agent
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Ah, outlining. How you are so controversial! There are three kinds of authors: The Plotter, The Pantser and The Plantser. Fear not, I will explain these terms. The Plotter: these folks write a dedicated outline, to one degree or another. Some have a rough map of big plot points, like a one page synopsis that…
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The progress on the current novel or WIP (Work In Progress) aka ms (short for manuscript) continues. Sort of. I’ve handed in the most recent round of revisions, and now will find something else to do until I hear back from my agent. For me, I’m gonna hang out with the Minions, probably watch a…
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This is a follow-up to a previous post, found here As I mentioned before, I’m normally a ‘pantser.’ Someone who has a vague, hazy idea of how the book might go, and discovers the whole of it during the writing. A process I love, by the way. No shade on pantsers. I just had this…
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Maybe it’s my anxiety squirrels having a moment, but is there a good way to call up, say, the local police or fire department to ask questions about how to plot a crime? It can be really hard to find accurate information sometimes without sending up some concerning flags. Telling them, “I swear, I’m an…
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I originally posted this on Threads, but wanted to compile it all into one blog post so folks could find it easier. Let’s begin at the beginning, as they say. What’s An Author Referral? It’s when an agented author recommends you to their agent. It’s not a guarantee of an offer of representation or even…
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One of the hazards of being an author, other than potentially getting yourself on a list somewhere due to your internet search history (seriously, it’s for a BOOK), is the weird things people say when they discover you’re a writer. “I would write a book, but I don’t have the time.” This doesn’t sound like…
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The query trenches is an emotional rollercoaster. There’s the rare unicorn that sends out a dozen queries, receives ten requests for their full manuscript, then eight offers. Which is amazing and wonderful and mind-blowing, but absolutely not the norm. For most of us, it’s a long, slow, tedious slog. Emotionally, anyway. Actual time elapsed is…
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Okay. I know as authors we’re creative. We like to bend the rules upon occasion, be it blending genres, creating different rules of magic, that kind of thing. We’re allowed to make up whatever rules we want in our own sandbox, as long as they’re consistent and make sense. Like, you can’t have your vampire…
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Whew. I sent the revised version of my most recent novel into my agent this week. It was a journey. When I originally wrote the novel, I fell in love with the characters and the setting. The plot, however… well, it wasn’t plotting the way it should/needed to. I’m apparently incapable of sticking to a…
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Where do I find agents to query? There a few good, reliable sites, imo. QueryTracker (there is both free and paid membership) was an invaluable resource for me, plus PublishersMarketplace (free trial) and ManuscriptWishList (free). There are other sites, but those are the ones I personally have experience with. Which agents should I query? Depending on your age group and genre,…
Melissa Charles author 