The Manuscript Academy
#MSWL
The Manuscript Academy brings you conversations with agents, editors, and writers who can help you on your publishing journey.
Why Does Publishing Take So Darn Long? With Special Guest Agent Stefanie Molina
Have you ever wondered why Publishing seems to take so much longer than any other industry?
We posed this question to agent Stefanie Molina, Ladderbird Literary--and discuss what it means for agents, editors, and - most of all - writers.
Want to talk about your work with Stefanie? Schedule a time here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/stefanie-molina
We discuss:
Current Trends in Publishing (00:03:57)
What Makes A work “Fresh”? (00:05:01)
The Importance of BIPOC Voices in Liter
How To Make Your Work More Addictive: Pacing, Structure & Symmetry with Agent Liv Ivanov
We are so happy to welcome Liv Ivanov, agent at Creative Media Agency, to the podcast!
In this episode, we talk about making your work more addictive (we can all dream of the "I read it in one sitting" agent response!) through:
*Effective pacing
*Structure
*Tension
*Symmetry
*The MICE Quotient
And more!
Liv shares her insights on avoiding excessive exposition, the balance between tension and pacing, and the importance of character development. She also highlights techniques like reverse outl
How To Make Your Work More Commercial with Agent Alyssa Jennette (Stonesong Literary)
How do you make your work more commercial--and why is commercial the trend right now?
Join agent Alyssa Jennette (Stonesong Literary) as we talk about:
1) Why is commercial trending right now?
2) What can ALL genres (including literary) do to appeal to readers in this moment?
3) Why you should focus revision efforts on stakes, character, payoff and more to make your commercial and literary works more
4) Why literary and upmarket writers don't need to panic.
This is part of a larger podcast
The Formula For Successful Books with Editor Ivan Taurisano
Is there a formula for success?
What do you do when "A new twist on something familiar" starts to feel overly simplistic?
Enter editor Ivan Taurisano, editor at Abrams, who works from the opposite direction of most editors: he can think of a concept that's marketable, then put together the team to make it happen.
We discuss:
***Collaborating with Licensing Partners: Ivan works closely with major brands like Disney, Netflix, and others to create books that resonate with current market trends.
Live Recorded: How To Present Yourself As A Good Investment To Agents, Editors, Booksellers & Beyond
In this 1-hour session, you will learn the essential steps to position yourself and your book as valuable investments to agents, editors, bookstores, and beyond.
(Want more? Join our workshop October 22-24, How To Be Your Own Best Marketer: https://manuscriptacademy.com/product/be-your-own-best-marketer | $39 early bird, $49 regular, $0 members).
Whether you’re preparing for a book launch or just starting your journey, this training will provide you with insights to stand out to publishers, re
The Art of Feedback: What To Take, What To Ignore & How To Know The Difference
We love Bonnie Jo Pierson. Not only is she a Manuscript Academy alum and a published author, she’s a member of a 20-person writing group—and an expert on knowing what feedback to take, what to ignore, and how to tell the difference.
After 17 years of writing, her novel is ready—and we talk about keeping work fresh, learning and growing as a person, and remaining emotionally open to your work and your life.
Bonnie Jo is the author of What Happens in Idaho, July 24, 2024.
Gifted with a short
How To Be Your Own Best Marketer Whether Querying, Agented or Ready To Launch
Promoting your book isn’t about making noise—it’s about making a difference for readers who need your story.
In this Manuscript Academy episode, we break down exactly how to shift your mindset from fear to confidence and why it’s so important for your career:
- Self-Doubt and Fear of Visibility: Let’s be real—none of us love self-promotion. But we’ll show you how to do it in a way that feels authentic and actually helps your book gain the attention it deserves.
- Know Your Brand: Do you know
Live Recorded: Mystery Editor Consultation with Macmillan Editor Christina Lopez
Today is a special live recording of the Manuscript Academy podcast!
In front of Manuscript Academy members, Jessica and Julie are joined by faculty member and Macmillan editor Christina Lopez in another installment of our Mystery Agent/Editor segment.
Listen in as Christina critiques writer Karissa Riffel’s YA horror query and first page, and answers all your questions.
Want to apply for next Mystery Agent/Editor Consutlation? Sign up here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/submissions
Learn
Your Book Is Not For Everyone (Thank Goodness!): Author Positioning with Norton Editor Emma Peters
Have you ever been tempted to say "My book is for everyone"?
We get it! It sounds like the perfect way to convince an agent your book is a slam dunk bestseller--right?
Wrong. Realistically, no book is for everyone--and this is a great thing.
We're happy to join Emma Peters, editor at W.W. Norton, to discuss:
*Why you need to define your audience--and pitch an agent on this reader
*How specificity in your book description is your friend
*What is a “build a book” and why do agents work on
Metaphor, Math, Editing, & How You Can Get Your Message to Your Reader Effectively
We are so excited to welcome math teacher Ben Orlin to the podcast!
Ben Orlin is a math teacher who can't draw. His book Math with Bad Drawings (2018) has sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide, and has since been followed by Change is the Only Constant (2019), Math Games with Bad Drawings (2022), and most recently, Math for English Majors (Sept 2024). His work has appeared in The Atlantic, Popular Science, Slate, Vox, and The Los Angeles Times; he himself has appeared in the lines to ice crea
Messy Characters, Building Tension & How Agents Should Advocate For Your Work with Agent Nour Sallam
We are so happy to welcome Nour Sallam, agent at P.S. Literary, to the podcast!
We discuss:
*How agents should advocate for clients from signing to offers to contracts to publication and beyond
*Why messy characters and their interiority are often the one thing missing from your work
*Why we should experience empathy for your villain
*Opportunities to build tension, pulling the reader (or agent!) into your story
Meet with Nour here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/nour-sa
Genres, Tropes, Trends, and Finding Your Agent Fit with Agent Erica Bauman
We are so pleased to welcome agent Erica Bauman from Aevitas Creative Management to the podcast!
We discuss:
*How to make your work more atmospheric
*Where to place emphasis when writing between genres
*Balancing keeping the reader in their heads vs. their senses
*When the genre of our world gets closer to dystopia, how does the dystopian genre change?
*Why do agents ask for exactly your metatags—and then say no?
Meet with Erica here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/eric
Querying, Middle School, And How Mistakes + Embarrassment Often Lead To Book Deals
Debut author Kristy Jackson joins Julie and Jessica to talk about her new middle grade book, MORTIFIED, now out in bookstores everywhere! From embarrassing middle school moments to querying hiccups, Kristy talks about her 20+ year-long writing journey, how she found the right agent for her, and how perseverance made all the different to achieving her publishing dreams.
Learn more about Kristy here: https://www.kristyjackson.ca/
Preparing For Your International Bestseller: Liv Constantine on Crafting Unputdownable Characters
In the first installment of the Manuscript Academy Book Club, we have Liv Constantine, the pen name for internationally bestselling sister duo Lynne and Valerie Constantine!
Joined by Jessica, Julie, and the Manuscript Academy community, Valerie and Lynne answer your questions about how to collaborate and edit as a team, how to get the best results when querying, and how to keep your work fresh when writing multiple books in the same genre.
**Please note that there are spoilers for The Last M
Finding Your Voice: On the Page, In Your Life with Agent Katharine Sands + Jessica Doyle-Mekkes
You’ve heard of the all-important voice—but how do you make it more vivid, both on the page—and in your life?
Enter Jessica Doyle-Mekkes, an author, voice coach, and eloquent speaker on how your voice in your life and your voice on the page are linked, vitally important—and within your control to improve.
Listen along for what helps your voice come out as you intend—whether singing, public speaking, or reading your character aloud to an audience on your book tour.
We also discuss:
***Do a
Hollywood Versus New York: Publishing, Film, Options, Etiquette + What Makes A Hook?
We are thrilled to introduce our very own Julie Kingsley's debut novel! It's called The Space Between You and Me and came out this week!
"That summer, I finally grew into myself. The problem? I grew too fast. And fruit that grows too fast often bursts in the sunshine."
With her agent Lane Heymont (Tobias Literary Agency), we discuss:
*What happens if you have film interest before book interest
*How Hollywood runs on FOMO (fear of missing out)
*How Julie got a sensitivity read with her film i
Emotional Range, Sensory Details, And Pitching Works On Difficult Topics
Content Warning: This podcast discusses suicide, grief, and loss.
Pam O'Hara's beautiful writing captivated our expert audience during a recent Manuscript Academy panel, so much so that it was picked for our 2024 MSWL Agent Choice Awards.
Pam joins Jessica and Julie to speak about her stunning memoir about love, loss, and losing a loved one by suicide. We discuss everything from platform, to crafting your voice, to how to position a serious and sad topic for your audience, and more. Agents a
Live Recorded: Query Class with Agent Dr. Emmy Nordstrom Higdon
Watch the free video version, slides and all (and get a coupon for our workshop!) at https://manuscriptacademy.com/emmy
Join our Three-Day Keep An Agent Reading Workshop, May 28-30, here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/product/keep-an-agent-reading-workshop
TIMESTAMPS:
Essential Elements of a Query Letter (00:03:07) Dr. Emmy Nordstrom Higdon covers the essential elements of a query letter, including the metadata paragraph, summary, and bio.
Query Letter Writing Tips (00:06:06) Insights into
Mini Lesson: What Author Elizabeth Holden Did Right In Her Query & First Page
We are honored that author Elizabeth (Liz) Holden, author of the forthcoming YA novel Mighty Millie Novak, allowed us to go through her work as a teaching tool for you--what each element accomplishes, WHY it works, and how you can do the same in your own query and first page.
If you'd like to follow along visually, head to our YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/@manuscriptacademy, or the podcast episode page, https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-elizabeth-holden, for the captioned video,
The Roller Derby of Querying: How Author Elizabeth Holden Found Her Agent
View our in-depth video of what Liz did right in her query letter and first page here: https://www.youtube.com/@manuscriptacademy
Meet Elizabeth Holden, Physics professor, travel entrepreneur, and author of Mighty Millie Novak, a YA novel coming out from Flux Publishing in August. https://www.elizabeth-holden.com/
Liz is also the travel coordinator for our 2025 Manuscript Academy Retreat, which we're calling Enchanted Summer. Early Bird ends May 24. https://www.leapinghound.com/enchanted2025.h
Finding Your Perfect Agent Fit with Agent Ismita Hussain and Author Jessica Guerrieri
Please note: This episode contains mentions of alcoholism, recovery, and sobriety.
We are so happy to welcome author Jessica Guerrieri and agent Ismita Hussain (Great Dog Literary) to the podcast.
They're a great example of what to look for in an author-agent relationship--they're creative, collaborative, supportive, and successful (Jessica's debut book club fiction, Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea, comes out 2025 with HarperCollins).
We also discuss re-querying, facing rejection,
Tuesday, May 7, 8:30pm ET: Free Query Workshop With Agent Emmy Nordstrom Higdon
We are so grateful to Emmy Nordstrom Higdon, agent at Westwood Creative Associates, who has offered to teach a free workshop for you all about the elements of querying—interest, emphasis, tension—that keep a busy agent reading in 2024.
Get your free ticket (or replay ticket!) here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/emmy
The event is Tuesday, May 7, 8:30pm ET—and comes with a replay, in case you can’t make it live.
This workshop is appropriate for all experience levels—whether it’s your first qu
Writing Fantasy That Mirrors Our World With (Manuscript) Academy Award Winner Ali McLafferty
We are thrilled to introduce Ali McLafferty, author, teacher, and most recent winner of the as-yet-untitled (Manuscript) Academy Awards.
Ali was nominated by agent Melissa Edwards (Stonesong Literary) for this gorgeous fantasy novel that brings up a lot of issues in our world as well.
We discuss how she polished her query, how many drafts she did of her first page--and what she learned along the way.
Learn more about Ali at https://www.alimclafferty.com/.
Full transcript at https://manuscr
Details, Focus and Visual Storytelling To Bring Any Genre To Life with Editor Melissa Warten Vogan
We love this creativity-packed episode with Melissa Vogan (née Melissa Warten), former editor at Macmillan, current editor at Epic For Kids.
We discuss:
*“Just enough” art notes - and how they’re useful for every genre
*How you can guide the focus of your reader through sensory language
*How to get to the heart of your story
*How to disagree with an editor or agent's feedback
*How to create your first visual work after writing only text-based projects
And much more!
Transcript and times
Good, Better, Best, Agented! Julia Alexandra and Agent Ellen Goff on Plot, Character & World
You may remember Julia Alexandra from our episode in the fall when we went over three query versions with her (good, better, best): Well, she now has an agent! Ellen Goff (HG Literary) joins us with Julia to discuss balancing plot, character, and world--if your fantasy novel will hold up without your fantasy elements, which we're now calling "The Goff Test"--and how you can optimize your queries for your most likely success.
Julia now not only has an agent but a book deal as well!
Listen to
Learning Advanced Point of View, Romantic Tension & Betrayal From A New Body-Swapping Novel
If you've ever had trouble with point of view in your work, wait until you hear the advanced logistical world author Nia Davenport had to navigate for her new novel, Out of Body, which she pitches as Freaky Friday meets Get Out.
Not only does she have best friends, crushes, confused parents, and a villain on the loose--but she weaves it all into a story of identity, personal growth, and becoming an adult in a world where adults can't be trusted.
This is a great work to study if you're struggl
Success Stories: Aime Alley Card, Agent Leticia Gomez And One Olympic Team That Changed Everything
Tennessee, 1960. One extraordinary team of women--and the first all-Black women’s track team--found glory at the Olympic games in Rome. Here in America, their success was "an impossible dream come true."
Now, author Aime Alley Card tells us her personal connection to the team, how she did her astonishing amount of research, and how she found agent Leticia Gomez to represent the work, now available from Lyons Press: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-tigerbelles-the-american-team-that-changed-the-
What Editors Look For: Fresh Takes On Familiar Stories with Harper Editor Sara Schonfeld
Join our interactive Says/Does Activity + view transcript here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/sara-schonfeld
We discuss editing with love and patience, acquiring in the age of book bans (let's just say Florida doesn't get to choose what the rest of the country reads), how to make your book feel "fresh"--and why so many editors ask for "a new twist on something familiar."
Book a meeting with Sara here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/sara-schonfeld
Timestamps:
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Research, Marketing & Successful Small Press Publishing with Author JB Harris
Sometimes publishing your novel takes an unexpected route. In today's episode, Jessica and Julie speak with author JB Harris to discuss how she pivoted when agents told her the manuscript she'd been working on for 11 years would be hard to break out during COVID.
We cover querying, finding the right small traditional publisher, and how to market yourself as a published author without an agent.
Transcript here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-jb-harris
Learn more about JB here: https://w
How To Build Romantic Tension In Any Genre with Author Lynn Painter
We’ve never seen a romantic comedy like this one! Happily Never After breaks ALL* the rom com rules, while still maintaining tension, interest, narrative arcs, and everything you need in a satisfying read.
Learn the rules our favorite way—by watching Lynn breaks them, succeed, and tell you how she did it.
Whatever your genre, a romantic element adds emotional range, a break from anything difficult in your narrative, and something we can understand—even if the rest of your story could never h
Red And Green Flags When Querying Agents with Agent Emmy Nordstrom Higdon
We are thrilled to welcome Emmy Nordstrom Higdon, agent at Westwood Creative Associates, to talk with us about the red and green flags when querying agents--how you can show (mostly) green flags, recognize agent red flags, and give yourself the best odds of a positive, productive working relationship.
