The older I become, the more I know this to be true: generosity is one of the most important traits for a writer (or person, for that matter) to have. Generosity serves a writer in many ways that spill over …
Writing
What it Means When an Agent Says Your Project Isn’t Ready
Among the common responses an agent may give a writer, is “Your project isn’t quite ready yet. Keep working to make it the best it can be.” The writer inevitably is left feeling frustrated, and maybe a little lost. What …
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Do You Have “Author Chutzpah”: Keep Your Determination, Avoid What’s Detrimental!
I can’t speak for all literary agents, but I appreciate an author with chutzpah! Not familiar with the word? Maybe you’ve not seen it spelled out, but you may have heard it. Here’s the pronunciation: HOOT-spah (spa).
Such a fun …
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Tips for better productivity
I don’t know about you, but I’m always trying to find ways to be more productive. It seems like each day flies by more quickly than the day before. I have found a few areas where productivity can be increased; …
Writing that Lasts
This past weekend I was far from home speaking to women about God’s love and the path to living a better story. 
As always, I brought books with me. I expected my newest release, Ten Minutes with God, to …
Decoding Literary Agent Feedback
“But what does that even MEAN?” For writers in the “query trenches” this is a common question upon receiving a query rejection that has feedback attached. While we literary agents try to keep our thoughts clear and concise, it may …
When It’s Okay for a Writer to Binge
Friends and I were discussing (okay, it was the other Books & Such agents) when it is and is not appropriate for a writer to binge. The conversation created–pun intended–food for thought.
We LOVE food for thought. One …
Five Practices for Becoming a Better Writer
Whether you’ve just started putting pen to paper or you’ve been writing for years, one truth remains constant: there’s always room to grow. Becoming a better writer isn’t about waiting for inspiration to strike—it’s about showing up consistently, pushing your …
Building a Writing Community
Writing can be lonely. You sit in front of your computer, day after day, typing away–agonizing over the words that will come together to form the story that you’ve dreamed up. It takes many solitary hours to craft and edit …
Random Agent Thoughts
Yes, this is a blog post of random agent thoughts.
A few weeks after my father’s heart stopped beating for the last time, we discovered among his office files a three-ring binder labeled “497 Random Thoughts.” Over the course of …