Dystel & Goderich

Tag Archives: Dystel & Goderich

Literary Agent Links – Misconceptions, Cognitive Bias, and Demons

Posted on 27 Mar 10 by Editor

Oh, we have a big ol’ bunch o’ literary agent links this week, my friends.

FYI: Jessica at BookEnds will not consider representing you for an up-front payment in lieu of or in addition to a commission, and she probably won’t click a link to a video query, but she will answer a lot of questions about submitting a partial.

At Dystel & Goderich, Jane explains how the submission process works, Miriam throws in her two cents about thrillers, and Jessica dismisses a few misconceptions about publishing.

Nathan Bransford dives into hard-sell query letter subject lines, answers ten questions about self-publishing, and points out the literary impact of one of my favorite cognitive biases: the Dunning-Kruger Effect.

Janet Reid reminds us to be careful with queries and death threats, while Nathan Henrion wonders if fiction writers can mimic musical artists.

Finally, the Rejectionist discusses recent demonic rejections, while Rachelle Gardner discusses freelance editors and how long the process takes from submission to hitting the shelves.

Category: Blogroll | Tags: BookEnds LLC, dunning-kruger, Dystel & Goderich, editors, fiction, Janet Reid, literary agents, nathan bransford, nathan henrion, publishing, query letters, rachelle gardner, rejectionist, writer, writing

Literary Agents Talk (And I Link 'em!)

Posted on 02 Mar 10 by Editor

I haven’t posted links to literary agent blogs for a while — in fact, not since I separated them from the author and publisher links — so this will be my first solely agentish link soup!

So, let me introduce my new “literary agent icon,” a detail from Literary Pursuits of a Young Lady by Alexei Harlamov. The idea was to represent someone who might say, “I would like to read for a living when I grow up.” On to the links!

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Category: Blogroll | Tags: alexei harlamov, BookEnds LLC, Dystel & Goderich, literary agents, nathan bransford, publishing, rachelle gardner, writing

Writing and Publishing Links … With Love

Posted on 14 Feb 10 by Editor

Happy Valentine’s Day! Here’s a big ol’ heart-shaped sampler of writing and publishing links. Okay, okay … you’re very creative, so imagine that it’s heart-shaped! And delicious.

My loves, you can resume your diet on President’s Day. For now, indulge yourselves!

Joe and Lydia Sharp at The Sharp Angle answer the question “How do you know when to start and end a scene/chapter?” while Jessica at BookEnds responds to a writer who asks why agents keep telling her that her books are not the genre she insists they are.

Over at Dystel & Goderich, the other (but equally awesome) Jessica asks her readers how much they allow bad reviews to affect their reading decisions, while D&G’s Lauren ponders the future of browseable, brick and mortar bookstores.

Janet Reid explains why the final say in your book’s title lies far beyond you, your agent, and your editor, and also pointed me toward a funny piece at the Editorial Anonymous blog about what editors can and cannot fix.

Jennifer Jackson passes on more two more “letters from the query wars” while Kristin Nelson discusses the submission reading cycles agents go through, and the end of advanced reading copies.

Nathan Bransford offered up his own link soup on Friday, including a hilarious list of awful book covers from the past.

Rachelle Gardner tells authors how to keep money in its place, asks authors whether agents should edit, and reveals what makes her say “yes” to a book: craft, story, and voice.

Editor Alan Rinzler explains how to blend backstory into your narrative, while the Editorial Ass offers query letter advice from an engineer.

And yes, blog reader, I do love you even if I don’t say except after you’ve already said it. :-/ You know how I am about expressing myself.

Category: Blogroll | Tags: Alan Rinzler, BookEnds LLC, Dystel & Goderich, Editorial Anonymous, editorial ass, Janet Reid, jennifer jackson, Kristin Nelson, nathan bransford, rachelle gardner, the sharp angle, valentine's day

Writing and Publishing Round-Up

Posted on 28 Jan 10 by Editor

Yes, there were other things going on this week in publishing beyond half the world calling the iPad a savior and the other half poo-pooing its ability to spark a revolution.

Lydia Sharp at The Sharp Angle navigates a middle course to calm the nerves of writers who fear ebook piracy in the wake of Apple’s iPad with some very instructive anecdotes about how free can sell.

The ever-prolific Jessica at BookEnds, LLC, serves up a triptych of good info on: backing up your data, interpreting long query response times, and how agents are weathering the recession. BookEnds also hosts guest writer Becky Levine, who advises writers how to find a critique group that’s “right for you.”

In the realm of publishing-related graphics, Michael at Dystel & Goderich discusses the perils of book covers, while Janet Reid provides photographic evidence of the role Alces alces plays in certain writing guilds.

Kristin Nelson explains why “often the deciding factor [for sample pages] is not whether the writing is good or not but whether the voice fits an agent’s taste.” And Jennifer Schuessler at the New York Times explains reader boredom, why we’re so hesitant to admit it, and how it can lead to ecstasy. And, finally, Rachelle Gardner explains how to become an editor or agent.

Let’s just say there’s a lot of explaining going on.

Category: Blogroll | Tags: BookEnds, Dystel & Goderich, ibook, ipad, Janet Reid, jennifer scheussler, Kristin Nelson, lydia sharp, new york times, rachell gardner

Publishing Links That Need No Introduction

Posted on 20 Jan 10 by Editor

Let’s just start right off with the best news, from the perspective of prospective authors: Amazon increases royalty rates on Kindle books! As New York Times‘ Media Decoder blog points out, “Amazon’s move is also a clear bid to woo authors away from traditional publishing houses.” Things just got interesting.

