Is self-publishing your fallback plan?
There’s an excellent guest post by novelist and editor Kim Catanzarite on Jane Friedman’s blog this month, titled 11 Signs You’re Ready...
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Sally Collings
- Mar 12, 2021
Should self-publishing be your Option A?
Dreaming of a book deal with Penguin Random House, Macmillan, or HarperCollins? You’re not alone. SO not alone. Before you join that long...
Sally Collings
- Mar 5, 2021
Panic time. Who’s going to publish your book?
The word on the street is that in these pandemic times, literary agents have more time to consider new projects, so now is a great time...
Sally Collings
- Feb 25, 2021
Check out the competition.
Elite athletes know all about their competition. They are acutely aware of the 800-meter runner who took out the last world championship...
Sally Collings
- Feb 17, 2021
Let’s get real about dragons.
“It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.” —JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit Honestly? I’m not even...
Sally Collings
- Feb 10, 2021
Publishers hate manuscripts.
As a rule, if there’s one thing most publishers and literary agents really hate to see, it’s a manuscript. You’re probably surprised by...
Sally Collings
- Dec 20, 2020
I have the best clients.
I've been honored to work with some remarkable clients over the years: smart, driven, funny, passionate. I can't wait to work with more...
Sally Collings
- Oct 5, 2020
Book proposals are simple to write. But never, ever easy.
I’m not really a step-by-step kinda person. I’m suspicious of any book, course, guru, or product that promises me any of the following:...
Sally Collings
- Sep 16, 2020
Interview tip #7: Give people a magic wand
The last in a series of seven blog posts on #interviewing techniques for #nonfiction authors. Toward the end of every interview, I love...
Sally Collings
- Sep 10, 2020
In search of the perfect book
Books are deceptively simple things. Front cover, back cover, pages in between. What can be so hard about making one? Turns out, plenty....
Sally Collings
- Sep 1, 2020
Interview tip #6: Choose your words carefully
Sixth in a series of seven blog posts on interviewing techniques for nonfiction authors. Even the smallest words you choose in your...
Sally Collings
- Aug 24, 2020
Interview tip #5: Why you should include a trust fall in every interview
Fifth in a series of seven blog posts on interviewing techniques for nonfiction authors. “[When a guest is hesitant], I say, hey, our...
Sally Collings
- Aug 16, 2020
Land a Literary Agent in 2020 With Three Fundamental Attributes
In 2020, I’ve collaborated on three nonfiction book proposals. All three have been picked up by leading literary agents within one week...
Sally Collings
- Aug 13, 2020
Interview tip #4: Ask all the stupid questions
Fourth in a series of seven blog posts on interviewing techniques for nonfiction authors. Maybe you are concerned that if you interview...
Sally Collings
- Jul 26, 2020
Interview tip #3: interviewing colleagues can be awkward
Third in a series of seven blog posts on interviewing techniques for nonfiction authors. In your nonfiction book, you will often want to...
Sally Collings
- Jul 19, 2020
Interview tip #2: Throw away your list of questions
Second in a series of seven blog posts on interviewing techniques for nonfiction authors. In the first article of this series, we...
Sally Collings
- Jul 13, 2020
7 tips for conducting great interviews
First in a series of seven blog posts on interviewing techniques for nonfiction authors. #1: Find out what makes people tick You may be...
Sally Collings
- Jun 30, 2020
Put your book to the “lying eyes” test.
You can't hide your lyin' eyes And your smile is a thin disguise I thought by now you'd realize There ain't no way to hide your lyin'...
Sally Collings
- Jun 23, 2020
Run your book through the “so what?” machine
Where can you find some of the best big game hunting in the world? It's a place that may surprise you. Tonight, we're going to take you...
Sally Collings
- Jun 15, 2020
Do you have the tools for the job?
The water dispenser in our fridge has been leaking for over a week now. Drip, drip, drip. You can imagine that one drip per second adds...
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