Comments for The Writer's Advocate http://thewritersadvocate.org Advice and perspective from a literary agent Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:27:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Comment on Have your questions answered by an editor at a major publishing house! by Chris Kepner http://thewritersadvocate.org/2010/08/05/have-your-questions-answered-by-an-editor-at-a-major-publishing-house/comment-page-1/#comment-3733 Chris Kepner Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:27:09 +0000 http://thewritersadvocate.org/?p=174#comment-3733 Thanks, Tianna! Thanks, Tianna!

]]> Comment on Have your questions answered by an editor at a major publishing house! by Tianna http://thewritersadvocate.org/2010/08/05/have-your-questions-answered-by-an-editor-at-a-major-publishing-house/comment-page-1/#comment-3732 Tianna Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:58:50 +0000 http://thewritersadvocate.org/?p=174#comment-3732 I have to say that the above response cracked me up! The queries you must receive! Anyhow, your blog has been incredibly insightful. The piece about the three key ingredients lit a fire in me and has inspired me to get cracking again. I just realized that back in December, I queried you at the incorrect address. I am going to take the tips from your blog, alter my query and send it to the correct address. Thank you for your blog. It is very helpful to those on the hunt for representation. I have to say that the above response cracked me up! The queries you must receive! Anyhow, your blog has been incredibly insightful. The piece about the three key ingredients lit a fire in me and has inspired me to get cracking again. I just realized that back in December, I queried you at the incorrect address. I am going to take the tips from your blog, alter my query and send it to the correct address. Thank you for your blog. It is very helpful to those on the hunt for representation.

]]> Comment on Where in the world is Marty McFly? by Chris Kepner http://thewritersadvocate.org/2010/07/06/where-in-the-world-is-marty-mcfly/comment-page-1/#comment-3709 Chris Kepner Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:43:27 +0000 http://thewritersadvocate.org/?p=124#comment-3709 Haha, amazing! I wonder how much one of those things is going to cost... Haha, amazing! I wonder how much one of those things is going to cost…

]]> Comment on Where in the world is Marty McFly? by Parker http://thewritersadvocate.org/2010/07/06/where-in-the-world-is-marty-mcfly/comment-page-1/#comment-3708 Parker Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:13:18 +0000 http://thewritersadvocate.org/?p=124#comment-3708 It is SO on. http://www.ology.com/screen/mattel-making-dreams-come-true-next-holiday-season/02132012 It is SO on.

http://www.ology.com/screen/mattel-making-dreams-come-true-next-holiday-season/02132012

]]> Comment on Have your questions answered by an editor at a major publishing house! by Chris Kepner http://thewritersadvocate.org/2010/08/05/have-your-questions-answered-by-an-editor-at-a-major-publishing-house/comment-page-1/#comment-3701 Chris Kepner Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:16:23 +0000 http://thewritersadvocate.org/?p=174#comment-3701 I think there are many lines that should never be crossed. You should never threaten to murder someone if they don't respond to your query for instance. Extreme, yes, but certainly a line. More practically: use your best judgment, but bear in mind that if your query is pretty edgy, you want to make sure you're sending it to agents who appreciate edgy. Otherwise, chances are you'll be setting yourself up for a quick rejection. While we're on the topic of lines you shouldn't cross, do yourself a favor and don't show up unannounced at an agent's or publisher's office. It's simply not the way business is done these days, and it's generally pretty uncomfortable for the agent or publisher. Chris I think there are many lines that should never be crossed. You should never threaten to murder someone if they don’t respond to your query for instance. Extreme, yes, but certainly a line.

More practically: use your best judgment, but bear in mind that if your query is pretty edgy, you want to make sure you’re sending it to agents who appreciate edgy. Otherwise, chances are you’ll be setting yourself up for a quick rejection.

While we’re on the topic of lines you shouldn’t cross, do yourself a favor and don’t show up unannounced at an agent’s or publisher’s office. It’s simply not the way business is done these days, and it’s generally pretty uncomfortable for the agent or publisher.

Chris

]]> Comment on Have your questions answered by an editor at a major publishing house! by Chris Kepner http://thewritersadvocate.org/2010/08/05/have-your-questions-answered-by-an-editor-at-a-major-publishing-house/comment-page-1/#comment-3700 Chris Kepner Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:09:02 +0000 http://thewritersadvocate.org/?p=174#comment-3700 Hi Amy, I think it depends on where you are as an author. If you're unpublished and looking for a traditional publisher, a dedicated author site is a plus but unnecessary prior to the sale of your book. It becomes necessary once you find a publisher, though, and it's going to fall to you as the author to get it set up. You can hire people to handle the technical stuff for you. If you're self-publishing, it's necessary as well. Of course, you could continue to use your blog as your author page if you are active there. You may want to look into buying a custom domain name that points to your blog page, and do everything you can to maximize search engine visibility (Google the phrase "Search Engine Optimization" and whatever blog platform you're using...many have something built into the platform.) I think the bells and whistles do help, but the most important thing that readers look for is a way to connect to an author they like. So if you're posting original content regularly and interacting with your fans, that's more than half the battle. Chris Hi Amy,

I think it depends on where you are as an author. If you’re unpublished and looking for a traditional publisher, a dedicated author site is a plus but unnecessary prior to the sale of your book. It becomes necessary once you find a publisher, though, and it’s going to fall to you as the author to get it set up. You can hire people to handle the technical stuff for you. If you’re self-publishing, it’s necessary as well.

