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query letters
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Compelling Query Letters for Novel & Memoir
ONLINE CLASS Compelling Query Letters for Novel & Memoir Learn the best practices of query writing whether you plan to ...
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November 7, 2023
The Complete Guide to Query Letters
The query letter has one purpose, and one purpose only: to seduce the agent or editor into reading or requesting ...
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January 17, 2020
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agents
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fiction writing
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How to Get Published
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novel hook
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Queries & Synopses
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query letters
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traditional publishing
The Conflicting Advice You’ll Receive on Query Letters
At its core, a query letter is a sales document, and so it’s meant to sell. But opinions differ on ...
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November 1, 2017
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Queries & Synopses
I Received Conflicting Advice on My Query Letter. What Now?
When a query letter receives conflicting feedback from professionals, how does an unpublished writer decide what to believe? ...
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September 14, 2023
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Ask the Editor
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Queries & Synopses
Query Letter Master Class with Jane Friedman
Learn the best practices of query writing (in any genre), get personalized feedback, and submit your work with confidence. The ...
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March 23, 2022
How to Immediately Improve Your Query Letter’s Effectiveness
In my many years of critiquing queries, I see the same weaknesses again and again. Here are the biggest issues ...
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June 12, 2017
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Queries & Synopses
How Much Should You Personalize a Query Letter?
Some agents and editors say that personalizing a query letter can backfire. Others say the opposite—that it's mandatory. What should ...
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May 23, 2017
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Queries & Synopses
How to Write a Query Letter: Nonfiction and Memoir
Learn how to pitch your nonfiction book to agents and publishers—whether you're writing memoir, narrative nonfiction, or prescriptive nonfiction ...
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January 5, 2016
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getting published
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How to Get Published
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literary agents
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memoir
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narrative nonfiction
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nonfiction book proposals
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nonfiction books
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publishing
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Queries & Synopses
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query letters
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rejection
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traditional publishing
Pitch Yourself Before You Pitch Your Book
If your query letter isn’t standing out from the pack, consider leading with what makes you, not your story, compelling ...
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July 21, 2023
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Guest Post
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Queries & Synopses
Writing Middle Grade Fiction Today with Mary Kole
ONLINE CLASS Writing Middle Grade Fiction Today Learn what it takes to break into the middle-grade market Registration is closed ...
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May 23, 2023
Before You Hire a Developmental Editor: What You Need to Know
Three editors discuss the types and stages of editing, whether publishing industry experience matters, hiring guidelines and much more ...
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December 15, 2022
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Guest Post
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Working with Editors
What I Learned From 90 Queries
Even with an excellent query and opening pages, you’ll still get rejections. A lot of them. Success comes to those ...
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December 14, 2022
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Guest Post
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Queries & Synopses
Getting Past the Gatekeepers with Allison K Williams and Jane Friedman
ONLINE CLASS Getting Past the Gatekeepers Learn to troubleshoot your novel’s first pages and query letter—and increase your chances of ...
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May 16, 2022
The Benefits of MFA Programs: Q&A with Alan Davis
One professor addresses common questions and criticisms about MFA programs ...
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May 4, 2022
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Author Q&A
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Guest Post
Copywriting Secrets for Writers
ONLINE CLASS Copywriting Secrets for Writers Marketers use these time-tested strategies to gain attention and get their messages read. You ...
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October 8, 2021
How to Write a Novel or Memoir Synopsis
Learn how to craft a strong novel synopsis, while avoiding the most common mistakes, including the dreaded "synopsis speak." ...
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May 1, 2020
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agents
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Getting Published
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novel writing
,
queries
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Queries & Synopses
How and Why to Build a Twitter Following While Unpublished
An unpublished writer describes how she built a five-figure Twitter following within a year, by helping other writers and engaging ...
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November 14, 2019
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Guest Post
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Social Media
How to Define and Describe Your Readership: A Confusing Issue for Nonfiction Book Proposals
If you’re pitching a nonfiction book, at some point, an editor or agent will expect you to describe the readership ...
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December 4, 2018
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Book Proposals
Starting Later & Starting Over: Launching a Writing Career When You’re No Longer “Young”
Seven-figure deals seem to be given to more 20-something debut writers than debut writers in any other age group, yet ...
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May 14, 2018
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Author Earnings & Careers
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Guest Post
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Literary Agents
How Kindle Press Made My Novel a Bestseller
In 2015, Kindle Press published about 90 novels. By the end of 2016, it had published a total of 218 ...
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January 23, 2017
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agents
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Amazon
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book marketing and promotion
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fiction writing
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Getting Published
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indie authors
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self-publishing
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traditional publishing
Should You Hire a Professional Editor?
But being able to truly see if you’ve been successful in writing a compelling work requires objectivity and distance than ...
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November 10, 2016
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book publishing
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editing
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editors
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Getting Published
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revising
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traditional publishing
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writing advice
Do You Have Intention? How to Set Achievable and Meaningful Goals
The most successful people in every industry use goals as road maps to help them reach their desired destination. It’s ...
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November 7, 2016
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business planning
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Creativity
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Guest Post
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writing advice
Author Collectives and Co-ops: What They Are and How to Start One
Writers' collectives can help independent authors gain an advantage in quality, cost control, and marketing ...
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February 9, 2016
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book marketing and promotion
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digital publishing
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e-publishing
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ebooks
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Guest Post
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Marketing & Promotion
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self-publishing
Thank You
Thanks so much for sending your materials. You’ll hear from me within 1 business day via email to confirm I’ve ...
