On Our Very First Call In Episode It’s easy to believe that you have to be perfect to get published. Today, we bring you proof—hilarious, painful, honest proof—that things can go horribly awry and then end up great. Whether it’s checking in too soon (and getting called out by an agent), writing a pitch without … Read more
When blogger Jenny True wrote a post called F%^ Your Baby Advice, she never expected it would go viral. Soon the offers came in—including an advice columnist post and, then, a book deal. Now, with You Look Tired: An Excruciatingly Honest Guide to New Parenthood coming out May 4, she’s a powerful new voice of … Read more
Let me guess–the synopsis is your least favorite part of the process, right? Often–even for agents!–it’s a daunting document that, in some ways, is even more challenging than the creation of your query letter. How much do you give away? How much do you hide? What about the ending? Are spoilers good–or bad? How do … Read more
Julie asked our Facebook group (join here! 3,000+ nice writers to support you: manuscriptacademy.com/facebook) what they’d like to know about critique. We discuss critique partners with the right problem and wrong solution, the chain reaction when you change one element, how Jessica gives her agency clients feedback, and differentiating between opinions and critiques. Plus, we … Read more
Join us for a hybrid panel–both queries AND first pages!–with editor Rachel Diebel. Submit your query, first page, or both for a chance at live feedback from Rachel and our panel–plus, of course, a publishing Q&A. This event is designed to be supportive, uplifting, encouraging–and 100% introvert-friendly. (Wear pajamas! We’ll never know.) A replay will … Read more
We are so happy to welcome Laekan Zea Kemp to the podcast! We talk about how she got her agent (and made sure she was a true ally), her advice for writers (and how to keep your creative self safe), and how she came up with the idea for this gorgeous new story. Laekan Zea … Read more
In this free workshop with writing and theater teacher Chip Brewer, we’ll explore how your characters exist in the physical realm–how they take up space, how this shows us their role in the world, and how this relates to all of the millions of tiny moments that make them who they are. Then we’ll move … Read more
You’re Invited to our very first Call in Episode Have you ever made a mistake in the submissions process—and worried that you’d just ruined your chances of getting published? Our first call-in show is designed to prove that you don’t have to be perfect for things to work out—that you can, in fact, make mistakes … Read more
We are so excited to bring you this live class with agent Katharine Sands, author of Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch A Literary Agent’s Eye. If you’ve ever wondered how to make a strong argument for your work (whether nonfiction, fiction, or otherwise), Katharine will go over the necessary components, from overview to competitive … Read more
We are so happy to share this with you! This episode was live-recorded March 2021. Want to watch the free video version instead? Head to manuscriptacademy.com/anne-elliott. Want an email about upcoming free events? Head to manuscriptacademy.com/subscribe. Many of us learn fiction writing via short stories—and many of us fall in love with the form and … Read more
