Are you researching?

 The new video is live on the YouTube Channel! (but I have it here for you as well!)

Cruising Opportunity (repost!)

        

 

 

Hey everyone! I am looking to put together a relax, refresh and writing trip for authors. Working with All About The Memories Travel, we are looking to potentially take a short trip to either Alaska or the West Coast on Princess Cruise Lines in the summer of 2027. 

No details yet. Just looking to see if people would be interested in going. The group will be no more than 20 people. Nothing majorly formal. Just a chance to hang out with other authors.

Send Scott an email at the agency if this sounds like fun and you might be interested. 

Let's Talk Conflict

Here is another one of those things that so many of you get rejected on when you submit to me. You have no conflict, or your conflict between the characters is simply too weak. We are talking non-fat milk weak. This is something I have talked about a lot here on the blog as well as on all of my social media channels. What many of you think is conflict is nothing more than a complication. So, let's start with the second one.

A complication is something that is easily overcome. I am going to date myself here but think of those 80's sitcoms where someone overhears their roommate talking on the phone and they hear the person talking about "being pregnant." Oh my God! Now what! So the entire episode is spent thinking the person is pregnant when in reality they are talking about the pet dog. How could this have been solved? By simply asking the person. That my friends is a complication. 

Now, when it comes to romances, this is what I often see. The two characters are just not sure if they want to commit to a relationship. They like each other but... are they ready? How do they over come their "conflict" (as you like to call it)? They just have to say "let's do it!" Sorry, not a conflict. 

A conflict means that there needs to be something truly standing in their way. A conflict means that it is going to have to probably be big enough that someone might have to give something up. We often call this the dark moment. I mean, think about this term. We call it "DARK" for a reason. The reader will figure everything is over!

I always like to think of the final scene in Harry Potter Deathly Hollows Part II when Harry tells Voldemort we're jumping. The audience knows this is the end. Their all dying.

But then...

You have forgotten that dang Horocrux thing. This is a dark moment where you really thought all hope was lost!

Now, let's get back to those romances. 

My wife had me watch Office Romance with Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein a couple of nights ago. This, my friends has a true conflict in it. If you have not watched it, please go ant watch it. I am not going to spoil it for you but let me just say, they have to make a decision between romance and career. Even individually they have to decide between careers and their personal family decisions. (That's the best I can give you without spoiling it).  

So please, when you get comments back from editors and agents about conflict, or we need you to "up the stakes" think conflict. This might be where you are lacking!

There Are No Fixed Rules In Writing - But There Are Fixed Rules

Yes, I know this is one of those weird things in publishing, but let's face it, this is a strange business. One minute a genre is hot and then tomorrow, nobody likes the genre. The same goes with rules of writing.

I think that too often, writers seem to believe that each genre out there has a specific set of rules you have to follow. Maybe it is something that people just pass on through word of mouth. Maybe it is something that people who claim to be "specialists" teach in their workshops (along with this fabulous tonic that will cure all diseases), but more than likely, it is something that writers just "think" they are supposed to do because they "see it" when they "read it." 

But here is the reality. When it comes to telling a story, there really is not fixed rule. Write a great story. Keep the reader engaged. Create strong characters, a great setting, a great conflict and you are off and running. That's easy, right?

HOWEVER...

We can't go crazy here. This is not CALVIN BALL

If you remember the rules, "anything goes and you can change the rules at anytime." Nope! Not going to happen here. We have to have some stability. So, let's get back to our HOWEVER and consider a few rules...

CAN WE WRITE IN FIRST PERSON? You betcha... however, there are certainly some lines that are going to say we are not going to take that type of writing. They never have and they never will. If you have not read their lines, do not expect them to change. If you submit a first person story to them, expect a reject.

DUEL POV IS IN SO WE ALL WRITE IN THAT STYLE Ok, so we see people writing that way. They label each chapter with a character's name and use the whole chapter for that character. SO WHAT?!?! Does that mean you have to do it that way? Sorry to this, but the romance genre has been doing that for A LOOONNNNGGGG TIME but just have not been labeling chapters, or just did duel POV within a chapter (what a concept, huh?). Again, some publishers will say no to this.

