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Setup Is Not Stasis: How to Write a Gripping First Chapter
October 12, 2022
Context plays an important role in fiction and narrative nonfiction. It adds depth to the characters, the setting, and the conflict. Context is also your best tool for creating in readers a sense of participation. The trick lies in subtlety.
- On querying
- On the craft
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Should you find a literary agent or self publish your novel? (Pssst—there’s a third option)
September 15, 2022
Should you get a literary agent? How long should you query before you quit? Is it really better to self-publish these days? What’s your best path forward to publication and book sales?
- On querying
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Should you pay for beta readers?
July 10, 2022
Readers are diverse; they each bring their own expectations and preferences to any story they read. As such, it's best to get a wide range of opinions about your narrative.
- On querying
- On the craft
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5 Strategies for Finding Literary Agents to Query
May 16, 2022
Querying literary agents can feel grueling, especially after spending so much time writing your manuscript in the first place, but the payoff of seeing your book published is well worth the effort.
- On querying
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- 1 comment
Literary agents on comparable titles
February 09, 2022
Agents want to see comps not so much for the sake of comparison, but as a demonstration that you are actively reading within your market and therefore know your manuscript's place within it.
- On querying
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The Power of a Pitch
January 14, 2022
Publishing credentials, well-researched comp titles, and a bit of personalization will certainly help your case, but your pitch is currency.
- On querying
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Literary agents on personalization in query letters
December 15, 2021
"Honestly, if the query spells my name right and falls within the category I represent, that’s enough personalization for me."
- On querying
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Resource Review: Publishers Marketplace
September 28, 2021
Publishers Marketplace is a goldmine for authors who want a better understanding of the current market.
- On querying
- Resource review
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Dear Lit Agents: “Delete Rejections” aren’t helping anyone
July 13, 2021
I’m not saying delete rejections are only unhelpful to writers. They are unhelpful to the entire industry, and yes, even to agents themselves.
- On querying
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- 1 comment
Pen Names: The Why, Who, and How
June 17, 2021
First, Google yourself. If anyone even semi-famous is already dominating the search results, you may want to consider a pen name.
- On querying
- On the craft
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Query Quest now free with any query critique service
February 24, 2021
Complimentary access to Query Quest, our self-guided course, is now included with any purchase of a query critique service.
- On querying
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Slushpile Standouts: episode three
November 20, 2020
In our third YouTube episode, two Darling Axe editors read the first pages of several manuscripts and pose the question: would you turn the page?
- On querying
- On the craft
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