Guest Blogger: Ten Things you Absolutely, Positively HAVE to do when you Finish your Novel

By Trudy Doyle

A little while back I finished a novel. When I did, I summarily thrust my fist up in the air, gave myself a firm pat on the back, then went and made dinner. Hardly a momentous celebration, but at this stage of the game, I have accomplished it a few times, so being somewhat cynical and jaded, I’m well aware the work’s really just begun. But that’s me; a bona-fide killjoy. Still, if you’re a Completion Virgin, then by all means, don’t do as I do, do as I say–give yourself a rousing huzzah! and go celebrate in the best way you can. You’ve accomplished what many people only dream about–congrats! Go tie one on because let me tell you my little dahlings: the cold light of day will dawn soon enough. And now, you may ask, what does one do next? You go down my handy checklist, is what!

1. Set the sucker aside. My advice is for a week, at least. That gives you time to bask in the afterglow of your accomplishment, imbibe vast quantities of celebratory truffles, Tater Tots or Appletinis (or whatever ignites your endorphins–oh! and of course, sweeties! That too!), and give your brain a rest for the next stage. Which is…

2. Edit, revise, rewrite. You know when your book really gets finished? When you send back the galleys. What are galleys? Er…if you have to ask, then you have a ways to go. Until then, you go over your manuscript with a magnifying glass and an eagle eye, looking for plot holes, continuity slips, characters inconsistencies, etc. This is also a good time to send it off to a beta reader, a critique partner (highly recommended) or someone you trust to give it an honest, critical read, and not someone who’ll just say “It was great!” because they didn’t want to hurt your feelings. And here’s the caveat to that–If they do criticize it for Pete’s sake, DON’T TAKE IT PERSONALLY! If they’re worth their salt as a beta reader, they’re not criticizing you, they’re criticizing the work, and it’s better hearing it from them first than having it rejected by an editor or agent because of some very fixable flaw. So do the work now, as it’s a tough business, and you need to make your work as flawless as possible.

3. Then do it again. No kidding, just when you think you have it the best it could possibly be, give the sucker another read. Only then can you check for typos and grammatical errors and please–do NOT rely on the spell checker to catch your errors. You may have written that there were too apples on the table, and your idiot spellchecker saw it as correct, so you sent it to an agent that way. Believe me, I know agents who would reject you just for that. Spelling errors scream amateur, and above all, you want to be seen as a pro, published or not. Shut off the grammar checker, too. If you’re writing to be published and you need one, then you’re not much of a writer. Dis the grammar checker and get a copy of Strunk and White’s Elements of Style. Sixty-five pages of pure grammar gold and all the English rules you’ll ever need. I have it in hardcover.

4. Make sure it’s Formatted correctly. Although some editors have their own styles, here’s the general rules: Double-spaced, Times New Roman or Courier 12pt font ONLY, paragraphs indented, no white spaces between paragraphs that aren’t scene breaks indicated by * * * * (watch this in Word 7, as it’s a default), new page for every new chapter, last name and title of the book as header on every page, THE END at the end. You might think it’s cute to do that dream sequence in Bookman Old Style, but editors and agents read all day long, and if they have to work at reading yours, trust me, they’ll pass. Don’t cut off your chances at the knees. You’ll have plenty of time later to be strikingly original when you’re at the top of the NYT list and they’re banging down the door for your grocery list.

5. Save! Save! Save! – In several places, and I mean this is all sincerity. I lost half a manuscript once several years ago because my computer crashed, and it took me over a hundred dollars and lots of angsting to get it back. Save on your hard drive, a flash drive, online. Sent it to a trusted friend. Print it out and put it in a metal filing cabinet. I have one flash drive I keep in my desk and another I keep in my purse. This is your toil and your genius; you can’t save it enough!

6. The Dreaded Synopsis and Blurb- Oh my aching neck – is there anything worse than writing a synopsis? Yes, a blurb, which is a one sentence encapsulation, boiling your 85,000 word work of art down to its very essence. I did one today in under fifteen minutes, so maybe they aren’t as hard as they seem. Maybe because they’re all foreplay, and you don’t have to go for the beginning, middle and bang-zoom! Used to be synopses were five to ten pages, but now I’m hearing the industry standard is getting closer to two. And that’s double-spaced, sweeties, with the same formatting rules applying. And don’t make it a teaser like the blurb–agents and editors will just toss it if you try to play cagey. Give the plot, characters and theme, and make sure it covers your work from beginning to end. Present tense, too, because it’s a happening thang, you see, and just the facts. They’re looking for content, not for coy. Save that for your fabulous prose.

7. More Dread – The Query Letter – There really is an art to writing these things, no kidding, and you do so need to get them right. Even before you begin your search for an editor or agent, create a good query shell as once you do, you can tailor it to each house or agency’s preferences. There’s much more information that you’ll need about crafting one than I can give you right now, so we’ll save that for another time.

8. Now do your research - What do you write? Romance, science fiction, mystery, commercial or literary fiction? Whatever the fiction (as it’s slightly different for non-fiction, and for that, I’m not quite the authority), you need to do your research so you’re targeting your work to the right house or agency. If you’re a genre writer – romance, sci-fi, mystery, etc. – there are some houses that still accept unagented fiction. It’s YOUR job to find out who they are. To do this, you might want to search the web for each publisher, pick up the latest copy of the Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market by Writer’s Digest, Jeff Herman’s Guide to Book Publishers, Editors or Literary Agents, or check out the Literary Marketplace Database at your local library (the definitive guide, a pricey subscription to get on your own, so use it at the library for free). But even those guide aren’t going to help if you don’t know what kind of fiction they buy. I always like to go to the local bookstore and browse the authors I feel my writing is most like, and then check the Acknowledgements page. See which editors and agents they thank, and that should send you in the right direction. As far as seeking out agents, Jeff Herman’s guide is great, and so is the definitive database on agents, Agent Query, agentquery.com. Also – don’t forget to schmooze! Go to writer’s conferences, attend writer’s clubs, join national organizations for your genre. At conferences, you’ll have the chance to attend editor/agent appointments and meet them in person. At writer’s clubs you’ll get to hobnob with published authors who might like you enough to recommend you to their agent or editor. Put yourself out there! Face-to-face is always the most effective.

