Blog Archive
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The Art of Revisions
May 14, 2019
There’s an art and a craft to everything we do in publishing and revisions are not immune to that. We all know that learning the craft of writing is part of the writing process. I have talked quite a bit about learning the craft of the query, not just for querying, but because you’ll need […]
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The Importance of Choosing Current Comp Titles
May 09, 2019
Comps aka competitive titles and the subject of much discussion within the writing community. I’ve written on this a few times before, giving my opinion on their importance. What I haven’t yet written about is the importance of choosing comp titles that are current. Some of my most recent reading has been series or books […]
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What Makes a Good Client
May 08, 2019
Sports teams often ask players to make a list of what they think makes a good teammate. Since agents and authors are teammates or partners I thought this would be an interesting exercise for us to do. We are often asked what a dream client would be like, so here you go. Not so much […]
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Queries are Like Resumes — Target Them to the Job You Want
May 07, 2019
When reading resumes it strikes me how many applicants don’t understand the job they are applying for. And how often the cover letter doesn’t target the job appropriately or highlight the correct skills. Not understanding the job is an automatic reject for me. The same holds true for query letters. The writer who doesn’t understand […]
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This Month from BookEnds… May 2019!
May 06, 2019
Some of our most highly anticipated novels are publishing this month, so without any further adieu, here are some BookEnds books we hope to see on your shelves in May! Monthly Spotlight: Helen Hoang’s buzzed about sophomore novel, THE BRIDE TEST (5/7) Barnes & Noble Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when […]
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Welcome to BookEnds, Laura Lavoie!
May 03, 2019
I’m thrilled to be welcoming Laura Lavoie to the BookEnds Jr. Team. Her picture books are incredibly clever, witty, and fun. I can’t wait to get started working with her, and to share her books with you all. What book do you wish you had written, and why? I Am Famous by Tara Luebbe and […]
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Behind the Scenes of a Literary Agency
May 02, 2019
On my Twitter bio I describe myself, among other things, as a “professional pain in the ass.” And it’s true. I get paid by my clients to be just that. Often I feel that my entire job is pushing others to do theirs. To read submissions, to make an offer, to execute a contract… I […]
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Let’s Talk Referrals
May 01, 2019
Referrals are the lifeblood of any small business. It’s what gets customers in the door of a new restaurant, how you find a hairdresser. It’s how readers will one day find your book and it’s how agents find new clients. If you like an agent. If you’re happy with your agent. Please refer your agent […]
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A(n Updated) Publishing Dictionary
Apr 30, 2019
This has proven to be an ever-green blog post at BookEnds, so we’ve decided update and re-post our Publishing Dictionary. It’s complete with all of the terms and phrases those interested in publishing careers or writing careers should know. (And if we missed anything you think should be on here, please let us know in […]
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Christine Hofbeck on “The Call”
Apr 26, 2019
Ah, The Call! So let me start by saying that the last few years of my life have been a complete adventure and writing a book is no different! So I’ve learned to roll with the punches without getting too worked up over anything. I approached this process assuming it would take a year or […]
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Why Queries Matter
Apr 25, 2019
The most common complaint I hear from authors is how unfair it is to be judged on a query. I heard this again on the video James and Kim did on The 10 Reasons Your Query was Rejected. It’s understandable authors become frustrated by the query process. The feeling and fear are that a query […]
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Welcome to BookEnds, Robbie Couch!
Apr 24, 2019
If you’re not reading or writing, what would we catch you doing? Probably attempting to pet every dog I pass on the sidewalk. Where can readers find you on the web and social media? Lots of places! I’m on Twitter (@robbie_couch), Instagram (@robbiecouch) and Facebook (@RobbieCouchWriter). Say hi! What’s the last book you read? I […]
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