My novel that I had worked on for literally years was quickly accepted by a top literary agent at a top agency and I was delighted. However, he didn't review the novel (I'm not even sure he read it) and sent it out to 30 publishing houses with essentially my cover letter. That's all he did. When I asked about followup, he said he hadn't gotten any bites from the publishing houses. I am taking the mss back and want to resubmit it to other agents after I review it but I'm concerned that I will have to say that it was accepted by an agent and nothing happened. What do I do about getting a good agent who is committed to the novel?
Oof! Generally, if an agent tells you they have no notes and intend to submit right away-- that should be a red flag. I turned in what I thought was the final draft of my current novel in the fall of 2023 and I am STILL working on my agent's notes! A year later! Communication is key with agents-- you should be kept abreast of what the agent's plan for submission is and they should never submit to so many people right away, but rather in small batches so that you can recalibrate once you get any feedback. Going forward, yes, you'll want to let new agents know that you had representation but were unsatisfied and asked to part ways (to make it clear it was you left) and you're excited to find a partner who is organized and passionate. Those are about the only hints you can give to the man's incompetence-- you can't complain or bitch about him, it's just too small a world. And it's not that "nothing happened"-- it's that your manuscript was improperly handled and he was unable to provide (or didn't choose to provide) developmental edits. I'm sorry you had such a messy experience but rare are those of us writers who get it right with an agent the first time-- I'm on my third!
I'm hoping to start querying later this year. I have a list of agents I'm interested in and have ranked them into three groups. I've heard some advice to start with a batch (5-10) from your B-list so that if I get no bites, I can revise my query letter before sending out another batch — and I haven't blown my one shot with anyone on my A-list. (If I DO get interest from agents on my B-list, this advice says to quickly send out a batch of queries to those on my A-list.) I've also heard advice to keep it simple and "go big" and start with the A-list.
I would mix one A in with all of the Bs you send for the first and second round and then reevaluate based on any feedback you might have received. It’s true that if you start getting bites, you can 1) nudge people you haven’t heard from yet and 2) write some “As” you haven’t yet written saying something along the lines of - I have an offer of representation but my dream has been to work with you- but note, of course, that they’ll be like, “Then why didn’t you write me first?” Good luck out there!
I'm curious about your thoughts regarding hiring someone to help with marketing your book. This is slightly different from publicity (and I really appreciated and learned a lot from your post about the different types of publicists). I'm hearing more about how important marketing specifically is, as opposed to (or maybe in addition to?) getting lots of media 'hits,' because of how the media and social media environment have changed. I've seen some great examples of this, like how Liana Finck paired with Primary to market her book How to Baby. But I'm also wondering if this is worth it for someone who doesn't have the kind of name recognition of a Liana Finck.
Thank you!
PS I read and absolutely loved Year of the Horses while I was on vacation last week. Especially what you had to say about mid-life crises being about widening the circle.
Thank you so much for reading my memoir! Your question is a tough one for me because I can’t speak from experience, having never hired someone to help with marketing. I’ve been lucky that my books have been traditionally published and each publisher had a marketing division. Generally, it helps to hire someone for one super specific thing— a target audience you want to reach, a region you want to make an impact in, a literary festival you want to get invited to and/or book events where you’d like to drum up a healthy audience. I’d be leery of anyone who costs a lot and promises the moon. You might enjoy Lainey Cameron’s “12 Weeks to Book Launch Success” program: https://www.laineycameron.com/book-marketing
Hi Courtney. I've been thinking a lot about a thing I've read many rephrasings of: "Start your book at the good part." Meaning where does the action start, where do your readers tell you, oh, this is where I got hooked.
I'm pretty sure the latter half of my book is more quickly engaging and accessible. The same people who told me this said they really liked the first half too, which introduced the main character, and also the setting, which becomes more obviously a sort of antagonist, but only in the second half. "I don't know why'd I'd keep reading," said my best reader i.e. thoughtful and well-read, but not at all like me. Another said he'd keep reading just for the language because he's a poet, but didn't see a thread. I think they want more immediate or obvious continuity of a building plot, pointing to a payoff. (We joke in my beta group about Save The Cat while taking seriously we need to think about it!)
I've just finished a 7th draft. I was going to resume querying once I finished, but now I'm wondering if I should tinker with the structure. Reshape it with a structure that starts in the middle, jumps to the beginning, hangs around long enough to contextualize something from the middle bit, and jump back to the middle again.
Interesting project, and maybe it will work with minimal rewriting (hahaha) but that will be putting yet more work in. I like the story as is, but I also like the idea of testing out a punchier story with violent jerking around.
I've started shuffling things around in Scrivener, but once I shaped one series of scenes I realized this is a very large project, akin to rewriting a first person to a third or something. Which cat do I save?
Hi Damien! It sounds like maybe you could tinker with the structure a little bit. Are you able to write a logline for your project? (A one sentence pitch of the book?) I often find that writing query letters and loglines are two of the quickest ways to suss out where our structure is failing us. It sounds to me like you might have a bit too long of a runway in your manuscript before things start kicking into gear. Generally I find that there are two hacks to fix this—give your main character a time constraint to accomplish or gain something or give them some kind of financial pressure, or both! I taught a 3 hour class this spring on Opening Pages that teaches you how to scan your book for what isn't working. You might be interested in the video of it and the transcript-- it's $39. If you are interested you can email me at thequerydoula (at) gmail.com
Thanks! I've been thinking about the runway and whether I'm attached to it - that some of the elements work better as mere mentions rather than scenes. I'll check out that class.
Courtney, you are SO keeping me going right now! Thanks for all your illuminating content, and your zero-bull book!
I’m sliding into the grey area that is the end of the agent querying process. It’s upmarket women’s fiction, with more passes than I care to admit. I also live in New Zealand rather than the US or UK, which I’ve heard counts against me to some degree. What would you say is a normal MS request rate, in a post-COVID world flooded with manuscripts?
I’ve had just enough MS requests and personalised rejections to string me along and now I need something objective, to help me understand if it’s time to put my energy into new creative work. I’ve upgraded my query with your incredible course, and the same goes for my opening pages. I’ve given it everything. Please, can you clear away a little of the fog of war? How many MS requests would you expect for a MS with genuine potential?
That's a hard question to answer given that it depends on so many different factors but I would say for every 10 send outs, if the manuscript has true potential and is ready for agent representation that you would want 3-4 requests for every 10 sends. But it's not the manuscript requests that matter, really-- it's getting feedback. Although most people think they are striving for representation, in the beginning stages, what really counts is personalized feedback. Have you got anything beyond form rejections? If you haven't, it's the lack of personalized feedback I'd be concerned about more than how many requests I got or didn't. Thank you for reading my book! (When a manuscript isn't truly ready, by the way, I think one gets maybe 1-2 requests per ten send outs plus form rejections. To me, that would signify that there are issues with the momentum or plot of the book, the overall pitch, the writing itself or something that is off with the timing or the market.)
