Why Book PR Can Have the Most Impact BEFORE You Land An Agent, by Sharon Bially

From: http://writerunboxed.com/2016/06/13/why-book-pr-can-have-the-most-impact-before-you-land-an-agent The question of how important book promotion is to sales and an author’s career is the subject of continual, heated debate. On one hand, many agents these days urge their clients to hire an outside publicist no matter who their publisher is, claiming that without robust PR and promotion no book (or author) has a future.  On the other hand, many — like WU’s own Donald Maass — stress the greater… Read More

Query Letters Part 1: The Pitch, by Annie Neugebauer

From: http://writerunboxed.com/2016/07/09/query-letters-part-1-the-pitch Last time I did my best to convince you that the query letter is a skill worth mastering. The heart of the query, your pitch, is useful not just for querying agents but also for the back of your book, pitching to editors, plotting, problem-solving, and even brainstorming. Naturally, the next big question is, “Okay, how do I write one?” Unfortunately, there’s not a one-size-fits-all answer to that question. Every query… Read More

How to Write a 1-Page Synopsis

At our July 2017 meeting, Maureen talked about the process involved in traditional publishing. An important part of that process is writing a synopsis of your manuscript. She’s found this article that Wordherders may find useful: How to Write a 1-Page Synopsis, by Sooz. Enjoy!

Why You Should Aim for 100 Rejections a Year, by Kim Liao

From: http://lithub.com/why-you-should-aim-for-100-rejections-a-year Last year, I got rejected 43 times by literary magazines, residencies, and fellowships—my best record since I started shooting for getting 100 rejections per year. It’s harder than it sounds, but also more gratifying. In late 2011, a writer friend was sharing her experiences of having months of uninterrupted writing time at her residencies at the Millay Colony, Ragdale, and Yaddo. I was staggered by her impressive rates of acceptance. You probably have… Read More

Write on the River August Membership Meeting

Wordherders’ member, Donelle Knudsen, will be one of six published authors speaking at Write on the River’s August membership meeting. It will take place August 20th in the Wenatchee Public Library’s auditorium from 10:30 a.m-11:30 a.m. with questions/answers/socializing until 1:00 p.m.

Infographic: Do You Know The Difference Between Literary, Upmarket and Commercial Fiction? by Carly Watters

Excellent break down of literary, upmarket and commercial fiction: Infographic: Do You Know The Difference Between Literary, Upmarket and Commercial Fiction by Carly Watters.

The Worst Ways to Begin Your Novel: Advice from Literary Agents, by Chuck Sambuchino

From: http://thewritelife.com/the-worst-ways-to-begin-your-novel-advice-from-literary-agents/#.dbdmj3:ip0 August 6, 2013 This column is excerpted from Guide to Literary Agents, from Writer’s Digest Books. No one reads more prospective novel beginnings than literary agents. They’re the ones on the front lines, sifting through inboxes and slush piles. And they can tell us which Chapter One approaches are overused and cliché, as well as which writing techniques just plain don’t work when you’re writing a book. Below, find a… Read More

The Total Beginner’s Guide to Submitting Short Fiction for Publication, by Amanda C. Davis

Amanda C. Davis is a prolifically published short story author. She has both self-published her stories and contributed to anthologies. In her post, “The Total Beginner’s Guide to Submitting Short Fiction for Publication,” she offers tips for newbies on how to go about submitting your stories for publication. P.S. In addition to writing, Amanda also designs book covers. She offers both specially designed covers as well as stock covers that can be modified for your book.

Unbound

One of our Wordherders found this site that crowd sources authors’ pitches. Check it out! Unbound

Comparative and Competitive Book Analysis, by Catherine Fowler

From: Presentation at Write On The River, Wenatchee, Washington, on May 16, 2009 It is critical that writers understand how their books stack up against the competition in the marketplace. Any good agent will perform a cursory market analysis before presenting a new book to a publisher. In actuality, the writer should do this in advance. It gives: the writer confidence that his/her product will compete well in the market for which… Read More