Reaching for the Stars is Easy when You have a Platform that Touches Them

What I'm Listening To: Miracles Happen-Mya

I'm still recovering from an awful bout of carpal tunnel, but I should be fine within the next few days. I just wanted to update you on my website overhaul. I am so excited about it! I have spent the last few days outlining marketing plans, budgeting proposals, figuring out photo shoots and the book cover design and am absolutely exhausted. Who knew that publishing had this much math/work involved? (And if you only knew how awful at math I was, you would understand my dismay). I guess that's what has happened over time. At least writing the book is the same, but those days of writing the book and sending it off for the tell tale stork to drop onto a publisher's doorstep are over. Now you have to be somebody to get something published. Well, technically you don't really have to be somebody, you could be anybody, but it's a lot easier if you are somebody. Like Oprah. Or Howard Stern. Or Snookie (kidding, I don't even watch Jersey Shore but I guarantee you that Snookie would get a deal before I do because she has a platform.)

What is this elusive platform you say? Apparently it's something that authors have to built on, so it helps if you are somebody. It's kind of a catch 22--most people are trying to become published authors to be somebody, but in reality you already have to be somebody to become a published author. Now isn't that a regrettable instance of reverse psychology? And literally, you could be any somebody, as shown by celebrities like Tyra, Hilary Duff, and Lauren Conrad with Lo Bosworth from The Hills who tried their hand at publishing. And they all got the deals, not because they definitely had the talent (that is TBD...kind of) but because they were considered famous and mostly everyone in the U.S. knew about them (last part might be debatable). 

So here is my stab at trying to be somebody. It kind of takes a ton of hard work and a little money to be somebody, as I am finding out. Somebodies have websites and blogs and have friends. Apparently I don't have enough of the latter, so I'm going to make 50 new friends in every one of the fifty states of the U.S. and hope that they will like me as a friend so much that they will tell their friends. And then their friends will tell their friends. And since friends like to know what other friends are doing, they'll learn about the books. And possibly want to read them. I should add this into my 5-year marketing plan. It could work with a lot of effort. Then I'll go by continent. Basically, Noah Lukeman, a literary agent that you've probably heard me brag about, told me (or rather wrote me in one of his books) to be somebody and that's exactly what I'm going to do. Maybe then, he'll want to be one of my new friends and want to take me on as a client. Maybe so?...ah wishful thinking

You musn't be afraid to dream a little bigger darling

What I'm Listening To: You lost me-Christina Aguilera

I went to see Inception tonight with two of my good friends and let me tell you, it is mind boggling. I think that it was done exceptionally well. I wasn't sure if I'd like Ellen Page in it, but she did well. All of the actors did and when magic like that happens, when everyone is giving 110%, movies become masterpieces. The mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Before I went to see Inception though, I had to take serious inventory of the book to see exactly how close it was to being done and I developed a six year marketing plan. I probably should have developed a ten-year plan, but the six-year one took me the entire day. Expect a free book as a Christmas present from me by this Christmas if I can get my website and pictures off of the ground. I'm happy with the plan because I realize that Rome wasn't built in a day. I just hope that I can finish the book and begin working on another one. Then maybe I can be someone in about five years and someone will want to represent me. At least that is what Noah Lukeman assures me. I think that my problem is that I had a dream of being great at a young age and I needed to realize that there is no time frame on greatness. Greatness is innate, and if you have it in you, it will eventually happen if you do everything in your power to help that seed spring into life. That and I am a strong believer of prayer. I have a lot of work ahead, but anyone who wants to make it anywhere can expect that. After it happens, I need to take a long vacation in the Virgin Islands or something or go on a cruise.

Besides that, it was really hot today and I should probably stop typing before I encourage arthritis or carpal tunnel, which is why there probably won't be a post tomorrow. I think I'm going to get one of those voice activated programs that will type while you talk. I think that is going to be a good investment. 

The 5 Date Rule

What I'm Listening To: Now or Never-Josh Groban

I was watching I Hate Valentine's Day (just because I was bored and am on a slight break from watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and the big concept in the movie was one of the 5 date rule. Apparently five dates is the maximum number that a couple can have before what they have constitutes as a relationship and people start to get hurt. I think that the concept was very interesting, but the execution faulty. The main character's motto was "when the romance is gone, let's just move on." I think most of this thinking and her unwillingness to take risks was because she was hurt in her relationship with her father. Here are the guidelines for the dates according to her:

Date 1: breath less flirting
Date 2: broaden your horizons
Date 3: the adventurous date
Date 4: fun and fabulous
Date 5: make it the best date ever

What do you think about the system and would you ever try it?

