Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Soundcloud. The world is a lot right now–politically and otherwise. Here at the Manuscript Academy, we started thinking about what it means to be a good literary citizen in a time of book bans–and what you can do both for you and for the writers who come after you. … Read more
When you submit your novel for publication, it has to clear the hurdle of what the industry calls the developmental, or dev, edit. This close analysis identifies structural flaws in novels that need to be fixed, and often lead to rejection. But if you learn to think like a dev editor, you’ll be able to … Read more
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Soundcloud. We absolutely loved making this episode! We started randomly calling (opted in) writers for pep talks—and the result is an inspiring, uplifting, life-affirming episode that shows the brilliance of our writing community while also soothing some common stressors. We discuss:* When do I need to pivot?* Am I … Read more
Want to join Shirin’s FREE class, Your Path To Publication? Sign up free below. The replay will be available at the same link.
You’re finally ready to get your book out into the world—and you’re probably hoping for that “Big Five” traditional publishing deal. What can you do to improve your chances? Are there shortcuts? Landmines to avoid? And is “Big Five” really the option that will bring you the most personal satisfaction? Or are there particulars about … Read more
Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Soundcloud. We are so happy to welcome Jill Santopolo, a New York Times bestselling author and editor and publisher at Philomel/Penguin Random House. We talk about what it feels like to pitch your book when you’re already in the industry, how to find experts on exactly what you need … Read more
We can’t wait! Thursday, March 16, at 8:30 pm Eastern, join us for a live queries and pages panel with editor Stephanie Stein at HarperCollins. Submit your work for a chance at live feedback from our panel–plus, of course, a publishing Q&A. This event is designed to be supportive, uplifting, encouraging–and 100% introvert-friendly. (Wear pajamas! … Read more
Also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Soundcloud. If you’ve been following along at home, you know that ManuscriptWIshist.com version 4.0 just launched. And while it’s new, and shiny, and lovely, it’s ten years in the making. This is the miraculous-feeling story about how we got from Tumblr to WordPress blog to site where agents … Read more
We’re so happy you’re here! It’s going to be a great month, with plenty to stream (check out our recent agent events on the podcast!), attend (a live feedback panel with HarperCollins editor Stephanie Stein plus a live class, Your Path To Publication, with Shirin Yim Leos and Lisa Manterfield) and polish (if you’ve been … Read more
This may be our new favorite podcast format! We found ourselves grinning as we recorded, and are so happy to share this with you. Welcome to our Mystery Agent episode. We asked you, our lovely writers, to send in your query and first page—and asked a wonderful literary agent to choose a lucky writer for … Read more