May/June2013 Issue
May/June Issue
Writer's Digest Magazine
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Website of the Week
Chuck Sambuchino’s Guide to Literary Agents Blog
Chuck Sambuchino is an editor and published author who runs the Guide to Literary Agents Blog, one of the biggest blogs in publishing. His site has instruction and information on literary agents, literary agencies, query letters, submissions, publishing, author platform, book marketing, and more.
7 Things I’ve Learned So Far, by Susan Stockdale
1. Write down every book idea you have as soon as you have it. Otherwise, you’ll forget what might have resulted in your (first) Caldecott, Newbery, or National Book Award. Keep a pencil and paper nearby – in your purse, your briefcase, your car. Transfer your ideas to a “book idea” folder in your computer or journal. Then when you’re searching for your next book topic, you’ll have many choices at hand.
GIVEAWAY: Susan is excited to give away a free copy of her novel to a random commenter. Comment within 2 weeks; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you’ve won before. (Update: missnelso04 won.) Read more
New Literary Agent Alert: MacKenzie Fraser-Bub of Trident Media Group
MacKenzie is seeking: In her own words, “I am actively seeking to build her client list and is particularly interested in women’s fiction. I accept queries from new and emerging writers. What I look for in every genre is a good story, well told.” It sounds like she generally accepts literary fiction, women’s fiction and commercial/genre fiction. Looking through her client list, I can see that she reps multiple romance writers, a mystery writer, and an adventure writer.” Read more
Debut Author Interview: Rayya Elias, Author of the Memoir HARLEY LOCO
Debut memoirs are very exciting to examine because a lot of people want to write about their life, and interviewing success stories can help others illuminate paths to publishing success. Today we meet Rayya Elias, whose debut memoir came out in April 2013. It’s called HARLEY LOCO: A Memoir of Hard Living, Hair, and Post-Punk From the Middle East to the Lower East Side.
Regarding the book, Publishers Weekly called it, “[A] compulsively page-turning memoir…Haunting and mesmerizing, Elias’s story captures powerfully the vulnerability of being an outsider and the deep yearnings to be a part of something.” Read more
The More You Will It, The Better Your Chances: An Inspirational Story For Writers
… I did this one other thing on the third floor. I’d always make a detour to the spot where Close Is Fine would go if it ever found publication, which in this case was right between John Treherne’s The Walk to Acorn Bridge and Hans-Ulrich Treichel’s Leaving Sardinia. When I got there, I’d reach up and wedge my hand in and make an opening. I’d step back and let my eyes go a little crossed, and I’d force myself to see it: the title running down the spine, with the Cutter, the label on which the call letters were printed, at the bottom.
GIVEAWAY: Eliot is excited to give away a free copy of his collection to a random commenter. Comment within 2 weeks; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you’ve won before. (Update: Jarika won.) Read more
3 Secrets of the Greats: Structure Your Story for Ultimate Reader Addiction — April 11 Webinar
Every story needs a great plot. A lot’s been said about the subject — from advice on composing a great ending to having a three-act structure framework. But there’s more to plot and structure — a lot more. So the good news is that we have writer & editor A. Victoria Mixon teaching a brand new live webinar called “3 Secrets of the Greats: Structure Your Story for Ultimate Reader Addiction.” It happens at 1 p.m., EST, Thursday, April 11, and lasts 90 minutes.
In this brand new live webinar, independent editor A. Victoria Mixon teaches the missing three pieces to the puzzle of storytelling structure. You can learn to take your reader on that fabulous rollercoaster ride they crave, creating Ultimate Reader Addiction to your stories, every single time. Read more
5 Tips to Help You Make Your Deadline
1. Do the math. Before you undertake the final throes of a deadline, you should map out how much time you have and how much writing you have to do. It’s a terrible SAT math question: if a novelist only has so much time to write x-amount of words, how long before it feels as though those two trains are coming straight at him/her? (show your work). Read more
Debut Author Interview: Henriette Lazaridis Power, Author of THE CLOVER HOUSE
This installment of Debut Author Interviews is with debut literary fiction novelist Henriette Lazaridis Power, for her novel, THE CLOVER HOUSE (April 2012, Ballantine). Her agent is Kent Wolf at Lippincott Massie McQuilkin.
