Blog Archive
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The Implications of Staying Off Social Media
Feb 11, 2019
There are a lot of opinions about the good, bad, and ugly of social media. There are people who love it and people who refuse to engage. I don’t know that there’s any right or wrong to either opinion, but I do know that social media is here to stay and avoiding it completely is difficult. […]
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Welcome to BookEnds, Eleanor Rees Howell!
Feb 08, 2019
What book do you wish you had written, and why? I’m a big fan of the late Eva Ibbotson’s work. She was a very prolific children’s writer and many of her books are ‘comfort reads’ to me. Her books are some of the most beautifully written I’ve ever read, and she was incredible at crafting […]
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Pitching a Book Before It’s Ready
Feb 07, 2019
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as an agent it’s that nothing panics a writer more than hearing about the frustrations of an agent. I’m sorry to see that I’ve caused that panic for a writer in my video on how to frustrate an agent. In the video, I talk about the frustration of not […]
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Welcome to BookEnds, Eija Sumner!
Feb 06, 2019
Tell us a bit about your writing process. Where do you write, and how often? I try to write everyday, but it really depends on my work schedule. If the week is too busy, then I make sure I’m getting some decent writing time in on the weekends. I usually write at my kitchen table […]
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Adopting the 24-Hour Rule in Publishing
Feb 06, 2019
The best thing I ever learned as a parent of young athletes is the 24-Hour Rule. I’ve adopted it into all aspects of my life, including my life as a literary agent. The 24-Hour Rule states that you wait 24 hours before contacting a coach (or anyone else) about a complaint, issue or problem. Brilliant. […]
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What Happens to Old Projects When You Get Representation
Feb 05, 2019
As you know, BookEnds encourages writers to keep submitting. Just because I passed on one of your books doesn’t mean the next one won’t be the perfect fit. I can tell you in a number of cases with my clients I have offered representation on the second or even third book an author submitted. What […]
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This Month From BookEnds… February 2019!
Feb 04, 2019
February is a great month for releases and news at BookEnds. We hope you enjoy some of these books! Monthly Spotlight: Scandal and slaughter among Regency London’s elite The bloody murder of Sir Henry Claybourne leaves Regency London shaken and horror-struck. But for genteel spinster Miss Emmeline St. Germaine, the crime slices far too close […]
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Welcome to BookEnds, Sara Harvey!
Feb 01, 2019
BookEnds welcomes Sara Harvey! We connected over our mutual love of all things fantasy and song, and I’m overjoyed to represent her! – Naomi Davis What genres do you write? Read? All the fantasy all the time! High fantasy, urban fantasy, historical fantasy, epic fantasy, fantasy fantasy! I am also a huge fan of historical […]
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Submission Format and Writing Technique Matter
Jan 31, 2019
Knowing the proper submission format and writing technique is just as important as writing a great plot. It matters. It matters to agents, editors, the production staff, and to readers. There is a reason we have things like commas, rules for dialogue, and spacing after a period (only one please). These rules help us read […]
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Mistakes that Lead to Instant Rejection
Jan 30, 2019
I don’t believe that “mistakes” lead to instant rejection, but I also know I’m kidding myself. They do. Although, I don’t think they are really mistakes authors make. They are more along the lines of not having done researching and not knowing. Authors reading this blog, following agents on Twitter, reading Query Shark and others […]
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Earning Out Your Author Advance
Jan 29, 2019
The author advance is the money a publisher pays in advance of any royalties and to be earned-out against royalties. It’s also the source of lots of conversations, debates, and theories. Some authors and agents believe a giant advance is better because it shows publisher commitment. The more they pay you, the more they spend […]
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Welcome to BookEnds, Liz Arcury!
Jan 28, 2019
Today I’m excited to welcome Liz Arcury to the BookEnds family! Liz is a writer and performer whose collection of deeply personal essays immediately won me over with its mix of candor, humor, and heart. I know you’ll love Liz’s voice as much as I did, and I can’t wait to share it with all […]
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