Query.Sign.Submit. with Mary Elizabeth Summer

Mary Elizabeth Summer

Mary Elizabeth Summer is a YA writer and her debut novel TRUST ME, I’M LYING will be released in Fall 2014 from Delacorte! She is represented by Laura Bradford of the Bradford Literary Agency.

 

 

 

Trust Me

Connect with Mary Elizabeth . . .

Website
Blog
Twitter
Goodreads
Facebook

 

 

literary agent and authorNow for Mary Elizabeth’s insight on querying, signing with an agent, and going on submission!

QUERY

What advice would you give to querying writers?

I’d have to say that the best piece of advice I can give querying writers is to work smarter, not harder. A lot of authors make the newbie mistake that more queries are better. Not so, grasshopper. Targeted queries are better. Find the agents that you know for sure are looking for your type of manuscript. Then Internet-stalk them to get the insider scoop on their turn-ons and pet peeves. Use that info to your advantage in your query. Also, think outside the box. Sometimes querying directly is not the most efficient method. Participate in online pitch contests, pitch agents at conferences, take advantage of direct-to-editor submission opportunities. There are many ways into the castle. You don’t have to force your way in through the often heavily barred front gates.

What are some important things for querying writers to consider when researching agents?

Twitter is your best friend. No really. Get a Twitter account if you don’t have one already. Then get HootSuite or TweetDeck if you don’t have it already. Start making use of the “lists” function. Make a Twitter-feed list of just agents and check it obsessively. Make another one of fellow aspiring authors and check it obsessively. Make another one of pitch/query contest hosters (like @cupidslc, @brendadrake, etc.) and check it—you guessed it—obsessively. Reading agents’ submission guidelines will only get you so far. To get the most info you can on what agents really want, listen to what they say on Twitter. Especially when they do an #AskAgent session.

What was your method for querying? Small batches? Query widely? Wait for feedback?

My story is a prime example of what I mean by querying smarter instead of harder. I didn’t query at all. Let me repeat that. I did not. Query. At all. I got my agent through a query contest hosted by Cupid’s Literary Connection (@CupidsLC on Twitter). I literally finished my first draft, entered a query contest, and got an agent within a few weeks. These results are not necessarily typical, BUT it is definitely possible, and besides, query contests offer a whole host of other benefits besides getting an agent—platform building, query-letter/pitch honing, networking, group therapy, prizes, and fun.

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Are there any specific questions you’d suggest writers ask an offering agent during “The Call”?

There are agent blog posts with lists of questions you should ask your prospective agent. Find them and make a written list of questions to ask BEFORE the call, so you don’t forget anything in all your squee. One question that I, in particular, had to ask of every agent that offered me rep was “how do you feel about gay characters in books,” because I fully intend to write gay characters into my books. And not just cardboard cutout side characters—I’m talking gay protagonists where being gay is not the main focus of the book. So if you have issues like that which are deal-breakers for your author-agent relationship, ASK THEM NOW. Even if it might feel uncomfortable bringing up a hot-button topic for you with someone you barely know.

What was the week surrounding your offer(s) of representation like for you?

Gleeful hell. I was a hot mess and no mistake. First of all, I’d entered the query contest just to test my premise. I had no expectations that I’d get interest from an agent. None. And I got interest from seven or eight agents. So, of course, I panicked. It was only my first draft, and at the time I thought I had to send my ms to the agents within a week of their request. (It is a best practice to send it in as soon after the contest as possible, but I could have taken a little more time.) Tip: Do not enter a query contest with your first draft. Anyway, my agent read my ms within a week of me sending it to her, which, again, I was NOT expecting. And so I had to tell the other agents who had my ms that I had an offer on the table. A few agents bowed out of the running, but a few more threw their hats in the ring. And THAT was brutal. You’d think it would be an awesome thing, right? Such professional validation! But the truth is, you agonize over the conversations with each agent, trying to choose a life partner from a group of people you barely know. And if you’re anything like me, you agonize over hurting the other agents’ feelings when you turn them down. I had an especially rough time, because two of the offering agents were the top agent picks I’d been literarily lusting after for a year. If only one had offered, it would have been easy. But since both did, I had to really soul search before picking.

