Episodes
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How do you make your work more commercial--and why is commercial the trend right now?
Join agent Alyssa Jennette (Stonesong Literary) as we talk about:
1) Why is commercial trending right now?
2) What can ALL genres (including literary) do to appeal to readers in this moment?
3) Why you should focus revision efforts on stakes, character, payoff and more to make your commercial and literary works more
4) Why literary and upmarket writers don't need to panic.
This is part of a larger podcast episode (15 minutes) coming soon.
Meet Alyssa here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/alyssa-jennette
Video clip of this episode here: https://youtu.be/F8wl9mwyc9k?si=Tg-lfxW2dBC6CpxR
Learn more at https://manuscriptacademy.com/ -
Is there a formula for success?
What do you do when "A new twist on something familiar" starts to feel overly simplistic?
Enter editor Ivan Taurisano, editor at Abrams, who works from the opposite direction of most editors: he can think of a concept that's marketable, then put together the team to make it happen.
We discuss:
***Collaborating with Licensing Partners: Ivan works closely with major brands like Disney, Netflix, and others to create books that resonate with current market trends.
***Data-Driven Decision Making: Unlike traditional editors who wait for manuscripts, Ivan actively seeks out market trends and creates content that meets those demands.
***Monitoring Bestseller Lists: Checking Amazon and New York Times bestseller lists to identify common themes and outliers.
***Examining BISAC Codes: Understanding how books are categorized to spot market trends.
***Creating Engaging and Humorous Content: Books should be fun and engaging for children, encouraging a love of reading.
***Finding the Sweet Spot: Balancing humor and content that resonates with children while being appropriate for parents.
Ivan Taurisano was born in Rome, Italy, and moved to the United States almost ten years ago to pursue a children’s book publishing career. The guiding principle of his work is that a child whose life is changed by a book will always be a step closer to becoming an adult who will change the world. Ivan’s all-time favorite book is James and the Giant Peach, and his best friend is a chihuahua named Bilbo.
Ivan has a BA in English and Creative Writing, an MA in Children’s Literature, and an MFA in Writing for Children. He started his career at Sourcebooks as an Editorial Assistant, then moved on to become an Assistant Editor. His responsibilities included developing children’s board books, picture books, and graphic novels, as well as acquiring board books and picture books. Ivan has worked with many successful series and brands, including How to Catch, Little Heroes Big Hearts, Sesame Street, Disney, Tokidoki, and Pokémon.
Currently, Ivan lives in New York and works at Abrams as an Associate Editor on the Children’s Entertainment Publishing and Content Development team. In this role, he focuses novelty books, board books, graphic novels, and select MG and YA titles. He is especially interested in stories with a strong commercial hook, crave-able content, compelling characters, and series potential.
Board books and picture books: Ivan is interested in children’s board books and picture books that are kid-centric, interactive, character-driven, and have series potential. He enjoys titles with a strong hook, fun read-alouds, great rhymes, bold and playful imaginative stories, books that break the fourth wall and invite reader participation, as well as seasonal stories such as Christmas and Halloween.
MG: Ivan is interested in plot-driven, action-packed adventures with a strong commercial hook, compelling characters, magic, quests/competitions, and high stakes.
YA: Ivan prefers strong commercial hooks, well-plotted, character-driven, atmospheric stories, and series potential. He loves fantasy, magic, and quests/competitions. He likes unique, morally grey characters, memorable villains, and propulsive, cinematic writing.
Ivan is not the best fit for nonfiction, retellings, historical fiction, biographies, and novels in verse.
***
Schedule a meeting with Ivan here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/ivan-taurisano -
Missing episodes?
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We love Bonnie Jo Pierson. Not only is she a Manuscript Academy alum and a published author, she’s a member of a 20-person writing group—and an expert on knowing what feedback to take, what to ignore, and how to tell the difference.
After 17 years of writing, her novel is ready—and we talk about keeping work fresh, learning and growing as a person, and remaining emotionally open to your work and your life.
