Blog Archive
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People Get Scared When You Break Rules
Jun 09, 2022
I’m a rule breaker more than I’m a rule maker. Don’t ever tell me I can’t do something, unless you really want me to do that. When I was in 3rd grade a friend’s mom told me I’d never make it in NYC. She determined that as a small town, pig-tailed, barefooted girl I would […]
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How to Write a Query Letter
Jun 08, 2022
The query letter is an essential part of every author’s arsenal—it’s what gets them in the door with agents and teaches them how to write the blurb they’ll need later. Jessica & James sit down to give authors the advice they need to write a rejection-proof query.
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Assistants Make Me More Successful — Come Meet Them
Jun 07, 2022
Jessica Faust talks about how assistants have made her more successful, and introduces the four BookEnds assistants.
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New Client Alert — Laura Resau
Jun 06, 2022
Come check out our interview with new client Laura Resau!
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New Client Alert — Sydney Langford
Jun 03, 2022
Check out our interview with new client, Sydney Langford!
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Advice on Finding a Mentor
Jun 02, 2022
I often talk about how much I wished I had a mentor when I first started BookEnds. But I think the truth is, I did. Just not in the way I think of a mentor today. I didn’t have someone I met with formally or regularly. And I doubt these people thought of themselves as […]
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What Happens After Your First Book?
Jun 01, 2022
There is much focus (and rightfully so) on an author’s first book. But what comes next? What if the book doesn’t sell? Or your publisher doesn’t want your second book? Or better, they do? How does that work, and what role does your literary agent play in that? James and Jessica discuss the answers to […]
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How Much Should I Pay to Get My Book Published?
May 31, 2022
Too often I’ll get a query from an author asking how much they should pay to get their book published. Or, stressed because they can’t afford to get their book published, based on rates given to them by publishers. You should not pay anything to get your book published. You should be paid by the […]
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Books that Change My Life
May 26, 2022
I read a lot of nonfiction, mostly in the personal development, business, and leadership spaces. It makes sense right, that’s the world I also live in. Thankfully, as an agent, I have the luxury of seeking out books that I can personally connect with. Most importantly, books that change my life. When I’m digging through […]
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How Agents Choose Which Editors to Submit To
May 25, 2022
Have you ever wondered what goes through an agent’s head when they’re considering which agents they want to submit a manuscript to? In this video, Jessica and James talk about the things they take into consideration when they are deciding where to submit their manuscripts. It’s just as important for an agent to put lots […]
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Sometimes We’re Just Not a Good Fit
May 24, 2022
When you know, you know. Like when you’re not a good fit for someone or them for you. That first date when all they do is complain about their ex. That potential new work friend who hates dogs (you have two), or the querying author who berates the systems you use to request queries. […]
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Dogs and Books and Your Company Website
May 19, 2022
When we first set up our website in 1999 I obviously wanted to promote us, our books, and include my dog. At that time it was Sadie. My web designer was a little more conservative than me and thought the dog was a bad idea. In fact, he weirdly fought me on it. His feeling […]
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