About Caitlin: Caitlin McDonald joined DMLA in 2015, and was previously at Sterling Lord Literistic. She represents adult and young adult speculative fiction, primarily science-fiction, fantasy, horror, and related subgenres, as well as contemporary fiction about geeky characters. She also handles a small amount of nonfiction in geeky areas, with a focus on feminist theory/women’s issues and pop culture. Caitlin grew up overseas and has a BA in Creative Writing from Columbia University. Find her on Twitter here.

(Classifying Your Book: How to Research & Target Literary Agents.)

She is seeking:

– All science fiction and fantasy fiction (and subgenres) for adult, YA, and MG — especially secondary world fantasy and alternate history
– Genre-bending or cross-genre fiction, and stories that examine tropes from a new angle
– Diversity of all kinds, including (but not limited to) race, gender, sexuality, and ability, in both characters and world-building

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

Do not send:
– women’s fiction
– crime fiction
– picture books or chapter books
– screenplays or short stories

How to contact: To query, please email query.cmcdonald [at] maassagency.com with the query letter, synopsis, and the first ten pages of your novel pasted into the body of the email.

Response times:
Query letters — up to 4 weeks from receipt.
Partial manuscripts — up to 4 weeks.
Full manuscripts — overnight to 4 weeks.

(What if an agent requests an exclusive submission?)

————-

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• June 25-28, 2015: Jackson Hole Writers Conference (Jackson Hole, WY)
• July 31- Aug. 2, 2015: Writer’s Digest Conference (New York, NY)
• Sept. 12, 2015: Michigan Writing Workshop (Detroit, MI)
• Oct 9, 2015: San Diego Writers’ Conference (San Diego, CA)
• Oct 10, 2015: The Writing Conference of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
• Oct. 17, 2015: Books by the Banks Book Festival (Cincinnati, OH)
• Oct. 24, 2015: Indiana Writers’ Conference (Indianapolis, IN)
• Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
• Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
• Feb. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
• Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
• March 5, 2016: Toronto’s “How to Get Published” Conference (Toronto, CA)
• March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
• March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)

Your new complete and updated instructional guide
to finding an agent is finally here: The 2015 book
GET A LITERARY AGENT shares advice from more
than 110 literary agents who share advice on querying,
craft, the submission process, researching agents, and
much more. Filled with all the advice you’ll ever need to
find an agent, this resource makes a great partner book to
the agent database, Guide to Literary Agents.

x

The post Literary Agent Spotlight: Caitlin McDonald of Donald Maass Literary appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

I love these moments because—whether they are about standardized testing or the protagonist of one of our novels—it shows me the heart of my students: that they have a deep desire for authenticity. They want to know the real deal, the whole scoop, the full story, the big picture.

This guest post is by Luke Reynolds. Reynolds currently teaches 7th grade English in the public school system in Harvard, Massachusetts. He and his wife, Jennifer, have two young boys and a young dog who is intent on waking up those young boys as often as possible. Luke is a lover of writing, running, pancakes, hiking, and all things goofy. Visit him at lukewreynolds.com and his blog reynoldsluke.blogspot.com.

And middle grade readers are no different from middle school students. They, too, want authenticity. They don’t want to read a version of the world skewed towards pretense for their eyes. They want to deal with real issues, real difficulty, and real love. In my middle grade novel, The Looney Experiment, I tried to give them a story with all the raw pain, humor, and love I could manage to translate from my own heart of experiences to reach theirs.

Here are three ways to avoid dumbing down our stories, our messages, our language when writing for middle grade audiences.

[Writing a Children’s Book: A Guide to Writing Books for Children – Free Download]

1. Deal with Real Pain

I wrote my first draft of The Looney Experiment because the middle school where I was teaching ran out of books. In our book room, we had tattered copies of old books with covers torn off and pages missing. But we had a grant from the state that allowed us to make as many photocopies as we wanted. So, I wrote a novel for my students so we’d have something we could all read. I tried to imbue the novel with what I saw in my own life and my students but, to be blunt: it was too easy. On my first draft, I just wanted to, essentially, show my students that the protagonist, Atticus, was okay. He was safe! He was happy! He was a middle school student! Just like them. But I knew and my students knew (and my eventual agent, Ammi-Joan Paquette, knew too) that it was all too easy for Atticus. He needed to deal with real pain, as that is the only way to reveal real growth, real love.

