Agents

So Many Positive Rejections: An Agent’s Response

Rachel Zurakowski

Blogger: Rachel Zurakowski

Location: Books & Such main office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

I received a rejection for a client’s project on Friday. Interestingly, all of the editors’ responses to this book have been just about the same.

The rejections look something like this:…

Read More

Worst Case Scenario– No Platform

Wendy Lawton

Blogger:  Wendy Lawton

Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office

Weather: 67º and cloudy

First, let’s talk about yesterday’s worst case scenario– when your queries go out to a dozen agents and . . . nothing. I appreciated the responses. Excellent.

Here’s what I…

Read More

Worst Case Scenario: Query Silence

Wendy Lawton

Blogger:  Wendy Lawton

Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office

Weather: 61º and rainy

Early on in my life I learned that if I pictured the very worst thing that could happen and figured out some strategies for dealing with it I could…

Read More

Destressing Step 3: Form a Circle of Supportive Colleagues

janetgrant

Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant

Location: Books & Such Main Office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

The same prisoner I wrote about yesterday was in solitary confinement the majority of his eight years as a Vietnam POW. He and other prisoners developed a “Morse” code…

Read More

Entertaining a Difficult Subject

Michelle Ule

Blogger: Michelle Ule

Location: Books & Such Main Office, Santa Rosa, Calif.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the most popular film stars were Shirley Temple, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Astaire and Rogers, in particular, danced through spectaculars, filled with…

Read More

Best of the Blog 2009: Kiss of Death: Quitting the Day Job

Wendy Lawton

Blogger: Wendy Lawton

Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office, CA

It’s my turn to blog again. I planned to write on a whole different topic, but this last week I found myself muttering the words “kiss of death” way too many…

Read More

Best of the Blog 2009: Shattering Publishing Myths: You Can’t Sell a Book Without an Agent

Wendy Lawton

Blogger: Wendy Lawton

Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office, CA

I’ve been collecting publishing myths lately. I’m amassing quite a collection. I think it’s time to do a little myth busting.

Let’s talk about the alleged Catch 22 that frustrates writers. I…

Read More

Best of the Blog 2009: Jumpstart Your Writing Dreams

Wendy Lawton

Blogger: Wendy Lawton

Location: Books & Such Central Valley Office, CA

In a series of my blog posts, we discussed career killers–those missteps that spell the “kiss of death” to a writer’s career. Several of you commented, asking what can be done…

Read More

Following the Rules: Agents and Editors

Wendy Lawton

Blogger: Wendy Lawton

Location: Books & Such Central Valley, California Office

Weather: Cloudy and 67º

I guess you can tell that we’ve been talking about rule-following and judicious rule-bending this week. Let’s take a look at some of the rules you’ve heard about…

Read More

Know When to Hold ‘Em, Know When to Fold ‘Em

janetgrant

Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant

Location: A Wine Country condo, Mt. Hermon Writers Conference Career Track Planning Retreat

So far this week we’ve talked about two responses to the editing process on your contracted manuscript. If you aren’t sure the editing is helping…

Read More