NEW ADULT IS ALWAYS IN FIRST PERSON - Again, this is a myth. Writing in first person is based on the story. If the story is best written in first person, then write it in first person. If writing it in third person is better, then write it that way. Don't believe that myth. BTW... the same goes for Romantic Comedies.

EVERY SERIES ROMANCE HAS TO HAVE THE CHARACTERS INTERACTING IN THE FIRST CHAPTER - Here is the thing about a series romance. There is a word count restraint. Part of the reason you see the interaction happening so quickly is that the authors don't have 80-100 K. HOWEVER... It does not mean that your character has to interact with each other in the first chapter, HOWEVER, since you don't have much time, I would not be waiting past the end of chapter 2.

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE NEEDS A PROLOGUE WITH THE VILLAIN. Ummm, why? Sure, we want to start with action, but do we really have to see some weirdo with no context? Not necessarily? The question is always, "does the story need it?"

ROMANCE NEEDS HOT SEX Ok, this is one of those where the guys trying to break into the business screw it up. Remember, the romance genre is about following a relationship from essentially nothing to the HEA (Happily Ever After). That's it. If they decide to "do it" and the story needs it then feel free to put in the story. If the characters are fine with out it, then keep it out.

I hope you are seeing what I am talking about here.

Historical Romance Is Not Dead + A #MSWL

 Feel free to forward! 

What We Say We Represent, We Really Do Mean It

I have to post this today because I find it really funny. Now, when I say funny, I mean, it is something I laugh at because I can see how unprofessional, and yes I am going to say "stupid" here, people are in this business. People who think they somehow know better. 

I want you to learn from these people and to NOT do what they are doing. I especially want you to learn from this considering this is another one of those "AGENT" people that someone has gone out and hired to find an AGENT to represent their client. 

When an agent or an editor states clearly on their website (or for that matter anywhere in public) what they represent or acquire. That is it. This is a black and white issue. There are no tricks to this. There are not hidden secrets. We are not like the "secret menu" at Starbucks or any other restaurant. We put that information out there for a reason. To help you make the right decision. To help you decide if we are the right place to send your project to. Here is an analogy.

If you see this...

Are you going to yell at the store manager when they don't have...

I would doubt it. 

You wouldn't even go into the store. You would drive right by it and go find the store that is right for you. Why? Because you used that skill you learned in Pre-school and Kindergarten when you started with...

And yet...

Here we are today. With this nice little rant on a Thursday. When I say I only represent traditional romance and women's fiction. When I say I DO NOT represent movies. What do you think that means? 

So I got one...and I rejected it... Because it was a Mafia, Thriller, Screenplay with no romance at all. 

And the guy proceeded to reply back with how the state of the industry had gone down hill and how on Earth could someone turn down someone who had been represented by William Morrow (OK, so if he had been why isn't he now and why is he selling his soul to this guy?) and he had sold over 20+ books with WM and I can see his success on Google and Amazon (again, if he was that good, why isn't he still there?)... 

But I am getting sidetracked. How is it the industry that is failing. It is the simple fact that we have another case of someone not using their reading skills. What I say I represent, I really do mean it. 

End of story. 

Please share this.

Why I Don't Represent Specific Genres

I recently posted on TikTok about something (who knows what?) and people were asking two things: First if I represented a specific genre; and secondly, why I didn't represent a specific genre. So, with that in mind, I want to answer both of those questions today. 

Let's start with the first one and the easiest one. What do I represent? READ MY WEBSITE!!!! I know, weird huh? A) it says traditional romance and women's fiction; but B) it also lists the specific sub-genres that I represent and do not represent. 

OK, done with that one. Now to the bigger question.

Why don't I represent certain genres.

The answer is actually relatively easy and has two parts to it. The first is that I represent what I like to read. I have to enjoy a story to really want to read it over and over again to edit it and hype it up to editors. But the bigger reason is that these are genres "I get." Sure, I have studied a lot of different genres. I am, in fact a literature major. I have a BA in English Literature, a MA in Literacy and one in Creative Writing. I focus on literature. I study literature. But, like a literature majors, we had an area of focus.

