Category Archives: advice

May 16, 2013   Stacey   advice, checklists, Stacey, writing  
1

Good advice from a cheapskate!

Those of you who read our blog regularly know that I often share articles from Writer’s Digest. I was so pleased  when I saw my own client, Jeff Yeager, aka The Ultimate Cheapskate, show up in my inbox!

I think the advice he offers in his piece to writers about questions to ask before quitting your day job is worth sharing with our readers. For many aspiring writers, writing remains a hobby for an often lengthy period of time until you break through to the next level. Even after th are published, there are many writers who still maintain a day job (including  bestselling ones like Jane O’Connor and Colin Harrison, both of whom are editors at major publishing houses).

Jeff interviews many writers and the anecdotal support he shares is educational and enlightening. I particularly like Ellyn Spragin’s comment that she is a full-time entrepreneur whose business is built around writing. Because writing in this market really is now about so much more than writing.

And even if you do not have the luxury of being able to choose to write full-time, Jeff’s advice is as always sound, accessible and practical which offers valuable food for thought. And much of it can be applied to anything you do, like coming up with a Plan B. That’s always a good idea, no matter what your job or financial situation!

May 16, 2013   Jessica   advice, agents, queries  
4

The Synopsis Snare

 

 

A friend at Random House sent me a galley of the forthcoming Margaret Atwood novel (happy Mother’s Day to me). It is the third in her Maddadam trilogy that takes place in a post-apocalyptic world in which most humans have succumbed to a plague. Those who remain are not having such a good time of it.

I loved the first two novels; the second more than the first. I read them out of order because when the first book, Oryx and Crake, was published (despite my admiration for the Atwood oeuvre, and despite my adoration of The Handmaid’s Tale) I did not think that a dystopian novel would be my cup of tea. As a grown-up, it seems that I’m more inclined toward bleak cautionary tales with real-world settings. Of course I was wrong, as I often am, about my teacup. The Year of the Flood won me over and sent me to the library the next day in search of the previously passed-over Oryx and Crake, and I’ve been waiting for book three ever since.

Even so, I nearly did not make it past the second page of Maddadam. Upon opening the book, I found a detailed, multi-page synopsis of the first two books—ostensibly provided as a service to get first time readers up to speed. I dutifully started on my refresher course and found it such hard-going that I began to doubt that I’d ever liked volumes 1 and 2 in the first place. Eventually I gave up and just started the novel—which had me spellbound in no time. But even the august and somewhat offbeat Margaret Atwood is not especially good at crafting a compelling plot summary.

I relate this as a cautionary tale of the non-apocalyptic variety. Authors, do not attempt a comprehensive summary of your project in your query letters, especially if your book involves genetically modified beasts like wolvogs or pigoons or fantastical names/kingdoms of any stripe. Instead, think about hooking your agent, hooking your editor—and then include a terrific first chapter. I guess there are agents out there who don’t want a sample chapters along with the query, but rest assured that I (and my DGLM colleagues) do.

 


May 01, 2013   Stacey   advice, book ideas, brainstorming, ideas, Stacey, writing  
5

Let the storm(writing) begin

The idea of brainstorming is one we talk about all the time. For everything, not just in books. But certainly, if you are trying to come up with a book idea or developing a concept for an author, brainstorming is a critical part of the process. Just this morning, I had a brainstorming session with an author and his editor to try to think of ideas for the next book, which will be his fifth.

But sometimes the brainstorm isn’t enough and you’d be better served by digging deeper and finding ideas that come from your “heartbrain”. That’s what guest author on writersdigest.com Elizabeth Sims talks about in this piece adapted from her book You’ve Got a Book in You.

Sims describes your heartbrain as your whole, deepest self. When you bring this to your brainstorming, it takes on a new life. Thinking about it from a more personal and heartfelt place gives you an ability to reach deeper for your big ideas. She compares it to improv for actors: “In practically any stage of writing, when you’re brainstorming, trying to create new material, it’s like doing improv. And just like improv, it requires more than your head. It requires your heartbrain.”

By starting with a couple of key phrases that work as activators for your heartbrain – “Yes, and…” and “What if?” you are setting yourself up to have a successful stormwriting session.