9. Send it and forget it – Does the manuscript shine? Did all your research? Found the perfect editors and/or agents? Again EDITORS and AGENTS? And I do mean multiples, sweeties. Send them out in batches, and I do mean in handfuls. I don’t care if you found the UBER perfecto soulmate agent and/or editor. Find several. Multiples will cushion the blow for when those inevitable rejections come rolling in. Thank your lucky stars and talent if they ask for a partial or a full, but while you’re waiting, you need to spread yourself often and with quantity. I’d research at least twenty-five to start with, sending out at least five a week. And don’t forget to check their submission requirements. Not all editors or agents will take on-line submissions; there are still many who do only snail mail. And no one like attachments. Send them ONLY by invitation.

10. Now get back to writing – You’re only as good as your last book, and writers’ write, my dahlings. Do what you do best and get back to it. It’s all about the writing after all, and if you’re not doing it, there’s no need to pay attention to any of the above. Now get back to work!

Smooch!
Trudy
www.trudydoyle.wordpress.com

Guest Blogger: Just because you can’t see them (good Agents)… It doesn’t mean they’re not there!

I never decided to be a writer. I didn’t wake up one day, pick up a book, and there and then grow a large chunk of determination to become published. I always was a writer. Whether I eventually become published or not isn’t the point (although I DO want to become published, let’s get that straight). I think it’s simply in my genes. I get the distinct impression that if I had started out on the road to publishment (is there such a word?) with the idea of making money, I would have quickly become lost down a side street, never to be seen again. I write for a living. Not a bad living. But not the living I really want. I write ad copy. Good ad copy, I might ad.

But somewhere along the line a bunch of characters insinuated themselves into my head by the back door, and pestered the hell out of me to write about them. And so was born my first book. Heaven Help Us.

I thought I’d done the hard bit in writing the book. Oh boy…..if only.

I wanted to do things the old fashioned way. Analogue. Not digital. I wanted paper between my fingers. I wanted a publishing house to bite my hand off all the way up to my elbow. But most of all, I wanted a Literary Agent. Not just ANY literary agent, mind you. I wanted one who could look at my manuscript and see behind the words. I wanted one who empathised. Who got excited. Not just by the thought of sales…but by the story itself. And beyond that…the writer.

There are lots…and lots…and LOTS of writers out there. Many of them good. Some of them very good. A few of them great. And they might not get published in the good old fashioned way. Not because of lack of talent. But because the hunt to find the right Agent wears you down. But that’s ok…because now they can e-publish (anyone can and everyone is), and cut out the middleman. It even makes them more money (well…some of them). But they’re missing out on something akin to finding the holy grail. Something that’s a bit like the missing link. Someone to watch over them. Guide them. Advise them. Prod them. Hell, even occasionally kick them where the sun doesn’t shine if they need it.

All because we writers basically just want to write. Sure, we love the book signings and the meet and greets and the readings and the recognition and the sight of our efforts sitting on booksellers shelves…then disappearing very quickly. But I’ll say it again….we love to write!

So…to all you writers out there who have tried…and tried….and TRIED, but haven’t yet found the ‘holy grail’ Agent…the one who loves your work for what it is…I have this to say. It’s only my two cents worth, but to me it’s as valuable as gold dust.

Keep on looking. Persevere. Be stubborn. Be obstinate. Be hopeful. Be patient. And never…EVER give up.

Just because you can’t see the Agent who’s right for you, doesn’t mean they’re not there. Your paths merely haven’t crossed yet. But one day… one day…

Bryce Main, UK
Facebook Page
first couple of chapters ONLY of the hiliarious Heaven Help Us on Facebook

Guest Blogs

As you may have heard through some of my invitations, I will be posting entries from guest bloggers. Their posts will be chosen by me based on the content and how helpful they are to writers and my followers. I do hope that you enjoy them and that you contribute to this new process through comments with helpful questions and encouragement. And of course, you too can submit a post for consideration at marisa@literarypowerhouse.com.

Thanks for reading!
~Marisa

So Many Changes Coming Up!

In light of the fact that I'm already over 1000 unsolicited queries backlogged, that I would like to finish submitting all of my current projects by the end of the year, and that we intend to launch the new LITERARY POWERHOUSE PORTAL in February, I have decided to suspend queries for a couple of months. Please stay tuned for the re-open announcement and changes to guidelines.

Please note that postings on this blog are managed by me directly and that the most recent and accurate information can only be found here. The L. Perkins Agency website is not managed by me, so it may not have the most current information. Please return here for updates!

Thanks for staying tuned!

~Marisa

Pitching To An Agent

One of my favorite clients is a professor at one of the best Masters Programs in writing. She recently asked me for tips that she can offer her students when pitching to an agent in person. In preparing my answer to her, I realized that this would be useful to others as well. So I decided to post it here.

When I attend a conference or listen to someone's pitch, I want to hear about a finished manuscript that is ready to be submitted. The author needs to be ready to tell me about the plot in a concise and organized way as if they were reading a blurb from the jacket of a book.Of course you don't want to actually read it, or worse, give it to me to read it.

Michael Palmer and I just did a 'What if' workshop at the Hampton Roads Conference in Virginia to help authors prepare their 30 second pitch in about 25 words. The pitch needs to tell the listener about the plot and characters in a catchy creative way. The plot, of course, should be composed of the set up, the conflict, the climax and the resolution. Its ok to ask the listener if they want to hear about plot twists, surprises, and cliff hangers. Most of us want to know all of this to know how good the read will be. We don't really read submissions for pleasure (usually and unfortunately- though we do often finish only what we enjoy). We are looking for something worth selling... So pitching should offer a hook to want us do just that.

I like the pitch to begin in a friendly, not mechanical manner. Sit down say hello, very shot chit chat, etc. Unless you're pitching at a pitch slam like Writer's Digest in NYC, where the pitches are only 3 mins- in that case, say hi and get right to it. Otherwise, you can show some humanity. This may be your chance to be remembered as a person. When ready, or on queue from the listener, begin by telling her that you have a finished [genre] MS of [# thousand] words that you believe will appeal to [target market- sex, age, other]. Then start with the plot, or character if it is a character driven story.

