Michelle Schusterman's Blog
Posted by Michelle Schusterman
This week's Sunday Spotlight is on Nathan Bransford, a literary agent with Curtis Brown, LTD. If my recommendation isn't enough, try asking what one of the hundreds of commenters on his every post think!
Nathan's blog is a wonderful place to hang out if you're a writer at any stage in the process. Here's a few reasons to add him as yet another stop on your Google Reader:
- He covers The Essentials: Tagged on the right side of his blog are the basics, like finding a literary agent, writing a query letter, formatting a manuscript, and more sage advice.
- He writes in-depth posts about big issues in the publishing industry not directly related to writing, like why e-books aren't the devil.
- He has (massively popular) contests for writers, with great prizes.
- He goes out of his way to get his followers involved in the conversation.
- He's funny.
There are, of course, many more reasons. Nathan updates with a new post every Monday through Friday, and he contributes to the (long) conversations in the comments section that always ensue. Most importantly, if you're an aspiring writer, he provides yet another insightful look into the crazy business that is writing and publishing novels.
Posted by Michelle Schusterman
This week's Sunday Spotlight is on a must-subscribe blog for anyone serious about writing and selling a novel.
Lots of literary agents keep professional blogs, giving aspiring writers (not to mention agents and editors) a valuable glimpse into the industry. The first of such that I ever stumbled upon years ago is that of agent Kristin Nelson (Nelson Literary Agency). The blog is called Pub Rants, and ridiculously helpful posts are added daily.
There's help to be found for every step of the process, from writing a query to negotiating foreign rights. Check out her series Agenting 101, which covers everything from taking a phone call from an editor to a breakdown of royalty statements.
Stressing over your query? Ms. Nelson has a twelve part Query Pitch Workshop there to help. And if that's not enough, you can also view several of her clients' queries, with Ms. Nelson's own comments and thoughts included.
Being a writer doesn't necessarily mean being able to negotiate a contract. Even with a literary agent, novelists should make it a point to understand the business they're attempting to be a part of. Ms. Nelson's blog posts break down the often complicated process of selling a book in a way that shows she genuinely has the writer's best interests at heart.
No matter what stage of the writing process you're in, stop by Pub Rants and take a look around! It's a fascinating glimpse into the role a literary agent plays in selling a novel.
Posted by Michelle Schusterman
This week's Sunday Spotlight is on Funds for Writers! The website, run by editor C. Hope Clark, is an amazing resource for any freelance writer.
Funds for Writers provides leads on great writing jobs (no scams, good pay), writing contests, and grants. In fact, they specialize in grants, which are often overlooked but potentially super helpful for writers trying to make ends meet.
In addition, Ms. Clark also offers a consulting service for writers. She is also accepting submissions, so if you have a great, helpful article brewing with tips on surviving in the freelance writing world, add this to your list of paying markets!
I saved the best for last: the newsletters! Funds for Writers offers both free and paid newsletters, each of which are stuffed full of market leads, jobs, contests, grants, everything! No more Googling for jobs, searching for contests, trying to figure out what's spam and what's legitimate. These newsletters are all you need:
Funds for Writers – FREE
FFW Small Markets – FREE
Writing Kid – FREE
TOTAL Funds for Writers – $12/yr
Pretty amazing deal. Stop by Funds for Writers and see for yourself!
Posted by Michelle Schusterman
It's November 1st – and that means the start of NaNoWriMo! And for those lucky writers in countries with Daylight Savings, you get a whole extra hour of writing time today!
Writing a 50,000 word first draft in one month is a lot of work to be sure, but it's doable for any writer. Throughout the month of November, feel free to browse through Suite101's articles with advice, tips, and motivation on getting through NaNo and finishing that book!
Here's a few articles to get you started:
What exactly is NaNo, and how do I join?
Advice on organizing your writing schedule and meeting your daily word count goal.
Writing During NaNoWriMo
Tips on finding more time to write at home and at work.
Fast Fixes for Contrary Characters in NaNoWriMo
How to fix those problematic characters and make them jump off the page.
National Novel Writing Month for Homeschoolers
Using NaNoWriMo as a homeschooling resource.
How to get ready for the big month ahead!
"Cheats" that will help increase your word count.
Fast Fixes for Plotting Problems in NaNoWriMo
How to fix everything from dragging middles to predictable endings in your first draft.
My Writing Nook Web and iPhone App
This free web app helps you sneak in extra word counts by giving you access to your novel anyplace with Internet access.
Good luck, and get writing!
Posted by Michelle Schusterman
If you're just starting out as a freelance writer, chances are you've Googled "freelance writing jobs".
You haven't? Okay, go try it.
Scary, isn't it?
There are some fantastic jobs for writers available online, but it seems like for every one decent gig there's ten spam posts, and sometimes it's pretty tough to figure which is which.
However, several freelance writers out there have websites dedicated to sifting through the garbage and providing you with the good stuff. For this Sunday Spotlight, I'm featuring The Freelance Writing Jobs Network.
Side note: While that is the name of the site, the URL is freelancewritinggigs.com.
