Category Archives: suggestions

May 10, 2012   Michael   college, Michael, recommendations, suggestions  
5

Livin’ in the 90s

Yesterday, a friend asked for a list of favorite songs from the 90s, which sent me into a nostalgia spiral. I think I’d forgotten about the 90s, really. I’m not sure how.  I spent all of high school and college in the 90s, so you’d think I’d be more invested in them. But my heart has always belonged to the 80s, with New Wave, and Star Wars (the good ones), and Atari, and Bunnicula. I guess I’m more nostalgic for my childhood than my teen years.

But thinking about 90s music got me to thinking about 90s books. Being in school at the time, much of my reading was focused on coursework and classics, so I’m not as familiar with the contemporary literature of the time. I distinctly remember reading The Bean Trees, High Fidelity, Memoirs of a Geisha, Angela’s Ashes, She’s Come Undone, Naked and, of course, The Secret History in college, and I know I read some Crichton, King and Grisham, though I’d be hard pressed to tell you which books. Now I’m starting to wonder which books I missed, and I’m thinking it’s time to put together a list so I can start catching up (what, with all that free time I have for reading!). So, what 90s books do I need to put on the list? Any favorites of yours that I can’t be missed?

March 13, 2012   John   advice, inspiration, John, opinion, recommendations, suggestions  
10

Getting a grip on fear

While it’s said that Publishing is an industry built on optimism, it’s often ruled by fear. Writers fear rejection; editors fear acquiring an unsuccessful project; booksellers fear Amazon; everyone fears ebooks; and so on. And ever since I became an agent, I feel like I’ve been more aware of the fearful side of the business than ever before.

If one of the key attractions of agenting is that you work across the publishing spectrum, it seems to come with a similarly broad range of fears. In any given day, agents handle acquisition worries (i.e. whether or not to take on a client), fear of rejection from editors, stress about the future of the industry, and a good dose of personal financial uncertainty, much like our independent bookselling colleagues.

In other words, oy!

But as I logged on to Facebook this morning, I was fortunate that the first post on my wall was this blog from writer Candice Ransom about dealing with fears both in writing and in life. It’s a beautiful piece, perhaps made more so by her stunning photographs. I was particularly struck by her honesty about her new fear concerning time and productivity—it’s a sobering thought, and yet a brave one to acknowledge like this.

Best of all, I appreciate that she offers at least one concrete suggestion for dealing with fear. Has anyone read Writing Past Dark? If so, I’d love to know what you think. One thing that certainly helps me deal with my fears and to get better as an agent is to see how writers manage their own work. So I’d love any suggestions/inspiration you’ve got for how, as Candice puts it, to “face down fear and walk through doors into uncertainty.”

 

February 16, 2012   Michael   advice, Michael, suggestions, writing  
4

Momentum

I’m not sure what happened in the past week, but everything I had simmering came to a roiling boil in the last few days. Deals closed (can’t wait to share the news!), lots of new covers seen, manuscripts arriving in my inbox, and then my power went out. I was speaking with a client, when BAM!, something popped, and the unmistakable zzzrp-zzzrp of electricity crackled in the air. I’m glad my home phone cut out, as I may have shouted an expletive. Until that point, I’d been running nonstop, totally on autopilot. The sudden lack of power and ability to communicate totally threw me off my rhythm, and I’ll admit it’s been tough to get my groove back today. Slowly, I’m getting the mojo back, and I’m running down the to-do list and knocking things off, but it’s feeling a bit labored.

I know my authors have similar ups and downs. There are those moments when the words just come, when fingers can’t keep up with ideas. Then there are the moments when the phone rings, the email dings, the kids whine, the spouse calls. And suddenly the muse is gone and the magical moment has passed. What then, writers? For me, it’s easy enough to get back to things by doing. Instead of worrying about the piles, I focus on one thing and get it done. That seems to get me back in the swing without feeling overwhelmed. But when you’re doing something creative, how do you recapture the magic? I’m curious how our readers handle it. Any advice?

