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Writing Books/Questions Answered by Expert Sandy McCutcheon
| Subject | Date Asked |
| How do you make a best selling first book? | 1/30/2012 |
| Q: I like to start and become a new author. My question is how do you start off with a good fact book ... A: There is no easy answer, because it is the reader who decides if the book will sell. If you have ... | |
| finding agent | 11/1/2011 |
| Q: Any tips on finding the right agent? Thanks A: Sorry about the delay. The internet has been down in this part of Morocco. Finding an agent 1 - ... | |
| query | 10/10/2011 |
| Q: Could you tell me what an unpublished author (except for a flash fiction piece) can put in a query ... A: Sorry about the delay but I have been busy with blog stories. There is no need to be specific. Keep ... | |
| legal issues with book writing | 7/14/2011 |
| Q: I have wanted to write a biography of my life for many years. There are millions of bios on the ... A: There are a lot of biographies on the market, but that is because they sell extremely well. As to ... | |
| short synopisis | 7/11/2011 |
| Q: One agency asks for a short (about 500 word) synopsis of your novel. Any tips on writing it? What ... A: The opening phrase should be how you would describe the novel, as if you were pitching it to a film ... | |
| Need Help finding co-author | 3/16/2011 |
| Q: I am an expert on this site (over three years) in another area. I am a good writer, have been ... A: First let me say how sad I was to hear about your daughter. I also commend you on your bravery in ... | |
| Do we need to learn any tricks from James Patterson? | 2/27/2011 |
| Q: if I understand correctly, James Patterson is not really lauded by critics. Some say he is like a ... A: Sorry about the delay, but I have been flying around the world for the last week. Now in France and ... | |
| Agents | 1/14/2011 |
| Q: I am in the process of writing a book. Actually, the process has taken about 10 years. I have not ... A: Sorry about the delay, but I am in the middle of the catastrophic floods in Queensland, Australia. ... | |
| Mom wants to write a book | 10/24/2010 |
| Q: My mother wants to write a book detailing her experience of domestic violence, drug abuse, and ... A: That sounds like an important book to write and I wish you all the best with it. The process is ... | |
| Libel Risks in Memoir | 10/14/2010 |
| Q: I'm working on a memoir that will be a true story of how my husband's sister and her daughter used ... A: Sorry about the delay in reply, but I have been researching a novel in the Rif Mountains of Morocco ... | |
| Writing a book | 10/13/2010 |
| Q: I want to write a book on history of video games starting with origin many decades ago and ending ... A: Yes, your instincts seem perfect! I would approach the major developers (sometimes a team) and ... | |
| Writing a book | 10/13/2010 |
| Q: I want to write a book on history of video games starting with origin many decades ago and ending ... A: Sorry about the delay in my response, but I am travelling in the Riff Mountains of Morocco, doing ... | |
| word length | 10/12/2010 |
| Q: When I look for the answer to the"What is the length that agents prefer for suspense, fiction or ... A: And greetings from the Riff Mountains of Morocco where I am researching a book ~ and only now found ... | |
| Novel Writing - my stymie | 10/4/2010 |
| Q: Mam, Thank you & I congratulate you for bein a guide for lot of buddin writers. Hi, i'm a 3rd yr ... A: I think your problem is a simple one. You are trying to write about something you do not know. A ... | |
| whats it all about? | 9/28/2010 |
| Q: can you give me a basic rundown on what it takes to get a small published article and then to move ... A: Sorry about the delay in replying, but I have been flying from Pakistan to Australia and then back ... | |
| semi-memoir | 9/18/2010 |
| Q: I have written a book which has been accepted by self publishing company but still needs editing, my ... A: Libel is a very tricky area. In my own memoir I used real names and although some people were upset, ... | |
| Is sex an essential part of a spy's job | 8/1/2010 |
| Q: According to some movies and books that I saw, it is very easy for a spy (CIA, MI5, etc) to have sex ... A: The sad truth is that the use of sex as a way of getting close to a person and getting their trust ... | |
| Graphics for childrens' book | 7/19/2010 |
| Q: If I find a publisher to publish a childrens’ book I’ve written, will they provide a graphic artist ... A: It is an interesting one because I had the same issue with my only children's book. In my case I had ... | |
| begining to write | 2/4/2010 |
| Q: How do you come up with a subject to write about? A: That is an interesting question. Usually most writers simply want to tell a story. It is very hard ... | |
| Using real place, building names in a book | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: I am in the process of writing a YA novel. Currently I have left the names of places, the school's ... A: This is a frequently asked question. While there is no legal reason to change names, if it is ... | |
| book tours | 12/24/2009 |
| Q: I'd appreciate it if you could help me with some dumb questions I have about book tours. How long do ... A: What an interesting question. The length of a tour depends entirely on what the writer and the ... | |
| Chapter titles in a memoir | 12/18/2009 |
| Q: I hope you are well! I wanted to ask you about chapter titles in memoirs. I am thinking of going ... A: Just touched down after 26 hour flight from Morocco to Australia so jet lag is making things a bit ... | |
| Memoir - Name changes & Dialogue | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: My question Hi, I'm in the process of writing a memoir about all that happened during my recent ... A: I would not ever ask for written consent. If you do, people will want to know what you are going to ... | |
| Memoir - Name changes & Dialogue | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: My question Hi, I'm in the process of writing a memoir about all that happened during my recent ... A: Sorry about the delay in replying but I am travelling in the wilds of the Rif Mountains in Morocco ... | |
| fictional novels and narrative structure | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: I am trying to wright a fictional novel about the life of an American political leader, in the ... A: Barbara Kingsolver's The Lacuna is a great example of fictional biography. I would suggest you look ... | |
| Prologue | 11/11/2009 |
