Thursday, July 31, 2008

Good Advice If You're Looking for an Agent--from Chuck Sambuchino and Victoria Strauss

Is your book ready for an agent? There are some great web sites out there, to help you find the right person--and to educate you on all the pitfalls.

A favorite is by Victoria Strauss. Click here to visit her website.

Another great site is the Guide to Literary Agents--click here.

Or Chuck Sambuchino's WritersNet's agent directory lets you search by your genre and topic. Click here.

What other great sites have you found?

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Writing Exercise of the Week--with Thanks to Carolyn See


Write a thank-you postcard (just a few lines) to five people whose books you really loved. Tell them how they changed your life. You can mail it to the publisher's address or google the author to see if you can get a real address for them.

I did this when I was eleven, for a book called The House of Thirty Cats by Mary Calhoun. I loved cats (and still do). I was astonished when I got a hand-written letter back! That book--and its author--changed my life.

As an adult, I've often found this little exercise frees me up to write better. Maybe it's because I am less concerned with competition when I feel grateful? Or I acknowledge that there's plenty of success out there for all of us?

Thanks to Carolyn See for this exercise. Her book Making a Literary Life is fun and very informative.