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Yesterday’s blog post asking writers what annoys them yielded lots of helpful comments, and a smattering of familiar complaints. Julie Geistfeld wrote that she wants a “reason” with her rejection letters. But, she says – she’s not asking for much – just “one word, maybe two” of explanation at the end of a form rejection.…

This weekend I taught at a writers’ conference and my topic was “Selling Your Stuff,” creating those all important sales materials for your book: The one-sentence summary.The query.The pitch paragraph.The elevator pitch.The proposal. I was talking to a room full of novelists, so I focused on fiction. I told them that the main elements of…

Right now I’m at the American Christian Fiction Writers conference in Indianapolis. This is one of my favorite events every year because it’s like a huge gathering of my friends. I’m sure there are a lot of writers here who are nervous, and there will be more than a few awkward moments. So today let’s…

Mark Polino asked: Can you suggest ways for an author to tell how well their book is selling? This is sometimes a tough one for authors. The most reliable way to keep track of sales is through your royalty statements, but as you know, those come infrequently, and it can be frustrating having to wait…

or, “Everybody’s Gotta Start Somewhere” Dear Rachelle, What is your advice for my 26-year old daughter who has not yet published her poetry? Signed, The Poet’s Mom *** Dear Mom, Here’s my advice for your daughter: Get immersed in the world of poetry publication. Subscribe to magazines like Poets & Writers. Buy the Poets Market.…

Lately I’ve been hearing complaints from writers that agents are not specific enough in telling writers what kinds of projects they’re looking for. On my post “Too Much Information?” I received several comments that echoed this opinion from A3Writer: Agents are sometimes a little closed-mouthed about what they are looking for. I love the agents…

And if you like Taylor Mali – here’s an even better one:What Teachers Make

at a Pub Committee Meeting Let’s pretend this is a small-ish imprint where everyone gets along and respects each other. In other words, it’s a bit of a fantasy but you know, we like to pretend here on my blog. This is vastly simplified – it’s just supposed to give you the flavor. And we’re…

A few weeks ago, guest blogger Camille Eide wrote about getting a revision letter for her novel, and how much time she spent reworking the manuscript as a result. Many of you have asked variations of the following question, which came from Mike Dennis: I have to ask, if the agent had 10 pages of…

The question of whether to use a pen name comes up frequently among writers. People wonder what kinds of circumstances might dictate using a pen name, and how to choose one. There are several legitimate reasons to use a pseudonym. You simply may not like your real name, or it doesn’t fit the genre in…

I’ve been looking forward to this long weekend – I’ll be busy Saturday and Sunday, but on Monday (Labor Day) I’m taking the day off. Because it’s my birthday. When I’m looking forward to a day off, I sometimes find myself overly stressed about how to make it a “perfect day.” Sounds dumb – does…

As an author pursuing publication, have you thought about the fact that you’re going to need a professional headshot? Many people brush off the idea initially, thinking they can have a friend take some nice shots in the backyard. That might be true and you may think your snapshot looks great, but many people will…

Okay, here are more questions I’ve received lately. I’ll warn you right now, my answers are NOT FUNNY. They are, in fact, boring. Sorry. JR Beasley said:I have queried multiple agents. One agent has requested a full manuscript and three others are reviewing partials. When offered representation by an agent, what is the proper protocol…

Dear Rachelle, Do you have any feelings either way about the value of endorsing someone’s book? Publisher X has sent me a request. It’s an average book but I could probably find something good to say. Thoughts? Signed,Your Totally In-Demand Client *** Dear Ms. In-Demand Author: It’s flattering that someone believes your endorsement might help…