Category Archives: Publishing

Is My Manuscript Ready to Send Out?

Posted on March 28, 2023 by Theo Pauline Nestor

One of the questions I get asked quite often: Is my book (or book proposal) ready to go out to agents and editors? Unless it’s clear the writer is jumping the gun, this is a tricky question to answer. True benefits abound from jetting out into the world, even prematurely. Most significantly: If the work is circulating, air is getting in and often giving life new ideas, leads, and connections.The downsides are obvious–chiefly, a half-baked project blowing your shot with someone you value and self-recrimination for overeagerness raining down shortly after rejection’s sting. Here are some questions you could ask yourself if you are on the verge of clicking “Send.” And hopefully, your answers will bring you to the right decision–or at least a bit closer. Continue reading →

Posted in More Stuff for Writers, Publishing, writing advice, Writing Tips | Tagged book proposals, editors, literary agents, Memoir, memoir writing, Writing, writing advice | Leave a comment

The Essays That Came Before the Book Deals

Posted on January 11, 2023 by Theo Pauline Nestor

Writers worry about “giving the story away” before their book is out in the world. But publishing a personal essay about a related story can stir up interest in the memoirist’s larger narrative. And, that following you create as an essayist can pay off when you go to sell your memoir. “That following” is also known as a platform, an author’s existing audience for a particular story. (This is why writing/revising/submitting an essay to a target publication is a key part of my Platform Building 101 course). Writing essays also gives a writer a chance to develop a story and explore its themes before setting out to write (and rewrite) 300 pages. But perhaps the greatest benefit of those essays: Early reader enthusiasm that boosts writer confidence and wards off those thoughts of who’s gonna care anyways? that haunt each of us with a personal story to tell. Continue reading →