What if your agent called to say your publisher was doubling the ad budget on your new book because their Jellybooks reader analytics convinced them it was a rip-roaring page-turner? Yippee!! Or, what if you got a call with the heart-stopping news that your publisher was renegotiating your … [Read more...]
The blog for writers
The Book Deal
Prequels build buzz!
Have you heard what some savvy authors are doing to build excitement and attract readers to their upcoming books? They're writing prequels: tantalizing teasers in short story form that preview the key characters and settings of an upcoming novel. Some prequels predate or provide backstories … [Read more...]
The Viagra Diaries: A self-publishing mega success story
"Barbara Rose Brooker is fearless. The Viagra Diaries does for single seniors what Helen Gurley Brown's Sex and the Single Girl and Erica Jong's Fear of Flying did for the women's sexual revolution in the sixties and seventies." -- Entertainment Tonight It's a blurb to die for, and well … [Read more...]
Why writers need agents: 4 pros weigh in
Literary agents are still the gatekeepers for authors seeking traditional book deals. That's the bottom line, despite all the big changes in publishing, says Candice Fuhrman, an agent with many New York Times bestselling authors in her corner. "As long as publishers are buying books and paying … [Read more...]
Getting published: The inside scoop from 3 top editors
Despite all the excitement about self-publishing these days – and I'm a big proponent --many writers still dream of being published by a big house like St. Martin's Press or a prestigious literary publisher like Algonquin or Bloomsbury. "I want the pride of making a major-league team with … [Read more...]
How an endorsement can help land your book deal
Smart writers and agents know the value of including outside endorsements with the query letters and proposals they send to book publishers. A persuasive quote from a big name or a well-connected expert can have a major impact on the level of attention we give a new submission, whether it’s fiction … [Read more...]