My debut novel, AMERICA’S NEXT REALITY STAR, was published a couple of weeks ago. There’s so much excitement that goes into the days before the release, but there’s also a lot of work involved. The past year has been a bit of a whirlwind for me. After all the time I spent looking for an […]
This entire blog can be summed up by a quote from one of my favorite books, Confessions of a Shopaholic: “If you bother to ask someone’s advice, then bother to listen to it.” One of the manuscripts I recently completed is about the relationship between a trans woman and a demisexual woman. I did a […]
I originally posted this blog on The Writer Diaries in March 2015 as “Dear Diary: You’re Invited,” and it resonated with a lot of people. A lot of people have also found comfort in my other blogs about submission, so I’m reprinting it for anyone who missed it. Feel free to share your experiences in the […]
There are about a billion blog posts out there about querying, which is a difficult and painful process for many people. But there aren’t that many blogs about submission, which sucks about a million times worse. I know what you’re thinking – how could anything be worse than querying? I’ve been there. I remember those […]
For several months in 2015-2016, I read for a literary agent. I loved getting to read a wide variety of manuscripts, but I also gained valuable insight not only into what agents do, but into my own writing. Interning teaches you a lot about your own tastes. For example, I learned that I’m really not a fan […]
Submission is brutal. Having a support group is crucial, whether it’s just a couple of close friends or a group. The process differs for everyone, but it’s nearly always emotional. It can last a very long time. In a group of writers polled about submission, common themes for getting through it included “drink more” and […]
Oh, word count. I can’t even begin to guess how many times you’ve heard me say those words. When we’re overwhelmed with awesome contest entries, or when there are so many we’re overwhelmed before even seeing how awesome many of them are, one of the easiest ways for me to thin the herd is to […]
Last week, I posted the results of a survey I did, asking agented and formerly agented writers to anonymously share their submission experiences. This week, I’m going to share some of the advice respondents gave for people going on submission for the first time. Overall, the advice tended to follow a few major themes: Write […]
Submission is cloaked in secrecy. For those of you who don’t know, this is when agents send your book to editors to try to get a publication contract. It’s kind of like querying – but also very much not. Writers don’t talk about it much, because we’re not supposed to air every good and bad […]
As you may be aware, I help host the PitchSlam contest run twice per year. Writers submit a 35 word pitch for feedback, then their first page for feedback, then both together for consideration for the agent round. The hosts, with a slew of talented readers, work to pick the most polished entries for the […]
I can’t quite believe another 365 days has slipped past me, but no matter how many times I double-check, my calendar still says it’s 2016. I can’t believe it. Shouldn’t I have a flying car by now? Well, flying cars and hover boards may still be a distant dream (those modified Segways don’t count), but […]
As you may be aware, I help host the PitchSlam contest run every year by the amazing L.L. McKinney. Writers submit a 35 word pitch for feedback, then their first page for feedback, then both together for consideration for the agent round. The hosts, with a slew of talented readers, work to pick the most polished […]