How GONE GIRL (probably) made me slip a disc in my neck:

katemckean.substack.com/p/how-not-to-h…

#writingtips #illustration #pubtip #literaryagents

OH adding to this #querytip - if it is a fantasy, it is not "Contemporary YA." Ghosts, elves, aliens, etc... all fantasy. If you don't see YA Fantasy as an available genre, please don't just select any YA genre.

#querytip #WritingCommunity Don't be afraid to let your excitement show in your query. It is our first introduction to you and your book, and telling us what's great about it (or why you felt strongly that you were the right author for it) sets the mood a little.

#querytip #writingcommunity
Your query is a sample of how it will be for agents to work with you. Remember to be professional, polished, enthusiastic, and provide all requested information. Skipping required parts of a query form doesn't inspire confidence.

#querytip #writingcommunity
Please make sure your query matches the genre selected. If it says adult fantasy but is YA fantasy, that will get a rejection. Agents DO notice.

I hate that I have to say this again but...#querytip please don't send agents you've queried expensive gifts!!! It scares us and makes us feel awkward!!!!!!!

Once you agree on the main points, commit it in writing so both parties are clear about what to expect. Include termination terms in case the collaboration doesn't work out (future thread). #pubtip

3) Cash: how you split income. The author can guarantee the writer a set fee no matter how much (or little) money the book makes. The parties can split the advance and/or royalties. Decide if there's a cap to the writer's earnings. I've seen many variations.

If it's truly a 50-50 collaboration, the copyright can be in both names. Keep in mind, both parties will need to agree on any decision, which gets tricky if the book has a long life since 2 separate sets of heirs may need to agree in the future.

2) Copyright: Regardless of the credit, who owns the material? Often the writer is a "work for hire" & the copyright is in the author's name only. This is the person making decisions about what happens to the property (foreign rights, tv/film).

1) Credit: the name(s) on the cover of the book. If it's ghost writing, only the author's name is credited. If a co-writer will get credit, decide on the order & how the names are to be separated. E.g."and" or "with." Let your publisher know the credit line.

If you're thinking of working with someone to help write your book, agree on the terms BEFORE you get a publishing deal. Can't stress this enough. Here are the main deal points, what I call the 3 Cs of Collaboration.

#Querytip When doing personalization, make sure you are referencing things that we want you to find on our profiles or social media, and not things from our personal lives/past that have nothing to do with our jobs. Boundaries people!

Book titles are important!
They should:
-tell what the book’s about
-pitch your book
-intrugue the reader
-irony if possible

Hunger Games

Scrolling through a slush pile is a lot like seeing book spines on shelves. Grab the reader w/ that title!
#writing #amquerying #querytip

Remember to tell a little about you in your query and include any relevant writing experience. It's 100% okay if you haven't published anywhere yet, but we love to hear if you're a member of SCBWI, have published in your college magazine, etc. We want to know you! #querytip

Hey memoir/personal narrative nonfiction writers! Editorial #pubtip: there are two extremely common first draft proposal issues I see over and over, and if you’re ahead of this note before submitting to me or any nonfiction agent, we will be so impressed.

Random #pubtip for authors: if anyone on your pub team ever sends you an email saying, "great news!!! X rights (audio, foreign) are going to be picked up!!!", pause and remember that this much enthusiasm often = "please say yes to this and don't ask questions"

SO MUCH THIS! #amagenting #querytip #amquerying

Questions answered in today's Q&A Thursday:

How many ways can I trick an agent into representing me?
Where can I make connections if I don't live in NYC?
How many subscribers do I need to get a book deal?

katemckean.substack.com/p/all-your-que…

#literaryagents #writingcommunity #pubtip

Most books won’t get the scrutiny that Bolton’s is getting but here’s what you can expect if you’re writing a book about a controversial topic. #pubtip