Learn more about Emmy and book a consultation here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/emmy-nordstrom-higdon
Transcript at:
https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-emmy-nordstrom-higdo
Writing Dialogue That Brings Complicated Characters To Life with Author Karen Outen
Even our podcast editor describes author Karen Outen as "a breath of fresh air." After twenty years of work, her book, Dixon Descending, features two brothers with a seemingly impossible goal: To be the first Black American men to summit Everest.
We discuss how Karen learned to write realistic dialogue that jumps off the page, her publishing journey of more than 20 years, and how to pitch complicated ideas--and know when they're ready to send to agents.
Karen Outen’s fiction has appeared in
Personal, Political, Published: Finding Agents For Important, Sensitive Topics with Annie Cardi
CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of abortion, grooming, assault.
Annie Cardi's new book, Red, is a very modern take on The Scarlet Letter. Today, Annie joins Jessica and Julie to discuss the importance of tough topics in YA novels, how to create "quiet" books that pack a punch, and writing advice for new authors.
Transcript here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-annie-cardi
We discuss:
Teaching teens relationship red flags
Fiction as a safe space for difficult conversations
The power of sup
Building Character, Enhancing POV, and Principles of (E)motion with Author Sara Read
A smart, poignant novel perfect for fans of Lessons in Chemistry
“An incredible STEMinist read.”—The Honey Pop
Transcript, timestamps and video clips here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-sara-read
Join Julie and Jessica as they talk to the fabulous Sara Read, the author of the recent book Principles of (E)motion.
Trust us when we say it'll make you swoon--and get excited for math like you've never thought possible.
We discuss Sara's fascinating leapfrog writing approach, finding an
Rejection Interpretation, Pivots & Annual Submission Strategy Workshop (January 23-25)
Join our workshop here! https://manuscriptacademy.com/product/three-day-submission-strategy-workshop
Are you a writer thinking about querying? Or have you already queried, and you're worried that a rejection you received means you should pivot, edit for months, or--worst of all--give up?
This is for you. Listen in on how we'll interpret rejections, help you do your research, workshop with you, support you, and invite an agent panel to go over your work.
Whether you're ready to query now or
"Good Enough" Versus Fit: Executive Editor Erica Finkel On Improving Your Odds Of Yes
We're thrilled to welcome Abrams editor Erica Finkel to the podcast to discuss editorial board meetings, the top reasons writers get rejected--and how "fit" means far more than you'd think.
Book a meeting with Erica here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/erica-finkel
Erica Finkel (she/her) is an Executive Editor for Amulet Books and Abrams Books for Young Readers. Before starting at Abrams in 2010, she was, among other things, an English teacher in France, a theater-camp counselo
Seventh Annual Holiday Party with Kaitlyn Sanchez, Linda Camacho, Kiana Nguyen & Stephanie Winter
We are thrilled to welcome you to the replay of our SEVENTH (woo hoo!) Annual Holiday Party.
In this event, writers nominated writers for feedback from our agent panel. Each agent chose a nominator-nominee pair to come up, read their work, and receive support and feedback in front of our audience.
Our agents are:
Kaitlyn Sanchez, Bradford Literary
Linda Camacho, Gallt & Zacker Literary
Kiana Nguyen, Donald Maass Literary
Stephanie Winter, P.S. Literary
Transcript here: https://manuscriptaca
December Announcements: Classes, Mystery Agent + Our FREE Holiday Party
We can’t wait—what an exciting month!
December 5, 8:30pm ET:
Our You Belong Here class with Nancy Tandon and Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo: https://manuscriptacademy.com/you-belong-here
December 6, 1pm ET:
For Members, we have our Mystery Agent consultation with Jenissa Graham. Apply to be on the next one here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/mystery-agent
December 6, 3pm ET:
Meetings go live for Members
December 8, 3pm ET:
Meetings go live for non-members
December 12, 8:30pm ET:
Member worksh
Live Q&A + Collaborative Query Consultations With Editor Jonathan Baker
Query writing is a craft in and of itself and so often, even the experts disagree on the best approach (hint: that just means there are number of ways to write an amazing query!). Today we're joined by the very talented, multi-hyphenate writer, coach, and former copy editor, reader, bookseller, and more, Jonathan Baker, who answers your rapid-fire querying questions.
Learn more athttps://manuscriptacademy.com/collaborative-query-consultation
How To Talk To Your Family About Writing: A Holiday Pep Talk (Replay)
This pep talk was inspired by that extremely uncomfortable phenomenon of going home for the holidays, only to be grilled by your relatives. It was made with the generous contributions of writers just like you. We hope this will give you some cheer when your family asks, "Soooo--are you still writing?" "Are you a New York Times bestseller yet?" "How much money do you make?"
Explaining the writing life to your family can be hard, especially during the holidays. So when they start asking you why y
MSWL Live Agent Panel with T.S Ferguson, Kelly Van Sant, Jenissa Graham + Claire Harris
In October, we wrapped up the month with a deliciously spooky Halloween #MSWL panel. Join us for a live panel recording with agents T.S Ferguson, Kelly Van Sant, Jenissa Graham, and Claire Harris as they take us through their creepy wishlists and fun bookish activities.
But even if you’re writing serious nonfiction, or in a completely other genre, this is a great view into what agents love within genres—and how agenting, in general, works.
With Q&A, trivia, live #MSWL and a class on dialogue,
You Belong Here: Middle Grade Voice, Success Via Community, & The Rule of 100 with Nancy Tandon
Join us December 5 for Nancy’s class, You Belong Here (meant to alleviate the “walking with your cafeteria tray toward the popular kids’ table” feeling of pitching agents): https://manuscriptacademy.com/you-belong-here
After an exceptionally rocky entry to publishing—including a *five year* delay—Nancy Tandon is a well-regarded Middle Grade writer who manages to make her voice (and mystery!) age appropriate, her worlds intriguing—and the plot lines *just* advanced enough that readers of all age
The Rejections That Hurt Most: Author-Agent Empathy, Revision & Rejection As Protection
We are so happy to welcome Monica Rodriguez, agent at Context Literary, to the podcast!
Not only is Monica Jessica’s Agency colleague in charge of Brand Management (and helping writers promote their work), she’s also an agent with expertise in branding, marketing, and helping creatives refine their ideas. Plus, she’s an agented writer on submission, so she has empathy for both sides of the desk.
We talk about which rejections to ignore, when to incorporate edits, the author-agent empathy gap,
Starting Soon! Unputdownable: Write A Book Agents Can't Stop Thinking About
Starting today (we promise you're not too late!), join us for a Three-Day Workshop: Unputdownable: Write A Book Agents Can't Stop Thinking About. It's three classes, daily forums, a thriving workshop community, live Q&A and a first pages feedback panel.
This workshop includes:
*Class: Banner Days - have the reader looking forward and backward, imagining how characters and situations will interact–giving surprise, delight and grounding
*Class: Truth as Structure - strategically decide, from
Finding Your Agent, Political Fiction, Hopeful Dystopias & The Chaperone with M Hendrix
Join us in a lively conversation with debut author M Hendrix, whose book The Chaperone came out this year with Sourcebooks! From finding an agent and pitching your book during the pandemic, finding hope in dystopian novels, and making YA fun for teens to read, we cover this and more!
M Hendrix (she/her) is the author of The Chaperone, published by Sourcebooks Fire on June 6, 2023.
M earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism at Indiana University before studying literature and creative writing
Second Books, Second Agents, & Second Chance Hotel: Live Q&A with Author Sierra Godfrey
We are thrilled to welcome Sierra Godfrey, author of The Second Chance Hotel and A Very Typical Family, to the Member Lounge.
Sierra, along with Mike Chen, built the first ManuscriptWishList.com, and her work as an author is charming, funny, romantic—and set on the gorgeous fictional Greek island of Asteri. There, her main character accidentally marries a handsome traveler—and, together, they accidentally inherit a hotel. What follows is a fun, escapist, sophisticated story of finding yourself
Nonfiction With Voice, Subrights & Anti-AI Clauses with Agent Dani Segelbaum
We are so happy to welcome Dani Segelbaum, Vice President, Literary Agent, and Subsidiary Rights Director at Carol Mann Agency.
We discuss how the best nonfiction is an experience, how it relates to platform and the real world, how sub rights tie in—and why it’s so much easier to get Anti-AI clauses in contracts for books abroad.
Dani Segelbaum joined the Carol Mann Agency in 2021 as a literary agent and subrights manager. She is interested in both fiction and non-fiction. Dani is seeking non
Three Query Drafts: Good, Better, AMAZING with Author Julia Alexandra
Join us for a deep dive into query revisions with YA fantasy writer, Julia! Julia and Jessica have spent the last few months in revisions, taking a good query and transforming it into an amazing one. Today we share all the insights learned from this process, how to be resilient, receive feedback, and make your pitch pop.
Julia's bio: I am a graduate student in mental health counseling with a tendency to scribble plot points in the margins of my school notes. I am a member of SCBWI, Manuscript A
Perseverance & Positivity With Agent Kaitlyn Sanchez, Bradford Literary
We love Kaitlyn! She’s so happy, perceptive, kind, and talented—AND a literary agent who’s created community for her writers, a strong sales track record, and a team of authors—all while being a full-time math teacher, educating young minds.
Book a meeting with her here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/kaitlyn-sanchez
Kaitlyn Sanchez (she/her) joined Bradford Literary in 2022 with two years of agenting experience under her belt. Kaitlyn is the proud co-creator and co-host of the
Plotting for Pantsers, Synopsis Success, & Answering YOUR Questions with Agent Taj McCoy
Do you have a book that's "No plot, just vibes"? We're here to support you!
Join agent Taj McCoy to discuss how to feel good from Draft One to Done.
We talk about how subconscious themes, sensory details, and putting new twists on familiar tropes can bring your work to life.
We love how Taj talks about starting with the layers you know best first so that you have the motivation to continue--and start from a strong, confident place.
Plus: When do agents read your synopsis? (Hint: We disag
Pitching Fiction On Proposal, Changing Endings & Bestselling Books After 10 Years On Submission
Content warning: brief mentions of fictional sexual assault off the page throughout the episode.
We are so happy to talk with bestselling author Cameron Kelly Rosenblum, author of The Stepping Off Place and, now, The Sharp Edge of Silence.
After ten years on submission, Cameron can now sell fiction without even writing the whole book—making deals off of proposal.
We hope this happens for all of you!
Cameron Kelly Rosenblum is the author of The Stepping Off Place, named a Kirkus Best Book
Hopeful Rejections, 20 Years on Submission & Accountability To Your Dreams
Join us as we take a trip down memory lane with Corey Finkle, the author of picture books, Your Future is Bright and Pop's Perfect Present. From finding your writing community, the power of small but meaningful interactions at conferences and conventions, and seeing the value of every draft, we explore how Corey went from persevering writer to successful published author.
Corey Finkle says:
I wrote my first book as a senior project, spent ten years tinkering with and pitching it, and finally p
Writers On Strike: Lessons From WGA For Book Authors with Derek Santos Olson
The more we hear about the Writer’s Guild of America West, the more we wonder why book authors don’t have something similar.
Did you know that members of The Writer’s Guild of America receive health insurance (good health insurance!), among many other benefits—all for 1.5% of the member’s yearly profits?
Plus, there’s education on the (complicated!) issues, the proposed Anti-AI clause, and an infrastructure to keep writers healthy and happy and writing their best work.
We also talk about t
Bestselling Author Ashley Audrain on Fear, Expectation & Writing Hard Things
Today we have the delightful Ashley Audrain, author of The Push, as we discuss her new book, The Whispers.
From the many faces of motherhood, getting inspiration from your neighborhood, pantsing, editing, and creating suspense, we get into what it took to send this book out into the world!
ASHLEY AUDRAIN’S debut novel, The Push, was a New York Times, Sunday Times (London), and number-one international bestseller, and a Good Morning America Book Club pick. It has sold in more than forty territ
Literary Agents of Change: Daniele Hunter and The AALA's New Initiative
Join us as we speak with Daniele Hunter, Junior Agent at McIntosh & Otis, AALA member, and AALA DEI committee and Literary Agents of Change member!
Becoming a literary agent is not for the faint of heart. As a passion-led industry that puts up many financial barriers to entry (unpaid internships, sky-high NYC rents, and earnings for many young workers well below a livable wage), publishing has historically been an industry that hires the most privileged. Today we talk about the fundamental need
Ordinary Time, Extraordinary Time: How Expectations, Power Dynamics & Assumptions Propel Your Reader
Join our Three-Day Workshop, Making & Breaking Status Quo with Anne Elliott, June 13-15, 2023. Tickets are $49 and include daily classes, daily workshops, a live Q&A, and first pages panel--all with replays, on-demand access, and 30 days to view.
This podcast episode is a workshop preview for the three days together.
Get your ticket here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/product/making-and-breaking-status-quo
What you do with the "ordinary" in your story--and how you break it--creates the extr
Penguin Random House Senior Executive Editor Sara Sargent on How Editors Choose Books
We are thrilled to welcome Sara Sargent, Senior Executive Editor at Random House Books for Young Readers, to the podcast. In our cozy member lounge format (rather like a neighborhood potluck, we think, that happens to feature publishing experts), we asked her questions about how editors choose books, how writers get book deals without agents, and the inner workings of a publishing house—and what this means for you when you pitch your book.
Want to try out our new “leave a voicemail” feature (i
Making & Breaking Status Quo with Anne Elliott
Anne Elliott is back for her second three-day event! Join us June 13-15 for daily classes, workshops, exercises, Q&A, a live feedback panel, and a supportive writer community as we learn about making and breaking the status quo in your work.
Get your ticket here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/anne-workshop ($0 members | $49 nonmembers).
What makes this day different from all other days? This course will explore that question from several angles. A break in status quo is often the occasion for
Industry News, Client Insight & How To Be More Human In the Age of AI with Agent Alyssa Jennette
Friends! We have the wonderful Alyssa Jennette of Stonesong Literary Agency joining us today as we tackle the current highlights and worrying dark sides of publishing.
Today we chat about the varied approaches to agenting, story creation and AI, how much we need writers, the beautiful moments in publishing and more!
Alyssa Jennette joined Stonesong Literary in June 2015 after interning at Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency. She graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art with a BFA
Learning From Rejection: A Success Story with Agent-Author Pair Jessie Latimer and Kristen Terrette
We are so excited to welcome the delightful author-agent pair Jessie Latimer and Kristen Terrette, Martin Literary Management. We talk about genre-blending, the power of referrals, editing, and learning from your rejections, as well as Jessie's exciting new submission (her YA protagonist dives into her favorite book to help rewrite the villain's ending!).
You can learn more about Kristen here: https://www.martinlit.com and on her website: https://kristenterrette.com.
And you can find Jessie on
#MSWL Live Agent Panel: Caitlin McDonald, Samantha Wekstein, Thao Le & Taj McCoy
The votes are in! Science Fiction, Fantasy, Speculative & Supernatural won—and we’ve built this panel to that theme. But even if you’re writing serious nonfiction, or in a completely other genre, this is a great view into what agents love within genres—and how agenting, in general, works.
With Q&A, trivia, live #MSWL and a class on dialogue, this is a fun event we’re thrilled to share.