Bonnie Jo is the author of What Happens in Idaho, July 24, 2024.
Gifted with a short attention span, Bonnie Jo Pierson wants to experience and do as much as she can. Using the great powers of YouTube she’s taught herself how to knit, crochet, paint with oils, acrylics, and watercolors, coach volleyball, play the piano and cello, ride a motorcycle, renovate a house, sing, sew, raise livestock, bake, and most importantly how to write. With a degree in biology, she’s a lover of all things science, especially in the microscopic world.
She and her Navy veteran husband have four children and spent several years bouncing around to various locations in the United States. Now she’s made her home in small-town Idaho, where she’s attempting to resurrect her great-grandparents one hundred year-old farm.
You can email her at [email protected] or you can find her on:
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorbonniejopierson/
goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/23922408-bonnie-jo-pierson
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonniejopiersonauthor
twitter: https://twitter.com/BonnieJo_author
tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bonniejo_author?lang=en -
Today is a special live recording of the Manuscript Academy podcast!
In front of Manuscript Academy members, Jessica and Julie are joined by faculty member and Macmillan editor Christina Lopez in another installment of our Mystery Agent/Editor segment.
Listen in as Christina critiques writer Karissa Riffel’s YA horror query and first page, and answers all your questions.
Want to apply for next Mystery Agent/Editor Consutlation? Sign up here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/submissions
Learn more about membership here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/membership
Want to meet with Christina? Sign up here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/christina-lopez -
Have you ever been tempted to say "My book is for everyone"?
We get it! It sounds like the perfect way to convince an agent your book is a slam dunk bestseller--right?
Wrong. Realistically, no book is for everyone--and this is a great thing.
We're happy to join Emma Peters, editor at W.W. Norton, to discuss:
*Why you need to define your audience--and pitch an agent on this reader
*How specificity in your book description is your friend
*What is a “build a book” and why do agents work on them?
*Balancing professionalism, enthusiasm & marketing
*How to use your friends as a focus group
Emma is available for query consultations. Meet with her at: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/emma-peters -
We are so excited to welcome math teacher Ben Orlin to the podcast!
Ben Orlin is a math teacher who can't draw. His book Math with Bad Drawings (2018) has sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide, and has since been followed by Change is the Only Constant (2019), Math Games with Bad Drawings (2022), and most recently, Math for English Majors (Sept 2024). His work has appeared in The Atlantic, Popular Science, Slate, Vox, and The Los Angeles Times; he himself has appeared in the lines to ice cream stores everywhere. BBC star and leading mathematician Hannah Fry once described him as "terribly bad at drawing" before kindly adding “he’s also fantastically clever and charming.”
We discuss:
* How to position your proposal as an expert in your subject, for an audience who is not as well-versed
* Using metaphor to connect and create new meaning
* The ways agents seek out nonfiction clients
* How to incorporate math in your querying and editing process
Learn more about Ben and his new book here: https://mathwithbaddrawings.com -
We are so happy to welcome Nour Sallam, agent at P.S. Literary, to the podcast!
We discuss:
*How agents should advocate for clients from signing to offers to contracts to publication and beyond
*Why messy characters and their interiority are often the one thing missing from your work
*Why we should experience empathy for your villain
*Opportunities to build tension, pulling the reader (or agent!) into your story
Meet with Nour here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/nour-sallam
See a clip of this episode here: https://youtu.be/xBbNAb0d5sM?si=8NLlvwhX3X04p5vB
Transcript and timestamps here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-nour-sallam
Nour Sallam is an associate literary agent at P.S. Literary Agency representing adult fiction and nonfiction. Nour has previously worked in editing, podcasting, communications, and journalism. She got her start at the University of British Columbia where she studied English Literature and Political Science. She then got her publishing certificate at Toronto Metropolitan University. As an Arab woman and an immigrant, she loves books of any genre that amplify joy and connection, or feature complex and nuanced histories, power dynamics, or underrepresented narratives.
