Ta Da! Plus Three Critique Prizes!

 I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm trying to look a little more businesslike.  There's a reason for that...

If you'll recall, I spent a lot of time this year critiquing/editing/and coaching writers. I seriously considered working for a literary agency, but one of the things I learned is that literary agents never have an ending point. Yes, when they sell a book and it gets through the publishing stage they only have to worry about marketing that book, right? Well, not exactly. They do an amazing amount of work.

Here are just a few of the things I observed:

• Reading submissions (invited submissions and slush)
• Evaluating submissions
• Connecting with writers
• Recruiting submissions via social media
• Critiquing
• Editing
• Coaching authors on social media, marketing, book tours
• Networking with other agents
• Networking with editors
• Trying to find the right editors for the right manuscripts
• Negotiating contracts
• Marketing books and authors
• Speaking at Conferences
• Marketing themselves
• Keeping current with the market 
• Advising and communicating with current authors

I'm sure there are lots of other things that I wasn't privy to. It was an overwhelming amount of work. So, if you have an agent be grateful for all of their hard work and if you are looking for an agent, be patient and understand the amount of work they are doing. It is NOT a 9-5 job!

I did gain some perspective, along with a lot of new writing friends. I LOVE LOVE LOVE editing and critiquing. It's a great feeling to help someone move their manuscript forward or to help them write a query that catches someone's attention. I love having a beginning and ending point with each project I undertake. Not that I don't continue thinking about people's manuscripts. I don't know how many times I've sent someone an email starting with: I was just thinking about your manuscript....

This experience led me to where I am today. I'm launching my own website offering my services for manuscript critiques, line edits, query critiques, and general coaching. I hope you will pop over and check out The Manuscript Maven. If you have any feedback or suggestions to improve my site, please leave them in the comments.

To celebrate, I'm offering one free picture book critique or line edits and critique for one chapter of your novel or one query critique. The winners will be picked by random.org on December 19th. Please leave what genres you write in the comments.

Thanks for stopping in and I hope you are having a lovely Fall!

(If you are inclined, I'd appreciate it if you would share my good news...)