Blog | Page 2 of 23 | Jane Friedman

Ethics & the Literary Agent: What Rights Do Authors Have?

What should writers do if they feel that an agent isn’t honoring their obligations, contractual or otherwise? What’s the best way to speak up?

Is It Too Late to Start Writing After 50?

Yes, it is possible to have a very successful writing career later in life—and doing something new later in one’s career helps to keep you young.

5 Things I’m Not Doing to Launch My Book—Plus What I’m Doing Instead

The gist of all marketing advice for authors essentially boils down to: try everything and see what works. Here’s what didn’t work for me.

How and Why to Edit an Anthology: Addressing the Naysayers

Anthology advances are small, contributors have little stake in the sales of the book, and branding a collective group is hard. But anthologies are still valuable and worth the effort. Here’s why.

How I Used Writing to Survive (Or: Writing Despite Illness)

I started writing seriously after being diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s. Now was the time to do it, or quit talking about it.

Why Pursue Traditional Publishing? (Are There Enough Good Reasons?)

What’s the overriding reason for an author to find an agent and a traditional publishing deal? Is it possible that the reasons may be flawed?

How to Self-Publish in France

More books are translated in France than in any other country: 1 out of every 6 books has been translated from a foreign language, many from English.

The Angsty Relationship Between Writing and Sales

I have an uneasy relationship with sales because I came to writing through academic means, and academics still live with an idea of meritocracy as the way people get recognition for what they do.

Unpublished Writers and Websites: Should You Have One and What Should It Say?

If you plan to pursue writing as a professional, long-term career, I recommend starting and maintaining an author website even if you’re unpublished.

What Writers Can Learn About Voice From Opera

Opera is the single Western art in which voice determines character, or, more closely, expresses character. For writers, opera offers a set of finger exercises, if not pointers.

How Distraction Can Be an Asset

Over a last year, a consistent theme has emerged in my discussions with writers around the country: They feel distracted. What is to be done?

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 the best possible sales approach in a query.

3 Reasons Why You Might Not Want a Hybrid Publisher

I would never tell someone to publish with a hybrid publisher—every writer’s goals are unique, plus hybrid publishing puts the financial risk on the author.

Using Patreon and YouTube to Grow a Writing Career: Q&A with Jay Swanson

Author Jay Swanson discusses how he’s succeeded with Patreon, which allows fans to pledge monthly financial support to his creative efforts.

Don’t Back Down: Choose the Writing Territory You Can Defend Long and Fiercely

Many people want to be rock stars—and many people want to write books. But there are many ways in which a writing dream can crash and burn. One way is to be unclear about what you want with what you are ready to do.

What Is an Editor’s Role in a Changing Publishing Industry?

I’m a contributor to a new essay collection, WHAT EDITORS DO, edited by Peter Ginna and published by University of Chicago Press.

4 Key Ways to Launch a Scene

Each scene in your book requires a beginning, middle, and end. Here are four paths to launching your scene—plus the questions you should ask about each one.

Using Dysfunctional Behavior to Reveal Characters’ Emotional Wounds

Giving characters painful backstory makes them feel credible to readers. But when it comes to describing what happened, many writers jump headfirst into an info dump, hoping a summary will create a shortcut to empathy and “catch readers up.” Unfortunately, this can have the opposite effect.

Jane working at the AWP Bookfair in 2009, while still an employee of F+W Media

My Interview with Leanpub: How I Learned to Edit and My Thoughts on the Author Aspirant

I’m the featured guest on the new Backmatter podcast from Leanpub, which is focused specifically on the publishing industry and its latest trends.

What It Means to Be a Writer—and to Emerge as a Writer

There’s a term thrown around in the world of writing that I’ve never fully understood: emerging writer. To emerge as a writer, or anything else for that matter, you must emerge from one thing into an entirely different something else.

What Authors Need to Know About Crowdfunding Their Book: A Case Study by the Numbers

Any author can successfully launch their book through crowdfunding if they are willing to put in the effort. However, it may not be the right path for everyone.

fiction that affects real life relationships

How Fiction Writing Influences Real-Life Relationships

Fiction writing, while not closely associated with affecting one’s real-life relationships, can indeed have that power and develop one’s empathy.

What Do Young Adults Want to Read? Let My Students Tell You

Four lessons for YA: Make it real, get rid of parental oversight, feature topics making the headlines, and include hope.

5 On: Lisa Tener

Lisa Tener shares important lessons learned when writing her first book, the ups and downs of co-writing, the most important platform writers should have, and more.

Don’t Know How to Market Your Book? Start in Your Own Backyard

When I hear professional publicists offer advice to authors, one theme that comes up again and again is: start where you are.

When You Shouldn’t Hire and Pay For a Professional Editor

There are many good reasons to hire a professional editor, but also a number of compelling reasons to hold off and save your money.

Publishing Industry Status Report: Important Stories for Authors in 2017

Print sales for traditional publishers are increasing this year—up by 2.6% compared to the first half of 2016. Ebook sales are continuing their decline.

Social Media for Authors: The Toughest Topic to Advise On

I believe a successful social media strategy is driven by one’s personality and strengths, as well as the qualities of the work produced—leading to a unique approach for each writer. A

What’s More Important: Author Websites or Social Media?

Social media is widely considered necessary by authors and publishers for book marketing. But is it as important as an optimized author website?

Secrets to Developing the Best Title for Your Nonfiction Book

If you’re pitching your book to agents or editors, the perfect title for your book will define your subject and grab their positive attention. It should be a label they can confidently share with colleagues in editorial board meetings and use to convince the powers-that-be to release money to acquire your book.

Creation and Doubt Are Conjoined Twins

All writers have to find a way to deal with the internal negative voice that tells them their work is crap and not worth pursuing.

Writing Secondary Characters That Pop—And Sell More Books

Series have become extremely popular, and secondary characters are now in the spotlight. Readers enjoy trying to spot the next potential hero or heroine.

MailChimp Alternatives for Authors

Is MailChimp the best choice for your email newsletter? Here’s a breakdown of the pros & cons of the three biggest email service providers that authors use.

Emotional Etiquette for the Writer Seeking an Agent

Sometimes guidelines for writers discourage perfectly private, internal envy, anger, indignation, etc., directed toward other writers, or toward agents (or publishers) rejecting work. But that hardly seems realistic, nor is it fair to ask humans to stop being human.