Of course, you could continue to use your blog as your author page if you are active there. You may want to look into buying a custom domain name that points to your blog page, and do everything you can to maximize search engine visibility (Google the phrase “Search Engine Optimization” and whatever blog platform you’re using…many have something built into the platform.)

I think the bells and whistles do help, but the most important thing that readers look for is a way to connect to an author they like. So if you’re posting original content regularly and interacting with your fans, that’s more than half the battle.

Chris

]]> Comment on Have your questions answered by an editor at a major publishing house! by C. T. Blaise http://thewritersadvocate.org/2010/08/05/have-your-questions-answered-by-an-editor-at-a-major-publishing-house/comment-page-1/#comment-3694 C. T. Blaise Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:39:57 +0000 http://thewritersadvocate.org/?p=174#comment-3694 Is there a line that should never be crossed when writing a query letter? Is there a line that should never be crossed when writing a query letter?

]]> Comment on Have your questions answered by an editor at a major publishing house! by Amy http://thewritersadvocate.org/2010/08/05/have-your-questions-answered-by-an-editor-at-a-major-publishing-house/comment-page-1/#comment-3693 Amy Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:48:23 +0000 http://thewritersadvocate.org/?p=174#comment-3693 Hi Chris, How imperative do you feel it is for a writer to have a Website/Page. I blog often, and send readers to my blog page to read articles and chapters of my novel. This has been a valuable tool to connect with readers. However, I have not yet invested the time to create a truly dynamic 'Author's Page' with the bells and whistles that I have seen in some author pages. I am inspired to create a 'book trailer' for my novel, but my technical background is less seasoned than my literary one. Thank you! Amy Hi Chris,

How imperative do you feel it is for a writer to have a Website/Page. I blog often, and send readers to my blog page to read articles and chapters of my novel. This has been a valuable tool to connect with readers. However, I have not yet invested the time to create a truly dynamic ‘Author’s Page’ with the bells and whistles that I have seen in some author pages. I am inspired to create a ‘book trailer’ for my novel, but my technical background is less seasoned than my literary one.

Thank you!

Amy

]]> Comment on Have your questions answered by an editor at a major publishing house! by Chris Kepner http://thewritersadvocate.org/2010/08/05/have-your-questions-answered-by-an-editor-at-a-major-publishing-house/comment-page-1/#comment-3434 Chris Kepner Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:12:56 +0000 http://thewritersadvocate.org/?p=174#comment-3434 Hi Chris, What you're looking for is Publishers Marketplace. They keep a database that goes back about a decade. It relies on agents/publishers to report the deals, so it's not exhaustive and subject to embellishment, but it's the best resource out there for what you describe. Hi Chris,

What you’re looking for is Publishers Marketplace. They keep a database that goes back about a decade. It relies on agents/publishers to report the deals, so it’s not exhaustive and subject to embellishment, but it’s the best resource out there for what you describe.

]]> Comment on Have your questions answered by an editor at a major publishing house! by Chris http://thewritersadvocate.org/2010/08/05/have-your-questions-answered-by-an-editor-at-a-major-publishing-house/comment-page-1/#comment-3429 Chris Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:40:04 +0000 http://thewritersadvocate.org/?p=174#comment-3429 I have been wondering whether there is any free or inexpensive source to obtain information on the book deals various agents have negotiated -- i.e., how much they have obtained for their clients, on average. I realize that everything depends on who the client is (and what the client's book is) but it would be helpful to have an idea of whether, if I find an interested agent, that person can get me the best deal possible for my material. Related to that, is there information available anywhere as to the average amount paid by various publishers (or publishers in various categories, such as small, medium, large or specialty) for books of various kinds? I have been wondering whether there is any free or inexpensive source to obtain information on the book deals various agents have negotiated — i.e., how much they have obtained for their clients, on average. I realize that everything depends on who the client is (and what the client’s book is) but it would be helpful to have an idea of whether, if I find an interested agent, that person can get me the best deal possible for my material.

Related to that, is there information available anywhere as to the average amount paid by various publishers (or publishers in various categories, such as small, medium, large or specialty) for books of various kinds?

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