Here are answers to the most common questions about writing and book publishing I receive. If you don’t see your question listed or need personalized help, please reach out!
Overview
- How does the traditional publication process work?
- How does self-publishing work?
- What is hybrid publishing?
- How do I write a novel?
- How do I outline a novel?
- How do I edit a novel?
- What do literary agents do?
- How do I find a literary agent?
- Should I self-publish?
- How should I promote my book?
- Do I need to be on social media?
- How do authors make money?
- Book publishing glossary
The writing process
- How do I format my manuscript?
- How do I choose a book title?
- Is word count important? Is my novel too long/too short?
- How do I know if I have a good plot?
- What are some common writing mistakes?
- What do I need to know about writing a series?
- What should young writers know about the writing process?
- What is a hook, and how to I craft a good one?
- How do I classify my book in a certain genre?
- What is the difference between suspense, thrillers, and mysteries?
- What is a character arc?
- What is a “platform”?
- What is the difference between YA and adult novels?
- Which is more important: character or plot?
- Should I follow publishing trends?
- What is the difference between commercial and literary fiction?
- What do people mean when they say “show don’t tell?”
- What does it mean to “raise the stakes”?
- What is “pacing”?
- Can I turn my blog into a book?
- Is my book too controversial?
- Do I need a prologue? Should I get rid of my prologue?
- Should I write in first person or third person?
- Can I write books in more than one genre?
- What do I do if I’m stuck?
- What do I do if I have writer’s block?
How to find a literary agent and all about query letters
- How should I choose literary agents to submit to?
- Should I submit to publishers directly?
- How do I write a pitch?
- How do I write a query letter?
- What’s a query letter template I can use?
- How do I format a query letter?
- What is an example of a good query? (also here and here)
- How do I write a query letter when I have multiple protagonists and/or a complicated plot?
- How do I write a synopsis?
- What’s the best way to send out query letters?
- Is there a “best time” to query? Can I query over the holidays?
- What should the subject line of my query be?
- How do I respond to a partial manuscript request? Do I need to send the first pages or any excerpt?
- When and how often should I follow up with a prospective agent?
- How should I deal with contradictory query advice?
- Do I need to have a pen name? Should I query as myself or my pen name? What else do I need to know about pen names?
- Should I pay a freelance editor to edit my work before I submit to agents?
- What is the ideal length for a query?
- Should I compare my book to another book in the query? What about a bestseller?
- Should I enter a contest? What do I need to know about contests? Do agents care if I won or was a finalist in a contest?
- How do I write a nonfiction book proposal?
- How should I mention a series in a query?
- Can you query if you are an unpublished novelist and your novel isn’t finished?
- Do you have an advantage if you’re a previously published author? What should published authors keep in mind about querying?
- Do I need to have a website? Should I include it in my query?
- How should I list my publishing credits in my query? What if I don’t have any?
- Should I include blurbs from other authors or readers in my query? Do blurbs matter?
- Can I submit to agents overseas? What should I know if I want an agent in another country?
- Can I re-query an agent or another agent at the same agency?
- What does this rejection letter mean?
- Should I call an agent?
- Should I query about more than one project?
- What should I know about writers conferences?
- Why am I having such a difficult time finding an agent?
- Should I give up?
- Should I begin my query with a rhetorical question?
How to work with literary agents and book editors
- What are my rights as an author?
- What do I need to know about literary agent etiquette?
- Should I grant an agent an exclusive look at my manuscript?
- Should I work with an agent on a revision even if I don’t have an offer of representation? What do agents expect if they’re working with you on a revision?
- How should I make the leap from self-publishing to traditional publishing?
- How should I handle an offer of representation?
- When should I tell an agent about [X]?
- Should I ask my agent X question?
- Should I fire my agent?
- What are “comp titles?”
- How long does it take to sell a novel?
- What are the basic terms of publishing contracts?
- What do book editors do?
- Do editors really edit anymore?
- What is the difference between editing and copyediting?
- What is a typical day like for an agent?
- How much money do publishers typically make off of a book?
- Do authors have any say over their book cover?
How to self-publish a book
- How do I decide where to self-publish?
- How much does it cost to self-publish a book?
- How do I choose a cover?
- What’s jacket copy? How do I write it?
- How should I decide my price point?
- How do I move from self-publishing to traditional publishing?
- Can I self-publish an audiobook? How does that work?
Need help with your book? I’m available for manuscript edits, query critiques, and coaching!
For my best advice, check out my online classes (NEW!), my guide to writing a novel and my guide to publishing a book.
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Art: Job Lot Cheap by William Michael Harnett
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