The giant was beside himself. Oh no!’ he cried. ‘Oh mince my maggots! Oh swipe my swoggles!’ ‘What’s the matter?’ Sophie asked. ‘It’s a trogglehumper!’ he shouted. His voice was filled with fury and anguish. ‘Oh, save our solos!’ he cried. ‘Deliver us from weasels! The devil is dancing on my dibbler!’ +++ That little […]
I’m excited to announce my 2016 Reader Survey. I’m really proud of this survey, not least because I think it serves multiple purposes. So without further ado here are three reasons to take my 2016 reader survey. 1. Taking the survey will help you think about your creative life. A good number (not all) of […]
I often laughingly say that the job of a literary agent is to be a therapist and coach as much as a negotiator and advocate. It’s funny, but it’s true. On an average day we’re just as likely to be talking an author off the ledge as negotiating a contract. Through this I’ve found one […]
This year I will review well over a hundred book proposals, and my personal goal is to acquire at least fifteen high-quality original books within the year. Just because I present a book in pub board does not mean I’ll acquire it because other publishers will also be pursuing it. Assuming a 50 percent success […]
In the sixties and seventies anyone who followed NFL football knew that Jim Marshall was a reliable player. In fact, when he retired from the Minnesota Vikings in 1979 no one in the league could match his record for consecutive starts and games played. But his otherwise spotless reputation for consistency faltered on October 25, […]
The #1 question writers ask me is, “How do I get my book published?” Too often they can’t get a straight answer to that question. They get vague responses that aren’t really actionable or helpful. That’s about to change. I’m going to share six strategies that are all but fail-proof for getting a traditional publisher interested in […]
Reader David Qaoud recently asked, “I understand that email subscribers are an important part of both platform-building and selling books, but I never hear a specific number from anyone. Generally speaking, how many email subscribers do I need to get a publisher’s attention? 1,000? 10,000?” I’ll answer the question directly first and then offer four more […]
How do I secure a literary agent?” This is an excellent question writers often ask me. Many publishers (including my employer, Baker Publishing Group) are explicit about not accepting submissions unless they come through an agent. So if you’re pursuing traditional publishing, getting an agent is essential. I asked this and some other questions in an […]
He had done his art for over 35 years. Every morning he woke up and went to his studio. These days he was older so he limped more than walked there. He looked at his subject—some peaches on a table or apples or grapes. These simple beauties still dazzled him. Then he breathed, picked up […]
Meeting with an acquisitions editor or literary agent can feel like a mixed blessing. Getting to talk with a publishing pro about your work is obviously a great opportunity. But these meetings often come with severe time limitations, which can make the whole experience very stressful. In this article I’d like to offer five things […]