Just take a look at the left of the front page, under the caption "Writing Job Leads." These are updated every weekday, pulling the non-scam, (mostly) paying writing jobs from places like CraigsList and Indeed, and organizing them by category (travel, technical, etc.) just for you!
As you can see, there's a lot more goodies available on this site. Take a look at their articles with tips on writing, impressing an editor, and getting published. The comments section on both the articles and job leads board are also filled with helpful freelancers doing what makes this such a great community: helping one another out.
To this day, one my best and most steadily-paying writing jobs was something I found on the Freelance Wrtiting Jobs Network. Grab a cup of coffee and go take a look for yourself!
Posted by Michelle Schusterman
The growing number of social networking sites on the internet (and the even more rapidly growing number of folks joining them) makes it so easy for freelance writers to promote their work online. However, I'm starting to wonder if this is turning into one of those "too much of a good thing" things.
This week I joined LinkedIn, set up a profile, and immediately connected with dozens of others in the writing/editing industry. I'm connected with many of these same people on Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter. We share articles with one another on StumbleUpon, Digg, and Reddit. I'm a member of several forums, where I chat with even more writers. I blog here, there, and everywhere, and I follow dozens of blogs, and I comment on them and participate in discussions. And I'm starting to wonder...how much time is this taking away from my actual writing?
Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for all of these sites and how easy they make it for writers, particularly new writers, to share their work online. But they're so addictive, and most require a little bit of love and attention on a regular basis in order to be as useful as possible.
I think it's best for writers to choose two or three of these outlets, at least to start with, and devote more time to them, rather then spreading themselves thin over half a dozen or more. It's tough to choose, and I don't think any of these are better or worse than any others. It's simply a matter of the individual writer's situation and goals.
Over the last few weeks, I've been working on several articles on social networking sites and how they benefit writers. If you're confused about the benefits or the pitfalls of any of these sites, or if you just don't know how the darn things work, take a look at these links and see which sites speak to you the most.
Blogging (Freelance Writers)
Blogging (Novelists)
If you have any questions about these or any of the dozens of social networking sites available, email or leave a message in the comments section!
Posted by Michelle Schusterman
You know you should never query a novel without first finishing said novel. Didn't know that? Well, take note! Never query a novel without finishing the novel first!
However, sometimes it's tempting – even helpful – to write the query before the first draft is complete. Some even recommend it as an exercise, a way to focus on what you want the story to be, a guide to use as a reference while you write.
Once the query is written, it can be so tempting to "test the waters" and send the query to just a few agents. Will they even like the story idea? Are you on the right track?
The danger, of course, is that they will like it, they will request to read more...and there you are with only half of the book written. And worse, unedited. But there is a way to hear one agent's opinion, and a brutally honest one at that.
This Sunday's Spotlight is on the Query Shark, a blog run by Janet Reid of Fine Print Literary. Ms. Reid devotes this blog solely to helping aspiring authors who submit their queries in the hopes that she will tear it apart and help them reconstruct a new one, bit by bit.
Beware: Ms. Reid is straightforward and brutally honest. She will do a line-by-line criticism of the query, naming both good and bad qualities, and end with how she as an agent would respond (form rejection, partial request, etc.) A query to the Shark is not a query to Ms. Reid herself, but remember, by sending you are giving her permission to publicly post (and shred) your query.
Perhaps the nicest part of the Query Shark is that once a query has been reduced to chum, writers are allowed to rewrite based on her suggestions and resubmit. Many queries have gone from immediate form rejection to something that might stand out in the slushpile thanks to Ms. Reid.
Got a query that you're itching to show to an agent? Throw it to the Shark!
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Posted by Michelle Schusterman
In the last few weeks I've been doing a lot of research on writing short stories for magazines. It's not something I've ever done myself: I write non-fiction for magazines and novels that are fiction (not "fiction novels"!).
What I've learned is that, no matter what genre you write in, it is incredibly hard to make any kind of decent income this way. So many magazines and ezines offer what little they can, or claim to be a "non-paying opportunity". (A phrase that, as a writer, I hate – not that an opportunity has to involve money, but when you're looking for a job...yuck.)
The most lucrative genre for publishing fiction seems to be either literary or science fiction/fantasy. Some of the magazines that focus on these types of stories, particularly literary, offer fantastic payment. Of course, the caveat is that in most cases you have to write the story before it's accepted. (On a side note, how many other careers can you name where the product must be presented and completed before even being considered for payment? Not paid, but considered.)
There are a decent amount of horror magazines out there too. For some reason, despite being a classic and much loved genre, the mystery publications don't pay quite as well. And romance writers? Get started on that novel, your chances are much better. I'm struggling to find magazines that want to pay even a cent for a good old fashioned romance.
An exciting newer genre is flash fiction. This is becoming an increasingly popular fad for online magazines in particular. Generally, it's a short short story under 1,000 words. The challenge, of course, is to create a compelling story with relatable characters in such a short space. This works wonderfully with literary stories, but many mags are interested in sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, horror, you name it. And a few pay quite nicely, considering the low word count.
