While an author hopes that the text of his or her book is all that’s needed to clearly communicate with the reader, in actuality, sometimes ancillary parts of a book can add much to the reader’s engagement with your book. …
Nonfiction
A Writing Contest and Some Hints on How to Win
I’m interrupting our normal blog schedule to insert an important announcement: Our agency is sponsoring a writing contest, and we want YOU to enter!
The Writing Contest Why
We’re celebrating our 25th anniversary this year, which signifies 25 years of …
Dos and Don’ts to Pitching Nonfiction
By Wendy Lawton
Last time I blogged I wrote about what not to say when someone asks the novelist, “What is your novel about?” A couple of readers on Facebook asked if I’d tackle some dos and don’ts for nonfiction …
How to Write Great Discussion Questions
by Janet Kobobel Grant
Some authors choose to write discussion questions that will appear at the back of a book or to be available on the writer’s website. Having written a slew of such questions and having been trained in …
Proposal Prep: The Competition Section
by Janet Kobobel Grant
After a client submits his nonfiction proposal to me, I suspect he thinks I’ll have that baby in the hands of an editor within the hour. Not exactly. Before that big event occurs, I’ll take a …
Writing Obsessions
Janet Kobobel Grant
What stimulates you to write a story or to compose a manuscript about a certain topic?
Writing Hints
I find it instructive to listen to interviews with highly successful authors. They often are asked–and love to talk …
Is Your Personal Story a Memoir?
Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
Friends tell you that you need to write the story of your experience. And your story burns within you–you need to write it. So you set out to construct your memoir.
Before you take another step, …
Great Books to Buy for others this Christmas
Blogger: Rachel Kent
If you are shopping today, or planning to do any Christmas shopping this year, please consider adding a book or two to your gift list. I’m sure someone on your list loves reading and there are so …
How Has an Editor’s Job Changed?
Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
The other day, my assistant, Michelle, asked me how an editor’s role has changed since my first book released, which was in the mid-1980s. Some of my responses surprised her; so I thought it might be …
Fresh Approach: How to Delight and Surprise Your Reader
Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
One question I’m often asked is whether I see the same ol’ ideas in queries.
Indeed I do.
That begs the question: What can a writer do to be sure the idea he or she is …
Fresh Approach: How to Delight and Surprise Your ReaderRead More