Sarah Nicolas's Blog, page 7

QQQ: Sci-Fi Thriller Author Rob Hart and Managing Expectations

Queries, Qualms, & Quirks asks published authors to share their successful query letter and discuss their journey from first spark to day of publication.

Sci-Fi Thriller Author Rob Hart joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss realizing what books could do, the protection the writing community can provide, having your book deal canceled, the benefit of a wide range of publishing experiences, Chuck Palahniuk, the domino effect of bad sales history, and we went on a tangent about writers getting paid for their time.

Rob Hart is the author of six novels, the short story collection Take-Out, Scott Free with James Patterson, and a Star Wars story. His last book, The Warehouse, sold in 22 countries and was optioned for film by Ron Howard. His next novel, The Paradox Hotel, is due Feb. 22.

Rob: Query | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound | Libro FM

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QQQ: Young Adult Author Heidi Heilig and the Joy in Receiving Critique

Queries, Qualms, & Quirks asks published authors to share their successful query letter and discuss their journey from first spark to day of publication.

Young Adult Author Heidi Heilig joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss throwing away 600+ pages, getting an offer while on bedrest, making your main character more active, the magic in rewrites, transitioning to writing solo after having a writing partner, how being a receptionist helps her writing, and writing depression accurately but keeping it active.

Heidi Heilig is the author of THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE, a historical fantasy series involving piracy, time travel, and 19th century Hawaii, and FOR A MUSE OF FIRE, a YA fantasy featuring a bipolar shadow player who can see the spirits of the dead. Heidi is bipolar herself, though when she travels through time, it is only in the usual “forward” direction.

Heidi: Query | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound | Libro FM

QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon

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Communication Accessibility Accommodations

Why I’m Posting This

In a conversation with by Disability in Publishing colleagues, I brought up the idea about including the following in my email signature to get their feedback:

Accessibility is important to me! If you need any accommodations to make communication more accessible to you, please don’t hesitate to ask. 

Someone mentioned adding an example, since folks may not know what to ask for or may think their request was too much/not important. But I know that signatures that are too long would never get read. So on a long drive, I came up with the idea of creating a post here and linking to it in the signature.

While I’ve seen many suggestions in the past, and have my own needs, I’m only one person, so I took to twitter to get a fuller picture on what folks might need. Much appreciation to everyone who chimed in there.

If you know of another accommodation that might help someone and you don’t see it on this list, please feel free to comment. There is also the resource assembled by the Job Accommodation Network, but they focus on ADA-related issues, whereas I don’t expect any disclosure of medical conditions in order to make accommodations.

My hope for this list is two-fold. I hope that people who don’t need these accommodations see it and keep it in mind, especially when someone asks them for these things. (And honestly, even if someone doesn’t ‘need’ it, a lot of these are just good ideas in general to increase the clarity of your communications and reduce confusion all around.)If someone is asking you for any of these things, they are not being “difficult.” It is scary to make these request so please handle them with sensitivity and dignity.When possible, I will try to point to resources that can help you with free accessibility aidsFeel free to use the same or a similar message in your email/website with a link to this postNever, ever, ever reply with “Aren’t we all a little autistic/depressed/anxious/OCD/disabled/etc?”Never say anything like “You don’t seem disabled/autistic.”That people who need these accommodations might:Know that you are not asking for too much and know that no ask is too small Realize an accommodation they never thought to ask for might help themWith me, personally, use it as a menu. Feel free to just send me the section and numbers of the things you’d like me to prioritize for you.If you want/need the absolute opposite of anything on this list, that is valid as well!Caveats

These don’t apply to everyone. These are things that some people will need, while others will specifically not want or need. Obviously items 2 and 3 in the Video Meetings section are directly in conflict, for example.

For example: I hyperfocus on text and don’t pay attention to images around it, so if I watch a movie with subtitles on it, I do not even see the visuals/video, but this can obviously be a great advantage to people who are hard of hearing or have auditory processing issues. Another example: I strongly prefer direct, concise emails, while a manager at a previous job would think I was mad at her if I didn’t include a couple sentences of niceties.

For situations where two people’s needs conflict, I recommend an honest conversation to find a compromise. Both parties should try not to get defensive and try not to diminish the other’s needs.