Also, Nathan Bransford had an interesting post on his blog about the one book that every writer should read  A lot of people picked Stephen King's On Writing, some The Art of Fiction by John Gardner, or Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. For some reason there were a lot of votes for The Great Gatsby as well. All aspiring authors should at least have one of these books in their arsenal of books to become better writers, if they so choose.
There was also a good post about audience development from Writers Unboxed that people should read as well.

In addition, Rachelle Gardner has a great analysis of a query letter. If you haven't been looking at agent's responses to query letters, you should do so because they are the authority on what is a good one. Even though they all have different answers and preferences about what should stay or go, most of the time they will be in sync as far as the requirements and have good advice that can be applicable to all.

Dr. King + Oprah + Eclipse = Freedom

What I'm Listening To: Everyday Superhero-Smashmouth

While the above doesn't necessarily equal a formula for my well-being, it is darn near close to it. Finals are finally DONE so I really feel the meaning of "Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty I'm free at last" tonight. I just got finished with my last exam (which was supposed to last until 9:30 tonight) about fifteen minutes ago. While I was  multi-tasking studying for this Weather and Climate exam, I was watching Oprah for the first time in a long time because it was the episode where Taylor Lautner, Kristen Stewart, and Robert Pattinson were all on. Dakota Fanning also made an appearance. K-Stew was awkward as usual. Seriously, while listening to her I wanted to split my ears. In my opinion, she basically acts like she is and like she talks anyway and they seriously type-casted her for Bella, which would be all right if she actually acted and didn't act like herself.

Overall, I thought that the episode was good, but when they had Taylor and Rob go surprise people, they picked the creepiest, most extreme people who I think should honestly go see a psychiatrist. Especially those moms. Naming them "Twi-moms" and saying that Twilight "spiced up their love life" is ridiculous and depressing. You need help. You are 45 and married but you have a crush on a 24 year old and pretending that this is normal. Continuous fantasizing about someone other than your partner is dangerous for any relationship. Even worse is the obsession with Taylor Lautner. He's barely legal and you're a middle aged woman drooling all over him probably with kids of your own the same age. If millions of middle aged women were drooling over your son, wouldn't you be alarmed? His mother probably thought you all needed to be jailed for being pedophiles and shaking her head at you, concerned that you were even in the same room with her son. But of course it's fine when women do it, when men do it we would have a problem with it. Perverts. *now getting off of soap box*

I actually have some book stuff as well. Now that school is over, I can finally get back to writing the new book and double proofing the old book. Agent Nathan Bransford also had an awesome post today on his blog about how to write pitches from the one liner to one paragraph to two paragraphs. I think it's very useful and that all authors should definitely have their pitches ready at all times. Now all I have to do is see about how to most effectively pack up my dorm room...

Back from Outer Space...& Fantasy

What I'm Listening To: Striving-Dave Hollister

Ha, not that kind of fantasy, I'm talking about the genre. I love the fantasy genre and reading about dragons and witches and mythological creatures and magic. And stories about the Greek gods fascinate me. Today I wanted to blog about some of the fantasy conventions and rules (guidelines) to adhere to, which is probably a good idea considering that I want to be a fantasy writer.

Fantasy is usually about world building and the books tend to run a little longer than other genres. Usually the books are 80,000-150,000 words. I love the fact that with fantasy, you can create your own world,or it's an alternate version of our world. There is usually magic, something mythical, or something paranormal happening in the book. Here are some good world building questions to ask yourself when starting to write a Fantasy novel from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America's page.  For even more tips, the online fantasy magazine Fantasy Factor has some really good tips for beginners or if you're trying to find a market for your work. If you're serious about writing fantasy, I would also check out the book The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy, good for beginners and seasoned writers. There's also a volume 2 and 3 if you'd like to continue expanding your knowledge. That's my spoonful of wisdom for today, and of course as I keep discovering and learning, I'll be sure to pass along the pearls!

I've been planning for my Spain trip and if any of you have any recommendations on places to go in Europe, let me know. I 'm really excited for it and already planning all of the things that I'm think I'm going to do, such as buy a Spanish cookbook and learn how to cook the food, as I might starve or come back with a weird eating habit if I don't.

