I told the agent I’d let him know in a week. I headed straight home and started e-mailing everyone who had a full or a partial, and a few who hadn’t yet responded to my query that I just really wanted to work with.

They answered immediately from their blackberries and iPhones. I was mailing out fulls like gangbusters. Loads of people had my book, and I’d set myself up to be in the exact position I’d wanted to be in—multiple offers.

I got them, too. I talked to several agents about what they had planned for not only my manuscript, but my career. They all had great things to say, but Victoria Horn of Liza Dawson Associates and I just clicked. She was from a mid-sized agency that was part of the AAR, and I loved everything she had to say. She seemed like the kind of person I really wanted on my team—in control, and willing to stand up for what she believes in. She was perfect. And now she’s my agent.

Want more on this topic?

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

See all posted stories of writers finding their agents.

Agent Janet Reid provides 20 Query Letter Tips.

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

Monday, February 22, 2010 3:14:28 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [9]

Agent Advice: Etta Wilson of Books & Such Literary Agency
Posted by Chuck

Agent Interview by

contributor Ricki Schultz.

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 Etta Wilson of Books & Such Literary Agency. In addition to being a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, a founding member of the Tennessee Writers Alliance, and having served as the president of the Nashville chapter’s Women’s National Book Association, the school librarian-turned-agent has written 12 children’s books herself.

She is seeking: young adult, middle-grade and children's books for both the general and the Christian markets.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

EW: I became an agent as an outgrowth of being a book packager in the nineties. Several of the authors I worked with asked me if I would represent their work, and I was off and running. Most of these were authors of children's works, and that is my real love.

GLA: Tell us about a recent project you’ve sold.

EW: Recent sales include: Crystal Bowman's What Rhymes with Pickle? (Boyd's Mills Press), Carol Adams’s Sammie, the Little Broken Shell (Harvest House) and Judy Christie's Hurry Less Worry Less for Families (Abingdon). All are due out this year.
At the moment, I'm really excited about Jerry Pinkney’s winning the Caldecott for The Lion and the Mouse. He's such a marvelous illustrator, and he's the husband of my client Gloria Jean Pinkney, who wrote Daniel and King of Lions (Abingdon, 2008).

GLA: What are you looking for right now and not getting? What do you pray for when tackling the slush pile?

EW: I look for imagination and creativity that indicate an author knows what he or she is writing about and is not afraid to put things together in a different way—either in fiction or nonfiction. Some of that comes with experience, so having publishing credits helps, but it's always a thrill when I find an exciting "voice" for young readers.

GLA: You specialize in young adult and children’s books for both the general and Christian markets. Are there any subgenres within juvenile lit that particularly hook you?

EW: The picture book has always been my favorite, partly because really good ones are such wonderful combinations of text and illustrations to communicate across the ages. It's also the genre that most usually avoids questionable content. Alas, they are also expensive to produce…
And I do love historical fiction and nonfiction. I also think children's comics and graphic novels are more appealing, probably due to the economy.

GLA: Any you shy away from?

EW: I simply don't know enough about vampires and witches to judge a good manuscript from a bad one for YAs. I don't "shy away from" the realistic contemporary novel, but it has got to be super to sell in today's market, and I'd love to see more of those—super ones, that is.

GLA: How would you describe the state of the Christian market right now?

EW: A certain segment of the Christian market is very solid and very loyal to shopping at Christian outlets. I'm not sure how large that segment is, but I have the feeling that it is declining. What was formerly a fairly healthy Christian bookstore market has been impacted by things like the success of Christian books in the general market (e.g. The Shack) as well as the sale of books online, which make the markets very hard to distinguish. In children's books, it's clear that publishers think curriculum is what they need to be producing for the Christian market.

GLA: What are three “Cardinal sins” you notice writers making when you’re reading a partial?

EW: Not knowing what is on the market at the time, modeling characters or plots too much like a current bestseller (sort of the opposite), and writing in a voice that doesn't really fit the story or the age level of the intended reader.

GLA: What changes do you think 2010 has in store for the publishing industry?

EW: One thing I really love about this business is that we never know what's coming or how fast! My best guess about 2010 would be more adaptation of content to electronic formats and continued change in the way revenues are computed and derived for authors—however, the changes in delivery of content to the consumer may be greater.

GLA: What is something writers would be surprised to learn about you?

EW: That my favorite activity is traveling—four trips to England and Scotland, three to Italy, one to China, one to Australia and New Zealand, one to Switzerland, and one to the Scandinavian countries. It makes me sad that airline security is so threatened. I've got places to go!

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

EW: See our agency's Web site at www.booksandsuch.biz for our travel in 2010. Coming up, I will be at the Association of Professional Church Educators at the end of January and at SCBWI's Historical Fiction Workshop in March (both in Nashville).

GLA: Best piece(s) of advice we haven’t talked about yet?

EW: No matter how fast the world seems to spin, there are new things from the past to be incorporated into the present. We just have to keep our eyes and ears open. Yesterday I saw a chart on Fibonacci's numbers in nature—fascinating!

This agent interview by Ricki Schultz,
freelance writer and coordinator of
Shenandoah Writers in VA. Visit her blog
or follow her on Twitter.

Want more on this subject?

How can you improve your query letter?

Need to write your query to Etta and want some guidance? Check out The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters.

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) | Children's Writing | Christian Agents

Monday, February 22, 2010 2:55:31 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [2]

Sunday, February 21, 2010

''Dear Lucky Agent'' Contest: Middle Grade and Young Adult
Posted by Chuck

Note from Chuck: It's Feb. 22, 2010, which means this contest
is now closed. Thank you for entering. Winners
should be announced on the blog within 7 days or so.
Winners will be contacted personally by me beforehand.
Meanwhile, our next contest should start
within a week or two, as well. I believe the next
contest will be for writers of urban fantasy
and paranormal romance.

------------------------------

"Dear Lucky Agent" Contest:

Kids Novels (Middle Grade and Young Adult)

Welcome to the second "Dear Lucky Agent" Contest on the GLA blog. This will be a recurring online contest with agent judges and super-cool prizes. Here's the deal: With every contest, the details are essentially the same, but the niche itself changes—meaning each contest is focused around a specific category or two. So if you're writing a book-length kids novel, this second contest is for you!

HOW TO SUBMIT

E-mail entries to februaryagentcontest@gmail.com. Please paste everything. No attachments.

WHAT TO SUBMIT

The first 150-200 words of your unpublished, book-length work of middle grade or young adult fiction. You must include a contact e-mail address with your entry and use your real name. Also, submit the title of the work and a logline (one-sentence description of the work) with your entry.

CONTEST DETAILS

      1. This contest will be live for approximately fourteen days - from Feb. 7 through the end of Sunday, Feb. 21, EST. Winners notified by e-mail within seven days of end of contest. Winners announced on the blog thereafter.
      2. To enter, submit the first 150-200 words of your book. Shorter or longer entries will not be considered. Keep it within word count range please.
      3. This contest is solely for completed book-length works of middle grade and young adult fiction (kids novels).
      4. You can submit as many times as you wish.
      5. The contest is open to everyone of all ages, save those employees, officers and directors of GLA's publisher, F+W Media.
      6. There are more rules (most of them dealing with legal stuff) that you can find in the comments section of this post.
      7. By e-mailing your entry, you are submitting an entry for consideration in this contest and thereby agreeing to the terms written here as well as the terms added by me at the beginning of the "Comments" section of this blog post.

PRIZES!!!

First place: 1) A critique of 25 pages of your work, by your agent judge. 2) A query critique from your agent judge. 3) Two free books from Writer's Digest Books (I will give you several choices and you pick the books your want).

Runner-ups - second and third place: 1) A critique of 10 pages of your work, by your agent judge. 2) One free book from Writer's Digest Books (I will give you several choices and you pick the book your want).

MEET YOUR (AWESOME) JUDGE!

Jennifer Laughran is an agent with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Books she's repped include:

The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z., by Kate Messner

Flash Burnout, by LK Madigan

I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It, by Adam Selzer

Adventures of a Cat-Whiskered Girl, by Daniel Pinkwater

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!

Contests

Sunday, February 21, 2010 5:11:47 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [51]

Saturday, February 20, 2010

New Agent Alert: Mandy Hubbard of the D4EO 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 Mandy: Mandy is an author as well as an agent. Her debut novel, Prada and Prejudice, (Razorbill/Penguin, June 2009) is in its fifth printing. She has four other books under contract, divided among Harlequin, Llewellyn Flux, and Razorbill/Penguin. Mandy interned at The Bent Agency before joining D4EO Literary, where she is now building her list. She has a website and runs a blog, as well.

She is seeking: middle-grade and young adult fiction, whether they be contemporary or historical, fantasy/paranormal or realistic. She loves books with a heavy focus on romance, as well as 'issue books' with a strong voice. "If your book has a high concept or a big hook, I want to see it. If your story includes portals to fantasy worlds, wizards or dragons, it’s probably not for me. Please, no chapter books, pictures books, poetry, nonfiction, or books for the adult market."

How to contact: Send your query letter, along with the first five pages of your manuscript (both pasted into the body of an e-mail) to mandy[at]d4eo[dot]com.

Want more on this subject?

Examine great high-concept hooks for kids books.

New agent seeking kids stuff: Adriana Dominguez.

New agent seeking kids stuff: Mary Kole.

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 | New Agency Alerts

Saturday, February 20, 2010 10:13:49 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

7 Things I've Learned So Far, by Tia Nevitt
Posted by Chuck

This is a new 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 Tia Nevitt.

Guest columnist Tia Nevitt has a book review blog
at Debuts & Reviews, and her reviews appear at
Fantasy Literature. She is a published freelancer
now working on novels.

1. Write another novel. Once you've finished that first novel, spend some well-deserved time celebrating, but then take an honest look at it. Is it really good enough? Don't do what I did. I spent years trying to make my first novel good enough. When I finally thought it was ready, I sent it to a single agent, who rejected it, after which I stopped trying. Deep down, I knew my writing wasn't ready. Find readers for critiques. Don't go to family and friends. They'll tell you what you want to hear, which is never satisfying, or even helpful.