Is it possible to estimate a typical range for how long publishers give writers to deliver MS after signing? I thought 12-18 months was common but someone recently told me 6 months (!) was most common.
Are their any identifiable patterns around the timing? For context, I'm writing a memoir in essays and have a proposal and 100 sample pages/first four chapters.
I ask because I feel ready to query but I would likely need about 9-12 months to turn MS around and want to use a book contract to leverage to request partial course release from my 5/5 teaching job so I can finish before life gets in the way.
Thank you for the bump because I did indeed miss this! Books that are agented and have traditional book deals with publishers usually have a turnaround time of 1-2 years on average, regardless-- to my knowledge-- of genre. While it's smart to have a plan and a sense of timing, I think you will soon find that publishing works on its own timeline and that the best laid plans...often get away from you. Stay as flexible as you can and keep some savings to allow you writing time if you can, that is my best advice. Good luck out there and again, thank you for the bump as I did indeed miss this!
Hi Courtney and community! I'm just diving into your book.... Before and After... so apologies if you cover this and I haven't read it yet. I'm a first time author, waiting for edits on my memoir from a developmental editor. While in limbo, I'm wanting to get more of my writing out into the world. I've written a couple blogs but don't know where I should shop them before I simple post on my soon to launch author website and then share the link on social. Any thoughts on where I could find a list of online pubs accepting blogs on various, women related topics? I've been told in other course that I shouldn't create a Substack and also have a blog. They suggest focusing on one or the other. Do you agree? xoxo
Congrats on being in developmental edits! Generally, what is published on a blog is considered as "self published" so the piece would have to be significantly reworked to be considered for publication elsewhere, unless you cross posted with other blogs. I am not super familiar with the world of blogging, but perhaps you can find a publicist you can hire for a few hours to help you understand which likeminded bloggers you can reach out to for mutual signal boosts? Otherwise, you'd be wise to start developing original off the book pieces that you can start placing in magazines, online and in print. It's not until November, but I am teaching a masterclass all about how to do this (scroll down to the November class): https://www.courtneymaum.com/courses And post the link to your blog here so people can visit!
Thanks Courtney! Your course sounds super helpful and hopefully I'll be able to participate come November. As soon as my author site is up I'll post the blog and share the link for that with you all. I appreciate the encouragement and insights!
Hi Courtney and community! I have a question about submitting to literary journals. I'm just getting back to it after a 10ish year break from that part of the literary world. Are form vs. encouraging rejections still a thing? I've seen you recommend a certain number of agents to submit to and a threshold of rejections at which point it's time to go back to the drawing board. Do you have similar guidelines for literary journals? Last Dec., I submitted my first flash CNF piece and it was accepted nearly right away by the first journal I submitted to. Now, I know that's not usually how it works. :-) But with my 2nd flash CNF, I'm now 13 submissions in with 6 form rejections, a few encouraging ones (as I interpreted it), and still waiting to hear from a few I submitted to recently. Just wondering when it's time to put this one aside (with the broader goal of publishing a collection of these pieces as like a chapbook or something someday) and focus on the next one. Also, I never see anyone talk about literary journals in the comments so I wonder is anyone else doing this and do lit journals even matter anymore if it's not a famous one? I graduated with my MFA in 2011 so I'm wondering what's changed since then. When I was in school, the idea was to publish short stories in prestigious journals and maybe get an agent that way or at least develop some credentials for yourself before querying a novel.
Hey Elizabeth - when I started writing as a serious endeavor a few years ago I began submitting short stories to literary journals. I'm not talking about a lot of stories - maybe 4 different stories submitted (The first story got a personalized rejection right away and was accepted at the 2nd place. Other stories went to maybe to 15 places before they were accepted) over 3 years. A very helpful resource is Duotrope, which lets you see (to some extent, it's not the full picture bc it's self report by submitter and of course not everyone is telling Duotrope they submitted) a journal's acceptance rate. Sometimes this rate is very, very low - like 2%, 4%, etc.
I've received personalized rejections. Some from 'swing for the fences' type journals that make me really proud to have been rejected so kindly. ;) I've also learned a lot by entering contests and paying extra for feedback from a judge or paying an editor $35 or so to critique a short story.
I've also received super weird rejections. I keep this kind of writing activity as something I do somewhat seasonally, when I need to take a break from novel revisions. I say you're on the right track. Keep trying!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Kelly. I'm cheering you on as well! "Super weird rejections" made me smile--this whole thing is weird when you really think about it. There's no fame or money involved, but we do it anyway for the love of it.
Welcome back to the game! I think people are definitely still submitting to literary journals but I also think that people keep discoverability in mind- and sometimes privilege sending pieces to outlets that have online components so that their work can be more widely found and also so that people aren't blocked by a paywall. I have to admit that I haven't submitted to a literary magazine in eons but if I was shopping a piece around, I think by six rejections I'd start to wonder if something is off and by 9 I would probably pause and either share with a beta reader, do some editing myself, adjust my letter, or simply move on to something else and chalk it up to the timing being off. Definitely keep submitting-- but make sure you are complimenting print mags with outlets online where you can share links to your work. Good luck!
Thanks, Courtney! That's helpful guidance. Yes, I do feel like I want to be able to share the link if I get something published, so the "prestigious" journals I would've aspired to in grad school are less appealing now if they don't have an online component.
It does feel good to be back in the game--whatever the outcome with this particular piece or future ones, at least I'm out there trying. :-)
This isn't a question but a thank you I have been wanting to write to you, Courtney.
The feedback you gave me in the class this summer was helpful. Honestly in the moment I felt resistance and some other less pleasant feelings. Luckily I know this 'feedback burn' and realized it would shift over time.
You told me to go BIG, to simplify, to really PLAY with it. It took awhile to get there, but after feedback from my editor on the opening 50 pages, I was tasked with making a scene database.
This database had to include what each scene was doing and what change/turning point it had.
I shoulda coulda done this waaay sooner in the process, but it didn't seem like my kind of thing. But OMG it turned out to be a major catalyst in developing much more exciting ideas, trimming the scenes and brutally cutting out whole major chapters. I got SO much energy and delight from doing this.
Now I am drafting the new scenes and having so much fun. I feel better than ever about this book, and it has really come unhinged from the lived experience it is inspired by. I am so excited about it.
That class and this newsletter play a big part in this shift. When the book comes out, look for your name in the acknowledgements. THANK YOU!!!
Cynthia, thank you for this comment. I copy/pasted paragraph 3 in my Notes app as a motivational reminder to self. It seems so scary as an author to be bold, but it also seems to pay off. I recently consumed everysinglepage of Rufi Thorpe's website: https://www.rufithorpe.com/contact (Margot's Got Money Troubles has been my surprising fun read of the summer) and she says she "swung for the fences" for her second to last book Knockout Queen because she was afraid it would be her last. From the accolades, seems like a good strategy. Meg Mason said something similar in an interview with Elizabeth Day about Sorrow and Bliss (on the podcast How to Fail). She said she gave it every last scrap she had because she thought it would be her last book.
