Writers–three no fail ways to impress an editor or agent

a guest post by Marcela Landres Before I became an Editorial Consultant, I worked at Simon & Schuster where I saw firsthand most writers haven’t a clue what editors want. You only get one chance to make a good first impression–here are three ways to ensure yours is outstanding. 1. Go Back to School Which of the following is more likely to impress editors? “I …(there’s more) Continue reading

In today’s publishing climate, your book needs a professional agent, ghost or mentor

You’re a great writer. Your family and friends always said you have a book inside you. So you wrote the novel and now you’re scared to death—what if it fails? What if you actually succeed? Your book needs a professional editor or a ghost, whether you’re going to self-publish, shop it to publishers, or engage an agent. Getting the ideas into words puts you miles …(there’s more) Continue reading

Why I buy self-published or POD books

In a recent LinkedIn discussion a couple people flamed over a comment I made. I advised doing thorough homework before paying a publishing company to handle your book and reading contracts carefully before signing anything. It’s good advice whether you self-publish, work with Simon and Shuster, use  POD, or crank the stuff out on your desktop and hawk it out of the trunk of your …(there’s more) Continue reading

Contracts, rights, agents: Successful writer’s survival guide

Established author/editor Cynthia Reeser is celebrating the success of her latest – How to Write and Publish a Successful Children’s Book. She offers her take and advice on unglamorous details of publishing. Save them and use as you work through the confusing details of contracts, agent deals, intellectual property rights, and other mechanics of running your writing business. If you want to sell your writing, …(there’s more) Continue reading