I'm sure that I'm not alone when I say that we don't want to hear a disorganized regurgitation of facts from the book that we need to piece together. When someone comes to me nervous, or gets started on the wrong foot, I usually stop them and tell them to relax. I tell them to pretend that they are sitting with a friend at a cozy coffee shop and they are telling me about a wonderful story that I must read. Tell it to me in a way that will interest me. Remember that it's about making me want to read it.

What someone wears is important to a certain point. Being groomed and clean is a must. Do not have food in your teeth, bad breath, soot in your eyes, or bed/hat hair. When you're sitting in front of me for ten minutes I notice all of these things. I also notice scents a lot. So body other is not acceptable. It will distract me. Clothing is important in way of making you appealing and creating a good first impression. Wear business casual clothes. Don't try too hard though either. If you're over or under dressed I may wonder about where you fit. Having said that, I would never judge your uniqueness or sense of style. We are not all fashionistas. And if you're goth, go goth. After all, you are who you are.

Needless to say that the work always speaks for it self. Ultimately we make our decisions on the saleability of the work. However, if we love a book but the author is gross or intolerable, or just plain weird, we do take that into consideration because we will have to work with this person. We need someone who is presentable and who can handle themselves in public. True, that many authors are introverts. But I don't think that that is true for the majority, and unfortunately, given today's need for marketing, having an author that can put themselves out there to create sales is imperative.

Hope that this is helpful. Please feel free to post questions here that you'd like answered.

Happy Pitching!

~Marisa

New Contest On The Block

Ebook genre fiction publisher Literary Partners Group, Inc. is sponsoring a NaNoWriMo publishing contest! Submit your 50,000-word novel in the genres of erotic romance, horror, crime, or mystery/thriller to Editorial Director Lori Perkins by December 1, 2011. Our team of editors will evaluate the submissions and choose first place winners, as well as honorable mentions, from each genre for publication by Ravenous Romance or Ravenous Shadows.

Winners will be notified by email by February 1, 2012. Each book chosen will be eligible for standard contract terms, including an advance and competitive royalty rates. The winning books will be published in e-book in 2012, with potential for print publication as well.

Please submit completed novels as word docs with a brief author bio and synopsis to lori@literarypartners.com.

Best of luck!

~Marisa

Ravenous Shadows: New Imprint for Horror, Mystery, Crime, and Thrillers

The timing could not be better for Literary Partners Group, Inc., owners of Ravenous Romance, to introduce their new imprint. A line dedicated for much desired genres of Horror, Mystery, Crime and Thrillers. Given the state of the industry, especially for horror novels, this is a gift from the gods.

Ravenous Romance, their Romance/erotica imprint, has grown exponentially and is doing very well. I can't wait to see what they do with this new line. Led by New York Times best-selling author and editor John Skipp, it is sure to be a winner. John is acquiring edgy, commercial, blood-pumping fiction by both established and new writers.

Sounds wonderful to me. Best of luck!

~Marisa

Dreadful Query Etiquette

I'm not a stickler for rules. In fact, I've broken a rule once... or twice, not that I'll ever tell you when, how, or why. My point is that I'm not as strict as some may think, and I am certainly more lax than many of my colleagues when it comes to submission etiquette.

I honestly don't expect much. If you've seen my prior posts on queries, you'll see that there are things that should and should not be included in the letter. When it comes down to it, that's all I ask for.

However, I do have some peeves that should be noted. They are mass mailing and poor formatting. I Don't like the later for the obvious reasons...it's hard to read. When I spend all day in front of a computer or book reading, my little old eyes get tired, and my brain gets saturated, and my patience... goes. I don't like things that look like they've been cut and pasted. I'm bothered when text looks different, or is indented in a way that makes me stop reading to figure out if what I'm about to read is still part of the letter. Make it at least look professional folks. Use your common sense. Please!

The second peeve I mentioned is the mass e-mail. This is actually what prompted me to write this right now. I just received a query from someone with 57 other recipients listed... Yes, FIFTY-SEVEN other agents in the "To:" line. Just to let you all know... This is a No-No. No one likes this. It is just as bad as misspelling someone's name. It shows lack of attention to detail, lack of patience, lack of respect, and, in sum, lack of professionalism. I tried to tell myself that it was fine. After all, I'm a busy person too, and I can understand anyone who is trying to save time...So I read the query.

...And I shouldn't have. I too should have saved the time, because the thing is a mess. In short, the letter contains all the errors that I feared. I've been here before. I've even posted entries in this blog about what not to do on a query, but since this one is a bit different, I decided to tell people about this one too. Hopefully, it will deter others from making the same mistakes.

In case you were wondering... I did respond to the letter. Here's what I said:

Dear John, Thanks for your submission. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to decline this book because I'm honestly not sure what it is about. Your summary includes too many different elements to accurately portray the plot of the story. You need to be more careful with punctuation and formatting. Also, just to let you know, the majority of the agents you sent this to will probably not respond to this e-mail because it is a mass e-mail. You should never include the names of all of the recipients in one e-mail. Hope this is helpful to you in the future.

I could have said more to give him better guidance. I could have referred him to an article, or a book. Then again, I probably should have saved my time and just replied, "DECLINED DUE TO LACK OF COMMON SENSE." Or even better, I should have clicked on "Reply to all" ;)

Okay, thanks for letting me vent. I feel much better. :)

Happy writing!
~Marisa

The Importance of Understanding Your Publishing Contract

Only a few things can top the satisfaction of getting a publishing contract- when that editor says, "Yes, loved it! We'd like to acquire it". The moment is unforgettable and very validating. But that is not the end of the writer’s journey. Nope, that's when the fun begins... Well, for me anyway. For most, the review and negotiation process in finalizing a publishing contract can be dreadful. This is in part because most authors aren't lawyers with years of experience in negotiating contracts, and most, unfortunately, don't know as much about the publishing business as they do about their writing. The problem, therefore, emerges mostly due to the uncertainty about the quality of the deal.