So on subsequent drafts, I made the life of Atticus more painful. Simply put, his obstacles grew, his problems grew, his despair grew. He became real around draft number 4, and by draft 11, he felt positively alive to me. Dealing with real pain in our novels does not mean that our protagonists must live lives of doom and gloom, but it does mean that we can’t give them the easy way out all the time. Like ourselves, they must struggle. Because it is the struggle which makes the love tangible.

[9 Practical Tricks for Writing Your First Novel]

2. Use Words Readers Won’t Know

What!? That’s crazy! If readers won’t know what a word means, how will they—how will they—

Every day in my seventh grade classes, I share a new word with my students. It could be my favorite word, perspicacious (which means clear-sighted), or just a fabulously fun word, like lugubrious (dark and gloomy). Students love these words, and when we talk about them and roll them around on our tongues and across the oxygen in the room, students know they’re plugging in to language that cause synapses to connect and brain cells to wake up. Our writing, it’s the very same process. We need to be sure we’re not writing ever word to be so mundane or normal that we never make our readers stop and think, WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN!?

Now, we don’t want to go overboard and create middle grade novels that look like William Faulkner combined with an astrophysicist could have written them. But if we have words in our vocabularies that we love and adore and like using, then use them in the writing! Let those words linger in the text because they are probably the best and most accurate words, after all, and because readers often rise to the occasion to meet a new word when they find it.

LIMITED TIME OFFER:
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3. Let Dialogue Happen Naturally and Without Censorship

As writers for middle grade readers, we sometimes hear bells that go off in our heads when we find ourselves writing dialogue that seems too adult. We might think, Kids aren’t going to get that or Kids shouldn’t listen to that. But when we think about our middle school readers, they already hear so much. They hear their parents fighting. They hear the conversations teachers have (which teachers think they do not hear). They hear their own friends talk about them and betray them and hurt them.

In our novels, we need to honor the fat that our readers are aware that people say mean things, hard things, things which they shouldn’t have said at all.

But art—and life—are not about sanitizing our conversations. Instead, they are about dealing with them—facing them with grace and redemption and, hopefully, healing. Novels which allow readers to see adults speak in authentic ways not only help middle grade readers to see real life, but they also teach these readers that they are not alone. And—while always imperfect—can still be beautiful. It can still bring healing and hope. This is what dignifies their own experience, and honors our own writing, too.

Come Join Me (& Other Writer’s Digest Staffers)!

As the online editor of Writer’s Digest (and a published author) I speak at writing events all the time to help others get published. Here’s a list of upcoming events where either I or another Writer’s Digest staffer will offer instruction to help you achieve your writing goals. Come join me!

• July 31- Aug. 2, 2015: Writer’s Digest Conference (New York, NY)
• Oct. 9, 2015: San Diego Writers’ Conference (San Diego, CA)
• Oct 10, 2015: The Writing Conference of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
• Oct. 24, 2015: Indiana Writers’ Conference (Indianapolis, IN)
• Feb. 11-14, 2016: The San Francisco Writers Conference (San Francisco, CA)

Thanks for visiting The Writer’s Dig blog. For more great writing advice, click here.

Brian A. Klems is the editor of this blog, online editor of Writer’s Digest and author of the popular gift book Oh Boy, You’re Having a Girl: A Dad’s Survival Guide to Raising Daughters.

Follow Brian on Twitter: @BrianKlems
Sign up for Brian’s free Writer’s Digest eNewsletter: WD Newsletter

The post 3 Ways to Avoid Dumbing Down When Writing Middle Grade appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

Good romance needs to enthrall the reader carefully and tactfully in a way that the love story is entertaining, enchanting or exciting, and just as important, believable. The reader’s journey will follow the character’s journey with a promise of emotional and intellectual satisfaction as the happily ever after is achieved.