Thanks for the reminder that it can be more fun to go BIG.
Thank you Kelly! I love the authors you referenced here, because I, too, am going for it. Giving it everything I've got. I have ambitious goals for this book. I realize some of this ambition may be delusional. And...I think people working in the book-writing trenches need a good dose of delusion.
This morning, while picking tomatoes and flowers in my garden, I felt my ambition. I questioned whether I have what it takes as a writer to write the kind of novel I want. I know doubts live alongside ambition. I don't let the doubts stop me. Instead, I shrug and say, we'll see. I can only keep showing up and doing the work. I feel fortunate that I am enjoying the process more and more each day.
Hi Courtney, Would you be open to weighing in on a subjective question? I've seen and heard different advice about when to query your first book. I'm in a bind because I teach 5 classes per semester and could really use some course release time to finish the MS, but I can't see my way to requesting it from my admins without at least an agent if not a contract.
At the same, time, I've heard that for your first book you're more likely to get a Yes from agents and eds if you have the MS done instead of just the proposal and first 100 pp (which I have complete).
Genre context: it's a memoir in essays about various social issues (I'm a former journalist), with quite a bit of research braided through.
I'm making good progress on what I'm calling the "skeleton draft" of a novel—telling myself the story and writing to the end without stopping to make the sentences beautiful. (Attempted that early on, which turned out to be a procrastination tool, ultimately.) Now that I've gotten out of my own way, my question is about what to do when I'm done. I'm pretty open to feeling my way through developing a revision approach that works for me, but it can also feel daunting. Since this is uncharted writing territory (I'm a nonfiction author attempting a new genre!), curious what you'd recommend as a place to begin once you have a very rough first draft in place. If it's helpful to know, I'm also a lean writer by nature who typically has to add vs. take away. Thanks for any ideas!
Most people in this case would share the MS with beta readers. I'm not one of those people (though I do believe in the process) simply because I've become a pretty ruthless editor of my work. What might be useful for you is to write a query letter for the project, even if it feels premature, and share that letter with friends. Ask them to comment on: what feels exciting? What about this makes you want to read this? Where are you confused? What isn't clear? What do you feel you'll want to read a lot about, and what are you less excited to read about? Using a query letter to stand in for the whole novel will take people so much less time to read, and you probably will not have to pay friends/readers to read a 5 paragraph query unless you're working with a professional editor or coach. Take those big picture comments back to the manuscript but only in the back of your mind-- approach your writing this time with the same questions. Read the book out loud to yourself-- that's an approach that will make every word feel new. Your gut should tell you where the writing is magical and where it's undeveloped or overdeveloped or too lean. It also, given that is a novel, might make sense to hold your book up against the three act structure outlined by Syd Field in his craft book "Screenplay" or the same in "Save the Cat Writes a Novel" to make sure that you have a plot, or something akin to a plot. Good luck!
I'm certain it won't be in shape for beta readers at that point. ;) The idea about writing a query for the project is interesting though—definitely a good exercise in distilling down what I'm trying to do, and then see how others respond to the ideas. Glad to hear "Save the Cat Writes a Novel" is on your list—I had that one earmarked to read after I'm done with this round. I've heard a lot of good things! Thanks again.
Thank you so much for this opportunity! Apologies if this is addressed elsewhere (I'm still making my way through all the great Qs and thoughtful responses) but my question is around what to do first in a series of contingent and mutually supportive actions to getting a book published. I'm overwhelmed and a bit paralyzed!
- Should I focus on building a niche and a platform, say on Instagram or another space, so I can gain recognition and credibility for when I pitch a book?
- Should I focus on continuing to publish and getting more readers for my Substack, which I've been publishing regularly for 2 years and which is (slowly) growing *and* along the lines of what I want to write about?
- Should I focus on pitching some op-eds and outlet pieces that would help me diversify my writing and gain exposure and credibility?
- Or should I just take the time to actually start writing the damn thing -- an outline and a few chapters at least? Is that enough to get a foot in, if I don't yet have a huge platform? I would prefer not to self-publish.
- My goal is a wider readership for my Substack, a published book, and regular speaking / writing opportunities in a particular space, which is witty, wise, and deep accessible Buddhist reflection on everyday life.
I'm guessing it's some combo of all of these. But I have very limited time with a one-year-old who I primarily care for, and I am yearning for a strategy that will get me to where I want to go (eventually). Thank you for any guidance or insights!
What I would do is not put the cart before the horse. Start by writing some of your book in two forms-- the overview part of the proposal and the first few chapters. Struggle with it, take time to find the voice, decide whether you will incorporate research, anecdote-- what kind of nonfiction project is it? Make sure you want to take years to write this thing-- that you have it in you, and that it needs to be a book, rather than essays placed here and there. This process, I'd give yourself 2-3 months to do, and you should research during this time, what proposal writing entails. (I teach a class on this: https://www.domestika.org/en/courses/2864-book-proposal-writing-how-to-get-published/cmaum ) Contrary to what people think, proposal writing is not quick. Nor is a proposal guaranteed to sell. What's good about proposals is it helps you feel out whether you have enough gas in the tank to write the book at all. If you decide to commit to the project, you then want to sketch out how you can start upping your discoverability. Are there any refinements to do to your Substack, what kinds of pieces should you be pitching and placing where, are there any groups you should be a part of? Reading series you can pitch yourself to? You'll want to make some new friends, pitch yourself to review books that are in conversation with yours and generally start building a reputation that you can find agent representation for. If you decide you don't want to write the book or proposal, that's fine-- work on the platform building stuff. There are other ways to get book deals-- you could, for example, pitch an anthology with yourself as the editor. Good luck!
Courtney, I'm wondering what you think about using contemporary events and themes in novels. Is it better to skip these, so that novels don't age? What about if the novel is intended as part of a series? Thanks for your advice.
I think that using contemporary events to hinge a series on would be the biggest risk. 1) Gatekeepers really prefer to launch new writers with one book, not a promised series. the first book needs to stand on its own. 2) Publishing timelines aren't something you can control. Let's say you've imagined a three book series with each book taking place around a recent event. But then the publishing timeline gets moved around and your book about the pandemic doesn't come out until 2029 and the one that talks about Biden dropping out of the race doesn't come out until 2031 and so forth...the events could lose some of the relevance and importance you had intended. To be safe, it's good to infuse the impact and ripples of events into our writing (for example, the novel I'm currently working on deals with the state of ambition post pandemic, but it is not about the pandemic itself). There aren't any hard and fast rules, but generally I would try to make your writing about contemporary events expansive and big and universal feeling instead of regional and time-specific. Does this make sense? A final example: I just read "Bear" by Julia Phillips in which, (my opinion, I don't know if she did this on purpose) I think the grizzly bear in the book that is stalking neighbors is a metaphor for poverty. So she's writing about contemporary issues (class divides, inflation....) but in a fresh, unexpected, and universal way. Her book will be appreciated the same manner in 2025 or 3035 because of the way she wrote it.
