I make things up and write them down. I hope one day someone will read them and believe me, and then print out a copy for someone else to read. Until then, would you believe me if I told you
This is worth reading to familiarize yourself with details to look out for when signing contracts. Certainly, things have changed with the advent of the eBook, and because that world is still in flux, you’d be smart to keep on top of what’s happening in the industry should you find yourself about to sign on the line.
[UPDATE: article in WSJ, “New Fight Breaks Out Over Digital Rights to Old Books.”]
I’ve sat down with a book editor and asked her how many pages she actually reads at the query stage, and she said, “Zero.” I got the same reply from a magazine editor. And two agents. Plus a publisher friend of mine. So what do they actually read when they get a query and manuscript? The cover letter.
And how much of the cover letter? The first sentence.
One sentence.
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Peter Brown Hoffmeister, on how the importance of the first sentence of a query letter has become greater than that of the first sentence of a novel.
The last time I met my with my agent she said she was a little stressed because she had 900 queries waiting in her email in-box. When I asked her how many queries she receives per week, she said, “600 to 700.” Per week. Writer’s Digest and online writers’ websites say that the first paragraph of the query letter should be a hook, be informative, and one sentence. This is standard. So you have a one-sentence paragraph to sell your manuscript.
*slapslap*
When you agree on books, you agree on life.
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A quote from “… a British editor [who acquired] nearly every project sent to her by a particular agent who was also a good friend. People in the industry seemed to resent the close relationship…” — Betsy Lerner in How Agents Operate and the important role of relationships between agent and editor/publishing house.
I think this quote extends beyond the editor/agent relationship…
(Source: pw.org)
The minute you start worrying about what’s going to cause a stir or what’s not going to cause a stir, the minute you start writing something simply because you think that’s what those “others” want to see, you start to edit yourself for everyone else and not for the good of the book. And you lose.
- Jessica Faust, literary agent
If you want an agent to read the middle chapters of the book because “that’s where things get exciting,” you should probably consider editing the entire book to make it all exciting.
- Jessica Faust, literary agent.
So I’m walking my dog this morning and I run into a vague acquaintance who stops to chat, and leads with: so are books dead? Friends, remember, I was walking my dog. I had a plastic bag filled with warm shit. In other words, I was armed and dangerous. Are books dead? Bernard Malamud said book will be dead when the penis is dead.
Am I paraphrasing? I saw three people reading on Kindles on the subway today. I was desperate to know what they were reading, so I got over my shy-on and asked. One was reading Tolstoy, one reading Chekov, and one reading Dusty. What is the likelihood of that??? Tonight, I taught a class at Hunter and one of the attendees said she was reading my book Kindle. That gave me wood; c’est vrai.
- Betsy Lerner, literary agent.
(Source: betsylerner.wordpress.com)
Since we can’t please everyone with our work… since readers (like movie watchers) bring their own expectations and subjectivity to their experience of our work… it doesn’t make sense to try and predict what people want to hear and write that. You’ll never get it just right. Instead, simply write your own truth. Say what you want to say. Be honest in your writing—honest about who you are, what you think, what you question and doubt, what you fear—and eventually, as you master the craft, you will connect with readers.
(Source: mlmjrcollective)
I think all authors think they have the most original idea and protect it carefully, but the truth is while the idea is very important, it’s the execution that really matters.
- Jessica Faust
(Source: bookendslitagency.blogspot.com)
In a PW rant last week, a famous writer said, “The Internet is not to blame for your unfinished novel: you are.” As far as I’m concerned, the internet was created to keep more crappy novels from crowding the in-boxes of bitching ass agents like me. From crowding the shelves of bookstores. From taking down trees. From becoming e and crowding the what? ether? I think the more the internet keeps people from writing the better. Thank you internet porn. Thank you E-Bay. Thank you YouTube. Thank you Mark Zuckerberg. Every minute you surf the web is a minute you don’t write something stupid and pathetic.
- Betsy Lerner, literary agent, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner.
(Source: betsylerner.wordpress.com)
Oh damn. But you know what, I don't even really want to waste time on finding an agent. I wanted to get published by Melville House but they don't take unsolicited submissions for fiction. And that's a bummer. I want to get a book deal out of blogging somehow. I am not worried right now because I am still working on the book and doing a poetry self-published zine with another writer.
ireadintothings
Hi Glory. I agree that you need not worry at this time. From what I’ve read, it sounds like you’re keeping an eye on your paths with a focus on your writing. Well-sorted.
But let me clarify something by sounding high for a moment: “the blog is not the book deal.” A blog, ezine, eBook are all vehicles. The writing, the content, is what seals a book deal. If your writing is steely and your mettle is as tough, the teeth of all the different cogs will start to fall into line. You will get published one day.
If Melville is who you want, a literary agent is your best path unless you know someone inhouse. But I’m curious: with so many various publishers out there, why is MH the only one you want? I would want them all, clambering.
Brenda Novak, whose son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, will conduct her annual auction for Diabete’s research from May 1st to 31st.
This is a great way to pitch in for a worthy cause and get a chance at some handy literary prizes. (I have my eyes on the agent evaluations.)
Head over, reblog.
If you really want to hook an agent, and later, as a published author, if you really want readers to want to read your books, you need to learn how to tighten your descriptions. You need that elevator pitch so that when you meet a potentially new reader on the ride up to your office you can get them to buy your book because they think it sounds fabulous and exciting, not like some author who either doesn’t know how to describe her book or who rambles on and on and on. And keep in mind, if you ramble on and on and on, it will appear your book does too.
- Jessica Faust, literary agent at BookEnds.
(Source: bookendslitagency.blogspot.com)
Continues:
Gordon Parks: 100 Years
International Center of Photography (ICP)
1133 Avenue of the Americas, NYC @ 43rd St.
To commemorate...
A depressed copywriter
dogspeed
Château Lafite Rothschild
Oliver works it on Tumblr, Beckett theme by Jonathan Beckett