Nour is seeking commercial and upmarket fiction titles as well as select literary fiction, edgy psychological thrillers, mysteries, and light horror. In fiction, she gravitates towards voicey characters that are haunted by something: a secret, a past, a fear— or an actual haunting! She’s actively seeking character-driven stories featuring women in power, unhinged women, and stories of female rage. She also has a soft spot for unreliable narrators, family sagas with dysfunctional families, protagonists in their 20s-30s navigating adulthood, protagonists on the cusp of major life changes, and stories that focus on friendship dynamics. She is also drawn to stories that explore the diverse experiences of underrepresented groups and challenge our understanding of diasporic experiences and/or cultures. Bonus points if these stories are also fun and celebrate joy.
For nonfiction, Nour welcomes fresh and accessible perspectives on big ideas or industry deep dives as well as personal narratives on pop culture, art, and nature. She appreciates books that offer incisive commentary on culture, socio-economic structures, corporate underbellies, health and wellness, and lifestyle. Her taste in non-fiction gravitates towards books that generally challenge what we know or explain what we might not know. -
We are so pleased to welcome agent Erica Bauman from Aevitas Creative Management to the podcast!
We discuss:
*How to make your work more atmospheric
*Where to place emphasis when writing between genres
*Balancing keeping the reader in their heads vs. their senses
*When the genre of our world gets closer to dystopia, how does the dystopian genre change?
*Why do agents ask for exactly your metatags—and then say no?
Meet with Erica here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/erica-bauman
Erica Bauman is a literary agent at Aevitas Creative Management and represents a wide variety of authors across middle grade, young adult, and upmarket adult fiction, including acclaimed YA author Maria Ingrande Mora, New York Times Bestseller Kayla Cottingham, and Lambda Literary Fellow Naseem Jamnia.
Erica is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and has worked in the publishing industry since 2012. Prior to Aevitas, she worked at Spectrum Literary Agency.
Based in New York, Erica is most interested in commercial novels that feature an exciting premise and lyrical, atmospheric writing; imaginative, genre-blending tales; speculative worlds filled with haunting, quietly wondrous magic; fresh retellings of mythology, ballet, opera, and classic literature; sharply funny rom-coms; graphic novels for all ages; fearless storytellers that tackle big ideas and contemporary issues; and working with and supporting marginalized authors and stories that represent the wide range of humanity. -
Debut author Kristy Jackson joins Julie and Jessica to talk about her new middle grade book, MORTIFIED, now out in bookstores everywhere! From embarrassing middle school moments to querying hiccups, Kristy talks about her 20+ year-long writing journey, how she found the right agent for her, and how perseverance made all the different to achieving her publishing dreams.
Learn more about Kristy here: https://www.kristyjackson.ca/ -
In the first installment of the Manuscript Academy Book Club, we have Liv Constantine, the pen name for internationally bestselling sister duo Lynne and Valerie Constantine!
Joined by Jessica, Julie, and the Manuscript Academy community, Valerie and Lynne answer your questions about how to collaborate and edit as a team, how to get the best results when querying, and how to keep your work fresh when writing multiple books in the same genre.
**Please note that there are spoilers for The Last Mrs. Parrish as noted verbally in the episode.**
01:00 Meet the Authors: Liv Constantine
01:19 The Journey to Success
03:26 Collaborative Writing Process
12:09 Crafting Unputdownable Thrillers
16:47 Pitching and Querying Tips
19:39 The Impact of Reese's Book Club
25:31 Character Development and POV Shifts
26:04 Crafting Intricate Plot Details
27:33 Collaborating as Sisters
31:15 Balancing Writing and Marketing
34:58 Navigating the Publishing Industry
36:59 Advice for Aspiring Writers
38:40 Creating Realistic Psychopath Characters
42:54 Final Thoughts and Reflections
Learn more at https://livconstantine.com/ -
You’ve heard of the all-important voice—but how do you make it more vivid, both on the page—and in your life?