But in such a competitive market, how do you make sure your book stands out as a quality submission? How do you walk the fine line between capturing the attention (and purchasing power) of readers of different ages and different background? How do you find the best agents and markets to submit your work to? How do you know when your book is a romance, work of erotica, new adult, or women’s fiction story? How do you decide when your work is ready for an agent or if you should self-publish?

In “How to Write and Sell Your Romance & Erotica,” a brand new Writer’s Digest Agent One-on-One Boot Camp starting October 12, 2015, the literary agents of Corvisiero Literary Agency will answer all those questions and more. They’ll also critique your work and allow you to ask questions you during online Q&A sessions.

Registrants will hear a tutorial on how to craft an amazing romance/erotica story, how to prepare the submission, how to choose between traditional publishing and self-publishing, and how to choose the right agent/help; then they will submit their work – either query letter and first 5 manuscript pages, or first 10 manuscript pages to be critiqued by experienced agents at the Corvisiero Literary Agency.

This program will show writers of romance and erotica the following:

— What the difference is between romance, erotica, new adult, and women’s fiction—and why it matters to understand how the categories differ
— How the different categories or genres are viewed, who the target readers are, and how that affects what agents and publishers you will target
— Why an agent will tell you, “I love this story, but I can’t sell it”
— How to start your work strong and create engaging characters for both editors and readers to love
— How to craft a interesting and likeable story—focusing on the elements of each category
— How to create a story arc that works, thinking in terms of standalones and series potential
— How to create interesting conflicts with satisfying resolutions
— How to decide if you should follow a traditional or self-publishing model—which choice will work best for you and for your project.
— How to prepare a successful submission package– How to avoid the common mistakes that sink submission chances, such as:
1.  talking down to your reader
2. not having a redeemable or well developed character, solid plot, or strong hook
3. having a story that begins too slow or other plot development or pacing issues
4. not following guidelines
5. not choosing the right agent or editor
6. boasting about the work to sell it instead of describing it in the best possible light

Here’s how it works:

On October 12, 2015, you will gain access to the online tutorial presented by literary agents from the Corvisiero Literary Agency.

After listening to the presentation, attendees will spend the next two days revising materials as necessary. Also following the tutorial, writers may log onto our discussion boards and ask your assigned agent critiquers questions related to revising your materials. The agents will be available on the boards from 1-3 p.m. (ET) on October 13 and October 14. No later than Friday, October 16, attendees will submit either their query letter and the first 5 double-spaced pages of their manuscript or the first 10 double-spaced pages of their manuscript to be critiqued. The submissions will receive feedback directly from the boot camp literary agents.

The agents will spend up to two weeks reviewing all assigned critiques and provide feedback to help attendees. (The agents reserve the right to request more materials if they feel a strong connection to the work and want to read more; note that multiple agents have signed writers before from WD boot camps.) No later than October 30, 2015, agents will send their feedback to writer attendees.
Only registered students can access the discussion sessions. You’ll also be able to ask questions of your fellow students. Feel free to share your work and gain support from your peers.
Please note that any one of the agents may ask for additional pages if the initial submission shows serious promise.

In addition to feedback from agents, attendees will also receive a download of “How to Get an Agent,” an on-demand webinar by literary agent Carly Watters.

BONUS: Free with registration to this boot camp, you will receive Nothing’s Sweeter than Candy an erotic romance by Lotchie Burton (choose from epub, mobi, or pdf format).

BREAKDOWN ON DATES:

Monday, October 12th: Online Tutorials
Tuesday, October 13th: Discussion Session 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM (ET)
Wednesday, October 14h: Discussion Session 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM (ET)
Friday, October 16th: Writers Submit Materials
Friday, October 30th: Agent Critiques Due. Sign up for the boot camp here.

