As I’m sure you’re aware, the path to getting a book into bookstores is not easy, but it is straightforward. I’ll go over the ins and outs from literary agents to advances, editors to proofreaders, marketing to publicity.
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When it comes to your book's success, it's less about self-publishing versus traditional publishing and much more about the foundation you've laid. Before you put a book into the world, do these two things first.
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When you should and when you shouldn't query literary agents in another country. Plus, what you need to be ready for if you do.
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(It's probably not what you think.) Most aspiring authors come to me worried about time, platform, and writing experience, but often, what they REALLY need isn't even on their radar.
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Think social media is the only way to build an author platform? Think again. There are many ways to make a name for yourself in the book world....even if you're an introvert.
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Don’t let rare and complicated scenarios or exceptions confuse you. If you only learn these 7 very simple rules, you’ll be right 97% of the time. That’s good enough for me to see your writing as smart and clean.
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Age-old wisdom says you should never query agents in the summer months, but is this a myth or a fact?
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If you just need a tool to organize a long document, you can change your life in a couple of minutes. Totally worth the investment, even if you never take advantage of all the bells and whistles.
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Pitching agents can be torturous. Did they get my query? Did they hate my query? I bared my soul and all I got was this form rejection? Ugh, I’ve been there. Fortunately, you don’t need a miracle to turn this around. You need a strategy.
Here’s a case study for you.
Deciding whether or not to self-publish is one of the most difficult and significant decisions an author will face. Most people I know have a strong opinion one way or another. I have two strong opinions. First, I think self publishing is of tremendous value to readers, writers, and the publishing field. Second, way too many writers self publish for the wrong reasons.
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I am a huge advocate of personalizing query letters. but too many authors are going about this the wrong way. Let’s talk about a better way to open your query letter, a way that convincingly shows the agent why your book is perfect for them.
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You’ve got a great book, but now you have to write something that might feel even harder — a knockout query letter. In this detailed guide, I’ll show you exactly how to do that without making all-too common mistakes.
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I talk a lot about finding the right agent for you, rather than just any agent. You want someone who gets your vision, who knows how to sell books like yours, and whose personality gels with yours, which means finding the right agent is a pretty personal task. That said, there are a few consistent qualities we should all be looking for:
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I’m going to cut out all opinion and all hype to be as realistic and straightforward as I can about the ins and outs, the pros and cons, and all the numbers for both ways to publish.
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Enrolling in an MFA in creative writing is a massive (and often massively expensive) decision. I’ll talk about whether mine was worth it, what to consider as you decide, your next steps for applying and getting funding, and alternatives to an MFA.
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A pretty common fear among aspiring authors is that if they pitch their book to an agent or publisher, that person will steal their idea. They either avoid querying, or they write “copyright” all over their manuscript, which immediately makes them look like an amateur.
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You’ll never finishing writing a book unless you do this one thing. And (gasp), a client helped me realize I’m not doing it! Here’s what you need to do to finish.
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