Add $ 29 — to secure a 10 - minute one - on - one meeting with any of
our literary agents or editors in attendance.
This writing event is a wonderful opportunity to get intense instruction over the course of one day, pitch
a literary agent or editor (optional), get your questions answered, and more.
Attract the attention of
literary agents or editors?
The first five pages of a novel, which are considered to be the opening pages, are very important if an author wants to get the attention of
a literary agent or editor.
In a perfect world,
a literary agent or editor will Google your name and find examples of your writings on reputable and impressive websites.
Not exact matches
An
agent query is simply a «pitch letter» that writers submit to
literary agents, book publishers, and /
or magazine
editors.
I tell my clients to (temporarily) disregard the feedback in
literary agent rejection letters, because, if I'm working with the author in a long - term program to help them get
literary agents reading their work, I know their writing is at a high enough level that they should give the manuscript a chance before making radical revisions and /
or hiring an
editor.
And
literary agents meet with
editors and publishers first (
or call them on the phone), to tell them what the book is about.
Lurk
or join for free, and see what a community of 50,000 + authors, readers,
editors,
agents, and other
literary professionals says about places like Balboa, PublishAmerica, and Author Solutions.
* Top
literary agents have the ability to navigate any challenges that come up during the pre-publication, publication,
or post-publication process without losing their cool
or damaging relationships: i.e.
editors that are difficult, fired, laid - off,
or decide to retire; bad book cover designers; your book being cut from the publisher's list before it's even published; bad reviews
or publicity; poor book sales; changes in the industry
or marketplace; etc..
-- Tips, steps, resources on traditional publishing: how to find the right publisher, how to find a
literary agent; how to pitch an
agent or editor in person
or in writing;
No matter what anyone tells you (like that
agent you've been talking to in Wichita, KS), it's much easier for a New York
literary agent to meet (
or be introduced to)
editors and publishers.
Member - At - Large Membership JOIN NOW Established
literary agents and
editors; heirs, executors
or trustees of the estates of deceased authors;
or attorneys and accountants representing authors;
or publicists
or other publishing professionals.
For two, three
or four days, you gather with other readers, writers, librarians, book dealers,
literary agents,
editors, magazine publishers — all of whom are seriously in love with the mystery and crime genre.
You've had inquiries from
editors or literary agents.
- SFWA's Committe on Writing Scams, which works behind the scenes to collect documentation on questionable
literary agents, publishers,
editors, publicity services, contests, vanity anthologies, magazines, websites, and anything
or anyone else posing a danger to writers.
This could be several hundred dollars (
or more), and they'd have no proof that the bad
literary agents did anything on their behalf, even though the
literary agencies will say that they submitted everyone's work to lots of publishers (good luck getting copies of the rejection letters from
editors that the bad
literary agents supposedly submitted your work to).
Otherwise the response time on the project will be longer; the book might be submitted to the wrong person (often someone who doesn't even work there anymore); the
editor will wonder what's wrong with the
literary agent or the author since no one cared enough to make a real pitch; and, if you do get an offer, it will be smaller because it will probably be the only offer.
Would anyone (like
literary agents,
editors, family,
or friends) be interested in going to your writer website?
Then, when the time comes for you to query
literary agents or submit your writing to
literary journals, you'll have a substantial author platform built for
agents and
editors to look at and admire.
Many acquisition
editors and
literary agents now watch the Kindle bestseller rankings for self - published authors, hoping to woo the next Hugh Howey
or Amanda Hocking to their lists.
Just like with
literary agents, it makes a big difference if a publicist has strong relationships with the
editors they're pitching, since it can often mean the difference between ending up in the slush pile
or being bumped up to top - priority.
In the time since your
literary agent sold your novel
or non-fiction book proposal to a book publisher and you signed your book contract, you and your
editor have likely had some back - and - forth about the content.
With Colorado Gold just around the corner (and other conferences happening around the country throughout the rest of the summer and the autumn), many authors are preparing to pitch a manuscript to a
literary agent, an
editor,
or both.
There are plenty of opportunities to rub elbows with publishing professionals, get one - on - one writing advice from successful authors, bond with fellow writers, and pitch your project to a
literary agent or publishing
editor.
Use
literary agency websites and social sites like LinkedIn will help you research the
agents and
editors who are most likely to respond to your work for when you send out that brilliant query
or bulletproof proposal.
You don't answer to an acquisitions
editor, a
literary agent,
or a publisher.»
The first step before querying a fiction
literary agent is to finish your novel and revise, send to critique partners and /
or professional freelance
editors (contact Midnight Publishing to discuss our editing packages for developmental editing, copy editing, and proofreading to address any of your book's needs before querying it to
agents).
More and more writers are hiring their own developmental
editors, whether they plan to self - publish their book
or hope to land a
literary agent and go for a book deal with a traditional publisher.
It's become something of an adage that every
literary agent (
or publisher,
or editor,
or reader...) is looking for is a fresh and distinctive Voice.
As
literary agents and
editors read through your work, they might — if interested — do a quick Google
or Internet search on your name to see what comes up.
You may even catch the attention of a visiting
editor, publisher,
or literary agent.
Presenting a strong book proposal is the first step in getting a
literary agent or an in - house
editor to take note of a book.
You can find
literary agents, and acquisitions
editors on the social media sites —
or I should say, they'll find you.
A writer who doesn't have an up - to - date online presence won't be able to connect with readers,
editors,
or literary agents as easily and effectively as one who has an active author platform.
Their reasons for attending include getting concrete advice from professional writers,
editors, and
agents; picking up useful tips for revising and polishing their work; hearing what different kinds of
editors are looking for; meeting one - on - one with
literary agents; and /
or honing their skills in inspiring small - group breakout sessions.
You will have difficulty in getting an
editor to look at your manuscript
or book proposal if you don't have a
literary agent.
Now, odds are low that a
literary agent,
editor or publisher is going to use your contact page to send you a desperate «Please, please, work with me!
When
literary agents submit work, they don't ask
editors or publishers to sign NDAs.
Keep in mind that legitimate
literary agents do not charge professional fees
or representation fees;
agents only get paid once an
editor publishes the writer's book.
Editors trust
agents to screen out unpublishable work
or work that would never interest them, so when a
literary agent takes a manuscript to a publisher, it will receive fair consideration.
The only way to get your manuscript onto the desk of an acquisitions
editor at one of the big traditional publishers (unless you have a personal connection
or you meet an
editor at a writers» conference) is to sign with a
literary agent.
If, for instance, you post an essay to a small writing website with limited members for constructive criticism,
or use a message board to post a poem for critique — this probably won't deter some journal
editors and
literary agents.
You could also find a patient
literary agent to work with you
or maybe even an
editor but those could be rare and /
or expensive proposition.
Would anyone (like
literary agents,
editors, family,
or... Continue Reading
Today's
editors and
literary agents at traditional publishing houses wouldn't dare scoff at an author because he
or she decided to self - publish (self - published authors keep proving how great they are!).
Educate you on the publishing process and do so from all angles — that of an aspiring author as well as a
literary agent or publisher's acquisitions
editor.