2. Cut with impunity. Often, you have to write a lot of words just to figure out which words you need to keep. And this isn't a bad thing—it's necessary. Want proof? Go grab a DVD of your favorite movie and select the Deleted Scenes from the Bonus Features section. Listen to the director describe the scene. He'll say something like, "We realized we just didn't need it." Writers need to do the same thing. You had to write it, but it doesn't have to stay in the story. Be grateful you didn't spend six figures filming that scene. Just cut it out and paste it into a "Deleted Scene" folder in case you need it later.

3. When you think it's final, print it out. Yes, I know. It seems like such a waste of paper. But you really need to see it on the printed page. It is so easy to gloss over problems on a computer screen. It will astonish you how many problems you will see, especially when you also . . .

4. Read it aloud. Yes, the whole thing. Armed with a red pen—or some other color that stands out—take that printout you created above, put it on a clipboard, and read the entire novel out loud. Even if you're all alone. You engage different areas of the brain when you read aloud, and you will hear problems you didn't see when you read it on the computer.

5. Writer's block is a warning. When I get writer's block, I try to rethink the scene I'm writing. I ask: Am I heading in the right direction here? Often, the answer is no. My muse is warning me that something is wrong. At this point, I often set it aside and work on another project. Usually I can come back to it with a fresh approach or renewed enthusiasm—and the answer to my problem.

6. Probe character motivations. If you have to convince yourself that your character's motivations make sense, they probably won't make sense to a reader. I'm brutal about this, both as a reviewer and as a beta reader. Your characters need good reasons for doing what they do. Don't have them do stupid things just to make the plot work, unless you're going for humor. Your readers will want to tear pages out in frustration.

7. After you write the ending, rethink the beginning. We all spend a lot of time thinking about that perfect opening. But leave that for later. Just get it started, get going, and get to the end. Odds are, you'll end up with plot threads that you'll have to weave back into the beginning anyway. Once the entire story is down, it's easier to figure out the point where the actual story begins. One of my agented critique partners ended up trashing her opening and rewriting it, and that was the novel that got her an agent.

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

Saturday, February 20, 2010 9:52:21 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [8]

Friday, February 19, 2010

Cover Band Soap Opera: The Night That One Crazy Girl Got Arrested
Posted by Chuck

On two occasions, we played in a venue that could best be described as a Olive-Garden-type restaurant. If a loud rock cover band playing in an Olive Garden sounds like a ridiculous scenario, that's because it is. We were well aware of the fact that we would be too loud, but the owner crossed our palms with silver, so we showed up and plugged in.

So, basically for the first three hours of our performance, no one was listening to us (as expected). The night took a decidedly more interesting turn at around 12:30 a.m. A girl walks into the place, alone, essentially just begging for a conversation with anybody. So our lead singer approaches her at the bar during a break and says hello, etc., and—immediately—the whole band gets a weird vibe. Something's just ... off.

We soon began the final set of the night. It was at this point that the girl started to dance in front of us in a way that looked like a cross between Elaine from Seinfeld and some crazy person dancing the dance of the seven veils. She was sweating—a lot—and would often touch her shoulders.

Not being well versed in drugs, I turn to the bassist mid-song and mouth the word "Ecstasy?" He kinda shrugs and nods at the same time—basically saying that he thinks so, but like me, really has no idea. The strange dancing continues for some time, but then the girl starts to knock over things accidentally, like a drink glass or mic stand. The owner appears and asks her to leave. She seems to not comprehend such a request. (We're playing this whole time, so I'm just reading body language and lips, really.)

The owner grows more frustrated, and the girl goes from wacky-happy to angry. Cops are called and the girl is arrested and taken to a police cruiser while she's highly emotional and yelling. The whole thing was just nuts. The nicest place we will ever play, and it's our only arrest story. The place did not invite us back—I have no idea why.

Cover Band Venting

Friday, February 19, 2010 10:59:54 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [5]

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Tax Tips for Writers
Posted by Chuck

Working for yourself as a freelance writer can be a nickel-and-dime business, but come tax time, reporting self-employment income means all sorts of things related to your business are eligible for deduction. Consider this: before self-employment deductions, I owed $266; after the deductions, my refund was $238. I consulted H&R Block tax specialist Sharon Burton on how to maximize your savings for 2009 and what to consider in 2010.

Guest column by contributor
Jessica Monday, published freelancer
and aspiring novelist. She lives in Wyoming.
E-mail her at jemonday[at]gmail.com.

HOME OFFICE

Some of the biggest deductions are tied into whether you can claim a home office. The IRS says a home office “is a room or other space in your home” used regularly and exclusively for business. As long as your work area is a separately identifiable space, that portion of the room is deductible even if you don’t use the entire room for your business, Burton said.

The key to this is not so much how much space you use, but rather how you use it. If you consistently write and sell your writing each month, that constitutes "regular use." The trickier part is you must use the area only for business. So if you generally write at the kitchen table (which is not a station used only for business), find a cheap desk at a garage sale, move it into a corner and voilá - you can claim the area as your home office. But remember: No paying bills or letting the kids do their homework in your work space (which is a nice way to create a little solitude for your art too!).

Now you may think, a desk tucked away in a 5,000 square foot house is not going to amount to much—and it’s not. But if you have a large desk in a more modest abode, the savings do add up. For instance, I have a desk, computer and filing cabinets set up in a shared office room with my fiancé. I measured how much of the room they occupied and approximated the total square footage of our apartment. Since my home office equals 5% of my total home, I’m able to claim 5% of the rent (same thing goes for a mortgage), utilities, renter’s (or homeowner’s) insurance and Internet connectivity fees. (If you file your taxes online, the computer will figure the percentage for you given the square footages.)

Tip for 2010: If you're trying to sell your home, deductions on the mortgage for a home office may have tax consequences after the sale. You may still be able to write off a portion of the utilities without a penalty, but be sure to talk with a tax professional before filing your return.

VEHICLE

If you use a personal vehicle for freelance work, a portion of the mileage is deductible. You can choose one of two methods, standard or actual, to report vehicle expenses, but “it’s always better to do standard miles,” Burton advised. “That way you don’t have to keep receipts, you only have to record your mileage.” This year, the IRS gives 55 cents for each business mile you drove, as well as itemized deductions for license plates, registration, interest on a vehicle loan, parking fees and tolls.

Tip for 2010: Keep a small clipboard in your glove box to write down business mileage, as well as the odometer reading on Jan. 1 and Dec. 31.

CELL PHONE

Cell phones and monthly bills are deductible even if their main purpose is for personal calls. Unless you have a separate cell phone used exclusively for your business, Burton advised keeping track of the number of calls rather than adding up minutes. Normally people spend between 10-20% of their minutes on business calls, Burton said.

Tip for 2010: Track your cell phone usage for a month (or one week if you make a lot of calls). Find the average minutes used for business calls and compare the portion to your total monthly minutes. Use your average to figure the percentage use at the end of the year.

HEALTH INSURANCE

If you pay your own health insurance, monthly premiums are deductible. (At least that’s some relief until they figure things out Washington, right?)

BIG, LITTLE THINGS

More costly equipment like a computer, printer and fax are deductible, but don’t forget about office supplies including stamps, pens, printer paper and ink. Small purchases add up after 12 months. Other deductible items include business membership dues, magazine and newspaper subscriptions, conferences fees, hotel rooms and associated meals, and bus and cab fares. Remember, all expenses must be related to your self-employment. If you’re not sure an item qualifies, seek professional advice—and keep all of your receipts. “That’s the big thing, just keep track of everything,” Burton said. “The flow in and flow out.”

Tip for 2010: Start a new file for the year and collect your receipts, tax forms and any other paperwork useful come tax time.

Want more on this subject?

How royalties and advances (money) work.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket with just one book.

You have a contract but no literary agent - what to do.

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!

Contracts and Copyrights and Money | Guest Columns

Thursday, February 18, 2010 10:12:43 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [6]

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Successful Queries: Agent Laney Katz Becker and 'Simply From Scratch'
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 27th installment in this series is with agent Laney Katz Becker (Markson Thoma Literary Agency) and her author, Alicia Bessette, for her upmarket women's fiction book, Simply From Scratch.

Dear Ms. Katz Becker,

Please consider representing my upmarket women's novel, Simply From Scratch.

Her husband died more than a year ago, yet 34-year-old medical illustrator Rosellen Roy still feels raw and a bit undone. Her reticent widowhood is disrupted when she forms an unlikely friendship with a spirited nine-year-old, Ingrid, who insists that celebrity chef Polly Pinch is her real mother. The pair aims to win a high-stakes Polly Pinch baking contest, donating the winnings. But when Ingrid disappears in a blizzard, Rosellen's fear of love lost is reawakened.

Simply From Scratch is set in Wippamunk, a fictional New England town where the locals are quirky as the foothills are wild. The story was loosely inspired by my work at a small-town newspaper in my native Massachusetts. I'm a staff writer for the alumnae magazine of Bryn Mawr College.

I live outside Philadelphia with my husband Matthew Quick (author of The Silver Linings Playbook, FSG/Sarah Crichton Books) and our greyhound, a retired racer.

Thank you for taking the time to review my query. My 85,000-word manuscript is available for consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Alicia Bessette

Commentary from Laney

True confession time: When queries for fiction don’t include the first few pages of the novel, I typically just pass. I like to be able to just scroll down and check out the author’s writing style before I ask for more material. BUT—When Alicia Bessette’s query for first came to me, I knew it was something I wanted to take a look at.

The query opening is not the most creative, but it identifies the project, so at least I know it’s the kind of novel I represent.

After reading the pitch, I’m loving this because it all sounds so fresh. You can literally go through each sentence and not come up with another novel that features the same thing. For instance, can you name another book where the protagonist is a medical illustrator? How about a story where a young girl and an adult woman (who aren’t related) form some special bond? And a celebrity chef?! It all just sounds like a story I haven’t read before—and I really like that.

She says the characters are quirky. I’m not a big fan of quirky, but she’s got me hooked. I’m definitely asking for the first 50 pages. Her credentials don't knock my socks off, but I always like it when first-time authors have some writing experience. The fact that her hubby’s an author is also good because she will likely have realistic expectations. Lastly, bless her heart—at 85,000 words, it’s a perfect length for this type of fiction.

I immediately read her 50 pages and then the entire manuscript. And then ... what happened? Alicia writes about it (and more) on the Sept. 30, 2009 entry on The Debutante Ball website, where she blogs each Wednesday. Simply From Scratch comes out Aug. 10, 2010. (If you’re in a reading group or just love upmarket women’s fiction, you can mark your calendars NOW, because this is a novel you won’t want to miss!)