Jessica at BookEnds answers “Should I revise my manuscript before sending out the next batch of queries?” and other random questions. Meanwhile Rachelle Gardner discusses email protocol and the power of word-of-mouth.

Lauren at Dystel & Goderich offers some advice on titling, while her colleague Miriam disses the sarcmark.

Kassia Krozser at Booksquare expresses her doubts about enhanced ebooks, while Alan Rinzler at The Book Deal teaches us about hooks that snag great book deals.

Finally, John Fox tells us why he doubts book reviews, while Suzannah Windsor Freeman (guest-blogging at Nathan Bransford‘s site) negotiates the struggle between Word Nerds and Grammar Rebels.

Enjoy!

Category: Blogroll | Tags: Alan Rinzler, amazon, BookEnds LLC, Booksquare, Dystel & Goderich, ebooks, john fox, kassia krozser, kindle, new york times, rachelle gardner, suzannah windsor freeman, the book deal

Sunday Brunch Publishing Links

Posted on 17 Jan 10 by Editor

Okay, so most readers won’t stumble over these links until well after Sunday brunch, but they’ll still be great for a rainy Sunday afternoon (if you’re on the East Coast) or even a Monday off. So, let’s dive right in…

There are 18 print-on-demand Espresso Book Machines worldwide, and 5 of them are in the Seattle area. Seattle Times writer/artist Gabriel Campanario provides an look into the dynamics of print-on-demand.

Rachel Gardner discusses some WordServe analysis of how online publicity efforts effect sales, and pointed my way to The Most Interesting Bookstores In The World. Nice. She also discusses why authors still need agents.

And if Rachel can’t convince you that you still need an agent, the Wall Street Journal digs into the reasons that publisher slush piles of unsolicited manuscripts are becoming a thing of the past. However, Brianna Goodspeed responds that this may not be true for everyone.

On the subject of agent slush piles, literary agent Janet Reid explains how slush still works, and what exactly slush means.

You know how good things come in threes? Well, Jessica at BookEnds tackles three topics dear to an aspiring writer’s heart: querying, submitting manuscripts, and avoiding scams. Kristin Nelson also serves up one, two, three excellent pieces on query letters.

Finally, a completely different Jessica at Dystel & Goderich points the way to a piece in A Public Space on Cairo’s up-and-coming writers, and a New Yorker article on Arabic novels in translation. Šukran jazílan!

Category: Blogroll | Tags: arabic, BookEnds LLC, books, cairo, Dystel & Goderich, ebooks, Janet Reid, Kristin Nelson, publishing, seattle, seattle times, wall street journal, writing

A Baker's Dozen Publishing and Writing Links

Posted on 12 Jan 10 by Editor

Ever wonder why you’ve never received thirteen of anything for the price of a dozen at any bakery you’ve ever visited? Well, wonder no more, because there’s no point in worrying about it.

And, while you’re getting over your disappointment, enjoy the follow “Baker’s Dozen” links on publishing and writing!

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Category: Blogroll | Tags: Alan Rinzler, BookEnds, books, Booksquare, Dystel & Goderich, Janet Reid, Kassia Kroszer, Kirstin Nelson, nathan bransford, pimp my novel, publishing, rachelle gardner, writing

Publishing & Writing Links – Rising From The Old Year's Grave

Posted on 06 Jan 10 by Editor

I could literally fill one of my typical publishing links entries with “end of year stats” from various agents, and I encourage writers to go out into the agentosphere looking for them, because their variety provides some real insight into the diversity of the literary representation biz.

But no, I will not roll out a runner of stat links. Instead, I offer a list of recent writing and publishing links that seem curiously bound by the themes of fear, death, and the macabre, perhaps more appropriate for this dark time of year than it might seem.

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Category: Blogroll | Tags: BookEnds, business week, Dystel & Goderich, eoin purcell, jade smith, Janet Reid, mandy morgan, pimp my novel, publishing, rejections

Questions Answered this Week, by Lit Agents

Posted on 10 Dec 09 by Editor

Authors are overflowing with two things: stories and questions for literary agents. This week’s publishing links are dedicated to the latter. Our cupth runneth over!

Got a question? Read on… one of my favorite literary agents may have the answer.

Lit agent Jessica at BookEnds responds to a question about the submission process with both good advice for authors, and some pointed commentary on agents who insist on a “no simultaneous submissions” rule. Hint: they don’t come off well in her analysis.

Chasya at Dystel & Goderich also poses a question from a blog reader — “What are the biggest mistakes writers make when pitching their work at a conference?” —and publishes responses from several agents at the firm. Bonanza!

The Editorial Anonymous blog takes on the mysterious rejection “Not for me, thanks” and what it really means in all of its possible permutations. (Warning: may induce chuckling.) Thanks to Janet Reid for pointing me toward this one.

Agent Kristin Nelson answers two series of questions this week (count ’em: one! two!), tackling issues like revisions, the struggling economy, and angels vs. vampires. (My initial thought: both groups are immortal but only one is sparkly and vaguely pedophilic?)

If I were going to ask a literary agent a question, it would probably be about the use of pen names. Lo, and Behold! Nathan Bransford has answered that very question in a recent blog.

Author and Knight Agency lit agent Lucienne Diver tackles the publishing buzz question of the year: “Can any device save publishing?” She answers the question by questioning it.

HIGHLIGHT LINK DU JOUR DE LA SEMAINE: At the Book Deal blog, publisher Alan Rinzler answers some fascinating questions about writing in light of discoveries in neuroscience. You don’t have to write cyberpunk to appreciate these methods for hacking your readers’ brains.