Jon Reed's Blog, page 5

7 steps to get a literary agent

If you want to get a publishing deal, you need a literary agent. Here’s how to go about it.

Reading Time: 8 minutes

Do you dream of being a published author? Want to see your book on the shelves of your local bookshop, have your work read by legions of appreciative fans, and be fêted at literary festivals? For such dreams to come true, first you need to land a publishing deal. And, before that, you need to get taken on by a literary agent. Where do you start?

Learn more about submitting to agents on Scott Pack’s masterclass: How to Perfect Your Submission to Agents and Publishers – online, Weds 10th Feb 2021, 18:30 UTC.

How to get a literary agent – at a glance:Finish your novelDo your researchWrite a synopsisPrepare your sample chaptersWrite a query letterSubmit to literary agentsGet an offer of representation!

You tend only to get one shot when submitting to a literary agent. If they don’t like your submission, you’ll most likely have to try elsewhere rather than make changes and re-submit. So try to get it right first time.

1. Finish your novel

This sounds conterintuitive. Because, when you submit to an agent, they usually only want to see a writing sample. Maybe a couple of chapters. Or three. So why write the whole thing? Why not get an agent, a publishing deal and a juicy advance first, so you have the time and money to actually write the thing?

Because, if you’re successful, and the agent you submit to likes your material, the very first thing they’ll ask is to see the whole thing! If you haven’t actually written it yet, you’ll just annoy them. Yes, the process of submitting and landing an agent can take a while. But what if you strike gold on your first attempt? Be prepared!

2. Do your research

The other way you need to prepare is with your research. If you’re in the UK, The Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook is your friend. In the US, Writer’s Market is the equivalent publication. These annual directories list all the publishers and literary agents you could possibly want to submit to – along with their interests, submisison guidelines and contact details. They also include advice and articles on getting published.

Research the right literary agent for you. Look through these books. Go onto agents’ websites and look at their client lists. Check out what sort of books they’re interested in. See what their clients have recently published. Which books are similar to yours? Read one of them. Be informed about your potential new agent’s interests before you approach them.

Then make a list of agents you want to submit to. Who would be your dream agent? Put them at the top of the list!

3. Write a synopsis

There are three things you need: a synopsis, sample chapters and a cover letter (or ‘query letter’). Let’s start with your synopsis. Write out everything that happens in your novel, in the order in which it happens, in the present tense. Keep it to no more than two pages (ideally one).

And don’t hold anything back – let us know how your story ends! You may have intriguing twists, turns and reveals in your novel that you want to hold back from the reader – but don’t do this with your prospective agent. This is no time to be coy or worry about spoilers. You can still build tension in the way you write your synopsis, and keep the reader intrigued. Do this by only revealing plot points at the correct time in your synopsis. So don’t say: ‘…and he later turns out to be the killer all along’ in your opening paragraph. Save that information until the part of the story when it is revealed to the reader. Then your synopsis can be as engaging and satisfying as the full book.

A good place to research how to write synopses is Wikipedia. Look up a favourite novel – or film – and read the summary. Even the most complex novels can be sumarised briefly in the present tense without leaving anything out.

4. Prepare your sample chapters

The purpose of your sample chapters is to flesh out some of your synopsis and, importantly, to demonstrate your writing style. An agent wants to see that you can write – or at least have potential. A couple of sample chapters is usually sufficient – but it depends on the submission guidelines of the agents on your list. Your research in step 2 will help you not only identify suitable agents, but tell you what they want you to submit – and how. Many only accept submissions by email these days, for example. Some may want one chapter, some 10,000 words, some the whole book. It depends.

One important thing to bear in mind is that, whether your prospective literary agent wants one chapter or three, they must be the first chapter, or the first three chapters. You may be writing your book out of order (I certainly do this). You may think chapter 12 shows off your writing best. But it MUST be the first chapter(s). You must be able to hook a reader in your opening pages – and your most important reader is your agent.

First chapters are hard. You need to get us straight into the action, hold a reader’s attention, introduce your main character, explain what your book is about (without too much exposition – show, don’t tell), articulate your theme, make us care about your protagonist and the problems you set for them, hint at what’s to come, and show that you can write compelling prose in a unique voice. Phew!

But first chapters are also great to write. They’re an opportunity to set out your stall, show what you can do, confound expectations, surprise the reader, be audacious. If there’s a question at the heart of your novel, be sure to ask it in the first chapter! Your first chapter should give a tantalising taste of what’s to come if you read the whole novel. This is why your prospective new literary agent wants to see it. Hook them in.

5. Write a query letter

A query letter is a one-page sales letter that you send to a literary agent to pitch your book and ask them if they would be interested in representing you. The ‘query’ is: “Will you be my agent?” And the ‘letter’ probably isn’t a physical one, or even an email attachment. It’s more common to put this into the body of an email.

You might send your query letter as an email, with your synopsis and sample chapters attached as Word documents. But always check the submission guidelines. Some agents may prefer an email (without attachments) first – and they’ll let you know if they want to see more. This is why your query letter is so critical.

Be sure to personalise each letter. Use the agent’s name (spelled correctly!) and include:

Why this agent? A short paragraph about why you’ve chosen to approach this particular agent. Do you love the work of one of their clients? Does their website indicate that they’re particularly interested in your niche genre? Did you meet them once at a literary event? Do you follow them on Twitter?Blurb. An enticing paragraph of blurb ‘selling’ your book, and setting out its overall concept. Specify the genre, and who it’s aimed at – e.g. contemporary women’s fiction, techno thriller, young adult, comedy political thriller.About you. A line or two about yourself, and any writing credits you have. Maybe something on your ‘platform’ – i.e. your existing (online) audience, if you have one.

Your query letter is, in many ways, the most important part of the package – because you want to grab your chosen agent’s attention and persuade them that reading the rest of your submission is worth their time.

6. Submit to literary agents

Work your way through the list you generated in your research phase – starting with your dream agent and working down. You can approach several agents at once – it’s sort of expected. It may take three months for an agent to reply to you, after all – and you can’t wait around that long. Send out queries to up to six of them at a time. This will help you guage responses. If you get no requests for further material, your query letter needs work before you send it out again!

Keep track of what you’ve sent to whom and when. Log it all in a spreadsheet, along with details of any responses. You’re likely to get one of these responses to your query letter:

A rejectionNo response at all (usually also a rejection)A request for more materialA request to see the whole manuscript.

The last two of these responses may subsequently also result in a rejection. Don’t give up. Sometimes an agent will reject you simply because their list is full. Or they might think your book isn’t the type of book they can sell to publishers. You might get some feedback on your submission. More often you’ll get a standard rejection slip. Don’t take offence – agents are busy people and get a lot of submissions. If you hear nothing, follow up with a polite note after 6-8 weeks.

And don’t argue. If you get a rejection, be grateful for any feedback offered, accept it with good grace and move on to the next agent on your list.

It may be your writing that needs work, rather than your query letter, if you get several requests to see sample material but then get rejections. Seek more feedback – maybe by joining a writing group. Re-work it and try again.

However, if an agent is interested in you and your book, the next step is a meeting with them to discuss it. And then, possibly, an offer of representation. But be aware that every stage of this process can result in rejection. If you’re offered a meeting, it doesn’t mean the agent will definitely take you on. But they might.

7. Get an offer of representation

Congratulations! Getting an agent is, understandably, the most exciting step for many aspiring authors. Finally the doors to the publishing industry have been thrown open to you – big advances, bestseller lists and literary prizes await!

Well, maybe. But don’t get carried away just yet. And don’t let your head be turned by the first agent who offers to represent you. Landing an agent is, understandably, seen as the Holy Grail by many an aspiring author. It’s easy to get carried away with excitement and gratitude and accept an offer – any offer – from the first person who shows an interest in you.

Don’t underestimate your value as a new writer. Debut fiction is very saleable! If you have more than one expression of interest, weigh up the pros and cons of each, ask questions, and be honest with yourself about what’s important to you. Crucially, do you get on with this person? So much of the publishing industry is based on personal relationships – and the author-agent one is a critical one.

Keep it professional, make sure your prospective new agent is the right agent for you – and your book. Meet the agent. Be prepared to talk about your writing – and what books you like reading – but also ask questions. Ask about how they work with clients. Do they offer editorial support, or are they more of a deal-maker? Ask which books they’ve done well with – and what their terms are.

Every agent is different, and works differently. Some are new and eager to build their list. Others are established with a portfolio of famous clients. You may prefer one who is part of a large agency. Or a sole trader with a small client list who can give you more attention may suit you better. This post gives a useful overview of seven different types of literary agent:

How to choose an agent – which of these 7 types is right for you? by Kirsty McLachlan

Don’t let yourself be pushed in a radically different direction, if that’s not what you want. Occasionally you might pitch your book to an agent, but find that they want you to write something very different. They may like your style, but think that another type of novel is more saleable. An agent may sometimes even have a specific project in mind that they’re looking to get published – and are looking for someone to write it. Tread carefully. The agent may be right – they know the market, after all. But it’s your book – and you must write the book that you want to write.

The best agents will not only help you get published, they will manage your career, help you develop as a writer, and think about your long-term potential as an author. Ideally, this will be a long-term working relationship – so pick one you’re fairly sure you can work with. It is possible (and sometimes desirable) to switch agents later – though it’s a bit awkward and can get messy with the rights in your earlier books. So it pays to spend a bit of time and effort into making the right match – for both of you.

Once you accept an offer, the next stage is to sign an Agreement with your new agent (here’s what you need to know) – and for them to start working for you. Your publishing deal awaits!

The post 7 steps to get a literary agent appeared first on Publishing Talk.