THE CLOVER HOUSE was praised by author Jenna Blum (Those Who Save Us) as “A rare treat: an elegantly written debut about a family mystery set during wartime, the slipperiness of memory, and the challenges of forgiveness . . . Read it, read it!” Author Henriette Lazaridis Power is a first-generation Greek-American who has degrees in English literature from Middlebury College; Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar; and the University of Pennsylvania. She taught at Harvard for ten years, serving as an academic dean for four of those. Read more
4 Ways to Build Healthy Relationships with Your Readers
I wrote Anne Rice an email. She wrote me back fifteen minutes later. I couldn’t believe it. Here I was, a stranger, and she immediately wrote me a kind, friendly note. Having a positive relationship with your readers pays off. Readers are more likely to buy your book if they feel a personal connection to you. They’re more likely to mention your book to their friends, because they want to brag about how they interacted with the author. I’ve had readers introduce me to reporters, set up book signings and get me speaking engagements. Here are 4 simple points to help build healthy relationships with your readers… Read more
7 Things I’ve Learned So Far, by You Byun
3. Please yourself as a reader. I have the highest standard and expectation as a reader, like you do. When I walk into a bookstore, I want to be surprised to find a new picture book that will astonish me. I want to fall in love. I want to feel jealous because I didn’t come up with it first. I want to be surprised by a book because of its artwork or its touching story or the playfulness of the book. When I loved a book I have to own it. There is something magical in those special books which make me buy them…
GIVEAWAY: Y.B. is excited to give away a free copy of her novel to a random commenter. Comment within 2 weeks; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you’ve won before. (Update: Sylliu won.) Read more
New Agent Alert: David Haviland of the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency.
About David: David Haviland is the fiction agent for the Andrew Lownie Literary Agency in London. As well as being a literary agent, he is an experienced writer, ghost writer, and editor who has written bestselling books for major publishers including Harper Collins, Penguin, Piatkus and Little, Brown. His recent books include ‘How to Remove a Brain’, an amusing history of medical science, and a collection of myth-busting stories from history called ‘The Not-So-Nude Ride of Lady Godiva’. David lives in London, and his favourite writers include Robert B.Parker, David Mamet, Magnus Mills, Denise Mina and Michael Lewis. He seeks writers in the US and the UK.
He is seeking: all genres of fiction, but I’m particularly interested in crime, thrillers, and historical fiction. Read more
Agent Regina Brooks Teaches “Writing Great Books for Young Adults” — April 4 Webinar With Critique
Young adult fiction is a vibrant and growing section of the book writing world. YA is the genre that has the most breakout writers every month, allowing new voices to reach the marketplace all the time. But with more opportunity comes more competition — and agents & editors see tons of submissions each month that get rejected because they don’t stand out. That’s why we have literary agent Regina Brooks teaching the webinar, “Writing Great Books for Young Adults” at 1 p.m., EST, Thursday, April 4, 2013. It lasts 90 minutes. Read more
Agent Advice: Kristina Holmes of The Holmes Agency
This installment features Kristina Holmes of The Holmes Agency. She began her literary career at Ebeling & Associates, and after six years left to start her own venture. Fueled by a passion to bring meaningful books to the world, on January 2012, her agency was born. From her home base in Boulder, Colorado, she`s been positively impacting authors ever since.
She is seeking: practical and literary nonfiction: health & wellness, business, spirituality, relationships, sex, nature, environmental issues, science, cookbooks, gift books, creative nonfiction and memoir. Read more
The 9 Ingredients of Character Development
1. Communication style: How does your character talk? Does she favor certain words or phrases that make her distinct and interesting? What about the sound of her voice? Much of our personality comes through our speech, so think about the way your character is going to talk. Her style of communication should be distinctive and unique.
