Archive for the 'Holly Root' Category
With a (mountain) of salt
I was at the Backspace conference this week and the South Carolina Writer’s Workshop a couple weeks ago and as always happens when you lump a group of writers in one place, I met a ton of fascinating and talented people. And yet time and time again so many of these smart, talented writers I [...]
Filed under: Holly Root | 40 Comments
Letting the market speak
There’s a virulent and contagious illness going around, and it’s got ties to the barnyard. Not swine flu, but a little guy I like to call cart-before-horseitis.
I am all for authors having career goals and knowing what success looks like for them (bonus points if you can recognize and enjoy it once you meet those [...]
Filed under: Holly Root | 29 Comments
One thing I’d love to see
Two books I read and loved recently, that are representative of something I’d love to see cross my desk:
Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande
and
Pure by Terra Elan McVoy
Both books are about Issues (creationism and virginity, respectively) on the surface, but really they’re about teens figuring out what they believe when their [...]
Filed under: Holly Root | 15 Comments
After spending some quality time in the query trenches I wanted to address a (seemingly common) misconception about how an agent’s stated areas of interest should be interpreted.
On the Waxman site, my bio says:
She is actively seeking upmarket and commercial fiction, including women’s fiction, mystery, urban fantasy, romance, and YA, and voice-driven nonfiction projects, with [...]
Filed under: Holly Root, Uncategorized | 4 Comments
Why I Say No
A quick off-the-cuff list of reasons I’ve said no to projects–not queries but projects:
Great concept, writing didn’t follow through (usually these are things where the person did not include ten-ish pages of writing as requested in my sub guidelines–usually I wouldn’t have requested otherwise)
Concept had potential, execution wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t how I thought [...]
Filed under: Holly Root | 10 Comments
7 Publishing Virtues
So earlier here on the blog, we did the 7 deadly publishing sins. Only fair to flip it around to the virtues as well–because let’s face it: it’s more fun to talk about what you should do than what you shouldn’t.
CHASTITY
Ok, I’m reaching here, but let’s use the metaphysical rather than literal meaning. (Some [...]
Filed under: Holly Root | 9 Comments
Sky: Unfallen
Let’s face it: there’s been pretty much no good news of late if you’re a dedicated reader of Publisher’s Marketplace, Galleycat, et al. And if you’re sitting and reading the latest tasty holiday blend of news–acquiring, hiring, and raises all frozen for various companies–and dire retail predictions, you’re probably a bit freaked [...]
Filed under: Holly Root | 12 Comments
These seven no-nos will put your career on ice faster than you can say “remainder.”
LUST
For someone else’s career. This one will mostly hurt you, although it’s also a gateway to the other publishing sins. If you have an author that you Googlestalk like s/he’s your high school exboyfriend, or you read the deal listings [...]
Filed under: Holly Root | 19 Comments
I’m thrilled to share this great review from Publisher’s Weekly for Misa Ramirez’s debut mystery, Living the Vida Lola, coming in January from St. Martin’s Minotaur:
Ramirez’s muy caliente debut introduces Dolores “Lola” Falcón Cruz, a Sacramento, Calif., PI whose kung fu moves are only part of her chica charm. A missing persons case—the [...]
Filed under: Holly Root | 3 Comments
Rejection
It’s a fact of life for publishing–everyone gets shot down at some stage in the game. Editors, agents, authors–it’s part of the business. But when you’re querying, it can seem like the rejections are neverending. The frustration occurs not necessarily because you’re getting a no, but because you can’t always know WHY you’re being [...]
Filed under: Holly Root | 15 Comments
