After my last post - My Postpartum Writing Life: Working-Writing Mom with a 4-Month-Old - I received a few questions about where I fit my writing in, so I thought it was time for another "average day" post. I've actually written a handful of these over the years. The last time I wrote one was… Continue reading My Average Day as an Author, Librarian, and Mom
Tag: traditional publishing
2022: My Complete Year
At the end of every year, I write a reflection post about where I’m at, not just in my writing life, but also in my personal life and how it all correlates. I’m calling 2022 My Complete Year because it coincides with how I called 2021 the Year of Unfinished Change. Last year, I got… Continue reading 2022: My Complete Year
Pay-To-Play in Traditional Publishing, and Why We Need to Talk About It
A few weeks ago, I was querying when I kept coming across agent after agent who was closed to submissions except from those who they’ve met at conferences. Below that, a list of conferences was provided, where a writer could go and purchase a ticket (often in the hundreds), and then an additional ticket to… Continue reading Pay-To-Play in Traditional Publishing, and Why We Need to Talk About It
Researching Literary Agents in 2022
As promised in my last post - Writing a Great One-Line Pitch for Your 2022 Query Letter - I wanted to talk about researching literary agents in 2022. Granted, I am going to start with the caveat that I only have experience querying kidlit books. More specifically YA/MG, contemporary and fantasy. So that’s where this post… Continue reading Researching Literary Agents in 2022
The Difference Between Querying in 2019 and 2022, and Why Your Well-Intentioned Advice May Be Doing More Harm Than Good.
When I signed with my first agent, it was 2019. I’d queried two manuscripts by then between 2017-2019. In 2021, my agent left the industry. I took some time off, then wrote the book of my heart, and now I’m back in the query trenches for the first time in three years. As an author… Continue reading The Difference Between Querying in 2019 and 2022, and Why Your Well-Intentioned Advice May Be Doing More Harm Than Good.
Publishing Questions I Ask Myself Before I Start Writing a Book
Publishing is hard. We all know that. What makes it harder is bad timing and unclear focus. It’s easy to get lost in the art of writing long before you consider the business of writing, but at the end of the day, publishing is a business. You should have your business plan in mind before… Continue reading Publishing Questions I Ask Myself Before I Start Writing a Book
When Are You Ready to Query?
Writers who want to publish with the Big Five need literary agents. To get a literary agent, one must query. To do that, you need your entire publishing package ready. That includes your formatted manuscript, query letter, and 1-page synopsis. Let’s say you have all three of these items right in front of you. How… Continue reading When Are You Ready to Query?
How to Plot a Series and Make Every Book Stand Out
As an author with three series under my belt, I’m often asked how to plot a series, and I thought it was finally time to share a few tips. First thing is first, anyone considering traditional publishing should make book one a standalone. Don’t get me wrong. It’s great to have the dream of writing a series,… Continue reading How to Plot a Series and Make Every Book Stand Out
How to be Flexible with Writing
Flexibility with your writing means you can easily shift from one project to another, even when it wasn’t in the plans.
#WW The 90-10 Rule for Marketing and Writing, and How To Love It.
I recently attended the 101st Annual Missouri Writers’ Guild Conference, and a lot of aspiring authors asked about how much marketing they would be expected to do. One instance in particular seemed to shock many. Janell Walden Agyerman from Marie Brown Literary Agency stated most of her authors followed the 90-10 rule. What’s the 90-10… Continue reading #WW The 90-10 Rule for Marketing and Writing, and How To Love It.
Shannon A. Thompson 