GIVEAWAY: Tom is excited to give away a free copy of his novel to a random commenter. Comment within 2 weeks; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you’ve won before. (Update: KarenLange won.) Read more
Debut Author Interview: Wendy Welch, Author of the Memoir THE LITTLE BOOKSTORE OF BIG STONE GAP
I love featuring interviews with first-time book writers on my blog. It’s a rare treat that I get to sit down and talk with a debut memoir writer, but that’s just what’s happening today. Meet author Wendy Welch, who wrote the inspiring and fun book, THE LITTLE BOOKSTORE OF BIG STONE GAP (Oct. 2012, St. Martins). The book has been featured by People. Redbook, NPR, and many other media outlets.
Wendy’s story is billed as “the little Virginia bookstore that could: how two people, two cats, two dogs, and thirty-eight thousand books helped a small town find its heart. It is a story about people and books, and how together they create community.” Publishers Weekly said “The whole narrative exudes enormous charm and the value of dreams and lives truly lived,” while Kirkus called it “An entertaining book with a full cast of eccentric characters.” Read more
Why You Need a Literary Agent: Novelist Bernadette Pajer Interviews Her Agent, Jill Grosjean
Emerging writers often ask me if literary agents are necessary in today’s publishing world. I say, emphatically, yes! Why? Because after the current turbulent evolution of publishing stabilizes, traditional publishers will continue to exist and play a vital role in the production of books. And why do I believe that? Because most writers want to write. Just write. We know we must help market our books, and that is time-consuming enough, but most of us don’t truly want to do the job of a dozen industry professionals. Read more
On a Positive Note: 5 Ways To Get Good Revision Notes From Others
2. Careful Who You Ask. Just because you want to seek other readers of all shapes and sizes, that does not mean that you should ask just anyone to give you feedback. It’s really important to rely on people whose opinions you trust (seems obvious, but it’s easy to make the error) and who don’t have baggage about you or writing in general. Complicated relationships can be just fine in life, but they’re not a good basis for exchanging notes. Make sure you rely on friends or fellow writers from whom you can comfortably take criticism and not “frenemies” or critical family members. Read more
7 Things I’ve Learned So Far, by Jeanne Ryan
1. Learning to write synopses well is a golden skill. You’re probably aware that if you can master these little guys, you’ll have a leg up on selling manuscripts on proposal, competing in writing contests and applying for grants. But did you know they can also play a big role in selling subsidiary rights? Foreign publishers often send manuscripts to translators for a reading report before they’ll decide on a purchase. Translations cost money, which means it’s more economical for interested publishers to work off of a synopsis first. Need more motivation? Movie agents don’t have time to read every book that crosses their desk. So a well-written synopsis can be the bait they need to lure them into placing your book at the top of their TBR pile. Next time someone claims that synopsis-writing is Satan’s pet torture device, keep in mind they’re really golden keys to some divine opportunities. Read more
Agents Barbara Poelle and Holly Root Cover It All With Their “How to Write a Successful Novel: The Craft, Techniques, and Strategies” Webinar on March 28
If you don’t know who Barbara Poelle and Holly Root are, I’ll tell you. They are both awesome literary agents who both sell a lot of books and also are extremely good at teaching writers how to improve their work. Basically, they’re super-cool and super-smart. And now, somehow, the planets have aligned and they are teaching an intensive new webinar together while offering critiques for all registrants.
The cover-all 90-minute webinar is called “How to Write a Successful Novel: The Craft, Techniques, and Strategies,” and it happens at 1 p.m., Thursday, March 28, 2013. Every registrant will get feedback from the agents on their query letter and first page. Read more
Successful Queries: Agent Alyssa Reuben and “Hidden Cities” (Memoir / Travel)
This series is called “Successful Queries” and I’m posting actual query letter examples that succeeded in getting writers signed with agents. In addition to posting these query letter samples, we will also get to hear thoughts from the writer’s literary agent as to why the letter worked.
