Jun 15, 2022 | On Writing
It’s conference season again, that wonderful time of year when we agents listen to hundreds of pitches—some good, some bad, and some ugly. Here’s what not to say. (And yes, these are real lines from real-life pitches.) #1 My villain is so bad he kills the dog. It’s...
Sep 29, 2020 | On Writing
One of the most common questions you can expect to hear when you pitch your work to agents and editors is this: What are your comps? Comps are comparable titles. That is, profitable books similar to yours that can help support the idea that your project can find an...
Jun 12, 2019 | On Writing
1. Thou shalt not have strange genres before me. Aspiring authors often tell me, “I don’t want to be typecast.” And I tell them, “You should be so lucky.” Sure, when you’re first starting out, you might have to write in a number of genres before you find your sweet...