How did you know your agent was the right one for you?

In the end, I chose Laura Bradford because she was strongest in all the areas I was weakest. I’m not really good at writing romance, but she reps romance almost exclusively, so I knew I’d get great advice from her. Also, she’s a highly organized, assertive person. I have moments of organization, but I am faaaaaaar from assertive. I knew she would challenge me to be a better, more professional author, and I knew I needed that push. And I have not regretted my decision for a single second.

SUBMIT

Do you see the feedback from editors?

You can choose to see feedback from editors or to have your agent keep it safely hidden from you in a file somewhere. I chose to see all the feedback as it came in, and though it was excruciatingly painful at times, I am SO glad I did. I was able to see a pattern in the rejections—that they all revolved around the last third of the novel (even though the complaints were not consistent, the area the complaints stemmed from was universally the end of the book). So I talked with my agent and revised the last third of the novel in a way I felt comfortable with but that took into account some of the feedback I was getting. Then my agent swapped out the newly edited ms for the original ms with the editors who hadn’t yet read and responded to it. As soon as I did that, I got my first (of several) book-deal offers.

What is the next step if an editor shows interest?

It’s similar to getting an offer of rep from an agent. Your agent notifies the other editors who still have your ms that there is an offer on the table and they have a week to read and either withdraw or throw an offer on the table as well. My agent cautioned me that the rejections would fly in pretty fast once she’d communicated that to the other editors. Funny enough, we heard nothing from the other editors until a week later when other offers started rolling in. Just goes to show that agents can’t predict everything. :)

What do you suggest a writer does while out on submission?

Write. Seriously. Write something else completely unrelated. It is the only way to stay sane. Also find a support group of other writers in submission hell. But mostly write. Writing another story was the only time I felt peaceful relief from the anxiety of being on submission. I wrote a whole other novel in the time I was waiting for my first book to sell.

Thank you, Mary Elizabeth!

See other Query. Sign. Submit. interviews
Read inspiring stories of writers getting agents
Find out about agent-judged contests

Posted April 2014

Query.Sign.Submit. with Carmella Van Vleet

Carmella Van Vleet

Carmella’s debut middle grade novel, ELIZA BING IS (NOT) A BIG FAT QUITTER, is now available from Holiday House! She is represented by Marie Lamba of The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency.

 

Eliza Bing

Connect with and learn more about Carmella . . .

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

 

literary agent and authorNow for Carmella’s insight on querying, signing with an agent, and going on submission.

QUERY

If querying was a long time ago for you, what do you remember most?

What I remember most is how disheartening the whole process could be. Every time I’d feel like I was making progress or getting closer to an offer it would fall through and I’d have to start all over again. Or I’d hear a story about someone who landed an agent right out of the gate, and I’d think “Why can’t that be me?” I’ve been writing professionally for over fifteen years; I have a pretty thick skin. But it still got to me at times.

What do you wish you’d known back when you were in the query trenches?

That you never know just how close you are to your “Yes” or having all the stars line up. In my case, my agent wasn’t an agent yet. I guess I just needed to wait for her to show to the party, so to speak!

Had you queried other books before the one that got you your agent?

Yes. I’d queried numerous agents with other projects, including a couple of picture books and a young adult novel. I was getting good feedback but no offers in the end. My agent has since sold one of those other projects as well as the book I queried her with.

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How did you know your agent was the right one for you?

It may sound cliché, but it was a gut reaction. From our first phone conversation, I felt like I’d known her for a long time. She was new to agenting and I was the first person she’d offered representation to. That might scare some writers, but I embraced it. I felt like we were taking a chance on each other and getting to do something special - start our careers together. (The fact she was working at a respected, well-established agency also helped convince me.) And she was a writer herself. I knew she’d really understand what it was like in the trenches.

How editorial is your agent? Is it what you expected?

