The World According to Agents and Editors
Reports from a Writing Conference and
Suggestions that Will Get Agents to Read Your Work
The World According to Agents and Editors
Tips from Professionals at the Backspace Writer’s Conference
Have you ever wondered about the distinctions between autobiography, narrative nonfiction and memoir? Or what differentiates commercial from literary fiction? Are character composites acceptable in memoir? What exactly is a high concept novel? Find out the answers and receive invaluable feedback in response to assignments at the end of each class.
At the Backspace Writer’s Conference in New York City, Jennifer Svendsen Delaney garnered insights from agents and editors as well as published authors. These four lessons offer advice and information that will help you to improve your odds of being considered for publication.
1. 
What makes a good query GREAT – Advice from Agents
What makes a good query GREAT – Advice from Agents This class offers tips and suggestions from agents, editors, and authors that will give you a glimpse of what publishing authorities expect and a better idea about how to plan your pitch. Learning the art of writing queries can help you move your project forward whether you are writing a novel, a memoir, a book of humor, or a non-fiction work. Agents, authors, and books will give you conflicting advice, but, ultimately, you will find your query voice and discover what works and what does not. I knew my query was on target when I began getting frequent bites instead of form rejections! The query reveals the core of your manuscript. By boiling your project down to its essence, you will learn to choose the best words to pitch an agent and most accurately represent your book. You will be required to draft a query if you have not done so already and I will offer you feedback.
Panelists included: Simon Lipskar – Agent/Writer’s House, Paige Wheeler (Agent/Folio Literary Management), Jeff Kleinman (Agent/Folio Lit.), Kristin Nelson (Agent/Nelson Literary Agency), Katherine Fausset (Agent/Curtis Brown Literary Agency), Randi Murray (Randi Murray Literary Agency), Mark Tavani (Editor/Random House)... and more.
2.It’s a Fine Line – determining your genre
It’s a Fine Line – determining your genre Based on conversations between editors, authors and agents at the conference, this class considers the distinction between autobiography, narrative nonfiction, and memoir as well as the differences between commercial and literary novels. You will learn the definition of a “high concept” novel and be given the option to try your hand at one of these genres for feedback, or to receive feedback for an existing story or synopsis.
3. It’s Up To You – The skinny about marketing your book
It’s Up To You – The skinny about marketing your bookI pass along recommended websites and materials that will benefit you as you create the grassroots marketing plan required whether you self publish or are published in the bigger arena. Surprisingly, a first time author does most of the leg work and marketing to launch the book.
4. Contemplating a lecture by author and keynote speaker David Morrell
Contemplating a lecture by author and keynote speaker David MorrellMorrell is a moving and dynamic speaker. He is the award-winning author of First Blood, the novel in which Rambo was created. "The mild-mannered professor with the bloody-minded visions," as one reviewer called him, Morrell is the author of twenty-eight books. His most recent publication is the dark-suspense thriller Scavengers. Morrell is the co-president of the International Thriller Writers organization. Noted for his research, he is a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School for wilderness survival as well as the G. Gordon Liddy Academy of Corporate Security. He is also an honorary lifetime member of the Special Operations Association and the Association of Former Intelligence Officers. He has been trained in firearms, hostage negotiation, assuming identities, executive protection, and anti-terrorist driving, among numerous other action skills that he describes in his novels. With eighteen million copies in print, his work has been translated into twenty-six languages.
Start dates - July 18, 2007 - then every other Wednesday.
Course: 4 weeks
Private coaching fee for individuals: $35 hour
Tuition: $95