Other news, none except that I plan to have my new fantasy book done by the end of the summer.

A Spoonful of Reality Makes Rejection Go Down

What I'm Listening To: I'm Not Dead-Pink

You may be thinking morbid song, but I love this song by Pink. I love Pink in general, so this is rather a good mood song, inspirational song. I have more news, updating really and carrying over from my post the other day about rejection. Today I found out that the publishing house decided not to go with my poetry book and that my run with the ABNA awards has ended today. I have four queries sent out to agents at this time and will add another one to the round until I decide to wait for them all.

I was actually talking to my dad today (if there was ever an ideal guy, he would be it) and we talked about my book. He actually asked me what it was about, and I found that I was pleased that he was interested. He knows that I write, but I guess he never knew how much until I'd been struggling with trying to get my book published until today. I felt good telling him about it and uplifted because I know that I just need to keep going. If you have a dream, you are going to chase it until it turns into dust or until all of the possible avenues  to make it a reality are exhausted. I don't feel too bummed, I'm just going to keep entering and writing and trying until something happens or I'm dead. I know that I was meant to write. I feel it in my bones. Remember, once you've taken a ton of rejection, you will get used to it and it will be easier for you to keep plunging in.

Spring Break is next week, and I plus the entire UW-Madison campus cannot wait. It will give me time to hopefully finish up to the seventh or eighth chapter of my new book and then finish that over the summer. I think I'm going to take a year off of writing to focus on being fluent in Spanish next year, then write for another year, and then live in France for a bit to master French. At least that's the plan. For now, I just have to make sure that I graduate and that I have these books under wraps. Keep on trucking world!

Taking Rejection (the query kind)

What I'm Listening To: Telephone-Lady Gaga ft. Beyonce


I sent out a batch of query letters last week, and got my first rejection letter today. No one needs to know who it is or why, but I wanted to talk a little bit about getting those rejection letters, especially form ones. If you are a writer and are seeking representation for your work, first of all I want to say that you are brave, trying to put your creation out there in the world. Secondly, I want to say prepare to be rejected A LOT. Sure there are those exceptions when a writer magically combines what the industry is looking for + her own voice/style and it gets to an agent who that resonates with. When you don't get a form rejection, to me that means that an agent actually cared enough about your work to give you advice or to actually respond with their own words. And of course there is the rejection part where an agent may request a partial or full and then decide that it isn't something that they want to represent. I'm still waiting to get to the level of the second type of rejection letter from an agent.

Above all, you have to remember to stay positive. Don't trash the agent or agency, don't email them an angry letter back--none of that. Just file the rejection letter away, research another agent to add to your list to query, and then get out there again and query them. Right now I have three other query letters out that are still waiting for a reply. So any one of those could possibly be a request for a partial or full. You honestly have to look at the bright side and remember to query widely. Even if that was your dream agent, the one that you thought would be the absolute best fit for your work, you need to get that out of your head because there are plenty of capable agents out there. I suggest that if you have the time and money, to go to a book conference and meet some of them.

Another thing that I would recommend is to make sure that you are adhering to query letter guidelines. It's fascinating to me that most all agents have their own guidelines for query letters listed on their website or blog. So pay attention to that. DO YOUR RESEARCH when querying agents and it will definitely pay off. Always google your agents and definitely check to see if they have a website or blog, and what their preferences are. If the agent doesn't list any preferences, I suggest that you adhere to Noah Lukeman's How to Write a Great Query Letter The man knows what he's talking about, and even better, the book is free. Another thing is to make sure that you know your genre, you state your word count, and that you state what happens succinctly and the choices/consequences that the main character makes.

Just remember, there are so many agents out there and I bet you haven't queried them all. This wasn't my first rejection, and it most certainly won't be my last, but if you truly want representation for your work, you aren't going to let one person dissuade you. Another person could like it. Make sure that your book is finished and your adhering to the guidelines of the agents for the query or a general one like Noah Lukeman and you will be fine.

Stephen King's On Writing

What I'm Listening To: 21st Century Breakdown-Green Day

I came across a writer that I think is fabulous and I really want my website to be as cool as hers. Plus, she's a veteran of the profession that I want to get into (journalism). Her name is Alexis Grant. In one of her most recent blog posts, she mentioned that she had just read Stephen King's memoir on writing. I should definitely plan to read it. I'm going to mention a few things that she said she learned about the craft from King because I think that it will be useful to everyone, whether you write horror, thriller, or not.