Enter Jessica Doyle-Mekkes, an author, voice coach, and eloquent speaker on how your voice in your life and your voice on the page are linked, vitally important—and within your control to improve.
Listen along for what helps your voice come out as you intend—whether singing, public speaking, or reading your character aloud to an audience on your book tour.
We also discuss:
***Do agents share projects with each other? Yes! In fact, this book happened in part because agent Jessica (Sinsheimer) saw author Jesica (Doyle-Mekkes) and just had a feeling she’d be a good fit for Katharine.
***Learning to write a book proposal from the ground up—and, in one case, overnight
***What makes an ideal client? What do agents look for?
***How much platform do you *really* need? There are two kinds of platform—here’s how to leverage both, and how Jessica builds hers (and you can too)
***How you can start preparing NOW for your readings on your future book tour
Find I'm Speaking: Every Woman's Guide to Finding Your Voice and Using It Fearlessly wherever books are sold.
Meet with Katharine here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/katharine-sands -
We are thrilled to introduce our very own Julie Kingsley's debut novel! It's called The Space Between You and Me and came out this week!
"That summer, I finally grew into myself. The problem? I grew too fast. And fruit that grows too fast often bursts in the sunshine."
With her agent Lane Heymont (Tobias Literary Agency), we discuss:
*What happens if you have film interest before book interest
*How Hollywood runs on FOMO (fear of missing out)
*How Julie got a sensitivity read with her film interest
*When book agents send your work to Hollywood
*When agents announce your book and why
*What “film interest” looks like after your book is announced
*Leveraging Hollywood pettiness to increase odds of an option
*How the etiquette of Hollywood is vastly different from NY Publishing
*The “secret sauce” for being fought over
*What is a hook?
*Planning your Easter Eggs
Learn more about Julie's book here: https://www.juliekingsley.com/
Learn more about Lane here: https://thetobiasagency.com/lane-heymont -
Content Warning: This podcast discusses suicide, grief, and loss.
Pam O'Hara's beautiful writing captivated our expert audience during a recent Manuscript Academy panel, so much so that it was picked for our 2024 MSWL Agent Choice Awards.
Pam joins Jessica and Julie to speak about her stunning memoir about love, loss, and losing a loved one by suicide. We discuss everything from platform, to crafting your voice, to how to position a serious and sad topic for your audience, and more. Agents and editors, this one is in need of representation, if you're listening and like what you hear. We know we did.
Learn more about Pam here: https://pamelaohara.com -
Watch the free video version, slides and all (and get a coupon for our workshop!) at https://manuscriptacademy.com/emmy
Join our Three-Day Keep An Agent Reading Workshop, May 28-30, here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/product/keep-an-agent-reading-workshop
TIMESTAMPS:
Essential Elements of a Query Letter (00:03:07) Dr. Emmy Nordstrom Higdon covers the essential elements of a query letter, including the metadata paragraph, summary, and bio.
Query Letter Writing Tips (00:06:06) Insights into the query letter writing process, including addressing the agent, book title, and genre.
Metadata Paragraph and Summary (00:09:18) Detailed explanation of the metadata paragraph and summary in a query letter, including the importance of personalization and book comps.
Writing Style in Summary (00:21:12) Discussion on mirroring the writing style of the summary paragraph with the manuscript's tone and voice.
Summary of Writing Style and Content (00:22:12) Dr. Emmy Nordstrom Higdon discusses the essential elements of a query letter and the importance of introducing main characters and conflict in the summary paragraph.
Publishing Bio and Relevant Credentials (00:23:51) Dr. Emmy Nordstrom Higdon explains the significance of including prior publications, accolades, training, and relevant professional credentials in the publishing bio.
Essential Elements of the First Page (00:26:54) Dr. Emmy Nordstrom Higdon highlights the significance of the first page in capturing the reader's interest and emphasizes the need to meet the main character, introduce the central organizing feature, and outline what helps and hurts the character.
