Blog Archive
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How to Write a Query Letter
Jan 05, 2022
Sometimes all you need is a refresher on how to write a query. Or, if this is your first time learning about how to write one, welcome! Either way, this lesson is for you. In today’s weekly video blog, literary agents Jessica Faust and James McGowan walk you through an agent’s perspective on the query […]
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New Year, New Goals
Jan 04, 2022
You all know I love my goals and with each new year, I have a new opportunity for a reset. Both in my goals and in the ways I work to achieve them. I actually start working on my goals in October. As I see the year’s end in sight I also see a chance […]
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The 2022 Publishing Fellowship
Dec 20, 2021
Hi there, Emily taking over the blog again. It’s kind of wild to type all of this out again, because this time last year I was pitching the concept of the fellowship to my boss and in some ways it felt like a dream I couldn’t really visualize. I had so many hopes for what […]
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BookEnds Year in Review
Dec 16, 2021
For the past five years or so I start each day by writing in my gratitude journal. Some things are as simple as a good cup of coffee, other more complicated like the ability to manage anxiety. And some present themselves over and over like my gratitude for working at BookEnds and with the team […]
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7 Tips for Choosing an Agent to Query
Dec 15, 2021
Writing a book can be tough. Trying to put together a query letter for the story can prove to be a challenge too. There’s one more step: finding the right agents to query. It can be an overwhelming task, so we’ve figured out seven categories that can help make the process a bit easier. Enjoy!
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Notifying Agents of Offers
Dec 14, 2021
I take my query inbox very seriously. I reply to everything I receive and, per BookEnds policy, so does everyone else. It’s why notifying agents of offers of representation is so important. Not only for you and your career but also for everyone else querying and waiting for an answer. It’s unbelievably common to reach […]
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Being a Good Mentor
Dec 09, 2021
There is a wonderful movement in publishing toward mentorship. More and more agents and editors are demanding it of the companies they work for, and for good reason. Mentorship matters. A good mentor makes a huge difference in the success of others, and the company as a whole. But being a good mentor isn’t something […]
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Writing the Perfect Query Blurb
Dec 08, 2021
Your query (hopefully!) contains a description of the book you’ve written. That paragraph is your story’s blurb. Though this section may only be a few sentences, it takes a lot of thought to craft the best one. If you watch our channel often, you’ve likely heard Jessica and James refer to the query blurb as […]
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I Had No Idea What I Was Doing
Dec 07, 2021
This is probably a blog post that will terrify those clients who trusted me enough to sign in the early days of BookEnds. My apologies, but I think we’ve done ok. Here’s my confession. There were days when it felt like I had no idea what I was doing. It’s not entirely true, it just […]
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How Boundaries Open Doors
Dec 02, 2021
2021 has been the year for boundaries. Both setting my own with intention and making others aware of theirs, or lack thereof. I recently set some very strict boundaries around my time, who has the privilege of my time, and how I spend it. It’s been the most freeing feeling ever. Odd isn’t it? Actually […]
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What is an ‘Option’ in Book Contracts?
Dec 01, 2021
Contracts can be one of the most confusing parts of any industry. There is a lot of jargon, a lot of technicalities. This can make contracts inaccessible to most people. At BookEnds, we make it a priority to educate on all of the ins and outs of publishing, including contracts. Today’s weekly video blog dives […]
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The Way You Tweet Makes Me Cautious of Working with You
Nov 30, 2021
Twitter. That horrible wonderful place where you can get all of the information you need and also, nothing you needed to know. Like many, I have stepped away from Twitter in the past year or so. I’ll share things and I’ll skim through, but I don’t spend that much time there. I’ve found that Twitter, […]
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