I'd love to hear from any writers out there who make a decent living off of writing short fiction. What's your secret? Drop me a line if you've got any tips, or let me know in the comments section!
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Posted by Michelle Schusterman
One thing is for sure: the community of writers online, both fiction and non, is made up of some of the most helpful folks on the planet. These writers, agents, and editors take time out of their busy schedules to keep up with blogs aimed at helping hopeful newbies with tips and advice on everything imaginable.
Every Sunday I'll highlight one of these wonderful blogs here on Resources for Writers. I plan on having a mix of blogs that will appeal to everyone from the horror novelist to the sports writer.
This Sunday's Spotlight is on Holly Lisle! Holly is a novelist and creator of several workshops for aspiring fiction writers.
Holly's fantastic website is an absolute goldmine for anyone attempting to write a novel. She has published dozens of novels and short stories, most of which fall in the categories of fantasy/science fiction/suspense. Holly has dedicated much of her life to helping other writers achieve their goal of writing novels for a living.
No matter what stage of writing you're in, Holly can help. Her website contains FREE workshops and articles on everything from character development and world building to revision and how to quit your day job to write. Holly doesn't make this goal easy – nothing could – but she makes it possible. A few minutes browsing her articles and you'll believe you can do it, too.
For those looking to really dig deep and get serious about their career, Holly is the creator of the Think Sideways course, an absolutely amazing program that addresses all the issues new novelists face and provides the motivational kick in the pants so many of us need to just start writing!
And of course, there's her blog...the point of this Spotlight! On Pocket Full of Words, Holly posts daily about her writing progress and provides tips. Currently, she is encouraging her followers to write a book with her. Every day Holly posts on her word count and progress, and everyone is encouraged to do the same in the comments section. It's a great way to stay motivated, and new novelists are welcome to join in any time!
Posted by Michelle Schusterman
In the past month I've come across a number of interviews and blog posts by literary agents and editors who claim to Google potential clients before offering a contract. Why? To see what kind of professional they are, what they'd be like to work with. Some admit that after seeing a writer's Facebook page, their mind is changed.
With networking sites like Facebook, it's easy to share every little detail. Waiting in line for a latte...cleaning up after the dog...griping about the heat...but some people choose to share more. A lot of folks have hundreds of friends but only interact with a few dozen, making it easy to forget that it's not just their friends reading about what they did at the party last night, but their parents, children, co-workers, bosses, students, teachers...
Facebook is a dangerous thing for any professional, including writers. We are, of course, free to express ourselves online, be it a social networking site, a blog, or email. But writers should think long and hard about what information they want about themselves to be public for everyone – potential bosses, readers, peers – to see.
This is a sore point for a lot of writers who view Facebook as a fantastic tool to promote their work. Why can't they be themselves on Facebook? Can't editors just realize that it's a personal page where people can talk and vent about anything they'd like?
The answer for some is two create two accounts, one personal and one professional, but many don't want to deal with the aggravation. Personally, I use one account for both, and I feel it works quite well. What about you? Share your thoughts about Facebook, Twitter, or any other social networking tool in the comments section!
Posted by Michelle Schusterman
Have a short story or flash fiction piece in any genre? Time to polish it up and enter it into the Literary Lab's 2009 Genre Wars Fiction Writing Contest!
There is no entry fee, and the contest is closed December 1, 2009, at 11:59 p.m. PST. The winners will be announced January 7, 2010. Enter your story under one of the following categories: sci-fi/fantasy, horror/crime, literary, romance, children's, or experimental.
One winner from each category will be selected to win a $10 gift card to a book store, and the authors will be interviewed on the blog. The grand prize winner will be chosen from this group and will receive an additional $50 gift card.
Visit the Literary Lab for detailed instructions on how to email your entry, and good luck!
Posted by Michelle Schusterman
As someone who is trying to develop my freelance writing career and find representation for a novel, I've read about all the tips on queries there are. And there's a ton of advice out there.
What do agents and editors want to hear? More importantly, what do they not want to hear? There are so many rules and tricks, many of which contradict one another, that writing a query becomes a more daunting task than the book itself!
The thought of trying to sell your novel, your baby, your sweat and tears and the focus of your existence for the better part of a year, in just a few sentences...it's tough to grasp. And the mere thought of having it lost in the massive onslaught of queries that agents are slammed with every day makes it tempting to try and stand out.
The one thing I've learned about queries is this: the only way to really stand out is to write a great book. Period. Anything else – the bells and whistles that some writers feel compelled to include with a query – will do nothing other than maybe lower your chances of getting a request. Agents and editors are on to these tricks.
Colorful paper or fonts to be "memorable." Too much personal information that's meant to be funny and engaging but comes across as desperate and amateur. Gifts that, no matter how appreciated, will never be enough to convince an agent to put their career on the line for a book they don't feel 100% passionate about.
The only reason for an agent to want to represent you, and the only reason you should want them to represent you, is because they think your novel is as super-spectacular and special as you do. When it comes down to it, the best way to impress a literary agent is to put as much tender loving care as possible into your novel and query letter.