Therefore, when people ask why I don't represent HIGH FANTASY, it isn't that I don't appreciate it, the simple fact is that I am not as well versed in it to truly be able to help an author out in the getting it to the right place and shepherding it through the writing process.

When it comes to real hard-core Christian Romance or Christian Fiction, this is just not a market I get. This is a truly different beast, much like the screenwriting and film market. They approach things differently. It is just not my cup of tea. 

I hope that makes sense. You as an author have to find the person who knows your genre and who can best guide your project in the right direction. Greyhaus Literary Agency is right for those people who want to write traditional romance and women's fiction. It might not be right for you.

Are You Following Up On Requests?

I went through my submission requests lately and was really concerned. I was actually on a roll requesting a lot of projects that sounded really good. In fact, I requested several full manuscripts, which I do not do very often. Look, when I do that, it means I REALLY like your story concept. Now, here is the twist. Many of these requests go back over three to four weeks ago.

What do I have? Crickets?

Now, here is what I find funny. I see a ton of authors who post on social media about how they hate when editors and agents "ghost" them instead of giving them an answer about submissions. Hmmmm, do you see what is happening here? I think what is even more funny from my end is how there are a lot of authors out there claiming that editors and agents don't want to read new submissions, AND YET... here we are requesting and authors just don't follow through.

So, let's examine a couple of reasons why this might be happening.

1. After I submitted I did my research and realized you were not right for me. So here is the problem with this. You should have done the research first. You should never just send manuscripts out to people you do not plan on signing with if they offer representation. 
2. My story was not ready. Then why on Earth did you send it out? Did you think they would just wait? When we request, it means we want it now and we are expecting that you have written the whole darn thing!
3. I was afraid I would get rejected. Again, this means you are not ready. Yes, there is a REALLY good chance you might get rejected. I hate to say it, but even if you get published, people may write bad reviews. If you don't have a thick skin in this business, you should not be writing. 
4. I wanted to send it to all of my critique partners first. See #2
5. I wanted to hear from the other people I sent it to first. If this is the case then clearly I am not your first priority. Honestly, I am not sure if I want to work with you either. I know that sounds harsh but let's say you send out 5 proposals, if any come back with a yes, you sign. No questions asked. 

The reality is this. The longer you wait, the more likely I am going to lose faith in you and forget what I even thought about your book or liked about your book. And that is a shame because at one time, I really liked what you wrote. 

Are You Thinking About Your Characters' Motivations?

What is really driving your characters to do what they are doing? Is it all external? Is it internal? Is it even rational? Honestly, I am rejecting a lot of authors simply because the characters are doing things that, in the real life, no human being would ever do. The authors did it simply to advance the plot. 

When we start talking about motivation, we always focus in on that infamous concept of GMC, or Goal, Motivation and Conflict. What is the goal of the character, or what is it that they want to achieve. What is it that is motivating them to get there? And more importantly, what is it that is standing in the way of getting there? That is the conflict!

Now that motivation also involves not just the plot level, but the things that happen at the scene level. I had a director in a play I was in who openly told us he would rather all of us just stand still on the stage than randomly move around. The problem we were all having is that we were moving with no purpose. Here is how he described it. You don't just go to the front door and go and see who is there UNLESS there was a knock on the door or something that signaled someone was on the other side. You don't go and answer your phone UNLESS the phone rang. Get it? 

But there is another twist to this. Characters WILL NOT do things that would seem totally stupid. For example. Let's use the door example. There is a bad guy (or woman) on the other side of the door screaming "I have a gun and I demand to be let in so I can kill your spouse!" You are terrified! Would your character go to the door and think, "Hey, maybe it is a bluff. I'll let the person in and scare them or maybe hit them on the head with a frying pan. Heck, Rapunzel did it, right?" No way! You would be calling the police and running the other way. 

Here is another twist. I see this all of the time with romantic suspense. Forgive me if this is repetitive but I use this all of the time as an example. A rape victim is running from their abuser. They take shelter with the detective. Oh, but now they suddenly find it attractive to have a sexual encounter. Sorry to say this but I think romance is the furthest from their mind. 