5 ways to beat #BlueMonday – and be a more resilient writer

Today is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year. And these are certainly tough times. How can you stay sane, optimistic – and build resilience as a writer? Jon Reed has some suggestions.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Goodbye Blue Monday!

If you recognise that quotation, you’re probably, like me, a Kurt Vonnegut fan. It’s from his 1973 novel Breakfast of Champions (full title: Breakfast of Champions, or Goodbye Blue Monday). It’s a novel heavy on the metafiction, which is what I like about it.

While the Blue Monday of the book refers to a washing machine manufacturer’s slogan (Monday presumed to be wash day), today is an annual, rather than weekly, Blue Monday. The third Monday in January is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year. It’s cold and dark (in the Northern Hemisphere, at least), we’re in debt from Christmas, and have broken all our New Year’s resolutions.

And that’s in a normal year – before you add in the catastrophe of a global pandemic and the health, social and economic consequences that come with it. So – what to do about it?

First of all, there’s absolutely no evidence that the third Monday of the year is more depressing than any other day. It’s pseudoscience, and you don’t have to buy into it. Ironically, like the Vonnegutian ‘Goodbye Blue Monday!’ slogan, it started as an advertising concept, by a UK travel company in 2005.

Secondly – well, there’s no denying that things are tough at the moment. How can you stay sane, optimistic – and build resilience? My suggestions are:

1. Be kind to yourself

If you can just get through the day, you’re doing well. “Sometimes just getting up and carrying on is brave and magnificent”, to quote from The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse.

2. Set acheivable goals

Speaking of which, I love this challenge set by Anneka Rice on Twitter last week. She had a UK TV show in the early 90s called Challenge Anneka. And her #ChallengeAnneka challenge on this day was: to get out of bed. And you had until 8pm to complete it. Acheivable goals. Get up. Maybe go for a walk. Don’t beat yourself up. And DON’T feel you have to write a novel in lockdown.

3. Have something to look forward to

Oh, the places you’ll go! Make a list of the things you’ll do, the people you’ll see, and the places you’ll go after the pandemic. These might be small things we all took for granted pre-2020. But they will return. Better times are coming. You don’t have to go as far as booking a holiday. Just make plans for something enjoyable in the future. Maybe a writers’ retreat, a course, conference, book launch or literary festival where you can meet other, real writers. Maybe just a drink with a friend. It will help you stay optimistic.

4. Take small steps into the future

If you can, do something small and acheivable every day to take you closer to your goals and the life you want when life returns. Lay the groundwork. Read something, learn something, write something. It doesn’t have to be a lot. You don’t have to write a chapter today. Try spending a short amount of time writing – about as much time as you usually spend doom-scrolling through Twitter, say. Small bits of regular writing build into big bits – even whole books. Slowly prepare yourself for a better, future world.

5. Remember you are not alone

There’s some comfort from knowing that everyone is going through a tough time, in one way or another, at the moment. If you’re feeling isolated, reach out and speak to a friend. Find a way to maintain social contact, even in lockdown. Phone, text, Zoom, FaceTime, use social media. Whatever works for you. And if you can connect with a writer friend – maybe even an online writers’ group – you can discuss your writing and help each other to stay motivated.

You can also connect with other writers by commenting on this blog post. Let us know how you’re doing – and what you’re doing to keep going, and keep writing. What are you looking forward to when this is over?

Whatever you’re doing today, whatever you manage to acheive, I hope you have a happy Monday!

This post is adapted from the latest issue of the Publishing Talk Newsletter. Read it in full here, and subscribe to get future newsletters with weekly-ish advice, tips and resources delivered straight to your in-box.

The post 5 ways to beat #BlueMonday – and be a more resilient writer appeared first on Publishing Talk.

How to get published – 6 steps to a traditional publishing deal

To build a career as an author you need to know how to get published as well as how to write. Jon Reed shares some pointers to help you navigate the process – and know what to expect.

Our next masterclass is by Scott Pack on How to Perfect Your Submission to Agents (online, Weds 10th Feb 2021). Come along if you want to nail steps 3-5 in this post!

Reading Time: 18 minutes

You’ve written a book. Now what? To take the next step and get published, your main options are to go down the traditional route of getting an agent and landing a publishing deal; or to self-publish. This article focuses on the traditional route to publication, and concentrates mostly on fiction.

How to get published – at a glance:

Identify your genre
Showcase your writing
Find a literary agent
Prepare your materials
Submit a query letter
Get a publishing contract!

1. Identify your genre

What sort of book have you written? (Or are you writing, or do you plan to write?) And which other books is it similar to?

Genre

Your book may not fit neatly into an obvious genre such as science fiction, historical fiction, crime or romance. Your genre may simply be ‘literary fiction.’ Or it may be a combination, such as sci-fi-horror or romantic comedy.

Think carefully about how to categorise your book – because agents, publishers and bookshops will. But do this when you’re preparing to submit to an agent or publisher – not while you’re still writing.

Genre is a sales tool. When your book is finally ready to be read, it will help it find its audience. Genre is something you should be aware of because you will, at some stage, need to explain what yours is to a prospective agent or publisher. You may have a clear idea of this from the start. You may be writing crime fiction because you love crime fiction and it’s what you read all the time. If not, don’t worry about it – yet.

Never try to second guess the market. Don’t write vampire romances or political thrillers just because that’s seems to be what’s selling at the moment. By the time your book comes out, the market will have moved on. And, unless you truly love the genre you’re writing in, you will soon get bored and your lack of enthusiasm will show. Write the book you want to write and you’re more likely to get published.

Stephen King, in his classic On Writing, says the time to really ask yourself what your book is about is when you’re writing the second draft. Then, if a theme suggests itself, you may want to enhance it in the re-write. You will also have a clearer idea of the genre your book fits into then, if you haven’t already.

Another thing Stephen King says is read. Make sure you read books in your chosen genre, or books that are similar to what you are writing. Read recent books, especially debut fiction, in your area. This will help you keep up with the ‘competition’ and the latest publishing trends. You can use that knowledge later to demonstrate your  market awareness to a prospective agent or publisher – as well as to hone your work.

Comparisons

In addition to genre, think about which books – or even film or TV – your book might be considered similar to. A comparison will help you get published because it will help you pitch your book. It is a shorthand that helps communicate what your book is like – quickly, without anyone actually having to read it. Agents, publishers and readers want this.

Agents want to be able to say to a publisher: “This author is the next Karl Ove Knausgård,” or “It’s a bit like The Da Vinci Code but set in 16th Century Japan,” or even “It’s Stranger Things meets Adrian Mole.” If you want to get published, think of an “X meets Y” that could describe your book.
Publishers want a hook to hang your book on. An editor will first need to convince his or her colleagues to publish a book – partly with sales figures of similar titles. And a publisher’s sales rep will want to be able to say to bookshops: “You took X copies of our title Y. This is a similar type of story by an exciting new author.”
Readers want reassurance that they will enjoy book Y because they enjoyed book X. This what drives Amazon’s “People who bought X also bought Y” algorithm. But you’ll see it in blurbs too. For example, the Amazon.co.uk description for A Man Called Ove says: “Perfect for fans of Rachel Joyce’s The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Graeme Simsion’s The Rosie Project and David Nicholl’s US.“

None of this means you have to copy someone else’s story or style. Your unique story and individual ‘authorial voice’ is exactly what agents, publishers and readers are looking for. But people in the book trade will always want to compare you to other authors and titles. Publishers always want something the same (because it provides a reassuring track record) but different (because they need something fresh and new to sell).

2. Showcase your writing

If you want to get published, first publish yourself. That might seem odd advice for an article on how to get published traditionally. But I believe building your online platform is an essential first step. Agents and publishers today want to know what ‘platform’ you have – i.e. what audience can you already reach. Start building your platform whether you’re just starting to write, or have a manuscript ready to send out.

Use the following approaches to help you develop your craft as a writer, raise your profile – and, ultimately, get published.

Start a blog

I used to lecture creative writing students on social media marketing – and always advised them to start a blog now, rather than waiting until they got a book deal.

It’s something that paid off with, for example, Leisel Schwarz – who went on to become the ‘High Priestess of British Speampunk.’ Create a well-written blog and it can attract the attention of agents. If nothing else, it proves you can write for an audience.

A blog can also become a book: Emily Benet’s Shop Girl blog caught the attention of Salt Publishing and became Shop Girl Diaries – and even went on to become a pilot for a sitcom.

It works for non-fiction too – in fact it’s even more important for building authority and an audience in a niche topic area. This blog helped me get published: my first traditionally published book, Get Up to Speed with Online Marketing (Pearson Business, 2010; 2013). If you regularly blog about a subject, your blog could become the starting point for a non-fiction book. A book based on blog posts is often called a ‘blook.’

Write on Wattpad

Wattpad is an online platform that lets you upload stories and read thousands of others for free.

Use it to serialise your work – either something you’ve already written; or something you write as you go, released a chapter at a time, adapting and reacting to readers comments along the way (is one character unexpectedly popular? Build up their part!)

Some authors reach millions of readers on Wattpad. Agents and publishers spot emerging talent on the platform too – and will be impressed by the size of your audience as well as the quality of your writing. Emily Benet wrote a novel called Spray Painted Bananas on Wattpad over four months, posting two chapters a week. She soon got half a million hits and a two-book deal with HarperCollins – who published the novel as The Temp.

Self-publish first

Self-publishing can help you get published traditionally. This is another way publishers talent-spot: by looking for successful self-published authors. The key word here is successful. If you self-publish and don’t sell many copies, that could actually harm your chances of becoming traditionally published. But if your self-published book is a huge success, you’ll have publishers beating a path to your door, and no trouble getting an agent.