I am beginning to work on building a platform for my memoir as I revise. To me, this means writing shorter essays as proof of concept in addition to practicing literary citizenship as well as I can while also being a therapist and a mother and having my own personal struggles with all that that entails for me, but especially anxiety and perfectionism. My question to you is this: how imperfect can I let myself be as I begin to work more actively on platform building? I mean this on all fronts but especially in my work. When I submit an essay for commercial consideration, for instance, (I just recently decided this is the path I'm going to take over the literary route), what is the margin of error for how polished my work needs to be to be accepted? What about when I'm navigating my literary citizenship? I am fearful that I am going to say or do the wrong thing and that my writing career will be over before it even begins. I feel like the emotional barriers are the biggest ones I'm contending with lately, so would really appreciate your perspective on this, especially as someone who was also the mother to a one-year-old at one time (not saying that's all of it, but that's definitely part of it). Thanks so much in advance.
This is an exciting step to take, congrats! I would say that for anything that is public-facing, like essays and websites and branding (logos and other visual assets) you want public-facing material to be as polished as possible. So that will take work behind the scenes: polishing your essays or pitches until they shine, of course, but also hiring web designers and graphic designers when you get to a point where you have something online to build. Socially, you can be yourself! Get yourself out there, learn what people talk about in literary circles, what they seem not to talk about (and why?), and find the wavelength you are comfortable being social at. Literary world stuff is just like other social circles-- money is still taboo until you become close with someone (so for example, you wouldn't start a conversation asking someone how much they got for an advance) and there is a bit of gossip and pettiness, so I would try to stay encouraging, positive and optimistic rather than mean spirited or envious in your interactions with people. And this goes for the books you are reading and possibly reviewing. Keep things positive-- if there is a book you read you didn't like, try- in the beginning as you are making friends-- to recognize the work that someone put into making it, the years, the dreams-- and be kind with your feedback. You'll be find and you'll end up having a lot of fun! Never forget you can always ask questions, admit, "I'm new at this!" admit that you don't understand something. While there is a gossipy element to publishing and writing, I find most people to be kind and sensitive and vulnerable and lonely for friendship! Enjoy yourself out there.
This is incredibly generous, Courtney, thank you. I did reread the section on pitching in your book yesterday. I've only submitted to one commercial outlet so far but was interested to learn they request drafts and was definitely a little bit confused by that. Like, what does it mean to send a draft of an essay, as opposed to the completed essay? (I know you've got a lot of questions here, so you don't need to answer that again. As I understand what you've said here, it needs to shine regardless.) Re: gossip and pettiness, noted. I've never been part of those circles, I mostly just want to protect myself from doing or saying something stupid because I am the biggest overthinker, and with my history, it takes a little longer to find my grounding in these spaces. It helps to know about the kindness, sensitivity, and vulnerability. If I'm being honest, I have found this stage of the process profoundly lonely, and while being a new mother probably really compounds it, it's good to know others are seeking friendship, too. Best to you. Thanks again for doing this.
HI Mirella - I took a class on pitching personal essays taught by Rebecca Morrison: https://www.rebeccakmorrison.com/work . In that course she said her method was the same - draft an essay and send the draft directly underneath in her pitch email. This way the editor sees what it is you're pitching. You might also search your favorite podcast app for Noah Michelson. He's the editor at Huff Post Personal and gives tips for what makes a good personal essay he can publish, etc.
Kelly, sorry to be just seeing this now, but I wanted to comment for two reasons. First, to thank you for advice. I have listened to several interviews that Noah's given and found them both to be very helpful (I will also check out the class you recommended, which sounds very useful). Second, I wanted to report back to both you and Courtney that I just had my first commercial pitch picked up by HuffPo, and thankfully, I did okay-enough with the pitch and my essay draft itself to be accepted, though of course, the learning continues. Best to you both.
Hi, you two. Doubling back on this with the hope of getting some advice. My essay is scheduled to go live on Monday and I may or may not have shot myself in the foot with the title. Their recommended title was "I Watched My Father Kill My Mother And Himself. My Trauma Found Me Again When I Became A Mom" and I immediately felt sick when I saw it. Not because it's not true, but because as someone who has worked really hard to not define myself by my trauma this felt like a trauma porn, click-baity suggestion. Well, I did communicate this, but now the problem is that the new title the audience team came up with is kind of lackluster. It's "I Spent Years Fighting For Control. Then My Son Nearly Died In Childbirth - And I was Forced To Face A Painful Truth". I like it better because it's closer to what the actual piece is about, but it's sort of vague and thankfully I got to suggest a different dek than the one they had "While trauma may have altered my upbringing, I am proud it doesn't have to alter his." I guess my follow up question is, is this a moment for me to simply let go and be okay with the title as is, since I'm acting in congruence with my values? Or do I continue to think about what would make for a better title and suggest something different? I don't want to come off as pedantic or like to much work to the editor. At the same time, I want to give my essay a shot to perform well and I guess I'm really struggling with the feeling that I have to frame my work with trauma upfront and center to do that. I so appreciate any thoughts you might have though understand if this gets crickets, as I'm asking this follow up much later than the original post.
I hope you have a wonderful time in Brittany, Courtney! If you're at the point in your writing journey where you're building up your platform and eventually going to query a manuscript, how important is your website and author photo? 1) Is an author website something that writers are encouraged to maintain themselves, both before and after a hypothetical book deal? 2) Do you think the level of professionalism of a website or author photo matters when you're querying? I am not sure how any of that works! Thanks so much.
These are great questions! A proper author photo you don't really have to worry about until you have a book coming out, are doing lots of press and/or speaking engagements. After that, I think having an author website is great once you start publishing - not books necessarily, but articles, op eds, short stories. An author site makes you more discoverable, but it is not the make-or-break item that will make an agent say yes or no to you. Some people get by with "linktrees" where you can keep an active list of your most recent publications or "links" to your defining things. These days, gatekeepers are all hyped up on authors having newsletters-- they are not really demanding that authors have websites, but I am very pro author website. They are a great way to keep track of your interviews, events and publications and you can keep your bio and author photo there for anyone who needs it. Good luck!
My novel that I had worked on for literally years was quickly accepted by a top literary agent at a top agency and I was delighted. However, he didn't review the novel (I'm not even sure he read it) and sent it out to 30 publishing houses with essentially my cover letter. That's all he did. When I asked about followup, he said he hadn't gotten any bites from the publishing houses. I am taking the mss back and want to resubmit it to other agents after I review it but I'm concerned that I will have to say that it was accepted by an agent and nothing happened. What do I do about getting a good agent who is committed to the novel?