Want more on this subject?

Successful Queries: (Literary/Upmarket Fiction) "Last Will of Moira Leahy"

Successful Queries: (Kids/MG) "Sway"

Successful Queries: (Crime/Thriller) "A Bad Day for Sorry"

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 | Women's Fiction

Wednesday, February 17, 2010 10:41:29 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [2]

Alternative Mainstream: The Best GLBT Books to Read
Posted by Chuck

Growing up as a minority on the multicultural island of O’ahu left me with a personal history of being treated differently. I am familiar with enduring social stigma because of the color of my skin. Throughout the years, this inevitable birthright of judgment subconsciously produced my unwavering and blatant compassion for the GLBT community, even long after living off the island. Although my sexual orientation is considered mainstream, I feel very connected to people born under the proverbial flashing neon pink sign of Alternative. Being a creative person lends itself to certain ways of thinking; having an open mind is just one. GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) writing has always been considered alternative, yet some of the most infamous works of fiction are underlined with this very thing.

Guest blogger Christine Macdonald's article, "The
Customer is Always Trite," earned her a cover spot and
Editor’s Pick on Open Salon and gives a snapshot
into her current writing project: the memoir
Tales from an Ex-Stripper: The Chronicles of
Stripperocity. Christine founded Another Way
To Say It Greetings®, a greeting card company
launching in spring 2010 that caters to her friends
of the GLBT community. See her blog here.

For great books to start with, we can turn to The Publishing Triangle, an online resource featuring GLBT writers. The following is a list of just 10 of the Top 100 best lesbian and gay novels:

     1. Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison
     2. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
     3. Even Cowgirls Get The Blues by Tom Robbins
     4. The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
     5. Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice
     6. Kiss of the Spider Woman by Manuel Puig
     7. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
     8. Maurice by E. M. Forster
     9. Other Voices, Other Rooms by Truman Capote
     10. Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown

Omit the subject matter in which it’s served, and this above-mentioned list becomes a literary feast. Whether it is your first of 50th time reading these picks, you will undoubtedly satiate on each unique and masterful story. Characters run the gamut from vampire to vixen but the common ingredient remains: Every protagonist is a survivor in the face of adversity. As writers, isn’t this what we all aim to do?

Want more on this topic?

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

See all posted stories of writers finding their agents.

Agent Janet Reid provides 20 Query Letter Tips.

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!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010 10:15:57 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [2]

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Agent Advice: Matthew Mahoney of Ralph M. Vicinanza, Ltd.
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 Matthew Mahoney of Ralph M. Vicinanza, Ltd. Matthew was raised in Mobile, AL, and graduated with a B.A. in English from Vanderbilt University. After a brief foray into the world of finance, he joined Ralph M. Vicinanza, Ltd.

He is seeking: literary fiction, commercial fiction (especially espionage thrillers), popular science, humor, narrative nonfiction, current events, and pop culture. He is particularly interested in discovering debut fiction and writers with unique and authentic voices.

GLA: Briefly, how did you become an agent?

MM: I graduated from college with a degree in English, and had a series of jobs in a political campaign and at an investment bank. I'd always loved books, and felt that's where I'd be happiest and where my "natural skill set" lay. To be honest, I didn't even know literary agenting was a position until a few years ago, but I was immediately drawn to the marriage of the creative and business aspects of getting a book to the marketplace (of course, every publishing professional deals with both sides of getting a book out there in some way). Additionally, it's great to be able to interact with young, intelligent book lovers from around the World on a daily basis, and aid in putting out fantastic books that will hopefully contribute to the conversation at large.

GLA: Does your agency have a formal website? How many agents does the agency have?

MM: We do not have a website. We've got 4 agents, including myself, and though the name may not be instantly recognizable, we've got some clients with whom I feel very honored to work. A little Google-ing can tell you all you need to know about our agency.

GLA: You were raised in Alabama, schooled in Tennessee, and we met each other in South Carolina. You're a southern guy who seeks, among other things, "southern novels." Tell us more about your love of southern fiction, and possibly anything more specific about what you do or don't want to see in a submission.

MM: I would actually say less Civil War historical projects, and more True Blood gothic stuff. But what I'm more interested in is the Southern voice, a way of thinking and a voice (and I mean that term broadly) that is endemic to the South, and which in turn can teach us about our country as a whole. I'm also interested in change in the New South, and evolution (pun intended) in that arena. What I'm NOT looking for, and what I tend to get a lot of, is good ole boys skinning bucks and talking in unintelligible dialect, books which have less of a chance of seeing the inside of a Barnes & Noble than the Confederacy does in rising again. In other words, I seek more literary Southern than gift-book Southern.

GLA: Speaking of South Carolina and the conference, what advice can you give people pitch agents at conferences?

MM: At any conference, the key is to be professional, confident, and respectful. Don't approach agents in the bathroom or the gym, and when you do have a chance to speak with them, be clear and concise. Give just a short summary—especially if it's fiction you're pitching—and know that if an agent gives you an answer, particularly one you may not want to hear, he or she probably has legitimate reasons for doing so. Remember, the agent is also evaluating you on a long-term working relationship, so how you comport yourself matters.

GLA: When you say you seek "commercial fiction," are you talking about all the major commercial genres?

MM: No, I am talking primarily about thrillers and some (read: very select
projects) of traditional fantasy.

GLA: You seek nonfiction categories like current events and pop culture—sort of "happening now" stuff. Are you getting good submissions in these areas? If not, where are ideas going wrong? Too narrow? Not enough platform?

MM: I haven't seen too many of these come in the door—but I don't really expect to, mainly because of the platform issue you raise above. Platform is absolutely key here, and most submissions can't be faulted for having the wrong idea or subject matter—they're hampered right out of the gate by not having a platform. Most books of this type are borne out of proactive measures on the agent's part, in my experience. That being said, I'm very interested in narrative nonfiction, particularly pop science or exploratory journalism, and humor.

GLA: How should writers contact you?

MM: Query me at matthew.mahoney[at]vicinanzaltd[dot]com. Include a quick synopsis and bio, and a writing sample as a Word attachment.

GLA: Any quirks or thoughts about what you like to see a in query?

MM: Well, first and foremost, make sure the letter is addressed to the agent in question. Anything that says "To Whom It May Concern" or "Sir or Madam" gets immediately tossed. To have no grammatical errors is, I hope, obvious. If you're submitting a novel, don't go into too much depth on the plot, as it's your writing that I'm mainly interested in. If you submit a sample as an attachment, make sure that the pages are numbered, double spaced, and justified—you don't want a novel looking like a term paper. It shows a lack of experience, and it's difficult to make editorial notes. A personal pet peeve of mine is when a writer says "This is my seventh novel," a statement that is intended to demonstrate writing prowess, but often has the opposite effect on me, as well as making the writer sound indecisive. Put your strongest foot forward, and go with that. Otherwise, I do appreciate funny letters, but it's a difficult note to strike, so make sure you know what you're doing.

GLA: Will you be at any other upcoming conferences where people can meet you?

MM: I believe I will be attending the Backspace Conference and the PNWA
Conference in Seattle this year, though those could always change.

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

MM: Write honestly and organically. Don't try to be the next Hemingway, or the next Hunter S. Thompson, or the next anyone. I see too many aspiring authors—young ones, especially—who have all the sizzle of great writers, but none of the steak. Channel what's inside and if the right stuff is there, the rest will take care of itself.

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!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews)

Tuesday, February 16, 2010 9:28:29 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

Monday, February 15, 2010

New Agent Alert: Drew Perez of Andrea Hurst & Associates
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 Drew: Drew began as an intern for Andrea Hurst & Associates while working on his Masters Degree in English Literature. Combining a deep sense for plot and character development along with his extensive experience with all manner of fiction, from literary to pop culture, Drew moved to an agent position where he keeps an eye out for the book that demands he keep turning the page. Drew utilizes his development talents to help bolster novels through structural edits and reorganization. Currently, he is building his list by looking for new writers that offer something different to the market while keeping that appeal needed to bring the readers back again and again.

He is seeking: Fiction: Historical, Military, Thriller, Mystery, Some Science Fiction, Some Fantasy Humor, Literary, Pop Culture, Young Adult. Nonfiction: Health and Fitness, Business, Pop Culture, Humor, Relationships. Not looking for: Women’s Fiction, New Age, Children’s.
"Drew’s tastes run the gauntlet in the fiction world. Inheriting a taste for military fiction from his father, Drew keeps an eye out for historical fiction from any time period, but appreciates Victorian to WWII works that shed a different light on well-known history. He also enjoys Science Fiction and some Fantasy, especially those stories concentrated on the darker, character driven stories. He likes his sci-fi and fantasy in the gutters, not the stars. Drew especially likes Latino fiction or stories from Central and South America, be they character driven literary to thrillers."

How to contact: E-Query and put "Query" in the subject line. Paste your query in the e-mail; no attachments. Please indicate if this is a simultaneous submission. Responds in up to 2 months. "If we are interested in seeing more of your work, we will request a synopsis, author bio, sample chapters, and, for nonfiction books, a proposal."

Want more on this subject?

How many agents should you query?

How to write a query letter: The 3 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!

Literary Fiction | New Agency Alerts | Nonfiction | Science Fiction and Fantasy

Monday, February 15, 2010 12:49:42 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

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.

This guest series by writer
Nancy Parish, who runs her
blog, The Sound and Furry.

Want more on this topic?

Footnotes: 5 Articles on Writing First Pages.
Footnotes: 8 Articles on Revising Your 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!

Footnotes | Writers' Conferences

Monday, February 15, 2010 12:26:55 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

Saturday, February 13, 2010

How I Got My Agent: Mark Lee Gardner
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.

Mark Lee Gardner's latest book was released on
Feb. 9. It's called To Hell on a Fast Horse:
Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and the Epic
Chase to Justice in the Old West.

FINALLY, A LUCKY BREAK

I had been fed so much misinformation about literary agents over the years that it wasn’t funny. To begin with, it seemed like an agent was nearly impossible to get. The very few writers I knew who had agents were not forthcoming about sharing names. No one ever said, “Mark, you should contact my agent. He’s looking for some talented writers.” Getting an agent seemed a lot like winning the lottery. A very few authors somehow just got lucky.