INSTRUCTORS

Marisa A. Corvisiero, Esq. is the Founder, CEO and a Sr. Literary Agent at Corvisiero Literary Agency, a New York City boutique literary management services agency representing authors around the world. Marisa is also a consultant, speaker, author and an attorney focusing in Corporate and Trust and Estates law with experience in top global firms and fortune 500 companies. She participates in and has taught several workshops and boot camps on writing and publishing for Writer’s Digest, at Conferences around the country, and various other Online Resources.

Cate Hart is all about guilty pleasures. She loves salted caramel mochas, Justin Timberlake, Fox’s Sleepy Hollow, and Steampunk. As a native Nashvillian, Cate’s biggest guilty pleasure is watching Nashville. When she’s reading, Cate looks for character-driven stories, a distinguished voice, and intriguing plots. She loves characters that surprise her, like the pirate with a heart of gold, and plots that keep her guessing until the very last page. When she’s not reading queries, Cate works with clients to build their platform, works on PR projects to help promote clients’ books, and reads manuscripts with an editorial eye.

Samantha Bremekemp started her career in publishing in 2008, and quickly realized that she preferred working directly with authors from the other side of the industry. She runs critique groups and writing groups for fun, as she also loves to write and help others to fulfill their writing ambitions. She is fully aware of how hard of an industry it really is in this day and age. Samantha’s background is in English literature, communications, and Spanish. She is currently working on her Master’s Degree in MLIS. She really thinks that if a writer is confident and believes in their work, their work will show that without having to showboat to prove it via a pitch.

Veronica Park is an agent, author, journalist and marketing consultant with more than seven years of experience writing and editing for publication. She graduated with a BA in print journalism with an emphasis in linguistics and business marketing from Brigham Young University and went on to expand her writing skills as a broadcast journalist and independent film producer, before running away with her husband to work on cruise ships in the Caribbean as a port lecturer and luxury goods marketing specialist. In publishing, she has finally found an arena that requires her entire assortment of professional skills, while allowing her to read and write every single day.

Sign up for the boot camp here.

The post How to Write and Sell Your Romance & Erotica — Agent One-on-One Boot Camp (w/Critique!) with Corvisiero Literary Starts October 12, 2015 appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

This prompt in honor of WD’s own Chuck Sambuchino
seeing the release of his humor book today:
When Clowns Attack: A Survival Guide.
Get your copy here.
Order now

The post Hello! I’m Captain Jiggles appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

* * * * *

 1. Geography is an important character influence.

 “There was no finer young man, said the people of Maycomb, than Henry Clinton. Jean Louise agreed. Henry was from the southern end of the county.” 

This is the absolute first thing the reader learns about Henry, who becomes a large character throughout the book. We are told where he is from. Whenever you try to describe a friend to someone, the first thing you say is usually the thing that sums up your friend the most: “He’s really funny,” “she’s always kind,” “he’s a writer.” We are told that Henry is from the south end of Maycomb county. The implications of this place are revealed throughout the novel. Where Henry was from sums up his character enough that it is the first thing we know about him, other than that he is a good person. That’s important. Let place reveal aspects of your character.

Column by Hannah Haney, a regular contributor to the GLA blog
and to Writer’s Digest. She is the Managing Editor for Relief Journal
and has been published in The Cincinnati Enquirer and Writer’s Digest.
In her free time, she reads good books, eats good food, and writes bad
poetry. You can follow her on Twitter.

2. Showing versus telling makes all the difference in the world.

 “Jean Louise put her elbows on the table and ran her fingers through her hair. Something was the matter with him [Jack Finch]. He was deliberately making some eloquent unspoken plea to her, he was deliberately keeping off the subject.”

As writers, we get beaten over the head about showing vs. telling, but it really does make a difference. In the paragraphs surrounding this passage, we see prime examples of Jack Finch evading the question. He goes on about the history of the South, whether or not slavery was the primary reason behind the Civil War, and the duties of government, when Jean Louise is simply trying to ask him why she saw her father at a citizens’ council meeting. The reader clearly knows that Dr. Finch is avoiding her question. When Lee tells us rather than just showing us, it’s feel as though we aren’t trusted as readers to understand what’s happening. Always choose showing over telling. Seeing Dr. Finch skirt around the question is much more powerful than having it told to us.