Marie is very editorial. And, because she’s a writer herself, I expected that. Like most writers, I have strong feelings about my work and I sometimes “process out loud.” By that I mean, I talk out ideas or explain why I did something I did. Marie is good about respecting that. I make changes when I feel they improve the work and stand my ground otherwise. There’s a mutual respect, I think. And that helps. Your agent can’t do a good job of selling your work if they don’t genuinely like it or believe in it. That’s my opinion at least.

Do you send sample chapters to your agent or do you wait until the manuscript is finished?

Marie left that decision up to me. I tend to prefer waiting until a manuscript is finished. Maybe I’m afraid of jinxing myself or maybe I’m just not comfortable showing something before it’s ready! But either way, I wait until something is in at least reasonably decent shape before sending it in Marie’s direction.

SUBMIT

Do you see the feedback from editors?

When we started submitting, Marie asked me what I’d prefer - to see feedback or wait until an offer. I felt okay about seeing feedback. In most cases, it was actually very encouraging because I could see that it wasn’t necessarily a problem with the writing but the market. For example, the publisher had a similar title or whatever.

What do you suggest a writer does while out on submission?

Write another book. Read. Paint your living room. Take up running. Seriously, keep yourself busy. If you’re waiting by the phone (or computer), it’s going to be a long, stressful process. There’s nothing you can really do, so let it go. Put it all out of your mind.

Did you know there was interest in the book before you got an offer or was it a surprise?

We knew that the book was making the rounds with everyone at Holiday House. (The editor told Marie as much.) But we suspected there’d be requests for revisions first. It was a surprise when they offered a contract straight out.

How did you celebrate when you got the news about your book deal?

That night, my daughter and I went out to get a giant, decorated cookie. I also treated myself to some fancy nail polish. My main character gets herself into big trouble because of nail polish and the irony didn’t hit me until I was half way to the check out counter!

Thank you, Carmella!

See other Query. Sign. Submit. interviews
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Find out about agent-judged contests

Scrivener- Using the Inspector Pane

Tools for Writers

The Inspector pane in Scrivener is that whole column over to the right of your screen. If you don’t see it, click the blue i in the upper right-hand corner.

Inspector i

Inspector

The top section is the Synopsis section which you can use to keep summaries of your scenes and chapters. Read about it in our Scrivener- Corkboard post.

The next section is the General Meta-Data panel, which can be super helpful. Read about it in our Scrivener- Label & Status post.

The bottom section is full of gems you might not even know are there.

See those little icons on the very bottom?

icons 
Yup, those. You’re going to learn to love them.

The first is a notepad icon and is for NOTES.

notes 2 
At the top of the box in the image above, it says “Document Notes” which means that anything you type here will be associated with the chapter or scene that’s been selected.

notes
If you want to write some notes that apply to the entire project, click the double arrows and switch to “Project Notes”. You’ll be able to view them from any chapter as long as “Project Notes” is chosen. This is a great option if you have things you need to refer to often while writing your manuscript.

The next one is a books icon and is for REFERENCES.

document 
If there’s anything you’d like to link to so you always have it on hand and can get to it quickly, this is a great place to put it.

Click on the double arrows and then choose to-

“Add Internal Reference” (to link to a document within Scrivener such as your character sheet or chapter you refer to often)

“Look Up & Add External Reference” (to link to a document on your computer)

or “Create External Reference” (to link to a website)

The third icon is a key and is for KEYWORDS.

keywords 
See our Scrivener- Keywords post for more info.

The next icon may be a tag icon which is for CUSTOM METADATA. (However, there isn’t one in the newest Windows version, so I’ll be skipping past it for now.)

Next is the camera icon and it is for SNAPSHOTS.

snapshots
Before you change something in a scene, if you’d like to keep a copy of the previous version, click the plus sign on the Snapshots bar. This will take a “snapshot” which you can then title. To delete a snapshot, click the minus button on the Snapshots bar.

snapshots 3

Click on any of your snapshots to see it in the panel below. If you want to go back to that version, click “Roll Back”. Scrivener will ask you to confirm before it performs this task.

The last icon is a speech bubble and it’s for COMMENTS & FOOTNOTES.

When you click on it, you’ll see all the comments you’ve made in that particular section of the manuscript. See our post on Comments & Annotations for more details.