I was talking with one of my authors a week ago and she was at this pivotal moment in her book and was struggling. I asked her what was happening. Her comment was simple. "I know what needs to happen next but I can't figure out a reason for them to get into bed." In other words, the motivation was not there yet. She couldn't just insert a phrase, "He do you wanna?" That simply would not work.

The problem is, most authors do just that. They are thinking only about THEIR story and not THE CHARACTERS' STORIES. You have to focus on their motivations. Not your motivations. 

Are You Using Your Network?

Being successful in the world today comes down to who you know. Getting a job requires having someone on the inside helping to "grease the wheels" so to speak to get the future employers attention. Despite what all of those ads say for sites such as LinkedIn and Indeed, just tossing your application into the mess will not likely yield the results you were hoping for. The same is true in publishing. If you want to have success, you have to utilize your network. I have two questions for you now...

Do you have a network?

Are you using that network if you do?

Let's talk about that first question. If you are just writing your stories at home and maybe just going to a local writing group at your library, then you have no network. Sure, those friends in your critique group may help with line editing, but that is not going to get you anywhere. If all you do is get on the Internet to learn how to do something with your writing, then you are not going anywhere either. To be successful requires getting out of your shell and getting out there among people who know what is going on. 

So how do you do this? You have to join those larger organizations. I know I talked about this earlier when I said to invest in your career. This is one of those times. Those larger groups provide you access to industry professionals, others who have been successful, conferences with "real" people and so forth.

Along the same lines, being around these people get you chatting with others who write the same genres you write. You share ideas and concepts. You talk shop. And who knows, the person sitting next to you at that evening hotel dinner of chicken or salmon may be an agent or an editor who wants to know about your project! What a concept, huh?

Now, let's talk about that second question. Let's assume you are part of that organization. Are you using that network? For so many authors, they simply will not use their network. "I don't want to impose," they say. Or "I don't want to take advantage of them." I hate to break it to you, but you are not imposing.  If they don't want to help, or can't help, they will tell you. But until you ask, you will never know. Here is an example. When I attend conferences, I will almost always be out and about in the lobby of the hotel. I make myself available. I have even gone so far as to challenge people on social media with live feeds to come and talk to me. Most never do. I have even gone to the lunches and just sat down at an empty table early to see if anyone comes over. Most don't. Their comment, "We don't want to interrupt you." Even though I offered. 

Networks are there for a reason. To advance your career. If you are ignoring that network, I hope you enjoy your life where you are at. It might not change a whole lot!

Why Are You Hiring Someone To Do Your Work

I decided to post this today after getting multiple submissions from authors who are seriously wasting their money on someone who doesn't know what they are doing. This is not the first time I have gotten submissions like this. Let me explain.

Clearly an author has gone out to "hire" someone (much like an agent) to send out submissions on the behalf of the author to agents looking for representation. Sound confusing? It should. In any case, these submissions are just form letters by the "agent???" trying to hype up these authors books. But here is the problem. I have never once gotten one of these submissions for a project that is romance or women's fiction. These are projects that are clearly things I would never represent.

Of course the query letter states they are reaching out to me because of my expertise in these areas.

So, I went to one of their website and they are trying to advertise themselves as more of a hybrid publisher. Oh, they have raving testimonials from "authors." What I found interesting is that one of the testimonials was from this author who has found great success with the company and the book is supposedly published...

AND YET...

The email I received was claiming otherwise.

When I went to their LEGAL TERMS page, they never once tell us how much they charge but WOW, there was a lot in there about having to pay and even setting up payment and installment plans. 

Look, legitimate hybrid publishing is fine, if you want to pay for it. But, "riddle me this" why would you pay to have someone sending out your queries? More importantly, why would you have someone who clearly has no idea who they are sending the projects to.

Hey, if you want to waste your money, go for it. Personally, I would never advocate for this.

Talking a bit about using A.I. in your writing

 

Writing the PERFECT Query Letter

Let's talk today about that darn letter you all hate to write - The Query Letter! I know you all hate it because of the huge uptick I have seen (as well as other editors and agents) of the number of you turning to A.I. written letters. For those of you doing this, let me say that your taking that approach is probably the reason so many of  you are seeing an equal uptick of rejection letters, or more likely, no response from those editor and agents. So, with that in mind, let's talk about that perfect query letter.