Then one day, ten years ago, the esteemed Western historian and author Robert M. Utley sent me an e-mail encouraging me to contact a relatively new literary agent he had met from Dallas named Jim Donovan. Now this was exciting. Finally, I thought, here was my lucky break. I did contact Jim, and we discussed a couple of ideas of mine, and he felt they had potential. Jim sent me a guideline he had written about putting together a good book proposal.

BRIDGER OVER TROUBLED WATERS

This is where I screwed up. I was used to getting paid for my writing—albeit very modest sums—and here was this agent talking about a multi-page book proposal. At the time, that seemed like an awful lot of work without any guarantee of compensation or even a contract. I had other writing projects that were keeping me busy, and although I promised to write something up for Jim when time permitted, my e-mails to him became less and less frequent until they finally stopped altogether.

Five years passed. My family grew. I needed to make more money. If I was going to continue as a freelance historian and writer, it was obvious that I had to move beyond writing books for university presses and the National Park Service and get a trade book deal. I went back through my old e-mails and got in touch with Jim. Surprisingly, he was still interested in doing something with me, and we subsequently got together at a history conference in South Dakota, where we settled on an idea for a book.

I bit the bullet and, with Jim’s helpful suggestions and encouragement, produced a 40-page proposal for a biography of the famed American mountain man Jim Bridger. It was a very good proposal (well, at least several editors told us it was a good proposal), but it was a complete bust with the New York trade houses. It turns out Jim Bridger was not so famous after all. One New York editor had never heard of him. The other editors thought he was “too small” a subject. So, no trade book deal.

A DUAL BIOGRAPHY

But Jim did not give up on me, and I did not give up on getting a book contract. I perused my library of Western history books for another idea and settled on a biography of Pat Garrett, the lawman who ended Billy the Kid’s outlaw career. When I suggested this to Jim, he thought a more interesting—and salable—book would be a dual biography of Garrett and the Kid. The more I thought about it, the more I liked Jim's suggestion. No one had ever written a dual biography of these two Westerners, and Billy the Kid was an iconic figure whom every New York editor was sure to have heard of.

After considerable research into the topic, I completed yet another big book proposal and titled it To Hell on a Fast Horse. Jim carefully went over the proposal, I made changes, and then he sent it out. This time, the response from the New York editors was like night and day compared to our Bridger foray. Jim had immediate interest from several editors. It came down to two publishers, and I went with William Morrow, mostly because the editor at Morrow, Henry Ferris, took the time to call me and tell me how much he liked my proposal. I signed a contract in January of 2007 and Morrow released To Hell on a Fast Horse on February 9 of this year.

A good agent, I now know, is not just valuable for the contacts he or she has in New York, but for their insights and understanding of what makes a superior proposal, and, in turn, a great book. They are patient, excellent sounding boards, and they are there for you every step of the way. A good agent, then, is also a good friend. And, by the way, Jim Donovan is looking for some talented writers.

Mark Lee Gardner is a historian, writer, and
musician of the Western experience. He
writes for both popular and scholarly audiences,
having published with several university
presses and periodicals such as New Mexico
Magazine and Living History Magazine. See his
personal website or buy To Hell on a Fast Horse here.

Want more on this subject?

I interviewed Mark's agent, Jim Donovan. See the interview here.

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

Ann Collette of Helen Rees Lit is looking for good Western fiction.

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 | How I Got My Agent Columns

Saturday, February 13, 2010 6:47:40 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [3]

7 Things I've Learned So Far, by Valerie Geary
Posted by Chuck

This is a new 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 fiction writer Valerie Geary.

Valerie Geary is a fiction writer and
helms the blog, Something to Write About.

1. Read widely. Read everything. Fiction and nonfiction. Short stories, novellas, and classics. Read in a style or genre different from your own. Read an author you’ve avoided because he/she is too popular. Read an author whose name is so obscure you probably won’t remember it later. And go deeper than simply reading: Learn something from each piece. You will come out on the other side a much stronger writer. I know I have.

2. Excuses are a waste of time and creativity. If you want to write ... Write. There is no better point in your life than now. There is no better place in the world than here. The kids will never stop needing things from you. The bills will not stop showing up in your mailbox. The kitchen will just be dirty again tomorrow. Stop. Breathe. Write.

3. Take long walks. Not only is it good for the body, it’s good for the mind. I have found that some of my most exciting story ideas and biggest writing revelations have come when my muscles are moving, my blood is pumping and I’m breathing fresh air. Plus it keeps my dog happy. And a happy dog = hours of uninterrupted writing time.

4. Always carry a piece of paper and a pen. Always. My Muse comes around at the most inconvenient times. Never when I’m working at my desk. It can be very disheartening to watch brilliance disappear into the cracks of your brain.

5. If you can’t write a concise synopsis, your novel’s not ready. Once upon a time I wrote a novel. I tried writing a synopsis to send along with my query letters, but I had a difficult time with it and I never finished. At first, I thought: Who cares? What’s so important about a synopsis anyway? It’s the story that counts. So I queried only agents who didn’t require a synopsis. Know what happened? Nothing. Form rejections. It seems so obvious to me now, but what I didn’t understand back then was that the synopsis is the story. If you are having trouble writing a synopsis, step back and take another look at the story you’re trying to tell. Are there pieces missing? Did you start it in the right place? Is your arc arched enough? Is your ending satisfying? When the story is ready, writing the synopsis should be easy-breezy-lemon-peezy.

6. Writing is art; publishing is business. When I write, I write first for myself. I experiment and try to keep my creative mind open to extraordinary surprises. But when I prepare to send a piece out for publication, I have to remember that there are other people involved now. Businesses that want to buy, sell, and make a profit from my words. Readers who want to understand and connect with my stories. Reviewers who will offer their opinions whether or not I ask them to. If you are not able, or willing, to allow other people into your writing life don’t publish. But if you are ready, remember to conduct yourself with unflinching professionalism especially in public forums.

7. Remember to pause and catch your breath in the shade. Don’t feel guilty about taking a break. Writing is hard work. I despise the adage: “Write every day”. This is a good way exhaust both your energy and your creativity. I am not, however, advocating that you write only when you feel like it, because nothing would ever get done. Make a schedule. Stick to it for several months, a year even. Then take a vacation. Pull back from the computer for a day, a week, a month. Go camping. Travel. Read. Hang out with friends. Enjoy life for a while. You will be properly rested and ready to take on the world.

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

Saturday, February 13, 2010 6:14:49 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [3]

My Agent and I Sold a Book!
Posted by Chuck

I've kind of kept this news under wraps for a while but I recently got the OK from my editor to let the news out. My agent and I sold a book! In late 2009, we sold my humor book, How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack, to Ten Speed Press, which is part of Crown, which is part of Random House. Here's the cover-in-progress. It's not finished yet, but you get the gist:

Very exciting! The contract is signed and my editor and I are in the wave of first edits right now. I was very lucky to land where I did. Although it's being released by a company as huge as Random House, because the imprint Ten Speed is handling it, the book is getting love and personal attention. Bonus.

The book comes out on Sept. 21, 2010. If you know any relatives, friends or neighbors that either possess garden gnomes or live in the vicinity of gnomes, for God's sake they need this book. While garden gnomes are thought to be symbols of merriment and good will, secretly they're watching you and conspiring while pushing their little wheelbarrows. The book is a guide to assess if you're in danger, fortify (gnome-proof) your home inside and out, and, if necessary, combat a gnome in close quarters with a variety of weapons.

Getting the book bought was a fun journey. I wrote the book proposal in May; I edited it in June-July with my agent, Sorche Fairbank; she sent it out in August; publishers expressed interest quickly; Ten Speed made a pre-empt offer in October, and we accepted. It was all very quick. I've already learned a lot through the process and continue to learn things, so I will pass on all sorts of cool info to you along this adventure.

So remember: Defend yourself when the garden warriors strike (and they will).
My Writing Life

Saturday, February 13, 2010 1:09:31 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [39]

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

How To Pitch to an Agent at a Writers Conference
Posted by Chuck

Writers attend conferences for many reasons, but one of the biggest draws is the literary agent pitch sessions. Writers get face-to-face time with those in the industry who often appear unreachable. If done correctly, these three to ten minutes sessions can land an author an agent and eventually a book contract. From my experience as the director of the Northern Colorado Writers Conference for the past 4 years, I’ve had the opportunity to interact with literary agents on a different level. They have shared with me their take on pitch sessions and what they like, don’t like and what drives them crazy.

This guest column by Kerrie Flanagan,
director of Northern Colorado Writers. Register
now for the 5th annual Northern Colorado
Writers Conference (March 26-27 2010)
featuring literary agents as well as
author and producer Stephen Cannell.

ARE YOU READY TO PITCH?

Most agents only want to hear pitches from authors who have a finished product. For fiction (including memoirs), that is a completed novel and for nonfiction, that is a completed book proposal. Agents don’t like it when an author gets them excited about a book and then drops the bomb that it isn’t done yet.

Kristin Nelson with Nelson Literary said, "Writers with ‘ideas’ for a great novel are a dime a dozen. It’s that one-in-a-hundred writer who actually has the perseverance and stamina to sit down and write the entire thing (which is a huge achievement all in itself since the majority of aspiring writers never even make it that far)."

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Before signing up for a pitch session, read up on each of the agents. What books do they currently represent? Are any similar to yours? Don't waste their time pitching to them if you know your project isn't a good fit. Your goal is to become an expert on this person. Then when you sit down for the pitch session, you will feel like you know the agent. You can break the ice by commenting on something you learned, “I read on your blog that you are re-reading War and Peace. What page are you on?”

GIVE 'EM A ONE-LINER

Every author should be prepared to explain their story in one sentence, whether it is at your pitch session or at the evening mixer. No one wants to hear a 20-minute monologue detailing every twist and turn in your plot. “A lot of authors get too hung up on telling me the synopsis of their book,” said Jessica Regal of Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency, “I don't need to know every plot point—and it doesn't make for a very interesting pitch. It should feel more authentic than that, as if you were talking to your best friend.”

“In the end, I know all good writers aren't great speakers,” said Jon Sternfeld, agent with the Irene Goodman Agency, “but an ability to distill information is a part of being a writer and it's usually a turn-off if a writer says way too much (or way too little) about what I need to know about his/her project.”