Scrivener is full of useful features and adding them to your toolkit can make things so much easier and maybe even more fun. :)

To learn more about Scrivener, head over to the Tools for Writers page.

Query.Sign.Submit. with Ali McDonald

Ali_McDonald

Ali represents children's literature from board books through new adult (ages 0-18+).

“I'm afraid I can't always respond to all queries because of my hectic schedule, but no response just means I haven't had a chance to get to it yet. Queriers should always feel comfortable nudging me if they haven't heard back within a month, and should update me with any offers of representation or publication.”

To connect with and learn more about Ali, visit . . .

The Rights Factory
Twitter

literary agent and author Now for Ali’s insight on querying, signing with an agent, and going on submission.

QUERY

What advice would you give to querying writers?

The best advice I can give to querying writers is to do your homework! Be sure to visit the agency's website, get a feel for their company culture, study sample catalogue copy and tailor your query. The queries that catch my eye address me personally (getting my name right!), adopt the casual, but professional style of our firm, model their pitch after my own (with comp titles, introduction to the plot highlighting the hook and the emotional core of the story, and brief bio), adhere to my submission guidelines, and show personality!

Do you always read a query all the way through? If not, what would make you stop reading?

Not always. I'll stop reading immediately if my name is misspelled or incorrect, or belongs to some other agent entirely (which happens more often than one might think!). Generic salutations, such as "Dear Agent" turn me off. I can live with a weak title, but misrepresented genre and audience get my goat (e.g., autobiographical sci-fi; middle grade YA; realistic paranormal; romantic-tragic-paranormal-comedy-fantasy-science-fiction). Other missteps that will cause my eyes to glaze over include: multiple and repeated typos or grammatical errors; a wall of text; a synopsis instead of a pitch; or comp titles that are vague or overused (Harry Potter, Twilight, Fifty Shades, etc.). A query that is outside my area of specialization (children's literature) is automatically deleted. And the rest is subjective, based on current trends, market interests, and personal taste. For example, in this moment in time, I likely wouldn't read a query for paranormal romance all the way through—it's not a genre that interests me as an agent or reader and the market at present is over saturated. I'm not generally one for trends, having just taken on a profoundly moving teen novel with a vampire protagonist at a time when "vampire" is considered a bad word throughout the industry :)

What would you love to find in the slush pile?

Because I'm primarily interested in debut authors whose writing careers I can help launch and grow, I'm always looking for that exceptional new talent in my slush pile. For me, part of the great fun of being an agent is digging in my inbox for buried treasure. And while you never know what you might find, I have my heart set on an early reader centered on an inseparable friendship; a chapter book series about summer camp, horses, or adventure, or a combination of all three; some dark and gritty YA along the lines of Law & Order: SVU for teens or the story of a young Hannibal Lecter, and anything set in the South.

SIGN

Are there any specific questions you’d recommend that a writer ask when talking with offering agents?

Sure. Signing with an agent is a big decision. When fit is everything, it's important to ask the right questions to define the shape of your future relationship:

  • Ask agents whether they are interested in your work on a project-by-project basis or for the length of your writing career.
  • If you write across genres and age groups, be sure to find out what areas the offering agent represents, and what happens if any of your projects fall outside of their scope. Will you be encouraged to find another agency for those projects? Or will another agent at the firm represent them?
  • Get a sense for the company culture: is it big or boutique? Formal or more casual? Does the agent have personal relationships with their clients?
  • What is the agent's style of communication? In-person, phone, video-chat, email, etc. How often can you expect to hear from them? What is their approximate timeline for getting back to you?
  • How will they manage your rights? Do they handle their own foreign rights? What conferences, trade shows, fairs, etc., do they attend?
  • How many clients do they have, and where do you fit on their list?
  • Be sure to confirm they work on industry standard commission rates (15% domestic and 20% foreign or film/TV), and that you understand additional costs such as disbursement fees or billing for supplies.
  • Try to get a handle on where the agent is in their career: Are they new to the business, or close to retirement? How many deals have they done in your area? How well established are they in the industry? How long have they been with the agency? What other agencies have they worked for? Do they also write books?
  • And always ask about their submission policies and the specific strategy for your work.

