Search Results for: proposals

54 Pieces of Advice for Your Writers Conference Success

By Steve Laubeon August 15, 2016

Our agency believes in the importance of a writer’s education and the value of the writers conference experience. We have written over 50 articles that can help you make the most of your conference experience, all of them are listed below. If bound in a single volume it would be a book of nearly 40,000 words. Enjoy!

Conference Preparation

The Writers Conference Decision

Six Excuses (That Don’t Work) for Not Attending a Conference (Guest blog by Linda Taylor)

Get Thee to a Writers Conference (Guest blog by James Scott Bell)

Preparing for a Conference

What Should I Wear to a Conference?

What You May Not Know Before Going to a Conference

Can’t Go to the Conference? Don’t Despair!

The Conference Itself

Conquering Conference Jitters

To Conference We Shall Go!

Goofus and Gallant Go to a Writers Conference

4 Tips for Surviving a Writers Conference

One Word to Increase Your Conference Enjoyment

4 Conference Success Secrets

Tools from the Front Lines: Writers Conferences

Conference Travel Mishaps

Conference Travel: What Could Go Wrong?

Once You are at the Conference

The Editor/Agent Appointment

That Conference Appointment

When Your Agent Appointment Flops

What Editors Wish You Knew About Meeting Them at a Writers Conference

Your Pitch

Do You Have Perfect Pitch?

One-Sheets versus Queries

The Wild Pitch

Get Attention with the Right Title

Do You Have a Great Title for Your Book?

High Concept: Catching Readers One at a Time

The Ultimate Sound Bite

A Great Hook!

Proposals: Creating a Strong Hook

This Offer Does Not Expire

Your Book Proposal

Hints for a Great Cover Letter

A Perfect Proposal

The Keys to a Great Book Proposal

Keys to a Great Synopsis

The Synopsis Tells the Tale

Synopsis Made Easy – I Promise!

Read All About It! – The Back Cover Copy

Would You Buy Your Own Book?

Setting Yourself Apart

My Book is Like…

Will You Vouch for Me?

Endorsements: How Important Are They?

Who Am I? – About the Author

Agents and Proposals: What to Expect

Two Mistakes Made in Some Recent Book Proposals

Attract Attention…in a GOOD Way!

An Agent’s Perspective

Why Do You Go to Conferences?

What Makes an Agent Say Wow?

Did I Say That?

Aftermath

Your Post-Conference Strategy

What Keeps You from Following Up?

The Beauty of Community

Making Friends at a Writers Conference

Starting Your Own Writers Conference

Category: Conferences, Get PublishedTag: writers conferences

What’s Wrong with my Book?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon July 14, 2016

As you can imagine, we see hundreds of proposals and manuscripts each month. And, as you can also imagine, we must decline most. However, there are a few mistakes you can avoid to help your submission rise above others: Not beginning the story in the right place. All too often, an author will tell us about the main characters’ backgrounds before getting to the crux of the story, where the …

Category: Book Proposals, Craft, Editing, Get Published, RejectionTag: book proposals, Get Published

Why I Don’t Critique Your Work

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon June 30, 2016

A fantastic blog post from Ramona Richards reminded me why I, as a literary agent, don’t offer critiques on rejected proposals. Believe me, as someone who used to write books, I understand the disappointment of the unhelpful rejection letter. So much that I blogged about it (click to read it). I appreciate writers who are looking to learn more about craft, style, and what will make their books …

Category: Agents, Book Proposals, Editing, Get PublishedTag: Agents, book proposals, Editing, Get Published

The Why and How of Selecting Endorsers

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon June 23, 2016

Some authors find the endorsers section tricky when they write book proposals. If this describes you, or if you would like a refresher, I hope this post will be helpful. The Why: I can’t say I’ve ever sold a book based on an endorsement alone. Content is king. But the endorsers (or you can call it Potential Endorsers) section is important. To wit, here’s a quote from Mallory Ortburg’s May 3 …

Category: Book Proposals, Get Published, MarketingTag: book proposals, Endorsements, Get Published

Gilead Publishing is Announced!

By Steve Laubeon April 18, 2016

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It is very exciting when some good news happens in our industry. We’ve talked so much about bankruptcies and industry challenges that we also need to celebrate when the good stuff comes along. Today is the official first day of a newly formed Christian publishing company called Gilead Publishing. The CEO is Bill Giarratana, the President and Publisher is Dan Balow, and the Vice President of …

Category: Book Business, New Book Releases, News You Can UseTag: Gilead Publishing, Publishing News

What Makes an Agent Say Wow?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon April 14, 2016

As part of an interview for the upcoming Blue Ridge Writers conference in Ridgecrest, NC, May 22-26, Tamela was asked a series of questions by Al Gansky. (Be sure to check out the new conference web site.) 1) When you review proposals what stops you in your tracks? Tamela: Since this question is aimed at writers attending a major conference, I’m answering as though you’re an author …

Category: Book Proposals, Get PublishedTag: book proposals, Get Published

You Say Tomato, I Hear Guacamole

By Dan Balowon April 5, 2016

I have a hearing problem. My ears are fine. For some reason listening to songs like Smoke on the Water and LaGrange on my headphones forty years ago had little or no effect on my eardrums. But over the years, I’ve begun to hear something different than what is being spoken. Come to think about it, maybe it was Deep Purple and ZZ Top that caused this. Politician says: “I can solve the problem.” I …

Category: Agency, Communication, HumorTag: Communication, Humor

Is Book Publishing Fair?

By Dan Balowon March 29, 2016

Anyone who has been around young children has heard their cry of protest, “That’s not fair,” when some sort of consequence is meted out for misbehavior. In reality, what is being objected to is fairness, as consequences were spelled out ahead of time and known to all. Parent: “One more word about this and you will go to bed without dinner.” Child: “Word.” Parent: “OK, to your room you go…no …

Category: Book Business, Career, Contracts, Get Published, Marketing, The Publishing LifeTag: publishing, The Publishing Life

Every Day is a New Day in Publishing

By Steve Laubeon January 11, 2016

Eternal optimism must be the attitude if one is to survive the roller coaster ride of the publishing business. There seems to be some new change every month if not every week. For example, this past week we got word of three different editors at three different publishers leaving their current position. One shifted to another publisher who is glad to fill a needed role. But that means the current …

Category: AgencyTag: Agency, Change, optimism