~ When you start writing, it’s okay not to know how the book will read when you finish. Start with an idea — a situation, King calls it — and uncover the story like a fossil. Symbolism in particular should not be plotted; if something is meant to be symbolic, he says, you’ll notice when you revise and polish till it shines.

“Once your basic story is on paper,” he writes, “you need to think about what it means and enrich your following drafts with your conclusions.”

While he’s talking primarily about fiction, this advice also can apply to nonfiction. Ideas, themes and realizations can become clearer through the writing process.

~ Think about your story as a What If? What if a girl was running away from home but then encountered mobsters on a subway? What would happen?

~ 2nd draft = 1st draft – 10 percent. The revision process is brutal. In revising Nostalgia, I have found that I've had to cut even more than 10%.

~ It can’t hurt to hear certain advice a second, third, fourth time. Don’t use adverbs. To write well, read a lot. Write every day. Description is a matter of how-to and how-much-to; don’t overdo it. King’s explanations of why these rules apply, as well as his specific examples, were helpful.

Here are some excerpts of the book.

Really good advice from Alexis Grant. I still haven't gotten around to doing the final run through of Nostalgia because I'm doing some final prepwork on my website instead. Also, I tried to take at least some downtime so that I wouldn't go completely crazy.

Lastly, agents Janet Reid and Holly Root were having a hilarious banter ever over their twitter accounts the other day. It's nice to see agents joke around with each other. It was also funny when Janet was twittering about the ridiculous queries she was getting and how she was trying to relax a little bit over Christmas. Good Janet, you deserve it. I'm always so thankful for the advice that they give.

Places to go #3, Return from Ashwaubenon, and hitting the books (literally)

What I'm Listening To: By Your Side-Tenth Avenue North (LOVE it)

Just got back from Ashwaubenon tonight. It's been an eventful week with Dad's birthday yesterday and my sister's basketball tournament. It was nice seeing people and being able to relax in Green Bay. Also, I got to eat some spicy curry chicken with angel hair pasta at an Italian restaurant called Grazies. It was really good. The downside is that our table happened to be on a slant and my strawberry lemondade slid off the table without warning and absolutely drenched my Jones New York coat, or a little something like that. Luckily, nothing was spilled directly on me. But since it was Dad's birthday, his meal was free, which is why I definitely recommend going on your birthday. But they also have specialty nights (Wednesday was $10 T-bone steak, Sunday bottomless pasta bowls) and specials on drinks. And everything, down to the noodles and sauce, is made from scratch.

And in reality, I clearly do not need to be spending any money, but there is a website called jewelry4free.com and it's completely legit! I just bought a citrine ring. The only catch is that you pay shipping which is usually around $10 or less. But why even grouch about that when what you're getting is QUALITY sterling silver and usually retails at about $50 or more. It makes for a great present to someone (or yourself).

And it was great having two days to semi relax, but now the pressure is really on and I'm pressed for time. I have to update my website and compile a directory of 80 agents that I want to work with, plus read my finished novel and see if there are any FINAL edits that I want to do. Publishers Marketplace will most likely see a subsciption from me after the new year. I should probably cancel my subcription to Writer's Market. Don't get me wrong, Writer's Market is great, espeicially for writers who are just starting out and really inexpensive for what it offers (at the moment it's $5.99/mo). The issue for me is that they don't provide the sales and deals that an agent makes, which is what I need right now to take me to the next level in finding an agent. Or at least, this is what Noah Lukeman has been telling me...(if you haven't read him and you're an author please do so).

Besides, Publishers Marketplace is $20/mo., and if I'm really serious about writing, I should be able to squeeze that out of myself. Even if I am a college student paying money to go to school so that I can get a job to make me money so that I can pay for all of those years of school. Does that sound counterproductive to anyone else?

Also, I just came up with an awesome new story idea, so I'm stopping progress on the sequel to Nostalgia and starting an entirely new idea. It should be fun and I'm definitely excited to start on that and show it to the world. I just realized I'm juggling about four book projects at the moment....

Nice Tip: Change Your Character Perspective

What I'm Listening To: East to West-Casting Crowns

This is a lovely revision tip from Laura Anderson's blog

You should basically follow her and other seasoned authors if you are a an aspiring author.

Revision Tip #22

Are you sure that you've chosen the right point of view for your novel?

Take your favorite chapter and rewrite from a different POV; shift from third to first, or first to third, or if you are bold and way smarter than me, experiment with the second person POV.