This happened with such self-publishing successes as Amanda Hocking, John Locke and Kerry Wilkinson. Sometimes a publisher will offer you a deal for print-rights only, and let you keep your existing digital rights. A win-win if you only want to self-publish ebooks, but gain a wider reach in bookshops.

And there’s no reason you can’t do both: become a ‘hybrid’ author by traditionally publishing some books and self-publishing others, according to what you think is right for each book. Nick Spalding and Emily Benet are examples of authors who take this approach.

Write short stories

Show that you’re serious, develop your craft and get a publication credit in the process by writing short stories. Many novelists started out by writing short stories for magazines. While the market for short stories may be smaller than it once was, there are still plenty of outlets to submit to. You won’t necessarily earn much money – but you will get published. You’ll gain a writing credit for each story published, and build your writing resumé / CV.

One way to earn money from writing short stories is to enter competitions – and win them! Here are 15 short story competitions to enter to get you started.

If this all seems a distraction from the novel you want to write, remember that a short story can become the first chapter of a novel. This happened with Fiona Melrose: her short story The Fox was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 as one of the winners of their 2014 Opening Lines competition, and helped her get published. It became the starting point for her first novel Midwinter, which was published in paperback in September 2017.

Use any short stories you get published – especially if they win an award – in your submission to agents as evidence of your ability to write, and increase your chances of getting an agent. List them in your query letter (see Step 5) – but don’t send them unless you’re asked.

See also:

10 ways to win with WordPress – by Jon Reed
Emily Benet’s blog-to-book-to-sitcom success story – by Jon Reed
How to use Wattpad to get a book deal – by Emily Bennet

3. Find a literary agent

Most publishers will only accept submissions via a literary agent. So, in order to get published, your goal is to get an agent, rather than a publisher. Your agent will submit your work to publishers on your behalf.  And there are many other benefits to having an agent. They will:

Know the market
Have the right connections in the publishing world, and know who to approach
Get the best deal for you
Handle contract negotiations on your behalf
Manage your rights. You will retain your rights to e.g. film and these can be sold separately. If you sign a contract with a publisher without having an agent, your publisher will usually also own film and TV rights, and you’ll only get 50% of any proceeds.
Handle media requests for you, including invitations to write press articles
Take a fee of around 10-15% of your earnings. This is a good thing. Because their fee is based on your earnings, there’s an in-built incentive for them to get you the best possible deals – and you’ll end up earning far more with an agent than without one.

Some (but not all) agents also offer editorial support. They will critique your work and offer feedback, to help you get your final draft into the best shape before submitting to your publisher. Some even have in-house editorial staff to do this. If this is important to you, find an agent who will support you in this way – but don’t automatically expect it.

Research agents to find one you think will be a good fit for you and your book, and who you’d like to represent you. Then prepare your submission materials, as set out in Step 4.

Start with one of the directories of agents and publishers. The main ones are Writer’s Market (USA) and Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook (UK). These are invaluable reference books for when you’re ready to approach agents, and include details of each agent’s submission policy and what sort of books they’re looking for. Take a look at agents’ websites too, to see who they already represent.

Pick the right agent for you and your book. You might want an agent with the backing of a large organisation. Or you may prefer a small independent agent with lots of time to invest in you. Or you might aim for the best of both worlds with a new agent in an established agency who is starting to grow his or her own list of clients. You might want an agent who will offer lots of constructive feedback on drafts and help you develop as a writer; or you might not be bothered about that and just want one who can get you the biggest advance.

But don’t approach anyone yet: prepare your materials first.

See also:

Backdoor routes to getting a literary agent – by Kirsty McLachlan
7 ways to increase your chances of being taken on by a literary agent – by Andrew Lownie
How to choose an agent – by Kirsty McLachlan

4. Prepare your materials

You will soon start preparing your query letter (see Step 5 below). But not yet. Work on your supporting material first: your synopsis and sample chapters. Together these might be called your book proposal. They are the essential documents you need to get published.

Because you need more than a letter. If an agent is to assess whether you have potential as a writer, have something they can sell to publishers, and if you might be a good fit with their list, you’ll also need to send them your stuff. You won’t necessarily send this with your query letter (this depends on each agent’s submission policy); but even if you just send a query letter first, you’ll need to have the following material pre-prepared in case the agent is interested and wants to see more.

Synopsis

I’m more used to writing synopses and treatments for screenplays. But the same principles apply. Write out everything that happens in your novel, in the order in which it happens, in the present tense. Keep it to no more than two pages, and don’t hold anything back – let us know how your story ends! You may have intriguing twists, turns and reveals in your novel that you want to hold back from the reader – but don’t do this with your agent or publisher. This is no time to be worrying about spoilers: they need to know everything that happens.

You can still build tension in the way you write your synopsis, and keep the reader intrigued. Do this by only revealing plot points at the correct time in your synopsis. So don’t say: ‘…and he later turns out to be the killer all along’ in your opening paragraph. Save that information until the part of the story when it is revealed to the reader. Then your synopsis can be as engaging and satisfying as the full book.

Sample chapters

The purpose of your sample chapters is to flesh out some of your synopsis and, importantly, to demonstrate your writing style. An agent wants to see that you can write – or at least have potential. A couple of sample chapters is usually sufficient.

However, while a synopsis + 2 sample chapters may be typical, it’s not what every agent wants. The research you did in Step 3 will reveal not only which agents might be suitable to submit to, but what they want you to submit. Some might want one chapter, or 10,000 words. Some might want to see the whole thing.

There is a bit of a trend for agents wanting to see the entire manuscript upfront. Indeed, many articles advise that, if you want to get published, don’t approach agents until you have written a full manuscript to the best of your ability. But this isn’t always the case. Most of the debut authors I’ve known over the last few years got a publishing deal on the strength of a writing sample, not a whole manuscript. And the point of an advance is, after all, partly to give you time to write your book once an agreement to publish it has been reached. But if you want to wait until you’ve written most of your book before seeking an agent, that’s fine too. Sometimes you want the time and space to do just that, and to work out what your book is really about before you think about publication.

See also:

How to write a winning book proposal – by Sarah Such

5. Submit a query letter

A query letter is a one-page sales letter that you send to a literary agent to pitch your book and ask them if they would be interested in representing you. The ‘query’ is, essentially: “Will you be my agent?” And the ‘letter’ isn’t necessarily a physical one. These days it’s more likely to be an email – but check the submissions policy of each agent you approach.

Approach literary agents with a query letter only once you’ve prepared your synopsis and sample material – even if you don’t send this with your letter. If they ask for it, you need to have it to hand. Some agents will want your query letter to be a covering letter that you send with your book proposal. Some will want it as an email with attachments.

A query letter is a form of cold calling, or like sending a speculative job application to a company you’d like to work for. You’ve researched names of agents and checked their submission requirements. You might be sending out several. But be sure to personalise each letter: use the agent’s name (spelled correctly!) and include a short paragraph about why you’ve chosen to approach this particular agent.

You should also include an enticing paragraph of blurb ‘selling’ your book, a bit about yourself and any writing credits you have (such as published short stories), and something on your ‘platform’ – i.e. your existing (online) audience, if you have one.

If you’re in the fortunate position of already knowing some agents – perhaps from having met them at writers’ conferences or other book events, or through author friends – you might not need a query letter as such. You might be able to briefly explain what your book is about in person (always have a pitch prepared!) Then, if the agent thinks it sounds interesting, arrange a meeting.

You’ll still need to prepare your synopsis and sample chapters to send on in advance – and a covering note sumarising the key points and reminding the agent how you met. But it’s a warmer approach than a letter out the blue, and a route by which many authors get published.

Can I query multiple agents?

Yes, absolutely. It may take three months for an agent to reply to you – you can’t wait around that long. Draw up a list of agents you want to submit to – including those you’ve met at events – and send out queries to up to six of them. This will help you guage responses. If you get no requests for further material, your query letter needs work before you send it out again!

What happens next?

You’ll likely get one of these responses to your query letter:

A rejection
No response at all (usually also a rejection)
A request for some sample material
A request to see the whole manuscript (if available).

The last two of these responses may subsequently also result in a rejection. Don’t give up. Sometimes an agent will reject you simply because their list is full. Or they might think your book isn’t the type of book they can sell to publishers. You might get some feedback on your submission. More often you’ll get a standard rejection slip. Don’t take offence – agents are busy people and get a lot of submissions. If you hear nothing, follow up with a polite note after 6-8 weeks.

If you get several requests to see sample material but then get rejections, it’s your writing that needs work rather than your query letter. Seek more feedback – maybe by joining a writing group. Re-work it and re-send it.

However, if an agent is interested in you and your book, the next step is a meeting with them to discuss it. And then, possibly, an offer of representation.

What happens when I get an offer?

Congratulations! Getting an agent is, understandably, the most exciting step for many aspiring authors. Finally the doors to the publishing industry have been thrown open to you – big advances, bestseller lists and literary prizes await!

Well, maybe. But don’t get carried away just yet. And don’t let your head be turned by the first agent who offers to represent you. Landing an agent is, understandably, seen as the Holy Grail by many an aspiring author. It’s easy to get carried away with excitement and gratitude and accept an offer – any offer – from the first person who shows an interest in you.

Don’t underestimate your value as a new writer. Debut fiction is very saleable! If you have more than one expression of interest, weigh up the pros and cons of each, ask questions, and be honest with yourself about what’s important to you. Crucially, do you get on with this person? So much of the publishing industry is based on personal relationships – and the author-agent one is a critical one.

Keep it professional, make sure your prospective new agent is the right agent for you – and your book. Meet your prospective new agent. Be prepared to talk about your writing – and what books you like reading – but also ask questions. Ask about how they work with clients (do they offer editorial support or are they more of a deal-maker?), which books they’ve done well with – and what their terms are.

