Sincerely,

Aimlessly Acquiring An Agent

Dear Aimlessly,

Yours is a loaded question, with an even more loaded answer. Before I get to that, though, something I always encourage writers to do is define what success means and looks like to them. It’s important to revisit this question often, in all stages of the writing process, and brings me to the first part of my multi-layered answer to your question:

Paths to Publishing

Now, more than ever, there are so many different ways to publish. So, to answer your question with another question: why traditional publishing?

Traditionally, I consider traditional publishing to be publishing with one of the Big Five (Penguin/Random House, Hachette, Harper Collins, Simon and Schuster, and Macmillan). If you are looking to submit to any of these houses, chances are yes, you will need an agent. 

However, the imprints of these houses may open submissions for unrepresented authors periodically throughout the year (but don’t quote me on that). 

At the same time, there are also a number of independent and hybrid presses, along with self-publishing options, that don’t require you to have an agent in order to submit your manuscript for consideration.   

So, I’d ask you to consider why you believe traditional publishing is the right path for you, but more than that, if traditional publishing is truly where your book belongs.

Great Expectations

There’s a common misconception that once an author signs with an agent, their life becomes infinitely easier: their book gets purchased for a boatload of money, eventually topping the bestseller list before being optioned for a multi-film deal. The truth is, an agent isn’t a guarantee of publication. When it comes to books, there are no guarantees.

There are benefits of having an agent—someone to advocate on your behalf and to share the heavy lifting (and the misery of rejection) with. At the end of the day, though, an agent isn’t a one-way ticket to publication. 

It’s a Numbers Game

Getting rejected is part of the deal when it comes to writing. I’m not a believer in word or page counts, and I don’t subscribe to the idea of X number of rejections equalling a particular badge of honor. 

That being said, a hundred rejections almost tells you the same thing as fifty—something isn’t working or resonating.

Ask yourself if your query is clear, if your characters, and their motivations, are coming through. 

Another thing—and this is important—is to consider where you’re querying and WHY. When I was starting out, I submitted my work everywhere that was accepting submissions. It wasn’t until I got an email from an editor with a simple question, “Why do you think this piece is a good fit for us?” A quick scan of their website told me they already knew the answer: it wasn’t. 

Make sure you’re querying with purpose. 

Good luck, and keep writing!

What other questions do you have about getting an agent, writing a novel, or getting published? Drop them here and Lauren might answer them in a future column!

Lauren J. Sharkey is a writer, teacher, and transracial adoptee. Inconvenient Daughter is her debut novel, and loosely based on her experience as a Korean adoptee. You can follow her at ljsharks.com, and on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

The post Aimlessly Acquiring an Agent appeared first on DIY MFA.

Comparable titles (also known as comps) can be extremely helpful when writing and pitching your book to a literary agent or editor. 

They are also a huge way to ensure your book is marketed in the right place on Amazon or in the bookstore—and better yet, they’re good practice to learn how to read with a purpose. 

Finding bad comps for your books is worse than no comps. 

To avoid this, I’d like to share five must-knows to picking your comps, as well as a better idea about what makes a comp and how to use it in a pitch.  

Why Comparable Titles Are Important (But Not Mandatory) 

When I worked as an editorial intern at P.S. Literary Agency, finding comps was an important task. Comps could help the agent I reported to decide if a book was worth representing. It could also strengthen a pitch for a client’s new book to an editor.

Comparable titles, or books/stories that have certain similarities to another story, can be extremely useful when convincing an editor or agent that a story is worth investing in. It hints at certain story preferences and tastes, and identifies with what has worked in the market before. 

Plus, it attracts an ideal readership! 

In the first months of my role, finding comps was a challenging task. 

While businesses like Amazon make the research easier (Amazon, in fact, first gained success because of their brilliant move to recommend additional books a customer would like after purchasing a title), there are certain details I needed to keep in mind in order to find a good comp. 

I mentioned above that finding bad comps is worse than no comps. And the agent I worked for told me multiple times that comps weren’t mandatory in a query letter, although when good ones came along, they helped. 

You see, there’s a trick to finding good comps—if you know what good means.

I’d like to clarify this with five must-knows covered in this post.  

Must-Knows When Picking Your Book’s Comparable Titles

There’s a lot of great places to look for comps for your manuscript. 

Libraries are the underdogs of all story archives, and I’m always a huge advocate for local bookstores, especially since booksellers really know their titles, and will have loads of recommendations when you describe what you’re looking for in a book.