Possible AccommodationsOverall CommunicationHave what would normally be a phone call in a different format, such as an email, video call, or text chatAnd vice versaUse written communication whenever possible, especially when conveying data, requests, to-do lists, or anything a person may need to remember at a later date.Be precise in your language, especially when requesting things.“Please get this back to me by the end of Friday” vs “Please get this back to me in a couple days”“Explain in 100-150 words” vs “Explain in a couple paragraphsDo not bury important details or instructions in less/non-important info.Let the person know when they will hear from you next. If you have to miss that deadline, communicate it before the date passes.Let the person know when you expect to hear back from them nextBe direct and precise, especially if you need something doneAvoid phrases like “it would be great if..” when it’s something mandatorySet clear deadlines. (Personally, “get it to me when you can” means you will never get that from me)If you’re unsure how long it will take them, or the deadline is not vital, you can ask. Ex: “Do you think you can get this back to me in 3 weeks or do you need longer?”Set clear priorities when assigning multiple tasksWhen teaching someone a new process/etc use examples, such as example formatting, example wording, templates.Avoid using gendered greetings (“Hey girl!”) or language Use checklists when appropriate/possibleMeetingsCreate an agenda or topic for any planned meeting.Simply saying “we need to talk” or setting a meeting with no explanation causes extreme duress in people with many conditionsEven for impromptu meetings, say something like “hey, can you talk about the conference schedule?” instead of “can you come to my office for a minute?”Send a calendar invite in addition to the emails used to schedule it. Include the meeting link & agenda in that calendar invite. Calendly is an incredible app if you’re in the position where a lot of people are scheduling things with you. I use it to schedule my podcast recording appointments.Don’t do “icebreakers.” If you absolutely must, inform the attendees ahead of time exactly what they are so they are not put on the spot.Written Communication in General (applies to email, print, website, documents, chat, etc)Use high-contrast colorsUse a specific font or group of fontsUse something other than colors to indicate in-line comments, such as (){}[], different fonts, or comments in a Word documentWrite lists of complicated info or instructions in a bulleted list rather than a paragraph, when possibleKeep paragraphs shortIf writing out instructions, do not hide multiple steps in one pointDo not bury important details or instructions in less/non-important info.Separate any more flowery, emotional, or inspirational text from data, instructions, or requests Include alt text or label descriptions for any picture, graph, or graphic elementDo not send documents or highly important information in chat format (like Slack). Send via email so it is searchable and able to be organized for when it needs to be referred back to.Use section headings to break up a lot of text and make finding what is needed easierEmailCreate specific, informative subject lines“Sarah Fisk from the Florida Writers Conference 2022” vs “So great to meet you!”“Contract for KEEPING HER SECRET by Sarah Nicolas” vs “contract”Include your title and organization in your signature. If the email is very long with a lot of information, close out with a bulleted list of action items (even if that info is repeated!)Video ChatsUse live captionsThere are services you can pay for that integrate with Zoom, but Google Meet does this automatically and it is free up to a pointUse a service that can be done in-browser in Chrome, then the users can use Chrome’s Live Captioning toolIf you’re the only one speaking, Powerpoint can also create live captionsDo not force or make disparaging comments about people who have their video turned offFolks with auditory issues may be able to better understand you if they can see your mouthDo not assume someone is not paying attention if they are looking away or not making verbal affirmations.Phone CallsIf written communication is not possible, follow up with any important-to-remember tidbits, requests, or to-do lists in an email. Anything you don’t want me to forget.If written communication is necessary, but the instantaneous back-and-forth is also necessary, try using a text chat.WebsiteAvoid anything that flashes, scrolls, or moves automaticallyUse a website accessibility checker: WAVE | Deque

QQQ: Disney Author Mari Mancusi and the Longing to Go Into the Unknown

Queries, Qualms, & Quirks asks published authors to share their successful query letter and discuss their journey from first spark to day of publication. 

Disney Author Mari Mancusi joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss writing romance without yet understanding what it was, how she came to write Frozen books, not being afraid of the word no, the importance of reversion clauses, and the challenge with writing so many genres.

Mari Mancusi is an Emmy award winning former TV news producer who has written over 30 novels to kids, teens and adults. She currently writes for Disney animation tie-in novels for Disney Press and middle grade books for Little Brown Young Readers. She lives in Austin, TX with her husband, daughter, and two dogs. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, cosplay, playing video games and making TikToks.

Mari: Query | Website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound | Libro FM

QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon

Search “Queries, Qualms, & Quirks” on your favorite podcast app to listen or listen on YouTube.

QQQ: Literary Fiction Author Kirthana Ramisetti and the Twenty-Year Overnight Success

Queries, Qualms, & Quirks asks published authors to share their successful query letter and discuss their journey from first spark to day of publication. 

Literary Fiction Author Kirthana Ramisetti joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss how she accidentally got a songwriter credit, an overnight success 20 years in the making, bucking trends, finding the social media that works for you, how quarantine changed her writing process, and what TV show inspired a character’s name.