I often say "knowledge is power". If you don't know what you should be getting in a publishing contract, you won't really be able place yourself in the position to assert your rights and entitlements. And so, my first recommendation is to arm yourself with ammunition. In other words, learn how things work. There are, and I hate to state the obvious, books on the subject, and a ton of sites that can help you learn what you need to know. However, the information is often scattered, outdated, and sometimes inaccurate. So don't put all of your eggs into the proverbial basket. Talking to other writers can be a great source too. However, I find that as much as there is a camaraderie among writers, when it comes to how much money they earned or how many books sold, everyone is tight lipped. So this leaves you with me, or other literary professionals who really know the industry.

Terms to pay special attention to:

Duration of the Agreement- Publishing contracts last from 3-7 years. If at all possible, avoid anything longer than seven years, or anything that lasts for the duration of the life of the copyright. Which, by the way, is the life of the author plus 70 years, or in the case of a joint work, the term lasts for 70 years after the last surviving author's death or 75 years, whichever is longer. If a company is the author, the duration is 95 years from the year of first publication or 120 years from the year of creation, whichever expires first.

Copyright- The copyright is your legal protection to prohibit anyone other than you from reprinting and selling or disseminating your work. In the United States this right is obtained by filing an application with the US Patent and trademark Office. Not all countries have such applications/protections, but you should always apply in the USA. Your goal should be that the Publisher file the application under your name. The purpose of the contract is to give the publisher the right to publish pursuant to the copyright. We call it a license to use the copyright for the duration of the agreement and not for the duration of the copyright. You can of course, file it yourself, but it can save you the time, money and stress of not knowing what to do if they do the filing for you.

Primary and Secondary Rights- The whole point of this contract is to give the publisher the right to publish your work. So the right to print the book, and to post an e-version of the work is a given (today most publishers will demand both unless they are e-pubs who are not interested in print). However, when possible, retain some of the secondary rights- the rights to produce a film, merchandise, syndication, gaming, book club, etc. Sometimes you can even keep translation and foreign rights.

Advance- Although I can't predict how much a publisher will pay for your book, I can usually make an educated guess based on the genre, length, the author's platform, the house, the list, the budget, the economy, and prior deals of the parties involved. In other words, there are lots of factors involved, so I won't generalize here. You should know that an advance is the money that the publisher pays you in ‘advance’. Once the publisher earns back the money that they paid to you, then you start receiving royalties.

Royalty- Royalties are the percentage of the profits that the publisher will pay to you. These vary from Publishing House to Publishing House and on the medium of publication, from hardcover, to mass market, to e-books and audio books. Mass market royalties are usually the lowest, and can be as low as 4%, and e-books vary the greatest from about 6% to 65%. A good average royalty for e-books is about 35%. Self publication contracts are different.

Out of Print- The publisher will decide when the book goes out of print. Customarily, when a book is out of print for longer than a 12 month period, the author may ask to terminate the agreement and have the rights reverted.

Other terms to be aware of are anything giving the publisher the right to terminate the agreement early. Be aware of what will trigger the Termination. Pay attention to make sure that you do the edits and they approve them. Never give up the rights to change your work without approval. And if the publisher includes a clause about the right to publish an excerpt of your work for non paid marketing purposes, be sure that the word count is no more than 10% of your completed work.

Of course there’s more to the contract than these clauses, but I hope that this entry gives you a good foundation with regard to what you need to know. It is important that you are aware that there is help out there. If you are skilled and lucky enough to procure a publishing contract without an agent, you should probably have a literary consultant or an attorney take a look at the agreement and advice you on the terms or negotiate on your behalf. Just be sure that your relationship with the said professional is clearly delineated in a retainer agreement so that no agency relationship is formed unless that is your intent. An agent will be entitled to 10-15% of all your profits whereas a consultant or lawyer usually gets paid on a per hour basis or a fixed fee.

Hope you find this helpful. Please feel free to post comments and questions or e-mail me at consulting@corvisierolaw.com if you need help with your publishing contract.

Here’s to your next deal contract!

~Marisa

Literary Consulting Services

A few months ago I hinted at an upcoming announcement.... I am very excited to announce that together with my partner Jo Ann Kairys, and some of our brilliant colleagues, starting August 1st, we will be offering Literary Consulting Services under a new entity called Literary PowerHouse Consulting, LLC.

Jo Ann is a colleague, author, editor, publisher, and friend, whom I admire and respect enough to call my partner in this new venture. LPH is a consulting firm that offers Literary Services in all facets of the Publishing Industry to authors, agents, editors, publishers, publicists, and lawyers. This project was born purely as an evolution of services that we already offer to the public in our capacity as agent, attorney, editor, and publisher. The difference being that now we offer our knowledge and advice for hire.

Due to the demand for such services, and for the purpose of carefully preserving ethical boundaries, we have decided to join our strengths, skills, experience and resources under this one separate and unique roof. As a result this Consulting Powerhouse now provides the most comprehensive package of Literary Advisory Services offered anywhere.

We are in the process of putting together a website that will describe our services further and provide lots and lots of resources that will be continuously updated. If you have any questions, or would like to retain our services, please e-mail us at consulting@corvisierolaw.com until further notice.

We look forward to helping anyone in the industry find the answers they seek, and come up with winning strategies that will lead to a successful future in publishing. We hope to hear from you!

Happy reading, writing, publishing and succeeding!

~Marisa

ANNOUNCEMENT: CHANGE TO SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

The long awaited change to submission guidelines may or may not please my authors, but for the sake of fairness, practicality and to ensure that I keep my sanity, I have decided to make some substantial changes to my guidelines.

As you may already know I have been closed to unsolicited queries since the last week of November. If you have sent me a query after that, as my auto response surely already informed you, your query has not been reviewed and will not be considered. If you have sent me a query before November 24, and have not heard back from me at all, this unfortunately means that your query will no longer be considered.

HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU ARE DECLINED. I had several issues with my infamous spam filter and have lost many queries. I have also received more queries in those last months than I could keep up with. This large volume of queries led me to put a hold on taking queries for a few months, and to bring in help so that I could catch up. With the assistance of my wonderful assistant (Gigi), Jr Agents (Brittany B. and Jordy), my intern (Brittany W.) and my friends (Doreen and JoAnn), we have made significant progress. Unfortunately, a good number of queries remain in my Query Box unanswered and time keeps ticking... I am afraid that I'm wasting our time (mine and yours) reviewing queries that may be stale. SO... In order to ensure that I'm only reviewing work that still needs representation, I have decided to start fresh. This means that if you have not received an answer to your submission you are hereby invited to resubmit your work starting SEPTEMBER 1, 2011.

If I responded to you requesting a synopsis and/or manuscript and you have not heard back yet, that means that your work is still being considered.

NEW SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Starting September 1, 2011, I will reopen to submissions in the following genres only:
Fiction: Romance and cross genre romance, thrillers and adventure, paranormal, fantasy, science fiction, and the same genres (excluding romance) for Young Adult and Middle Grade.
Non Fiction: Spiritual, self-improvement, parenting, and science.

Please submit a well drafted query letter and your first 5 pages to me at marisa@lperkinsagency.com. You will receive a response from me within three months from the date of your submission. If you do not receive a response within six months, this will mean that the work is declined. I will try my best to respond to every query before that six month period expires. I don't like automatic declines, but feel that this may be the only way to make sure that I never fall behind again.

Thank you for your patience, your understanding and for the honor of reading your work!

Happy writing and happy submitting :)

~Marisa

Crested Butte Conference

Hi all, just wanted to let you all know that I will be attending the Crested Butte Writers Conference http://www.crestedbuttewriters.org/conf.php on June 17-19, 2011. This is my first time attending it, but I have heard wonderful things about the venue, set up and the terrific people. I am really looking forward to attending!

"Join this intimate writers conference in spectacular Crested Butte Colorado and enjoy an experience like no other. Unique, efficient agent/editor appointments, special group rates to save money, tons of informal networking time with relaxed agents and editors.


Early Bird Rate extended to Sunday May 15th!


Look who we’ve got waiting to meet you: Writer’s House Agent, Stephen Barr, St. Martin’s Assistant Editor, Holly Blanck, Del Rey / Spectra Editor, Mike Braff, Cornerstone Literary agent, Helen Breitwieser, L Perkins Agent, Marisa Corvisiero.


Also, check out the workshops from our award winning authors: Robin D. Owens, Sophie Littlefield, Juliet Blackwell, Paul Anderson, and Kaki Warner."


Hope to see you all there!

~Marisa

Is this a Query You Sent Me?

I do hope that no one's feelings are hurt by me posting this, but I feel like I have a duty to educate. Or perhaps I'm in the mood for a small lecture. This morning I opened my law firm e-mail to find what, for all intents and purposes, I think was supposed to be a query to me as an agent. (Sent to the wrong e-mail address...Deep breath) Where do I start? ...for the sake of brevity I will get to the point and post the redacted e-mail and my answer. I don't know if this e-mail was sent out to a mass of agents, or if I was the lone lucky recipient, who unfortunately has a conscience. But I seriously doubt that any of my savvy counterparts would take the time to even finish reading this letter.

I should have just deleted it, as most of my colleagues would, and tried to keep on schedule, since I have a thing or two to attend to today...but I didn't. I painfully read through the e-mail and when I got to the end of it, I sat there. Looking at the screen wishing I had gonged it sooner, debating with myself on my course of action.

Strangely enough, It bothered me a little bit to receive something of such poor caliber. If you know me, you'll know that I'm a fairly patient person. Things of business nature seldom bother me, unless I've encountered a grave injustice or someone crosses me. But a query will normally not have such effects on me. However, this THING was something so poorly constructed, unedited, and obviously written by someone that I will not disparage (because I'm still above such things), but evidently this individual is "not ready" to be querying anyone.

I have tons more to say on this subject, but unfortunately this is hardly the forum for a query 101 lecture. Although I will seriously consider putting together a workshop and using this letter as what not to do. If I haven't lost you yet, please read on.

">Marisa Corvisiero:
>
> Hi, let me introduce myself my name is xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I am 37 years old some say I look
>23 and I am so called writing a paper back book I called xxxxxxxxxxxxx Publishing located xxxxxx Ave
>Manhattan, Ny xxxxxxxxxx Publishing phone number xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I talk with a person from
>xxxxxxxxxx Publishing about printing a book up I am writing and I was referred to the Writer's Market
>to look up an agent I got your email from the L. Perkins web site we am in the process of making
>a book my manuscript is in shambles in a real ruff draft the compositions I am working on need to
>be put in a book format is there any one you know that have a critique on formatting a manuscript
>for a general adult book I looked at a paper back novel made by Patricia D. Cornwell called
>Body of Evidence ISBN 0-38071701-8.
>
>I liked the way the paper back is made with the author picture is in the back of the novel I like my
>book in at format like the body of evidence I am not a fast reader of read a lot so when I decided
>to write down my compositions I decide to put my compositions in a book format that's how
>I got started writing my adult general book in a lyric compositions I don't know how cash advancement
>go when a person is writing a book I like to get my book printed up and sold on the market I may
>have 40 pages 50 letter by 30 line available I am looking to have at least a 100 page paper back
>I don't have a title for the paper back yet.
>
>I am a new writer and the compositions I am working on could be turned into other opportunities
>I do live in Chicago I am looking for a contact person with connections that can make it possible to
>market and sell the paper back book in Chicago.
>
>also, here is my email xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and you can all so reply by mail.
>I like to consult with you Mrs./Ms. Marisa Corvisiero as soon as possible."


So judge for your self. What is he asking for? An agent? or someone to edit his book, or is he fishing for information about the industry? I don't know, but I felt that if he is contacting an agent he should learn how to do that. And if he needs someone to fix an unfinished manuscript that is in "shambles" he should find someone to edit it. Not me. Below is my contrived response.

"Dear xxxxxx,

It is great that you have so much initiative, but it seems that you need to learn a bit about how the industry works. The answer on who can help you critique your work is complicated. If you are almost done and need help cleaning it up you, should hire an editor. But you can join writer's groups where your peers can offer a lot of helpful advice. I would suggest attending a local writer's conference. I'm sure that you will learn a lot there and meet many people with your same questions.