Or.... (and.....) fool around with the tense structure. If your story is told in present tense, rewrite that favorite chapter in past tense. If you've written the whole thing in past tense, try out that chapter in present tense.

What's the point of all this mucking around? It helps you see your characters and the Story from a slightly altered perspective.

On another note, it's my bro's birthday. Happy 17th JJ :)

Marketing Principle #4: Olympic caliber networking

What I'm Listening To: Russian Roulette-Rihanna

Here is the end of the marketing principles from the blog of the lovely Rachelle Gardner. Let me know what you think

Marketing Principles: Part 3 of 3
by Jim Rubart

Marketing Principle #4:
Olympic caliber networking

When people hear the word marketing they think ads or PR. Those are parts of marketing, but marketing is much more than that. Marketing is everything you do in public. Everything. In every moment you are marketing yourself. In the way you speak, the wit you display, the subjects you talk about, the way you dress.

And who are you marketing to? People. It always comes down to people.

With the onslaught of marketing technology like Facebook, Twitter, cell phones, e-mail, podcasts, teleseminars, etc., I think we've forgotten that at its essence successful marketing is simply having people like you and be interested in you.

Most editors and agents, if they're choosing between two authors of equal skill, will take the one they like. I know this is obvious, but it's worth repeating: If an agent, or editor, or reader likes you, the odds of them buying from you skyrockets.

Put another way—assuming you've polished your writing chops—success as a writer can be improved by successful networking.

→ Be interesting, & be brief.

→There's an old show business adage that says, "Leave the audience wanting more." It works. Remember the old Seinfeld episode where George walks out of his employer's meetings as soon as he delivers a funny line? His boss ends up firing everyone except George because he likes George and thinks he's the only employee the company needs. So contribute to the conversation. But conversations aren't monologues. Keep it brief and give others a shot on stage.

→ Ask. Listen. Ask. Listen. Ask. Listen.

→ Ask. Most people don't know how to ask questions. They ask one, never following up with another. People like to be asked questions. We are needy people. We need to know we're valued. We need to know our opinion matters. We need to know others are interested in us. So ask a question, then another, then another. People will love you for it.

→ Listen. Most people struggle to listen. They're thinking about what they're going to say next, and most don't even wait for the other person to finish. So interruptis gigantis dominates most conversations. Don't let diarrhea mouth happen to you. Try this experiment. In the next conversation you have, count to five—in your head, not out loud—before you respond to your friend's comments. You'll be amazed. Truly. (No, I'm not going to tell you what will happen, but I will tell you the great interviewers understand this powerful principle.)

→ Make it real

→ People are human lie detectors. If you're faking it, they'll know. The goal of good networking is not to get ahead. Yes, it will benefit you if you do it right. But the goal of your networking should be to care about people, to be in relationship with people who share similar passions. Am I saying it's better to give than to receive? Absolutely. And don't worry, if you have that attitude, it will come back to you in droves.

Time to get off the stage. Hopefully I've helped a bit, and maybe even left you wanting more. If so, maybe we'll do it again sometime.

Jim Rubart is the owner of Barefoot Marketing (www.barefootmarketing.com) a marketing & consulting firm in the Pacific Northwest, and his first novel ROOMS comes out in April from B&H Fiction (www.jimrubart.com). He is represented by Chip MacGregor at MacGregor Literary. (www.chipmacgregor.com)

More Wisdom from Jim Rubart, Marketing Principles Parts 2 &3

What I'm Listening To: Gotta Make It-Trey Songz

Courtesy of the lovely Rachelle Gardner. See her blog here. Makes me want to go re do my website....

Marketing Principles: Part 2 of 3
by Jim Rubart

Marketing Principle #2:
If You're Not First, Forget It

• First person to fly across the Atlantic in an airplane?
• First President of the United States?
• First person to break the four minute mile?
• First person to walk on the moon?

Most of you probably came up with, Lindbergh, Washington, Banister, and Armstrong without much effort. Want to take a shot at naming the second person in each category? What? Hinkler, Adams, Landy, and Aldrin don't easily roll off the end of your brain?

Trying to be the next Grisham, Dekker, Kingsberry, etc. is futile. Be the next you.

In other words, don't imitate anyone else. The absolute best you'll achieve is becoming an incredible copy. Why would anyone buy a Gucci knock-off if they can have the original for the same price?