ELEMENTS OF A GOOD PITCH

Jessica Regel shared what she likes to see in a good pitch, “They need to be able to succinctly tell me what their book is about. What makes it stand out from every other book that's on the market? Who are the characters? What's the conflict? What are the major themes? What other writers/books would they compare themselves to as far as style? If it's nonfiction, why are they the exact person who should write this book? Why is it a topic that I should read about now?"

PRACTICE

The trick to a good pitch is to practice it so you are familiar with the content, but to present it in a way that is more conversational. Practice your pitch with friends, family and your writers group. Get some feedback and try to get rid of that nervousness.

Jon Sternfeld said, “I wish writers would see the agents more as an equal—when there's too much desperation in the writer's eyes, agents tend to de-value them. If a writer is confident, I know that they don't need me so much as we need each other.”

PROFESSIONALISM COUNTS

One agent told me that she wished writers would dress more professionally. She didn't want to see business suits, but she wanted to see clean cut, job-interview type attire. For her, it set the tone—it let her know the writer understands that publishing is a business and is serious about being a professional writer.

GAMETIME: THE PITCH

When you pitch, all you need is confidence and maybe one note card with a few key points on it. You do not need to bring your manuscript. Ken Sherman, with Ken Sherman and Associates said, “Just take a deep breath and get into it and don't worry. If the story and characters are alive and original in approach we'll pick up on it, especially if you're a good storyteller. That's what it's all about.”

After hearing about your book, an agent has to decide if it is a good fit for her. If it is you will be asked to submit chapters, usually via e-mail. If the agent doesn’t think your book is a good fit for her, don’t fret. All agents are different—so try to move on and start thinking about that next pitch.

Want more on this subject?

It's not too late to sign up for WD's Intensive Workshop (March 13-14, 2010). Attendees get pages critiqued and have one-on-one time with editors.

Check out this guest column by Han Vance on Networking at Writers Conferences.

Read more about the dos and don'ts of pitching agents at conferences.

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 | Writers' Conferences

Wednesday, February 10, 2010 9:59:09 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [4]

Agent Advice: Robin Rue of Writers House
Posted by Chuck

Agent Interview by

contributor Ricki Schultz.

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 Robin Rue of Writers House. Robin Rue began her career as an editor at Dell, but has since spent more than 30 years as an agent.

She is seeking: mystery, commercial fiction, fantasy, romance, young adult, thrillers/suspense, with a specialization in paranormal and suspense romance authors. She does not seek nonfiction. She does not accept e-mail queries. See full submissions guidelines here.

GLA: Why did you become an agent?

RR: I was in editorial for eight years and worked for four different publishing houses before becoming an agent in 1984. I wasn’t happy working for a corporation and realized I preferred working as a writers’ advocate. That said, my in-house publishing experience has served me well these many years.

GLA: What’s the most recent thing you’ve sold?

RR: I’ve been doing this for over 25 years and represent at least 12 New York Times bestselling authors. I’ve done many deals recently! Not all “notable,” mind you—sometimes, the best and sweetest deals are the smaller ones. And, in this market, all deals are notable!

GLA: What are you looking for right now and not getting? What do you pray for when tackling the slush pile?

RR: I’m always looking for a fresh voice, a good story, and compelling characters.

GLA: You specialize in paranormal and suspense romance authors. In your opinion, are vampires here to stay, or is there something new on the horizon?

RR: Paranormal seems to be a lively trend with readers staying loyal to the classic authors, but I do feel it might be harder to break into that market now, as it is quite filled up on publishers’ lists. My list includes many paranormal and suspense romance authors, but I also work with historical romance, mysteries, men’s thrillers, young adult fiction and even illustrated children’s books.

GLA: Do you still take science fiction? Have you noticed any trends in what you tend to represent?

RR: I do very little science fiction, and the authors that I work with who write in that field are essentially fun to read. I’m not involved enough in the genre to be able to anticipate new angles. I think, just like all genres, a good story, well told, with wonderful characters is the best way to compete with trends.

GLA: Speaking of vampires: Edward or Jacob?

RR: As Writers House (and my good friend, Jodi Reamer) represents the Twilight books, I will stay loyal to both Edward and Jacob.

One of Robin's clients is JoAnn Ross.
Check out her book, "Shattered."

GLA: There is some confusion among writers concerning urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Is there more of a distinction between the two than simply an urban setting? In your mind, what separates these subgenres?

RR: Urban fantasy versus paranormal romance is always a fine line. I think urban fantasy lingers a tad longer on the wider plot, and paranormal romance lingers a tad longer on the chemistry between the two main characters.

GLA: With regard to romance, do you accept both category and single titles?

RR: I like all forms of romance. My client list includes a very wide variety of authors who write very different types of romantic fiction. I do not tend to represent category anymore, although I certainly have authors who have written category!

GLA: Where do you notice writers are going wrong in chapter one?

RR: If I’m bored in chapter one, I rarely read further. I don’t like sloppy presentations (grammatical errors, typos). Writing is such an organic gift—I usually see something worthwhile pretty quickly that makes me want to read on, or not.

GLA: What is the one thing you wish you could tell writers pitching you in person?

RR: Relax. I’m not the only authority. If something is not for me, it may easily be just right for another agent/editor.

GLA: Best piece(s) of advice we haven’t talked about yet?

RR: Be focused, be patient, and find an agent you trust. Listen, and be pragmatic as well as ambitious. Have fun, and don’t forget what got you into this business in the first place—your love of books and your love of writing.

This agent interview by Ricki Schultz,
freelance writer and coordinator of
Shenandoah Writers in VA. Visit her blog
or follow her on Twitter.

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!

Agent Advice (Agent Interviews) | Genre Writing

Wednesday, February 10, 2010 9:35:43 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Tuesday, February 09, 2010

New Agent Alert: Dorothy Spencer of The Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency
Posted by Chuck

About Dorothy: Prior to joining The Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency, she worked in acquisitions and development for more than fifteen years, working with publishers including Watson-Guptill; Van Nostrand Reinhold; Henry Holt; Chronicle Books; Prentice Hall Press; and W.H. Freeman, as well as with book packagers including Read/Write Press and LifeTime Media.

She is seeking: Adult fiction and nonfiction.

How to contact: dorothyannspencer[at]gmail[dot]com. JDLA accepts e-mail queries only. Please put "Query" in the subject line of your e-mail. Do not send attachments; just query in the body of your e-mail. "If we’d like to see more, we will contact you. E-mails are often lost or recognized as spam, so please email us again if you do not receive a response within four weeks. Please do not query more than one agent at a time within the agency."

Want more on this subject?

Interview with agent Jeffrey McGraw (The August Agency).

Agent interview: Michelle Brower of Folio Literary Management.

What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

What Agents Hate: Even More Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

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

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

Tuesday, February 09, 2010 12:30:14 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

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Monday, February 08, 2010

How I Got My Agent: Debra Berndt
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.

Debra Berndt is the author of "Let Love In:
Open Your Heart and Mind to Attract Your
Ideal Partner." See her website and
follow her on Twitter.

SHARING WHAT I LEARNED

My idea for the book was born after another failed love affair that led me on a transformative inner-journey. A year later, I found myself in a new career and a fresh perspective on my love life. I wanted to share what I had learned and empower single women to love themselves. I hired a coach and began the process of making my dream a reality.

I wrote my first book proposal in 2004 and attended the San Diego State University Writers' Conference in 2005. I gained a ton of insight about getting published but, lacking an impressive platform, I left the conference without any bites on my proposal. Internally, I had a nagging doubt of whether my "attract love" system (the subject of my book) worked because I was still single. Although I have seen the power of the transformation in many of my clients, I felt my proposal had a touch of disbelief in between the lines.

FINDING A PLATFORM ... AND LOVE

During the next year, I continued to receive rejection letters from agents while I was busy building my platform with a regular column in a local Denver magazine and monthly segments on the ABC affiliate's Saturday morning news show. I also met the man of my dreams, which finally gave me the reassurance that my system for singles was solid. I rewrote the proposal with a little more passion and conviction and returned back to the SDSU Writers' Conference in 2006.

Before attending the conference, I researched the various editors and agents in attendance and made my wish list. One agency—Full Circle Literary—really stood out to me because of their interest in empowering women. I picked both partners of that small firm (one as a backup) just to be certain that I was able to at least meet one of them. Because of a cancellation, the event staff scheduled me to meet with both!

I first met agent Stefanie Von Borstel, who really liked my idea. She was impressed with my platform and eager to discuss my proposal with her partner, Lilly. I met Lilly Ghahremani later that afternoon and I felt that I could work with both of them. During the conference, I attended some of Lilly's panels and saw that she was extremely knowledgeable in the publishing industry. Later that evening, I ran into Stefanie at a networking cocktail party and really enjoyed speaking with her. Out of all the agents, they were my top choice to represent me.

A few weeks later, my excitement quickly died when Lilly rejected the proposal, but she gave me some really great advice on how to fix it up. It was a relief that she was open to see another submission. I could have given up after all that time, but I was in for the long haul. So determined to get it right, I hired a writing coach to help me get the proposal in top shape. Shari Cauldron had a lot of knowledge in the publishing industry (a published author herself) and knew exactly what I needed to do to make the proposal irresistible. We worked for a few months on the proposal and I had a professional editor put the final touches on it. The financial investment was a little steep, but turned out to be worth every penny.

POLISHED AND READY

When I resubmitted the proposal to Full Circle Literary, I felt confident that I put in my best work. Lilly contacted me stating that she loved the changes and was ready to talk about possibly working together. Over the next few months, she continued to coach me on adjustments to the proposal to make it even better and more appealing to publishers. We came up with our final proposal and she sent me the contract to represent me. The first hurdle was overcome. I had an agent!

At first, the search for the dream publisher was slow, but within a few months I had four solid offers in the same week. I accepted the offer from J. Wiley & Sons, LLC in 2008 and my book will be in stores on March 1, 2010. The journey from idea to final publication has been a long road, but the final product was worth the wait. As I look back, I am so glad ignored the advice to self-publish and rush the creation of my book. My advice to those who are searching for an agent is to get expert advice, professional editors and never give up—because there are readers out there who want to buy your book.