Want YOUR genre to be the theme for our next panel? Vote here!https://manuscriptacademy.com/mswl-live
Pref
“This Is What I Love About Agenting”—How Adriann Ranta-Zurhellen Found Joslin Brorsen
We are so happy to welcome happy author-agent pair Adriann Ranta Zurhellen, Folio Literary Management, and author Joslin Brorsen, who created a magical written world specifically for her son.
We love hearing how they found each other—how Joslin’s work fits right into Adriann’s #MSWL—and their tips for how to find a happy creative partnership.
You can learn more about Adriann, and book a meeting with her (starting May 4, 2023) here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/adriann-ranta-
Bestselling Author Lauren DeStefano on Why You Shouldn’t Aim For A 100 Percent Publication Rate
Starting Tuesday, April 11 (but on your schedule + available for 30 days!): Three Day Workshop: Think Like An Editor, with daily classes, daily interactive workshops (optional homework + exercises), live Q&A and live, interactive feedback panel. Learn more + get your ticket here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/product/think-like-an-editor
Get a free class replay, Your Path to Publication, with Shirin here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/your-path-to-publication
We are so excited to get to talk w
How To Be A Good Literary Citizen In A Time of Books Bans with Tonya Todd
Starting Tuesday, April 11, join our Three-Day Workshop: Think Like An Editor to learn, through classes, workshopping, Q&A and a live panel to be your own best editor–and focus on changing the elements of your work that can get you published, rejected, or an R&R. Learn more here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/product/think-like-an-editor
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The world is a lot right now--politically and otherwise. Here at the Manuscript Academy, we started thinking about what it means to be a good literary citiz
Random Writer Pep Talks: Pivoting, Publishing, Success & Timing
We absolutely loved making this episode! We started randomly calling (opted in) writers for pep talks—and the result is an inspiring, uplifting, life-affirming episode that shows the brilliance of our writing community while also soothing some common stressors.
We discuss:
* When do I need to pivot?
* Am I too old to write a debut?
* What makes a writer go from unpublished to successful?
And much more. Many thanks to our authors for being part of our episode.
FREE Event Thursday: Your Path To Publication with Shirin Yim Leos and Lisa Manterfield | 8:30pm ET
Join Shirin Yim Leos and Lisa Manterfield for an evening all about choosing YOUR best path to publication. We’ll cover big five, still-big, university, small, self, hybrid, and more—and the rewards and frustrations of each. We’ll look at how your goals, your personality, and your book’s genre can help decide which option is most likely to bring you personal satisfaction.
Get your free ticket here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/your-path-to-publication
Invite a friend + enter to win a query co
Quick Q&A: Personalizing Your Queries With #MSWL, Publishers Marketplace & More
We had a great question during one of our Manuscript Academy Welcome Tours: How do you personalize a query if you don't know the date of an agent's #MSWL? Is it still relevant? Will you look silly for bringing up something older? Or are they still relevant for years?
Here's how to navigate without a date stamp--and still look well-researched, smart, and like the kind of writer an agent would love to work with.
Giveaway! Win A Free Ticket To Thursday's Panel with Senior Editor Stephanie Stein (HarperCollins)
We cannot wait for Thursday's panel with Harper Collins senior editor, Stephanie Stein. If you haven't met her yet, she has kind thoughtful, fun, and she'll give you great feedback on your queries and pages.
Enter to win one of five giveaway tickets at https://manuscriptacademy.com/enter. We'll draw the winners randomly Wednesday, March 15th at 1:00 PM Eastern.
To learn more about Thursday's panel, head to http://manuscriptacademy.com/stephanie-panel. Everything begins LIVE Thursday, Marc
Live Q&A with Penguin Random House Editor & Bestselling Author Jill Santopolo
We are so happy to welcome Jill Santopolo, a New York Times bestselling author *and* editor and publisher at Philomel/Penguin Random House.
We talk about what it feels like to pitch your book when you’re already in the industry, how to find experts on exactly what you need to know for your world building and historical accuracy, and how to keep tension when half your story is set in the past.
We loved this time with Jill, and hope you will too.
This was recorded in front of our Member Loun
#MSWL's 10th Anniversary, From Tumblr to Sustainable, Miraculous Site: How It All Happened, Part 2
If you’ve been following along at home, you know that ManuscriptWIshist.com version 4.0 just launched. And while it’s new, and shiny, and lovely, it’s ten years in the making.
This is the miraculous-feeling story about how we got from Tumblr to Wordpress blog to site where agents and editors can login and make their own updates—the only way we’d still exist, because doing everything manually quickly became impossible.
We’ll hear from Mike Chen and Sierra Godfrey, now multi-published authors,
#MSWL Live: Agents on What They Wish They Had In Their Inboxes
We had the best time with this panel! Many thanks to our amazing agent panelists.
Vote for YOUR genre for the next #MSWL panel! https://manuscriptacademy.com/mswl-live
These events will turn into video clips for ManuscriptWishList.com profile, and podcasts for everyone to enjoy. They're recorded in front of our Manuscript Academy (http://manuscriptacademy.com/) members.
In order of appearance:
Bibi Lewis, doing a query critique: https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/bibi-lewis/
Emm
#MSWL’s 10th Anniversary: How It All Happened with KK Hendin
For MSWL’s 10th anniversary (we know! We can’t believe it either!) we’ve invited KK Hendin, co-founder, who made us legit within four minutes of the first tweet.
***The next MSWL day is February 16, on Twitter *and* on your favorite platforms***
We talk about how we went from Tumblr to a real life site to a site where agents and editors could update their own wishes (Jessica and KK were updating them manually before that), the stories we’ve heard of how it’s impacted writing life, and the ama
Join Our Call-In Episode! Writer Pep Talks, Advice, And What We'd Do If We Had A Bus
Sign up for a free pep talk here! https://manuscriptacademy.com/pep-talk
Have you ever had a publishing question you couldn't answer with Google? Or maybe you're just stressed out and wondering if it's time to pivot, panic, or be patient?
What if you could have a conversation with a person instead of finding more conflicting advice online?
Well, now you can.
Last week, Julie and I tried an experiment. For months, we’ve had our friend Mary, our Minister of Writing Happiness, make random calls
How To Build Rapport With Agents: How Joshua Roots Found Agent Renee Fountain
How To Build Rapport With Agents: How Jonathan Roots Found Agent Renee Fountain
Twenty years ago at his local pub, author Joshua Roots had been talking for months about his writing ideas—but doing nothing about them. A friend finally turned to him and said, “Oh my goodness, shut up and write something already.”
Thus began the adventure he calls “How To Dumb Luck Your Way Through A Writing Career.“ He wrote steampunk, cozy mysteries, YA fantasy—and, most recently, a nonfiction work about bees.
How To Get An Agent’s Attention From The First Page (Mystery Agent Consultation)
Welcome to our latest Mystery Agent episode. We asked you, our lovely writers, to send in your query and first page—and asked a wonderful literary agent to choose a lucky writer for a critique. What follows is the joy-filled, insightful consultation and conversation between them. There are wonderful lessons in this episode about pitching, character development, and more.
In this episode, listen as Larissa Melo Pienkowski (Jill Grinberg Literary Management) helps author Justine McDaniel with sm
How To Promote Your Work, Help Writers, And Stay Genuine
This episode is all about to get the best return on your time investment, boost your book sales, excel at Instagram—and connect with your audience in ways you never knew possible.
Join our Three-Day Submission Strategy Workshop here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/product/submission-strategy-workshop
Sarah Blair is an author of sexy, snarky, supernatural fiction.
She graduated from the University of Tennessee where she earned her B.A. in Creative Writing, summa cum laude.
As an enthusiastic fa
Holiday Novels, Food Writing, And Tips For Faster First Drafts
We are so happy to welcome author Amy E. Reichert to the podcast! She has a number of beautiful novels (all featuring wonderful food writing), her latest being Once Upon a December, a holiday romance featuring a magical Christmas market, a steamy romance, and—of course—gorgeous holiday treats.
We also talk about food writing and best how to make it work (what book isn’t better with gorgeous food?), world building in (mostly) contemporary settings, and what special elements you need if you want
Holiday Party December 13! Plus: Anna Conathan On Discomfort, Creativity & Making Them Work For You
We can’t wait! Join us for our SIXTH annual holiday party, December 13, 8:30pm ET. The event is FREE and open to the public, and features agents Kayla Lightner and John Cusick, good vibes expert Thalia Elie, and writer, book coach, and comedian Anna Conathan.
Get your free ticket here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/party
Invite a friend to our party here: manuscriptacademy.com/invite-a-friend
Anna joins us today to talk awkward conversations, how uncomfortable interactions can pay off—and how
Anne Elliott on Movement, Momentum & Keeping an Agent Reading
We are thrilled to speak with Anne Elliott—who always makes us feel like we’re in the best kind of MFA—about how structure and movement in your story can create the kind of reading experience that keeps people up all night with your book. Whether you’re pitching, published, or both, this is exactly (we imagine) what you want as a reader.
Join us November 15-17 for a three-day event on this very topic. Daily classes, supportive community, live Q&A and a live feedback panel. Everything comes wit
Comps, Opening Pages & Pitching: Live Q&A with Agent Paige Wheeler
We loved this event! In a cozy, neighborhood potluck-like format, we chatted with agent Paige Wheeler, who talks everything from comps to first pages to how to get your query ready to send--and where to send it.
This episode was recorded in earliest autumn, in front of our Member Lounge audience. Learn more about the Member Lounge here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/member-lounge
As the founder of Creative Media Agency, Inc., https://cmalit.com/paige-wheeler/, Paige Wheeler has artfully merged
Script-to-book, Book-to-Film, And All Things IP with Bethany Baptiste & Gigi Griffis
We love this conversation about a part of the industry few writers know about--script-to-book, or when a writer is hired to novelize a project originally designed for the screen. Both Bethany and Gigi have successful projects in this area--Bethany Baptiste is the author of Izzy Hawthorne: Destiny Awaits, a script-to-book project based on Disney’s Buzz Lightyear movie, and Gigi Griffis is the author of The Empress, a script-to-book project based on Netflix’s series of the same name.
We talk abo
Genre, Metaphor, Twitter Pitch Contests, and Feminist Werewolf Novels with Author Rachel Harrison
We are so happy to speak with author Rachel Harrison about her new feminist werewolf novel, Such Sharp Teeth! This isn’t horror as you’d normally expect it—the cover is pink, the setting includes Target and Starbucks, and the main character is a twin just trying to get control over her new werewolf tendencies—and her love life.
We talk about werewolf metaphors for how we can’t control everything (or even most things) about our bodies, how genre is a loose concept that can have one book shelved
#TenQueries with Agent Ismita Hussain - YA, NA, Short Stories & More!
We loved this episode! We talk with agent Ismita Hussain (Great Dog Literary) about short stories, writers making mistakes with QueryManager, New Adult, and what makes a query work for her—and for the majority of agents. Listen in as she goes over what ten writers did right, did wrong—and how their work can help you present your book in the best possible light.
Want to go over your query or first few pages with Ismita? Sign up here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/ismita-hussain
Ismita is a Geo
Who Knows What When: Keeping Track of Characters' Agendas with Christine Wells
We love this book! You can hear it in our voices, of course, but it’s worth saying again. This is a beautiful and fun historical work—kind of like a female James Bond—and we love the conversation about history and gender roles, building tough worlds but retaining hope, excelling at pacing—and how to write characters who are tired of being scared. (Which, well, many of us can relate to today.)
Learn more at https://christine-wells.com/, and order ONE WOMAN'S WAR here: https://www.barnesandnoble.
How To Keep Readers Interested With Internal Conflict
We’re thrilled to welcome Bobby Finger, whose book, The Old Place, is so full of twists and turns—many of them with internal, past, and multi-layered conflict—that we had a terrible time not spoiling the ending for you! (Yes, you’ll hear several shout-outs that will make sense if you read the book.)
We also talk about symbols (the potato salad!), towns as characters, and how literary fiction needs different qualities to keep readers hooked.
Bobby Finger is a writer and co-host of the popular
Our First Mystery Agent Consultation!
This episode is also a video! If you'd like to view our agent's screen as she works, click here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/mystery-agent-september
We love this experiment! We asked you to send in your queries, pages, and questions--all in the hopes of a meeting with our mystery agent.
This month, our mystery agent chose a beautiful, intricate thriller--and spoke with the writer about optimizing for how agents read. The edits include reordering, swapping out descriptions, and making sure s
Choosing The Best Agent For You: Q&A with Author-Agent Team Melissa Edwards and Sierra Godfrey
We are so excited for this episode! It’s truly a case of good things happening for good people. Sierra Godfrey is part of the team that built ManuscriptWishList.com, and now her very own book is coming out TODAY: A Very Typical Family.
We invited Sierra and her agent, Melissa Edwards, to talk about the long road here—and what both learned along the way.
We discuss agent squishiness (some are warm and fuzzy, and why both types have advantages), how to write conflict when you’re conflict-avoid
Back-To-School Q&A and Fall Preview
We asked our Facebook group (join here! https://manuscriptacademy.com/facebook) how we can help, and the questions that came in were fantastic! We’re happy to answer them here.
We talk about how your query is like real estate (and most queries are empty lots with one cactus), how to find your best comp titles (and why we think they’re hard too), and a quick marketing overview to get more traffic to your author site (no advanced SEO knowledge needed!).
Coming soon! Our Author Site Audit panel
Special Episode: Live Coffee Break with Emmy Nordstrom Higdon, Westwood Creative Artists
We love this episode! Emmy Nordstrom Higdon, agent at Westwood Creative Artists, was kind enough to join us for a live coffee break with our members—and we ended up talking about so many things!
We cover:
*How agenting is a style choice
*Why writers should have more confidence
*How even the IRS probably can’t figure out royalty statements
*How to reverse-engineer your search for agents from editor data
*How the people you naturally like are the ones you’re going to work with, so there’s no po
Writing for Graphic Novels, Collaboration with Artists, & Common Mistakes with Mat Heagerty
How do you write for graphic novels? How do you collaborate with an artist? And what mistakes do most authors make when starting out--and how can you avoid them?
Whatever your genre, join us for this fun, funny episode where we cover how to enter this thriving, creative world.
Mat Heagerty is a graphic novel author living in Boise, ID. He's dyslexic and struggled a bunch in school, now he writes rad comics like "Martian Ghost Centaur", "Unplugged and Unpopular" and the forthcoming LUMBRJACKUL
Live Recorded: Positivity Agent Panel with Kayla Lightner and Kaitlyn Sanchez
I think we can all agree the world has been tough lately.
To keep your spirits up, we invited some of our favorite friends–agents Kayla Lightner (Ayesha Pande Literary) and Kaitlyn Sanchez (Context Literary), plus writers Anna Conathan (Anna Conathan Coaching) and Cameron Kelly Rosenblum (author of the award-winning The Stepping Off Place) to choose from YOUR pages–and give only positive feedback.
What follows is a delightfully fun, uplifting evening designed to remind you of the power of writ
Write What You Can’t Stop Thinking About: Author Mahi Cheshire on Tension & Stakes
When Mahi Cheshire sent out the first version of what would become Deadly Cure, it was a New Adult novel about med school rivals. Now, in final form, it’s a medical thriller with a rivalry at the heart of the plot.
Mahi had to learn “on the job,” as it were, how to write a thriller—so we talk about how she learned to increase tension and stakes—and to focus on what she can’t stop thinking about (and why you should, too).
