Blog Archive

  • The Beginner’s Guide to An Author’s Financials

    Jul 14, 2021

    Jessica and James are not accountants. But, as literary agents, they have a few observations on the most common financial topics that will arise for you in publishing. Here’s a crash course on what you need to know about financials in this industry. Enjoy!

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  • What Happens to the Mislabeled Book Submissions

    Jul 13, 2021

    It happens all the time that an author labels their work with the wrong genre. Sometimes this is an accident or lack of knowledge of genres, other times it’s done on purpose just to get in the door with a particular agent. For example, I regularly receive queries for YA novels, but since I’m not […]

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  • New Client Alert – L’Oreal Thompson Payton

    Jul 09, 2021

    Name: L’Oreal Thompson PaytonWhat you Write: Nonfiction, self-help/personal developmentAgent: Jessica FaustWhy BookEnds? I was crushing on BookEnds for some time. As a first-time author, I found the blog posts, YouTube videos and social media posts to be super informative. What book do you wish you had written, and why? Anything by Jasmine Guillory. Writing fiction […]

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  • Write Even When No One is Reading

    Jul 08, 2021

    I started this blog in 2006 back in what was probably the early heyday of blogging. At the time I started I can promise you that no one was reading. I was a lone voice out in the world rambling about query letters, exclusives, and the author-agent relationship. Not much has changed in 15 years […]

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  • The 24-Hour Rule

    Jul 07, 2021

    Perhaps the most oft-used rule at BookEnds is the 24-hour rule. Receive an email that you’re super excited about? Take 24 hours to feel that excitement, then reply level headed. On the other hand, take 24 hours off the emails that might set you on edge. Once those 24-hours are done, you’re likely able to […]

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  • The Facts About Writing and Publishing in Multiple Genres

    Jul 06, 2021

    We get the question all the time from querying authors, how should you find an agent if you write, or want to write in multiple genres? It’s really natural for authors to start out by writing in multiple genres. It’s a way to hone your abilities, test out your writing, and see where you really […]

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  • Why Agents Will Never Catch Up on Queries

    Jul 01, 2021

    Let me tell you a little about what it’s like to be an agent and to manage a query inbox. My best explanation is that a query inbox is a lot like laundry. Just when you think you’ve finished it all you turn around and there’s another huge pile that needs to be done. That […]

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  • Tips to Improve any Author Website

    Jun 30, 2021

    An author’s website is one of the most important things they can create for their business. It is their online business card — the only space they can control exactly what readers and viewers see, how they see it, and when they see it. So… how can you make that website as strong and efficient […]

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  • How Agents View Revisions

    Jun 29, 2021

    Typically when an author looks to revise their book they are looking at how to make it stronger. Is the plot working? Are the characters working? Is it a good book? Agents however tend to add another dimension into revisions. In addition to the obvious about the book itself, agents look at its marketability. We […]

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  • 10 Mistakes Authors Make When Receiving an Offer of Representation

    Jun 24, 2021

    I was really excited to write this post (and film the corresponding YouTube video). We’ve talked a lot about what questions an author should ask when receiving an offer of rep. We’ve even told you the #1 most important question, but let’s take a minute to look at the mistakes authors make that hurt no […]

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  • The Art of Communicating with a Literary Agent

    Jun 23, 2021

    Communication is in fact an art. And it’s an art that the publishing industry is built around. (Well, that and writing…) What should authors know about communication in publishing? How should they plan to communicate with their literary agent? Enjoy this video where Jessica Faust and James McGowan discuss just that!

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  • Moving on to a New Book

    Jun 22, 2021

    A few months into our YouTube channel when we’d gotten better at things like editing, sound, and lighting, James suggested we go back and remake the older videos. I suggested we not. Those older videos are not pretty, but they’re not terrible either. They still contain valuable information for authors. Since that time, we’ve created […]

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