Blog Archive
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What Agents Look for in a Synopsis
Feb 01, 2022
Is it the synopsis or the query that is most hated by new authors? However you feel, mastering the art of each is a requirement to being a published author. Not just to find an agent, but for each book you write for the rest of your career. The key to understanding how to write […]
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New Client Alert – Laura Bontje
Jan 28, 2022
Name: Laura BontjeWhat you write: Picture booksAgent: James McGowanWhy BookEnds? I’ve followed the BookEnds blog and YouTube series for a long time, so I already felt a connection to the agency. I also get the sense from the videos that the agents all find their work fun, and I think that’s so important when working in a creative field! […]
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How Much of Your Submission Did the Agent Read
Jan 27, 2022
Back in the days of snail mail submissions, authors used to put a piece of string toward the end of the manuscript so they could see if agents really read that far. I guess they never accounted for the dropping the manuscript all over the subway moments, but I digress. It’s pretty common in author […]
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How Exclusives Harm Authors
Jan 25, 2022
For anyone who has followed me or BookEnds for any length of time, you know my feelings about agents asking authors for exclusives. For those new to BookEnds and this blog. I hate them. So much that it was one of my first YouTube rants. What is an Exclusive An exclusive is a request for […]
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Social Media and Literary Agents
Jan 20, 2022
I’m not sure how much social media impacts other careers and professions, but there’s no doubt that sites like Twitter and Instagram have played a huge role in publishing and, specifically, with literary agencies. There’s also no doubt that social media has played a huge role in the success of BookEnds. A Social History Back […]
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When to Rethink Your Dream Agent
Jan 19, 2022
Most querying authors have an agent in mind that they’d really love to work with. But what happens when that agent passes on that work? More importantly, what happens if that agent OFFERS on your work? Literary agents Jessica Faust and James McGowan give tips on how to detach yourself from your idea of “dream […]
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All the Ways You Can Query Agents
Jan 18, 2022
One of the benefits of the tech world is the variety in ways you can query agents. Back in the day of BookEnds’ beginnings, there was one way and one way alone: snail mail. You had to fold your query letter into a #10 envelope, buy stamps and trust the postal service to deliver. Then […]
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Before You Say No, Ask Why
Jan 13, 2022
If you’re an agent who likes to make suggestions, like me, revisions can be a tricky process. When I give suggestions, I fully give suggestions. Things like, “what if instead of dying by poison, your victim’s lines were cut while mountain climbing.” I will usually explain my suggestion, but also realize that it doesn’t always […]
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What a Cover Says About a Book
Jan 12, 2022
We’ve got a really fun topic to revisit with you all today. Throughout the YouTube video, you’ll get to see a variety of book cover examples—all of them are super eye-catching and gorgeous. Not many people are privy to the background process that goes into making those covers happen, though. In today’s video, Jessica and […]
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Jessica Bares All—About Publishing!
Jan 11, 2022
Conferences Give Me a Chance to Answer All Your Questions It’s been over two years since we’ve been able to truly hold writers conferences. While I can’t say I miss the long weekends and grueling hours many conferences required, I can honestly say that I miss connecting with authors. When BookEnds first opened our doors […]
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Everything You Need to Know About Publishing, Right Here!
Jan 06, 2022
As BookEnds continues to expand, we also keep finding ways to connect with the book community. We welcome the writers who need reassurance on what it means to write a synopsis. We welcome publishing hopefuls looking to break in. All in all, we welcome everyone—no matter the stage you’re at in your publishing journey—to learn […]
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New Client Alert – Ben Greene
Jan 05, 2022
Name: Ben Greene What you Write: LGBTQ+ Nonfiction Agent: Jessica Faust Why BookEnds?: A lot of agencies I queried included that they wanted to represent diverse voices but really as a footnote. Especially LGBTQ+ voices, it felt like for a lot of people it was a box they checked that they had put in the […]
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