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

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

Monday, February 08, 2010 3:17:43 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [1]

Sunday, February 07, 2010

Winners Announced: "Dear Lucky Agent" - Memoir and Narrative Nonfiction
Posted by Chuck

A huge thank you to all 150 or so people who entered in my first "Dear Lucky Agent" contest. Agent Katharine Sands of the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency looked through all submissions this past week and chose her top winner and two runners-up, each of which will receive a critique and free writing books.

The Winners

Grand-prize winner:

Bocas Time, by Forrest Walker

Runners-up:

Zen Under Fire: Learning to Sit Still in Afghanistan, by Marianne Elliott

Kitten Heels in Kathmandu: The Adventures of a Solo Female Vagabond, by Mary Bartnikowski

A LITTLE ABOUT THE CONTEST JUDGE:

Katharine Sands is an agent with the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency. She is the agent provocateur for Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch a Literary Agent's Eye. Books she's repped include:

SAT Word Slam, by Jodi Fodor

Hands Off My Belly: The Pregnant Woman's Survival Guide to Myths, Mothers and Moods, by Shawn Tassone and Kathryn Landherr

Taxpertise: The Complete Book of Dirty Little Secrets and Tax Deductions for Small Businesses the IRS Doesn't Want You to Know, by Bonnie Lee

Contests | Memoir

Sunday, February 07, 2010 4:32:46 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [2]

7 Things I’ve Learned So Far, by Chantal Panozzo
Posted by Chuck

This is a new 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 Chantal Panozzo, award-winning freelancer and aspiring memoirist.

Chantal Panozzo is a writer and copywriter
based in Zurich, Switzerland. Her essays have
appeared everywhere from The Christian
Science Monitor and National Geographic
Glimpse to the Swiss News. She is also at
work on Hausfrau: The Memoir, a story about
looking for an identity in a country where the
bells still ring at 11 a.m. to remind all women
to get home and cook their husbands lunch.

1. Make business cards. Lawyers have them and they feel important. You can, too. Plus it just makes you look like you take your writing seriously.

2. Live abroad. Think of it as an MFA, except you’ll differentiate yourself with more than a piece of paper. You’ll be able to write about things from a unique viewpoint. And you’ll find ideas for stories that you never could have imagined before. For example, if your Swiss neighbor wants clean your gutter until it’s so shiny you could drink out of it, let her. And then go write about it.

3. Tell the truth. I try to (sorry, Dad). But then again, I’ve got to make up for my career as an advertising copywriter somehow. So I write stories about the people I know, the places I live, and the things that have happened to me. As Garrison Keillor one said, if it’s something people are ashamed of, it’s probably worth writing about. And in my experience, this is true. For example, I was able to sell a story about being laid off in Switzerland to a radio station, a magazine, and a best-selling anthology series. People love when your life sucks more than theirs. And having to keep working for three months under the same boss that fired you qualifies for the ultimate in life suckiness.

4. Read books. There’s no excuse for not reading, even if, like me, you live in a country where paperbacks cost the equivalent of $30. To keep from going broke, I buy 50 books at a time when I’m in the U.S., and stuff them in my suitcase. Writers read. Some of us just have to deal with more back pain because of it.

5. Fight more. Assume the writing contract could be better because a lawyer wrote it and most people know that good English does not read like Sanskrit. So only use contracts as starting points. It doesn’t hurt to ask for more money or ask to retain more rights. Remember, when one writer prevails, we all do.

6. Read your stuff out loud. Good writing is usually about good listening.

7. Use the Internet to your advantage. This is especially important if you live in a remote location that makes networking in person difficult. I started the blog Writer Abroad so I could connect with other writers around the world and find out how they worked. I’m always looking for new writers to feature, so please get in touch if you’re interested.

Want more on this topic?

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

Free tips on writing book-length memoirs.

A great resource for memoir writing is Writing Life Stories.

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

Sunday, February 07, 2010 10:46:53 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [5]

Saturday, February 06, 2010

Successful Queries: Agent Tina Wexler and 'Tagged'
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 26th installment in this series is with agent Tina Wexler (ICM) and her author, Mara Purnhagen, for her young adult book, Tagged.

Dear Ms. Wexler,

Sixteen-year-old Kate Morgan is just as baffled as the rest of the Cleary High School student body when gorillas invade their town. Okay, they’re not real gorillas, just life-like renderings painted on the buildings, but still. Why would anyone go to so much trouble?

A mysterious graffiti artist isn’t the only thing causing an uproar in Cleary. The school’s resident rich girl is throwing a sweet sixteen bash complete with an MTV camera crew, a live band, and an ultra exclusive guest list, which, to Kate’s shock, includes her but not Lan, her Vietnamese best friend. Kate is determined to acquire an invitation for Lan, but the birthday girl isn’t budging- until she needs a peculiar favor from Kate.

Shy and sensitive Kate is also trying to conceal her crush on Eli, a guy she works with at the local coffee shop. Ever since she was dumped by her first boyfriend months earlier, Kate has turned to Eli for support and now hopes their friendship can turn into something deeper. However, Eli’s girlfriend, Reva, has made it clear that he’s taken, and with her fiery temper and razor-sharp nails, she’s the last person in the world Kate wants to anger. Kate suspects that Reva may be involved with the graffiti, or worse, that she’s covering for Eli and his friends.

Both the graffiti and the party spark debate among the students at Cleary. Some think that the graffiti is a crime while others classify it as art. Some want more than anything to be invited to the party so they can cash in on their fifteen minutes of televised fame while others plan to boycott the over-the-top snobfest. Kate falls somewhere in the middle of both issues until the night of the party, when she learns the truth behind the graffiti- and the real reason why Lan has been left off the guest list.

My short fiction has been published in Orpheus and the GSU Review. I won the 2003 Hardegree Prize for Fiction, a regional award sponsored by the Hub City Writers Group. I am also a member of the SCBWI.

Tagged is a completed 49,500-word young adult novel. I would be happy to send sample chapters. Thank you very much for your time.

Sincerely,

Mara Purnhagen

Commentary from Tina

Mara's query caught my eye with the very first sentence. (Did she say gorillas?!) I had to find out more based on that line alone.

And who doesn't love a secret crush and a school divided by the whims of the popular, tough choices between best friends and peculiar favors? I'm also interested in art and in general interested in YAs that explore issues beyond the high school bubble, so I was excited to see that this story would be exploring What IS art?. Lastly, I was a big Veronica Mars fan (sniffle), and the mysteries at the core of this story made me think that Tagged might fill the void left by that show's cancellation, which in my mind is as good a reason as any to ask to see a manuscript. ; )

Of course, it's also just a well-written query, with the right amount of personality and professionalism, a solid bio, etc. I was thrilled when I received pages and found Tagged to be exactly what her letter promised--and more!

This post is an online exclusive complement
to a spotlight on Mara in the March/April 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 subject?

How to Write a Query Letter.

Successful Queries: (Kids/YA) "Wake"

Successful Queries: (Nonfiction) "Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon"

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

Saturday, February 06, 2010 10:04:42 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [3]

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.

This guest series by writer
Nancy Parish, who runs her
blog, The Sound and Furry.

Want more on this topic?

Footnotes: 5 Articles on Writing First Pages.
Footnotes: 8 Articles on Revising Your 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!

Craft and Story Beginnings | Footnotes

Friday, February 05, 2010 2:48:17 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

Thursday, February 04, 2010

Agent Advice: Laney Katz Becker of Markson Thoma Literary Agency
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 Laney Katz Becker of Markson Thoma Literary Agency. Laney was an agent at Folio Literary Management before she joined Markson Thoma. Prior to becoming an agent, Laney was an advertising copywriter and freelance journalist, as well as an award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction. Laney grew up in Ohio and enjoys reading, writing, sewing and snuggling with her pooch.

She is seeking: “book club fiction,” (i.e. novels with substance that you're eager to talk about); character-driven stories; and smart, psychological thrillers. She also loves a great memoir, especially if it teaches her something new, exposes her to a different culture/country, or has a great voice. She's always on the prowl for narrative nonfiction, (especially from journalists), as well as practical nonfiction—parenting, family, relationships, pets—by experts with solid platforms.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

LKB: My background is in writing. I started my career as a copywriter in the advertising/marketing/publicity arena, and later worked as a freelance journalist. My articles and essays have appeared in more than 50 newspapers and magazines. I am also an author of both nonfiction (Three Times Chai) and fiction (Dear Stranger, Dearest Friend ). My novel was a Literary Guild, Alternate Selection; chosen by Redbook as the Editors' Favorite Pick; recommended by Library Journal; and was the recipient of several awards. I love writing (obviously) but as I grew older, I wanted to get back to working with people. (A writer’s life can be very isolating, and I didn’t want to spend my days alone, writing novels in my basement. Hence the career change.) Being an agent allows me to use all my skills and feels like something I prepared for my entire life. If you want to read more about my second career as an agent, check out my blog on the Huffington Post.

GLA: What’s the most recent thing you’ve sold?

LKB: I recently sold Traci Foust’s Confessions of an Unsane Childhood (Simon & Schuster / Gallery Books). It’s a memoir – and a debut – about growing up with OCD and anxiety. Traci is very talented and worked with me for a year to get her proposal in tip-top shape. When I signed her, I knew the proposal needed a lot of work, but I fell hard for her literary voice (which was funny and yet poignant). Traci has a great story to tell and I’m thrilled to have played a part in helping her get it out there.

GLA: How does this vast background contribute to your agenting style and skills?

LKB: I’ve walked the walk of the writer. I know where they’re coming from and I think that kind of insight is invaluable. I also think that my writing skills make me a really good editor, and I work very closely with my authors on the revision process to get their novels and proposals ready for submission. But, it’s a double-edged sword. Because I have the writing skills, sometimes authors expect me to “fix” things, (not okay) or complain about how “hard” writing is. Ha! Tell me something I don’t know.

GLA: You seek literary and mainstream fiction. But when you say you want “commercial” do you mean the pop genres, such as romance?

LKB: Strike all that. When it comes to fiction what I’m really looking for is what I call “book club fiction.” It’s the sort of novel that leaves you dying to talk about what you’ve read with someone. It’s not so literary that you feel like you need a thesaurus by your elbow, nor is it so slow moving that you feel like you’re watching grass grow; in other words, it doesn’t feel like work to read. But, it is much more than an entertaining read; you have to bring your brain because it has some substance to it. I also love really smart thrillers. Not the apocalyptic type; more psychological or puzzle thrillers. Things that mess with your head. (Do you notice a recurring theme, here? I like fiction that makes me think.)