Having said that, an agent is not the right person to contact at this juncture. I don't think that your work is ready for querying, but when you query an agent, you need to tell them what your book is about, what genre you would classify it under, is it fiction or non fiction, who is the audience, and how many words it contains. 85K is usually the magic number for fiction, though genres and the age of your audience may allow it to be a bit shorter or longer. (not too much longer)

If your book is a work of fiction, you should should have a finished manuscript before you start to query agents. First you research the agent and if they are open to unsolicited queries you send them the query letter with a sample of your work (as long they normally request). This information is normally listed in the Writer's Digest guide or the agent's website. If your work is non-fiction, you don't need a finished manuscript and can submit a proposal for the work with a sample of the first chapter or so. Again, each agent has different preferences.

So do your homework, and whatever you do, don't send out queries with as many errors as the one you sent to me. Pay attention to your spelling and punctuation. And be sure that the info you provide is relevant to your book and your experience alone. Irrelevant info and poor writing on this letter will form a negative opinion of you and you will not find representation.

Lastly, If you are sure that you want to limit your market to Chicago, you should explain why. But as a caveat, know that limiting the geographic availability of a book limits sales (not usually done by publishers). You should reword that statement to say that you think that it will sell well in chicago and indicate why.

I hope that you find this to be helpful. Best of Luck!"


I know, there was so much more to be said. But I don't know if the writer will get it and/or be hurt by it. So I decided to just offer guidance and left the rest of the objections unaddressed in hope that if he is interested enough to be published, he will learn what he needs to know. And that's the end of this post...I already spent way too much time on this.

~ Marisa

Chiseled in Rock - Interview of Marisa Iozzi Corvisiero, Literary Agent

Preliminary Draft and Questions for the Marisa A. Corvisiero, Esq. Interview:

Today, Chiseled in Rock has the pleasure of interviewing Marisa Iozzi Corvisiero. An experienced entertainment attorney, Marisa founded The Corvisiero Law Practice, a boutique law firm in midtown New York City. She is also an agent with the L. Perkins Agency, whose five agents represent approximately 200 authors in a variety of genres. Founded in 1987, the Agency also works with an established film agency and has agents in 11 foreign countries.

As an agent, Marisa’s represents science fiction, fantasy, horror and romance, as well young adult and children's literature. In non-fiction, she enjoys memoirs, how-to, guides and tales about the legal practice, parenting, self-help, and mainstream science, but no text books.

CIR: Marisa, please tell us about your dual professions and your start as an agent.
I started wearing my agent hat after some of my author friends and colleagues asked me to represent them in their book deals through my law firm. Then I started submitting them too. We all know how difficult it is to find the right agent and to have editors take authors seriously if they are not represented or already pre published. In fact, many of the traditional publishers don’t accept un-agented work. So I started out by lending a hand. I lost a couple of paying clients when I started representing them as their agent. (because agents are not paid until they sell the work) But it all worked out in the end. One thing led to another and eventually I joined Lori Perkins’ Agency, where I learned lots of lessons. Today, I continue to practice law at the Corvisiero Law Practice, and I represent several very talented authors. I am still building a client list.

CIR: It sounds as if there’s a great deal of communication and joint-decision making at your agency. Would you please describe your process, as far as signing a new writer?
My process, although it is time consuming, is a simple one. All my queries are saved in a folder, when I review them, if I like the letter and the first few pages, I ask for the synopsis or the manuscript. If I’m not sure, I forward it to my two Junior Agents for their opinions. If I don’t think that the work is ready for publication and/or I don’t think that the story is marketable, I decline the query. Then if I like the story based on the synopsis, I ask for the manuscript. When I read the manuscript I have at least one of my Jr. Agents or readers read it as well. If we love a manuscript, I offer the author representation.

CIR: Certain agents edit a manuscript prior to shopping it to editors. Others don’t. How would you describe yourself and how important is it for a writer to be flexible about changing their manuscript?
I don’t edit manuscripts myself anymore, but I always have comments for the author. I’m never short on opinions. ;) If I really like a manuscript, but I think that it needs work, I usually ask for a revision or suggest that the author have it edited. I often share the comments of my Jrs with the author as well. They always give me very good input.

CIR: The economic downturn has impacted every sector. Are there any new pressures on agents that stem from the current economy?
I am fairly sure that the state of today’s economy has affected most of us in some way. For agents, it has made it more difficult to place books and has changed the structure of the deals. It is more difficult to place books because of the high mobility of editors, everything that is going on inside the publishing houses, and because most are making more conservative acquisitions in quantity and payment.

CIR: Your agency believes all authors should be published in both print and e-pub format. With e-pub sales strengthening, are your contract negotiations with publishers changing in regard to, for example, the amount of an advance? Or any other contract terms?
E-books are the wave of the future, but I don’t think that print is going extinct anytime soon. So we strongly believe that every book should be out there in every media form. When negotiating with publishers, if they want to acquire the right to put a book out in all of these mediums, then my job is to make sure that the author is compensated accordingly, and that the publisher will in fact use these rights. If they can’t give the proper assurances, even though nothing is ever one hundred percent certain, then we try to retain the rights and offer them to someone else.

CIR: Is the ease with which writers can self-publish having a significant impact on you as an agent?
Nope… and that could be all of my answer, but I’ll elaborate. A huge number of authors are going the vanity press route. However, even those writers that self publish still continue to submit their books to agents so that the agent can sell the book to a bigger press. Those publishers don’t, or shouldn’t, retain the rights to the author’s work for the simple fact that the press is not paying for the book. In the contrary, the author is paying the press to put the book out, so the author should have all the rights to the work. I’ll say it again, all authors should retain their copyrights when self publishing. Authors still want a large publisher to acquire their books because the publisher will have better distribution channels, will pay for the printing, will often pay an advance, and then royalties. Lets face it, it is difficult to sell books and having a publisher’s help can make the world of difference. Anyone can have a book self published, it’s the selling that’s tricky. With this foreknowledge, most authors who have self published still seek an agent.

