Quite simply, a query letter is a single page summary of you and your book. Since you only have one page to tell the agent, editor, or publisher everything you want to tell them about your book, it is important that the query letter is well written and concise. After all, your query letter ultimately … Read more
As an acquisitions editor for a traditional publisher, I read many (many, many) submissions from authors hoping to be traditionally published. Usually, submission packages include a synopsis (a synopsis is required for this particular publisher and are usually required for most publishers). Unfortunately, I continue to be surprised by the number of writers who either … Read more
Cover copy – that blurb on the back cover of your book – is something that I have been paying attention to lately. I get a BookBub email every day that shows me books after books after books, and I find myself quickly glancing at the cover, but making buying decisions based upon the blurb … Read more
One of my duties as editor with a small traditional publisher is to review submissions. Like most publishers we receive many, many, sometimes hundreds of submissions. Because we are a smaller press the majority of our submissions are unsolicited. Unsolicited means that the book does not have an agent representing the author and recommending the … Read more
I am often asked to beta read or critique an author’s manuscript or partial manuscript, and I am usually happy to do this. A beta reader is a person who reads a manuscript with a critical eye and with the intention to improve the content of the work in progress. This is the general aim … Read more
If you read much fiction you may notice that stories are written predominantly with first person narrative and third person narrative. Occasionally authors use other narrative forms, however these are usually novels of literary fiction rather than in genre fiction. Genre fiction tends to be more formulaic in the sense that readers have certain expectations … Read more
Every fiction writer has their own creative process. Some writers outline the plot of their novel in minute detail, some vaguely, and some not at all. Some type frantically in the evening while watching the news and some hand-write their pages first thing in the morning before they have had time to wake up. Some … Read more