Take a look and hopefully this idea will help you better develop new work that comes from your heartbrain and through the process of stormwriting rather than just relying on the rather dated and  overused notion of more general brainstorming. Good luck, and let us know if you come up with anything great!

April 15, 2013   Jane   advice, in memoriam, Jane, publishers  
1

Stepping outside the box

Last Sunday, a much loved and major figure in book publishing died.  Peter Workman was an icon of our industry. Not only was he kind and generous, but he was also a creative genius.  Beginning as a book packager, he quickly became the publisher of such bestsellers as What to Expect When You’re Expecting, The Silver Palate Cookbook and many other hugely successful titles.  The New York Times says his percentage of “wins” merited membership in the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame and it did.  One out of every three books he published sold over 100,000 copies.

Why were this man and his publishing company, one of the last independent companies in our business, so successful?  Because time and again he stepped out of the box in his book packaging and marketing decisions.  His willingness to do the untraditional and unexpected was what made him and Workman Publishing so incredibly successful.

We all, I think, can learn a lesson from Peter Workman.  I see it in the book ideas many of my clients present to me.  I see it in the new arena of indie book publishing, which is so exciting.  I see it in publishers’ new willingness to be creative in their pricing and promotional ideas.  Most importantly, I see it in publishers and authors being more willing to work together to publish great books successfully.

We will miss Peter Workman very much.  But I believe we can pay a great tribute to him by studying his many and varied creative ideas and implementing versions of them as we step out of our boxes and conduct and grow our business.

April 01, 2013   Jane   advice, Jane, problem solving, relationships  
4

The power of networking

The other day, one of my clients approached me asking if I knew anyone – an agent or a manager – in the music business who could help a close relative who is a talented songwriter and singer.  This is something way outside of my bailiwick but then I remembered that a colleague, who I really like, respect and trust, works at a large, multi-faceted agency, and it occurred to me that they must have a music component.  Sure enough, I contacted him and he got right back to me saying that he had been in touch with someone in their music department about my client and his situation.  I put them all together and am really hoping that something solid comes out of this.

This got me thinking about the power of networking in our business.  Over the years, publishers have come to me for recommendations on people they should interview for jobs and I have not hesitated to recommend those who I think are qualified and appropriate.  And, of course, as an agent, it is networking that gets me to the right editors and publishers for my projects.

Historically, I haven’t seen a lot of networking  among the various segments of the writing community.  (Sure there are cliques – but these are small and not always effective.) That, however, seems to have changed now, and I think this change is a very positive one.  Over the last year or two, a number of my newer clients have recommended me to their friends and colleagues and everyone has benefitted from this.  By networking, these writers are learning more about their craft and about the business and I am learning more about new talent.

In fact, I think networking is absolutely essential in this crowded and very competitive marketplace. I would love to hear about your own networking experiences.

March 28, 2013   Michael   advice, creativity  
3

Still good advice

It’s been a bit of a crazy week, in part because I’m away next week and I’ve been trying to tie things up. I’m looking forward to my week in London, meeting with our publishing colleagues there (and hopefully seeing some sights, too).

But something came up this week that comes up rather often: authors and day jobs. First, I had a conversation with an author about her upcoming books and her current work situation, and whether she wanted to change that. She’s trying to decide if the security and distraction of the day job are more important than having all her time for writing. Shortly after that, my lovely client Anne Jamison tweeted a link to this newly discovered letter from Oscar Wilde, in which he advises a young writer that the best artists are those who don’t do it for a living.

I have pretty strong feelings on the subject, and they haven’t changed much since this blog post from (gulp) 2006. I don’t think my advice has changed at all, and the only thing I’d add to what authors worry about is Twitter and other social networking.

While it’s wonderful to make a living doing what you love to do, I think the benefits of most jobs (and benefits at most jobs) often outweigh the freedom. As author Sara Zarr points out in that old blog post, it’s not even necessarily either/or. Sometimes one can figure out a way to keep their job in a modified fashion to allow for the best of both worlds: security on the one hand, and freedom on the other. Especially in these uncertain economic times, playing it safe seems the wise way to go.

March 21, 2013   Stacey   advice, bestsellers, inspiration, Stacey  
3

Thoughts from Ann Patchett

I’m a big Ann Patchett fan. Her books are always so good. She is a one-of-a-kind talent who writes nonfiction as well as fiction, a rare accomplishment. And she is also someone who has mindfully decided to refrain from social media and even television, making her success in this market that much more notable (although it’s also worth noting her success came long before social media).

