Top Ten Reasons Your Novel is Rejected

Top Ten Reasons Your Novel is Rejected
Author: Lois Winston
Publisher: Lois Winston
Total Pages: 86
Release: 2012-11
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0985968958

Over the years Lois Winston has given workshops and talks to several thousand aspiring writers. As a literary agent, she’s listened to hundreds of pitches and read through tens of thousands of query letters and manuscript submissions. Being both a published author and a literary agent gives her a unique perspective on publishing. She knows what it’s like to be the writer whose only desire is to sell a novel, and she knows what it’s like to have to crush someone’s hopes with a rejection letter. It wasn’t until she started sending out those rejection letters that she began to have a better understanding of why so many writers receive them. What she’s come to realize is that most manuscripts are rejected by agents and editors for one or more of ten basic reasons. Writers have control over some of these reasons but not all of them. This book will discuss these ten reasons and how writers can control more of their destiny by not falling prey to them. Whether your goal is to be published by a legacy publishing house or you plan to self-publish, this book contains invaluable information about self-editing, grammar, punctuation, point of view, telling vs. showing, passive vs. active writing, dialogue, narrative, voice, style, hooks, query letters, and synopsis writing. Key words: writing research, authorship, grammar & punctuation, editing & proofreading, composition & creative writing, publishing & books, writing skills

People's Guide to Publishing

People's Guide to Publishing
Author: Joe Biel
Publisher: Microcosm Publishing
Total Pages: 345
Release: 2018-12-05
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1621063135

So, you want to publish books.Drawing on 23 years of experience operating an independent publishing company, Joe Biel has written the most accessible and comprehensive guide to running a successful publishing business. You'll learn all the skills of the trade, including how to:Develop your individual books to connect with readers on a practical and emotional levelChoose between offset printed, digitally printed, and eBook formats and work effectively with printersBuild an authentic niche so you can reach your audience and sell books directlyUnderstand if and when you're ready to work with a distributor or large online retailerCreate a budget and predict the cost and income of each book so your company stays in the blackDecide what work you need to do yourself and what can be done by othersPlan for sustainable growthFeaturing interviews with other upstart independent publishers and funny anecdotes from publishing's long history as well as detailed charts and visuals, this book is intended both beginners looking for a realistic overview of the publishing or self-publishing process and for experienced publishers seeking a deeper understanding of accounting principles, ways to bring their books to new audiences, and how to advance their mission in a changing industry. All readers will come away with the confidence to move forward wisely and a strong sense of why publishing matters today more than ever.

You're Not Fooling Anyone When You Take Your Laptop to a Coffee Shop

You're Not Fooling Anyone When You Take Your Laptop to a Coffee Shop
Author: John Scalzi
Publisher: Subterranean
Total Pages: 319
Release: 2007-01-28
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9781596060630

Coffee Shop shows the writing life as it is, from the perspective of novelist and writer John Scalzi, who in 15 years as a professional writer has written just about everything: critically acclaimed novels, best-selling humor books, nationally syndicated newspaper columns, magazine cover stories... and ad copy, corporate brochures and Web site headlines, too. His wide range of experience informs this collection of essays on writing and the writing life, taken from his popular personal Web site, The Whatever. Whether providing practical advice, discussing writing and writers or observing the state of the writing world, Scalzi lays it out in a sharp, no-nonsense way that assumes you want the lay of the land, without all the huggy-squeezy hand-holding. Notes on the writing life, unvarnished views of writers and books and (yes) even some practical advice: It's all here.