Keep in mind, comparable titles aren’t exactly like the book you’re writing (if it was, then why are you writing a book that’s already been done?), but they are similar (and different). 

For instance, you might be looking to make a connection with your story that an agent mentions they like on their #MSWL (manuscript wish list). 

Take for example a story that could be described as smart fiction that involves a startup business in today’s society. A good comp for this might be Doree Shafrir’s Startup: A Novel. 

Or maybe you’re looking for a book that takes a hard look at Islamophobia in American for young adults. Samira Ahmed’s Love, Hate, and Other Filters would be a fantastic fit. 

How about nonfiction? Perhaps you want a comparable title that explores female entrepreneurs and the gender gap in business. I’d highly recommend Sophia Amoruso’s #Girlboss, which I suggested as a comp for Susanne Althoff’s amazing book Launching While Female.  

All of these examples are good picks for the scenarios paired with them, but pulling these titless out at libraries, bookstores, Amazon, or Goodreads might seem overwhelming. At first. 

To ensure you find a good title for your story’s comps, turn to one of the four story providers above, and then use these five must-knows to make sure they’ll work. 

Note: While I linked to Amazon above, because Amazon is easiest for research, I deeply encourage you to consider buying local, if it’s in your means. I don’t always buy local, but if I can I do because bookstores and booksellers are awesome, and seriously worth talking to about stories.

I also thought you might enjoy this resource, which I’m passing along from Oprah’s magazine (I first saw it on Jodi Picoult’s social media), as it can help you locate and support black-owned bookstores: FIND THAT RESOURCE HERE. 

Recently Published

Agents and editors need comps that have been recently published, or published within the last three (maybe five) years. 

Why? 

Because they need to know that your book will sell in today’s market, and if there’s a good comp that has done this, they will probably have more success when using it in their pitch to an editor or publisher. 

However, there is an exception here. If you have two comps and one is older, or a TV show or movie, and the other is more recently published, it will work. 

Just make sure at least one of the comps you pitch has been published in that last one to five year mark. 

Published by the Big Five

This one is important, and what tripped me up most in my earlier months as an editorial intern. 

The Big Five are considered the largest five publishers in the publishing industry, and the agent I worked most closely with emphasized the importance of pitching comps published by the Big Five when pitching a debut author’s book. 

To check if your comp is from a Big Five publisher—and not a small publisher or indie publisher (or self published)—Jane Friedman created this phenomenal infographic. 

Another good place to cross your t’s is from almossawi.com. It’s amazing. Bookmark this page in your browser. Or print it out and pin it to your wall: Big Five Infographic. 

Performed Well in Sales

A good comp isn’t good unless it’s performed well in sales. Remember, comps are used to prove to an editor or publisher (or agent) that your book has what it takes to attract and please readers. Sales are evidence of this.

Of course, you’re probably not going to find a spreadsheet of a title’s finances online.

But you can discover if a book has done well by turning to best-seller lists, awards, options, and news about the book’s performance. 

Not Ubiquitous 

Another important must-know that you might not think about! 

This is also the number one reason why nobody should use a book like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (or any Harry Potters) as a comp. 

Just don’t do it. 

Of course everyone wants to be as successful as J.K. Rowling’s series, but Harry Potter has really become something more than a book. It’s a brand. 

And when books are ubiquitous, they don’t work well to pitch as a comp because there’s really no guarantee that any new title will reach that level of success.

Although we can hope! 

(Some other example not to use, although great masterworks for you to read and analyze: Eat, Pray, Love, Gone Girl, The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia—I’m sure there are others, but these for sure, in addition to the fact that they’re not recently published (see must-know number one).)

Clear Aspect on Back Cover That is Similar to Your Story 

Last on the list is the number one detail you should include in your query letter when pitching to an agent. 

What do I mean by a clear aspect on the back cover that is similar to your book? This is the similarity that makes your book the same but different to your comp. 

I mentioned a few of these examples with the books aforementioned: Startup, Love, Hate, and Other FIlters, and #Girlboss. 

Where (and How) to Use Your Comparable Titles

Once you do find a good comparable title for your story, it’s important to understand where and how to use them. 

If your heart is set on the traditional publishing route, the perfect place to pitch one or two of your comps is in the first paragraph of your query letter. 

Here, look for what the literary agent your querying is interested in representing (research their manuscript wish list or interviews), and then identify the aspect (must-know number five) that they mention.  