The installment in this series is with agent Alyssa Reuben (Paradigm Literary) for Moses Gates’s travel memoir, HIDDEN CITIES: Travels to the Secret Corners of the World’s Great Metropolises; A Memoir of Urban Exploration (Tarcher, March 2013). Publishers Weekly said, “Urban exploration with Gates makes for wildly entertaining reading. A solidly entertaining ride for those seeking a gritty travel experience.” Read more
Agent William Callahan of Waxman Leavell Literary Seeks New Clients
This is not technically a New Agent Alert because William is actually an established rep in the business. That said, this post will resemble such an agent spotlight because William wants writers alerted that he is actively building his client list right now. Such a call-out from an established agent happens rarely, so learn more about William Callihan of Waxman Leavell Literary Agency and see if he is a good fit for your book.
He is seeking: “I am currently most interested in narrative nonfiction and memoir, comedy and pop culture, American history, crime and commercial thrillers, and literary fiction.” Read more
Picture Books Are Not Just for Children: 10 Reasons Why
2. Picture book language is often more sophisticated than the first chapter books that children read, and therefore an excellent way for children to learn language. It is here that children, and others, can learn vocabulary, imagery, rhythm, shape, structure, conciseness, emotional power.
3. The picture book is the most flexible of all literary formats. You can do almost anything in a picture book. This flexibility encourages creativity, in both writer and reader. It broadens the mind, and the imagination. And given today’s challenges, we desperately need more creativity, broadened minds and imagination. Read more
Debut Author Interview: Sandi Tan, Author of the Literary Horror Novel, THE BLACK ISLE
This edition of our Debut Author Interviews is with the very successful 2012 first-time novelist, Sandi Tan, who penned the acclaimed ghost story, THE BLACK ISLE (August 2012, Grand Central). The Library Journal and the Philadelphia Inquirer both called the book “beautifully written,” while Publishers Weekly chose it as a “pick of the week.”
Author Sandi Tan was born in Singapore and has an MFA in screenwriting from Columbia University. Her short films have been shown around the world at venues such as the New York Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand, MoMA, and on European television. She lives in Pasadena, California, with her husband, the critic John Powers, and their bossy Siamese, Nico. THE BLACK ISLE is her debut novel. Read more
Kim Kavin: Read an Interview With the Author of the Acclaimed MY BOY BLUE
This interview is with Kim Kavin, award-winning writer, editor, and photographer whose work is widely published in magazines, in books, and online. In April 2013, she will celebrate 10 years of earning a living as a full-time, freelance journalist. LITTLE BOY BLUE (Barrons, Sept. 2012), a true story about a dog named Blue who was rescued from a gas-chamber shelter in North Carolina and transported hundreds of miles to be adopted. This is Kim’s ninth book and her first hardcover. It’s also her first book about dogs, a topic she hopes to write about for many years to come. Read more
Story Problems? Maybe You Need a Good Piece of Device
Find your device early in your planning or drafting process. Laura Whitcomb included devices in a book about first drafts for a reason. In The Anatomy of Story, John Truby puts the device fourth in a twenty-two step process. He uses the term “designing principle,” and while we can debate whether he means a precise synonym for “device,” it’s clear from the word “designing” and from its early appearance in the process that this element should be groundwork for your story.
Remember Aaron Sorkin: Once he had his “recent past” device, he undoubtedly knew his next step was to choose the time period. That decided, he had a wealth of material where he previously had a gaping hole. A strong device guides you, first draft to last. Read more
Agent Advice: Brooks Sherman of FinePrint Literary Management
This installment features Brooks Sherman of FinePrint Literary Management. After a two-year stint with the Peace Corps in bucolic West Africa and a one-year stint in the savage jungles of Hollywood, he is thrilled to be living once more in Brooklyn. As befitting his chosen career in publishing, he subsists on a diet of breadcrumbs and bourbon.
He is seeking: Adult fiction that runs the gamut from literary and upmarket to speculative (particularly urban/contemporary fantasy rooted in realistic settings, horror/dark fantasy, and magical realism), as well as historical fiction and crime fiction. On the children’s side, he is seeking middle grade novels of all genres (but particularly fantasy adventure and contemporary), and is open to YA fiction of all types except paranormal romance. He would especially love to get his hands on a dark and/or funny contemporary YA project Read more