Germania

Germania
Author: Brendan McNally
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 387
Release: 2009-02-10
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1416559221

In their youth, Manni and Franzi, together with their brothers, Ziggy and Sebastian, captured Germany's collective imagination as the Flying Magical Loerber Brothers -- one of the most popular vaudeville acts of the old Weimar days. The ensuing years have, however, found the Jewish brothers estranged and ensconced in various occupations as the war is drawing near its end and a German surrender is imminent. Manni is traveling through the Ruhr Valley with Albert Speer, who is intent on subverting Hitler's apocalyptic plan to destroy the German industrial heartland before the Allies arrive; Franzi has become inextricably attached to Heinrich Himmler's entourage as astrologer and masseur; and Ziggy and Sebastian have each been employed in pursuits that threaten to compromise irrevocably their own safety and ideologies. Now, with the Russian noose tightening around Berlin and the remnants of the Nazi government fleeing north to Flensburg, the Loerber brothers are unexpectedly reunited. As Himmler and Speer vie to become the next Führer, deluded into believing they can strike a bargain with Eisenhower and escape their criminal fates, the Loerbers must employ all their talents -- and whatever magic they possess -- to rescue themselves and one another. Deftly written and darkly funny, Germania is an astounding adventure tale -- with subplots involving a hidden cache of Nazi gold, Hitler's miracle U-boats, and Speer's secret plan to live out his days hunting walrus in Greenland -- and a remarkably imaginative novel from a gifted new writing talent.

Stages of a Fiction Writer: Know Where You Stand on the Path to Writing

Stages of a Fiction Writer: Know Where You Stand on the Path to Writing
Author: Dean Wesley Smith
Publisher: Wmg Publishing
Total Pages: 74
Release: 2015-10-19
Genre: Reference
ISBN: 9781561466467

With more than a hundred published novels and more than seventeen million copies of his books in print, USA Today bestselling author Dean Wesley Smith knows how to write fiction. And he has traversed every stage of writing along the way. In this WMG Writer's Guide, Dean takes you step-by-step through the stages most fiction writers go through and how not to lose hope along the way. Want to enjoy your writing more and let your storytelling evolve in its own time? Then learn from Dean's experience and discover what to expect at each stage of a fiction writer's career. "Dean Wesley Smith's blog gives both a slightly different view of the publishing world than I'd seen before and detailed hands-on "here's how to get from A to B" instruction." - Erin M. Hartshorn, Vision: A Resource for Writers

Christian Writers Market Guide - 2021 Edition

Christian Writers Market Guide - 2021 Edition
Author: Steve Laube
Publisher: Christian Writers Institute
Total Pages: 512
Release: 2020-12-15
Genre:
ISBN: 9781621841302

The Christian Writers Market Guide - 2021 Edition is the most comprehensive and recommended resource on the market for finding an agent, an editor, a publisher, a writing coach, a podcast, a writing course, or a place to sell whatever you are writing. Wherever you are in your writing journey the Guide will help you find what you are looking for. Nearly 1,000 listings including more than 200 book publishers, 150 periodical publishers, 40 specialty markets, 200 writers conferences and writers groups around the world, 40 literary agencies, 250 freelance editors and designers, 15 writing-related podcasts, and much more!

Falling

Falling
Author: T. J. Newman
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2021-07-06
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 198217790X

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER * NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Terrifying…buckle up for a chilling summer read.” —People (Best Books of the Week) “The perfect thriller! A must-read.” —Gillian Flynn “Stunning and relentless. This is Jaws at 35,000 feet.” —Don Winslow You just boarded a flight to New York. There are one hundred and forty-three other passengers onboard. What you don’t know is that thirty minutes before the flight your pilot’s family was kidnapped. For his family to live, everyone on your plane must die. The only way the family will survive is if the pilot follows his orders and crashes the plane. Enjoy the flight.

