Nicholas Ponticello's Blog, page 3
July 21, 2024
June 28, 2024
June 24, 2024
What happens when an agent wants your story but wants someone else to write it?
Yesterday the #writingcommunity was scandalized when a well-known literary agent (HH) from a reputable agency (KTL) tweeted:
Just read a query that was essentially THE ROAD meets DELIVERANCE and now I want someone to write this for me, please?
HH at Twitter
The tweet is a prime example of everything that is wrong with the publishing industry. Obviously, HH liked the pitch this writer sent. But to reject that person and then ask someone else to write the story instead—that should scare every writer who has ever pitched their awesome one-of-a-kind idea to an agent. Is that what is happening out there? Unknown writers are sending their queries out to dozens of agents, and those agents are turning around and pitching those ideas to other writers, presumably until they get the version of the story they think they can sell?
I think it is safe to say that most agents do not do this. But still, the fact remains: agents and editors are looking for a sure thing. Sadly, publishing is all about playing it safe. That is why a large portion of the six- and seven-figure book deals these days go to known figures (celebrities, former bestselling authors, politicians of every stripe no matter how many crimes they’ve committed, etc.). I’m sure HH would have loved to run the pitch by Stephen King to see if he’d be up for writing this story (to his credit, Stephen King does not seem like the kind of person who would steal someone else’s idea). Wouldn’t we all love THE ROAD meets DELIVERANCE written by Stephen King? But the pitch didn’t come from Stephen King. It came from an unknown.
So what if HH had taken a chance on the actual author who pitched the work? What if she had said to herself, “Wow, this person has a really compelling idea. So compelling I feel a desire to tweet the world about it. But I don’t love the execution. Maybe I could work with the author to help them realize their vision.”
That would mean taking a HUGE chance on an unknown writer. Maybe the writer needs more training in the craft. Maybe the writer’s vision differs from the agent’s. Maybe, maybe, maybe. But if this writer’s pitch sold HH on the idea, it does seem there might be enough to go on to make an offer of representation.
As of today, HH and the KTL agency have parted ways due to the controversial tweet. But the idea that the unnamed writer pitched is still out there, waiting for someone to give it a chance.
June 3, 2024
Murder can happen on Mars too. (An Amazon Best Seller!)
The Secret Order of the Scepter & Gavel has hit #1 on the Amazon Humorous SciFi Best Sellers list!
FREE today on Amazon!
Help me break into the overall bestseller list by downloading your free copy today!!
April 1, 2024
RELEASING TODAY: The Secret Order of the Scepter & Gavel
Thank you to the author for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. This great book releases today! Let’s show this …
RELEASING TODAY: The Secret Order of the Scepter & Gavel
Book Release: The Secret Order of the Scepter & Gavel
The wait is over! You can now order your copy of The Secret Order of the Scepter & Gavel from Amazon. It comes in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle formats.
There are no coincidences in murder.
Vanderough University prepares its graduates for life on Mars. Herbert Hoover Palminteri enrolls at VU with the hope of joining the Martian colony in 2044 as a member of its eleventh graduating class. He thinks if he just keeps his head down and gets his studies done, he’ll get the marks he needs to join the esteemed engineer corps on the red planet. But then Herbert is tapped to join a notorious secret society: the Order of the Scepter & Gavel. As a new pledge, Herbert has to prove himself in a series of dangerous initiation rites, even if it means risking his life and the lives of his friends.
Many years later, when Herbert thinks the scandals of his youth are finally dead and buried, a murder occurs in the Martian colony, and Herbert starts to suspect it is linked to the secret Order of the Scepter & Gavel of his past.
March 27, 2024
Author Q&A: The Truth About Rejection in Numbers
Q: How many rejections have you gotten in your career as a writer?
Here is my spreadsheet for just one book I queried back in 2019. I sent 194 queries to agents and small publishers. I did not get one single offer of representation. The red lines are formal rejections. The orange and white lines are people I never heard back from either way.
Add to this list the numerous rejections I received for at least four other novels, and we’re getting close to 500 rejections to queries alone.
Among the five books and 500 rejections there was one single offer of representation from my current agent, Stephanie Kip Rostan at LGR Literary Agency. I received her offer in August of 2020.
Flash forward four years, I’m still with Stephanie, but we have yet to sell a manuscript. Now I’m acquainted with another type of rejection: editor rejections. Stephanie has submitted two of my books to editors at publishing houses, and I’ve probably received another 50+ rejections in that process. Zero offers.
Now consider all the short stories I’ve submitted to literary magazines. At least 100 more submissions in that category with only one story being accepted for publication.
Adding all that up, we’re looking at somewhere between 600 and 700 rejections with only two acceptances. That’s about a 0.3% acceptance rate. Crazy.
You must have a thick skin if you want to pursue traditional publishing. Rejection is part of the process. And most people never make it past the rejection phase. But numbers matter. It took five novels and 500 queries to get my first offer of representation. If I had given up after the first 100 queries, I wouldn’t have an agent. And I’m not giving up now either!
READ MORE ON MY PATREON PAGE. Even see the query letter that landed me my agent!
February 28, 2024
Read With Lindsey Book Reviews
More readers should be following the READ WITH LINDSEY blog! Lindsey is a prolific reviewer with great takes on the books she reads. She also has weekly reading challenges and themes. I am thrilled she gave my upcoming novel THE SECRET ORDER OF THE SCEPTER & GAVEL five stars!
Follow her on WordPress and Instagram if you don’t already!
February Recap & March Prompts