We also talk about how writing a rivalry is like writing a romance in r
How To Raise The Stakes In Your Query with Author Robyn Ryle
We are so proud of writer Robyn Ryle! She’s the first person to get feedback twice from our feedback panels—and by the time she’d incorporated the feedback from the first panel, the second panel was blown away by her revision, her stakes, and her quick turnaround.
We go over versions one and two, talk about the balance of giving versus hiding details, reader investment versus tension—and why writing your query halfway through your manuscript may be perfect timing.
We also talk about what age
Editing, Rejection, Growth Mindset: Sourcebooks Editor Anna Sargeant on What Makes A Great Book
We are so happy to welcome the creative and delightful Anna Sargeant, editor at Sourcebooks, to the podcast!
We talk about Anna’s journey from curriculum development to children’s books, Sourcebooks and their growth mindset, what makes for good children’s nonfiction, and how being an editor changed her approach to rejection.
Plus, we talk about her fiction podcast, how Bridge to Terabithia changed her life, and whether you can pitch her (and editors) directly.
Read her post on nonfiction tha
Pitching Agents Vs. Pitching Small Presses, Indie Success & Magical Realism
This week! Join our NEW Submission Packet Workshop to get your query and first pages optimized for today’s stressed-out agent. Learn more here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/product/submission-packet-workshop
Have you ever wondered about the rule to not pitch agents and small presses at the same time? Or wondered how small presses treat you—versus agents?
Douglas Weissman thought he was set right away—he has an MFA thesis project, and was exited to start querying. Nine years later, he pivoted
Bestselling Author Juno Dawson on Multiple Storylines, Trilogies & Desperate Housewives with Witches
In the first lockdown of 2020, Juno Dawson’s editor was expecting a YA thriller—but all she wanted to write was Desperate Housewives, with witches.
We talk about organizing multiple storylines, plotting a trilogy, and the question of “At what point do you turn the card”—when do you reveal information to the reader?
Plus the delightful idea that a story is like a VHS tape for your brain, the fact that the voice of Lady Whistledown narrates her audiobook, and how you can find YOUR story—and tel
Summer Novels, Compelling Villains, and Multiple Agents with Bestselling Author May Cobb
We are thrilled to talk with author May Cobb about planning your author financial life, working with multiple agents, writing lifelike sociopaths, and the changing trends of “likability” in characters.
We loved reading My Summer Darlings—it really is the perfect summer read—and hearing about the story behind the story.
May says:
I grew up in the piney woods of East Texas where MY SUMMER DARLINGS, THE HUNTING WIVES and BIG WOODS are set. After college, I moved to San Francisco where I studie
What Writers Can Expect of Agents (And How To Get It) with Author Jo Wu and Agent Tricia Lawrence
Today is a longer than usual episode—something we thought about breaking into two chunks, but—just as Jessica hates requesting a 50-page partial, getting to a cliffhanger, and having to wait for more—we figured we’d bring you everything, the full episode, all at once.
This is an episode that goes deep into the dynamics between authors, agents, the industry, and what authors can reasonably expect (and how to get it).
The beginning is an interview on referral-only agencies, publishing norms, an
Multiple Agent Offers, Power & Agency For Characters, and Shelving Books One Through Three
We love this author-agent pair! When Kimberly Brower first offered representation, she worried that, in a multiple offer situation, Jessica Payne would say no. Some authors just want a quick "It's perfect, I'll send it tomorrow"--but this was actually the first sign that they'd be the perfect pair.
We discuss why nurses great make thriller writers, how international rights work (and what you should ask your future agent), and how to find critique partners whose work you *want* to read. Plus, ho
Bestselling Author Emily Henry on Snappy Dialogue, Enemies-to-Lovers & Character Likability
We are so excited to speak with bestselling author Emily Henry (Beach Read, People We Meet on Vacation) about all things character—how to make a character intense yet likable, how to make dialogue snappy yet believable—and how to make the most of an enemies-to-lovers dynamic.
We also discuss over-editing, the (false!) idea that there’s a magic formula for getting published, and how Emily got her first agent the traditional "Google and cold query" way.
We also discuss what makes female (versus
700-Page Novels, Agent Misunderstandings, And The Best Food Descriptions The NYT Has Ever Read
We are so happy to introduce today’s podcast guest. The New York Times Book Review calls her work, SEARCH, “A wicked pleasure... Huneven is a wise storyteller...this novel has plot, character, structure and a delicious, deeply human pettiness that I think most honest readers will relate to... [Huneven's] descriptions of food are the best I've ever read."
We loved our conversation with Michelle! Not only did her career start with a 700-page novel—and a great misunderstanding that lead to getti
Storytelling For A Living with Celia Anne Browne
We are thrilled to bring you our interview and Q&A with Celia Anne Browne who, from the age of seven, has been exploring various forms of storytelling—from acting on a children’s show through being a ballerina and, now, as a writer, director, producer, agent, and more.
Celia is at a wonderful intersection of these storytelling mediums—and we are thrilled to ask her (and let you ask!) your questions about how to share your buskin with the world.
This was originally recorded as part of our Mem
Picture Books, Illustrations & Creativity As An Adult with Liz Goulet Dubois
We talk with Liz Goulet Dubois about the intersection of writing, art, and picture books—and how to find the best version of you, and amplify your potential, to make your best, most authentic work.
We talk about adults lose that creative spark (and how they can get it back), the agents she’s worked with who were (and were not) a fit, and the walls adults put up emotionally—and how to bring them down again.
Liz says:
Whether writing and illustrating for children or brainstorming new product
Intentional Writing, Industry Transparency, and Strategizing For Important, Difficult Books
We are so happy to welcome Savannah Brooks, agent at Jennifer DiChiara Literary Agency, to the podcast!
In this episode, we discuss what’s normal to ask your agent, how is the industry becoming more transparent—and what happens after a book doesn’t sell.
We also discuss the odds of selling books at agent stage, working on books that are personal for us, and self-publishing in new and creative ways.
Savannah Brooks joined the Jennifer De Chiara team in 2018 as an associate literary agent aft
Minister of Writing Happiness: How Mary Murchie Supports The Whole Writer
We are so happy to welcome Mary Murchie, the Manuscript academy’s Minister of Happiness!
Mary has an unusual, amazing talent: she can make anyone feel better just by calling them up.
Knowing that writing requires you to take a whole-person approach—if you aren’t feeling right, often your work will come out strangely—we have her on staff as our Minister of Happiness to call our members and pep them up.
In this episode, we go over common things writers say when Mary calls, trends in the writi
What To Ask An Agent with Mary Cummings, Great River Literary
We loved talking with Mary Cummings about so many things—how slush piles looked in the days of paper, how the submission process is like Miracle on 34th Street (and often as divisive as pineapple on pizza), and—more extensively—what you should ask an agent, when given the chance. Tune in also for mentions of opera, Slush Cats, Editorial Boards, and more.
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“Great River Literary" was the clear name choice for the new agency established by Mary Cummings in 2021, after thirteen years as an agent
Lavish Praise, Scathing Reviews, Prestigious Awards, and One Lunch That Launched A Thriving Career
Karen Joy Fowler didn’t want to write a novel. But an editor had asked her to lunch. She should take the meeting to be polite, she thought. She’d just end the lunch with a “No, thank you, I don’t want to write a book,” and that would be that.
Instead, she ended up agreeing to a multi-book deal and launching a thriving career of award-winners and bestsellers, including The Jane Austen Book Club, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves and, her most recent, Booth.
All because she said yes to lunc
Your Ideal, Supportive Writing Group: How 20+ Writers Found & Maintain It, And You Can Too
Hello friends! Today we have, well, the biggest interview we’ve ever hosted, focused on one of the funniest, friendliest, and most creative writing groups we’ve ever met. If you’ve ever wondered how to find a community and keep it, this episode is for you.
Of the 20+ members of the group, we had a wonderful set of volunteers here to tell us how they found each other, how they maintain a positive and supportive environment, and their many successes along the way.
We are thankful to the followin
Second Draft Magic, Turducken Plots, And Writing While Working In Publishing
We spoke with Lauren Kate, author of By Any Other Name, a delightful turducken (Julie’s word) of a rom com.
You’ll never guess where the story came from—how the B characters got so vivid—or why the Darcy-esque male lead is so (purposely, realistically) annoying.
We also talking about sending someone your murdered darlings, writing YA *and* adult fiction, and how working in publishing informed her work.
Lauren Kate is the #1 New York Times– and internationally bestselling author of nine nove
From 150 Rejections To Book Deal: Hopeful News of Good Things Happening To Good People
We are so excited to share this hopeful, uplifting story that's the perfect example of good things happening for good people. Ambika had sent out more than 150 queries--getting mostly form rejections and ghosts--when she learned how to pivot, met her agent--and now has a deal with a major publishing house.
Ambika Vora was born in Mumbai, India, but has lived in several cities - including Dallas, London, and Tokyo. After receiving her Bachelor’s from Princeton University and her Master’s from th
Dating Your Character with Marilyn R. Atlas and Elizabeth Lopez
We are so happy to share this recording of our live event, Dating Your Character. Your fellow writers came up with wonderful things in the text chat, which you’ll hear us read throughout the evening.
Prefer to watch? Head to https://manuscriptacademy.com/dating-your-character
Writing doesn't have to strictly be a serious, intellectual exercise. You can reap rewards by approaching your work in an experimental frame of mind. Our way of developing an intimacy with your character is through the a
Writing Proposals, Drafting Legislation & Creating Author Platform with Social Change
We are so thrilled to talk with Monica Hall and her agent, Kat Kerr!
We met Monica for the first time when, during one of our live events, she shared her agent news—and we just had to hear the full story.
From drafting legislation to writing a full manuscript, she’s here to share everything she learned along the way.
If you, personally, aren’t affected by student loans, you definitely know someone who is. Monica is the hero trying to make their repayment terms a little fairer.
We love this h
Pitching Ideas To Acquisitions, Joining Publishing In The Pandemic & YA With All The Angst
We are so happy to welcome Carina Licón to the podcast! She’s one of the rare publishing experts who joined her house (Macmillan, in this case) during the pandemic—and can share with us her unique perspective in making it work from afar. (Do we hope to take her out to lunch on her first NYC visit? Yes!)
We loved hearing about her pitching works to Acquisitions, how she’s managed to build a robust network for herself—and what she’s looking for in her inbox.
Carina Licón is an Editorial Assista
Book Promotion, Acing Author Interviews & Behind-The-Scenes with Radio Host & Author March Twisdale
Are you worried about your future author interviews? Stressed because you don’t know how to dodge questions like a politician? Worried your interviewer is going in with an agenda—and a list of questions that’ll make you squirm?
This is the episode for you. Radio host, author, and wise human being March Twisdale is here to show you how to keep your press on the topics *you* want—all while feeling comfortable and connecting as your authentic self.
March Twisdale’s work is centered around the
Shakespeare and Company, Paris in the 1920s & Author Kerri Maher, Who Brings Them To Life
We are so happy to speak with Kerri Maher, author of The Paris Bookseller. Based on the life of Sylvia Beach—bookseller, publisher and entrepreneur—this novel brings 1920s Paris to life in the most gorgeous, delicious ways. If you’ve been looking for a work that’s both escapist (the food! The love story! The writers!!) and will also feel like (easy, fun) learning, this is the book for you.
Fans of Joyce, Stein, Pound, Hemingway, and (many!) more will be pleased to see these familiar faces come
A Live Evening with Agent Rita Rosenkranz
Friends! We are so happy to have the amazing, warm, wise Rita Rosenkranz on our podcast. Not only is she a pillar of the industry, but she’s thoughtful, kind, and here to help YOU make the most of your publishing interactions.
We love hearing her reflections on publishing innovations, new challenges, sustaining friendships—and what it all means for YOUR work, now.
A well-established agent, who began her career as an editor at major publishing houses, Rita Rosenkranz represents almost exclus
A Holiday Message From Manuscript Academy
That's right! We're going to try to take our own advice...and take a week off to creatively charge.
We hope you do the same, and that you have a fun, safe holiday break.
See you in 2022!
Jessica, Julie & Valentina
Quirky Characters, Gorgeous Settings, and Writing Books That Are Easy to Read With Sophie Cousens
Oh my goodness. We LOVE this episode with Sophie Cousens! She and her work are SO much fun—gorgeous settings, fun meet cures, quirky characters—and the escapism you need NOW.
We talk about how she moved from YA sci-fi to (adult!) romantic comedies, losing confidence in your work at the 30,000 word mark—and how it’s often harder to write the books that are easy to read.
Plus, we discuss planting Easter eggs while pantsing, adding lots of nuance to rom coms—-and how limited time is, actually,
Live(-Recorded) Logline Workshop with Producers Eric Mofford and Keith L. Shaw
Join us for a free, live book-to-film event with producers Kim Williams, Edwin Stepp, and Jonathan Burkhart on Thursday, December 2, at 8pm ET / 5pm PT (introvert-friendly! We won't be able to see you).
Get your FREE ticket here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/book-to-film
Want to meet a Hollywood producer, director or showrunner? Consult with them about your logline and pages here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/meet-hollywood-producers
We had a wonderful event with producers Eric Mofford and
How (And When) To Roast Your Agent with Writer Jonathan Fredrick And Agent Renée C. Fountain
Content warning: Adult themes, childhood illness.
We’ve never seen an author-agent relationship like this! Jonathan and Renee not only joke, but regularly roast each other—showing a level of comfort most can only dream of.
We learn about their journey, from meet-cute (which Renee nearly forgot) to Jonathan playing hard to get (even though she was his top choice), and how they both liked that the other would fight for the work.
They both needed a creative partner who’d tell it like it is—and
Elevator Pitches, Wednesday’s FREE Live Pitch Workshop, and Book-To-Film Producer Eric Mofford
Join us Wednesday, October 27, 8pm ET / 5pm PT, for a FREE panel with book-to-film producers Eric Mofford, Marilyn Atlas, and Keith L. Shaw.
Get your free ticket here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/live-pitch-workshop. Replay available at the same link, starting at 10pm ET.
We are thrilled to have Book-To-Film producer Eric Mofford join us to answer all of our questions about elevator pitches, his favorite loglines—and why describing your work quickly is useful even if you never want to see
Magic, Romantic Tension, And Your Perfect October Read with Author Lana Harper
We loved this book! If you’re also a fan of Practical Magic, Hocus Pocus, and books both spooky and pretty, Lana’s newest work, Payback’s A Witch, is a beautiful, fun, sexy rom com for your October.
We discuss how to know when you’ve written *just* enough description (and the fact that many readers don’t want to smell characters), writing villains we can’t stand (who are just charming enough to be believable), and the creation of a magical system (which is somehow, at once, beautiful, believabl
Gorgeous Sentences, Scary Topics, and Justifiably Angry Protagonists with Author Amanda Jayatissa
We talk about putting language to uncomfortable encounters, “I see what you did there” moments that are streamlined and brilliant, and why you don’t need (and probably shouldn’t have) a strict schedule for yourself as a writer.
We also discuss vibrant settings, happy accidents, and how Amanda became an entrepreneur.
Amanda Jayatissa grew up in Sri Lanka, completed her undergrad at Mills College, CA, and lived in the UK before moving back to her sunny little island. She works as a corporate t
Agents, Illustrators, and Nurturing Creative Collaboration with Author Janet Costa Bates
We are so happy to welcome Janet Costa Bates, award-winning author of several titles including, most recently, the picture book Time for Bed, Old House.