Once a writer has signed with you, what’s the next step?

Once a writer has signed with me, the next step is editorial. We have a fabulous network of skilled readers at our agency that provide invaluable feedback and editorial comments for our authors. Additionally, we do both substantive and line-by-line edits, often over several drafts, to ensure that when we submit, we are sending out the most polished product possible.  While the authors are editing, we're building their submission lists. I've found it's in my authors' best interests to submit broadly to editors in each market.

How do you get to know editors and what they’re looking for?

We love our editors! Our agency travels extensively in order to cultivate and grow these relationships. Personally, I attend the Frankfurt Book Fair, the Bologna Children's Book Fair, and make several lengthy trips to New York throughout the year. We meet editors at our table at the fairs, at their offices, over breakfast, lunch, dinner, or cocktails, to chat about books and the literary life. But the best thing we do for our editors is send them exciting projects!

SUBMIT

At what point would a client share new story ideas with you?

I want to hear about my clients' ideas whenever they are ready to share them with me! The earlier the better, because I love to be involved and support the work in any way I can. Sometimes clients wait and share full manuscripts and other times we pass chapters or drafts back and forth as they are being written. We decide together with our authors what is the best approach for them and the particular project.

Do you forward editor feedback to writers?

Once out on submission, I let my authors dictate what level of communication they'd like moving forward. Some authors want all the feedback verbatim, in which case I forward passes and interest along to them directly. Others only want an ongoing list of editors who are still reading and those who have passed. And others still only want to hear offer news. We like to customize for our authors' needs!

What do you suggest a writer does while out on submission?

I always encourage my clients to start working on their next project while on submission. It's the best way to focus your energy! And because the publishing cycle is so long these days—sometimes more than two years—you need to keep writing away to maintain your momentum in the marketplace! Ideally, to build an author, publishers want to be putting out titles year-over-year at a minimum.

Thanks, Ali!

See other Query. Sign. Submit. interviews
Read inspiring stories of writers getting agents
Find out about agent-judged contests

Posted April 2014– Always check for current info and guidelines.

8 Scrivener Features You Just Might Love

Tools for Writers 
Whether you’re new to Scrivener, or have been using it faithfully, there are probably some features you haven’t even discovered yet.

Here are eight of them to get you started. :) (Full screen mode is best.)

To learn more, check out our Scrivener tutorials under “Tools for Writers” to the right.

And sign up for a FREE SCRIVNER WEBINAR with Scrivener Coach, Joseph Michael! Click here for more info and to register.

Query.Sign.Submit. with Katie Grimm

Katie Grimm agent

Katie represents middle grade, young adult, and adult, fiction and nonfiction.

She responds to all queries, and you can follow up if you haven’t heard back in 4-6 weeks.

 

To connect with and learn more about Katie . . .

Don Congdon Associates

Twitter

literary agent and authorNow for Katie’s insight on querying, signing with an agent, and going on submission.

QUERY

What advice would you give to querying writers?

Have patience – not just when it comes to the process, but don’t forget to be patient with yourself and your own writing. It’s a personal business, and it’s hard not to get frustrated when a project or query just isn’t clicking or you compare yourself to other authors. Remember you’re the only one that can create your success so try to channel your efforts productively and take breaks if you have to. It’s also easy to dash off a query letter before a manuscript is ready just to get it off your plate, but it wastes my time and yours for me to respond to your manuscript with exactly what you already knew wasn’t working. Every successful writer has had a different path to publication; don’t be afraid to allow yourself to have that freedom too!

What WOWs you in a query?

When I’m reading through my inbox, it can feel like treasure hunting. I’m looking for that “aha!” moment where I think, “How has this not been done before?!” or “Who is this author and why aren’t we already best friends?” I can turn into a bit of a Gollum – “This is amazing! I must have it all for myself! It’s MINE.” It’s hard to sum up in one line, but I’m looking for smart authors who present stellar ideas with professionalism and respect – show me you’ve taken the time to research and craft your ideas, regardless of the genre or topic.

What is your process for reading a query and sample pages?