Don’t let yourself be pushed in a radically different direction, if that’s not what you want. Occasionally you might pitch your book to an agent, but find that they want you to write something very different. They may like your style, but think that another type of novel is more saleable. An agent may sometimes even have a specific project in mind that they’re looking to get published – and are looking for someone to write it. Tread carefully. The agent may be right – they know the market, after all. But it’s your book – and you must write the book that you want to write.

The best agents will not only help you get published, they will manage your career, help you develop as a writer, and think about your long-term potential as an author. Ideally, this will be a long-term working relationship – so pick one you think you can work with. It is possible (and sometimes desirable) to switch agents later – though it’s a bit awkward and can get a bit messy with the rights in your earlier books. So it pays to spend a bit of time and effort into making the right match – for both of you.

Once you accept an offer, the next stage is to sign an agreement with your new agent – and for them to start working for you!

6. Get a publishing contract

As a newly-minted author, you will quickly become used to legal paperwork. There are two main contracts to be aware of:

An agency agreement – this is a contract between you and your agent, setting out their terms (their fee is usually around 10-15% of your earnings). Always ask for a formal, written agreement. And don’t be shy about asking what your prospective new agent’s terms are when you’re looking for representation.
A publishing contract – your agent will handle this, and negotiate the best deal, in discussion with you.

There will be other contracts – but your agent can advise on them all. A key one is an Option Agreement, which is when a film or TV production company buys the rights to adapt your book.

But the key one, in terms of how you’ll get published, is the publishing contract. Now that you have an agent, it’s his or her job to get you one of these. Your agent will try to ‘place’ your book – i.e. sell it to a publisher. The basis for this sale will be the materials you submitted earlier (probably with a bit of reworking), plus a formal pitch from the agent, which will include some information about the market and commercial potential of your book.

This to can be a lengthy process. Don’t become disheartened. Remember that JK Rowling was rejected by 12 publishers before Harry Potter was placed with Bloomsbury. She was subsequently also rejected as Robert Galbraith.

When a publisher makes an offer your agent will handle the contact negotiation. If more than one makes an offer, you may even get into a bidding war. The highest bidder isn’t necessarily the best place for your book – though a big advance is an incentive for the publisher to get behind the book with some marketing effort in order to recoup their money!

You should also take into consideration what editorial support the publisher will give you, how much marketing they will do – and how much they will expect you to do – and how well they are likely to do with it based on previous books. The offer may be for multiple books – such as a ‘three book deal’ – tying you into that publisher for years. Your agent can advise on the pros and cons and make recommendations.

What do I get paid?

Publishing advances vary wildly. Big advances are the exception, and it’s not easy to earn a living as a full-time writer. You might get anything from low four figures for a niche publication with a small publisher, or up to six figures from a big publisher who thinks your book has major commercial potential.

Remember that an advance is literally an advance on royalties. It is an advance payment against money that your book will subsequently (hopefully) earn in the future once you get published. You will get a royalty statement from your publisher once or twice a year, which your agent can help you understand. Only when your royalty account has earned out your advance will you earn additional income from royalties. If your book doesn’t recoup the advance, it is usually not refundable, so long as you have met your contractual obligations.

Royalties are set at a percentage (e.g. 10%) of either:

Net receipts – the net income the publisher receives from booksellers, who but their stock at a discount
Published price – a percentage of the retail price of the book.

Net receipts is far more common these days, especially given today’s high bookseller discounts. A bookseller discount might be set at 35% for a small independent bookshop, up to 60%, 70% or more for a big chain, supermarket or online retailer. Each is the subject of a negotiation between publisher and bookseller.

When do I get paid?

Your payments will usually be staged. You’re likely to get something on signature of the contract with the publisher, something on delivery and acceptance of your final manuscript, and something on publication. And that might apply to three books. So if a publisher offers you an advance of £100,000 for three books, don’t expect it all at once: it might be split into nine payments!

See also:

5 things you need to know about agency agreements – by Kirsty McLachlan

If you want to get published, get educated!

If you want to get published, it pays to learn not only about the craft of writing, but as much as you can about the pubishing industry. Arm yourself with knowledge. Read blogs, read books, listen to podcasts, subscribe to trade magazines, go on courses or attend events. Maximise your opportunities to meet people who can further your career – whether they’re authors, agents or publishers.

The Publishing Talk Masterclasses are a great place to start. They’re available online, wherever you are in the world. We also hope to run our flagship ‘How to Get Published’ workshop again in 2021 (also online). Sign up to our Newsletter to be the first to hear about these events.

Your hard work will pay off. Once it has, and you’ve landed your first publishing deal, enjoy the moment. As soon as your first book publishes, the pressure will be on to publish your next!

Our next online masterclass is by Scott Pack on How to Perfect Your Submission to Agents (Weds 10th Feb 2021).

This post first appeared on this blog on 20 Nov 2017, and is periodically updated.

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The post How to get published – 6 steps to a traditional publishing deal appeared first on Publishing Talk.

10 hashtags for writers

Hashtags are more important than ever – yet can still be a confusing minefield if you’re new to social media. Here are 10 of the most useful hashtags for writers.

Reading Time: 7 minutes

Hashtags have not only endured in a fast-changing social media environment, they have become more important than ever. They started on Twitter, but they’ve since been adopted by Facebook, and especially by Instagram, where they’re essential for findability. They’re also used by Pinterest and LinkedIn – among other social media platforms. They’ve become so ubiquitous that no self-respecting conference or TV show would dare convene or broadcast without announcing an official hashtag.

What are hashtags?

Hashtags are simply words or phrases used in tweets (and other social media updates) with the # symbol in front of them. Make sure you don’t use any spaces or punctuation, and they become links that, when clicked, reveal a timeline of everyone whose tweets contain that hashtag.

You don’t need to register them anywhere, or use pre-existing ones – just make them up. However, the most popular hashtags catch on and become established. Start typing a hashtag and you’ll see a suggested tag in the autocomplete, possibly with the number of people using that hashtag, depending on the platform (Instagram does this).

The default view in Twitter shows you the Top tweets using the hashtag you’ve clicked on – but you can also click on Latest to see the most recent tweets using your selected hashtag. You can also filter by People, Photos, Videos, News and Broadcasts. And you also can see which hashtags – and other topics – are ‘trending’ on Twitter.

Use media in your tweets

To make the most of your hashtags, include a relevant weblink where appropriate and where space permits. Images have become more important in Twitter over the last few years too – as have videos and GIFs (short looping videos and animations). You can share video or audio files (such a a link to a YouTube video), which will play directly in your Twitter stream. These all make your tweets far more visible than just a line of text, and you will see plenty of them attached to tweets using the following hashtags.

How many hashtags should I use?

You can use more than one at a time – but the received wisdom on Twitter these days is no more than two or three for maximum engagement. On Instagram, however, the more the better: you can use up to 30 per post, with at least 11 resulting in greater engagement. If you’re using social ads, however – such as Facebook ads – it’s generally best not to use hashtags at all, since you want people to click on your link rather than any hashtags.

10 hashtags for writers

There are many hashtags that are useful to help you promote your books, connect with other writers, and – well – write. How do you use them, and which should you use? Click on a few of the following 10 hashtags for writers to get a feel for them and how you might use them.

1. #amwriting

Writing can be a solitary experience, and Twitter is a great way of connecting with other writers. It’s like a virtual watercooler. #amwriting is the hashtag started by Johanna Harness in 2010 as a way of supporting writers and fostering a sense of community. Use it to tell us what you’re working on, support and learn from others, and share your experience.

Variations on #amwriting include #amediting (if you’re at the editing stage) and #amquerying (writing a query letter or book proposal). If you’re at the editing stage, let people know and ask for any advice you need.

Every. Day. Almost… #amwriting #amediting #amquerying pic.twitter.com/xrOhbKoLu0

— Kimberly Hayle (@kimberlyhayle) August 1, 2017

2. #writerslife

Use this to offer an insight into your life as a writer, your writing process – or a wry comment on what it’s like to be a writer, of the ‘you know you’re a writer when…’ variety.

Writers never stop working, even reading counts as research… #amwriting #writerslife pic.twitter.com/UIp5f3KyFf

— Lacey London (@thelaceylondon) August 2, 2017

3. #WriterWednesday

#WriterWednesday or #ww was originally intended as a way to give shout-out to writers / suggest authors to follow, or to share writing tips. In practice, it also covers pretty much anything else to do with writers or writing too.

I use it quite a lot (on a Wednesday), and even started a weekly paper.li online newspaper called The #WriterWednesday Weekly. This generates its stories from links shared by people on Twitter using #WriterWednesday, and tweets a link to itself. Weekly. On a Wednesday.

Wishing you an awesomely productive #WriterWednesday! ???? #amwriting pic.twitter.com/SxGpjADF7p

— Heather Macht (@AuthorHMacht) August 2, 2017

4. #writetip

While #WriterWednesday is often used to share writing tips, if you specifically want to share or find writing tips, use #writetip or #writingtip.

A story is a series of acts that build to a story climax which brings about absolute and irreversible change.#writingtips #amwriting

— Robert McKee (@McKeeStory) July 30, 2017

5. #wordcount

For some people, regularly sharing your word count in public can be a great way to stay focused. Use it to share your successes (and failures!) and motivate yourself and other writers.

Total #wordcount for July: 20,064 words! Met my goal! #amwriting pic.twitter.com/ilTqSUwrAu

— Amianne Bailey (@AmianneB) July 31, 2017

6. #followfriday

#followfriday or #ff is used on a Friday to suggest people to follow to your followers. Ideally, don’t just include a list of @usernames – tell us why we should follow the person or people you suggest. You can do them one at a time, or include a list of people grouped together by topic or reason.