We talk about Impostor Syndrome, selling books with *and* without an agent, and collaborating with your creative partners (wait until you hear how well her illustrator tapped into her story).
And, yes, Julie met Janet at SCBWI Whispering Pines the same year Jessica was there--and this was also the site of Janet's life-changing meeting with ed
Family Memoirs, Narrative Nonfiction, and Getting A 93% Request Rate
Welcome to an episode with the sweetest co-writing backstory we’ve ever heard—plus insight from their agent, Leticia Gomez, about what made this book work for her.
On the Rocks, a narrative nonfiction book written by Maria Costanzo Palmer and Ruthie Robbins, chronicles the journey of personality Joseph Costanzo, Jr. in his rise to success in the 1990’s as world renowned restaurateur and owner of The Primadonna Restaurant, radio host, columnist, and aspiring politician through his sharp fall en
Writing Vivid Characters, Publishing Internationally, and Sister of the Bollywood Bride
Have you ever wanted a book that felt like a hug? A smart, funny, perfect escape? Nandini Bajpai’s Sister of The Bollywood Bride (published in India originally as Red Turban, White Horse) is the wedding/family/YA rom com you didn’t know you needed.
Julie actually met Nandini at SCBWI years ago—and knew even then that she’d be a success.
We talk about building a social context for your characters, publishing internationally, getting a fantastic audiobook narrator, and Nandini's unique combinat
Fast Deadlines, Consistent Creativity & Writing In Series with Bestselling Author Laurell K Hamilton
We are so darn excited for today’s podcast. Not only was Laurell one of those interviews where you can just *feel* the writerly energy in the room, but she was creative, kind, thoughtful—and has amazing tips for your work.
From avoiding info dumps (and a brilliant technique we’d never heard of) to planning a series (28 books strong!), research for writing in another gender to consistently getting in the right headspace to be productive, this episode is filled with actionable tips.
Plus, if y
Publishing Short Pieces, Time Management, and Author-Agent Team Jennifer Chen and Caitie Flum
Today on the podcast, we are so happy to welcome author Jennifer Chen and her agent, Caitie Flum from Liza Dawson Associates. We originally asked Jennifer on to talk about short pieces, and how she succeed with them—and she does a great job discussing that—but we were so pleasantly surprised to watch the thoughtful, kind, creative dynamic between this author and agent pair.
We also discuss an unlikely source for writing (and structure) inspiration, how story is brain science, and building you
Maintaining Tension, Pantsing A Thriller, and Writing The Next Cool Girl Speech with Andrea Bartz
We are so thrilled to talk with Andrea Bartz, author of The Herd and (out today!) We Were Never Here. We discuss how the work was inspired (by someone very nice and non-murderous on a vacation), what it means to write scary works as a woman, and how she maintains *just* enough tension throughout.
Andi says:
Hi! I’m Andi, a Brooklyn-based writer and editor. My debut thriller, THE LOST NIGHT, received starred reviews from Library Journal and Booklist and was optioned for TV by Mila Kunis and Ca
Pitching Dark Work During The Pandemic, (Small) Submission Strategy, And Avoiding The Saggy Middle
Welcome to another First Pages podcast! This week, our brave volunteer is Tamara Kahler. We talk with Tamara about pitching dark work just after a pandemic (and putting an emphasis on hope and agency), her submission strategy (you don’t have to send it to as many people as most recommend), and how she avoided the dreaded manuscript saggy middle (and a theory about how you reliably can, too).
We also talk about why most anticipate lists are okay but runaway bestsellers are not for comps, and ot
Summer Slowdown, Editorial Agents, and Writing Books In A Series: Q&A with Jessica & Julie
Join us for a quick summer Q&A—with questions from our Facebook group!
Haven’t joined? There are 3,000+ writers there to help you with your query, your comps, and be your supportive community along the way.
Just head to ManuscriptAcademy.com/Facebook.
In this episode, we talk about summer slowdown, editorial agents, when to write subsequent books in a series, and more.
Interested in our The Magic of the Sentence event with author Anne Elliott? View the FREE replay here: https://manuscripta
Your Elevator Pitch with Book-to-Film Producers & Editors Maritte Go and Eric Mofford
Hey everyone! This is a live recording of a very special book-to-film
event with Eric Mofford (producer and consultant) and Marty Go (producer and director) all about how to craft an elevator pitch. If you’ve ever wondered how to describe your work quickly—or panicked at the “So, what’s your book about?” question—this episode is for you!
Prefer to watch the video? Click here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/elevator-pitch-panel
Want to hear about upcoming FREE events like this one? Join our mai
Plotting, Pantsing, Vampires & Working With Multiple Agents With Author/Illustrator Whitney Gardner
We are so happy to welcome author, illustrator, and graphic novelist Whitney Gardner to the podcast!
In this episode, we talk about plotting, pantsing, graphic novels, optimizing art with your editor, and much more.
We also discuss working with multiple agents, succeeding against trend, and—we couldn’t help it—how to roast, grind, and perfect your own coffee.
Whitney Gardner is an author and cartoonist who spends most of her time hidden in the Pacific Northwest wrapped in a fuzzy sweater.
From Twitter To Book Deal: How Agent Cecilia Lyra + Author Kari Nixon Created Quarantine Life
We are so happy to tell you the story of how Agent Cecilia Lyra and author Kari Nixon met, became friends—and then officially started to work together.
Kari is a science writer with the style of an English Major. Her work, Quarantine Life from Cholera to COVID-19: What Pandemics Teach Us About Parenting, Work, Life, and Communities from the 1700s to Today, tells the stories behind the story of public health, vaccines, and the history of scientific innovation.
We discuss taking agents’ editor
First Pages With Lindsay Maple: Writing Rom Coms, Increasing Tension & Grounding Through The Senses
We are so happy to welcome author Lindsay Maple, who generously offered to fill a last-minute opening in our first pages podcast (we love the last-minute stepping up!).
Today, we’re going over her romantic comedy first page, talking about her process, her research, and the things she’s learned along the way.
You can learn more about Lindsay on Twitter (@LindsayRaeWrit1) and on her website, https://lindsaymaple.com/.
Here’s her page:
CHAPTER ONE
I always had a plan. Always. The empty seat
Creativity, Monotasking, and Finding Focus in a Chaotic World with Author Julie Falatko
We are so happy to welcome Julie Falatko, author of Snappsy The Alligator (Did Not Ask To Be In This Book) and all-around delightful human, to talk with us about her writing process, the transition from picture books to middle grade novels—and how to maintain your ability to concentrate and do “deep work,” even when living in a year that’s a dumpster fire.
We also talk about preserving your emotional openness and sense of the world (so you can write works that appeal to young listeners), nurtur
You Don't Have To Be Perfect To Get Published: Six Writers on Mistakes and Success
It’s easy to believe that you have to be perfect to get published. Today, we bring you proof—hilarious, painful, honest proof—that things can go horribly awry and then end up great.
Whether it’s checking in too soon (and getting called out by an agent), writing a pitch without a conflict or stakes (and then booking back-to-back agent meetings) or having a typo create havoc in a room of 200 conference attendees, these writers have been through it all—and come out better for it.
They’ve since s
You Look Tired: An Excruciatingly Honest Guide to New Parenthood with Author Jenny True
When blogger Jenny True wrote a post called F%^ Your Baby Advice, she never expected it would go viral. Soon the offers came in—including an advice columnist post and, then, a book deal.
Now, with You Look Tired: An Excruciatingly Honest Guide to New Parenthood coming out May 4, she’s a powerful new voice of humor, support, and parenting insights. We discuss how she wrote her book proposal, balancing real advice with really funny examples, and becoming a responsible voice in the parental comm
Critique: How To Handle It, When To Ignore It Completely
Julie asked our Facebook group (join here! 3,000+ nice writers to support you: https://manuscriptacademy.com/facebook) what they’d like to know about critique.
We discuss critique partners with the right problem and wrong solution, the chain reaction when you change one element, how Jessica gives her agency clients feedback, and differentiating between opinions and critiques.
Plus, we discuss best practices for communicating slippery concepts, replying to critiques you hate, and how to look
Finding An Agent, Protecting Your Creativity + Somewhere Between Bitter & Sweet with Laekan Zea Kemp
We are so happy to welcome Laekan Zea Kemp to the podcast! We talk about how she got her agent (and made sure she was a true ally), her advice for writers (and how to keep your creative self safe), and how she came up with the idea for this gorgeous new story.
Laekan Zea Kemp is a writer living in Austin, Texas. She’s also the creator and host of the Author Pep Talks podcast, as well as a contributor to the Las Musas podcast. She has three objectives when it comes to storytelling: to make peop
Finding A Home For Your Short Story with Author Anne Elliott
We are so happy to share this with you! This episode was live-recorded March 2021. Want to watch the free video version instead? Head to https://manuscriptacademy.com/anne-elliott.
Want an email about upcoming free events? Head to https://manuscriptacademy.com/subscribe.
Many of us learn fiction writing via short stories—and many of us fall in love with the form and stick with it. But how do we get our stories into the hands of readers, when agents aren’t interested in them? How do we know w
High Stakes in Quiet Stories, Fresh Takes on Dead Genres, and How Agencies Share Manuscripts
High stakes in quiet stories, fresh takes on dead genres, and how agencies share manuscripts
We talk with agent Shannon Snow about how she’d love to bring dystopias and other “dead” genres back (even if, according to Jessica, dystopia couldn’t die fast enough), how agencies decide to take on projects (and share genres between themselves), and how to make your “quiet” story appeal to agents and editors.
Shannon Snow worked in finance and marketing for 18 years before turning to her childhood
Exclusive Submissions, Following Up + Pitch Contests vs Querying With Agent Larissa Melo Pienkowski
We are so happy to welcome agent Larissa Melo Pienkowski to the podcast! We loved having her as a guest, and think you'll love her, too.
Larissa Melo Pienkowski is a literary agent at Jill Grinberg Literary Management, the assistant publisher of Dottir Press, and a freelance editor and sensitivity reader. As a Latinx, mixed-race bookworm, she’s passionate about #OwnVoices stories, uplifting marginalized voices, and reading voraciously across genres, with a soft spot for YA, MG, literary fictio
How I Got My Agent: A Panel With Four Amazing Writers
We are so happy to talk with three agented writers about what worked—and did NOT work—in the submission process.
We talk about rejections, pivots, subjectivity, and finding the right agent for YOU. We attempt to reverse engineer their submission patterns just before an offer, so you can see what early signs mean you’re on the right path. We talk about their darkest moments, when they wanted to give up. And—more than anything—we talk about what they wish they knew, the things that could have sa
Inciting Incidents, Writing Between Genres, and Newer Agents with Haley Casey, Creative Media Agency
We are so happy to welcome Haley Casey to the podcast! Haley Casey graduated from The University of Kansas in 2015 with a BA in creative writing, and that fall, she attended the Denver Publishing Institute. She began her full-time career at Ogden Publications, where she was an editor for four years. There she worked with a variety of authors across multiple magazines, wrote over a dozen articles, edited audio for podcasts, and even styled cover photos—anything to add some creativity to her days.
#TenQueries With Agent Cecilia Lyra at P.S. Literary Agency
We are so happy to welcome agent Cecilia (CeCe) Lyra to the podcast! Cecilia will go through her inbox, #TenQueries style, giving us in-the-moment reactions to her queries.
Ever wondered what agents think when they read your submissions? Now you know.
Cecilia Lyra is an agent at P.S. Literary actively acquiring adult fiction and nonfiction. She is particularly drawn to stories centered around dysfunctional families, ethical or moral dilemmas, and taboo subjects. She adores reading about prot
Live Recorded: An Evening With Agent Lizzie Poteet (Please note: This episode is PG-13)
Welcome to our live-recorded event with agent Lizzie Poteet!
*****Please note that there are some adult topics mentioned in this episode. We aren't the MPAA, but we'd rate it PG-13.*****
Originally from Nashville, TN, Lizzie Poteet is an agent at The Seymour Agency after several years at St Martin’s Press/Macmillan. A hopeless romantic, she’s eternally grateful she found a way to channel her immense feelings about feelings into a legitimate job where swooning is considered a job skill.
A spi
First Pages With Julie and Mary Murchie
In this episode, Julie meets with her former teaching partner, Mary Murchie, to discuss two first pages, the role of detail from a reader's perspective, and what they’ll cover in their new Facebook Live series.
Want to join a few thousand supportive writers in our free Facebook group? Head to https://manuscriptacademy.com/Facebook.
January Announcements with Julie, Jessica & Valentina: New Projects & Inspiration
Happy 2021! We have a brand new year with a ton of new projects designed to keep you creative, happy, and optimistic.
We have:
A new first-page podcast (in the feed now!) with Mary Murchie, our newest Facebook Live host. If you’d like to join our free Facebook group, head to https://manuscriptacademy.com/facebook.
This month, we also have:
*A success story Q&A panel with Academy alums who’ve gotten agents (January 12)
*A live Q&A with agent Larissa Melo Pienkowski (January 21)
*Accountabilit
Join Our Holiday Party! Wednesday, December 16, 8:00pm Eastern
Hello friends!
It is time for our annual holiday party. This year, we’re featuring agent and editor guests, fun ways to find new critique partners and friends, and a choose your own adventure format to build the best holiday party for you.
Everything is free, online of course, and designed to be the kind of fun usually only possible in a year that is not on fire.
There will be prizes, surprises, readings, hilarity, community and more.
Plus, we get to playfully annoy some of our agent gue
Live Q&A with Little, Brown/Hachette Books Group Editor Esther Cajahuaringa
We are so happy to welcome Esther Cajahuaringa, an editor at Hachette Book Group.
This is the first in a series of live-recorded Q&A’s with agents and editors. Are you interested in attending events like this? Learn more about our member lounge here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/member-lounge
8:05 Why can't one publishing house can’t have two similar books at the same time?
9:41 How do the seasons work in publishing?
10:58 When are book tours a thing?
12:28 When can authors submit direct
"Quiet" Novels, Cozy Mysteries & How To Get Along With Your Future Publishing Team
We are so happy to welcome Rebecca Raskin, an editor at HarperCollins, to our podcast.
Rebecca started her career at Kensington Books, where she worked on genre fiction (including cozy mysteries, which we’ll talk about later in the episode!) and now works primarily on nonfiction.
We talk about how Rebecca loves “quiet” novels (and whether there’s a market for them), the large team behind every book (and the department that never gets enough recognition), and how editors sustain 2-3 years of e
Subrights, Sci Fi, Graphic Novels, And How Publishing Makes Money with Agent Em Lysaght
This episode was recorded live in front of our Facebook group. Join for free events, support, community and more: https://manuscriptacademy.com/facebook
We talk with Em about her time in subrights, focusing on co-editions (and what that means), how predictions about ebooks were far from accurate, and what we should do about New Adult (and the very idea genre in a world with digital shelves).
We also discuss new developments in science fiction (and the type she’s looking for now), D&D, video g
Communication, Negotiation, and Getting What You Need For Peak Creativity with Amyra León
We loved recording this episode. Amyra touches on the very most vital parts of creativity—and still manages, even after all her success as an artist, musician, activist, and more--to have the perfect advice for beginning writers on what matters most.