I won’t read the sample chapters if the concept in the query isn’t something I’m excited about or comfortable pitching to editors (because it’s boring or I don’t know anything about it) or if the letter itself is poorly written (because I doubt your ability to write an entire manuscript). I also often jump around the letter – sometimes authors have a tendency to give me too much summary, so I’ll skip down to the author credentials, and if they have appropriate credits for their topic, I’ll go back to the top. If the idea is so out-there I can’t imagine what the first chapter will be like, I’ll jump down to the sample pages right away, but that’s not always a good thing! It’s rare that turn into a Gollum and I request a manuscript as soon as I read the query, but it does happen. More likely though, I’ll read the query and the chapter once or twice and request if it’s stayed with me a few days later.

How do you tackle your inbox? Do you go in order or jump around?

I try to read in order, but I don’t always respond in order. I’ll often whittle down the 300 queries in my inbox to 50 maybes in one afternoon, and then I’ll request the 10 that are still working for me a few days later. I do this because sometimes I know my head isn’t always in a place to be open to reading 20 (or 100) sample chapters at once, so I’m trying to give the writer my best mind-frame. There’s probably a more efficient way of doing this though, and that’s why I ask for patience from writers! In any case, we always respond to queries we get, so feel free to follow up if you haven’t heard from us in about 4-6 weeks.

Is it okay for a writer to nudge concerning queries or partial/full requests?

Always. I am never annoyed about nudges within reason (I’ll probably rue the day I said this, but I said within reason!). If it’s too soon, I’ll respond when I was intending to originally, but I’ve been nudged by authors when I’ve never actually gotten their manuscript…6 to 9 months later! There’s never a reason to wait that long to find your manuscript was lost to an email glitch.

Do you ever offer a Revise & Resubmit? When would you do so?

I offer R&Rs when a manuscript is far enough away from line edits or when there are a lot of directions the manuscript can go in and I want the author to decide what’s best for him/her. If I know the one fix for the book I’ll probably take it on, but I’m not so cocky that I think I’m always right. The most important part is that the author and I are on the same general page editorially and if he/she is willing and capable of editing.

What does it take for you to offer representation?

If I’m still gnashing my teeth in the middle of the night muttering, “my precioussss,” I’m going to email that author the next morning to set up a call. But it’s not always that immediate. Sometimes I read a project and think, we need a few more edits, and a week or two later I think, “Eureka! I know how to fix this!” Or I float a few ideas to an author and they come back to me with something much cleverer, and I think, “Eureka! This author is a genius!”

What would you love to find in the slush pile?

The beauty of the slush pile is that I don’t always know what I’m looking for until I find it. That said, I am always looking for MG and YA projects that read like an instant classic – give it to a boy or girl 10 years ago or from now and it would still have a hook that makes sense to them and an emotional punch that will resonate. This also means that I like my fantasy that’s rooted in history and sci-fi that is less focused on the gadgets and more on moral quandaries. I also represent literary fiction, which I realize casts a wide net. I’ve been telling people lately that I’m looking for something for my book club – we’re more WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN than EAT, PRAY, LOVE though. The idea behind this is I want there to be enough plotting and momentum that 5-10 busy women will be able to get through it in three weeks AND the character development or dilemmas are complicated enough that we could talk about it for an hour. In fiction and non-fiction though, I’d say my tastes can run a bit dark – I’m interested in shining a light on the darker parts of human history and nature.

SIGN

What is it like waiting to hear back from a writer you’ve offered representation?

They call them agent beauty contests for a reason – you primp and prepare for the call, trot out your best editorial ideas and you try to sound intelligent when you get to the Q&A. It can be pretty nerve-wracking! In the end though, it’s up to the judges…I mean the author…to choose the best agent for him/her.

Do you sign a client as a career agent or on a book-by-book basis?

I am a career agent through and through. I look to the relationship Don Congdon had with Ray Bradbury, and I’d be thrilled to grow my career with my authors for a lifetime too! It helps that I represent a wide range of projects so I can hopefully accommodate an author who wants to write in several genres or age groups. However, it’s something to discuss with an author before we sign as there are areas I’m not familiar with, and I don’t want to hinder an author who wants to go in that direction.