 3. Revise, revise, revise. And then revise again.

“Originally written in the mid-1950s, Go Set a Watchman was the novel Harper Lee first submitted to her publishers before To Kill a Mockingbird. Assumed to have been lost, the manuscript was discovered in late 2014.” — harpercollins.com

Go Set a Watchman is the first draft of To Kill a Mockingbird. It reads like a draft. There are random flashbacks that aren’t always relevant and several information dumps. Tay Hohoff, Lee’s editor, looked in the manuscript and found the story that Lee was truly trying to tell. She found that when Harper wrote in the perspective of a child, her voice flourished. The two revised and revised and eventually published a book that sells more than a million copies each year. Never be afraid of revision. If your manuscript is struggling, find your Tay Hohoff—be it agent, editor, writing group, or friend. Look for the story you are trying to tell. Don’t give up. Revise and revise again.

Agent Donald Maass, who is also an author
himself, is one of the top instructors nationwide
on crafting quality fiction. His recent guide,
The Fire in Fiction, shows how to compose
a novel that will get agents/editors to keep reading.

Other writing/publishing articles & links for you:

• 7 Ways To Add Sizzle To Your Next Book Event.
• Agent Spotlight: Julie Gwinn (Seymour Agency) seeks YA, Christian Fiction/Nonfiction, and More.
• “No, Thank You” –On Rejection And Writing.
• Tips On World Building For Writers– How To Make Your Imaginary World Real.
• Follow Chuck Sambuchino on Twitter or find him on Facebook. Learn all about his writing guides on how to get published, how to find a literary agent, and writing a query letter.

Your new complete and updated instructional guide
to finding an agent is finally here: The 2015 book
GET A LITERARY AGENT shares advice from more 
than 110 literary agents who share advice on querying, 
craft, the submission process, researching agents, and
much more. Filled with all the advice you’ll ever need to
find an agent, this resource makes a great partner book to
the agent database, Guide to Literary Agents.

The post 3 Things I Learned About Writing: Analyzing Go Set a Watchman appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

It all started with the movie IT in 1990, and ever since watching Tim Curry as Pennywise I’ve been scared of clowns. And that fear brought about my new humor/parody book WHEN CLOWNS ATTACK: A SURVIVAL GUIDE (Amazon, Barnes & Noble). It came out Sept. 29, 2015 everywhere books are sold — just in time for Halloween — from Ten Speed Press, the same publisher that released my last humor book, How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack. The book has been mentioned by New York magazine (woot), and I already spoke about Clown Fear on Sean Moncrieff’s radio station. I’m super pumped about the timing, because Halloween is peak season for clown pranks and attacks and nonsense. Be on high alert at all times.

GIVEAWAY: I’m super excited about the book and am giving away three copies to random commenters. PLUS: Not only will I give the 3 winners a copy of this clown book, I will also throw in a copy of any of my other writing guides if you’re an aspiring writer and want a free book. This includes the new/updated 2016 Guide to Literary Agents and the 2016 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market. All you have do is comment on this post by end of day, Oct. 14, 2015, to enter. And if you mention this contest via Twitter, you get entered into it twice rather than once. Just copy and use this tweet: This Halloween season, beware scary clowns. Check out WHEN CLOWNS ATTACK: A SURVIVAL GUIDE http://tinyurl.com/nss65sj via @chucksambuchino. 

Let’s be real: Clowns scare oodles of people, and I am one such oodle person. Coulrophobia is the fear of clowns, and it is very real. These malicious jokers will spray seltzer down your pants, smash a pie into your spouse’s face, and then yell drunkenly at your kid during a birthday party. They’re out of control, and on a slow, creepy quest for world domination with a fully-formed Clowntopia society, where Clown Law reigns.