FOLLOW THE RULES  I cannot stress this one enough. Do exactly what the editors and agents ask for. If they say to NOT include attachments, then don't. If they say send the first three chapters, do just that. You might feel you are helping them out by doing more, or you want to show them the "really good part of the story" but that approach will get an automatic rejection. If you can't follow the guidelines, you are demonstrating that the odds are, you will not follow the revision letters we send to you.

THE THREE PARTS There are three parts of that query letter and you need to include all of these parts. THE BASICS, THE BOOK, THE BIO

• The Basics include: title, genre, word count, the high concept and why you are contacting that editor or agent. You may include comps to other books, but make sure you explain why (see below under Show Don't Tell. Make sure you know exactly what your genre is. You will also note I am saying word count not pages you have written. 
• The Book is where you are going to tell us a brief summary of the entire novel. We need to know who the characters are, the conflict and the general plot (including the ending). Don't give us something such as "and along the way our character meets quirky characters and faces different obstacles and challenges) Come on. NO DUH!
• The Bio is where you tell us about you THE WRITER. If this is your first book, tell us what else you have planned or in the works. If you have been published in the past, tell us what you wrote, who published it, etc. If this book has won awards, tell us. If this book has been published before give us sales numbers (not reviews).

MAKE IT PERSONAL Make sure that you are talking directly to that individual editor or agent. Know what the like and showcase that. If you met them before, tell them when and where. Show us you have done the research. BTW, here is how we know you are using A.I. "I am pleased to share this story with you because of your extensive background in...[and then you tell us something we don't do].

SHOW DON'T TELL You have been told to do this in your writing so you need to do this here as well. When you talk about comparable book, then don't just give us names, explain why and how your book is similar. When you tell us why your book is a perfect fit for us, then explain why. 

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL Every letter you write will be different. Do not just write, Dear Agent and then mass send it out to everyone. This connects back to MAKE IT PERSONAL.

Look, the query letter is just the same as a cover letter for your resume. This is where you showcase why you are the best candidate and why your story is the things we have to have. 

#MSWL PART TWO

 Yesterday, I posted about Manuscript Wish Lists. I figured, this is the time for me to post my #MSWL and the #Not my MWSL

#MSWL - YES!

• Category/Series writers - Specifically Harlequin: I am looking to find authors in ALL of the Harlequin lines. This includes:
• New authors who want to write for Harlequin
• Established authors at Harlequin who want to continue there AND explore other areas
• Historical romances set in 1920-1945: These stories need to be romance focused but have the feel of the time. Make sure you know your time.
• Romantic Suspense: Specifically cybercrime and white collar crime
• New Adult romance: I am really looking for stories that the 18-22 generation can relate to. 
• Contemporary Single Title: Stories should be 75K-100K and focus on characters that we would likely have as neighbors or colleagues. No excessive drama and not hyper trope focused.
• Women's Fiction: I want stories of again, characters that we would likely have as neighbors or colleagues. No excessive drama and not hyper trope focused. I want you to think UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN (the book not the movie) if it was fiction. These are stories of learning and understanding the world.
• Multicultural romances where the culture plays an integral part (see below for a twist on this). Think Sandra Cisneros

#MSWL - NO!

• Quit the "Rom Con in the style of Emily Henry" The market is saturated
• No sports romances
• No time travel
• Not a fan of "road trip stories"
• No band romance and followers "In the style of Daisy Jones and the Six.."
• Multicultural stories of drama. I am getting deluged with stories from India
• No Regency, Georgian of Victorian (thank you Bridgerton and Downton Abbey for swamping the market)

And finally, if it is not traditional romance and women's fiction, or items specifically on my NOT list found on my website, then DO NOT SEND IT!

Cruising in the Summer of 2027

 

Hey everyone! I am looking to put together a relax, refresh and writing trip for authors. Working with All About The Memories Travel, we are looking to potentially take a short trip to either Alaska or the West Coast on Princess Cruise Lines in the summer of 2027. 

