Blog Archive
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The Harmful Impact of Grammar Policing
Feb 23, 2021
I greatly dislike grammar policing. Actually, I hate it. I hate when people do it to me and I hate seeing people do it to others. It’s so unnecessary and, frankly, harmful. Years of writing this blog I’ve been thoroughly policed. The GP has come after me in the comments, on Twitter and even through […]
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BookEnds is Seeking Adult Non-Fiction!
Feb 22, 2021
The agents of BookEnds represent nearly all genres and sub-genres in fiction and non-fiction. But did you know our agents are seeking…. ADULT NON-FICTION! Three BookEnds agents are seeking non-fiction projects for the adultt audiences. Here is more from them about exactly what they’re looking for: Jessica Faust Jessica Faust’s nonfiction tastes run toward the […]
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Letting Go of Perfect
Feb 18, 2021
In BookEnds’s early days, I used to tell authors not to even start querying their book until it was perfect. I regret that now. I was young and I believed perfection was something to strive for. Since then, I have seen through my own work, and the work of others, that done is perfect enough. […]
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New Client Alert – Priya Kavina
Feb 17, 2021
Name: Priya KavinaWhat you Write: Speculative FictionAgent: Naomi Davis Why BookEnds? BookEnds is everything I could hope for in a literary agency. Their tight-knit relationships and collaborative support system makes the agency feel not only like a home, but a family. I appreciate each agent’s excitement and vibrancy for their query inbox, clients, and devotion to diverse stories—their dedication […]
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Jessica Faust’s 2021 #MSWL
Feb 16, 2021
As I finished up 2020, I considered my goals for 2021, including what I want my list to look like. I don’t envision the genres I represent changing. I’ll still focus on upmarket, literary, and women’s fiction as well as suspense, thrillers, and mystery. In nonfiction, my list aligns with my personal interests. I like […]
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New Client Alert- Kimberly Lee
Feb 12, 2021
Name: Kimberly LeeWhat you Write: Picture books and poetry Agent: Emily ForneyWhy BookEnds? Kindness and savviness are qualities that are extremely important to me – and BookEnds definitely reflects this! I love the stellar reputation that BookEnds has in the kidlit department and was bowled over by the wit and warmth evidenced by Emily, Jessica, James and […]
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A Query Rejection is Not a Test of Your Query
Feb 11, 2021
December is a particularly hard time in Query Land. This is when we get the most incomplete queries from authors who haven’t yet done their research. In December I received queries that were no longer than three sentences, nonfiction queries that told me nothing about the author’s credentials, and many, many queries for books well […]
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Publishing is NOT All About the Writing
Feb 09, 2021
Even those of us in the business will say it’s all about the writing, but the truth is, it’s not. Publishing is a business and the decision to publish a book is a business decision. That means it is based on far more than just fantastic writing. The marketability of the book has to be […]
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BookEnds is Seeking Horror!
Feb 08, 2021
The agents of BookEnds represent nearly all genres and sub-genres in fiction and non-fiction. But did you know our agents are seeking…. HORROR! Three BookEnds agents are seeking Horror (or horror-adjacent) projects in their inboxes. Here is more from them about exactly what they’re looking for: Amanda Jain Amanda Jain is seeking adult horror, dark […]
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New Client Alert – Danielle Weires
Feb 05, 2021
Name: Danielle WeiresWhat you Draw: Mostly fantasyAgent: Moe Ferrara What genres do you illustrate? I’d have to say mostly fantasy. I grew up reading mostly fantasy books, in the supernatural creature range, so witches, werewolves, vampires, etc. I’m very heavily influenced by the media that I consume. I do very much enjoy floral aesthetics and […]
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Your Book Starts in the Wrong Place
Feb 04, 2021
One of the biggest mistakes I see in submissions is the book starts in the wrong place. Either you’ve filled it with backstory and nothing is happening, or you’ve started too deep in the action and I have no clue what’s happening. Too Much Backstory Too much backstory is probably the most common problem. You’re […]
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Writing Children in Adult Novels
Feb 02, 2021
Writing children can make or break your novel. I’m not to talking writers of children’s books. I’m talking to adult writers, writing adult novels. Far too often I’m reading a submission and it’s the point of view of the child that kills the book for me and leads to rejection. Children don’t and can’t sound, […]
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