Articles

Battle of the “UNs”

Unagented/Unsolicited Submissions

Most major publishing houses claim to have policies that prevent them from even considering unagented/unsolicited submissions. “Unagented” means that a literary agent did not make the submission.“Unsolicited” means that no one at the publisher asked for the submission.

It’s possible that you, or people you know, have already run into this frustrating roadblock. You may also be familiar with the rumor that it’s more difficult to get an agent than it is to get a publisher—or that no agent will even consider your work until you have a publisher.On the surface,these negatives make it seem that you would have a better shot at becoming a starting pitcher for the Yankees or living out whatever your favorite improbable fantasy might be.

Posted by Jeff Herman on Oct 26, 2006

Inside the Agency

How Literary Agents Work

Literary agents are like stockbrokers, marketing or sales directors, or real-estate agents: They bring buyers and sellers together, help formulate successful deals, and receive a piece of the action (against the seller’s end) for facilitating the partnership.

Specifically, literary agents snoop the field for talented writers, unearth marketable nonfiction book concepts, and discover superior fiction manuscripts to represent. Simultaneously, agents cultivate their relationships with publishers. When an agent detects material she thinks she can sell to a publisher, she signs the writer as a client, works on the material with the writer to maximize its chances of selling, and then submits it to one or more appropriate editorial contacts. The agent has the contacts.

Posted by Jeff Herman on Oct 26, 2006

New Article

This is my great Article

And this is a great teaser line.

Posted by Patrick Ewing on Mar 02, 2007

The Writer’s Journey

The Path of the Spiritual Messenger

If you have decided to pursue writing as a career instead of as a longing or a dream, you might find yourself focusing on the goal instead of the process. When you have a great book idea, you may envision yourself on a booksigning tour or as a guest on a talk show before you’ve written a single word.

It’s human nature to look into your own future, but too much projection can get in the way of what the writing experience is all about.The process of writing is like a wondrous journey that can help you cross a bridge to the treasures hidden within your own soul. It is a way for you to link with God and the collective storehouse of all wisdom and truth, as it has existed since the beginning of time.

Posted by Deborah Levine Herman on Oct 26, 2006

When Nothing Happens to Good (or Bad) Writers

AKA Ignored Writer Syndrome (IWS)

“I will not be ignored!” screams Alex Forrest,the book editor played by Glenn Close,to her philandering lover played by Michael Douglas in the classic film, Fatal Attraction.

What perfect karma, a book editor being ignored, even though her job was not relevant to the conflict. Too bad about the rabbit, though.

It’s an inalienable truth that any writer who aggressively pitches his or her work will encounter abundant rejections along the way.You know that. But what you may not have been prepared for was the big-loud-deafening nothing at all. You followed the given protocols; have been gracious, humble and appreciative; and have done nothing egregious. And you would never boil a rabbit.So what’s your reward? Absolutely nothing; you have been ignored.

Posted by Patrick Ewing on Jan 08, 2007