Oof! Generally, if an agent tells you they have no notes and intend to submit right away-- that should be a red flag. I turned in what I thought was the final draft of my current novel in the fall of 2023 and I am STILL working on my agent's notes! A year later! Communication is key with agents-- you should be kept abreast of what the agent's plan for submission is and they should never submit to so many people right away, but rather in small batches so that you can recalibrate once you get any feedback. Going forward, yes, you'll want to let new agents know that you had representation but were unsatisfied and asked to part ways (to make it clear it was you left) and you're excited to find a partner who is organized and passionate. Those are about the only hints you can give to the man's incompetence-- you can't complain or bitch about him, it's just too small a world. And it's not that "nothing happened"-- it's that your manuscript was improperly handled and he was unable to provide (or didn't choose to provide) developmental edits. I'm sorry you had such a messy experience but rare are those of us writers who get it right with an agent the first time-- I'm on my third!
Thank you for doing this, Courtney.
I'm hoping to start querying later this year. I have a list of agents I'm interested in and have ranked them into three groups. I've heard some advice to start with a batch (5-10) from your B-list so that if I get no bites, I can revise my query letter before sending out another batch — and I haven't blown my one shot with anyone on my A-list. (If I DO get interest from agents on my B-list, this advice says to quickly send out a batch of queries to those on my A-list.) I've also heard advice to keep it simple and "go big" and start with the A-list.
What would you advise?
I would mix one A in with all of the Bs you send for the first and second round and then reevaluate based on any feedback you might have received. It’s true that if you start getting bites, you can 1) nudge people you haven’t heard from yet and 2) write some “As” you haven’t yet written saying something along the lines of - I have an offer of representation but my dream has been to work with you- but note, of course, that they’ll be like, “Then why didn’t you write me first?” Good luck out there!
Thank you!
Thanks for doing this--what a resource this is.
I'm curious about your thoughts regarding hiring someone to help with marketing your book. This is slightly different from publicity (and I really appreciated and learned a lot from your post about the different types of publicists). I'm hearing more about how important marketing specifically is, as opposed to (or maybe in addition to?) getting lots of media 'hits,' because of how the media and social media environment have changed. I've seen some great examples of this, like how Liana Finck paired with Primary to market her book How to Baby. But I'm also wondering if this is worth it for someone who doesn't have the kind of name recognition of a Liana Finck.
Thank you!
PS I read and absolutely loved Year of the Horses while I was on vacation last week. Especially what you had to say about mid-life crises being about widening the circle.
Thank you so much for reading my memoir! Your question is a tough one for me because I can’t speak from experience, having never hired someone to help with marketing. I’ve been lucky that my books have been traditionally published and each publisher had a marketing division. Generally, it helps to hire someone for one super specific thing— a target audience you want to reach, a region you want to make an impact in, a literary festival you want to get invited to and/or book events where you’d like to drum up a healthy audience. I’d be leery of anyone who costs a lot and promises the moon. You might enjoy Lainey Cameron’s “12 Weeks to Book Launch Success” program: https://www.laineycameron.com/book-marketing
Hi Courtney. I've been thinking a lot about a thing I've read many rephrasings of: "Start your book at the good part." Meaning where does the action start, where do your readers tell you, oh, this is where I got hooked.
I'm pretty sure the latter half of my book is more quickly engaging and accessible. The same people who told me this said they really liked the first half too, which introduced the main character, and also the setting, which becomes more obviously a sort of antagonist, but only in the second half. "I don't know why'd I'd keep reading," said my best reader i.e. thoughtful and well-read, but not at all like me. Another said he'd keep reading just for the language because he's a poet, but didn't see a thread. I think they want more immediate or obvious continuity of a building plot, pointing to a payoff. (We joke in my beta group about Save The Cat while taking seriously we need to think about it!)
I've just finished a 7th draft. I was going to resume querying once I finished, but now I'm wondering if I should tinker with the structure. Reshape it with a structure that starts in the middle, jumps to the beginning, hangs around long enough to contextualize something from the middle bit, and jump back to the middle again.
Interesting project, and maybe it will work with minimal rewriting (hahaha) but that will be putting yet more work in. I like the story as is, but I also like the idea of testing out a punchier story with violent jerking around.
I've started shuffling things around in Scrivener, but once I shaped one series of scenes I realized this is a very large project, akin to rewriting a first person to a third or something. Which cat do I save?
Thank you, as ever!
Hi Damien! It sounds like maybe you could tinker with the structure a little bit. Are you able to write a logline for your project? (A one sentence pitch of the book?) I often find that writing query letters and loglines are two of the quickest ways to suss out where our structure is failing us. It sounds to me like you might have a bit too long of a runway in your manuscript before things start kicking into gear. Generally I find that there are two hacks to fix this—give your main character a time constraint to accomplish or gain something or give them some kind of financial pressure, or both! I taught a 3 hour class this spring on Opening Pages that teaches you how to scan your book for what isn't working. You might be interested in the video of it and the transcript-- it's $39. If you are interested you can email me at thequerydoula (at) gmail.com
Thanks! I've been thinking about the runway and whether I'm attached to it - that some of the elements work better as mere mentions rather than scenes. I'll check out that class.
Courtney, you are SO keeping me going right now! Thanks for all your illuminating content, and your zero-bull book!
I’m sliding into the grey area that is the end of the agent querying process. It’s upmarket women’s fiction, with more passes than I care to admit. I also live in New Zealand rather than the US or UK, which I’ve heard counts against me to some degree. What would you say is a normal MS request rate, in a post-COVID world flooded with manuscripts?
I’ve had just enough MS requests and personalised rejections to string me along and now I need something objective, to help me understand if it’s time to put my energy into new creative work. I’ve upgraded my query with your incredible course, and the same goes for my opening pages. I’ve given it everything. Please, can you clear away a little of the fog of war? How many MS requests would you expect for a MS with genuine potential?
That's a hard question to answer given that it depends on so many different factors but I would say for every 10 send outs, if the manuscript has true potential and is ready for agent representation that you would want 3-4 requests for every 10 sends. But it's not the manuscript requests that matter, really-- it's getting feedback. Although most people think they are striving for representation, in the beginning stages, what really counts is personalized feedback. Have you got anything beyond form rejections? If you haven't, it's the lack of personalized feedback I'd be concerned about more than how many requests I got or didn't. Thank you for reading my book! (When a manuscript isn't truly ready, by the way, I think one gets maybe 1-2 requests per ten send outs plus form rejections. To me, that would signify that there are issues with the momentum or plot of the book, the overall pitch, the writing itself or something that is off with the timing or the market.)
Is it possible to estimate a typical range for how long publishers give writers to deliver MS after signing? I thought 12-18 months was common but someone recently told me 6 months (!) was most common.