Crafting a Compelling First Page (00:33:44) Dr. Emmy Nordstrom Higdon provides insights on writing the first page, including the importance of starting with action, introducing the main character, and establishing the central organizing feature.
Synopsis vs. Summary (00:41:18) Dr. Emmy Nordstrom Higdon differentiates between the synopsis and the summary, emphasizing the need for a bulleted list of plot points in the synopsis, including the ending, and avoiding a writerly tone.
Crafting a Synopsis (00:43:24) Advice on crafting a clear and informative synopsis, particularly helpful for pantsers.
Including Trigger Warnings (00:44:52) The importance of including trigger warnings in query letters and writing samples, and how to effectively incorporate them.
Bio in Query Letter (00:47:34) What to include in the bio section of a query letter, including personal experiences and writing goals.
Prologue vs. Chapter One (00:49:22) The debate over whether to use a prologue or the first chapter as the writing sample, and the impact on the query process.
Querying Across Genres (00:53:07) Advice for writers querying across multiple genres and how to communicate long-term career plans to agents.
Expressing Multiple Genres (00:56:54) Guidance on how to best express, showcase, or explain a book that spans multiple genres in a query letter.
Lived Experience in Query (00:59:56) The significance of mentioning own voices or lived experiences in the first paragraph of a query letter.
Commercial, Upmarket, and Literary (01:01:36) A breakdown of the distinctions between commercial, upmarket, and literary writing styles and tones.
Literary vs. Commercial (01:02:23) Discussion of literary and commercial books, with examples and explanations of each category.
Responsible Representation of Disabled and Chronically Ill People (01:05:07) Insights into the progress and challenges of representation in publishing, encouragement to include nuanced representation in writing.
Query Consultation Prize Winners (01:09:00) Announcement of three winners for a query consultation prize with Dr. Emmy Nordstrom Higdon.
Upcoming Workshop and Ticket Drawing (01:10:24) Details about a three-day workshop and the drawing of three tickets for the workshop, including instructions for winners. -
We are honored that author Elizabeth (Liz) Holden, author of the forthcoming YA novel Mighty Millie Novak, allowed us to go through her work as a teaching tool for you--what each element accomplishes, WHY it works, and how you can do the same in your own query and first page.
If you'd like to follow along visually, head to our YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/@manuscriptacademy, or the podcast episode page, https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-elizabeth-holden, for the captioned video, transcript, and more.
And be sure to check out our other episode, The Roller Derby of Querying, in our feed.
TIMESTAMPS:
Elements of a Successful Query (00:05:25) Analysis of the query's opening, use of comps, and character introduction.
Navigating Conflict and Tension (00:07:17) Discussion on building conflict and tension in the query and its impact.
Character Growth and Story Arcs (00:10:47) Explanation of character growth and the importance of story arcs in the query.
Personal Experience and Bio (00:12:13) Analysis of the author's personal experiences and bio presented in the query.
Flexibility and Professionalism (00:13:31) Discussion on the author's flexibility and professionalism demonstrated in the query.
Setting High Stakes (00:16:10) Analysis of the opening line and setting high stakes in the first page of the story.
Mighty Millie's Dream (00:17:50) Mighty Millie's aspirations and determination in roller derby are highlighted, setting the stage for the story's conflict and potential growth.
Coach Ann's Challenge (00:18:39) Mighty Millie's desire to prove herself and her ambition to be recognized as a formidable competitor in roller derby are showcased.
A Disastrous Setback (00:19:29) A dramatic turn of events leads to Mighty Millie's setback, creating tension and raising the stakes for her roller derby aspirations.
The Power Dynamics (00:21:04) The discussion revolves around the protagonist's power dynamics, her aspirations, and the fluctuations in her journey, setting the tone for the story's development.
Book Launch and Roller Derby (00:22:20) Elizabeth Holden discusses her upcoming book launch and the roller derby theme, adding an exciting real-life connection to the story.