In August of this year, a clown swung an axe at a woman in North Carolina during a home invasion. Last year in France, clown gangs terrorized the land. I’m not making either of these stories up — search them and be terrified. And it’s that ever-present Clown Terror that forced me to compose WHEN CLOWNS ATTACK. Finally there is a guide for coulrophobes like myself to assess, prepare and defend against these bozos. Do you know how to clown-proof your home? Where on his person a clown is vulnerable to a punch or kick? How to spot a plainclothes clown coworker? How to protect your children getting harassed at a carnival? This book tells you all that and much more.

Among many other things, the book breaks down the following:

• The 7 reasons clowns frighten basically everybody on the planet — such as how they seem impervious to injury, they go straight for your children, and they never use their real names and are thus impossible for law enforcement to trace on the grid. But that’s just the start of it. We now know that clowns are secretly planning a massive global attack in an effort to reign supreme in a “Clowntopia” world where brutal Clown Law is the final say in all matters.
• Why 92% of clowns have mental instability. You’d go crazy too if you have to wear oversized outfits, you were shunned if your act ever dared to improve, and you had to constantly fail every day just to get some yuks.
• How a clown will attack you, and the weapons they use. Understand proper defense tactics against weapons such as flying pies, rubber chickens, and scarf chains that seem to go on forever.
• The types of clowns, and the weaknesses of each. For example, the circus “whiteface” clown is typically physically weak, whereas the street clown is so desperate to make the big time that all you have to do is yell “Hey, there are circus tryouts over there!” and he will gallop away down the block.
• The anatomy of a clown, and how none of it makes any %#@! sense. Their pants are too loose. Their noses are often affixed with potent glue, which drives them crazy after sniffing for too long, and their shoes can easily stomp a man to death.
• How to interpret “clownspeak” — the language of clowns. We have some translated lines. For example, we know the line “If you’re a gilly spying for a clem, a gaggle of zanies I know would be happy to watch you lick the polka dots” actually means If you’re an outsider and want to fight, I will assemble a group of armed clowns to tune you up.
• A history of clown attacks. True story: Clowns took over the entire government of Belize during Fall 1981.
• Where clowns lurk. Avoid places such as amusement parks, railroad tracks, bars, and more.
• And much more. Essentially, they’re just inherently terrifying.

Buy WHEN CLOWNS ATTACK: A SURVIVAL GUIDE here on Amazon or here on Barnes & Noble.

GIVEAWAY: I’m super excited about the book and am giving away three copies to random commenters. PLUS: Not only will I give the 3 winners a copy of this clown book, I will also throw in a copy of any of my other writing guides if you’re an aspiring writer and want a free book. This includes the new/updated 2016 Guide to Literary Agents and the 2016 Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market. All you have do is comment on this post by end of day, Oct. 14, 2015, to enter. And if you mention this contest via Twitter, you get entered into it twice rather than once. Just copy and use this tweet: This Halloween season, beware scary clowns. Check out WHEN CLOWNS ATTACK: A SURVIVAL GUIDE http://tinyurl.com/nss65sj via @chucksambuchino. 

The post Scared of Clowns? Me Too — So I Wrote a Book Called WHEN CLOWNS ATTACK: A SURVIVAL GUIDE, and I’m Giving Away Free Books appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

For today’s prompt, take the phrase “Forget (blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write the poem. Possible titles include: “Forget This,” “Forget About It,” and “Forget Me Not.” Don’t forget to have fun with it.

*****

Re-create Your Poetry!

Revision doesn’t have to be a chore–something that should be done after the excitement of composing the first draft. Rather, it’s an extension of the creation process!

In the 48-minute tutorial video Re-creating Poetry: How to Revise Poems, poets will be inspired with several ways to re-create their poems with the help of seven revision filters that they can turn to again and again.

Click to continue.

*****

Here’s my attempt at a Forget Blank Poem:

“Forget the Good Old Days”

This world is filled with yesterdays,
and those good times, I must forget,
or at least, that’s what others say.
This world is filled with yesterdays:
some for working and some for play.
There were good times when we first met,
but our world filled with yesterdays,
and those good times, I must forget.

*****

Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Content Editor of the Writer’s Digest Writing Community and author of Solving the World’s Problems (Press 53). Follow him on Twitter @RobertLeeBrewer.

