Image: a hiker wearing a backpack climbs over the locked gate of a fence in a rural area.

The Case for Pursuing a Traditional Publishing Deal Without an Agent

Kicking off your publishing career with a small press is a great way to get to know the industry, build your author profile, and establish a reputation.
Image: a marching band in colorful costumes walks down an urban street, with blue and white bunting strung above.

What to Expect When You’re Expecting a Parade

All hail the newly published author—or not. When your book’s released but there’s no parade or marching band, here are some other takeaways.
Image: brightly-colored graphic illustrating the concept that text on a laptop computer can morph, like a butterfly, into a physical book.

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 valuable relationships.
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What Makes a Novel Stand Out on Submission?

Stories with a real sense of meaning don’t merely stand out in the slush pile—they’re the types of stories that make for a better world.
Image: An author smiles at an audience member as he prepares to autograph a book at an in-store book signing.

The Right Way to Ask a Published Writer for Publishing Advice

Here are some tips on what to do before approaching a published writer with questions about how to get your book published.
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When Your Publisher Gets the Cover Wrong—Very Wrong

If your publisher’s suggested cover design feels wrong, put your foot down when necessary but also listen—really listen—to the professionals.
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How to Write Nonfiction When You’re Not an “Expert”

Worried you’re not enough of an expert to write your book? That’s OK. You don’t need to be the annoying expert who knows it all. There’s another—far more effective—approach you can take when talking to readers.
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How to Differentiate Between Desire and Desperation in Pursuit of Publication

Submitting work shouldn’t be an act of desperation, and not every publishing deal aligns with your goals for your book—your “why”.
From underwater a lone hand emerges, holding a sparkler.

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 and persevere.
3 Common Pitfalls in Memoir Queries

3 Common Pitfalls in Memoir Queries

Memoirists have a lot of leeway in choosing a pitching strategy. But with freedom comes great responsibility, and it's easier to get into trouble when there isn't a tried-and-true formula to follow.
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How to Pitch Like a Hollywood Pro

How to put your best foot forward, from the new book PITCH LIKE HOLLYWOOD: What You Can Learn from the High-Stakes Film Industry.
To Everyone Who Wants Me to Read Their Writing and Tell Them What to Do

To Everyone Who Wants Me to Read Their Writing and Tell Them What to Do

To achieve writing success—especially commercial success—requires an inner drive that pushes you forward no matter what feedback you receive.
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The Peer Review Process: What Sets University Presses Apart

During peer review, expert scholars evaluate your proposal. Their suggestions can improve your book if you synthesize them thoughtfully.
Your Final Responsibility to Your Story: Creative Stewardship

Your Final Responsibility to Your Story: Creative Stewardship

When you’ve finished your story, it’s time to step into a stewardship role to place it in the best position to connect with readers.
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What If It Takes 12 Years to Get an Agent?

What keeps many writers from a book deal isn’t a polished manuscript or proposal. It’s a sense of the publishing landscape as it really is.
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How I Landed a Book Deal Via Twitter—Unintentionally

For one unagented author, landing a publisher was a result of preparation, transparency, and a well-developed network.
Fiona Higgins

A Successful Author Was Rejected By Her Publisher. Here’s How She Found Another.

When big publishers rejected a book due to marketing concerns, one author forewent an advance to work with an indie that saw potential.
Common Reasons Nonfiction Books Don't Sell

Common Reasons Nonfiction Books Don’t Sell

If you want to land a traditional publishing deal, then market conditions—and your position in that market—will affect your chances.
Sarah Chauncey

How One Author Landed a Publishing Deal for a Gift Book: Q&A with Sarah Chauncey

The debut author discusses writing an illustrated book for adults, platform building, and listening to the little voice inside.
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I Spent Nearly Two Decades Writing and Editing My Book. It Finally Found a Publisher.

Perseverance isn’t just about finding the right agent or publisher—it’s also about refining your work into the best version of itself.
What Your First 50 Pages Reveals

What Your First 50 Pages Reveals

To gauge your manuscript’s pitch-readiness, turn a critical eye to the query letter, synopsis, and first fifty pages.
Message inside a glass bottle washed up on the beach

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 most authors realize.
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How Do Publishers Decide Which Books to Bet On?