Learn more about Liz here: https://elizabeth-holden.com/ -
View our in-depth video of what Liz did right in her query letter and first page here: https://www.youtube.com/@manuscriptacademy
Meet Elizabeth Holden, Physics professor, travel entrepreneur, and author of Mighty Millie Novak, a YA novel coming out from Flux Publishing in August. https://www.elizabeth-holden.com/
Liz is also the travel coordinator for our 2025 Manuscript Academy Retreat, which we're calling Enchanted Summer. Early Bird ends May 24. https://www.leapinghound.com/enchanted2025.html
Transcript + video at https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-elizabeth-holden
Timestamps:
00:02:03 - Writing Journey (00:02:03) Elizabeth Holden shares her writing journey, including querying experiences and the ups and downs of her writing career.
00:09:50 - Book Offer and Celebrations (00:09:50) Elizabeth recounts the experience of receiving a book offer and the challenges she faced due to being sick at the time.
00:12:11 - Viral Twitter Experience (00:12:11) Elizabeth shares the story of her viral Twitter experience related to the representation of queer characters in her novel and the subsequent impact on her querying process.
00:16:09 - Managing Multiple Offers (00:16:09) Elizabeth discusses the process of managing multiple offers from literary agents and making a decision about representation.
Querying and First Page Feedback (00:21:46) Discussion and feedback on the query letter and the first page of the novel.
Character and Conflict Introduction (00:27:33) The introduction of the main character and the presentation of internal and external conflicts.
Advice on Writing Process (00:33:05) Flexibility in mindset and recognizing when to take lateral steps in the writing process.
Leaping Hound Travel (00:37:13) Starting a travel company during the pandemic, focusing on niche topics and small group tours in Europe and Mexico.
Lake Bled Writing Retreat 2025 (00:41:09) Announcement of a writing retreat and vacation in Lake Bled, Slovenia, with details about the location and activities.
Enchanted Summer (00:44:44) Discussion about the magical and inspiring environment of Lake Bled, Slovenia, and the benefits of stepping away to focus on writing. -
Please note: This episode contains mentions of alcoholism, recovery, and sobriety.
We are so happy to welcome author Jessica Guerrieri and agent Ismita Hussain (Great Dog Literary) to the podcast.
They're a great example of what to look for in an author-agent relationship--they're creative, collaborative, supportive, and successful (Jessica's debut book club fiction, Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea, comes out 2025 with HarperCollins).
We also discuss re-querying, facing rejection, and the healing power of storytelling and personal narrative.
Meet with Ismita here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/ismita-hussain
Find the transcript and show notes here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-ismita-hussain-jessica-guerrieri
00:44 Introducing Jessica Guerrieri
00:54 Ismita Hussain's Journey from Healthcare to Literary Agent
01:55 Jessica Guerrieri's Writing Journey and Sobriety
03:04 The Power of Perseverance: Jessica Guerrieri's Path to Publication
04:18 The Editorial Process: From Query to Preempt
06:58 Understanding the Preempt and the Publishing Process
10:50 Revising with Resilience: Jessica Guerrieri's Approach to Feedback
17:13 Building Trust and Thickening Skin in the Publishing World
21:31 Looking Ahead: Plans After the Book Deal
22:02 Embarking on a Unique Memoir Journey
22:13 Exploring Motherhood and Recovery
22:48 The Power of Sharing Personal Stories
27:02 The Role of Fiction and Nonfiction in Recovery
29:42 The Importance of Representation in Literature
39:57 The Value of Specificity in Storytelling
43:15 The Memoir Market and Connecting with Agents -
We are so grateful to Emmy Nordstrom Higdon, agent at Westwood Creative Associates, who has offered to teach a free workshop for you all about the elements of querying—interest, emphasis, tension—that keep a busy agent reading in 2024.
Get your free ticket (or replay ticket!) here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/emmy
The event is Tuesday, May 7, 8:30pm ET—and comes with a replay, in case you can’t make it live.
This workshop is appropriate for all experience levels—whether it’s your first query or your 100th draft, come for the 101 basics, the checklists, the how-to’s—and leave with a real understanding of how you can use these skills to give an agent a 360 “I can’t wait to read more” reading experience.
