As an agent, I receive a lot of query letters, and the simple truth is that most of them are awful. I feel bad for the writers, because their work may be very good, but I’ll never know because I’ve deleted their cover letters. When you sit down to...

New writers often hear that they need to have an "author platform" in order to be successful. What is an author platform, anyway? Your author platform is your ability to reach readers and sell books. For authors that want to get traditionally published...

Former BBC journalist and author Jo Furniss pursued a traditional publishing path for her bestselling, critically acclaimed debut novel All the Little Children . She was fortunate to land an experienced agent through her query process, who pitched her...

The main difference between independent and traditional publishing is the time line, as author and publishing consultant Patricia L. Brooks explains. Additional differences include the amount of money required up front by the author and the amount...

The main difference between independent and traditional publishing is the time line, as author and publishing consultant Patricia L. Brooks explains. Additional differences include the amount of money required up front by the author and the amount...

Author Ray Locker experienced two different types of resistance in response to his controversial nonfiction book, Nixon's Gamble . He received direct resistance from individuals that were featured in the book who claimed to have their own version of...

For author and technical writer Neil V. Young, writing his books is the fun part, while rewriting is the real work. He says going back into your story and making changes and edits is the toughest part of getting the book ready to publish. After Young...

Writing a novel demands a lot of time and attention and can feel like a fulltime job. Can a writer ever quit their day job? Julie Castiglia, literary agent, shares the reality of dollars and cents as a traditionally-published author. She says that...

Author and agent Bill Gladstone shares his advice for authors writing spiritual books. He recommends that if you are an author with a true and important spiritual message, write and publish because it needs to be communicated—don't focus on the success...