#ff can help raise your profile too, if people return the favour, or at least thank you in public. This isn’t why you should do it – but it’s an added bonus if it happens. You also use #ff to thank people for helping you in some way.

#ff @publishingtalk @publishingjobs for supporting #bookcareers Salary Survey spon @Inspiredjobs Closes at midnight https://t.co/B2ZQTXMBWD

— bookcareers.com (@bookcareers) July 28, 2017

7. #fridayreads

Another thing you can do on a Friday is tell us what you’re reading. This is a great way of name-checking other authors your admire, often with a picture of the book and short review. You can also use #amreading any day of the week – but #fridayreads is more often used for book reccomendations.

Ideally, include the Twitter @username of the author and official hashtag for the book if either exist; and a buying link to the book. If you have an Amazon Associates account, you might even earn a few dollars (pounds, euros etc.) if people click through and buy your #fridayreads recommendation.
If someone else gives a shoutout to one of your books – whether one that you’ve written, or one that you’ve published – like and/or retweet it on your own Twitter account.

Publishers can use #fridayreads to promote books. I often see them suggesting a Friday Read that happens to be a book that they’ve published that week – sometimes also combined with a giveaway.

You can use #fridayreads to share mini book reviews – whether your own, or quoting someone else’s review.

“#AWrinkleInTime is this beautiful example of creating this other world..” –@TimothyAnne, Curatorial Museum Specialist @NMAAHC #FridayReads pic.twitter.com/dHUdvaioD6

— AmyPoehlerSmartGirls (@smrtgrls) July 28, 2017

8. #writingprompt

Use #writingprompt as a way of engaging with other writers by suggesting a trigger for a story; or to look for writing inspiration yourself. Also check #writingprompts (plural), since this is used too; and maybe throw in an #amwriting for good measure!

Write out the best or the worst day of your life. #writingprompt #amwriting

— Hope N. Griffin (@HopeNGriffin) July 28, 2017

9. #bookgiveaway

Running a book giveaway on Twitter? Use #bookgiveaway to help people discover it. This can be used by publishers or authors. The entry criteria are usually as simple as ‘follow and retweet’ with a closing date. If you win, the person running the giveaway will usually DM (direct message) you to ask where you’d like your book sent.

????GIVEAWAY????????RT + follow for a chance to win 1 hardcover copy of You, Me and Empathy – ends 15/08. #kidlitart #kidlit #bookgiveaway #giveaway pic.twitter.com/1xqzHBRvIH

— Sofia Cardoso (@sofiagcardosoo) July 31, 2017

10. #askagent

You know that you should never pitch to an agent on Twitter, right? They really don’t like it. However, you should follow them, and many are prepared to give advice on Twitter. #askagent is the hashtag to use, which some agents will seek out to answer your questions. #askpub and #askeditor are variations to ask questions of publishers and editors. You can also use #amquerying to send your 280-character pitches out into the world.

Agents will sometimes announce when they’re available for questions using #askagent, with a date and time – or simply if they have a few minutes to spare!

I can do a quick #askagent while kids are in wave pool if anyone has questions?

— Jenny Bent (@jennybent) July 30, 2017

Instagram hashtags

While most of these hashtags can also be used on Instagram, there are a few Instagram-specific ones you should be aware of:

#bookstagram#instabooks#AuthorsOfInstagram#WritersOfInstagramDay-of-the-week hashtags

Consider the following daily hashtags to make yourself more visible on specific days of the week:

#MondayMotivation#TuesdayMotivation, #CharityTuesday, #TravelTuesday, #TuesdayThoughts; and and #TuesNews, which is used by members of the Romantic Novelists’ Association (@RNAtweets)!#WriterWednesday, #WednesdayWisdom#ThursdayThoughts, #ThrowbackThursday / #tbt#FollowFriday, #FridayReads#SampleSunday (for sample chapter giveaways)Seasonal hashtags

Some hashtags work well during specific months or seasons. #SummerReads is a seasonal alternative to #FridayReads. And if you’re doing NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in November, find tips and support with #NaNoWriMo or #CampNaNoWriMo.

Genre and topic hashtags

It can sometimes be useful to specify a genre in your tweets – particularly if combined with a #bookgiveaway – such as #crimefiction / #crimefic, #childrensbooks / #kidlit, #yalit, #sciencefiction / #scifi, #romanticfiction, #romcom, #thriller etc.

You can also use hashtags to talk about publishing topics such as #selfpublishing / #selfpub / #indieauthors or #ebooks.

Chat hashtags

You can find various genre and topic-based discussions on Twitter, which sometimes take place at specific times. Try, for example, #YALitChat, #litchat, #scifichat or #scriptchat.

Share your favourite hashtags

What other hashtags for writers have you come across or found useful? Do add them to the comments below.

This is an update of a post that first appeared on this site on 03 Aug 2011 and 03 Aug 2017.
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The post 10 hashtags for writers appeared first on Publishing Talk.

10 Twitter hashtags for writers

Hashtags are more important than ever – yet can still be a confusing minefield if you’re new to social media. Here are 10 of the most useful hashtags for writers.

Reading Time: 7 minutes

Hashtags have not only endured in a fast-changing social media environment, they have become more important than ever. Their use started with Twitter, but they’ve since been adopted by Facebook, and especially by Instagram, where their use is even more important than Twitter for making your content findable. They’re also used by Pinterest and LinkedIn – among other social media platforms. They’ve become so ubiquitous that no self-respecting conference or TV show would dare convene or broadcast without announcing an official hashtag.

What are hashtags?

Hashtags are simply words or phrases used in tweets (and other social media updates) with the # symbol in front of them. Make sure you don’t use any spaces or punctuation, and they become links that, when clicked, reveal a timeline of everyone whose tweets contain that hashtag.

You don’t need to register them anywhere, or use pre-existing ones – just make them up. However, the most popular hashtags catch on and become established. Start typing a hashtag and you’ll see a suggested tag in the autocomplete, possibly with the number of people using that hashtag, depending on the platform (Instagram does this).

The default view in Twitter shows you the Top tweets using the hashtag you’ve clicked on – but you can also click on Latest to see the most recent tweets using your selected hashtag. You can also filter by People, Photos, Videos, News and Broadcasts. And you also can see which hashtags – and other topics – are ‘trending’ on Twitter.

Use media in your tweets

To make the most of your hashtags, include a relevant weblink where appropriate and where space permits. Images have become more important in Twitter over the last few years too – as have videos and GIFs (short looping videos and animations). You can share video or audio files (such a a link to a YouTube video), which will play directly in your Twitter stream. These all make your tweets far more visible than just a line of text, and you will see plenty of them attached to tweets using the following hashtags.

How many hashtags should I use?

You can use more than one at a time – but the received wisdom on Twitter these days is no more than two or three for maximum engagement. On Instagram, however, the more the better: you can use up to 30 per post, with at least 11 resulting in greater engagement. If you’re using social ads, however – such as Facebook ads – it’s generally best not to use hashtags at all, since you want people to click on your link rather than any hashtags.

10 hashtags for writers

There are many hashtags that are useful to help you promote your books, connect with other writers, and – well – write. How do you use them, and which should you use? Click on a few of the following 10 hashtags for writers to get a feel for them and how you might use them.

1. #amwriting

Writing can be a solitary experience, and Twitter is a great way of connecting with other writers. It’s like a virtual watercooler. #amwriting is the hashtag started by Johanna Harness in 2010 as a way of supporting writers and fostering a sense of community. Use it to tell us what you’re working on, support and learn from others, and share your experience.

Variations on #amwriting include #amediting (if you’re at the editing stage) and #amquerying (writing a query letter or book proposal). If you’re at the editing stage, let people know and ask for any advice you need.

Every. Day. Almost… #amwriting #amediting #amquerying pic.twitter.com/xrOhbKoLu0

— Kimberly Hayle (@kimberlyhayle) August 1, 2017

2. #writerslife

Use this to offer an insight into your life as a writer, your writing process – or a wry comment on what it’s like to be a writer, of the ‘you know you’re a writer when…’ variety.

Writers never stop working, even reading counts as research… #amwriting #writerslife pic.twitter.com/UIp5f3KyFf

— Lacey London (@thelaceylondon) August 2, 2017

3. #WriterWednesday

#WriterWednesday or #ww was originally intended as a way to give shout-out to writers / suggest authors to follow, or to share writing tips. In practice, it also covers pretty much anything else to do with writers or writing too.

I use it quite a lot (on a Wednesday), and even started a weekly paper.li online newspaper called The #WriterWednesday Weekly. This generates its stories from links shared by people on Twitter using #WriterWednesday, and tweets a link to itself. Weekly. On a Wednesday.

Wishing you an awesomely productive #WriterWednesday! ???? #amwriting pic.twitter.com/SxGpjADF7p

— Heather Macht (@AuthorHMacht) August 2, 2017

4. #writetip

While #WriterWednesday is often used to share writing tips, if you specifically want to share or find writing tips, use #writetip or #writingtip.

A story is a series of acts that build to a story climax which brings about absolute and irreversible change.#writingtips #amwriting

— Robert McKee (@McKeeStory) July 30, 2017

5. #wordcount

For some people, regularly sharing your word count in public can be a great way to stay focused. Use it to share your successes (and failures!) and motivate yourself and other writers.

Total #wordcount for July: 20,064 words! Met my goal! #amwriting pic.twitter.com/ilTqSUwrAu

— Amianne Bailey (@AmianneB) July 31, 2017

6. #followfriday

#followfriday or #ff is used on a Friday to suggest people to follow to your followers. Ideally, don’t just include a list of @usernames – tell us why we should follow the person or people you suggest. You can do them one at a time, or include a list of people grouped together by topic or reason.