The Irish Wine Trilogy

The Irish Wine Trilogy
Author: Dick Wimmer
Publisher: Catapult
Total Pages: 376
Release: 2009-01-10
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1593763581

The Irish Wine Trilogy is the original group of short comic novels that first introduced Dick Wimmer’s beloved cast of characters, the same characters who most recently reappeared in The Wildly Irish Sextet. In these novels, which span ten years and two continents, readers are introduced to Seamus Boyne, “the greatest painter since Picasso”; his old friend, erstwhile writer, and practicing pest-control specialist Gene Hagar; his beautiful Dutch wife—and Hagar’s lost love—Ciara; and his estranged, rebellious teenage daughter, Tory. From the first pages, in which an overwrought Boyne’s suicide attempt is rudely interrupted by an attempted assassination, readers are in for a wild ride. A staged death, an unexpected father-daughter reunion, a madcap adventure of kidnapping and mistaken identity, and bizarre love triangles are some of the hijinks and tomfoolery to be found in Irish Wine, Boyne’s Lassie, and Hagar’s Dream—now back in print, to the delight of Seamus Boyne devotees across the land.

Cover of Snow

Cover of Snow
Author: Jenny Milchman
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Total Pages: 338
Release: 2013-12-31
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0345534220

WINNER OF THE MARY HIGGINS CLARK AWARD Jenny Milchman’s Cover of Snow is a remarkable debut, a gripping tale of suspense in the tradition of Gillian Flynn, Chris Bohjalian, and Nancy Pickard. Waking up one wintry morning in her old farmhouse nestled in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, Nora Hamilton instantly knows that something is wrong. When her fog of sleep clears, she finds her world is suddenly, irretrievably shattered: Her husband, Brendan, has committed suicide. The first few hours following Nora’s devastating discovery pass for her in a blur of numbness and disbelief. Then, a disturbing awareness slowly settles in: Brendan left no note and gave no indication that he was contemplating taking his own life. Why would a rock-solid police officer with unwavering affection for his wife, job, and quaint hometown suddenly choose to end it all? Having spent a lifetime avoiding hard truths, Nora must now start facing them. Unraveling her late husband’s final days, Nora searches for an explanation—but finds a bewildering resistance from Brendan’s best friend and partner, his fellow police officers, and his brittle mother. It quickly becomes clear to Nora that she is asking questions no one wants to answer. For beneath the soft cover of snow lies a powerful conspiracy that will stop at nothing to keep its presence unknown . . . and its darkest secrets hidden. Praise for Cover of Snow “Well-defined characters take us on an emotional roller-coaster ride through the darkest night, with blinding twists and occasionally fatal turns. This is a richly woven story that not only looks at the devastating effects of suicide but also examines life in a small town and explores the complexity of marriage. Fans of Nancy Pickard, Margaret Maron, and C. J. Box will be delighted to find this new author.”—Booklist (starred review) “Milchman reveals an intimate knowledge of the psychology of grief, along with a painterly gift for converting frozen feelings into scenes of a forbidding winter landscape.”—The New York Times “Milchman makes [readers] feel the chill right down to their bones and casts a particularly effective mood in this stylish thriller.”—Kirkus Reviews “Milchman tackles small-town angst where evil can simmer under the surface with a breathless energy and a feel for realistic characters.”—The Seattle Times “The plot unfolds at an excellent clip . . . ultimately rushing headlong to a series of startling revelations.”—San Francisco Journal of Books “Milchman expertly conveys Nora’s grief in a way that will warm hearts even in the dead of a Wedeskyull winter.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Write! Write! Write!

Write! Write! Write!
Author: Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
Publisher: Astra Publishing House
Total Pages: 37
Release: 2020-09-01
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1635924014

A NCTE Notable Poetry Book Twenty-two poems capture the amazing power of writing and will inspire even the most reluctant writer to begin putting words to paper. Write! Write! Write! is a poetry collection that explores every stage and every aspect of the writing process, from learning the alphabet to the thrilling moment of writing a thought for the first time, from writer's block to finding inspiration, and from revision to stapling your finished work into a book. These poems also celebrate how writing teaches patience, helps express opinions, and allows us to imagine the impossible. This book, brimming with imagination and wonder, will leave readers eager to grab a pen, pencil, or keyboard--and write!