Every book is a gamble, and publishers ask the same two questions any capitalist or gambler asks: how much should we stake, and how much might we profit?
Image: young girls in period costume at historic printing press

What I’ve Learned Writing Middle Grade Nonfiction

Librarians and teachers are clamoring for more history nonfiction for younger students. Author Tim Grove offers tips on writing to this unique segment.
how to write a novel synopsis

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."
Image: Query tracker spreadsheet, tab labeled All

Here’s a System and Template for Tracking Your Submissions (Bonus: It Reduces the Sting of Rejection)

You can't control rejections, but you can control your next steps. Staying organized and focused helps isolate and minimize the impact of any one rejection.
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Why Do Writers Hire Book Coaches?

Book coaching is much more than editorial support. Coaches help clients complete a transformation—from someone who wants to write a book into someone who has created a book they are proud of.
morning coffee

5 Common Story Openings to Avoid—If You Can Help It

While it's not wrong to open in these ways—and a great writer can make even the most pedestrian series of events read as fascinating—consider if you can find a more advantageous way to begin.
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7 Common Mistakes in First-Time Memoir

Readers come to a memoir in hopes it will shed light on their own life experiences. Stay on the right track by focusing on what makes your story unique and engaging.
Racing snails near the finish line

What Happened After I Lost My Agent—Twice

A series of setbacks can easily lead to feelings of failure. In this guest post, author Rachel Pieh Jones offers lessons on overcoming discouragement, refocusing, and getting back on track.
Net Success: Catching a Publisher

How I Caught a Publisher Unexpectedly

Writer Nancy Jorgenson tells her story of surprise success in landing just the right publisher for her book—one she had never heard of.
Margaret McMullan memoir

Getting a Memoir Published in a Difficult Market: Q&A with Margaret McMullan

Even a well-published and successful author can have a difficult time finding a home for a memoir. Margaret McMullan discusses her path to publication.
winning essay contests

How I Won My Third Essay Contest

Writing an essay that wins a contest is not an easy task, but it’s not impossible either. Tammy Delatorre explains the writing and revision process that has led to multiple contest wins.
Linda Camacho and Jennifer Soloway

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 this guest Q&A, literary agents Linda Camacho and Jennifer March Soloway describe their ideal projects and offer strategic advice for authors.
literary journals

Simplify Your Submissions to Literary Journals

The commonly accepted strategy in literary journal submissions—"study the publications you submit to"—can discourage emerging writers. Here's an alternative.
platform unpublished

Building a Platform for Your Work When You’re Unpublished

When I finished my biography, I studied how to get it published. Websites advised: platform, platform, platform. But I had no relevant background. Now what?
balance budget

Balancing Your Submission Budget for Literary Journals

Although the world of submissions can be complex and expensive, balancing your submission budget doesn't have to be. Here are some tips to help you minimize expenditures and maximize profit.
literary journals

Lit Mag Resources You Can’t Do Without

Today's guest post is by Jenn Scheck-Kahn, founder of Journal of the Month. Literary magazines, also called literary journals or
What It Really Takes to Break Through with Your First Book Deal

What It Really Takes to Break Through with Your First Book Deal

In many ways, it’s never been harder to get a traditional book deal. At the same time, there have never been more ways to establish a career as an author.
should you typset your own book

Can You (Should You) Typeset Your Own Book?

If people judge books by their covers, then typesetting is the difference between a brief or a lasting impression. The cover may grab a reader’s eye, but what the reader sees when they crack open the book is what will hold their attention.
how and why to edit anthology

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.
why traditional publishing

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?
What Editors 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.
crowdfunding by the numbers

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.
comparing yourself to other writers

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.
pitching agents at writers conferences

How to Pitch Agents at a Writers Conference

Pitching agents at a writers conference can be a difficult task for the new writer. Here's how to make it a little easier on yourself.
how do you respond to criticism of your work

How Do You Respond to Criticism of Your Work? 6 Patterns to Recognize

Are you getting the most from professional feedback, or are you inadvertently sabotaging your progress? Look for these patterns in your response.
cover letter for magazine or journal

The Perfect Cover Letter: Advice From a Lit Mag Editor

When submitting your short form literature to a magazine or journal, your cover letter is often the first impression an editor sees. It serves as an introduction to your thoughtfully crafted art. As such, it is significant, but it shouldn’t be intimidating or even take much of your time to write.
memoir won't sell

Why Your Memoir Won’t Sell

Everyone has a meaningful story to tell, but not everyone’s story (or writing) is going to deserve a commercial publishing deal. Here are the most common problems I encounter in memoir pitches and manuscripts.
Authors Path

The Author’s Path: The Journey to Publication

A detailed look at how NetGalley's Stuart Evers and Myfanwy Collins went from manuscript to publication, with marketing and PR advice.