#ff can help raise your profile too, if people return the favour, or at least thank you in public. This isn’t why you should do it – but it’s an added bonus if it happens. You also use #ff to thank people for helping you in some way.

#ff @publishingtalk @publishingjobs for supporting #bookcareers Salary Survey spon @Inspiredjobs Closes at midnight https://t.co/B2ZQTXMBWD

— bookcareers.com (@bookcareers) July 28, 2017

7. #fridayreads

Another thing you can do on a Friday is tell us what you’re reading. This is a great way of name-checking other authors your admire, often with a picture of the book and short review. You can also use #amreading any day of the week – but #fridayreads is more often used for book reccomendations.

Ideally, include the Twitter @username of the author and official hashtag for the book if either exist; and a buying link to the book. If you have an Amazon Associates account, you might even earn a few dollars (pounds, euros etc.) if people click through and buy your #fridayreads recommendation.

If someone else gives a shoutout to one of your books – whether one that you’ve written, or one that you’ve published – like and/or retweet it on your own Twitter account.

Publishers can use #fridayreads to promote books. I often see them suggesting a Friday Read that happens to be a book that they’ve published that week – sometimes also combined with a giveaway.

You can use #fridayreads to share mini book reviews – whether your own, or quoting someone else’s review.

“#AWrinkleInTime is this beautiful example of creating this other world..” –@TimothyAnne, Curatorial Museum Specialist @NMAAHC #FridayReads pic.twitter.com/dHUdvaioD6

— AmyPoehlerSmartGirls (@smrtgrls) July 28, 2017

8. #writingprompt

Use #writingprompt as a way of engaging with other writers by suggesting a trigger for a story; or to look for writing inspiration yourself. Also check #writingprompts (plural), since this is used too; and maybe throw in an #amwriting for good measure!

Write out the best or the worst day of your life. #writingprompt #amwriting

— Hope N. Griffin (@HopeNGriffin) July 28, 2017

9. #bookgiveaway

Running a book giveaway on Twitter? Use #bookgiveaway to help people discover it. This can be used by publishers or authors. The entry criteria are usually as simple as ‘follow and retweet’ with a closing date. If you win, the person running the giveaway will usually DM (direct message) you to ask where you’d like your book sent.

????GIVEAWAY????????RT + follow for a chance to win 1 hardcover copy of You, Me and Empathy – ends 15/08. #kidlitart #kidlit #bookgiveaway #giveaway pic.twitter.com/1xqzHBRvIH

— Sofia Cardoso (@sofiagcardosoo) July 31, 2017

10. #askagent

You know that you should never pitch to an agent on Twitter, right? They really don’t like it. However, you should follow them, and many are prepared to give advice on Twitter. #askagent is the hashtag to use, which some agents will seek out to answer your questions. #askpub and #askeditor are variations to ask questions of publishers and editors. You can also use #amquerying to send your 140-character pitches out into the world.

Agents will sometimes announce when they’re available for questions using #askagent, with a date and time – or simply if they have a few minutes to spare!

I can do a quick #askagent while kids are in wave pool if anyone has questions?

— Jenny Bent (@jennybent) July 30, 2017

Instagram hashtags

While most of these hashtags can also be used on Instagram, there are a few Instagram-specific ones you should be aware of:

#bookstagram
#instabooks
#AuthorsOfInstagram
#WritersOfInstagram

Day-of-the-week hashtags

Consider the following daily hashtags to make yourself more visible on specific days of the week:

#MondayMotivation
#TuesdayMotivation, #CharityTuesday, #TravelTuesday, #TuesdayThoughts
#WriterWednesday, #WednesdayWisdom
#ThursdayThoughts, #ThrowbackThursday / #tbt
#FollowFriday, #FridayReads
#SampleSunday (for sample chapter giveaways)

Seasonal hashtags

Some hashtags work well during specific months or seasons. #SummerReads is a seasonal alternative to #FridayReads. And if you’re doing NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in November, find tips and support with #NaNoWriMo or #CampNaNoWriMo.

Genre and topic hashtags

It can sometimes be useful to specify a genre in your tweets – particularly if combined with a #bookgiveaway – such as #crimefiction / #crimefic, #childrensbooks / #kidlit, #yalit, #sciencefiction / #scifi, #romanticfiction, #romcom, #thriller etc.

You can also use hashtags to talk about publishing topics such as #selfpublishing / #selfpub / #indieauthors or #ebooks.

Chat hashtags

You can find various genre and topic-based discussions on Twitter, which sometimes take place at specific times. Try, for example, #YALitChat, #litchat, #scifichat or #scriptchat.

Share your favourite hashtags

What other hashtags for writers have you come across or found useful? Do add them to the comments below.

This is an update of a post that first appeared on this site on 03 Aug 2011 and 03 Aug 2017.

Save

The post 10 Twitter hashtags for writers appeared first on Publishing Talk.

MASTERCLASS: How to Perfect Your Submission to Agents and Publishers – with Scott Pack (Online, Weds 10th Feb, 2021)

If you want to get traditionally published, you need to submit a compelling book proposal to agents or publishers. This masterclass with Scott Pack will maximize your chances of success.

Masterclass: How to Perfect Your Submission to Agents and Publishers
Speaker: Scott Pack
When: Wednesday 10th February 2021, 6:30pm UK time
Where: Online – join us from anywhere in the world
Price: £10-£30 (or equivalent in your currency)
Booking: Eventbrite (Limited places available – book now!)

This post contains Amazon affiliate links to the books mentioned. See our Affiliate policy for more details. Books by our masterclass speakers are also available in our Bookshop.org bookshop.

Get practical, no-nonsense advice on submitting your book proposal to agents and publishers from veteran publisher Scott Pack.

Whether you’re writing fiction or non-fiction, this class offers straightforward advice on how to ensure your submission has the best chance of success.

You’ll learn how to identify the right publisher or agent, how to write a killer synopsis and cover letter, and how to avoid the pitfalls so many aspiring authors fall into.

Plus, for those brave enough to share their pitches, there’ll be a chance to receive a live critique during the session.

What we will cover:How to research agents and publishers – and identify the right ones for youHow to write a cover letter that will ensure your pitch and synopsis get readHow to put together an enticing submission packageThe secrets to writing a good synopsisThe differences between submitting fiction v. non-fictionCommon mistakes made by writers – and how to avoid them.Workshop includes:Valuable, no-nonsense advice and practical tips from Scott PackPractical session: a few volunteers will be selected to have their pitch critiqued during the class (optional)Your chance to pick the brains of an experienced publisherA PDF resourceAccess to a video replay of the event. This event will be recorded, and the video made available to participants, and to our Patrons.About Scott Pack

Scott Pack was head of buying at the Waterstones book chain before spending several years as a publisher at HarperCollins, acquiring and editing numerous bestsellers and award-winning books.

He is now a freelance editor and university lecturer, and hosts many writing workshops and classes.

Scott is also the author of two essential guides for authors: a short ebook, How to Perfect Your Submission; and Tips from a Publisher: A Guide to Writing, Editing, Submitting and Publishing Your Book (Eye Books, 2019), which is also available in the Publishing Talk Bookshop, which helps support local, independent bookshops in the UK.

About the Publishing Talk Masterclasses

Our online masterclasses are talks, interviews, seminars and workshops from successful authors, publishers, agents and industry experts designed to help you fulfil your potential as an author. Find out more on our masterclasses page.

Discounts available for Patrons. See our Patreon page for details.

You will be sent email reminders with joining instructions two days, two hours and 10 minutes before the start time of 6:30pm (GMT) on Weds 10th Feb 2021.

You can join this masterclass from anywhere in the world. If you’re outside the UK, please use this time zone converter to check your local live streaming time.

10:30am PST | 12:30pm CST | 1:30pm EST | 6:30pm GMT | 7:30pm CET

The post MASTERCLASS: How to Perfect Your Submission to Agents and Publishers – with Scott Pack (Online, Weds 10th Feb, 2021) appeared first on Publishing Talk.

MASTERCLASS: How to Perfect Your Submission to Agents – with Scott Pack (Online, Weds 10th Feb, 2021)

If you want to get traditionally published, you need to submit a compelling book proposal to agents or publishers. This masterclass with Scott Pack will maximize your chances of success.

Masterclass: How to Perfect Your Submission to Agents

Speaker: Scott Pack

When: Wednesday 10th February 2021, 6:30pm UK time

Where: Online – join us from anywhere in the world

Booking: Eventbrite (Limited places available – book now!)

This post contains Amazon affiliate links to the books mentioned. See our Affiliate policy for more details. Books by our masterclass speakers are also available in our Bookshop.org bookshop.

Get practical, no-nonsense advice on submitting your book proposal to agents and publishers from veteran publisher Scott Pack.

Whether you’re writing fiction or non-fiction, this class offers straightforward advice on how to ensure your submission has the best chance of success.

You’ll learn how to identify the right publisher or agent, how to write a killer synopsis and cover letter, and how to avoid the pitfalls so many aspiring authors fall into.

Plus, for those brave enough to share their pitches, there’ll be a chance to receive a live critique during the session.

What we will cover:

How to research agents and publishers – and identify the right ones for you
How to write a cover letter that will ensure your pitch and synopsis get read
How to put together an enticing submission package
The secrets to writing a good synopsis
The differences between submitting fiction v. non-fiction
Common mistakes made by writers – and how to avoid them.

Workshop includes:

Valuable, no-nonsense advice and practical tips from Scott Pack
Practical session: a few volunteers will be selected to have their pitch critiqued during the class (optional)
Your chance to pick the brains of an experienced publisher
A PDF resource
Access to a video replay of the event. This event will be recorded, and the video made available to participants, and to our Patrons.