*****

Find more poetic posts here:

• Christina Stoddard: Poet Interview.
• WD Poetic Form Challenge: Minute Poem.
• Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 324.

The post Wednesday Poetry Prompts: 325 appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

1. We really hate how often we have to say “no” to writers. It’s one of the most excruciating parts of our job! So don’t imagine us gleefully rubbing our hands together and cackling happily when we send that rejection letter.

2. We are always rooting for you. We love working with writers, and we always hope the next query or the next pitch meeting will be a winner.

Guest post from Rachelle Gardner, agent at Books & Such Literary Management.
Rachelle is currently seeking nonfiction from writers who have made a good start
on building a platform, particularly with blogging. Visit Rachelle on Twitter, Facebook, or rachellegardner.com. Be sure to read Rachelle’s submission guidelines.

3. While many of us do a great deal of editing on your manuscripts and proposals, the bottom line is that it’s the writer’s job to provide a marketable book. Agents shouldn’t be counted on to make it sales-ready, only to polish it up.

4. We are very invested in your book and once we’ve decided to represent it, we often feel like it’s “our baby” too (even though we KNOW it’s yours!)

5. If it seems like we’re too busy, it’s because the economics of this industry demand we carry a certain amount of volume to make a living wage.

6. We prioritize taking care of current clients above the search for new clients. So sometimes, queries and writer’s conferences take a back seat.

The biggest literary agent database anywhere
is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the
most recent updated edition online at a discount.

7. Most of us are interested in your long-term career, not just the size of the next advance.

8. We hate the slowness of publishing just as much as you do!

9. We want to set you up with the publisher and editor who will be best for you, not just the one who’s offering the most money.

10. When we’ve tried to sell your book but we’re not successful, we’re almost as disappointed as you. Not only are we emotionally invested, we’ve put in a lot of time for no paycheck.

11. When you send us a manuscript to read, we usually don’t do it during the work day. We read in the evenings (our “free time”) and on the weekends. With Kindles and iPads, we may even be reading your manuscript on the treadmill at the gym.

12. We’re aware of all the new options for writers these days, and we’re doing our best to help steer each client in the right direction.

13. If your writing career keeps you awake at night, there’s a good chance it has kept us awake on occasion, too.

Questions: What are some things agents may not know about writers?

————

Check Out These Great Upcoming Writers’ Conferences:

• June 25-28, 2015: Jackson Hole Writers Conference (Jackson Hole, WY)
• July 31- Aug. 2, 2015: Writer’s Digest Conference (New York, NY)
• Sept. 12, 2015: Michigan Writing Workshop (Detroit, MI)
• Oct 9, 2015: San Diego Writers’ Conference (San Diego, CA)
• Oct 10, 2015: The Writing Conference of Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)
• Oct. 17, 2015: Books by the Banks Book Festival (Cincinnati, OH)
• Oct. 24, 2015: Indiana Writers’ Conference (Indianapolis, IN)
• Nov. 13, 2015: Connecticut Writing Workshop (Hartford, CT)
• Nov 14, 2015: Boston Writing Conference (Boston, MA)
• Feb. 6, 2016: Writing Conference of Houston (Houston, TX)
• Feb. 19, 2016: Alabama Writing Workshop (Birmingham, AL)
• Feb. 20, 2016: Atlanta Writing Workshop (Atlanta, GA)
• March 5, 2016: Toronto’s “How to Get Published” Conference (Toronto, CA)
• March 25, 2016: Tampa Writers Conference (Tampa, FL)
• March 26, 2016: Fort Lauderdale Conference for Writers (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
• April 9, 2016: Philadelphia Writing Workshop (Philadelphia, PA)

Your new complete and updated instructional guide
to finding an agent is finally here: The 2015 book
GET A LITERARY AGENT shares advice from more
than 110 literary agents who share advice on querying,
craft, the submission process, researching agents, and
much more. Filled with all the advice you’ll ever need to
find an agent, this resource makes a great partner book to
the agent database, Guide to Literary Agents.

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