Editors and agents are looking for unique stories and unique voices.

So give 'em Charles Lindberg, 'cause they're never going to remember Bert Hinkler.

Marketing Principle #3:
Website Blunders to Avoid

We know the opening lines of our books have to be compelling. Then why do so many writers open their Web sites with clichéd, boring, generalities?

• "Welcome to my Web site! I'm so glad to see that you've taken the time to stop by. Explore! Take your time to look around. On my Web site I hope to share with you some things …."

• “Welcome! What a treat to have you drop by my cyber-world. What I'd like to do here is tell you about my love for writing, how I became a writer, my love for …"

Snoooozzzzz …

(In September I taught a workshop at a writing conference where writers submitted their Web sites to me before the class. Over sixty-five percent of the sites opened with "Welcome." This did not shock BROCA. This was not Lindbergh. This wasn't even Bert.)

Think of your Web site's visuals as the cover of your book. Think of the first words people read on your site as your back cover copy. Those words need to surprise, intrigue and entice your reader into exploring further.

How long do you have to hook someone visiting your site? Agent Steve Laube says the typical reader in a bookstore will spend twenty seconds deciding to buy your book. Studies say you have seven seconds to interest them in your Web site. Make your copy compelling.

Another Blunder: Making it all about YOU.

Marketing 101 says everyone has a stamp across their forehead: W.I.I.F.M.? (What's in it for me?)

It would be wonderful if readers cared about us, but they don't. They care about what we can do for them. They care about being inspired, encouraged, challenged, and entertained. Consequently the majority of your content needs to be about them, not you.

The first line of copy on my own Web site says, "Do you live with freedom?" I've yet to meet someone who says, "Yep, I'm totally free, don't need any more freedom," or "Nope, wrapped up in chains, but have no interest in getting rid of them." I try to draw people in by having a first line that brings up a universal need.

What do most successful books do? Address a need of the masses. Which one does your Web site copy address?

Last blunder to avoid: Settling. Authors often settle for a Web site that is okay. Okay isn't good enough.

I know your brother's Aunt's cousin's best friend from Jr. High loves doing Web sites and he'll do yours for $100. Resist the temptation. If your site looks amateurish, people will assume your writing is the same.

Can you design your own site and write your own Web site copy? Sure! You can also learn to play Bach if you have the time, talent, and commitment.

Your site is competing against the best author Web sites on the internet. And the internet isn't the future. It's the present. Your Web site and/or blog, is often the primary way you'll introduce yourself to readers (and often editors and agents as well).

There's a reason the good pub houses give meticulous attention to their covers. Right or wrong, people do judge books by what is on the front. Same with the look of a Web site and the copy it contains. It's worth taking the time and money to make it outstanding.

Jim Rubart is the owner of Barefoot Marketing (www.barefootmarketing.com) a marketing & consulting firm in the Pacific Northwest, and his first novel ROOMS comes out in April from B&H Fiction (www.jimrubart.com). He is represented by Chip MacGregor at MacGregor Literary.

Two Books Every Aspiring Author (who really wants to get published) should read

What I'm Listening To: My Life Would Suck Without You-Kelly Clarkson

So while I was in NYC, another author from Kentucky who had a stellar query letter told me that she had gotten all of her tips from this book. And it was free. I turned to her in disbelief. I had never heard of this book before and I had been searching he internet high and low for some pointers on a good query letter. She told me that it was by Noah Lukeman and immediately when I got home, I looked it up. Sure enough, there was a FREE downloadable e-book called How to Write a Great Query Letter by Noah Lukeman. He has also written How to Land (and keep) a Literary Agent which I also bought. He also has a couple more books that are pretty good. And why, you ask, are they good?

Noah Lukeman has had over 13 years of experience as an agent. So when he points out some of the key mistakes and what not to do, I definitely am going to follow it. He has represented many bestsellers and prize winners as well. The same is true about Donald Mass, the author of the next book I'm going to talk about. It's called Writing the Breakout Novel. This book has all of the key ingredients of a good book, and I was really happy to see that I already had many of them. However, it doesn't hurt to enhance or go over your book to see that it definitely is top notch. Another thing to note, is that in both book titles, the authors both put INSIDER advice or INSIDER tips. They both are really successful agents, they both know what agents are looking for, and that gives them the credibility over any other to write these types of books because they will help to get aspiring authors published. I know that I'm going not going to regret the money I invested in buying these books and definitely listen to their advice, how about you?