December 21, 2011   Stacey   advice, Stacey, suggestions, writing  
0

A different kind of best-of list, and a more practical one

As the holidays move in on us like a speeding train, it seems a good time to share with our loyal readers a list that might actually be useful for the end of the year, and one that will take you into next year too.

Writersdigest.com has compiled a list of their 18 most popular writing articles for 2011. A personal favorite that could probably be a book in itself is the 25 Ways to Improve Your Writing in 30 Minutes a Day. Check it out, take a well-deserved break over the holidays, and let’s come back in 2012 refreshed, inspired (maybe a few pounds heavier), and ready to make some great books in 2012!

A big thanks to all of you for continuing to visit and read our blog. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

November 15, 2011   Morris   about us, Morris, opinion, suggestions, What's New at DGLM  
6

I’ll Begin With A Question

Hello.

First of all, I want to say how honored I am to be a part of DGLM. Jane, Miriam, and Co. have been amazing during my first week; extremely welcoming and immensely helpful. I can’t wait to see where this will take me, and I can’t wait to share it with you as I go along.

Which brings me to the second thing:

This blog is for you, not me. I’d certainly like to rant and rave about the nuances of comic book art and the artistic nature of video games, but I’m here to talk about the things YOU want to talk about, not the things I want to talk about.

So let’s talk. You start.

What do you want to talk about?

PS: I noticed someone asked about what kind of Judaica I’m interested in. If it is philosophical and rooted in Maimonides, send it over.

November 03, 2011   Jessica   historical fiction, international literature, suggestions, titles, Uncategorized  
15

Title Help

Since I am short on time and in need of assistance, I thought I’d kill two birds with one stone, blog about what I’m working on, and enlist any help you might offer.
Right now, I am scouring the works of the Russian poets Pushkin and Lermontov in hopes of finding a phrase that might serve as a title for novel that I sold, an epic tale set in the Imperial Court of Russia. As I try out various phrases, it’s once again clear that finding a suitable title is tricky business. The book was originally published in French, but like so many direct translations, its title (All the Honor of Men), which is taken from a quote, does not quite work in English. It also sounds a bit too masculine for a work of historical fiction that has at its heart as star-crossed set of lovers as ever existed.

I’d like something that sings, zings, and otherwise announces itself as a humdinger of a title. Since I can’t ask that you read the book (well, not at this point anyway) I’d love to hear your nominations for recent terrific titles. Maybe your suggestion will inspire a breakthrough!

September 20, 2011   Stephanie   advice, critiques, opinion, queries, slush, Stephanie, suggestions, writing  
6

What’s the story

I’ve noticed something recently in many of the queries I receive: the writer wants to tell me all about the emotional journey of the story, but they aren’t telling me the actual story. Quite often, it feels like I’m given a general premise and a resolution but I don’t actually know what happens between the first and last pages.

Let’s think about this a bit. What is a story? It’s action, plot, and characters that are going places and doing things. Ideally for the writer, the problem is with the pitch (easy to fix) rather than with the entire book (not as easy to fix). Remember: the emotional journey of a character is reflected in the action of the story. But the story itself is just that—action, characters making moves that are always working towards a goal.

Here’s an example of what I’m talking about. (Note: this is not a real query):

(Protagonist)’s life has not been easy, but she’s made it through. Surviving a decidedly rough upbringing, she must cope with the pain of her mother’s violent drug abuse from a very early age.

Okay, we’re getting somewhere…

Vowing to never fall into the same traps as her mother, she relocates to a new city to start her entire life over. She must battle each day to find happiness and contentment, and not let her demons rule her life.

Keep going…

However, she feels that the memories of her past are never far behind. Throughout the story, she has to learn that we’re all human and that her mother needs her help. Ultimately, she forgives her mother and gets her into treatment.

Wait, hang on. What actually happens in the novel?

When it comes to distilling your entire novel into one paragraph for your query—a task I do not envy—you must zero in on the main characters and plot points. The emotional journey of a book is important, but when it comes to the pitch, be sure to convey the actual story first, and bring in the broader themes after.

