It’s a fresh year, and perhaps you’re asking yourself questions many writers ask: Do I really need an agent? What do they even do for authors, after the book contract is signed? Here at Books & Such, we partner with …
Authors
Not What You Think
Some elements of an author’s proposal are not what you’d think. They seem like a good thing, but may make the opposite impression from the one you’re looking for.
“I’m in the process of having a professional website created/updated.”
What …
The Reader-Writer Bond
When a reader picks her next book, she unwittingly creates a bond with the author. And when a writer decides to create a book, he unwittingly forms a bond with the reader. This reader-writer bond is powerful–and meaningful to both …
Marketing and Madness
Marketing and madness don’t have to be synonymous. Platform-building is not pedestal-building. Creativity and compassion can steer marketing honorably.
Last week, Wendy Lawton revisited a blog post from a year in which authors were scrambling to figure out how to …
De-stress Your Publishing Life
Publishing is a high-stress world–not just for those who work at a publishing house but also for authors, agents, and free-lancers of all stripes. It’s an odd mix of all the ordinary business aspects of finances, project management, and sales, …
Reader Psychology Book-shapers
Image by Ted Erski from Pixabay
I enjoy having conversations with authors who are just discovering reader psychology. Maybe you are also fascinated by how the psychology of reading factors into the role of writers creating stories or nonfiction.
Imagine …
A Warm Hello
Sometimes you’re the last to know where your path is leading, even if, in hindsight, the destination was clear all along. When I graduated from college with a degree in Communication Studies, I wasn’t sure what I’d do with it. …
Five Tips to Becoming a Better Writer
Writing is about putting one word after another, in such a way that the reader will be drawn into the text. But as with all endeavors, becoming a better writer comes with frustrations. Here are five things that I have …
Disappearing Hair and Other Video Distractions
Raise your hand if you feel perfectly comfortable in a video meeting or appointment with an agent or editor. I see that hand. The one of you.
Most of us cringe at seeing ourselves on the screen during a virtual/video-based …
What Are Literary Agents Looking For in a Writer?
As a writer getting published can be a frustrating task, especially when it comes to finding a literary agent to represent your work. A literary agent plays a crucial role in the publishing process, acting as a bridge between writers …