Rachelle Gardner

Several weeks ago I was hanging out with Dave Cullen, author of Columbine (and client of one of my favorite people, agent Betsy Lerner). As I’ve written several times on this blog, I thought Dave’s book was a spectacular achievement, not just because of the story itself but because of the skill with which he…

Some of you may have read the post from agent Kristin Nelson last week about agents fighting over writers. She wrote that every single time she offers a writer representation lately, she ends up competing with several other agents who want the same client. You can go read her post now: Hot Commodity In response…

A comment on the blog this week mentioned that one of the functions of books is to reflect our world. That got me thinking. Do books reflect our world? And what other purposes do books serve? Why do we read them? Why do we write them? In the larger sense, what functions do books serve…

Awhile back I met with a writer who has a family and a great career, and has written a novel “on the side.” It’s been sitting in the drawer, but he’s decided he finally wants to figure out how to get that darn thing published. In the course of our conversation I realized, as I…

I’ve been asked this question several times by various people outside the publishing industry: Why don’t publishing houses do more market research? Most industries that sell to the public invest heavily in things like focus groups, surveys, and product testing. This is even done with TV shows and feature films. But it doesn’t seem the…

Lately I’ve gotten some remarks from people, both in blog comments and in response to pass letters, complaining that “agents are only looking for what they’re personally interested in.” And some have called into question whether that’s a legitimate way to do business. So is it true? Are we just looking for what we like?…

Our guest blogger from last Thursday, Becky Levine, has chosen the three winners to receive a copy of her book, The Writing and Critique Group Survival Guide. They are: Heather Beth K. Vogt KC Frantzen Winners please email me with your mailing address so we can send you the book!

The QueryFRANKLIN’S LADDER is supernatural fiction, complete at 82,000 words. It is the women’s fiction version of a Mike Dellosso or a Brian Keene novel. I am querying you because of your desire for well-written women’s fiction that incorporates a Christian world view. Husbands are troublesome creatures, especially when they’re dead. Anna’s husband, a journalist…

I get weary of hearing people complain about publishing, comparing it to other industries and saying, “In no other business…” followed by whatever their complaint is. People even go so far as to claim the entire publishing industry is “incompetent” because it doesn’t work like other industries with which they’re familiar. To me, those complaints…

Every once in awhile, on a Friday night, my husband will be at work and my kids will be gone at sleepovers and I’ll have a whole evening to myself. This is maybe twice a year. But when it happens… ah, bliss. I carefully select some fruit and cheeses for my dinner, and pour a…

The Query:Katie Carey’s husband has a mistress and her name is heroin. From the moment she met British guitar god Jay Carey, Katie lived a fantasy life. They were one of the superstar rock and roll couples of London in the 1970s with the big houses, the cars, phenomenal success and a love that seemed…

Yesterday I wrote about treating your writing like a business, and being professional about how you deal with the finances and tax ramifications of that business. Continuing along those lines, today I want to suggest a couple more things you can do to stay organized in your writing business. If you’re in the querying stage,…

It’s another Friday, and phew, this week went by in a blur. I was sitting here thinking about how much time I spend dispensing my opinions and worth-every-penny-you-paid-for it advice on this blog. And how much time I spend on the phone with clients, giving advice and offering guidance for their careers. And for just…

The query: After three days of lying in bed with her life crumbling around her, college freshman Stephanie Miller needs to get out of her room before she goes insane. She decides to go to the One Force House; a guy she’d met recently had told her she could come there if she ever needed…