About Scott Pack

Scott Pack was head of buying at the Waterstones book chain before spending several years as a publisher at HarperCollins, acquiring and editing numerous bestsellers and award-winning books. He is now a freelance editor and university lecturer, and hosts many writing workshops and classes.

Scott is also the author of two essential guides for authors: a short ebook, How to Perfect Your Submission; and Tips from a Publisher: A Guide to Writing, Editing, Submitting and Publishing Your Book (Eye Books, 2019), which is also available in the Publishing Talk Bookshop, which helps support local, independent bookshops in the UK.

About the Publishing Talk Masterclasses

Our online masterclasses are talks, interviews, seminars and workshops from successful authors, publishers, agents and industry experts designed to help you fulfil your potential as an author. Find out more on our masterclasses page.

Discounts available for Patrons. See our Patreon page for details.

You will be sent email reminders with joining instructions two days, two hours and 10 minutes before the start time of 6:30pm (GMT) on Weds 10th Feb 2021.

You can join this masterclass from anywhere in the world. If you’re outside the UK, please use this time zone converter to check your local live streaming time.

6:30pm GMT | 10:30am PST | 1:30pm EST | 7:30pm CET

The post MASTERCLASS: How to Perfect Your Submission to Agents – with Scott Pack (Online, Weds 10th Feb, 2021) appeared first on Publishing Talk.

4 steps to plan your writing projects

Take a pause and use some down time to plan your writing projects for the year ahead.
If you’ve got some unexpected time on your hands over the holidays, this can be a great time of year to catch up on some reading, do some writing – or simply plan some writing.

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Christmas is a funny time of year for writers. While some years you may be so busy with social gatherings and visiting family you can’t even think about writing, this year things are very different for many of us. You may be unexpectedly on your own – or at least spending a scaled-back Christmas with far fewer people.

Where I live, in the South East of England, we’re locked down in ‘Tier 4’ with no mixing or travel allowed. The only Christmas mixing I’ll be doing this year is gin with tonic. So that’s a bonus.

I find the ‘dead time’ between Christmas and New Year particularly conducive to planning – even in a ‘normal’ year. Most people are off work, there are few distractions, and you have a hiatus between two public holidays when nothing much is going on to take a pause and do some strategic planning for the year ahead.

If strategic planning sounds too businessy and administrative for a creative writer, remember that, if you are a writer, writing is your business – at least part of it – and it deserves your considered attention. You can scribble on the back of an envelope, use that nice new notebook you got for Christmas, juggle Post-It notes, fill in a spreadsheet, start a new planning document in Scrivener, or try various digital project planning tools such as Trello or Mindmeister. Personally, I use a mix of spreadsheets and Scrivener – but I sometimes write things down or flirt with Mindmeister. But do whatever works for you.

Here are four key areas of your writing life to think about:

1. Contracted Projects

If you’re lucky enough to have a publishing contract, this should be your first priority. When is it due? Check your delivery dates, and re-negotiate them if necessary. I know from experience that publishers always like as much notice as possible if you’re likely to miss a deadline! What milestones do you need to hit over the next year in order to deliver on time? How will this affect and fit around your other projects and commitments?

2. Works in Progress (WIP)

What are you working on at the moment? It can be easy to lose track if you’ve started writing multiple projects, abandoned some, got distracted by an exciting new project, or forgotten about that great thing you started at the beginning of the year – but life (and COVID) got in the way. Revisit any projects you’ve actually made a start on, make a list, and sort them into order of priority. What will you actually work on next year? What’s realistic? How many words will you aim for, over what period? Which WIP will you finish next year? If you’re self-publishing, which WIP will you publish next year?

3. Ideas List

Next is your list of projects you’ve not even started. This may be an existing list you keep somewhere, or something you want to start now (see next step). Many of us jot down new ideas as they occur to us, so we don’t forget. (Though Val McDermid does the opposite – she says: “If it’s not interesting enough to remember, it’s not interesting enough for a reader to want to read about it.”) If you do keep a list, revisit and update it. Do the ideas on the list still excite you? Which ideas did you remember – and keep mulling over? Are there any you want to drop? Are there any you want to move up to your WIP list and start working on next year?

4. Something New

A time when you can pause and reflect is a great time to get creative. Use this time to generate at least one new idea, which you can add to your Ideas List – or create an Ideas List from scratch. Use whatever method works for you to generate ideas. What have you always wanted to write? What would you like to read, but hasn’t been published? What aspect of your life, experience or career can you draw on? What could only have been written by you? What news stories have grabbed your attention this year? What do you know a lot about? What topic fascinates you? What do you wish you’d written? What did you particularly enjoy watching on TV or Netflix this year? Why? What music inspires you – and would be a great soundtrack to a movie adaptation of your book? Think about how things might have turned out differently – for you, for someone you know, or in the world at large. Answer the question: “What if..?” Go on a long walk and let your mind wander. You can generate a long list of ideas – but only one might make it to your Ideas List.

The time and space to think up new ideas and new stories is a luxury – use it. Nothing in the world happens without it first being an idea. “Fantasy’s reality’s childhood”, as The Carpenters once sang.

Repeat this process – and come up with at least one new Something New – every year. This can go onto your Ideas List, and from there might work its way up to your Works in Progress. When one of these lands you a publishing deal, that becomes one of your Contracted Projects! Your best ideas will rise to the top of this list – like a pyramid of publishing projects.

Whatever you’re doing over the next week or so – and whether that involves writing or not – be sure to take a pause. And I wish you a peaceful Christmas, and a productive New Year.

This blog post is based on this week’s Tip of the Week in the Publishing Talk Newsletter. Read it online, or sign up to receive the next newsletter.

Photo by Alejandro Escamilla on Unsplash

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6 ways to overcome procrastination and beat writers’ block

We all procrastinate – but you can overcome it and beat writers’ block with  practical strategies. So stop putting off your dreams and reward your future self, says Bec Evans.

Bec Evans is running a masterclass on How to Build a Writing Habit in 2021. Join us on Weds 6th Jan 2021 at 6:30pm UK time, and get your writing year off to a flying start!

Reading Time: 6 minutes

I’ve spent the last hour in an internet wormhole ‘researching’ procrastination. I made the usual excuse that it was necessary groundwork for this blog post but. to be honest, I was delaying the task at hand. The instant hit of clickbait was preferable to knuckling down and earning the satisfaction that comes from effort.

I’m not alone. We all procrastinate, often several times a day. Humans are hard wired to seek pleasure and, in this age of distraction, getting side tracked is the norm.

Postponing writing

Writers are the masters of procrastination – it’s far simpler to type a search term into Google than it is to write the first line of a novel. Whether you’re a full-time writer, a part-time scribbler, or a dreamer with ambitions to write, it’s all too easy to delay.

Dr Robert Boice, author of Procrastination and Blocking: A Novel Approach, spent two decades delving into the minds of writers to work out why they are so easily distracted. The people he studied wanted to write – for many it was a requirement of their job – but they put it off because there was something easier or more pleasurable to do.

Procrastinators chose alternative activities. He said they “opt for short-term relief through acts that are easy and immediately rewarding, while generally avoiding the thought (and anxiety) of doing more difficult, delayable, important things.” This focus on immediate pleasure side tracked people from their intention and prevented them from starting.

Procrastinators opt for short-term relief through acts that are easy and immediately rewarding – Robert Boice

But it’s not just about postponing. Boice found many writers get stuck in the middle, often when things get tricky, and this blocks their progress. He explained that this was because of: “paralyzing anxiety and uncertainty, often because the task will be evaluated publicly.”

He called this second group ‘blockers’ and their fear stopped them making progress even though they might have already invested significant time and effort.

The procrastination mindset

Whether you’re a put-off-starting type or a stuck-in-the-middle writer there are certain characteristics that all procrastinators have in common. Boice found that both had an unrealistic belief that the work will get done – somehow. It’s as if saying you’ll pen a novel is enough.

There was also a disproportionate focus on the outcome, rather than the input required to make that dream come true. This caused increased levels of anxiety. Thinking about writing a whole book is understandably scary, whereas writing one word, one sentence, or one page is much less frightening. Finally, there was a tendency towards busyness and rushing as writers tried to compensate for the delay in starting.

The path to productivity – changing your mindset

Just because your procrastination can be defined doesn’t mean you are defined by it. There are simple tricks you can take to avoid distraction and delay to make progress towards your creative dreams.

“There has to be a change in mindset so your present self acts in the interest of your future self”

At heart all procrastinators value immediate rewards more highly than future rewards. There has to be a change in mindset so your present self – the one that wants immediate satisfaction – acts in the interest of your future self – the one who wants to complete a book. This means putting in place a system that rewards long-term activities and punishes the short-term distractions.

6 ways to overcome procrastination and blocking
1. Scheduling

Committing time to write is one of the best ways to avoid procrastination. There are lots of different approaches to finding time to write but essentially it all comes down to scheduling.

Take your diary, find time that you can use for writing and make an appointment so you treat it like any other commitment. Start small – it could just be fifteen minutes a day – and build up from there. It’s important to get into the habit of sticking to a schedule.

Researchers have found the most productive schedule involves writing every day, for no longer than 90 minutes, with regular breaks and fixed end point. Developing a daily practice will take the effort and willpower out of deciding when to write.

2. Rewards

Giving yourself a treat when you’ve completed your task can help you avoid getting side-tracked. Rather than indulging yourself in a procrastination activity before you start, why not use it as a reward for when your writing is completed? Think of something small enough to encourage, but not too big that writing become all about the reward, and you’ll find your motivational sweet spot.

The idea is to reward your future self, even if the future is only an hour’s writing time away.