Are their any identifiable patterns around the timing? For context, I'm writing a memoir in essays and have a proposal and 100 sample pages/first four chapters.
I ask because I feel ready to query but I would likely need about 9-12 months to turn MS around and want to use a book contract to leverage to request partial course release from my 5/5 teaching job so I can finish before life gets in the way.
Thank you for the bump because I did indeed miss this! Books that are agented and have traditional book deals with publishers usually have a turnaround time of 1-2 years on average, regardless-- to my knowledge-- of genre. While it's smart to have a plan and a sense of timing, I think you will soon find that publishing works on its own timeline and that the best laid plans...often get away from you. Stay as flexible as you can and keep some savings to allow you writing time if you can, that is my best advice. Good luck out there and again, thank you for the bump as I did indeed miss this!
Thanks Courtney!
Hi again Courtney! just wanted to bump this in case it got buried. Thanks again for holding the AMA!
Hi Courtney and community! I'm just diving into your book.... Before and After... so apologies if you cover this and I haven't read it yet. I'm a first time author, waiting for edits on my memoir from a developmental editor. While in limbo, I'm wanting to get more of my writing out into the world. I've written a couple blogs but don't know where I should shop them before I simple post on my soon to launch author website and then share the link on social. Any thoughts on where I could find a list of online pubs accepting blogs on various, women related topics? I've been told in other course that I shouldn't create a Substack and also have a blog. They suggest focusing on one or the other. Do you agree? xoxo
Congrats on being in developmental edits! Generally, what is published on a blog is considered as "self published" so the piece would have to be significantly reworked to be considered for publication elsewhere, unless you cross posted with other blogs. I am not super familiar with the world of blogging, but perhaps you can find a publicist you can hire for a few hours to help you understand which likeminded bloggers you can reach out to for mutual signal boosts? Otherwise, you'd be wise to start developing original off the book pieces that you can start placing in magazines, online and in print. It's not until November, but I am teaching a masterclass all about how to do this (scroll down to the November class): https://www.courtneymaum.com/courses And post the link to your blog here so people can visit!
Thanks Courtney! Your course sounds super helpful and hopefully I'll be able to participate come November. As soon as my author site is up I'll post the blog and share the link for that with you all. I appreciate the encouragement and insights!
Hi Courtney and community! I have a question about submitting to literary journals. I'm just getting back to it after a 10ish year break from that part of the literary world. Are form vs. encouraging rejections still a thing? I've seen you recommend a certain number of agents to submit to and a threshold of rejections at which point it's time to go back to the drawing board. Do you have similar guidelines for literary journals? Last Dec., I submitted my first flash CNF piece and it was accepted nearly right away by the first journal I submitted to. Now, I know that's not usually how it works. :-) But with my 2nd flash CNF, I'm now 13 submissions in with 6 form rejections, a few encouraging ones (as I interpreted it), and still waiting to hear from a few I submitted to recently. Just wondering when it's time to put this one aside (with the broader goal of publishing a collection of these pieces as like a chapbook or something someday) and focus on the next one. Also, I never see anyone talk about literary journals in the comments so I wonder is anyone else doing this and do lit journals even matter anymore if it's not a famous one? I graduated with my MFA in 2011 so I'm wondering what's changed since then. When I was in school, the idea was to publish short stories in prestigious journals and maybe get an agent that way or at least develop some credentials for yourself before querying a novel.
Hey Elizabeth - when I started writing as a serious endeavor a few years ago I began submitting short stories to literary journals. I'm not talking about a lot of stories - maybe 4 different stories submitted (The first story got a personalized rejection right away and was accepted at the 2nd place. Other stories went to maybe to 15 places before they were accepted) over 3 years. A very helpful resource is Duotrope, which lets you see (to some extent, it's not the full picture bc it's self report by submitter and of course not everyone is telling Duotrope they submitted) a journal's acceptance rate. Sometimes this rate is very, very low - like 2%, 4%, etc.
I've received personalized rejections. Some from 'swing for the fences' type journals that make me really proud to have been rejected so kindly. ;) I've also learned a lot by entering contests and paying extra for feedback from a judge or paying an editor $35 or so to critique a short story.
I've also received super weird rejections. I keep this kind of writing activity as something I do somewhat seasonally, when I need to take a break from novel revisions. I say you're on the right track. Keep trying!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Kelly. I'm cheering you on as well! "Super weird rejections" made me smile--this whole thing is weird when you really think about it. There's no fame or money involved, but we do it anyway for the love of it.
Welcome back to the game! I think people are definitely still submitting to literary journals but I also think that people keep discoverability in mind- and sometimes privilege sending pieces to outlets that have online components so that their work can be more widely found and also so that people aren't blocked by a paywall. I have to admit that I haven't submitted to a literary magazine in eons but if I was shopping a piece around, I think by six rejections I'd start to wonder if something is off and by 9 I would probably pause and either share with a beta reader, do some editing myself, adjust my letter, or simply move on to something else and chalk it up to the timing being off. Definitely keep submitting-- but make sure you are complimenting print mags with outlets online where you can share links to your work. Good luck!
Thanks, Courtney! That's helpful guidance. Yes, I do feel like I want to be able to share the link if I get something published, so the "prestigious" journals I would've aspired to in grad school are less appealing now if they don't have an online component.
It does feel good to be back in the game--whatever the outcome with this particular piece or future ones, at least I'm out there trying. :-)
This isn't a question but a thank you I have been wanting to write to you, Courtney.
The feedback you gave me in the class this summer was helpful. Honestly in the moment I felt resistance and some other less pleasant feelings. Luckily I know this 'feedback burn' and realized it would shift over time.
You told me to go BIG, to simplify, to really PLAY with it. It took awhile to get there, but after feedback from my editor on the opening 50 pages, I was tasked with making a scene database.
This database had to include what each scene was doing and what change/turning point it had.
I shoulda coulda done this waaay sooner in the process, but it didn't seem like my kind of thing. But OMG it turned out to be a major catalyst in developing much more exciting ideas, trimming the scenes and brutally cutting out whole major chapters. I got SO much energy and delight from doing this.
Now I am drafting the new scenes and having so much fun. I feel better than ever about this book, and it has really come unhinged from the lived experience it is inspired by. I am so excited about it.
That class and this newsletter play a big part in this shift. When the book comes out, look for your name in the acknowledgements. THANK YOU!!!
Cynthia, thank you for this comment. I copy/pasted paragraph 3 in my Notes app as a motivational reminder to self. It seems so scary as an author to be bold, but it also seems to pay off. I recently consumed everysinglepage of Rufi Thorpe's website: https://www.rufithorpe.com/contact (Margot's Got Money Troubles has been my surprising fun read of the summer) and she says she "swung for the fences" for her second to last book Knockout Queen because she was afraid it would be her last. From the accolades, seems like a good strategy. Meg Mason said something similar in an interview with Elizabeth Day about Sorrow and Bliss (on the podcast How to Fail). She said she gave it every last scrap she had because she thought it would be her last book.