Not only will your comps work as a fantastic way to personally connect with the agent you hope will represent you and your work, but it shows you understand the market, your story, and how to research. 

All major pluses in future clients! 

If you’re not hoping to traditionally publish, comparable titles are still great ways to find your ideal readers and write your back cover. 

We all have select tastes when it comes to stories, and knowing how to find comps will help you find your groups. 

Why Good Comps Will Help You Read With a Purpose

As a fellow word nerd, you know that DIY MFA is all about reading with a purpose. And for good reason! 

If you can’t read with a purpose, you won’t become a better writer. Writers have to read in order to strengthen their craft, voice, understanding of story structure, and style. 

Writers also need to understand why a story works—or as I like to define this, advances the plot and develops characters with meaning. In addition to providing exceptional, unique settings, prose, and messages.

When you find a comparable title that works for your book, you should read it. Then, using your writing craft knowledge, start to decipher what makes your story the same but different. 

Hopefully you’ll pick up a few tricks to make your writing better along the way—without repeating the exact same ideas of other authors, of course. 

If you want to become a better writer, learn how to read like one. 

Do this by finding comparable titles that work. 

Thank You to DIY MFA, and a Bittersweet Farewell (for Now!)

For the past three and a half years I’ve had the great privilege to write as a columnist for DIY MFA. 

I first met and was inspired by Gabriela Pereira in 2015 at a Writer’s Digest Conference in New York City, connecting after a seminar she gave on characters. 

Enlightened, I started to follow her career, and later came across an opportunity to pitch a column for the reading portion of DIY MFA’s pillars, which became my Let’s Talk Books series.

Because of DIY MFA, I have grown as a writer, reader, educator, and advocator for stories in immeasurable ways. 

I have cherished my time with you fellow word nerds and the DIY MFA team, and am sad to write this farewell post (for now!), but am excited to focus on my burgeoning editing and storytelling career and growing family. 

As an editor and writer myself, I cannot encourage you enough to support the DIY MFA team. They are fun. They are smart. And they are supportive. (Not to mention nerdy!) 

I hope that you have benefited from this final, farewell post—and hopefully all the posts I contributed over the years.

I wish you well, and happy, purposeful reading. 

Abigail K. Perry is a Certified Story Grid Editor with professional teaching, literary agency, and film production experience. In addition to writing masterwork guides that help people learn how to write, read, and edit like a writer, she works as a freelance developmental editor/book coach and diagnostic editor. Abigail also teaches Genre-Focused writing workshops for the genres she specializes in, which include Women’s Fiction, YA Fantasy, Upmarket Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Scripts. Visit Abigail’s website if you’re a writer looking for an editor who will help you grow as storyteller, and who has experience in differentiated instruction, traditional publishing, and film.

The post Must-Knows When Picking Comparable Titles appeared first on DIY MFA.

Today I am so excited to have bestselling author Kat Martin on the show!

Kat is the author of sixty-eight historical and contemporary romantic suspense novels, and with over sixteen million copies of her books in print in twenty countries outside the US, you could say Kat knows a thing or two about building a long-term career as an author.

The first book of her most recent series The Texas Trilogy, also known as the Beyond— series, Beyond Reason, received a coveted starred review from Publisher’s Weekly. The second installment, Beyond Danger, hit shelves on January 30, 2018, and the third, Beyond Control, is coming in June 2018.

Listen in as we chat about not only Kat’s latest series, but the strategic decisions she made on her career path to bestselling author.

In this episode Kat and I discuss:

• How to keep yourself motivated in the early days of your writing career.
• Knowing when to say goodbye, how to change agents and publishers.
• Who owns the rights? What to look for in contracts.
• Matching your writing pace to the voracious romance reader without going crazy.
• Kat’s tips for staying in control of your series.

Plus, Kat’s #1 tip for writers.

About Kat Martin

Bestselling author Kat Martin is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. Currently residing with her Western-author husband, L. J. Martin, in Missoula, Montana, Kat has written sixty eight historical and contemporary romantic suspense novels.  More than sixteen million copies of her books are in print and she has been published in twenty foreign countries.

Into the Firestorm, the final book in the Boss Inc trilogy, took the #7 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List, a personal best for Kat and it’s her 15th novel in a row to be included on that prestigious list.

Beyond Reason, the 1st book in Kat’s new Texas Trilogy, received a coveted STARRED REVIEW, from Publishers Weekly! Beyond Danger, book #2, hit shelves on January 30, 2018, and the third book in this series, Beyond Control, is coming in June 2018.