Emmy (they/them) represents across age categories + genres, specializing in identity-driven works. They work in both fiction and non-fiction, from PB to adult, including commercial, upmarket, book club & literary. They specialize in contemporary books grounded in reality, with and without speculative elements. Mystery, thriller, suspense, romance, romcom, women’s fiction, LGBTQ2S+, magical realism, fabulism, horror, graphic, narrative non-fiction, true crime, religion + spirituality, humanities + science. -
We are thrilled to introduce Ali McLafferty, author, teacher, and most recent winner of the as-yet-untitled (Manuscript) Academy Awards.
Ali was nominated by agent Melissa Edwards (Stonesong Literary) for this gorgeous fantasy novel that brings up a lot of issues in our world as well.
We discuss how she polished her query, how many drafts she did of her first page--and what she learned along the way.
Learn more about Ali at https://www.alimclafferty.com/.
Full transcript at https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-ali-mclafferty
TIMESTAMPS:
Feedback on Ali's query letter and first page (00:10:09) Julie and Jessica provide feedback on Ali query letter and first page, discussing its strengths and areas for improvement.
Ali's revision process for the query letter (00:15:24) Ali discusses her process of revising the query letter, including feedback from friends and an editor, and the changes she made.
The query letter (00:20:22) Discussion on the effectiveness of the query letter's opening and structure, focusing on the emotional impact and the feedback received.
First page of the manuscript (00:21:44) Analysis and feedback on the opening page of the manuscript, highlighting its grounding effect and the portrayal of the character and setting.
Writing process and first draft (00:24:04) Discussion about the unique experience of the book's creation, the absence of significant revisions, and the influence of personal connection and understanding of the material on the first draft.
Genre and target audience (00:35:28) Challenges in defining the genre and target audience for the book, particularly in conveying the blend of fantasy and imagined scientific systems, and the potential for pitching to adult audiences.
Rejection and perseverance (00:34:15) Acknowledgment of the emotional impact of rejections and the importance of perseverance, as well as the advice on finding rewards in the process and maintaining determination.
Pitching and query letter adjustments (00:38:05) Consideration of pitching the book as adult fantasy and the potential adjustments for the query letter to cater to an adult audience without compromising the narrative drive.
Author's website and future queries (00:39:25)
Advice for Writers (00:41:49) Ali shares her advice for aspiring writers, emphasizing the joy of writing and the importance of perseverance.
Touching Moments (00:44:03) Ali recounts a touching moment when her husband was moved by a part of her first book, emphasizing the impact of writing on loved ones. -
We love this creativity-packed episode with Melissa Vogan (née Melissa Warten), former editor at Macmillan, current editor at Epic For Kids.
We discuss:
*“Just enough” art notes - and how they’re useful for every genre
*How you can guide the focus of your reader through sensory language
*How to get to the heart of your story
*How to disagree with an editor or agent's feedback
*How to create your first visual work after writing only text-based projects
And much more!
Transcript and timestamps here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/podcast-melissa-vogan
Book a consultation with Melissa here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/faculty-members/melissa-warten
Melissa Vogan (Warten) is an editor at Epic for Kids, the leading digital reading platform for children, where she works on IP comics development projects for readers ages 12 and under, including the smash hit series Cat Ninja. Prior to Epic, she spent more than five years on the editorial team at Farrar Straus Giroux Books working on picture books, middle grade, young adult, and select nonfiction and graphic novel projects.
Her notable editorial work includes the popular Cat Ninja and Bright Family franchises, New York Times bestselling titles We Hunt the Flame and We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal, and award-winning titles by Maurene Goo, Barbara O’Connor, Sarah Allen, Hanif Abdurraqib, Tegan and Sara Quin, and Tillie Walden. Melissa is a graduate of Boston College and the Columbia Publishing Course. Find her on Twitter: @melissa_warten - Show more