August 02, 2011   Stephanie   advice, genre, Stephanie, suggestions, writing  
6

Genres

Recently, I’ve encountered some challenges with my clients regarding genre. Very often, an editor considering a manuscript will pass if they feel that it doesn’t fit neatly into a specific genre. This can be challenging for writers, but it’s something to seriously consider, as it can often make or break a deal. This piece in Writer’s Relief lays it all out very nicely.

Have you ever encountered difficulty with adhering to a genre?

July 14, 2011   Michael   advice, authors, Michael, suggestions, writing  
6

Vacations

I’m just back from my vacation, spent in Italy (I’ll give you a moment to be jealous), but I’ve still got vacation on the brain. I’m very much back at work, busier than ever–Jim wasn’t kidding about that publishing summer–it’s not that my brain is still on vacation. Rather, I was realizing just how much I needed that vacation, and how recharged and refreshed I feel coming back. I’ve been pestering (nicely!) editors left and right, and I’ve been having a bunch of creative calls with authors, and I feel like I’m really firing on all cylinders.

In setting up a time to talk about his manuscript, an author mentioned that the time it took for me to read and formulate my thoughts was time he needed off. And while authors are often eager to hear what their editors think about their latest draft, I know that many of them relish the time off while they wait.In our constantly-connected world, and in a business where work and personal time tend to run together, I think all of us could benefit from some real vacation time. For agents and editors, that means time spent not answering calls and emails or editing manuscripts or copy, and for authors that means not just stepping away from a manuscript (something everyone needs to do sometimes!), but also from Facebook and Twitter and Goodreads and Amazon and blogging and worrying and comparing and kvetching. Taking a break from both the craft and the business helps us gain perspective, which we often sorely lack. That perspective can lead to new insights on a plot, character or scene, and it can also lead to new personal insight. And if nothing else, a break often leaves one excited to return to the work, more energized than before.

Do you employ breaks, big or small? Or do you feel yourself suffering from the 24/7, always on culture? How do you find time to get away?

June 14, 2011   John   fun, John, memory, reading, suggestions, Uncategorized  
3

Parks and reading

This past Sunday, in a futile effort to wear out our toddler so that he just might take an afternoon nap, we got moving early and checked out the new extension of the High Line. For those who haven’t been, the High Line is the park that’s been developed on the abandoned elevated train tracks that run from Greenwich Village up to 30th Street along the West Side. Conceptually, it’s an amazing space—narrow and industrial, yet full of greenery and neat architectural features, plus the views are spectacular. For anyone visiting New York these days, I’d put it on the must-see list.

Anyway, as we paraded uptown from 18th Street, I noticed more than a few people sitting on the benches reading newspapers and books. In the moment, it seemed a little odd to me—while there’s ample seating on the High Line, the walkway is so tight in places that it’s hard to believe one could concentrate with passers-by literally walking on top of you. But then I started thinking about the open spaces or parks around town where I go to read, and it’s actually a total mix of quiet and bucolic, noisy and public.

For instance, when I was at Penguin and worked from home on Fridays, I’d often hit one of the relatively uninhabited stretches of Riverside Park, especially a certain walkway that becomes a truly mind-blowing explosion of color when the trees start to bloom in late April. (sorry, I’m not telling where!) Or, later in the season, I’d go down to the Hudson River to catch the breeze off the water—likewise, a very quiet spot to read during the day.

Yet at the same time, I’d sometimes plant myself on a bench in Washington Square park, which is one of the busiest in the city, no matter what time of day. Another favorite bench spot is at the boat pond in Central Park, which is lovely but always full of tourists and kids running around. And then there’s the Sheep’s Meadow, where I’ve actually done a lot of quality reading despite the ever-present threat of getting beaned by a Frisbee.

I’d like to think there’s some correlation between what I’m reading and where I want to read it, or what kind of atmosphere, but I can’t really come up with any pattern or system at the moment. So I guess I’ll just chalk it up (as Lauren and others have written before) to the myriad pleasures of reading in nature. But what about you? Any special green spots here in the City or elsewhere that readers should know? Do you find you gravitate toward different parks or types of parks depending on your reading material?

Now that I’ve got this all down on the blog, I’ll certainly have these questions in mind—and maybe, if you get up on the High Line in the near future, you just might see me head down in a book!

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