Carly Watters's Blog, page 2

Why Authors Need Agents: Advanced Edition

‪I still get asked why writers need agents. If you have self published in the past or are thinking about hybrid publishing you probably have questions. Mainly, why give someone 15%? Well, we do a lot for that 15%, and we have to in order to help you be nimble, successful, creative business people in … Continue reading Why Authors Need Agents: Advanced Edition 

5 Reasons for “Quick Pass” on a Query Letter

Agents do inhale query letters. We get 1,000’s a year and go through them periodically; usually consuming them in batches of 20-100’s at a time. I try to read them once or twice a month. Your query letter is my first encounter with you. It doesn’t have to be “perfect” (I mean that!), but it … Continue reading 5 Reasons for “Quick Pass” on a Query Letter

A Detailed, Bookish Guide to Instagram

I’ve rounded up some bookish Instagram experts, compiled data, and pulled links together to show everyone a complete picture of Instagram for writers and book lovers. If you’re unsure about whether Instagram is for you try it out and you’ll quickly see why book lovers flock there. Book covers are made to be captured and … Continue reading A Detailed, Bookish Guide to Instagram

3 Steps To A Winning Non Fiction Project

Non fiction is an incredibly busy category. With celebrity memoirs and internet-based projects (HONY etc.) everywhere (and rightfully so! As you’ll see below) it’s a competitive space for debut non fiction authors. So if you have a non fiction idea how are you going to get to the marketplace? How do you find an agent … Continue reading 3 Steps To A Winning Non Fiction Project

#askagent on Facebook LIVE Oct 13

The long weekend is over and it’s full steam ahead to Frankfurt Book Fair, #NaNoWriMo, the International Festival of Authors and the rest of the delights of fall publishing. This week, I’m hosting a live #askagent session on the PSLA Facebook page. Ask your questions in advance here. Thursday at 4pm EST you can log in … Continue reading #askagent on Facebook LIVE Oct 13

10 Ways To Personalize Your Query to Agents

Writers hear that they’re supposed to personalize their queries–but “how personal, exactly?” is the most common question. The best queries show that they have engaged with us before (on Twitter, read an interview, or a blog post of ours) and have done their research. It’s easier than you think to show that personal touch. Below … Continue reading 10 Ways To Personalize Your Query to Agents

4 Easy Ways To Streamline Your Author Brand

Every writer has an author brand whether they know it or not. So how can you take control of it? Here are my four easy ways to streamline your author brand across platforms and within platforms. TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR AUTHOR BRAND WITH THESE 4 STEPS: 1. Cross-platform brand consistency Do you use the same … Continue reading 4 Easy Ways To Streamline Your Author Brand

What To Do When You Sit Down To Pitch Your Novel In-Person

After attending conferences around North America for the past 6 years I’ve seen an array of pitching techniques. Some good. Some…not so good. I get it. It’s not easy to pitch your book (your creative project that’s been on your mind for months if not years) to someone sitting in front of you, especially when the … Continue reading What To Do When You Sit Down To Pitch Your Novel In-Person

4 Ways To Write Better Dialogue

One of my biggest pet peeves as an agent reading slush is unrealistic dialogue. This is a huge indicator of skill for better or for worse. For me this is a bigger red flag than any grammatical error and I cringe when dialogue isn’t edited as carefully as the rest of the manuscript (in terms of … Continue reading 4 Ways To Write Better Dialogue

Guest Post: 6 Ways To Make Comp Titles Work For You by Jennifer Johnson-Blalock

I’m so thrilled to have another great guest post for you! Comparative titles are a major conundrum for many writers. How recent? How many? How perfect do they have to be? I get more questions about comp titles than many other topics–believe it or not. How can you make them work for you? Literary Agent Jennifer Johnson-Blalock tells…