She talks about how to value your work—even when you don’t have a lot of spare time; how to communicate with your team (whether friends, agents, editors, or otherwise) to get what you need to support your art—and why, with creative projects, you sh
November Announcements! Panels, Q&A's, Member Lounge, Submission Strategy Events + More
Hey Everyone! We know there’s a lot going on in the world this week, and we hope you’re doing well. We’re doing our best to create a kind, cozy community for you, so have support going into these winter months.
Here’s what’s happening this month:
Tuesday, November 10, we have a live queries and pages panel with agent Kiana Nguyen at the Donald Maass Literary Agency. If you haven’t met her, she’s delightful, and has wonderful insights into your pages. You can learn more at https://manuscriptac
Determination, Kicking Down Doors, and Joining The Publishing Industry At 40 with Agent Kelly Thomas
We are so happy to join Kelly Thomas, agent at Serendipity Literary, to talk about what happens on the agent side of the desk—how agents get hired, how much determination is involved, and what it’s like to enter the industry at 40.
Plus, as a writer herself, Kelly has extra insight into what goes through agents' minds when writing rejections--and how that affects her process now.
We also talk about:
9:07 How job application advice also applies to queries
10:06 How Kelly writes her rejectio
#TenQueries With Agent Megan Barnard
We are so happy to join Megan Barnard on a journey through her inbox. Listen as she describes ten real queries, her thoughts on each one, and what they mean for you in your querying process. Plus, hear about her tips, how she got into agenting, and her best practices for getting an agent's attention.
Megan joined The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency as an Associate Literary Agent in 2020, after interning for nearly three years at several top literary agencies, including P.S. Literary Agency a
100th Episode! Agents Kayla Lightner, Fiona Kenshole, Saba Sulaiman & Producer Marilyn Atlas
We are so excited to share our 100th podcast episode! This was our very first Zoom event, our first live podcast recording with guests in the room with us--and we were thrilled to welcome more than 100 of you.
We are so happy to welcome:
Kayla Lightner, Ayesha Pande Literary
Saba Sulaiman, Talcott-Notch Literary
Fiona Kenshole, Transatlantic Agency
Marilyn Atlas, Book-To-Film Producer
We discussed what each agent would like to find in her inbox, how to know when you've queried enough people (
Editors Definitely Edit with Macmillan Editor Mara Delgado-Sanchez
(Note: Apologies for Jessica's sound! This is what happens when we try to use Bluetooth earbuds.)
In this episode, we talk about the challenges and insights that come with being a writer/editor, the complexities of the submission process, and how the phrase “editors no longer edit” just isn’t true (but there's plenty you can do to make the process easier for everyone).
We also discuss author-agent relationships, what it takes to be an editor in NYC, and the fact that there is no one perfect
Announcements! Last Call for Submissions + What The Hook Class + Kat Vellos on Building Community
Hey friends, we have a really exciting week, it’s September, and school is in session—so we thought we’d give you announcements just like when your vice principal would get on the PA each morning and say goooooo sports!
So here’s what’s happening this week:
Tonight, September 21, 2020, at 8 pm Eastern is the official deadline for our 100th podcast episode. As many of you know, on Thursday, September 24, at 8 pm Eastern, we’re all getting together in one giant Zoom for a panel of expert help a
Building Creative Community with Author and Speaker Kat Vellos
Watch the live recording of this event here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/kat
Are you tired of Zoom happy hours? Missing real, creative, spontaneous connection? Us too. Author Kat Vellos is here to help!
Kat says:
Welcome, friend! If you know anything about me, you know that I’d rather be greeting you with a giant bear hug… in a cozy room full of artsy conversation-provoking installations…with a table of cheese-based snacks in the corner.
Instead, we meet here, in this small box made of meta
Join Us! 100th Podcast Recording Party
View our promo video + learn more here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-100
It’s been such an amazing journey speaking with agents, editors, authors, and publishing professionals about the things that mean the most to them-–life, work, creativity, and community.
To celebrate our 100th episode, we wanted to do something new, special, interactive, and fun.
Thursday, September 24, 8:00pm Eastern, we are launching a brand new live-recording series. Agents Kayla Lightner, Saba Sulaiman, Fion
Revise & Resubmits, Editorial Notes + Finding The Hook of Your Book with Agent Jessica Watterson
We are so happy to bring you this episode with Jessica Watterson, agent at the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. We talk about plotting, tension, and exercises for making sure that each chapter moves your work forward.
We also discuss revise and resubmits (and what agents look for in requested changes), how agents write pitch letters (and sometimes test them on their families), and whether agents go on editorial power trips (not…usually, but we’ll expand on that).
Then, we move on to the rare
Writing A Manuscript That Gets And Keeps Everyone’s Attention with Agent Linda Camacho
We talk with Linda Camacho, agent at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency, about your character’s desire line—how it’s useful for both clarity and storytelling—and the deeper wish behind the ostensible goal. (For example: Ralphie in A Christmas Story wants a BB gun, but what he *really* wants is to be perceived as an adult.)
We also discuss how to work with plotters, pantsers and plantsers—and how, no matter what you’re writing, you can keep a reader’s attention.
Linda Camacho graduated from Cornel
Writers House Agent Allie Levick and Bestselling Author Cameron Kelly Rosenblum
JOIN US Tuesday, August 11, 8pm Eastern for a FREE event with Cameron. Sign up here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/cam
New in our series with literary agents and debut authors, we chat with Writer’s House agent Allie Levick, and her client Cameron Kelly Rosenblum, author of the Kirkus starred young adult novel, The Stepping Off Place. This novel is described by Booklist as, “Beautifully written examination not only of the sadness of grief, but the uncertainty it can bestow upon everything, from
Brontë’s Mistress with author-agent team Finola Austin and Danielle Egan-Miller
We’re so pleased to welcome our first-ever historical fiction writer to the Manuscript Academy Podcast. Finola Austin is the author of Brontë’s Mistress, a story that Hazel Gaynor, New York Times bestselling author of The Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter, calls “A beautifully written, highly seductive debut…The chemistry between Branwell and Lydia positively crackles on the page."
Joining Finola is her agent Danielle Egan-Miller, president of Brown & Miller Literary Associates. A mighty team, they
Improv For Writers with Agent Gordon Warnock and Author Jorjeana Marie
In this special episode, we talk with agent Gordon Warnock and author Jorjeana Marie about how to reignite your creativity, learn to trust yourself, and stay inspired along the way.
We learn how they met (in the slush pile!), why people are pressured to choose just one creative passion (and what you should do about it), and (perhaps most important) how to bring back the joy of creation to your work.
Jorjeana Marie is a storyteller. Whether it’s as a writer for Disney’s “Mickey and the Roadster
How To Write Children's Books That Surprise and Delight with Agent Fiona Kenshole
We are so pleased to welcome Fiona Kenshole, senior agent at Transatlantic Agency, to discuss all things children’s books. If you’re writing picture books, early readers, chapter books or middle grade, this episode is for you.
We talk about how children’s publishing is different from adult publishing, the elements each age group needs, building tension, creating voice, and writing about power and autonomy as seen from a child’s perspective.
We also talk about image notes (and why they’re so
First Page Action (vs. Peak Action), Characters, Comps and High Concept Works with Kristy Hunter
We talk about how two agents can have completely different comps for the same book (and both can be correct), how high concept works have their own stealth press packet (you've probably unwittingly taken part in their marketing), and tips for writers pitching in the pandemic (hint: it's not as bad as you think).
We also talk about starting in action (versus peak action), how YA needs two layers (your unique concept + typical teen emotional life), and how we can create a strong character from t
Worldbuilding, Tension, and A Healthy Editorial Relationship with Lani Forbes and Samantha Wekstein
This week we speak with author and teacher Lani Forbes about her YA fantasy novel, The Seventh Sun, and her agent, Samantha Wekstein at Thompson Literary Agency. Samantha represents a wide range of authors from picture books up through adult.
We talk about how they knew they were the right fit--how they work together on edits--and how Samantha actually stayed up all night to read this book by the offer deadline. (#Dedication.)
Then the main part of the episode—worldbuilding!
9:48: How Lani a
Allyship, Resources, and Talented Authors To Support Right Now
Black Lives Matter.
A note from Jessica:
Here at The Manuscript Academy, we're all about real, authentic conversations that accomplish something important. Here are some resources to help you get started on becoming a better ally--how to support your friends, have difficult conversations with your relatives, and learn more about the cultural moment happening right now. (It's our hope that history books will remember this as the moment it all, finally, got better.) This is all a long, ongoing p
Live Agent Q&A: Queries, Secret Agent Meetings, and Advice for Graphic Novels & Picture Books
In this very special episode—our first live-streamed Q&A—we talk about agent Alyssa Jennette's unusual entry to publishing, the tips she has for writers, and her answers, in the moment, to your most burning publishing questions. We cover her requirements for queries, whether agents have secret meetings, when agents fire clients, advice for graphic novelists and picture book writers, and much, much more.
Want to join us for the next live recording? Or view this as a video? Head to ManuscriptAca
Comp Titles, Platform, and How To Do Your Research with Simon & Schuster Editor Hannah Robinson
This week’s episode is all about comparative and competitive titles—what they are, how they work, and the most common writer mistakes.
We talk about the books that are off-limits for comps, how to figure out if a book you’re considering is the right size (based off of information that is easily searchable), and how comps are just like the human “algorithms” you use every day to help your friends read, learn, and cook.
We also talk about non-traditional (and more accessible!) definitions of pl
Acquisitions, "The Numbers," and How Editors Make Them Work, with Macmillan Editor Rachel Diebel
In this episode, Macmillan editor Rachel Diebel walks us through how acquisitions work at Macmillan, why the numbers aren’t always the determining factor (and what “the numbers” means), and submission guidelines (and what you should think if you are on submission for months).
We also discuss imprints within imprints, publishing in quarantine, and her least favorite thing about the industry.
Rachel is an editor at Feiwel & Friends (an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group), acquiring
Marathon, Not A Sprint: How Author Molly McCaffery Signed With Agent John Cusick
In this uplifting, inspiring episode, we talk about how Molly McCaffery received more than 100 rejections, shelved more than three books–-and then landed top agent John Cusick.
We talk about her journey, how she learned to successfully pivot, and the querying tips you can only learn after sending out that much work and spending that much time in the query trenches.
We also talk about how to put your reader first (one of the top things John looks in a client), what Molly thinks about MFA’s vers
Voice In A Manuscript with Agent Stephanie Winter
We are so happy to bring you this conversation with Stephanie Winter, an agent at P.S. Literary.
We talk about how agents read differently than most book buyers, the logistics of selling a series, and what word counts scare us (and what we do about it). Plus, how rejection is kind of like a video game, what agents are *really* thinking during live pitch meetings—and how we envision a “be an agent for a day” program.
And, perhaps most exciting, Stephanie discusses what makes great for voice in
Agent Lauren Spieller on Book Scouting, Building Tension, and What You Really Need to Succeed
We talk with writer-turned-agent Lauren Spieller about publishing in quarantine, long-term industry hope, and what this means for you (and your book) right now.
We also discuss book scouting, selling books abroad, and whether writers should move to New York (NO!). We discuss what you actually need for a successful writing career, how Lauren had a brilliant idea for getting into the industry, and what she would change about publishing if she could.
Also, much to Julie’s amusement, we grapple wi
Subjectivity In Publishing (And Why It's Good For Your Book) With Agent Kayla Lightner
We talk with Kayla Lightner, agent at Ayesha Pande Literary, about how agents are trained to go through their inboxes—the role of subjectivity—and the benefits of a very specific #MSWL.
We discuss the energy of querying—how that’s conveyed to new publishing hires—and what this means for you, your work, and your chances in publishing.
Comps, also, come up as useful not only to your pitch, but also as an editorial tool to convey specific direction. And we talk about why people in publishing are
Sales, Production, and Husband and Wife Macmillan Editors Kate Meltzer and Brian Geffen
Welcome to a #MSWL podcast first--a married publishing couple describing literary life, work, and how to make the most of both.
We discuss what they'd love to see in their inboxes (and how their tastes vary), the crazy coincidences of their love story (they both went to Paris, worked at Scholastic, and lived in the same town before meeting), and how they both started their careers as the unsung heroes of the publishing world, in sales and production.
Naturally, we talk about how these departm
How To Pitch When Publishing Is In Quarantine with Agent Amy Elizabeth Bishop
We talk about how to submit during quarantine (Should you? Is publishing shut down? Is it really going as well as everyone says?), the importance of platform (and how selling nonfiction is different), and the emotional toll of rejections (and how agents feel about them).
We also talk about how to make your writing seem effortless, what NYC life is like for new agents (hint: lots of bagels) and Amy’s new pitch panel, March 31.
Learn more about that here: http://live.manuscriptacademy.com/amy/
MFA's, Community & Identity with Editor Vivian Lee
We are so pleased to speak with writer and editor Vivian Lee about the importance of literary community, what it was like for her to work in publishing at Little A/Amazon, and how our industry has changed over the past decade.
We also discuss California Pizza Kitchen, fusion cuisine, and the immigrant experience--finding the perfect Mother's Day present for the mother who traveled 7,000 miles for you--and how Vivian's writing and editing processes start with specific ideas and images and branch
Stand-up Comedy, Agenting, and Rage Push-Ups with Agent Barbara Poelle
We speak with agent, author, and stand-up comedian (yes, really!) Barbara Poelle about the Venn diagram of editorial needs, not swearing before 10 a.m., and how breaking all the rules worked out spectacularly well for one of her clients.
Barbara’s new book, Funny You Should Ask: Mostly Serious Answers to Mostly Serious Questions About the Book Publishing Industry, is half love letter and half guidebook for the publishing industry.
What to Submit to Barbara:
Barbara is looking for high octan
Tom Lutz, Professor, Writer & Founder of The Los Angeles Review of Books
We are so happy to talk with Tom Lutz. By day, he teaches creative writing at the University of California in Riverside and manages the LA Review of Books, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting writing about literature, culture and the arts. By night, he’s a rocker in bar bands. In between, he’s on a quest to visit every country in the world: 135 down, only 60 to go. This vagabond has dovetailed his wanderlust and passion for writing into seven nonfiction books—some on travel, one on the history of
#TenQueries with Literary Agent Stephanie Winter
Join us for a look inside a literary agent's inbox! Listen as she decides, in the moment, what to request, what to reject, and why.
Stephanie Winter is an associate agent at P.S. Literary. She first joined the agency as an intern before becoming the agency’s relations assistant. Stephanie is a dedicated bookseller who holds a B.A. from the University of Toronto in English Literature and a M.A. in English: Issues in Modern Culture from University College London. Her experiences of living and tr
Procrastination, Deadlines & The Editorial Process with #1 NYT Bestselling Author Melissa de la Cruz
We are so excited to welcome internationally bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz to our podcast!
Melissa is incredibly successful--she's written more than 50 books, and sold more than 8 million copies.
But her path to publication was anything but easy. It took four agents and many "almost but not quite" responses to sell her first book. There are lunches she thought would turn into offers, and years of working at her day job and hoping for the best.
Now, Melissa is at the top of her game-
The First Three Chapters with Simon & Schuster Editor Hannah VanVels
We talk with editor-turned-agent Hannah VanVels about how to keep an agent reading, what to put in your first three chapters, and why publishing takes so long (and sometimes even the pieces we’re *most excited about* have to wait).
Plus, we discuss her current wishlist, unusual rom com mash-ups, and the different tactics used by editors vs. agents when reading submissions.
