Why Agents Stop Reading

The only way to sell a book is to get people to read past that first page. The voice, the story, the setting, all of it has to mesh in such a way to make the reader wonder “and then what?”

Now, I know my stories — and probably yours — are amazing. And if the agents and publishers read the full story, they’d see its shining merits. Unfortunately, time is limited, the slush piles are enormous, and no one is getting paid for books that never sell. Most manuscripts from the slush pile are put down before the reader makes it through the first page.

Today, I’m here with tips from Imaginarium 2023. I had the privilege to read a stack of first pages aloud to publishers and agents and heard firsthand why they would put down that page.

The agents and publishers really do want to find the diamond in the pile of mediocre-to-bad stories. But, they need a reason NOT to reject your story, rather than a reason TO reject it. There are just too many coming their way, and they can’t publish everything.

Publishing As Collaboration

If you want to be a published author, a little professionalism goes a long way.

Bookshelves are packed with volumes about how to properly submit your manuscripts, but how does professionalism function in real-world publishing relationships? Moreover, what defines professionalism from culture to culture? Agents and editors share their best examples of what works best, and how to get back on track if your interactions go off the rails.

Problematic Publishing: Red Flags To Watch Out For

Most publishers are in it for the love of books. Yes, even the acquiring editors, the marketing team, and the contract specialists.

But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some problematic publishing companies out there. Whether you go with traditional publishing or small press, you need to be careful.

Ask An Editor: Longform Writing (A DisCon III Panel)

What are the most important aspects of a story, what do Editors look for, choosing the right Editor for you, what if you’re a bad fit, do you need a polished series, do you need an agent, is it hard to read for fun as an Editor, and closing thoughts.

Loglines versus Queries

After a resounding round of form rejections, I took a step back, revamped my query and synopsis, and am now getting back into the query trenches.

You’d think I know querying forward and backward — and I do, when I stop to think about it. But, recently, one of the query submission forms asked for a one-sentence pitch — a logline — I almost flubbed it!