Search Results: book proposals
| Editing, Popular Posts
Freelance Editor Recommendations
Updated 2/1/24. Sometimes it’s necessary to work with a freelance editor to improve your writing skills or help make your manuscript more marketable. You can find editors by searching Fiverr or Reedsy, though you need to vet them carefully and ask a lot of questions. I’ve compiled a list of editors I know who are…
Read More | Submitting
Making it Easy to Say No
Awhile back, someone asked me, “What are the Top Do-This-and-You-are-Dead mistakes people make in pitches, queries, and book proposals?” My answers:a Bore me.a Pitch something I don’t represent.a Pitch something that sounds derivative, been-there done-that, nothing unique.a Show me that your writing isn’t yet up to publishable level.a Approach it with the attitude: What the…
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| Guest Bloggers, Publishing, Submitting
Guest Post: 5 Common Proposal Mistakes – An Acquisitions Editor Shares Some Tips
by Kara Leonino, Tyndale House Publishers When she walked over, all the signs were there. I could tell that her smile was trying to say, “I am excited to be here,” but fear was hovering close. As she sat down, I could see the subtle shaking in her hands and the lilt of her voice…
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| Agents, Popular Posts
How Do You Find a Literary Agent?
I asked readers on my Facebook page for questions they’d like me to answer on the blog. It seems many are dying to know the secret to getting an agent. Stephanie asked: What is the single most important thing when approaching an agent? Aleah asked: What’s the best way for a first time novelist to get…
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| A Writer's Life
More on Writers’ Conferences
I know a lot of you will be attending writers’ conferences, so I wanted to mention a few more things here. First, I can’t overstress the importance of having a verbal pitch ready. There are numerous opportunities at conferences to give a brief pitch of your book, sixty seconds. This can be at a meal…
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| A Writer's Life, Editing, Writing
The First Draft is Just the Beginning
I spend a lot of time working with my clients to edit and revise their proposals and manuscripts. I give notes and suggestions for improvements. Sometimes I take them through draft after draft, until everything seems just right. I know it’s tiring for them, and sometimes frustrating to be pushed to go over it again…
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| Writing
Write an Author Bio They’ll Remember
Sometimes it’s hard to believe how difficult it can be to write about yourself in a bio—after all, you’re a writer! But I understand it’s not as simple as that, so here are a few tips to make it easier. Write your bio in first person for query letters, third person for most other purposes including proposals, book…
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| Marketing, Popular Posts, Submitting
How to Write a Terrific Author Bio
Sometimes it’s hard to believe how difficult it can be to write about yourself in a bio—after all, you’re a writer! But I understand it’s not as simple as that, so here are a few tips to make it easier. Write your bio in first person for query letters, third person for most other purposes…
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Your Path to Publishing
Your Path to Publishing! Ah, publishing. Where to begin? It depends on where you are in the process. Here you’ll find articles addressing every aspect of the journey from writing to publishing to simply living the life of a writer. Browse the sections below to find the information you need, or use the Search box…
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Why Should You Work With Rachelle?
I realize it can be difficult to find a qualified editor or coach. Many people are promoting their services without extensive publishing experience. I’ve been in publishing for 20 years, worked in-house at two publishing companies, and worked directly with authors on hundreds of books. As a freelance editor, I’ve been hired by individual writers…
Read More | Publishing
Calling Your Manuscript Finished (For Now)
I’m blogging over at Books & Such today. A preview: Here is a typical email I receive from writers I’m considering for representation, or clients whose proposals are about to be sent to publishers: Dear Rachelle, I’m SO sorry to bother you and I hope it’s not too late. I was looking over my manuscript…
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| A Writer's Life, Publishing
Pitching Your Potential
Writers pursuing publication usually come up against the question, “What have you published in the past?” If they haven’t previously published, they worry nobody will take them seriously; if they have published, they wonder if their books were successful enough to impress anyone. The fact is, the majority of writers don’t have a track record…
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| Agents
13 Things You May Not Know About Agents
1. We really hate getting bad news and we hate sharing it with you, but we trust you’re adult enough to handle it. 2. If we say we don’t want to submit a particular project to editors, we’re probably trying to protect both of our reputations (the writer’s and the agent’s). 3. While many of…
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