Kat is currently at work on her next romantic suspense.

To connect with Kat check out her website at www.KatMartin.com.

The Texas Trilogy

Book 1: Beyond Reason

Five weeks ago Carly Drake stood at her grandfather’s grave. Now she’s burying Drake Trucking’s top driver, and the cops have no leads on the hijacking or murder. Faced with bankruptcy, phone threats and the fear of failure, Carly has to team up with the last man she wants to owe—Lincoln Cain.

Cain is magnetic, powerful, controlling—and hiding more than one secret. He promised Carly’s granddad he’d protect her. The old man took a chance on him when he was nothing but a kid with a record, and now he’s the multi-millionaire owner of a rival firm.

But Linc’s money can’t protect Carly from the men who’ll do anything to shut her down, or the secrets behind Drake Trucking. If she won’t sell out, the only way to keep her safe is to keep her close . . . and fight like hell.

Book 2: Beyond Danger

Texas mogul Beau Reese is furious. All six feet three obscenely wealthy, good-looking inches of him. His sixty-year-old father, Stewart, a former state senator no less, has impregnated a teenager. Barely able to contain his anger, Beau is in for another surprise. It appears that Stewart has moved an entirely different woman into the house . . .

Beau assumes that stunning Cassidy Jones is his father’s mistress. At least she’s of age. But those concerns take a sudden backseat when he finds Stewart in a pool of blood on the floor of his study—and Cassidy walks in to find Beau with his hand on the murder weapon.

The shocks just keep coming. Someone was following Stewart, and Cassidy is the detective hired to find out who and why. Now she’ll have to find his killer instead. Her gut tells her it wasn’t Beau. And Beau’s instincts tell him it wasn’t Cassidy. Determined to track down the truth, they form an uneasy alliance—one that will bring them closer to each other—closer to danger and beyond . . .

Book 3: Beyond Control

When Victoria Langford got engaged, she told herself to give love a chance. Six months later, she’s on the run from her angry, abusive ex-fiancé with her four-year-old daughter and nowhere to go.

Seventy miles north of Dallas, the Iron River Ranch is pretty much nowhere. That’s what its new owner, Josh Cain, wanted when he came back from Afghanistan. Big skies, quiet nights, no trouble.

One look tells Josh the pretty redhead with the adorable little girl will give him trouble of the most personal kind. But he’s seen trouble before, and he doesn’t scare easy. Not when “accidents” start happening around the ranch. Not when Tory’s best friend back in Phoenix is abducted and brutalized. Not even when it looks like their current problems are only the tip of the iceberg.

But if he gets too close to fierce, determined Tory, Josh knows his nights are going to be anything but quiet. And that’s one possibility no amount of training can prepare him for . . .

If you decide to check out the first two books in The Texas Trilogy— Beyond Reason and Beyond Danger— or pre-order the third book— Beyond Control— we hope you’ll do so via these Amazon affiliate links, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 184

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio or Google Play and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 184: Your Author Career Strategy — Interview with Kat Martin appeared first on DIY MFA.

Today I’m delighted to have literary agent Mark Gottlieb on the show.

Mark is an agent at Trident Media Group, where he has worked with the agency’s chairman. He is now working on building his own client list because he wants to help manage and grow authors’ careers using the amazing resources Trident has available.

In our interview, Mark and I discuss the topic that both excites and terrifies writers: The Pitch.  Mark gives us the inside scoop on how to work the Pitch Slam and what makes (or breaks) a an elevator pitch for your book.

In this episode Mark and I discuss:

• How to craft the perfect pitch and to use a Pitch Slam to your best advantage.
• The framework for a killer query letter, and how to craft a creative hook and strong pitch that will make agents want to read more.
• Why using comp titles can strengthen your pitch, and how to weave them together with your book’s details, with example pitches from Mark!
• How studying current titles in the marketplace can place your query a step above the crowd.

Plus, Mark’s #1 tip for writers.

About the Agent

Mark Gottlieb attended Emerson College and was President of its Publishing Club, establishing the Wilde Press. Mark’s first position at Trident Media Group, Publishers Marketplace’s #1-ranked literary agency, was in foreign rights, later he was executive assistant to Trident’s Chairman and ran the Audio Department. Now he is working with his own client list, helping to manage and grow authors’ careers with the unique resources available to Trident.

If you are interested in querying Mark head over to the agency website, read through the submission guidelines, and send him your query. Don’t forget to mention that you heard him speak on DIY MFA Radio!