Another trick is to imagine what you’ll feel like when you’ve finally finished that draft, and use that feeling of satisfaction to keep you focussed on the long-term benefits of what you’re trying to achieve.

3. Environment design

Keeping your desk free of temptation is a sure-fire way to avoid getting distracted.

Dieters have long been told to take candy from their cupboards and replace it with healthy snacks. It’s far harder to gorge yourself on sweets if they aren’t there; in the same way using an internet blocker like Freedom, not having your iPhone next to your computer, and tidying away papers, will keep you focussed on the task ahead.

If reorganizing your writing space gives you an opportunity to procrastinate for days on end, go and write somewhere else.

4. Mental clutter

If your problem is mental distraction you need to file away those diverting thoughts. Channel those mindfulness masters and allow thoughts to pass through the mind without disruption.

Why not use the tried and tested productivity tip from David Allen’s Getting Things Done? He proposed a ‘tickler’ file where you park other ideas – in short, when a thought comes into your head just note it down. When you’ve finished your writing session, you’ve got a handy list of all the other things you can turn your attention to.

5. Free writing

If you’re in a blocking situation and unable to write because you’re scared, anxious and overwhelmed then give free writing a go. Sit down and write anything, get all those fears out of your head and on to the page.

If you’ve scheduled time and cleared the clutter you could try Raymond Chandler’s ‘Nothing Alternative’ method. He explains: “Two very simple rules: a) you don’t have to write; b) you can’t do anything else.” It’s write or nothing.

I guarantee that you’ll want to make use of the time so just write whatever comes into your head. Soon the fear of the blank page will decrease and you’ll be able to get back into your project.

6. Accountability

Setting up an accountability system will keep your writing on track. If you need external support go and find a writing buddy, join a writing group, sign a writing contract, tell your friends and family, go public.

If you’re one of those internally motivated people work out a personal accountability system, for example track your writing.

Take action against distraction

Set yourself up for writing productivity by saying no to procrastination. Ask yourself:

What type of procrastinator am I? Work out if you struggle to get started or get stuck in the middle.
When is a good time to write? Find a slot in your diary and schedule some time.
What is my motivation treat? Think of something small like a cup of coffee or five minutes of Facebook and reward yourself every time you complete a session.
How can I minimize distraction and interruption? Design your environment to remove procrastination triggers by dealing with clutter or finding a more zen-like environment to write in.
Is anxiety preventing me from working on my creative project? Try free writing and liberate yourself.
Who or what will hold me to account? Work out if you need external support or an internal boost and set up a system to keep you on track.

 

This post previously appeared on the Prolifiko blog, and first appeared on Publishing Talk on 05 March 2016.

Bec Evans is running a masterclass on How to Build a Writing Habit in 2021. Join us on Weds 6th Jan 2021 at 6:30pm UK time, and get your writing year off to a flying start!

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7 ways to get things done – and be a more productive writer

Productivity expert Bec Evans of Prolifiko offers her top tips for getting things done and being a more productive writer – so you can spend time doing what you love.

Bec Evans is running a masterclass on How to Build a Writing Habit in 2021. Join us on Weds 6th Jan 2021 at 6:30pm UK time, and get your writing year off to a flying start!

Reading Time: 6 minutes

It’s no secret I’m a productivity freak. A friend recently drew a cartoon birthday card of me as Little Miss Just Get It Done and my secret Santa gift from colleagues at Emerald Group Publishing this Christmas was a mug emblazoned with the words: Get Shit Done. At home, my shelves are overflowing with books on productivity, self-management and life hacks – if you set about reading them now you wouldn’t have any time for anything else for the next twelve months.

But productivity isn’t just a way to show off to colleagues and suck up to your boss. Getting things done allows you to spend more time doing the things you love and want to do. Here’s a few tactics to make short shrift of the long to-do list.

1. Tackle your Most Important Task (MIT)

Many of us ease into the working day by checking emails over a cup of coffee, perhaps catching up on some professional reading, and networking on Facebook. A lovely start to the day, but not the most productive. When meetings kick in at 10.00 you won’t see your desk for the next seven hours, so don’t leave your work until home time.

The Most Important Task, MIT for short, was coined by Zen Habits master Leo Babauta. It’s an essential part of his morning routine, and he tackles this task just after waking up and having a glass of cold water (none of this caffeine and Facebook slacking).

2. Prioritize

Nailing your MIT will only work if you’ve effectively prioritized. Working on your prioritization skills will help you deliver better results. Here’s a few approaches to hone this super power.

First up is Eisenhower’s Important-Urgent Principle, a matrix that helps you calculate where a task falls. You tackle tasks in the following order:

Important and urgent
Important but not urgent
Not important but urgent
Not important and not urgent.

It’s certainly an effective method, but for me it takes too long to divide my to-dos into quads. I prefer working out what not to do and take my inspiration from unnamed female General in the US Army who was quoted by Roy F Baumeister in his excellent book Willpower. She said:

“First I make a list of priorities one, two, three and so on. Then I cross out everything from three on down.”

My advice is to write your priority list on a post it note – the space is too small to fit too much on. You get bonus points if you prioritize the night before as you’re clearing your desk to go home.

Finally, just learn to say no. As Steve Jobs said:

“Innovation is saying ‘no’ to 1,000 things.” – Steve Jobs

3. Swallow a frog

Back to getting things done. A variation on the MIT is swallowing a frog – namely, that beast squatting on your to-do list which is hard and horrid to do.

Stop feeling bad about how long it’s been sitting then and just do the damn thing. And follow Mark Twain’s advice to do it first thing:

“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” – Mark Twain

If you need an incentive, tap into your baser psychology and plan a reward for when it’s done. When you’ve eaten your frog, treat yourself to a victory shopping spree, or tuck into whatever edible reward tickles your tummy. You’ll radiate with productive smugness all day (or that could be the frog repeating on you).

See Brian Tracy’s bestseller Eat That Frog! Get More of the Important Things Done – Today! for more detail on this idea.

4. Follow the masters of getting things done

If that frog has been squatting on your to-do list for a while, there’s probably a good reason. Yes, it might just be a hard task you’re avoiding, but it’s likely it’s too big, or not clearly defined.

This is where the master of productivity can help. David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) is a classic for many reasons. Packed within this tome is a bunch of super helpful tips, so even if you don’t embrace the whole GTDTM system, you can pick out the tactics that work for you.

Allen talks about “creating the option of doing”, which I loosely translate as: start doing things. Allen quotes one of the founding fathers of productivity, yep the frog swallower himself, Mark Twain:

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” – Mark Twain

Allen suggests selecting a task on your list, and asking yourself: what’s the next action I have to do to contribute to that task?

5. Take super small next steps

Allen’s next action advice has been thoroughly researched by Stanford’s B J Fogg and turned into a practical Tiny Habits Programme. In short, Fogg recommends breaking down tasks into such tiny actions that doing them is easier than procrastinating. He uses the example of flossing teeth – start with just one tooth. Tiny indeed!

At Prolifiko (formerly Write Track) we’ve been working on a small steps system for writers. We developed a 5-day writing challenge which helped writers identify a goal and break it down into small steps that must be achieved by midnight the next day. We had hundreds of people sign up at New Year and have over a 60% completion rate.

6. Don’t diss the list

LinkedIn found that 63% of professionals use to do lists. Yet, despite their popularity, people rarely achieve what’s on their lists. Research by team progress tracker I Done This found that 41% of items on a list are NEVER completed.

However, lists can be super helpful if you think differently about their purpose. When I’m feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of stuff I need to do, I write long list of everything racing around my head. I use a version of morning pages each day to help me focus – you could try The Five Minute Journal and make like Titan Tim Ferriss.

It’s a similar idea to David Allen’s tickler file (just the name makes me happy). A tickler is a folder you keep on your desk and the moment you get a distracting thought about something else to do, you write it down immediately and file it. Then each week you go through to allocate a priority and time to complete. Job done.

7. Set some goals – from hairy to smart

There’s no point assembling a series of small steps and actions if you don’t know where they’ll take you. To head in the right direction, you need a goal.

Silicon Valley is in thrall to the moonshot – a catchier version of Jim Collins’ Big Hairy Audacious Goal, or BHAG for short (actually I’d rather not). It’s a goal so big it will inspire and direct your work for 10-20 years. Or intimidate the hell out of you.

More common is SMART goal setting, often used in workplace appraisals. It’s a handy system, and easy to remember:

Specific – the goal must be clear and with no ambiguity about what you want to achieve.
Measurable – it should be quantified so you can tell if it’s been accomplished.
Achievable – it must be realistic and attainable with your skills and available resources; you can stretch yourself but not too much.
Relevant – it must make sense in the wider context of what you are trying to achieve and be aligned with your purpose and values.
Time bound – this can take two forms, either giving yourself a target deadline date to complete or specifying a time when you should perform the task each day.

As games designer Jane McGonigal says:

“Smart goals, or quests, ensure that every day you’re making a better life for yourself, right now, in the present moment. An epic win is in the future; a quest, or smart goal, is what you do today.” – Jane McGonigal

Fundamentally that’s what productivity is all about. Being productive isn’t an end in itself; it’s the means to a better life, one where you have the time for activities that matter to you.

So, with that in mind, go forth, get things done, and spend your new found freedom on a side project, hobby, box set, volunteering, or with people and animals.

This post previously appeared on the Prolifiko blog, and first appeared on Publishing Talk on 17 Feb 2017.

Bec Evans is running a masterclass on How to Build a Writing Habit in 2021. Join us on Weds 6th Jan 2021 at 6:30pm UK time, and get your writing year off to a flying start!

The post 7 ways to get things done – and be a more productive writer appeared first on Publishing Talk.