Ask An Agent. Ask Anything!

No, not that kind of agent

If you had five minutes to sit down with an experienced literary agent and ask anything, what would you ask?  I recently posed this question to my writer friends on Facebook, and the questions came in quickly. Here’s the first batch:

What is your biggest draw when it comes to signing someone?

I think every aspiring author asks this question sooner or later, in one way or another, and they’re hoping to divine the ONE secret thing that will make them rich and famous. And I always disappoint, because I don’t believe that such a singular “secret of the ages” really exists. But when pressed, I generally narrow it down to four things:

1-      Your story (the information on the pages).

2-      Your writing (your skill and style).

3-      Your professionalism (how do you present yourself?)

4-      My gut. I just get a feel for a story and a person.

Guest Post: Ten Risks You Run if You Don’t Proofread Your Manuscript

From my friend Kathy Ide, the Editor of Editors. She has instructed and inspired thousands of aspiring writers over the course of her long career. The following is an excerpt from her recently released Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors.

Have you seen the plaques and T-shirts that say this?:

Let’s Eat Grandma.

Let’s Eat, Grandma. 
Commas Save Lives.

I love that! It shows how one tiny bit of punctuation can change the entire meaning and tone of a sentence.