Kirthana Ramisetti is the author of Dava Shastri’s Last Day, a Good Morning America Book Club pick. A former entertainment reporter, she has had her work published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic and more.

Kirthana: Query | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound | Libro FM

QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon

Search “Queries, Qualms, & Quirks” on your favorite podcast app to listen or listen on YouTube.

QQQ: Mystery Author Kathleen Marple Kalb and the Headline I Can’t Actually Use

Queries, Qualms, & Quirks asks published authors to share their successful query letter and discuss their journey from first spark to day of publication. 

Mystery Author Kathleen Marple Kalb joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss querying in high school, getting rejections while sitting in a hospital waiting room, debuting in a pandemic, how Law & Order helps our writing, how working in news rooms has influenced her writing, writing headlines, and the importance of knowing your genre.

Kathleen Marple Kalb describes herself as an Author/Anchor/Mom…not in that order. A weekend anchor at 1010 WINS Radio in New York, she writes mysteries for Kensington and Crooked Lane Books as well as short stories. She, her husband and son live in a Connecticut house owned by their cat.

Kathleen: Query | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound | Libro FM

Aka Nikki Knight: Twitter | Facebook | Amazon

QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon

Search “Queries, Qualms, & Quirks” on your favorite podcast app to listen or listen on YouTube.

QQQ: Thriller Author Ashley Winstead and Eating Ice Cream in the Dark

Queries, Qualms, & Quirks asks published authors to share their successful query letter and discuss their journey from first spark to day of publication. 

Thriller Author Ashley Winstead joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss dreams deferred, not getting into an MFA, feeling like a Pitch Wars Showcase failure, how much easier writing the second book was, the importance of writing friends, making up new things to worry about, and having the courage to be the writer you want to be.

Ashley Winstead is the author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife, which has received positive reviews from the New York Times and Publishers Weekly, among others, and has been named one of the best debuts of the year by CrimeReads and Library Journal. She has a PhD in English and lives in Houston.

Ashley: Query | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound | Libro FM

QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon

Search “Queries, Qualms, & Quirks” on your favorite podcast app to listen or listen on YouTube.

QQQ: Romance Author Ruby Barrett and the Opportunities Disguised as Failures

Queries, Qualms, & Quirks asks published authors to share their successful query letter and discuss their journey from first spark to day of publication. 

Romance Author Ruby Barrett joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss having your best friend as your first reader, Pitch Wars, learning about story structure, the importance of feedback, being inspired by a tweet, jealousy vs envy, the benefit of your friends getting published before you, how unemployment lead to her new career, how music inspires her writing.

Ruby Barrett (she/her) writes steamy romances about big feelings. She is the author of HOT COPY, and the forthcoming THE ROMANCE RECIPE.

She lives in Ottawa, Canada with her daughter and her husband.

Ruby: Query | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | IndieBound | Libro FM

QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon

Search “Queries, Qualms, & Quirks” on your favorite podcast app to listen or listen on YouTube.

QQQ: Romance Author Charish Reid and the Kind of Professor She’d Like to Be

Queries, Qualms, & Quirks asks published authors to share their successful query letter and discuss their journey from first spark to day of publication. 

Romance Author Charish Reid joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss writing with ADHD, getting an agent and publication offer at the same time, reading reviews, putting things in perspective, the benefit of series in romance, preparing for the next book contract, writing bad poetry, and the need for external validation.

Charish Reid is the author of three contemporary romance novels: The Write Escape, Hearts on Hold, and (Trust) Falling for You. She and her husband currently live in Sweden, teaching and exploring their new town.

Charish: Query | Website | Twitter | Amazon | IndieBound | Libro FM

QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon

Search “Queries, Qualms, & Quirks” on your favorite podcast app to listen or listen on YouTube.

QQQ: Young Adult Author Kyrie McCauley and the Importance of Being Present

Queries, Qualms, & Quirks asks published authors to share their successful query letter and discuss their journey from first spark to day of publication. 

Young Adult Author Kyrie McCauley joins Queries, Qualms, & Quirks this week to discuss finding a supportive community early on, sobbing at her first edit letter, writing about tough topics, writing at the zoo, Pitch Wars, the mountains and valleys of publishing, and what she misses about querying.

Kyrie McCauley is the author of If These Wings Could Fly and We Can Be Heroes. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her family, three rescue cats, and a dog that eats books and is never sorry.
Kyrie: Query | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound | Libro FM

QQQ Home Base | Support on Patreon

Search “Queries, Qualms, & Quirks” on your favorite podcast app to listen or listen on YouTube.