This is not a recipe blog. Or is it? Okay, maybe it is, because today I'm sharing my recipe for cooking up the publishing equivalent of a soufflé: the much-dreaded query letter. Most authors hate writing them, but query letters are a prerequisite for fiction submissions to most agents and editors. A good one will … Continue reading The 5 Essential Ingredients of an Effective Query Letter
Tag: literary agent
Red Flag Warnings: How to Spot a Shady Literary Agent
It’s better to have no agent than a bad agent. Spend any time in author spaces and you will hear this time and time again. For writers stuck in querying hell, it probably grates on the nerves. It seems easy for an author who already has representation to say, but what does it mean? How … Continue reading Red Flag Warnings: How to Spot a Shady Literary Agent
Mindful Querying: Seven Precepts For the Trenches
At first glance, mindfulness and the so-called "query trenches" don't seem to go together. The prospect of querying agents doesn't naturally evoke a sense of calm among writers. Instead, it can spark anxiety, dread, imposter syndrome, fatigue, and disappointment. If that's how you feel about querying, you're not alone. With that in mind, I have … Continue reading Mindful Querying: Seven Precepts For the Trenches
Big Publishing News and 2022 Writing Goals
The first week of January has been more eventful than expected! Because of that, this week's blog is a news and notes post. I will also share my 2022 writing goals, as I didn't want to get too specific last week before Cambion Book 2 was officially announced. Now that the Publisher's Marketplace announcement is … Continue reading Big Publishing News and 2022 Writing Goals
It Starts with a Dream: from Novel Idea to Agent Offer
Today, one of my biggest writing dreams comes true. Today, I'm signing with my agent, Maeve MacLysaght of Ladderbird Literary Agency. Maeve’s passion for my spooky, time-bending science fiction mystery and her commitment to representing queer, diverse SFF makes her an ideal champion for GALATEA’S PARADOX. Aesthetic features original character art (top left) by Zara … Continue reading It Starts with a Dream: from Novel Idea to Agent Offer