We also talk about nudging authors (can we have your manuscript, say, now?), the border between editing and over-editing (
Publicists, DIY Book Publicity + Tips for Introverts with Dana Kaye Publicity
We loved talking with Dana Kaye, a publicist who not only does amazing work for her clients, but who comes up with creative ways to help more writers--and their books--succeed.
How do you know if it's worth hiring a publicist? And, if you can't, what can you do on your own? Dana breaks these questions into concrete steps to determine whether you'll get a return on investment--and what you can do for yourself and your work along the way.
Contrary to the image of the shiny, terrifying, shoulder
Writing This Decade: A Pep Talk From Julie
Happy New Year!
Julie's checking to see how you are all doing and to talk to you about resolutions for 2020.
Maybe if you are on Twitter or any form of social media, you’ve noticed people chatting about all of their successes and book deals coming out.
To those people, we're so incredibly proud of you.
Here's a pep talk for everyone in the query trenches, hoping to make this decade the best writing years yet.
Learn more about our podcast here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast
Holiday Party 2019! LIVE-Recorded Workshop And Happy Hour
This is a very special episode—our LIVE-recorded Holiday Party & Write-In 2019! Book Coach Anna Conathan joins us for an evening of prizes, surprises, writing prompts Q&A, trivia and more!
Please note that this episode includes some adult language and themes—so don’t listen in public without earbuds.
If you’d like to join our next event live, join our mailing list at ManuscriptAcademy.com/subscribe.
You can view the live-recorded VIDEO version of this (with the text chat!) at https://manus
First Page Podcast with Anna Conathan PLUS Holiday Party!
We are so pleased to invite Anna Conathan, of Anna Conathan Coaching, to the podcast. She's one of our special guests for the 2019 Holiday Party! Get on the list--it's free, fun, available on any smart device. Get yourself on the list (and enter our raffle) here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/rsvp
Need a gift for the critique partner who has everything--or maybe for you? Instant download certificates for membership, classes, critiques, consultations and more available at ManuscriptAcademy.com/g
PitchWars, Agenting, and Both Sides of the Desk with Heather Cashman
You likely know Heather Cashman as Brenda Drake's partner in PitchWars. Now an agent at Storm Literary, she brings us wisdom from both sides of the desk--what rejections really mean, what it feels like to send them, and how you should interpret them.
Plus, we talk about what it's like to be a new agent, the rejections agents face, and so much more.
You can learn more about Heather at heathercashman.com.
Included with this episode is an invite to our e-Holiday party, December 16, 8:30pm EDT. H
Kensington Editor Norma Perez-Hernandez on First Paragraphs, Rom Coms, and Ideas for Publishing
We love Norma Perez-Hernandez (editor at Kensington Publishing Corp) for her warmth and humor, and the way she makes publishing approachable, thoughtful and kind.
You'll hear how much she cares for her authors, the enormous number of things she does each day, and her ideas on how we can move the industry forward.
We also talk about how genres change--how rom coms simply could not work when she started in publishing but are thriving now--and what this means for trends in the industry.
We're su
Our Live-Recorded Write-In Workshop
Ever wish you could carry around a writing class in your pocket? One with special agent and editor guests, a rad* theme, and way too much coffee?
Now you can. Our Write-In Workshop from last week (you can still see the full replay here, if you'd like the video too: https://manuscriptacademy.com/back-to-school-write-in) features all the ways thinking about your character in school--plus the resulting conflicts, social hierarchies, friends and crushes--can give you a deeper understanding of that
It's MSWL Day! Here's Your Guide to Searching, Connecting + Finding Your Match
Welcome to the #MSWL Day Guide! We speak with KK Hendin and Jessica Sinsheimer about the beginnings of MSWL, how best to search the feeds (and find your agent and editor matches), what to do with that information, and how to improve your chances by showing your work.
Search techniques are at about 6:15, and reference ManuscriptWishList.com/search.
Need help? Tweet us @KKHendin and @Jsinsheim and @MSWLMA
View our new season of live workshops + special events panels, classes and more at Manus
60: #TenQueries With Agent Caitlin McDonald
One of our newest faculty members, agent Caitlin McDonald, was kind enough to give us a guided tour of her query inbox. Like #TenQueries on Twitter, this is an honest look at what agents actually receive, what works, what doesn't, and why.
Caitlin McDonald is an agent at Donald Maass Literary Agency, where she represents adult and young adult fantasy and science fiction as well as select nonfiction titles. She has worked with numerous award-winning and bestselling authors, created high-profile
59: Back-to-School Pep Talk for Writers
Julie Kingsley loves back to school so much, she forced Jessica Sinsheimer to let her jump on top of her soapbox and talk all things writing. Join Julie for this short and concise podcast discussing good writing practice, practical goal setting tips, and more.
** September Special**
Julie will be open this month for ten-minute sessions for the low price of $25. This is perfect for people who are new to the Manuscript Academy process, or those who’d just like a regular writer to look at work b
58: From Agent To Editor: Molly Cusick, Editor at Sourcebooks
We talk with Molly Cusick (formerly Molly Jaffa) about her transition from agent to editor, what editorial meetings REALLY look like, and why many publishing rules are made to be broken.
As Molly says, love can appear when you least expect it—and this applies to books as well as relationships.
We also discuss Coney Island, historical NYC, and how she met her literary husband. (It’s very New York.)
You can meet with Molly (and book a written critique) here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/mol
57: Live Recorded: Why Does Publishing Take So Long?
Last week, we joined Melissa Warten, editor at Macmillan, LIVE to discuss publishing timelines, your questions about the industry, and your first pages--all in a helpful, fun panel. While the first pages are just for ticketholders, you can listen in on the Q&A portion of the event here, where Melissa explains just what publishers are doing while you wait...and wait...and wait.
You can hear Melissa's first podcast episode, a live meeting with an author--and book a meeting with Melissa--here: ht
56: Live Meeting: Macmillan Editor Melissa Warten and Author Brooke Urban
Macmillan editor Melissa Warten joins extremely brave and awesome writer Brooke Urban to go over her first page on the air. With a focus on the line between mysterious and vague (when are you giving your reader enough information? When are you giving them so much that it takes away all narrative tension?), the 25-word descriptions that can ground your reader, and why (most) everyone hates prologues, we go over universal lessons of keeping an agent reading.
Please see below to follow along with
56: Research, Historical Novels, and Helen Gurley Brown with Park Avenue Summer Author Renee Rosen
We spoke with Renee Rosen, author of Park Avenue Summer from Penguin Random House, about her process, her amazing research, and what she wishes writers could know about what it's like after book six. Pitched as Mad Men meets The Devil Wears Prada, the story features a young woman who, just after arriving in NYC from her small hometown, secures a position working for the inimitable Helen Gurley Brown at Cosmopolitan.
Renee shares insights from her many years as a published author--the winding ro
55: Pep Talk: Persistence, Surprises, and Getting Un-Stuck
This week, Academy co-Founder Julie Kingsley, who's taught writing for more than 20 years, brings you a pep talk on how to keep going--and get un-stuck. This episode includes encouragement, exercises--and a special surprise for you if you keep listening.
We also have a FREE write-in coming up June 24--join us at https://manuscriptacademy.com/rsvp.
And a LIVE query workshop with Katharine Sands, agent and creator of Pitch To Page (one of our most popular classes) July 1. See: https://manuscrip
54: Graphic Novels with Stephanie Guerdan at Harper
If you've ever wondered why graphic novels are doing so well, this episode is for you. We talked with editor Stephanie Guerdan at HarperCollins about cosplay, Comic Con, and what it really takes to join the industry (the answer may surprise you).
Lest you worry that the whole episode is serious, we also chat about tattoos, comics, marine biology, and why no one in publishing can do math.
53: Live Pitches, Thrillers, And A Large Emotional and Aesthetic Range
We spoke with Jess Dallow, agent at Brower Literary & Management, about live pitch sessions from the agent side of the desk. We cover when to book them, when you're most likely to get a yes, and how to make them go as well as they possibly can--for you and the agent. (Agents do, after all, want and need to find work they love.)
We also talk thrillers, criminal profiling, serial killers, child psychopaths, Sweet Valley High, and how a lot of publishing is an Elizabeth but wants to be a Jessica.
52: A Real Live Consultation with Agent Danielle Chiotti
Ever wonder what happens when you meet with an agent? Two very generous people--Danielle Chiotti, agent, and Kayla King, writer--let us listen in on their consultation. In this episode, Danielle reacts to Kayla's page in the moment, asks for clarification, and comes up with solutions on the spot to make Kayla's page (even) stronger.
Want to see Danielle's LIVE first pages panel on May 14, 8:30pm EDT? Send your page and a question ahead for a chance of live feedback from Danielle, Jessica and J
51: Structure, Characters + Narrative Beats with agent Hannah Fergesen
Hannah Fergesen of KT Literary joins us to talk about how she moved from film to publishing (and what makes the two industries different and the same), how R&Rs can turn to offers (and vice versa), and why just because we like a project doesn't mean we can take it on.
Naturally, we talk about Buffy (it was inevitable), Hannah's fascination with darker works, and why sometimes younger editors take on riskier projects.
We also talk about structure—how to make sure that your characters motivate a
50: Our LIVE 50th Episode Extravaganza with Fiona Kenshole
The wonderful Fiona Kenshole, Senior Agent and Partner at Transatlantic Literary Agency, kindly joined us for a grand experiment--a live recording of this podcast, plus a first pages panel.
You'll hear us (try to) pop champagne (you guys, you have no idea what a miracle this is), discuss what works for Fiona, what she sees on our side of the desk--and why everything takes SO long in our industry.
Plus we talk first pages, and what makes them work--and how Fiona chooses her clients.
Want to
49: Simon & Schuster Editors Liz Kossnar and Krista Vitola
Krista Vitola and Liz Kossnar, two wonderful--and very different--editors from Simon & Schuster, joined us to talk about how to have a good relationship with your editor, how to read the signs that someone might be into your type of book--and what they'd love to invent (including, among other things, their own podcast--we'll keep you updated!).
These hilarious, insightful ladies have two very distinct styles, which is a great illustration of how personality plays a role in the publishing proce
Picture Books and Adults Talking Kidlit With Editor Aneeka Kalia at Viking/Penguin Random House
What's better than a bunch of adults talking about kidlit? This episode, we learn about the hilarious inner workings of Very Serious Adult Meetings about picture books, what's working in the children's literature world, and why we think #Kidding is just as important as #Adulting. Plus, we touch on soccer, Bend It Like Beckham, representation in publishing, spontaneous dance parties, and how Aneeka defied all advice and ended up in the publishing industry. Once you listen to this episode, you'll
Agent-Author Team Eric Smith + Mike Chen: When NOT to Give Up
We are so excited to congratulate author Mike Chen and agent Eric Smith on the release of the beautiful, moving novel HERE AND NOW AND THEN with Harlequin MIRA. Mike has been our friend for years and even built the version of ManuscriptWishList.com that you see now. Eric Smith is an agent at P.S. Literary, and a faculty member with us at the Academy.
Today on the podcast, we talk editing, long submission times, when to give up—and when you really, really shouldn’t. Eric and Mike have a dynamic
46: #TenQueries with Samantha Wekstein, Writers House
Samantha Wekstein, agent at Writers House, was generous enough to join us for a #TenQueries episode. We chat with her about how she got into publishing (she worked with Jessica first!), some amazing things she's created along the way--and how this shapes what she looks for.
Then we asked her to go through her queries inbox, choose ten at random--and tell us what they are, why they work, what they can do better--and what this means for you at home.
You can book a meeting with Samantha at http
Episode 45: Stephanie Stein from HarperCollins Children's/HarperTeen
We talk with Stephanie Stein at HarperCollins about California and New York publishing, a typical day in the life of a Big Five editor, and what it takes to impress a publishing person (in books and TV, theater, and otherwise).
Stephanie is an absolute editorial rock star--literally every person who receives a critique from her is thrilled, so we talk about her process, and how it is similar and different from her day-to-day editing.
She also tells the story of the magical day she (almost lit
First Pages Podcast: Something Beautiful by Jasmine Rasmussen
Join Jessica and Julie for a First Pages podcast featuring this page by Jasmine Rasmussen. Please feel free to follow along with the page (below) while we read and analyze the text for what works, and for what could be added to make it stronger.
Love (Chapter 1)
We stop at a grocery store on the way out of town, the one with a gas station and next to the Dollar Tree me and Ava shopped at last week. I type in Mom’s rewards number on my pump, pretending it doesn’t bother me when her na
Episode 43: Great First Lines with Agent John Cusick
We speak with agent John M. Cusick of Folio Literary Management about great first lines, what they can do for your work--and how they can make a good first impression that will stick with your reader, whether in a bookstore or in the slush pile.
John's class is available (with our full library of classes) at ManuscriptAcademy.com.
You can find him online at JohnMCusick.com, or at https://twitter.com/johnmcusick
Episode 42: Literary Libations
Grab your favorite drink, maybe a nice pot of hot oolong tea, or a dry martini with a twist. If you’re in the autumn mood, pour a nice glass of fresh-squeezed cider or a hot toddy complete with a cinnamon stick. No matter the choice, you’ll enjoy today’s podcast about drinks and books, writing and relationships.
Agent Andrea Somberg of the Harvey Klinger Literary Agency and her fabulous client Amira K. Makansi join us to discuss Literary Libations: What to Drink with What You Read. We’ll cha
Episode 41: #TenQueries with Agent Roseanne Wells
Agent Roseanne Wells of The Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency goes through her query inbox, narrating for us both what's in there and what writers can learn from these works. We discuss everything from picture books to adult sci fi, tropes (for queries and in books) that work and are best avoided, and personalization that reads as such--and how we can tell if it's a simple cut and paste to all the agents on your list.
We also talk about what works for illustrators, and styles in query sentenc
Episode 40: Jennifer Thermes: Finding Your Creative Voice
Julie talks with award-winning author-illustrator Jennifer Thermes about the relationship between text, images, and the picture book process--why it takes so many hours to find your creative voice--and how focusing on the long game is what will get you through the ups and downs of publishing.
JENNIFER THERMES is a children’s book author, illustrator, and map illustrator. She graduated from Parsons School of Design with a degree in Communication Design. Her books have received a Kirkus starred r
Episode 39: Editors, Query Mistakes, and The Best Cookies Ever
We talk with agent Whitney Ross at the Irene Goodman Literary Agency about why she never says she *doesn't* want something in her inbox, the different levels of editors and why they matter--why you don't need a master's to work in publishing.
Then we veer into delicious territory, talking about the best chocolate chip cookies, how to hide the taste of cake mix, and Whitney's husband's winemaking abilities. We also talk about television reboots, including Jessica's favorite, Daria.
We discuss
Episode 38: Most Likely to Survive The Zombie Apocalypse: Jen Gunnels at Tor/Macmillan
Please note: This episode contains adult language, but because Jen uses it so artfully, we couldn't stand to bleep it out.
If you're listening around children, you may wish to grab some headphones and/or prepare your explanations for what those words mean.
Jessica Sinsheimer went into the Tor/Macmillan offices to speak with the intrepid editor Jen Gunnels. We talk about why she never sends an editorial letter without a phone call, why authors need to trust their teams--and how writers can som
Episode 37: The Literary Life with Lilly Dancyger
We spoke with Lilly Dancyger, writer, editor of Narratively, and creator of Memoir Monday, a weekly newsletter and monthly reading series co-curated by Narratively, Catapult, Granta, Guernica, The Rumpus, Longreads and Tin House. She has bylines all over town, a great sense of where to find the best fun in NYC (hint: it involves tens of thousands of people dressed up as sea creatures), and an anthology of women's anger called BURN IT DOWN coming out with Seal Press in 2019.