GLA: You say you love memoir, and a few of your recent sales - Unsane Childhood and then First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria - are those great books writers love to see – i.e., memoirs written by people who are NOT celebrities or politicians. Give us your top 3 tips on writing memoir and catching your attention.

LKB: Love this question. Everyone thinks their story is interesting to others, but more and more publishers are worried about “platform,” which is why we see so many (too many!) celebrity books. But even if you’re not famous, you can do yourself a huge favor if you have some following/audience/readership. Whether it’s through Facebook, Twitter, a blog, a regional radio show, a regular column in your local paper …something!
When it comes to memoir, I’m a sucker for voice. I want it to feel fresh and compelling. I want to like you on the page. I also want a fresh story. I’m not interested in the dysfunctional family memoir, or the abuse (drug, sexual, etc.) memoir. I’m sorry, I truly am, but I feel like I’ve read that story too many times and I just don’t want to invest months of my life working with an author on a proposal if it’s a topic/story that doesn’t wow me. BTW: that’s another thing. I sell memoir by proposal only. And no, it doesn’t mean if you’ve already written the whole book it’s better. Proposal. Only. I also like a memoir that exposes me to a different culture or country. I like stories that allow me to walk in someone else’s shoes. In both fiction and memoir, I like racial stories.

GLA: Concerning nonfiction proposals coming in through the slush (that aren’t memoir), what are you looking for and not getting?

LKB: Great credentials; great writing.

GLA: What do you pray for? More good parenting books? More psychology? Etc.

LKB: When it comes to practical nonfiction/how-to books, platform is key. That’s what I pray for. Qualified experts with a strong platform that will make publishers salivate.

GLA: You’ve been a writer and now an agent. Taking what you know and have seen from both sides, tell us about what changes you see for the future of the publishing industry.

LKB: I wish I had a crystal ball. But I think what’s happening now will continue: Publishers are publishing fewer books; advances are smaller and publicity/marketing support isn’t what we’d like it to be. I think there will be more ebooks published and I think that debut writers will have an even tougher time getting published in hardcover. But you don’t need a crystal ball for any of that; it’s just sort of the lay of today’s land.

GLA: You rep a lot of debut books and novels. What’s it like to take on so many debuts and help people with their first books?

LKB: It is FABULOUS! I’m helping someone realize his/her dream. And that is always something I love. But debut authors can be frustrating, too. They require a lot more time and hand-holding and that’s okay – as long as they remember to say thank you :-D
But seriously, debut authors don’t always understand the job/role of an agent and their expectations aren’t always realistic. They may read some blog about an author getting a seven-figure advance and they figure that they’ve written a good book so they should get that kind of advance, too. (Don’t I wish?!)

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

LKB: I don’t cook. Really. Not ever.

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

LKB: Nope. I happen to really like slush and use the time I would typically spend at conferences reading unsolicited submissions. That way, I’m judging the work and the writing – and it’s paid off. The slush pile has given me authors who’ve gone on to make national and international bestsellers’ list, become B&N Discover Great New Writers picks, and Debutante Ball (www.thedebutanteball.com) selections.

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

LKB: When looking for an agent always be professional: Read submission guidelines. If an agent only takes electronic submissions, don’t send them snail mail. Make some reference in your query to the fact that you’ve done your homework. “I’m sending this to you because I know you love book club fiction,” “I laughed all the way through Eve Brown-Waite’s memoir, First Comes Love, Then Comes Malaria, and I’m writing to you because I have a project I think might also resonate with you…” Get it?
If an agent asks for pages or a proposal, resend your query; don’t ever expect an agent to remember you or save stuff. We are inundated with material and read a lot. So give us the tools we need to do our jobs because if you don’t send along everything we need, you’re making it easier for us to just pass and move onto the next email in our inbox. But, if you love writing and are willing to work hard and revise and revise – don’t give up. In fact, check out our website and send me a query! (Laney[at]MarksonThoma[dot]com)

Want more on this subject?

Read an interview with agent Meredith Kaffel (Charlotte Sheedy Lit)

Read an interview with agent Lucienne Diver (The Knight Agency)

What Agents Hate: Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

What Agents Hate: Even More Chapter 1 Pet Peeves.

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

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) | Memoir

Thursday, February 04, 2010 4:37:46 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [2]

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

How to Trim Your Query to 250 Words (or Fewer): Advice from Agent Janet Reid
Posted by Chuck

Agent Janet Reid of FinePrint Literary Management, aka the Query Shark, gave this information at a query workshop for the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group.

This guest post by Donna Gambale and
Frankie Diane Mallis, critique partners
who blog at www.FirstNovelsClub.com
when they’re not writing young adult
novels. (Donna, author of "Magnetic Kama
Sutra," also previously guest blogged here)

Your ability to write a query that does your novel justice can make or break your chances of landing an agent. Reid recommends spending two months perfecting this 250-word marvel.

Your query encompasses three sections:
      1. 100 words answering the question “What is the book about?”
      2. A brief summary of your writing credits, if you have them.
      3. Miscellaneous information on how you found the agent or why you chose him/her.

THINGS TO CUT FROM EACH SECTION

Section One:
     1. Back story.
     2. World building.
     3. Character roll call.
     4. Telling.
     5. A synopsis.

Section Two:
     1. Academia – classes, teachers, degrees, dissertations.
     2. Conferences you’ve attended.
     3. Self-published novels, or traditionally published novels with poor sales.
     4. Personal information.

Section Three:
     1. Begging, flattery.
     2. Arrogance or self-deprecation.
     3. Offer of an exclusive.
     4. Your marketing plan.
     5. Quotes from rejection letters, paid editors, critique groups, your mom.

TWO THINGS TO KEEP

Section One:
     1. Title, genre, word count.
     2. The essentials of your novel. (Every time you think you know, ask yourself “So what? And then?” until you’re left with your main character, conflict, and consequences.)

Section Two:
     1. Published short stories or novels.
     2. Published magazine or newspaper articles.

Section Three:
     1. Why you chose this agent.
     2. A connection you have from a conference/workshop.

Start from the bare bones and build from there. Infuse each section with your book’s personality. Consider every word. Don’t forget your contact information. And close with “Thank you for your time and consideration.” Now get trimming!

Want more tips and posts?

Query letter tips.

10 Query Letter Questions Answered.

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 | Queries and Synopses and Proposals | Writers' Conferences

Wednesday, February 03, 2010 10:56:55 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [4]

Upcoming Writers Conferences Where I'll Be ...
Posted by Chuck

VOICE Writers Conference, Feb. 13, Huntington, WV
I'll be presenting on several topics; also in attendance will be literary agents Miriam Kriss (Irene Goodman Literary) and Cherry Weiner (Cherry Weiner Literary), who will both be taking pitches from writers. (voicequarterly.com/writers-conference.html)

Writer’s Digest Editors Intensive, March 13-14, Cincinnati, OH
These recurring intensives feature a small-group setting and a day of presentations by WD staffers. On Sunday, writers and editors meet for personal one-on-one meetings where pages of writers’ work is critiqued. (writersdigest.com/conferences-events)

Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning Seminar, March 20, Lexington, KY
I'll be presenting on “Everything You Need to Know About Getting an Agent.” Questions from attendees welcomed and encouraged. (carnegieliterary.org)

Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop, April 15-17, Dayton, OH
I will present on a variety of topics. Last year, more than 300 attendees were at this event, billed as a "one-of-a-kind national resource for humor and human interest writing." (humorwriters.org/2010Register.html)

Want more on this subject?

Check out this guest column by Han Vance on Networking at Writers Conferences.

Read more about the dos and don'ts of pitching agents at conferences.

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!

Writers' Conferences

Wednesday, February 03, 2010 10:38:16 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Author Platform and the Debut of Your Book
Posted by Chuck

A writer who has ever done any research on her intended occupation has heard the term author platform. Author platform describes all the ways in which you can gain visibility among readers. It refers to your web presence, public speaking and classes taught, media contacts or previous publishing credits such as articles written for magazines, newspapers or websites as well as your networking skills. Your platform is the difference between a reader passing your book up or her giving it a chance by flipping the cover open to read the inside flap.

Guest blog by Lindsey Edwards, writer
of paranormal, fantasy and historical
romance. See her website here.

Going about establishing a platform is different for writers of fiction and nonfiction books. For one, nonfiction authors need to create a trustworthy name for themselves before seeking representation or publication, whereas fiction authors need to focus their efforts more on reaching the masses once they’ve signed a book deal with a publishing house.

NONFICTION PLATFORM TIPS

Create a name for yourself. Before an agent will agree to represent your book, you first need to create a name for yourself. For nonfiction, it’s very important to have testimonials to back you when trying to sell a piece of work you claim to be intimately knowledgeable of.

Target your readers and cater to them. A book is never going to be met with unanimous approval. Meet with your audience by speaking at colleges, libraries, businesses or with whomever else your book could find a home. Even online classes, advertised to the right audience, can bring in potential readers.

Join professional organizations—where you can participate in events and meet with other experts in your field who could later endorse your book.

Write articles—for websites, magazines or newspapers on your topic.

Volunteer. Many friendships or offers are achieved through shared interest and goodwill.

Don’t forget the power of the Internet. Blogs and websites, networking sites and forums are all ways to identify yourself with readers as an expert in your field.

FICTION PLATFORM TIPS

With fiction, agents are more interested in previous publishing credits, but once you sign on the dotted line with a publishing house and have a release date it’s very important to do your share of publicizing yourself and your novel.

Get in touch with the publicity department of your publishing house to see what they will do to help spread the word and strategize a plan offering up ideas of your own. Publishing houses only reserve so much money toward authors, and even fewer dollars are spent on publicizing new novels so you may want to consider putting some of your advance towards the exposure of your novel, it will be well worth it on your next advance if you do this right.

Create a professional looking website with information on yourself, links to any networking sites, a list of your appearances, a guestbook to sign, and perhaps if you have any to share, information on coming attractions.

Obtain a blurb from a well-known author who writes books similar to yours, endorsing your novel.

Locate all the influential book reviewers and make sure they receive an ARC (advanced reading copy) of your novel.