CIR: What do you enjoy most about representing authors to the publishing industry? Least?
I love reading and pitching books to publishers. I only accept to represent books and projects that I really believe in, and so my enthusiasm gives me an extra umph when telling others about it. I get very exited. What I like the least is that publishers have a certain quota of books that they will acquire, and so often they have a specific list of things that they are looking for and may pass up a great project just because they need to keep looking for the perfect fit. It can be discouraging, especially when you are the one breaking the news.

CIR: Are you hoping to increase your client base?
Yes, I’m always looking for new talent. I am currently not accepting queries because I’m trying to catch up on the huge volume of queries that I receive monthly. I have quite a few queries that go back a while and I would really like to respond to all of them and hopefully find some gems. So even though queries are suspended, I am still taking on clients.

CIR: Do you have any pet peeves, when it comes to submissions?
I think that sometimes I’m more tolerant than other agents when it comes to queries. Of course, I don’t like it when someone misspells my name or sends me a query that is part of a mass e-mail, but I don’t think that it justifies turning an author away because of it. Do I take it into consideration if the rest of the query is weak? You bet. My real pet peeve though, are sloppy and difficult to read formats. I don’t like queries that start by telling me what the character was thinking or doing. To me, that should be in the middle of the letter. A good query should start by telling me that they have a romance (or other genre) 80K word (proper word count for age group and genre) finished manuscript that they think I will like it because…. I think that research is paramount. The author should know the genre of his or her work, the target readers (at least gender and age), and by knowing this, they can learn how long the work should be. I will be writing a blog post on this soon to put the info out there all in one place. In the mean time authors should keep in mind that the younger the reader the shorter the work should be. And the more sophisticated the reader (sci-fi/fantasy) the more allowance they have to get creative with a longer manuscript. But don’t go crazy. If your novel is longer than 115K especially for a debut, you should consider some edits. I know that there are novels out there that were the author’s first, and are much longer than that… etc, etc. I know. I’ve read twilight and harry potter too. But they are among the few, and just because they made it, it doesn’t mean that it was easy. I think that they are wonderful series, but in a way they were lucky. Having said that… I’m not telling everyone to conform. I’m just saying that there are certain ‘rules,’ if you will, in the industry. If you really believe in your work and it doesn’t follow the norm, trust your self (to a realistic level) and go for it with gusto. Just be prepared to know that it will harder than hard, but if you keep at it you just might get lucky too.

CIR: Any predictions about what might be the next big thing in publishing? What trend(s) do you see fading?


I think that mythology and superheroes are fading, but not super powers. Submissions with “special” characters still come in by the lot. If you’re wondering about vampires and think that the market is saturated, think again. We are just obsessed with vampires and can’t seem to get enough. The trend that I do see, is a new age of vampires that are not so sweet and glamorous (I’m obviously not including True Blood). Traditional vampires are inching their way back. I’m also predicting that there will be some very cool mermaid stories. I’m looking for a good one now.

CIR: Do you represent manuscripts that you believe will sell, even if you don't personally love the work?
I represent manuscripts that I love and think that they will sell. It’s a must have combo. I’m not saying that if I love something but I don’t think that it will sell, I’ll turn it down. I’m saying that if I like something, I think that others will to, and therefore it will sell. It sounds a bit egocentric, but its not. My tastes are fairly ‘normal’ in that I’m usually on the same wavelength as others.

CIR: What one piece of advice would you offer to authors seeking representation?
Do your research and always put your best foot forward. Learn about the industry, but don’t forget that in the end your writing speaks for itself. So hone in on your craft, keep learning and perfecting your work. And most importantly, never give up. This is a tough industry to break into. Agents are incredibly busy and will unfortunately review your work looking for reasons not to represent you, because unfortunately, that’s how most editors review work. So don’t give them any. Always submit finished work, the best work that you can possibly produce, and then be professional and attentive. It’s okay to innocently stalk your agent’s facebook page and blog to see what they are up to, but don’t bombard them with follow up emails. Know the agent’s policy on responses and when it is okay to follow up or assume that they are not interested if you have not heard back. QueryTraker is a great source for see the actual response stats that the agents don’t tell you about on their blogs and websites. When you do hear back always respond quickly and be ready to provide a synopsis and your manuscript. If you meet an agent or make a connection somewhere, follow up graciously and always strike while the iron is hot. Don’t let them forget you.

CIR: Now, in accordance with our CIR M.O., I would like to ask an off-track question. What did you dream of doing when you were twelve years old?
Lol I like this one...I wanted to be an Astronaut or Singer… you know, because the two have so many elements in common. So naturally, I became a lawyer.

You can visit the L. Perkins Agency at www.lperkinsagency.com for more information and submission guidelines. Marisa’s agent blog is at http://thoughtsfromaliteraryagent.blogspot.com or you could follow her on facebook (personal Marisa Iozzi Corvisiero, fan Marisa A. Corvisiero- Literary Agent) or twitter @mcorvisiero. The website for her law firm is www.corvisierolaw.com.

Thank you again, Marisa, and best regards.

Janet Fogg
FOGG IN THE COCKPIT
fogginthecockpit.blogspot.com

SOLILOQUY
HOLT Medallion Award of Merit

www.janetfogg.com
chiseledinrock.blogspot.com

RAVENOUS ROMANCE™ LAUNCHES NEW YORK CITY READING SERIES

Publisher of erotic fiction to launch Ravenous Nights at Lower East Side venue [Boston, MA – February 1, 2011] – Ravenous Romance™, a leading online publisher of erotic romance novels and short stories has announced a collaboration with New York City literary hot-spot Happy Endings Lounge to host a monthly erotic reading series on the first Friday of every month called Ravenous Nights. Happy Endings, a funky 2-story club that was once a massage parlor, is located at 302 Broome Street. The first Ravenous Night is scheduled for Friday, February 4 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., and it is free of charge.

The lineup for February 4 includes:
• Cecilia Tan, best-selling erotic author of the Magic University series
• Caridad Pinero, New York Times best-selling erotic romance author
• Mo Beasley, founder of Urban Erotika, a spoken word performance series
• KT Grant, author of The Princess' Bride
• Debra Hyde, acclaimed writer of BDSM erotic romance, and the author of the BDSM classic, BLIND SEDUCTION.
• Jefferson, well-known sex blogger and author of M/M short stories for RR anthologies.

