I saw a mini-blowup on Twitter last week that arose because a publishing professional had the temerity to suggest that anyone seeking publication should be very well read. Apparently this is still a controversial opinion in some circles! Look. If you don’t read books, no one is going to take away your laptop and lock […]
Query Letters
My guide to publishing a book
It’s here! I’m so excited to announce the publication of my guide to publishing a book: How to Publish a Book: 41 Rules for Successfully Publishing a Book That You Will Love Forever. It’s available as an ebook and in paperback. Whether you’re pursuing a book deal with a Big 5 publisher or trying your […]
The best strategy for sending query letters
Once you’ve written a fantastic query letter and compiled a list of reputable literary agents who specialize in your genre: it’s go time, baby. Here’s my best strategy for sending out query letters. What not to do Let’s talk for a second about what not to do when sending out a query letter. One of […]
Example of a good nonfiction query letter
Much of the advice out there about how to write a query letter is oriented toward novels. But what should you do if you have a nonfiction project? I’m here to help! Here’s an example of a good nonfiction query letter. Author Michael Schreiber and literary agent Mitchell Waters were kind enough to agree to […]
How to handle multiple protagonists in a query letter
Most advice on how to write a query letter is oriented toward novels with a conventional structure. As a result, I often get confused emails from authors who are wondering how in the heck they’re supposed to write a query letter when they have multiple protagonists and intersecting plot lines. With so few words at […]
Why you should remove the word “ensues” from your query and synopsis and light it on fire
What’s your least favorite word? Is it “moist?” Well, sorry, you’re wrong. The worst word in the English language is “ensues.” The word “ensues” (I shudder just typing it) is bad enough on its own. In a query letter and/or synopsis it’s roughly the equivalent of kryptonite mixed with garbage that’s been baking in 100 […]
