In my last two letters, I shared two of my top tips for writers: reading for enjoyment and reading like a writer. Today’s letter is about my third top tip: writing with intention. Essentially, this approach encourages authors to utilize the principles discussed in the previous two letters in their writing practice. Just as reading for enjoyment serves […]
My Top Three Tips: Write with Intention Read Post »
Last week, I talked about the importance of reading for enjoyment. However, reading for enjoyment doesn’t mean that authors shouldn’t also read analytically. My second top tip is to read like a writer—essentially, to study published books in order to understand the tools their authors used to create them. While these two approaches are on opposite
My Top Three Tips: Read Like a Writer Read Post »
Last month I participated in a panel moderated by author and illustrator Pat Cummings. Toward the end of the event, Pat asked the panelists to share the top three pieces of advice we would give to anyone looking to create children’s books and enter the publishing world. I appreciated the chance to answer this question on
My Top Three Tips: Read for Enjoyment Read Post »
Sometimes it can feel as if you are languishing in the submissions trenches while everyone else finds an agent, gets a book deal, receives a starred review, and becomes an instant bestseller. If you’re feeling this way, you’re in good company! There’s a reason that this tweet went viral in the publishing corners of social
The Submissions Process: Dealing with Rejection Read Post »
Like last week’s letter, this week’s letter answers some frequently asked questions. Next week, I’ll be closing this series with a letter about one of the most challenging aspects of the submissions process: rejection. Question: Should I try to write a book that fits current trends? Answer: It’s fine to be aware of trends, but I don’t encourage
The Submissions Process: Frequently Asked Questions (Part Two) Read Post »
In this week’s and next week’s letters, I’ll be answering some frequently asked questions to wrap up this submissions series. Question: Most literary agents ask that authors submit only a handful of sample pages alongside a query letter. How can agents make a decision based on so little material? What if those pages aren’t the
The Submissions Process: Frequently Asked Questions (Part One) Read Post »
In last week’s letter, I shared the five main parts of a query letter (Salutation, What, Why, Pitch, and Who), along with a sample query letter for a fictious project. This week, let’s unpack that sample query letter further, starting with a topic that can prompt a lot of debate in the writing world: word counts.
The Submissions Process: How to Submit (Part Two) Read Post »
After you’ve identified WHERE to submit by researching literary agents, it’s time for HOW to submit: writing a query letter. Your query letter’s job is to introduce potential agents to your book—what it’s about, who its readers are, and how it fits the agent’s interests. Though I’ll be sharing tips and suggestions for this stage of the submissions
The Submissions Process: How to Submit (Part One) Read Post »
Once you have an initial list of agent names, I recommend using a spreadsheet to collate and organize your research about WHERE to submit. You might include columns like: Agent name: I typically recommend addressing agents by their full name (e.g. “Dear Julie Scheina”) or first name (e.g. “Dear Julie”) in order to avoid potential honorific
The Submissions Process: Where to Submit (Part Two) Read Post »
Once you’ve determined that you want to pursue traditional publishing and are ready to submit to literary agents, the next step is deciding WHERE to submit by researching agents who might be a good fit for your work. While there are many websites that provide information about literary agents (see below for some of them), one of the
The Submissions Process: Where to Submit (Part One) Read Post »