Link to Episode 149

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio or Google Play and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 149: How to Pitch Your Book — Interview with Mark Gottlieb appeared first on DIY MFA.

Wait. What?

“Revise and Resubmit” means just that–an agent loves a book but think it still needs work, and would like a writer to revise the book and resubmit it. The types of revision can vary widely. Perhaps the agent loves the concept but not the execution, or thinks the plot is fantastic but the characters are too thin. They’re definitely interested in representing the book–and, of course, its writer–but want to do a round of revision before officially committing.

Here’s a few questions to ask yourself (and the agent or editor) before officially saying, “Let’s do this.”

1) What Are the Scope of the Revisions?

This is the biggest question, in my opinion. There’s no point in embarking on an R&R if you’re not on the same page editorially. While an agent may be reluctant to send you all his or her notes before officially committing to an R&R, they should be willing to let you know the big picture.Since they are asking for an R&R, you can probably assume the revisions are pretty extensive, and you’re going to want to be on board with them.

Be sure to give yourself time. Remember: you don’t have to say ‘yes,’ and you certainly don’t have to say ‘yes’ right away. Take time to think on the revisions, and talk to critique partners. Ask yourself: is this going to make my book better, and closer to the version I want it to be? If so, lean more toward ‘yes,’ but if not, consider whether querying other agents might not be a better option. Remember: there are tons of agents out there, and you want to find one that works for you.

2) Is this R&R Exclusive?

I’ve heard different stories from different writers about how agents go about an R&R, so this is just speaking from my own experience (I’ve both received an R&R as a writer, and given them as an editor) but with the caveat that this is not one-size-fits all.

If you’re in the middle of querying your book, you may have queries, partials and fulls out with other agents, which could cause complications. For example, while you’re revising, another agent might offer representation. Conversely, you could pull your book from submission, and then the requesting agent might not end up gelling with your revision. But you might also not want to pull your manuscript from querying when you haven’t yet gotten a commitment from the requesting agent. It can get tricky, and you don’t want to potentially damage relationships with anyone.

This is definitely something you’d want to discuss with the agent upfront, and come to a mutual decision about. Perhaps you pull the book from submission, but send it out to all agents who already had it when you are done with your revisions, or give the requesting an agent a window in which the manuscript is exclusively theirs to read. If the latter, make sure that timeline isn’t too long. After all, you’re the one with the awesome book!

As far as the other agents, just shoot them a quick email saying you’ve received an R&R and will send the manuscript when it’s available again. This is a standard practice and, in all likelihood, will make them pay more attention! They’ll be asking who asked for revisions, and most likely interested in seeing them. Win-win.

3) What’s Your Plan for My Book?

There are tons of great articles out there about questions to ask an agent that offers representation. With an R&R, an agent hasn’t quite gotten that far yet but you are, in a sense, beginning a relationship. Just as with the revisions themselves, you’ll want to make sure you’re on the same page. So go ahead and do a little grilling! Presumably, you’ll already have researched the agent before querying him or her, but don’t be afraid to dig a little deeper. Find out what their expectations are for your book, how editorial they typically are, what their agenting style is like, the setup of their agency and any other questions you have.

This probably doesn’t need to be as intense of a conversation as if you’d received an offer, but it should be pretty close. After all, you’re considering entering into a business relationship with this agent. It’s in your interest–as with the edits–to make sure you’re on the same page. Why do a R&R if you ultimately aren’t going to be a match?

Remember: It’s Up to You

Here’s the thing — you don’t have to commit to an R&R. It could be the biggest thing to ever happen in your querying process and it could still be the wrong move. Conversely, it could be an incredibly good move for your career. It pays to be open to saying ‘yes’ but unafraid of saying ‘no.’ Not every open door is one you should walk through and you–the writer–always have the power to walk away.

Always keep in mind that your book is your work, and any industry professional who wants to sell it or publish it is on your team, not the other way around. An R&R request can be an incredible opportunity, but if it doesn’t feel right, saying so is the wisest course of action. This is your book, your career and you are firmly in control!

The post Three Questions to Ask Before Committing to a “Revise and Resubmit” appeared first on DIY MFA.

Thanks for joining me for DIY MFA Radio. I’m especially excited for this episode because today I get to interview agent Mitch Hoffman.

I first met Mitch at ThrillerFest earlier this year, where I heard him speak on a panel and later got a chance to talk further at one of those conference mix-and-mingle shindigs. Right away, I knew Mitch was someone I wanted to bring on the show, not only because of his unique background both as a former editor at a major publisher and now as an agent, but also because of his measured, thoughtful approach toward publishing.