Generate good word of mouth. Now more than ever, word of mouth is done over the Internet. Good news for you because it broadens your circle of readers to those who may tweet to their friends (a Twitter term) good tidings of your book.

Market yourself online so people start to become familiar with your name. When you have a release date for your novel you can do a blog tour where you visit several blogs that compliment the type of book you are marketing and do interviews.

Giveaways. Set aside a few books from the ARCs you receive and use them to create a stir by hosting a giveaway for a signed copy of your book.

Video tape yourself reading an enticing summary or scene excerpt from your book and post it on your networking sites, YouTube and even websites or blogs of friends.

Radio, newspaper and television interviews can help spread the word about a book signing. Remember to have a freebie to hand out to your readers like a bumper sticker, bookmark, postcard, magnet or what have you with your name and the name of your book, along with your web address for further exposure.

Ask for reviews. One more tip for authors of either type of book is to ask anyone who’s said they loved your book to write a review of it on Amazon or on the Barnes & Noble website.

To see how well you’ve done at getting the word out about yourself and your book, sign up for alerts on the search of your name or book. Go to google.com/alerts. Good luck!

Want more on this topic?

What is an author platform?

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 | Platform

Tuesday, February 02, 2010 12:54:22 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [5]

Three Great Links for Kids Writers
Posted by Chuck

Here are interesting things you may want to check out on this fine Tuesday:

1. The Official SCBWI Blog is all online from their recent conference this week. The link here will take to all the info agents gave during their agent panel at the 2010 Winter SCBWI Conference in NYC. Great stuff here. Special thanks for running the blog goes to Alice Pope, editor of Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market.

2. Kids agent Chris Richman explains what he is looking for. Chris, an agent with Upstart Crow Literary, goes into detail about exactly what he wants to receive in terms of kids submissions. This is a nice breath of fresh air.

3. Kids agent Mark McVeigh invites you to query once again. Mark is a publishing pro but new to the agent world. Evidently, he got buried in submissions and couldn't respond to them, so he is inviting writers to resubmit if they never heard back the first time. This message below was posted on the Verla Kay message boards. (Special thanks for this heads up goes to blog contributor Nancy Parish.)
       "If you sent us a query before November 1, 2009, and haven’t heard anything back from us, please consider querying us again (queries[at]themcveighagency.com). Please only reach out to us if your manuscript falls into one of the following categories:
       • Quirky, funny picture books with a unique twist; always kid-centric: what haven't you ever read before in a picture book? Well, write it!
       • Chapter books with a great hook--school based, funny, always character or situation driven.
       • Middle grade genre books, especially those with series potential – for example, set in a private school, sports-related (for either boys or girls or both!), for horse-lovers, and something so irresistible to capture that elusive male reader who prefers video games. Girl books, but no watered-down "rich girl with sexy lifestyle" please
       • YA – funny or full of teen angst; envelope pushing or issue based; love stories, of course; always looking for something original and with a kid's or teen's voice. Again, ask yourself: what hasn't been done before. Make it--and this goes for everything you send Mark--start with an intoxicating chapter that FORCES the reader to keep going.
       Please note that we are NOT looking at middle grade or YA fantasy at this time. Dazzle us with your query letter but keep it brief! Then paste the first 10 pages of your manuscript into the body of the e-mail (no attachments). Can’t wait to read 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

Tuesday, February 02, 2010 12:22:02 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)

Comments [0]

Monday, February 01, 2010

Agent Advice: Irene Goodman of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency (and News About More of Her Auctioned Critiques!)
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 Irene Goodman of the Irene Goodman Literary Agency. Irene's clients are regulars on the New York Times, USA Today, Walden, Publishers Weekly, and Bookscan bestseller lists. Together with her dynamic staff, her agency represents over 80 authors. Originally from the Midwest, Irene has a B.A. and a master's degree from the University of Michigan. She divides her time between New York and the Berkshires. Her personal passions include opera, Doonesbury, Mark Twain, theatre, and children. She also auctions off manuscript critiques for charity (see more below).

She is seeking: memoir, narrative history, music, social issues and commentary, animals, parenting, food, Judaica, Anglophilia, Francophilia, crafts, and lifestyle. Her fiction list includes historical fiction, women's fiction, thrillers, literary fiction, and mysteries.

GLA: How did you become an agent?

IG: I've always enjoyed breaking through red tape and doing my own thing. When I first came to New York to work for a book publisher, I got a chance to see up close what agents do. And I said to myself, "I would be good at that." So my next job was working for an agent. What motivates me is that it's endlessly exciting. In our office, we all look forward to Mondays. We have comradeship, and we have joy. Sometimes we go on "class trips" to the theatre or the beach, but we never stop talking shop.

GLA: Before we get into the interview, about a month ago, I blogged about you doing a critique auction for charity. How did that go?

IG: It was amazing! I auctioned off critiques of 25 partial manuscripts on eBay, and the response was fantastic. The top bid came in at $1025.00. We raised over $15,000 altogether, all of which will go directly to the Foundation Fighting Blindness and the Deafness Research Foundation.
       I intend to keep doing these auctions for as long as I can. There will be two auctions a month (one per foundation), every month, with another big marathon each year in December. The next eBay auction starts today (Feb. 1, 2010) at 3 p.m. Pacific time, and there are 4 auctions for various causes. Auctions will continue every month. Anyone who wants to participate or get more information should go to my web site www.irenegoodman.com, where they will find a link to the auction pages.

GLA: What are some things you've sold recently that you're excited about?

IG: I sold a trilogy of novels about the life of Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey that went to Ballantine, at auction. The first book is called Becoming Marie Antoinette, and it covers the high stakes makeover that the pre-teen underwent before she went to France. The second book will be about the queen years, and the third book will cover her untimely end. (Or as the author likes the sum up the three books--teen, queen, guillotine.)
        Another one that looks very promising is Shakespeare Undead by NY Times bestseller Lori Handleland, that sold to St. Martin's. Did you know that the Bard was a necromancer in his spare time, chasing down zombie armies? Or, as Anne Hathaway put it, "No wonder he was never home."

GLA: What's something that was recently released that you are excited about?

IG: Susan Donovan's Ain't Too Proud to Beg, a contemporary romance novel that pushes the boundaries and delivers the author's trademark intelligence and wit. It made #21 on the NY Times Extended list. Since it's the first of a trilogy, the next books are sure to go over the top.
       Another one that's coming up is And God Said by the foremost translator of ancient Hebrew, Joel Hoffman. If you think you know what the most famous verses in the bible mean, you are probably wrong. Centuries of mistranslation have turned incorrect concepts and words into icons that aren't what you think they are.

GLA: Historical fiction can cover a lot of ground. Do you find yourself drawn to anything in particular? For example, would you consider an epic book set in Rome?

IG: Rome is a tough sell, but anything is possible. However, I focus more on European stories with a strong hook. Female subjects work best. The court of Henry VIII has been very well mined, but there are plenty of other delicious people in history whose stories are begging to be told.

GLA: Let's say you're reading a partial for a mystery or thriller. Tell me about some bad openings you see time and time again - what are some Chapter 1 cliches?

IG: The most common opening is a grisly murder scene told from the killer's point of view. While this usually holds the reader's attention, the narrative drive often doesn't last once we get into the meat of the story. A catchy opening scene is great, but all too often it falls apart after the initial pages. I often refer people to the opening of Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin, which is about nothing more than a young couple getting an apartment. It is masterfully written and yet it doesn't appear to be about anything sinister at all. And it keeps you reading.

GLA: Barbara Poelle at your agency once told me that you had a great habit of finding nonfiction projects that were off the beaten path. What did she mean by this?

IG: Well, not too long ago, an odd little self-published book came in the mail called Their Last Suppers by Andrew Caldwell. It's about famous people in history, their colorful ends, and their last meals, including recipes. The author was traveling all over the country promoting it at wine stores and restaurants, including theme dinners (i.e. the last supper on the Titanic). I loved this quirky idea, and went wide with the manuscript. Three publishers offered on it, and it went to Andrews McMeel.

GLA: You rep a lot of nonfiction projects. What are you looking for and not getting?

IG: Nonfiction is less about what people send me than it is about what I go after. I'll get an idea for a nonfiction project, find the right author with the right platform or attach a big name to it, and get a writer if necessary. That works a lot better than sitting around waiting to see what comes in. Most unsolicited nonfiction submissions lack the necessary platform that would make them worthwhile.

GLA: According to your website, you have an interest in books about Britain and France. Why this interest? Do you also look for fiction books perhaps set in these countries?

IG: Britain? There will always be an England. France? Are you kidding? Go to France, have one meal there, and then come back and tell me if you still have that question. The French know how to love life and love themselves. They know how to take pleasure seriously. I sold a book called French Women Don't Sleep Alone by Jamie Callan, about how to get a guy the French girl way. (Hint: Dating is so American.)

GLA: You've agented for decades and seen the publishing landscape change. Do you have any advice for authors on how they can be prepared for whatever lies ahead?

IG: Look for the loopholes in the system that weren't there before. Consider the case of Boyd Morrison, who posted his unpublished thriller, The Ark, on Amazon, available only as an e-book. The readers found it on their own and it quickly became a Kindle #1 bestseller. Using that base, I was able to sell it to Simon & Schuster, where it now headlines the Touchstone list. Our brilliant foreign rights agent, Danny Baror, has made major sales in over 15 countries (and counting).

GLA: Something personal about yourself people might be surprised to know?

IG: My favorite movie of all time is The Godfather (both I & II). I have seen them both countless times, and manage to find something new each time. I will go toe to toe with anyone on Godfather trivia. It is also one of the best business books ever written. Seriously. One of the most quoted lines is "It's just business, not personal." But what people often forget is what Michael says later on, which is that everything is personal.

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

IG: There's an old proverb: "If you are like him, who will be like you?" Be bold. Be yourself. Write the book that only you could write. Technology changes, but the fundamentals don't. Human beings have had a driving need to tell stories since they lived in caves. The earliest storytellers enthralled listeners around campfires. Chaucer entertained the court by telling them the Canterbury Tales. In the 19th century, people lined up for blocks to get the next installment of the new Dickens story. Today, teenagers in Tokyo are downloading the latest vampire saga onto their phones. So no matter what format becomes the norm, a great story is still what it's all about. Hone your craft, learn the techniques of telling a great story, and the rest will come.