If you've ever wonde
Episode 36: #TenQueries with Agent Kelly Van Sant
Join Kelly Van Sant, literary agent at Red Sofa Literary, to analyze ten random queries in her inbox. Along the way, learn how she decides when to say yes, when to say no, and when to decide later--how common it is that people don't even get her name right--and why a query doesn't have to be perfect (but does have to be great) to get a yes.
You can book time to go over YOUR query at http://manuscriptacademy.com/kelly-van-sant/.
Kelly Van Sant has a decade of experience in the publishing indus
Episode 35: Author Hanna Alkaf
We speak with the amazing Hanna Alkaf, author of THE WEIGHT OF OUR SKY, (Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster, 2019), about multiple offers--managing your writing career and writing friendships when you don't live in the United States--and the amazing story of her role in Malaysia's most recent election.
We left this talk feeling so hopeful for the world--and trust you will, too.
You can follow Hanna here: https://twitter.com/yesitshanna or visit her site here: https://hannaalkaf.com/.
Here's the ar
Episode 34: #TenQueries with Jessica
We join Jessica to talk #TenQueries in her inbox, and what we can learn from them--and from submissions in general.
In addition to common mistakes and inbox trends, you'll learn why you shouldn't overestimate your competition--and why all of Jessica's interns end up feeling better about their own writing after reading queries. (Hint: If you're doing ANY research, you're in the top 50%. This podcast counts as research! Feel good about yourself.)
Episode 33: The Least Cynical People In Publishing
So Jessica threw a party. For interns--sixty of them, recommended by agents and editors. With a small recorder and a lot of luck, she asked them YOUR questions from the Facebook group--most of them fitting into one of three categories: 1) What advice do you have for interns? 2) What advice do you have for writers? 3) How would you change the industry, if you had all the money and power in the world?
We love their answers, and talk about what it means to be the least cynical people in publishing
Agents, Lawyers, and Book Contracts: With Agent And Lawyer Melissa Edwards
Melissa Edwards (agent at Stonesong Literary, former lawyer, and founder of MLE Consulting) joins us to talk contracts, specialties, and what happens when another kind of lawyer attempts to negotiate a publishing contract. You'll learn the worst clause she's ever seen (it's so bad you guys), what will stay the same pretty much no matter what--and why these rights matter.
You'll also learn about why you don't HAVE to have an agent to get a good deal--and how Melissa's new venture, MLE Consultin
Episode 31: First Pages with Author Cameron Rosenblum
Longtime critique partners Julie Kingsley and Cameron Rosenblum dive into another first page for The Manuscript Academy Podcast. Join them for a quick reading and review of contemporary YA first page. Repped by the fabulous Brianne Johnson, a Senior Agent at Writer’s House, Cameron is a school librarian, who served as a judge for the CYBIL’s Award and was a guest blogger for the Nerdy Book Club.
This page by author Lauren Shade.
CHAPTER ONE
SADIE
I can't get caught.
My stomach turns as I u
Episode 30: Publishing Entrepreneurship, Couchsurfing, and Erik Hane from Red Sofa Literary
We speak with agent Erik Hane of Red Sofa Literary about how he got his start, how he used to think fiction writers were hired--and the programs he'd build if given the funding. We also spend a brief moment talking about how #MeToo has come to publishing. Plus, some dangerous-sounding winter sports Erik and Julie seem to know way too much about. (We're glad they're safe, and hope Erik gets a sled dog soon.)
You can listen to the Print Run episode we mentioned (episode 60) here and see all of th
Episode 29: The Creation of Brooding YA Hero PLUS A New Class!
We speak with author Carrie DiRisio, the voice behind Brooding YA Hero, plus her agent, Melissa Edwards at Stonesong Literary, and her editor, Alison Weiss at Sky Pony Press. Together, we discuss the creation of Brooding YA Hero, and how it became a book that is so much more than a Twitter feed. (Plus, of course, we talk about how platform can help your work--and what to do if it's uncomfortable for you.)
PLUS we introduce Carrie's new class--all about tropes, and how you can use them, twist t
Episode 28: An Interview with Kiana Nguyen
We speak with literary agent Kiana Nguyen of Donald Maass Agency about being a writer AND agent, her days as a park ranger in California and New York, and what she'd do with a Ph.D. in Anthropology.
PLUS, we talk about her unusual journey into publishing--which involved Twitter networking, a contest, and getting killed in a work of fiction, The Intern's Handbook by Shane Kuhn: http://www.shanekuhn.com/the-intern-s-handbook.html
We also discuss why a form letter is just a form letter--but that
Episode 27: GOAL! Video Podcast
Happy 2018! We're here to talk about your goals, and how best to accomplish them.
NEW FEATURE: You can now *watch* this podcast as a video. In fact, it will make a lot more sense if you do! Just head on over to http://manuscriptacademy.com/videopodcast/ to view. It'll work on your phone, just like a podcast--but with a behind-the-scenes look at how we make these.
To vote for donkey or camel, please visit: http://manuscriptacademy.com/donkey-or-camel/
The books we mentioned; Big Magic by Eliz
Episode 26: We're on a Boat! OR: The International Writer
We talk with agent Kurestin Armada (P.S. Literary) and her client, Amy Schaefer, who not only got an offer of representation while in another country--but while on a boat near Papua New Guinea. Without wifi. Or phones. Just one radio.
Many writers worry about whether they can possibly get an agent's attention, and sell books in the US, if they live abroad.
For all of the writers out there, we hope this episode puts you at ease. If Kurestin and Amy can do it with a single sideband radio, an o
Episode 25: The Holiday e-Party of the Season
Join us December 11, at 8:00pm EST, for a happy hour featuring writers, agents, editors--all coming together to celebrate the season. PLUS there will be prizes, giveaways, and more.
Listen in for tips on what to bring, what to drink--and how to make the most of this annual event.
Episode 24: Pitch Sessions: Tips from Melissa Edwards
For the first in this series (all about live meetings!), we talk with agent Melissa Edwards at Stonesong about live pitches, e-consultations, and what works—and doesn’t—in each.
What makes a writer successful in these meetings? How do they best get answers that move their work forward? And what’s the difference between pitch and summary—and what blend helps you the most?
(And yes, that super long, awkward pause is on purpose. Form matching content. You'll see.)
Learn all this--and more--with
Episode 23: Comp Titles with Rachel Ekstrom Courage
We asked Rachel Ekstrom Courage to talk about comp titles--comparative and competitive works that can, when used correctly in your pitch, give an agent a quick (and useful) idea of what your work is like, where it would fit in the marketplace, and who would read it.
When used badly, comps can read like "This is Harry Potter meets The DaVinci Code meets Eat, Pray, Love"--both vague and an indicator of a lack of research.
How do you use them to your advantage? Listen in!
Episode 22: #TenQueries with agent John Cusick
We asked agent John Cusick at Folio Literary to narrate his inbox, #TenQueries style.
Just like #TenQueries on Twitter, he described what he was seeing--but you can hear in his voice when he gets surprising mistakes (and great queries!).
If you've ever wondered if agents are making up the stories of what's in their inbox (hint: if anything, they don't talk about the strangest things they receive), this is the episode series for you!
While we had him, we asked about his experiences with live
Season Two!
In our Season Two launch, Jessica and Julie talk about the Academy's plans for our second year of business (wooo!). We'll tell you a bit about our new types of episodes, new services, workshops, author experts--and more! Plus, we discuss the superpowers necessary for publishing, and what we'd do with (more than) a million dollars, if we could.
The August Episode
Jessica and Julie are melting. It's over 100 degrees, and it's August--that mythical time that Publishing slows down (even more) for a month.
In this season one finale, we discuss why August became this slower season--how a writer can best to spend that time--and what's coming up for this year in the Academy.
Episode Twenty: A Conversation With Stephanie Fretwell-Hill of Red Fox Literary
We talk with agent Stephanie Fretwell-Hill of Red Fox Literary about what happens when things go wrong during international work travel--and how the publishing community will often come together make sure everyone's okay. (You don't want to miss Stephanie's story--it's a very "Agents are people too" moment that had Jessica terrified on Stephanie's behalf. Don't worry--she ends up fine!)
We also talk about the difference between our IDEA of what a career is like, versus the reality. (Hint: We a
Episode Nineteen: A Conversation with Jaime Coyne of St Martin's/Macmillan
We talk with editor Jaime Coyne, of St. Martin's Press/Macmillan, about the joys and stresses of being and editor who also writes--or did also write--or now speculates about how many editors and agents secretly write. Meanwhile, plenty of tips on how Jessica imagines that going (catastrophically) with social fallout (and awkward run-ins at corner stores in yoga pants after having been editorially torn apart).
Back in the real world, we discuss how different edits can lead you to the same place
Episode Eighteen: Five Days To A Fab First Page
You heard it here first! Join The Manuscript Academy--along with editors and agents from top houses and agencies--for five daily lessons, five videos, a supportive critique group, AND a LIVE first pages panel--all for $25.
Just head to ManuscriptAcademy.com/Five to learn more.
Episode Seventeen: First Pages With Kelly Van Sant
We speak with the lovely and talented Kelly Van Sant, agent at D4E0 Literary, about a new first page from author Erin Shachory.
If you'd like to submit your first page for this podcast, please send it to Academy@ManuscriptWishList.com as a Word document, with "First Page Podcast" in the subject line.
Here's Erin's first page, so you can follow along at home:
My new life begins with a spark.
First, a pinch in the center of my forehead, sharp enough to make me close my eyes. Then my
skin ting
Episode Sixteen: Reaction: The First Pages Podcast
We talk with Lindsey Danis about her experience being workshopped on our podcast, the changes she's implemented, and whether she wanted to reach through the screen and shake us for not getting it.
We also answer Lindsey's questions and talk about how much self-deprecation can work on the page (versus in real life) and how to create (and why you should try to create) an emotional and aesthetic range.
Want to volunteer as tribute? Submit your page for consideration by sending it to Academy@Man
Episode Fifteen: A Conversation with Agent Caitie Flum
In this episode, we talk with literary agent Caitie Flum of Liza Dawson Associates about online communities (and where to find your people), teleporting powers (which we would use to get lunch in Paris), and why agents do so many things for free (hint: we love the work, but it's still unpaid). We also talk about how agents can tell you haven't read enough in your genre--and why that matters. PLUS Caitie's best tips for a writer just starting out.
You can also find Caitie in episode fourteen, ou
Episode Fourteen: First Page Podcast With Agent Caitie Flum
In this new feature, we invite an expert--tonight, Caitie Flum of Liza Dawson Associates--have them pick a page from our kind volunteers. We then talk about the lessons in this page--what editorial feedback we'd suggest--and how this can apply to the pages you're writing at home.
Want to volunteer as tribute? Submit your page for consideration by sending it to Academy@ManuscriptWishList.com as a Word document. Please put "First Pages Podcast in the subject line."
If you'd like to follow along
Episode Thirteen: Our First First Pages Episode
Welcome to our very first First Pages episode! In this new series, we'll be discussing the most interesting first pages we can get our hands on--YOURS! We'll ask agents and editors to join us in finding the lessons in these pages that not only improve this work--but give you ideas for your own. Want to submit a page for consideration? Send it to Academy@ManuscriptWishList.com.
We're joined this week by the lovely and talented literary agent Linda Camacho of the Prospect Agency. You can view he
Platform, Publishing & Publicity in Your Pajamas
This week we talk with publicist and literary agent Dawn Michelle Hardy of Serendipity Literary Agency. We talk about publicity, and the surprising amount you can do from home, plus profit and loss statements, running marathons--and what really happens when you get rejected by a publisher. We also talk about research nonfiction writers should do BEFORE starting a proposal. And Dawn shares a fantastic story about a nervous writer pitching her in person--and what she did to calm her down. You don'
Episode Eleven: PubLaw, Negotiation, and An Interview With Lawyer-Turned-Agent Melissa Edwards
We talk with Melissa Edwards of Stonesong Literary about the transition from lawyer to agent, PubLaw basics, and how she really should start a Melissa Explains It All Podcast. We also talk about her favorite podcasts, what negotiation looks like within Publishing--and that someone should really make a product called Not So Tights for women who like to be warm AND comfortable.
Episode Ten: An Interview With Harlequin Editor Carly Silver
We speak with Harlequin editor Carly Silver about corgis, men in kilts--and whether giving birth to a baby or a book is harder. We also talk about fangirling (and when even editors have to keep their cool), the loooooooong edit process, and an average month in Carly's editing life. We also talk about how trends can help publishers find money for similar work. Added bonus: We think Google should fund what she has in mind as a 20% project. Check it out!
You can learn more about Carly at @CarlyASi
Holiday Pep Talk
This pep talk was inspired by that extremely uncomfortable phenomenon of going home for the holidays, only to be grilled by your relatives. It was made with the generous contributions of writers just like you. We hope this will give you some cheer when your family asks, "Soooo--are you still writing?" "Are you a New York Times besteller yet?" "How much money do you make?"
Explaining the writing life to your family can be hard, especially during the holidays. So when they start asking you why yo
Episode Nine: How To Be A Writer During The Holidays
Julie and Jessica talk about the best methods for dealing with annoying questions from relatives about your writing. 1) Deflect! 2) Drink. 3) All the other smart things we mention in this podcast. Give us a listen!
Episode Eight: A Conversation With Agent Kurestin Armada
We speak with literary agent Kurestin Armada about knitting, horror films, rejection--and why the passion projects are often, actually, the most practical. We also talk victory gardens, practical flowers, and what it means to read for pleasure when you're an agent. BONUS: If you're listening to this podcast, Kurestin thinks you're in good shape.
Episode 007: Party. Holiday Party.
In this episode, Julie and Jessica tell you about the (FREE! Awesome!) Manuscript Academy holiday party coming up December 13. Need props? Yes! Maybe. For best results, listen to this podcast first.
Episode Six: How To Spend Ten Minutes With An Agent
In this episode, Jessica and Julie how tell you how best to spend ten minutes with an agent--whether in a pitch session, an office hour, a craft meeting, or stuck in an elevator.
Episode Five: A Conversation With Agent Lane Heymont
We talk with Lane about photographing supermoons, what he'd do as Super Lane, and being a guy who sells romance. But not bromance. We also talk about what agents fear during pitch sessions, killing characters in picture books, and why being a veterinarian might not be the best back-up career for someone in publishing.
Episode Four: A Conversation With Agent Linda Camacho
Join us for a chat with literary agent Linda Camacho (Prospect Agency) to talk about marketing, agents getting rejected, and the horror films you should definitely be watching. Even if you're scared. Like Jessica.
Episode Three: A Conversation With Amanda Shih
Join us for a conversation with Perigee/Penguin editor Amanda Shih. We'll discuss rejection, boxing, platform--and how to have your very own art heist.
Episode Two: The Story of the Jackhammers
Julie and Jessica talk about filming day, jackhammers, dogs, cats, and how filming in homes makes for a more interactive experience.
Episode One: Origin Stories
Meet Julie, Jessica, and a crazy little project called The Manuscript Academy. Hint: It all started with a bus.