Given how much has changed (and continues to change) in our industry, I wanted my word nerds to hear from someone who has been on both sides of the agent-editor realm, and also who’s been in the industry long enough to know where the book business has been, where it is now, and where it could be going.

And from getting a chance to chat with him for a bit at ThrillerFest, I happen to know that he’s a pretty cool guy to talk to.

Mitch joined the Aaron Priest Literary Agency as a Senior Agent in 2015. A 20-year veteran of the publishing industry, he was most recently Vice-President, Executive Editor at Grand Central Publishing.  As an editor, Mitch published over 200 books, more than 60 of which were New York Times bestsellers.  Prior to joining Grand Central Publishing in 2007, Mitch held editorial positions at Dutton and Dell Publishing, and began his career as an intern at Farrar, Straus and Giroux (or FSG).  So, basically, he’s worked at three of the “Big Apple Five” publishers.

In this episode Mitch and I discuss:

• The difference between an agent and an editor, and why he made the switch from the latter to the former.
• The acquisitions process from a publisher’s perspective, and what really happens after an editor gets a submission letter from an agent.
• All the different people in a publishing house who help determine whether to acquire a book or not.
• What an agent can do for an author trying to get published, and how agents can help authors beyond that single book deal.

Plus, Mitch’s #1 tip for writers.

About the Agent

Mitch Hoffman joined the Aaron Priest Literary Agency as a Senior Agent in 2015. A 20-year veteran of the publishing industry, he was most recently Vice-President, Executive Editor at Grand Central Publishing.  As an editor, Mitch published over 200 books, more than 60 of which were New York Times best sellers.  Prior to joining Grand Central Publishing in 2007, Mitch held editorial positions at Dutton and Dell Publishing, and began his career as an intern at Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Mitch is actively building a list of authors writing across the spectrum of fiction and nonfiction, including thrillers, suspense, crime fiction, and literary fiction, as well as narrative nonfiction, politics, popular science, history, memoir, current events, and pop culture.

If you think your book might be a good fit, visit the agency website, read the submission guidelines, and send him a query. Make sure you mention that you heard him speak on DIY MFA Radio!

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available. Also, if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please share!

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 126: From Editor to Agent — Interview with Mitch Hoffman appeared first on DIY MFA.

I knew it was coming. The book was on submission for a year. My agent told me it would be happening soon, and I wanted it to be done. A whole year of checking my email obsessively, hoping an editor would want it—it drives a person insane.

I thought I was prepared for it to be done, but I wasn’t. The email from my agent with “Closeout” in the subject line—it messed with me. It didn’t matter that in the time I was on submission I’d written and sold another book. Having my first book not sell… The self-doubt was crippling. I’m still getting over it.

It’s like an old relationship that breaks your heart. Even after you meet someone new, someone better, it doesn’t make that break up hurt any less. But I’m not alone. This happens to every writer. (Don’t tell me the exceptions. I’m not talking about outliers here.) Plenty of writers have one, two, even three or more books that don’t sell, and they just keep writing.

And I wanted to be one of those people, the kind who keeps on writing and never gives up. So here are some things I did after the closeout that worked cuz… Three months later, I got a new deal. The three book kind J

So when a book doesn’t sell, try to…

Use it As Fuel

It hurts when your work doesn’t sell. It’s a horrible feeling. The gut reaction of “everyone hates my writing” is overwhelming. But take the wound and turn it into fuel. Turn it into motivation to make your next book better than the first. Turn it into, “What do I write this time?”

Learn From It

Listen to what others have been telling you. Don’t give in to the blinders of “no one will ever buy my books.” Somewhere in the feedback you got were positive things and suggestions of things to work on. Sort through it. Listen to the good advice from others and hear what things they want to read from you next.

Keep Working

Whether the advice and feedback work or not, keep writing. Keep writing. Keep writing. Keep writing. There is no better medicine. Though getting back to writing can be a tricky mine field. A book not selling makes you doubt even your strengths. Trying to figure out why it didn’t sell, which things to change, which things to keep about your writing—it’s exhausting to do on your own. That’s why you need to…

Talk to Your Writing Friends

This is crucial. Getting support, being reminded about your strengths is infinitely important when mired in the self-doubt of shelving a work. Lean on your friends. Let them be your cheerleaders. They’ll need you to do the same when they’re buried in the lows of this roller coaster publishing business.