So I’m always happy to discover an article by or about her. I came across this recent interview from denverpost.com where Patchett shares candid advice about her own reading and writing habits. It’s short but there are a few golden nuggets of takeaway in there. Like the fact that she doesn’t have a regular writing routine and it’s ok, her favorite book last year and one she learned about novel writing from was J.K. Rowling’s A Casual Vacancy, and that she doesn’t care about how people read or what they read, only that they are reading. Her last line: “I’m all for trash” to illustrate her point made me laugh out loud.

Enjoy this piece, and hope it’s useful as you think about your own writing style and inspiration.

March 06, 2013   Stacey   advice, bestsellers, inspiration, Stacey, writing  
7

The moment you became a writer

I like learning about writers and their lives outside of their work. It’s always interesting to read about how a writer whose work we love got started and what compelled them to begin writing. When I came across this lovely essay from the incredibly talented author Ron Rash, not only did I order his book Serena, which sounds amazing, but I felt the need to share his words of wisdom with our readers. It also follows my recent post about Quiet and I am once again reminded of the power in observing and listening in our daily lives.

Rash’s story is so personal, but I think there is a focus on looking at things in a different way, as a writer, that also got me to thinking about life-changing moments. Do you remember the moment when you decided you would become a writer? Was it never a question, but rather instinctual? Or did something happen that took you on the road to writing? Please share with us your thoughts on your own gift of storytelling. And I hope you find some inspiration from Rash’s story.

 

February 14, 2013   Michael   advice, Barnes and Noble, Michael, writing  
1

Random thoughts from this week

Yesterday, I know I had a great idea for a blog post. Perhaps it was the Novocain at the dentist, but today I have no clue what that idea was. I know for sure that it was genius, perhaps world-altering, but alas, it is lost like Atlantis. Instead, some random thoughts from the week:

  • I really liked this “7 Things I’ve Learned So Far” post from Melanie Gideon over at Writer’s Digest.  The question of to-Google-or-not-to-Google is always a big one, and I tend to agree it’s best to let a trusted friend or spouse filter through all the information and present just the important things–both good and bad.
  • Speaking of Google, their Valentine’s Day doodle is quite possibly my favorite yet. Too cute!
  • B&N’s Nook news isn’t good. I wonder if they should go back to selling books?
  • The DOJ cleared the Random House/Penguin merger in record time and without any conditions. Maybe they’re being lenient since Penguin (and now Random House, as part of Penguin Random House) agreed to the e-book settlement.
  • And, finally, if you want to feel old: Scholastic announced a new cover for the first Harry Potter book to coincide with the 15th anniversary of its first publication.  I think Kazu Kibuishi did an amazing job. That’s one brave dude to tackle such a daunting challenge!
February 06, 2013   Stacey   advice, bestsellers, fun, opinion, Stacey, writing  
6

Welcome to the writing club

We’ve talked a lot about the difficulties that come with a writing career. With the market changing as it has the last couple of years, rejection and disappointment has become an even bigger part of our reality. In some ways, all the rejection makes success feel that much better. In others, it feels like a punch in the gut after running a marathon. Why does it have to be so hard? Talented writers who are penning wonderful books with dedicated agents and supportive publishers still often face challenges making it all work.

So, let’s all just give up now, right? I mean, did you read the piece in The Paris Review about the writer who approached Philip Roth in a deli on the Upper West Side with his just-published novel, and was told he should quit while he was ahead? That’s not the most inspiring story to share with our blog readers.

But this one is. Perhaps you’ve heard of Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love, one of the biggest books of, well, all time. She read the Paris Review piece and has something to say to Roth, and about being a writer. Let’s just say she puts a more positive spin on the subject than Roth did. It’s entertaining and hopeful, and pretty funny.

So while the gloom and doom scenarios about publishing abound, and all of us in the business will face inevitable rejection (repeatedly), writing and the business that surrounds it will always be a place we can go to find creative energy and inspiration in the art of creating something from nothing. And how many jobs can you say that about? Not many so chin up, keep writing, and welcome to the club!

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