Once a writer has signed with you, what’s the next step?

Depending on where the manuscript is, I’ll provide a general editorial letter and/or specific line edits and notes in track changes on the manuscript itself. I often ask for more outlining or plot or character studies. We’ve probably already discussed it a bit before we sign, but I also ask a lot of personal questions about the author themselves – I want to know where the author is in terms of craft and eventual marketing so we can identify strengths and areas of improvement early on.

How editorial are you?

Very. To the point of driving my authors crazy, I’m sure. I hate the mentality, “But isn’t it good enough?” Would you really go up to a child and hand them your book and say, “Here, this book is… good enough”? No! I try to set a realistically high bar – while the editor I place it with will take it from there, it will only benefit all of us to get as far as we can beforehand.

SUBMIT

Do you forward editor feedback to writers?

Most of my authors do want to see editor feedback, but I ask a new client first before sending. I don’t want my authors to get discouraged, but sometimes (not always) the responses can be instructive.

At what point might you suggest making more revisions?

Related to the above, if you’re getting a general consensus about a certain element of the submission, it might be worth revising between rounds. After we get the 10 or so responses from the first round, we’ll have a call on how to problem solve what everyone else is seeing. We might get totally different comments though (one editor loves the world building, the other editors hate it), so we ultimately choose what to filter out and what to follow. Again, you have to be patient about this part of the process – I’ve certainly sold projects on second rounds if we did revisions or not, so best not be discouraged.

What kind of feedback or response do you hope for after sending a manuscript to an editor? A book deal, of course, but what kind of feedback is a good sign?

When the editor does not respond with an offer for many millions? I suppose I’m looking for responses or passes that have helpful suggestions. I do this when I reject manuscripts, so I favor editors that take the time to respond to me in a thoughtful way that’s instructive about their tastes and the manuscript’s weaknesses.

What is the next step if an editor shows interest?

I’ll inform the other editors who have the project that I have interest. If multiple editors are interested, I’ll decide how to set up an auction and arrange calls with editors, depending on the situation. Sometimes only one editor bites, but he/she is the perfect one for the book!

What do you suggest a writer does while out on submission?

Same as what they do when they’re not on submission – read everything they can get their hands on and write when they’re not reading (sleeping and eating is okay too, I suppose). Whether this book sells or not you’ll need to be writing another, so might as well get started.

Thank you, Katie!

See other Query. Sign. Submit. interviews
Read inspiring stories of writers getting agents
Find out about agent-judged contests

Posted April 2014– Always check for current info and guidelines.

Making a Timeline with Timetoast

Tools for Writers

Whether you need a timeline for a historical or want to keep track of time passing in your manuscript, Timetoast is a great place to do it.

It’s easy to get started. Just create a free account, go to your dashboard, and click “Add a new timeline +”.

Enter your title and upload an image if you’d like, then click “Go”. You’ll get this screen.

new timeline

Fill in the title of your timeline, and then choose a category and add an image if you’d like. Click “Go”.

You’ll see three buttons at the bottom where you can choose to add an event, add a time span, or edit the title and picture.

add event

Let’s look at adding an event. Click “Add Event” and you’ll see this . . .

New Timeline screen

Input your details and add an image if you’d like.

Once you have everything in there, this is what it will look like. (Thanks to cyoungy01 for this timeline example from Divergent)

Div timeline

Hovering over the blue dots will allow you to see each of the events.

You can also look at it as a list. To do this, choose “Text View” at the bottom. “Timeline” will switch it back to the view above.

Div timeline list

When you go back to edit it later, go to your dashboard, choose the timeline you want, and click “Edit Timeline” in the upper left-hand corner.

Or, click “Actions +” under your timeline and choose “Edit timeline”. Here you can decide if you want it to be hidden or visible on the web.

actions

There is also a database of completed timelines if you’re looking for something specific. Maybe you need one with the history of baseball and well, there it is all ready for you. (Thanks Martiser001 for this one)

baseball

That’s it. Go have some fun with your timeline. :)