Believe in Your Work

Don’t give up on yourself. Focus on your stories and what you want to write, rather than your fears. I won’t even name them here. They are the fears-that-shall-not-be-named, because they’re not worth your time. They just get in your way. Focus not the past disappointments but on the doing.

It takes time to recover from a book not selling. My doubt hasn’t gone away. I took big risks in the book that didn’t sell, and I wonder if I’ll ever be brave enough to take those again.

But somewhere in there, something good happened.

I looked up the dates of my emails and files. The week before my “closeout” email, my agent sent me a list of prompts from my soon-to-be publisher’s request list. The week after the closeout, I started on one of them.

It worked. Four months later—three book deal.

You can do it, too.

Robin Lovett writes contemporary romances with her debut novel, Racing To You. Her next series, Bad Boys of Blackmail is scheduled for release the summer of 2017 through SMP Swerve. She is represented by Rachel Brooks of the L. Perkins Agency. She loves to chat on Twitter @LovettRomance and every Sunday evening you can find her chatting with other romance writers at #RWChat.

The post When Your Book Doesn’t Sell appeared first on DIY MFA.

Whoa! Whoooaaa… My heart is racing. The anxiety is already depriving me of sleep, and I’m bound for a breakdown before my release day is even here.

No matter what, a breakdown is not worth it, for any author. So…

Rather than listing all the things I haven’t done, here’s a list of five things I have done. Because really, we as authors are building platforms all the time. Maybe if we dwell on those things, the promo game won’t be quite as sleep depriving.

1) Finding Writing Friends

Having other writers around is like an invisible flying carpet. They’re the best source of how to handle this publishing thing. They give support, encouragement, advice. We find them in local writing groups, here at diyMFA, on Twitter, at conferences. We can depend on our fellow authors as our front line people for promoting our books by word-of-mouth.

2) Knowing My Genre

A book has to be in the right genre. It’s the vital beginning to the brand. If a book isn’t pinned in the proper genre, it confuses readers. One of the most common troubles for new writers is not knowing their genre. It’s hard. I took two books to figure out I was writing romance, and even after picking the genre, we have to learn the nuances of the subgenres and age categories. We have to understand the expectations of the readers and tailor our books to their audience. After years of research, I now know my book RACING TO YOU is in the age category new adult, the subgenre contemporary in the genre of romance.

3) Picking the Perfect Pen Name

Some writers get by on their legal name, but because of our personal lives—day jobs, family, privacy—for many, using their legal name isn’t an option. A pen name can go through phases and changes. It takes time to get it right, and some who write in more than one genre jungle multiple pen names. It’s an important distinction so readers aren’t misled by which books they pick up.

I came up with “Lovett” for my last name pretty easily. It’s a family name but also has a romance ring to it. My first name was tougher to get right as the first version was taken already by another writer. I figured out, since I’m writing in two subgenres of romance, I needed two pen names: new adult contemporary as Robin Lovett and adult erotic romance as S.A. Lovett.

4) Joining Twitter

For some writers joining Twitter is instinctive, others not as much. It’s a good thing to do early. Being a writer just means—be on Twitter. It’s the first thing my agent tells new clients to do if they aren’t already. There are so many writers there to meet. There’s no such thing as signing up too soon. Even if you’re not sure of your pen name, you can change your Twitter name and handle whenever you want and keep the same account.

The first thing I did after I picked a pen name was sign up for Twitter. I joined before I even attended my first writing group. I’m not sure how I knew to do this, but I’ve grown to really like it.

5) Finding An Agent

A large quotient of writers don’t need an agent to publish their books, but for many of us it’s the right choice. A good agent acts like a liaison to the publishing business and in the beginning, as a teacher for how the book industry works.

My agent is kickass. Querying Rachel Brooks, signing with her, trusting her with my work—best thing I’ve done for my career. She’s got my back in every corner. She’s there to give it to me straight when I’m having a newbie-writer-freak-out and need to take a chill pill. She’s also there to answer all my questions. She knows how this business works and fills in all the holes in my inexperience.

Those big five will help keep every writer’s feet on the ground. Without those things, I’d be lost at sea—and probably not even having—a book release. I’m hoping they’ll keep my heart rate near normal, and my sleep hours regular between now and my release day July 5^th.

In a month, I’ll have a report on what I’ve checked off the mega promo to-do list—maintaining sanity being number one. In between though, I’ll keep up with what keeps we writers the most sane: writing.