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January 16, 2016
5 On: Ashley Scott Meyers
Screenwriter Ashley Scott Meyers (@AshleyMeyers) discusses the critical writing lesson he learned over time, what it takes to make a ...
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December 30, 2015
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5 On
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Author Q&A
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marketing
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screenwriting
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scriptwriting
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time management
The Agent’s Role in the Digital Age: A Conversation with Jessica Faust
Literary agent Jessica Faust discusses how she helps authors self-publish ...
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November 30, 2015
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book packagers
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Guest Post
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Literary Agents
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literary agents
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pseudonyms
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self-publishing
Publishing 101 (out of print)
Whether you’ve finished your manuscript or just have the seeds of a book idea, Publishing 101 shows you how to approach editors ...
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December 7, 2014
Should Children’s Book Authors Self-Publish?
Note from Jane: Today's guest post is by Sangeeta Mehta (@sangeeta_editor), a former acquiring editor of children's books at Little, ...
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November 24, 2014
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children's books
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Guest Post
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Literary Agents
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middle grade
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Self-Publishing
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self-publishing
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YA
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young adult
Road to Publication (Paved in Book Events)
Today's guest post is by Darrelyn Saloom, who I first met in December 2008 at a Writer's Digest event. Her ...
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September 5, 2012
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Guest Post
Writing & Publishing Terminology 101
Today I'm revisiting a few of the basics of getting published. (There are always people new to the writing and ...
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April 18, 2012
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Improve Your Writing
Jane’s Writing Advice Archive
Getting Started The Key Book Publishing Paths (Infographic) The Only Way to Know If You'll Be a Successful Writer You ...
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July 26, 2011
Author Platform Is Not a Requirement to Sell Your Novel or Children’s Book
Publishers and literary agents know this, even if they pretend otherwise to conveniently reject you and your work ...
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February 8, 2024
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Author Earnings & Careers
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Author Platform
Your Substack Isn’t For Everyone
To ensure you’re giving value to your audience, make sure you know who your newsletter is for and what they ...
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December 20, 2023
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Email Newsletters
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Guest Post
Researching the Right Literary Agents for You
When seeking an agent, it helps to research what they've actually repped and sold versus what they claim they’re looking ...
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December 19, 2023
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Finding & Researching Agents
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Guest Post
How to Turn an Essay into a Book Deal
In marketing, “proof of concept” means testing an idea for sales potential before going all-in. Here’s how to apply that to ...
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November 1, 2023
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Guest Post
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How to Get Published
The Other Pitch Packages Authors Should Prepare
When soliciting blurbs or appearances on podcasts, its important to convey—in just a few lines—what you and your writing are ...
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September 28, 2023
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Author Platform
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Guest Post
Author Platform Audit & Workshop in Boston
IN-PERSON WORKSHOP Author Platform Audit & Workshop Work hands-on with Jane in Boston to improve your author website, email newsletter, ...
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September 22, 2023
How to Land an Agent for a Graphic Novel
While artists don’t necessarily need an agent to get into comics, these tips will help graphic novelists seeking traditional publication ...
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August 17, 2023
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Finding & Researching Agents
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Guest Post
How My Newsletter Helped Me Land an Agent and a Big Five Book Deal
While a newsletter might not sell your book, writing one can change your work for the better and help build ...
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July 13, 2023
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Email Newsletters
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Getting Published
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Guest Post
How Bad Publishers Hurt Authors
When her indie publisher goes AWOL, an author finds the community and resources she needs to pick up the pieces ...
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March 8, 2023
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Getting Published
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Guest Post
Always Read the Acknowledgments Page
Acknowledgment pages allow us to peer into authors’ lives, and reveal the fascinating web of the publishing world ...
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March 1, 2023
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Guest Post
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Improve Your Writing
Why Agents Don’t Give Feedback—And Where to Get It Instead
Providing feedback to every pitch would leave agents no time for their existing clients. Instead, check your own first pages ...
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June 21, 2022
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Guest Post
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Improve Your Writing
Instagram Smarts for Writers with Ashleigh Renard
ONLINE CLASS Instagram Smarts for Writers Learn best practices and how to use your time productively Registration is closed INSTRUCTOR ...
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January 20, 2022
Where My Money Comes From
A look at how the sources of my income shifted between 2016–2020, with online teaching now earning the lion's share ...
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July 2, 2021
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Author Earnings & Careers
Are You a Mom Writer Thinking of Quitting? Read This First.
Mom writers are wired to succeed at writing (and querying) because they can multitask like no other ...
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March 16, 2021
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Guest Post
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Improve Your Writing
Building Your Writing Support Triangle
The key to an author’s emotional wellbeing and continued productivity is creating a support system, and knowing which part to ...
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February 8, 2021
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Guest Post
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Improve Your Writing
Should You Hire a Social Media Assistant?
Virtual assistants take over tasks that you could do yourself. What you’re buying, in effect, is the freedom to use ...
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October 29, 2020
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Guest Post
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Social Media
Are Editors Responding to Submissions During Coronavirus?
Despite the pandemic, getting that proposal off your desk allows you to shift your energy to platform—a bigger deal than ...
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August 10, 2020
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Getting Published
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Guest Post
Beyond Good Writing: Two Literary Agents Discuss What Matters Most
Good literary agents keep fighting for books they believe in. But how do agents decide which authors to rep? In ...
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April 16, 2019
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Getting Published
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Guest Post
The First Half of 2018: Traditional Publishers Stand Strong with Nonfiction and Backlist
Broadly, traditional print book sales continue to grow at about 2 to 3 percent per year, but growth is driven ...
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July 9, 2018
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Publishing Industry Reporting
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