Pitching

Why Did She Say That?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon April 13, 2023

Because this blog’s primary purpose is to help authors by dispensing opinions and advice, posts may hit close to home. A long time ago, I read an article in which a blogger I’d recently interacted with made a snarky remark. I thought, Is the blogger talking about me? So I know that sinking, disturbing feeling of wondering if I’ve been surreptitiously called out in public. I’m glad I saw the post because that remark helped me be as sensitive as possible in trying not to make anyone uncomfortable.

If you see a post along the lines of “Ten things not to say to an agent” or “Five terrible cover letters,” you might think, Oh, no! I said that! or Her assistant sent me a rejection yesterday. I know she’s talking about me!

Nope.

For one, I write my posts well in advance. If you interacted with my office last week, know I wrote my blog post long ago. My words are meant for the general writing community, not anyone specific. I hope to save writers time.

Thank you for reading my blog posts. I appreciate all of you. The fact that you’re reading these posts in hopes of sending submissions I can take seriously means everything.

Happy submitting!

Tips for Nonfiction

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon February 22, 2023

In response to my post “Line Editing,” a faithful blog reader asked me if I had any tips for nonfiction writers. The suggestions here aren’t considered line editing but are more general. I hope they offer insight. Consider your brand. While you want each book to be fresh, you want to stay within your brand, or the brand you’re building, so your readership knows you wrote …

Category: Branding, Pitch, Pitching, The Writing Life, Writing Craft

Ways to Delight a Literary Agent

By Steve Laubeon February 13, 2023

Last week I highlighted some things that tend to annoy a literary agent. Let’s flip that around and reflect on a few things that get our attention. Another drum roll please: 1. Follow the guidelines on an agency’s website. (Those are there for a reason. It helps sift, at one level, those who are wanting to be professionals and those who aren’t. Note they are …

Category: Agency, Agents, Book Proposals, Conferences, Pitch, Pitching, Platform, The Writing Life

12 Ways to Annoy a Literary Agent

By Steve Laubeon February 6, 2023

This article is written in jest, but with decades of truth behind it. No, we agents are not infallible and aren’t always right. We try not to sound arrogant or snooty. We genuinely would like to see you succeed, whether we are your agent or not! Our hope is you learn from what others have done or done incorrectly. Drum roll please: 1. Call a week after sending your proposal to ask what we …

Category: Agency, Agents, Book Proposals, Conferences, Pitch, Pitching, The Writing Life

What’s the Deal With One-Sheets?

By Dan Balowon November 17, 2022

I believe it is safe to say almost every book is purchased before it is read. Or, at the very least, the decision to read it is made before it is read. Wow, we are mining the depths of Dan’s publishing wisdom today. There’s a reason aspiring and even experienced authors are encouraged to create a one-page pitch sheet for their books. If you can’t explain your work in relatively few words, you need …

Category: Book Proposals, Pitching

10 Reasons Bob Doesn’t “Close” Submissions

By Bob Hostetleron September 1, 2022

Some literary agents “close” submissions periodically. That is, they announce that they won’t accept or respond to “over-the-transom” queries or proposals for a set period (usually a month or two, sometimes a quarter). For you young whippersnappers who don’t know what “over-the-transom” (or “whippersnapper”) means, it’s a throwback to the days before air conditioning, when offices were vented and …

Category: Book Proposals, Pitching, The Publishing Life

7 Tips for Pitching Your Idea

By Steve Laubeon August 29, 2022

You have a chance to pitch your book idea to an editor or an agent at a conference. I’ve written about this before (see “That Conference Appointment”) but thought it may be helpful to come at the topic from a different direction. The pitch itself. These tips can help whether or not your appointment is virtual or in-person. 1. Relax. Seriously. Relax. This 15-minute appointment won’t make or break …

Category: Book Proposals, Conferences, Pitching

Make the Right Media Choice

By Dan Balowon July 6, 2022

The study of communication through various methods fascinates me. Some media share audiences with other media and others have very select audiences. Each person consumes content differently. Those in education know students do not all learn at the same speed using the same tools. Fortunately, good teachers recognize those differences and adjust their methods. In the 1970s and 80s, educator Neil …

Category: Pitching

4 Ways to Lose Me Quickly

By Bob Hostetleron June 22, 2022

As a literary agent, I review a lot of book pitches. A lot. And, not to belabor the point, but a lot. Despite the overwhelming volume of submissions demanding my attention, I try to give each one a fair shake. Sure, if the recipient field of your email has a hundred email addresses in it, it makes it easier for me to say, “No thanks.” But, while that may be the quickest way to disinterest me, it …

Category: Book Proposals, Common Questoins, Pitching

Ode to the Hefty Book

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 3, 2022

Readers who love long books might want to check out the classics. I’m catching up on the classics as I write this post, which may take some time. Currently, I’m reading An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser. Unfortunately, I could only get my hands on a mass-market, paperback size, which makes reading a book of that heft less pleasurable than it should be. The audiobook runs 34 hours and 12 …

Category: Get Published, Pitch, Pitching, The Writing Life