Literary Agent
Kate McKean @kate_mckean
Some end of year #pubtips: When agents ask for your pub credits or previously published works in a query letter, we're not asking you to prove SOMEONE ELSE LIKED MY WRITING SO YOU WILL TOO. 1/3Pub credits et al tell us what you're up to, or have been up to. What worlds are you active in? Has anyone heard of them? Are they related to the book you're querying? Will they help with promotion? #pubtip 2/3
Literary Agent
When pitching around a book, it’s a good idea to have Chariots of Fire playing in the background, to make the experience nice and epic. #pubtip
Literary Agent
We at BookEnds live by the 24-Hour Rule. Now we're sharing our tip with you! #pubtip youtu.be/-e5OiK8g2ho?a
Literary Agent
Saba Sulaiman @agentsaba
here's the thing: rejection is the worst but *self-rejection* is the kiss of death in publishing. it is a beast only you can slay and banish and it’ll keep creeping up on you and tempting you to give up when things seem hopeless, and it is *on you* to tell it to shut the hell up.hii 2018's almost over (!) so here's a roundup of some of the #writetip and #pubtip threads i made this year that have resonated the most, beginning with
the time i talked about battling your self-rejection demons (it's doable and i highly recommend it) twitter.com/agentsaba/stat…
Editor
Emily Rodmell @EmilyRodmell
Ideal length of a query letter: 3 to 4 paragraphs that all fit on one page.1 paragraph to introduce yourself.
1 to share why you think your book is a good fit.
1 to share a short blurb.
1 to offer qualifications (if applicable) and/or closing statement.
Great #pubtip
Literary Agent
Mary Keliikoa @mary_keliikoa
I'm in the beginning stage, but I wish I'd known getting the deal doesn't speed anything up. "Patience is a virtue" must have been coined from the publishing industry! But community is everything. Hold onto it. Appreciate it. It takes you through the darker days. @Debut19Chat twitter.com/DebutAuthors19…
Literary Agent
Dara Enameled Pepper Mill Kaye @DaraKaye
Been thinking more about takeaways from last weekend's #CHESAWW writers conferenceThis pic is from Saturday afternoon, the "First Pages Panel", where first pages of unpublished works were read aloud anonymously to a panel of literary agents.
(NB: all works were fiction.) 1/x twitter.com/M_L_Webber/sta…
While we're at it, here's a thread on writing opening scenes in fiction, inspired by an agent panel I spoke on earlier this year.
Guess this is a #pubtip #metathread now!
twitter.com/DaraKaye/statu…
Literary Agent
Dara Enameled Pepper Mill Kaye @DaraKaye
Strap in, #amquerying and #amwriting Twitter! Time for some primo, uncut #writingtips from an agent.Something I've been thinking about this week wrt a particular type of #nonfiction book proposal:
The one structured around Examples Of A Phenomenon.
1/
Just got another promising submission that needs a big restructure/rewrite, so it's time to re-up this #pubtip thread on #nonfiction book proposals.
#amediting
Literary Agent
Internationally bestselling author @jodipicoult shares the story of how she found her agent. "You have to plug ahead and believe in yourself" #pubtip #amquerying #litseeker
litseeker.com/2018/12/05/an-…
Literary Agent
Carly Watters @carlywatters
A very short proposal can look like you're throwing spaghetti to see what sticks. Are you really that invested in the book? Publishing is a business and I need to see a business plan. #pubtipDon't know where to start your proposal? Here: janefriedman.com/start-here-how… #pubtip
Literary Agent
Carly Watters @carlywatters
Writing a book proposal is for YOU as much as it's for the agents and editors. You need to know exactly what your book is about. Each chapter. Who you're going to interview. Aware of the market. Have a platform/be an expert. Send samples. #pubtipA very short proposal can look like you're throwing spaghetti to see what sticks. Are you really that invested in the book? Publishing is a business and I need to see a business plan. #pubtip
Literary Agent
Carly Watters @carlywatters
If you're pitching non fiction your proposal should be longer than 10 pages.Much longer. #pubtip
Writing a book proposal is for YOU as much as it's for the agents and editors. You need to know exactly what your book is about. Each chapter. Who you're going to interview. Aware of the market. Have a platform/be an expert. Send samples. #pubtip
Literary Agent
If you're pitching non fiction your proposal should be longer than 10 pages.
Much longer. #pubtip
Literary Agent
Re the Nora Roberts title mess: authors, if you ever want to serve a publishing beef, bring it to your agent before Twitter, please. Less chance of embarrassing yourself; greater chance of satisfying sympathy rage and behind-the-scenes gossip. #pubtip
Literary Agent
Nichole ✨✨✨ @tnwhiskeywoman
Just learned about this situation and YIKES. To accuse a whole Nora Roberts... wow. This is why you check in with your agent before posting something like this. 😬😯 pic.twitter.com/X87plvzYGBToday's #pubtip: You can't copyright a book title.
As a result, lots of books share the same titles.
Sometimes they're obvious, e.g., many romance novels called "Forbidden Love".
Sometimes weird, e.g., Mitchell's CLOUD ATLAS and Callanan's THE CLOUD ATLAS both pubbed in 2004
Literary Agent
Literary Agent
Lynnette Novak @Lynnette_Novak
I’ll admit I request A LOT. I can’t help myself. So many great projects come my way, and I need to see if they’ll hook me to the point of obsession. That’s what it takes. I need to be so in love with the MS that I gush. #pubtip #amquerying #amagenting 1/3Maybe the next project will snag me or maybe this MS will hook another agent. Don’t give up. You’re almost there!!! #pubtip #amquerying #amagenting 3/3
Literary Agent
Lynnette Novak @Lynnette_Novak
I’ll admit I request A LOT. I can’t help myself. So many great projects come my way, and I need to see if they’ll hook me to the point of obsession. That’s what it takes. I need to be so in love with the MS that I gush. #pubtip #amquerying #amagenting 1/3The sad thing is that means I have to reject many wonderful projects that are truly great but just didn’t wow me. If you’re one of those authors, please know you’re close. #pubtip #amquerying #amagenting 2/3
Literary Agent
I’ll admit I request A LOT. I can’t help myself. So many great projects come my way, and I need to see if they’ll hook me to the point of obsession. That’s what it takes. I need to be so in love with the MS that I gush. #pubtip #amquerying #amagenting 1/3
Literary Agent
#PubTip
A note on the Delivery Dates Clause in your contract...
Delivery clause doesn't mean an author can't write/ sell other books. It means author can't write/ sell other books that would interfere with on-time delivery of contracted book.
#agenting
#contracts
#clearasmud