Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
This was initially posted a couple of years ago, but it’s as evergreen a topic as a Christmas tree. We hear the resistance to “hoops” almost every day in the publishing world. Maybe this will strike you–as …
Agents
Why the Agent Did Not Say Yes
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
An agent says no. A writer is left wondering why unless the agent has the time and inclination to give a brief–or even more rarely, a lengthier–explanation why the answer wasn’t “Yes! I’d love to represent you!”…
A Writer’s Blind Auditions
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Are you a fan of the reality competition TV show THE VOICE? Each season’s early episodes start with blind auditions. Four professional musicians/judges/coaches sit with their backs to the stage. They’re listening only to the …
Twenty Questions: Who is it?
By Wendy Lawton
Who is it? If you’ve followed Books & Such for a long time, you probably know quite a bit about us. Let’s test your knowledge of these fun facts, both common knowledge and obscure. There will be …
The Perfect Time to Submit
By Wendy Lawton
Ever since I became an agent, I’ve been trying to figure out the rhythm of this industry— the perfect time to submit proposals. Every industry has “seasons” and because we agents are always trying to second-guess things, …
Keeping Your Agent Informed
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Literary agents and agencies are not one-size-fits-all…not that anything bearing that label ever truly is.
We share common ground. We differ in specialities, connections, level of hands-on or hands-off involvement in our client’s projects, and approaches to …
What Are Lit Agents Looking for Anyway?
by Janet Kobobel Grant
When literary agents sit on a panel at a writers conference, inevitably questions pop up about what agents are looking for. Generally a lot of heming and hawing occurs in response to the queries.
“I’ll know …
Can You Trust Your Agent?
blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
Can you trust your agent? Coming alongside a client often puts an agent in the position of saying, “Don’t do that.” Kindly, of course. Or firmly. Depends. Much like the difference between a mother who urges her …
Never-Fail Formula for Writing a Book That Won’t Become a Bestseller
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
(Updated)
Maybe it’s not discussed often enough in writers’ circles. We talk about what we can do to ready our work for a publisher’s eyes. We list ways to draw readers’ attention with our novels or nonfiction.…
Never-Fail Formula for Writing a Book That Won’t Become a BestsellerRead More
Lies Writers Believe
Blogger: Cynthia Ruchti
The most common lie is that which one lies to himself. –Friedrich Nietzsche
Writers–fiction or nonfiction–are billed as truth-tellers. But they often lie to themselves. The lies writers believe are so commonplace that those who have been …