No details yet. Just looking to see if people would be interested in going. The group will be no more than 20 people. Nothing majorly formal. Just a chance to hang out with other authors.

Send Scott an email at the agency if this sounds like fun and you might be interested. 

What Does #MSWL REALLY mean?

I love these lists. Authors love it when editors and agents start posting on social media their #MSWL. For those of you not in the know, MSWL means Manuscript Wish List. It is a moment when we all decide of what type of projects we are looking for. It is an insight for authors into our heads (which can be pretty chaotic at times). Unfortunately, too many authors are missing the mark when we post. Let's break this down.

First of all, when WE post this, here is what WE mean. This can be broken down into two potential areas. The first would be that dream world we live in. Maybe we just finished reading a stack of submissions that was truly depressing. In the middle of all this reading, we are screaming, "Don't these authors get it?!?!" So we get on the Internet and start screaming about the things we really want (and not the stuff we just read!). For me, I do find that I post in these moments.

The second reason we might post is simply we are finding a hole in our lineup of authors, this is especially true with the editors. Maybe they are finding that they need a few more romantic suspense authors writing about a specific twist. The market seems to be trending that way so let's make an all call and see what is out there. 

Now, here is where the authors are messing up. First they seem to think this is the ONLY thing we are looking for. Nope, it is just a quick highlight of a few things, but it is not limited to this list.

Secondly, a lot of authors seem to think when we post this, it is time to start writing that story. Again, this is a BIG no. When we post, it means we are looking for this NOW not LATER. The market is shifting so fast these days that we simply cannot wait. For you authors, this means, if your story is not done and what we are looking for right now, this is not your opportunity.

Finally, when we say we are looking for a specific type of writing, we are not saying that we want you to somehow "manipulate" your synopsis to make it look like what we want. Your story is what it is. End of story. You cannot simply argue your story is something different. This is the easiest way to get to a rejection.

In the end, pay attention to when we post and if it is right for you, this is your time. If not, don't worry, we will likely post later.

Investing In Your Writing

Learning to be a great author is not only going to take time, it will take a HUGE (and I mean HUGE) investment on your part. There are a few people out there who are inherently amazing when it comes to writing and telling stories. For others, this is a craft you will have to learn. I want you to think of your writing as any other career you want to take on. To be successful, you have to "go to school." Think of it this way... you go to school for 12 years in primary and secondary school. After that, you go to college (or a tech school) to learn your craft. This may be anywhere between 2-7+ years). That is an investment.

I bring this up today because there are a lot of authors out there who seem to think this type of investment is just too much. "Why can't I just write my damn story?" Well the answer is pretty simple. Unless you are one of those inherently amazing authors out there, you will simply not succeed.

So, what is that investment going to look like? In simple terms, you are going to have to invest time, and yes money, to be that great writer. This is not going to happen overnight.

Let's start with those conferences. I know you look at those and think "I would so love to do that but the cost is going to kill me!" Yep! You are right. Look at the expenses:

• Conference fee
• Transportation to and from the conference
• Hotel
• Food
• And maybe time off of work

I know that list is expensive, but it will be worth it. Yes, those hotels are expensive but they have to be to accommodate those great speakers and events. The hotel food is ridiculous when it comes to cost. And don't get us caught up in the discussion of airfare and gas prices.

But how else are you going to get that experience learning from the best and networking with people who can potentially advance your career?

I know some of you are thinking that there are cheaper conferences so why not go to those? Well, the answer is simple. You get what you pay for.

Now that we have the money factor out of the way, let's talk about time. I know some of you are eager to get that first book published immediately. Heck, you are planning on retiring from the income of that first book, right? Probably not. these successful writers you see out there are investing a lot of time. Not only that, they invested a lot of time before that first book was even written. This was not an overnight success story for most. They did not take short cuts. They took their time.

Let me explain it this way. When I was at last year's RWA conference up in Canada, I was sitting with the librarian of the RWA in the lobby. As we looked around the room, we were noting who the successful writers were. They were the writers who did not rush the process. They are consistent and are continually working. The ones we knew would not likely make it were the ones who were sitting by themselves or talking about how they were going to skip out on sessions to visit the local sites. Hmmm? Do you see what I mean?