The Friday, April 4 lineup will be announced in the coming weeks.

In celebration of Ravenous Nights, Barnes & Noble has announced that they will offer free copies of the Ravenous Romance anthology Once Upon a Threesome to the first 100 people to download it. In addition, Ravenous Romance will give each attendee a free Ravenous Romance drink coaster to each attendee and the Happy Endings Lounge will create a special “Ravenous” cocktail which will only appear on the menu during Ravenous Nights.

LISTING INFORMATION:
Ravenous Nights
Friday, February 4, 2011
8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Free of charge
Location: Happy Endings Lounge
302 Broome Street (at Forsyth St)
(212) 334-9676

[About Ravenous Romance™]

An imprint of Literary Partners Group, Inc., Ravenous Romance offers readers engaging and colorful stories with strong plots and character development, but peppered with steamy love scenes. Products are available in iPhone/iPod app, ebook and audiobook format in 12 different categories, including both modern and historical fiction, suspense, paranormal, gay/lesbian/bisexual, and new age, among others. They also sell a limited number of titles in print on the Home Shopping Network.

For more information please contact Dalyn A. Miller at 617-504-6869 or via email at Dalyn@DalynMillerPR.com

Visit Ravenous Romance™ online at www.RavenousRomance.com

Is Attending A Conference Worth Your Time & Money?

Are you an author who aspires to be published, or perhaps one that is already published but is aware that the craft of writing is an ongoing learning and enhancement process? If the answer is yes to either of these scenarios, then you should seriously consider attending at least one conference a year. I know that they can be costly, but good conferences happen all over the country on an annual basis. So I'm sure that there must be one near you, or at least one that is within driving distance or a train ride away. Although I can't give you a way to attend for free, I can tell you that the answer posed in the title of this post is a resounding YES.

Like everything else, conferences are really what you make of them. Chances are that if you are interested enough in the publishing industry to be reading this, and you sign up to attend a conference, you are already on the right path.

Conferences are organized events where authors can congregate to meet each other, agents and editors, and attend some really wonderful and constructive panels and workshops. Although these may vary in content and structure from conference to conference, the one thing I say for certain is that no matter who you are, your level of skill and pedigree, you will learn something.

I have been to many conferences since even before I started agenting, and without fail every time I go to a conference I return home and to my office feeling more integrated and knowledgeable about what is going on in the industry and writing overall. When I attend conferences I usually take pitches from authors, do a panel, give a speech, or teach a workshop. Each one of these things is a way for me to give back, but inebitably they also help me to meet more contacts, find talent and when I steel away and crash someone else's workshop...(I do this at least once a day at every conference shhh don't tell anyone) I always learn something. And I'm sure that most attendees would say the same thing.

So my advice would be to do some research and check out the different conferences. You may find one near you that is great for all writers or one that is specialized for your specific genre of fiction. Before signing up take a look at the proposed schedule so that you know what workshops and offerings you want to take advantage of because you may be able to sign up for specific parts of the conference. So best of luck in finding the right conference for you, and I hope you enjoy attending.

Here's a list of some great conferences. One of these may be good for you. Check them out. Maybe I'll see you there too.

Writers Digest Conference - January, New York City
DFW Conference- February, TX
San Francisco Writer's Conference - February, CA
Liberty States Fiction Writer's Conference- March, NJ
Unicorn Writer's Conference- April, CT
New England Young Writer's- May, VT
BackSpace Writers- May
Crested Butte- June 17-19, CO
Jackson Hole- June, WY
RWA- July, NYC
New England Writers- July, VT
Hampton Roads- Sept, VA
Rocky Mountain Writer's Conference- Sept, CO
Florida Writers- October, FL
New England Crime Bake- November, MA

Happy attending, happy learning, and happy writing!

~Marisa

Deleted Comments.

I was fiddling with my blog settings and accidentally erased all the comments! I don't think that this can be undone. So if you notice that you comment is no longer posted, please don't take it personally...and by all means, feel free to go back and comment again.

~Marisa

Literary Intern Search...

If you know anyone who lives in or close to Monmouth County, NJ, I am looking for a literary intern to help me with submissions, queries, lists, manuscripts etc. at my home office. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow with us for a candidate with the interest, skills and energy needed in this business.

Location and application process will be disclosed on per case basis for the obvious reasons. Please e-mail me at marisa@lperkinsagency.com for information only if you live in the area, are available at least 10 hours per week, and are seriously interested in the publishing industry. Thanks!

All the best,
Marisa

A Note on Suspended Queries...

Hi all. It has been a while since my last post, but please note that my lack of output does not diminish my presence. I have been diligently dedicating to the few clients that I've signed on and catching up with reading and queries. Well, trying to catch up on queries anyhow. The volume of submissions is insanely great. And though it is flattering and much appreciated, I just have been unable to keep up. Which brings me to this post... In case you have not heard, I have temporarily suspended my intake of unsolicited queries. This means that for the next few months I will not be accepting queries, unless they have been solicited. The purpose of this suspension is to allow me to catch up with the number of queries awaiting my response in my e-mail inbox. I have fallen shamefully behind and this is my effort to catch up and avoid keeping more of you in limbo.

My policy is that I respond to ever single query, so if you have submitted months ago and have not heard a response from me, you will. Thought it may appear that my inbox is a black hole, there actually is some light escaping it. ;) (I know I'm a geek) I have brought in two wonderful Junior Agents, Brittany Booker and Jordy Albert, whom will be assisting me with responses and reviewing materials. Until we are caught up AND they have been properly trained to work with me, they will NOT be accepting their own queries. So please refrain from contacting them about submissions for now.

As soon as the Submission Acceptance process is back up and running, we will post an announcement and let you know how to submit. In the mean time, please be patient with me and use this time to enhance your creativity.

Happy writing!

All the best,
Marisa

Guide to Literary Agents - What Should You Write in the Bio Paragraph of a Query Letter?

Follow this link to a great article about the things to include and avoid when drafting your query. Guide to Literary Agents - What Should You Write in the Bio Paragraph of a Query Letter?