There’s good news for discouraged novelists.
When I worked as an agent, publishers kept repeating the same bad news for one client, who’d just written her first novel. While they liked her story and style, they turned down her book because it just didn’t fit their boxes.
Some said they did publish historicals, but only stories that fit their familiar, sales-proven categories. Others were more specific: They … Continue reading
Don’t hide from editors who want to publish your work.
Imagine that a magazine or anthology editor wants to publish something you’ve written, but isn’t sure who you are, how to reach you, or where to send payment.
That really happens. “Once I had two authors with the same name,” says a compilation editor who works with hundreds of contributors, “and neither put their contact information on … Continue reading
As I write this, I’m waiting for a committee to decide about my proposal.
In my years in publishing, I’ve been here many times — on both ends of the process.
If you’re new to writing, get used to the idea of waiting and having others assess your work. It comes with the territory.
But it needn’t be accompanied by worry. Will your work be perfect? … Continue reading