I am just going to sum it up with a single statement I make over and over again. 

THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS.

If you want to be good, invest in your writing, craft and career!

Why Digital First Publishing Might Not Be Your Route...

In the world of publishing, there are ton of ways we can get our book to the readers. One of those is a digital first publishing approach. There are a lot of publishers out there who offer this approach, and it is often VERY easy for a new author to finally get their book published. With that said, today, I want to discuss some reasons why you might not want to go this route.

First of all, I want you to do a little homework activity for me. Go to Amazon (or Barnes and Noble) and go to the digital books section (Kindle reads for example). Once there, find the genre you write and then do a search, sorting from Low to High in terms of prices. Now, study that list of books. What you will find are pages upon pages of books being offered for free, or pennies on the dollar. These authors are hoping that by setting the prices low, they will attract the audience they want, and then from there, will build up their readership.

This is actually an approach a lot of publishers will use to hype of some of their authors. Ahhh, but here is the catch. Did you see how many people are doing this? The list is endless. The point here is simple - you are a new author and you have to find a way to attract the attention of your first book amid all of these other people who are just self-publishing their digital books and flooding the market. This is not easy.

Now, let's go with the other angle and a reason to maybe think otherwise. These publishers can release A LOT of digital books each month. Remember, there is no printing costs here, just a digital file. But here is the problem. Each month, those prior month's books are taken down off of the companies advertising and the new round is up and running. 

So, how does this affect sales? Most digital authors will see a spike in sales during that first release. After that, sales tank horribly. And why is this? Out of sight, out of mind. Unless you have another book coming out the following month, and the month after that and so on, readers will forget you.

I want to circle back to the concept of "digital first." What this means is that IF your digital sales are AMAZING, the publisher may then decide to release your book in print format. This is, after all, what you were hoping for. But did you note how they decide? Sales numbers and not reviews. If you don't sell through the roof, they have every right to come back and say your sales did not warrant moving to a print format. 

Those people who have found success with this route often already have a follower base. They have an audience, or they may be published in a print format somewhere else. New authors simply do not have this.

I would also add that for many of these publishers, they DO NOT offer an advance. This means you have just spent months writing a story all for, maybe nothing. Ugh.

Just think about this before you leap. Is it an easy way to get published? Certainly. Will it help you with your career int he long run? That may be tough. 

Marketing Tips and Ideas

 Let's talk about marketing those novels today.

And as an added bonus, here is that link to the Travel Agency Website!

All About The Memories Travel, LLC

Can I Send My Manuscript If It Isn't Finished

You see the end on the horizon. You have been writing like crazy but now, you know exactly how your story is going to end. It is just a matter of having the time to write, but even then, it is all mapped out on your calendar. You can do this! And then, you see that the agent or editor you have been following is open to submissions and your story (when it is finished) is exactly what they want.

Do you send in the project?

This is a tough one, because, like everything in publishing, it all depends.

In my humble opinion, I would argue absolutely NOT! "But Scott, they want my story! This might be my only chance!" 

Here is the issue. If I send out a #MSWL to everyone it means I am actively looking for a project right now. I am not looking for something 6 months from now. I mean I want it now. There is a chance that I have an editor who is eager to find this story. Maybe I have a hot new lead. Maybe for an editor, they have a couple of slots to fill and are looking for that complete project now.

Now, if you can write like crazy and get that project to them within 2 weeks and it is ready to go to press, then I think you have a chance. Of course, this depends on if they want a full now or not. If they are just looking for a partial or a query, then you have a little bit of wiggle room, but not much. 

What often happens is that we get this great project showing up in our inbox and we get excited. This is exactly what we are looking for. BUT, if you are still writing and you still have to do edits or send it to your critique group, the project you pitched may end up not being what we asked for. On another level, if we are sitting around and waiting, that editor who wanted the project now will likely have moved on to someone new and you lost your chance.

The reality is that we want YOUR BEST WRITING! If it is going to take you time then use the time. I promise, we will be here. Sure, that #MSWL might have gone away, but there is a pretty dang good chance we will still want something similar in the future.