Robin Lovett, also known as S.A. Lovett, writes contemporary romance, and her debut novel, Racing To You, will be released July of 2016. She is represented by Rachel Brooks of the L. Perkins Agency and has a forthcoming series releasing with SMP Swerve in the summer of 2017.

She writes romance to avoid the more unsavory things in life, like day jobs and housework. To feed her coffee and chocolate addictions, she loves overdosing on mochas. When not writing with her cat, you can find her somewhere in the outdoors with a laptop in her bag. Feel free to chat with her on Twitter.

The post #5onFri: Five Writing Must-Haves appeared first on DIY MFA.

Thanks for joining me today for DIY MFA Radio. I’m so excited to share this episode because I’m interviewing literary agent Janet Reid, AKA the Query Shark.

*Cue music from Jaws in 3… 2… 1…*

Janet is a literary agent at FinePrint Literary Management in NYC, where she represents mostly crime novels and thrillers, with some narrative non-fiction in history and biography as well.

Her list of clients reads as a veritable who’s-who of bestselling authors, but if that wasn’t enough Janet also dedicates a lot of her time helping new writers learn about publishing by speaking at conferences and sharing valuable insights via not one but two blogs.

When she’s not doing busy being an agent, she blogs at JetReidLiterary.blogspot.com, where she answers questions from writers, talks about what she loves about her job and the city, and (occasionally) rants about things that drive her crazy in publishing.

Janet also runs the Query Shark blog, where she posts and critiques query letters submitted to “the shark” (with permission from the writers, of course). Writers have the opportunity to revise their queries based on her comments, and you can see the step-by-step revisions that took a query letter from “meh” to a resounding “YES.” Want to know what an agent really thinks about a query letter? The Query Shark blog will give you that inside look. IMHO, this site is hands-down the most valuable query resource available to writers online.

Most importantly, Janet is a kind, sensible human being who helped make the publishing world a slightly less scary place for me, when I was a bright-eyed, bushy-tailed newbie writer. It is truly an honor to have Janet Reid, AKA Mme. Shark, on DIY MFA Radio today.

In this episode Janet and I discuss:

• What inspired the Query Shark blog.
• What a query letter is and why you need one.
• Query pitfalls and pointers so you can make yours shine.
• What happens after your query gets accepted.
• When persistence pays off and when it doesn’t.

Plus, Janet’s #1 tip for writers.

Resources:

To learn about Janet, follow her on Facebook and Twitter, or visit her literary agency blog or her website. You can also find her query-related pearls of wisdom on her Query Shark blog. For more information about FinePrint Literary Management visit their website.

Link to Episode 70

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, leave a review, and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available. Also, if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please share!

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome.

The post Episode 72: How to Write a Killer Query – Interview with Janet Reid appeared first on DIY MFA.

Drumroll please…

DIY MFA is hosting its first ever online writing conference! I have been a combination of nervous and excited about this announcement and I haven’t been able to keep my head on straight for the past few weeks. Now the big day is here and I’m absolutely thrilled to introduce Writer Igniter Con 2015.

This event is going to be extra-special because I’m carefully crafting and curating it from beginning to end. All of the talks will be given by members of the DIY MFAt team hand-picked and trained by yours truly. Plus, the sessions are organized so that each one builds on the material that came before. My goal isn’t to cram everything into this event, but to teach you the most important things. Finally, unlike other conferences that might overwhelm you with a ton of information, this Writer Ignite Con is designed to make you take action. By the end of the weekend you will have a crystal-clear plan about what to do next and how to apply the information.

To learn more about Writer Igniter Con or to register, head on over the conference registration page. We’ve got some limited early action bonuses (including critique spots!) so hurry and claim yours before they’re gone.

Curious about sessions?

Check out the handy-dandy infographic below.

Plus, there’s a giveaway!

Running an event like this has been a dream of mine since I first started DIY MFA. To celebrate this milestone, I’m running a giveaway. Prizes include one-on sessions with some members of the DIY MFA team, enrollment in the DIY MFA flagship course, and free registration for this conference. Earn extra entries by tweeting, pinning, and helping to spread the word about Writer Igniter Con. The giveaway is now officially open.

Join using the widget below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Remember, there’s a limited number of early action bonuses so don’t wait: register now. Also, you can get extra entries by tweeting this event (one tweet per day), so the sooner you start spreading the word, the more entries you can earn.

Hope to see you at Writer Igniter Con in October.

Keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Announcing Writer Igniter Con! appeared first on DIY MFA.