Thanks for the reminder that it can be more fun to go BIG.
Thank you Kelly! I love the authors you referenced here, because I, too, am going for it. Giving it everything I've got. I have ambitious goals for this book. I realize some of this ambition may be delusional. And...I think people working in the book-writing trenches need a good dose of delusion.
This morning, while picking tomatoes and flowers in my garden, I felt my ambition. I questioned whether I have what it takes as a writer to write the kind of novel I want. I know doubts live alongside ambition. I don't let the doubts stop me. Instead, I shrug and say, we'll see. I can only keep showing up and doing the work. I feel fortunate that I am enjoying the process more and more each day.
Have fun going big on your goals!
I'm so glad you're having a breakthrough with your manuscript-- congratulations, that is thrilling. Thank you for your kind words and for being here!
Hi Courtney, Would you be open to weighing in on a subjective question? I've seen and heard different advice about when to query your first book. I'm in a bind because I teach 5 classes per semester and could really use some course release time to finish the MS, but I can't see my way to requesting it from my admins without at least an agent if not a contract.
At the same, time, I've heard that for your first book you're more likely to get a Yes from agents and eds if you have the MS done instead of just the proposal and first 100 pp (which I have complete).
Genre context: it's a memoir in essays about various social issues (I'm a former journalist), with quite a bit of research braided through.
Your thoughts? Thanks a million, Courtney.
I'm making good progress on what I'm calling the "skeleton draft" of a novel—telling myself the story and writing to the end without stopping to make the sentences beautiful. (Attempted that early on, which turned out to be a procrastination tool, ultimately.) Now that I've gotten out of my own way, my question is about what to do when I'm done. I'm pretty open to feeling my way through developing a revision approach that works for me, but it can also feel daunting. Since this is uncharted writing territory (I'm a nonfiction author attempting a new genre!), curious what you'd recommend as a place to begin once you have a very rough first draft in place. If it's helpful to know, I'm also a lean writer by nature who typically has to add vs. take away. Thanks for any ideas!
Most people in this case would share the MS with beta readers. I'm not one of those people (though I do believe in the process) simply because I've become a pretty ruthless editor of my work. What might be useful for you is to write a query letter for the project, even if it feels premature, and share that letter with friends. Ask them to comment on: what feels exciting? What about this makes you want to read this? Where are you confused? What isn't clear? What do you feel you'll want to read a lot about, and what are you less excited to read about? Using a query letter to stand in for the whole novel will take people so much less time to read, and you probably will not have to pay friends/readers to read a 5 paragraph query unless you're working with a professional editor or coach. Take those big picture comments back to the manuscript but only in the back of your mind-- approach your writing this time with the same questions. Read the book out loud to yourself-- that's an approach that will make every word feel new. Your gut should tell you where the writing is magical and where it's undeveloped or overdeveloped or too lean. It also, given that is a novel, might make sense to hold your book up against the three act structure outlined by Syd Field in his craft book "Screenplay" or the same in "Save the Cat Writes a Novel" to make sure that you have a plot, or something akin to a plot. Good luck!
I'm certain it won't be in shape for beta readers at that point. ;) The idea about writing a query for the project is interesting though—definitely a good exercise in distilling down what I'm trying to do, and then see how others respond to the ideas. Glad to hear "Save the Cat Writes a Novel" is on your list—I had that one earmarked to read after I'm done with this round. I've heard a lot of good things! Thanks again.
Thank you so much for this opportunity! Apologies if this is addressed elsewhere (I'm still making my way through all the great Qs and thoughtful responses) but my question is around what to do first in a series of contingent and mutually supportive actions to getting a book published. I'm overwhelmed and a bit paralyzed!
- Should I focus on building a niche and a platform, say on Instagram or another space, so I can gain recognition and credibility for when I pitch a book?
- Should I focus on continuing to publish and getting more readers for my Substack, which I've been publishing regularly for 2 years and which is (slowly) growing *and* along the lines of what I want to write about?
- Should I focus on pitching some op-eds and outlet pieces that would help me diversify my writing and gain exposure and credibility?
- Or should I just take the time to actually start writing the damn thing -- an outline and a few chapters at least? Is that enough to get a foot in, if I don't yet have a huge platform? I would prefer not to self-publish.
- My goal is a wider readership for my Substack, a published book, and regular speaking / writing opportunities in a particular space, which is witty, wise, and deep accessible Buddhist reflection on everyday life.
I'm guessing it's some combo of all of these. But I have very limited time with a one-year-old who I primarily care for, and I am yearning for a strategy that will get me to where I want to go (eventually). Thank you for any guidance or insights!
What I would do is not put the cart before the horse. Start by writing some of your book in two forms-- the overview part of the proposal and the first few chapters. Struggle with it, take time to find the voice, decide whether you will incorporate research, anecdote-- what kind of nonfiction project is it? Make sure you want to take years to write this thing-- that you have it in you, and that it needs to be a book, rather than essays placed here and there. This process, I'd give yourself 2-3 months to do, and you should research during this time, what proposal writing entails. (I teach a class on this: https://www.domestika.org/en/courses/2864-book-proposal-writing-how-to-get-published/cmaum ) Contrary to what people think, proposal writing is not quick. Nor is a proposal guaranteed to sell. What's good about proposals is it helps you feel out whether you have enough gas in the tank to write the book at all. If you decide to commit to the project, you then want to sketch out how you can start upping your discoverability. Are there any refinements to do to your Substack, what kinds of pieces should you be pitching and placing where, are there any groups you should be a part of? Reading series you can pitch yourself to? You'll want to make some new friends, pitch yourself to review books that are in conversation with yours and generally start building a reputation that you can find agent representation for. If you decide you don't want to write the book or proposal, that's fine-- work on the platform building stuff. There are other ways to get book deals-- you could, for example, pitch an anthology with yourself as the editor. Good luck!
Thank you so much. Wise advice. Will do .
Hope you have a wonderful time in France!
Courtney, I'm wondering what you think about using contemporary events and themes in novels. Is it better to skip these, so that novels don't age? What about if the novel is intended as part of a series? Thanks for your advice.
I think that using contemporary events to hinge a series on would be the biggest risk. 1) Gatekeepers really prefer to launch new writers with one book, not a promised series. the first book needs to stand on its own. 2) Publishing timelines aren't something you can control. Let's say you've imagined a three book series with each book taking place around a recent event. But then the publishing timeline gets moved around and your book about the pandemic doesn't come out until 2029 and the one that talks about Biden dropping out of the race doesn't come out until 2031 and so forth...the events could lose some of the relevance and importance you had intended. To be safe, it's good to infuse the impact and ripples of events into our writing (for example, the novel I'm currently working on deals with the state of ambition post pandemic, but it is not about the pandemic itself). There aren't any hard and fast rules, but generally I would try to make your writing about contemporary events expansive and big and universal feeling instead of regional and time-specific. Does this make sense? A final example: I just read "Bear" by Julia Phillips in which, (my opinion, I don't know if she did this on purpose) I think the grizzly bear in the book that is stalking neighbors is a metaphor for poverty. So she's writing about contemporary issues (class divides, inflation....) but in a fresh, unexpected, and universal way. Her book will be appreciated the same manner in 2025 or 3035 because of the way she wrote it.
Thank you, Courtney. As usual, your thoughtful feedback is greatly appreciated!
I am beginning to work on building a platform for my memoir as I revise. To me, this means writing shorter essays as proof of concept in addition to practicing literary citizenship as well as I can while also being a therapist and a mother and having my own personal struggles with all that that entails for me, but especially anxiety and perfectionism. My question to you is this: how imperfect can I let myself be as I begin to work more actively on platform building? I mean this on all fronts but especially in my work. When I submit an essay for commercial consideration, for instance, (I just recently decided this is the path I'm going to take over the literary route), what is the margin of error for how polished my work needs to be to be accepted? What about when I'm navigating my literary citizenship? I am fearful that I am going to say or do the wrong thing and that my writing career will be over before it even begins. I feel like the emotional barriers are the biggest ones I'm contending with lately, so would really appreciate your perspective on this, especially as someone who was also the mother to a one-year-old at one time (not saying that's all of it, but that's definitely part of it). Thanks so much in advance.
This is an exciting step to take, congrats! I would say that for anything that is public-facing, like essays and websites and branding (logos and other visual assets) you want public-facing material to be as polished as possible. So that will take work behind the scenes: polishing your essays or pitches until they shine, of course, but also hiring web designers and graphic designers when you get to a point where you have something online to build. Socially, you can be yourself! Get yourself out there, learn what people talk about in literary circles, what they seem not to talk about (and why?), and find the wavelength you are comfortable being social at. Literary world stuff is just like other social circles-- money is still taboo until you become close with someone (so for example, you wouldn't start a conversation asking someone how much they got for an advance) and there is a bit of gossip and pettiness, so I would try to stay encouraging, positive and optimistic rather than mean spirited or envious in your interactions with people. And this goes for the books you are reading and possibly reviewing. Keep things positive-- if there is a book you read you didn't like, try- in the beginning as you are making friends-- to recognize the work that someone put into making it, the years, the dreams-- and be kind with your feedback. You'll be find and you'll end up having a lot of fun! Never forget you can always ask questions, admit, "I'm new at this!" admit that you don't understand something. While there is a gossipy element to publishing and writing, I find most people to be kind and sensitive and vulnerable and lonely for friendship! Enjoy yourself out there.
This is incredibly generous, Courtney, thank you. I did reread the section on pitching in your book yesterday. I've only submitted to one commercial outlet so far but was interested to learn they request drafts and was definitely a little bit confused by that. Like, what does it mean to send a draft of an essay, as opposed to the completed essay? (I know you've got a lot of questions here, so you don't need to answer that again. As I understand what you've said here, it needs to shine regardless.) Re: gossip and pettiness, noted. I've never been part of those circles, I mostly just want to protect myself from doing or saying something stupid because I am the biggest overthinker, and with my history, it takes a little longer to find my grounding in these spaces. It helps to know about the kindness, sensitivity, and vulnerability. If I'm being honest, I have found this stage of the process profoundly lonely, and while being a new mother probably really compounds it, it's good to know others are seeking friendship, too. Best to you. Thanks again for doing this.
HI Mirella - I took a class on pitching personal essays taught by Rebecca Morrison: https://www.rebeccakmorrison.com/work . In that course she said her method was the same - draft an essay and send the draft directly underneath in her pitch email. This way the editor sees what it is you're pitching. You might also search your favorite podcast app for Noah Michelson. He's the editor at Huff Post Personal and gives tips for what makes a good personal essay he can publish, etc.
Kelly, sorry to be just seeing this now, but I wanted to comment for two reasons. First, to thank you for advice. I have listened to several interviews that Noah's given and found them both to be very helpful (I will also check out the class you recommended, which sounds very useful). Second, I wanted to report back to both you and Courtney that I just had my first commercial pitch picked up by HuffPo, and thankfully, I did okay-enough with the pitch and my essay draft itself to be accepted, though of course, the learning continues. Best to you both.
I so appreciate that. Thank you both!
That’s marvelous news— congrats!!
Congratulations, Mirella! That's fantastic.
Hi, you two. Doubling back on this with the hope of getting some advice. My essay is scheduled to go live on Monday and I may or may not have shot myself in the foot with the title. Their recommended title was "I Watched My Father Kill My Mother And Himself. My Trauma Found Me Again When I Became A Mom" and I immediately felt sick when I saw it. Not because it's not true, but because as someone who has worked really hard to not define myself by my trauma this felt like a trauma porn, click-baity suggestion. Well, I did communicate this, but now the problem is that the new title the audience team came up with is kind of lackluster. It's "I Spent Years Fighting For Control. Then My Son Nearly Died In Childbirth - And I was Forced To Face A Painful Truth". I like it better because it's closer to what the actual piece is about, but it's sort of vague and thankfully I got to suggest a different dek than the one they had "While trauma may have altered my upbringing, I am proud it doesn't have to alter his." I guess my follow up question is, is this a moment for me to simply let go and be okay with the title as is, since I'm acting in congruence with my values? Or do I continue to think about what would make for a better title and suggest something different? I don't want to come off as pedantic or like to much work to the editor. At the same time, I want to give my essay a shot to perform well and I guess I'm really struggling with the feeling that I have to frame my work with trauma upfront and center to do that. I so appreciate any thoughts you might have though understand if this gets crickets, as I'm asking this follow up much later than the original post.
I hope you have a wonderful time in Brittany, Courtney! If you're at the point in your writing journey where you're building up your platform and eventually going to query a manuscript, how important is your website and author photo? 1) Is an author website something that writers are encouraged to maintain themselves, both before and after a hypothetical book deal? 2) Do you think the level of professionalism of a website or author photo matters when you're querying? I am not sure how any of that works! Thanks so much.
These are great questions! A proper author photo you don't really have to worry about until you have a book coming out, are doing lots of press and/or speaking engagements. After that, I think having an author website is great once you start publishing - not books necessarily, but articles, op eds, short stories. An author site makes you more discoverable, but it is not the make-or-break item that will make an agent say yes or no to you. Some people get by with "linktrees" where you can keep an active list of your most recent publications or "links" to your defining things. These days, gatekeepers are all hyped up on authors having newsletters-- they are not really demanding that authors have websites, but I am very pro author website. They are a great way to keep track of your interviews, events and publications and you can keep your bio and author photo there for anyone who needs it. Good luck!
Thanks so much! This is extremely helpful.