| Q: You've probably heard this question many times- to prologue or not to prologue? I've recently joined ... A: I often use a prologue and I can tell you that (particularly in thrillers) they work extremely well. ... | |
| book idea.. where to go from there | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: The other day out of the blue while driving in my car... out of no where appears a thought for a ... A: Firstly it is great you have an idea for a book and exciting that it arrived as it did. There is a ... | |
| Publishing a book | 10/23/2009 |
| Q: I have finished writing a book in spanish about personal growth and meditation and would like advise ... A: Hola! Josë, Thank you for the question. Your book sounds very interesting and is certainly a ... | |
| Trademark | 10/18/2009 |
| Q: I have a friend who has written a biography about a longtime friend of his. He has been threatened ... A: Although the law varies from country to country, there is usually no problem with writing a ... | |
| Using quotes & names in a Memoir | 10/7/2009 |
| Q: I have completed a memoir and mostly only used first names or referred to persons as "the twins" or ... A: it is an important one. I am sorry not to have replied earlier but I am travelling at the moment. ... | |
| Using real names in memoirs and personal essays | 10/6/2009 |
| Q: McCutcheon, As the author of a memoir, I'm hoping you'll be able to speak to my question. I'm ... A: but I have been travelling. There is no need to change anyone's name in a memoir unless you are ... | |
| Margins/Typesetting | 10/1/2009 |
| Q: I am a new author and have no clue how to get started. What margins and spacing should I use? And ... A: This is a simple one. It does not matter! The most important thing is to write the story. I ... | |
| queries | 4/5/2009 |
| Q: In "On Writing" King has a model query where a person lists the short stories he has gotten ... A: I think that you are better not to submit any unpublished work to an agent other than your ... | |
| two page synopsis | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: One agent wants a two page synopsis with the first 10 pages. Any suggestions on how to condense a ... A: I NEVER double space - not even for a novel. I would not do it for a synopsis. The reason? ... | |
| two page synopsis | 3/15/2009 |
| Q: One agent wants a two page synopsis with the first 10 pages. Any suggestions on how to condense a ... A: In the synopsis simply state the basic premiss of the novel. For example start with "(Name of Novel) ... | |
| memoir | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: I have finally gotten my book in shape to approach agents. I have noticed that the submission ... A: This is an easy one and as the author of a published memoir I can answer without hesitation. Memoir ... | |
| Writing a non-fiction book | 3/2/2009 |
| Q: I am writing a book that is based on how I met my husband, our life together (trials and ... A: In general terms you should have no problems as long as the physical descriptions of people are not ... | |
| writing a novel | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: My name is Blaine, I'm 20 from California (USA), I've written 9 short stories varying from 3-25 ... A: Sorry about the delay, but I have been traveling from Morocco to Australia. My response is quite ... | |
| Book marketing question | 11/24/2008 |
| Q: With my brother, I created two books of artistic depictions of cliches, puns, etc. I submitted the ... A: What a great idea for a book. I am surprised you have not managed to get an agent for such a novel ... | |
| software suggestion | 10/26/2008 |
| Q: McCutcheon: Could you recommend a software program or some sort of system to guide me through ... A: The only program most writers use is Microsoft Word. It is particularly good for novels and short ... | |
| Editing | 10/16/2008 |
| Q: I've actually got a couple questions but I think they kind of tie in with one another. Hope that's ... A: I have a couple of responses to your questions. Firstly, while I appreciate you enjoy writing by ... | |
| To resubmit or not resubmit (2) | 10/2/2008 |
| Q: I recently asked you about the wisdom of resubmitting a query to an agent if much time has past--and ... A: I would advise against submitting to the same agency UNLESS you have made a direct connection with ... | |
| writing a novel | 9/30/2008 |
| Q: I am 11 years old, for years I have wanted to be an author, but I never had ideas, now that I ... A: It was good to get your question as you are the same age as I was when I started writing. Sadly, I ... | |
| To RE-submit, or not to re-submit? | 9/28/2008 |
| Q: Life being what it is, things get in the way. Without going into unnecessary detail, suffice it to ... A: There is nothing to stop you re-submitting. However, from my experience with agents they do spend a ... | |
| To RE-submit, or not to re-submit? | 9/27/2008 |
| Q: Life being what it is, things get in the way. Without going into unnecessary detail, suffice it to ... A: Sorry about the delayed reply but have been on a couple of long-haul flights from Australia to ... | |
| where to go? | 8/25/2008 |
| Q: I'm a Nigerian, I've lived in Cote D'Ivoire for 12 years and just written my first novel set in Cote ... A: Having had some experience in publishing books set in non-English speaking countries (Morocco, ... | |
| Title!!!!!! | 8/12/2008 |
| Q: I can't figure out what to call my novella!!!! It is historical fiction, and everything I think up ... A: First, a question - have you completed the novella? If not, don't worry about the title until you ... | |
| Memoir | 7/16/2008 |
| Q: I've completed my memoir entitled Killing Of Innocence. The story tells of my upbringing as an ... A: What a fascinating and exciting project! My first reaction is to agree with the suggestion that you ... | |
| Agent in AustralAsia for Non-fiction | 6/30/2008 |
| Q: Your advise to all budding authors is to definitely get an agent to act on their behalf. I realise ... A: The best place to start hunting for an agent who works around the world but is based in Australasia ... | |
| Different Question | 2/7/2008 |
| Q: No, this may resemble a previous question, but it is different. An agency says too things this times ... A: Never send an unsolicited manuscript. I have always found it best to set up a meeting with an agent ... | |
| author bio | 1/28/2008 |
| Q: What and where should an "author bio" appear? What if the writer is unpublished and doesn't have ... A: I would add the bio as a single page attachment. But keep it very simple - DO NOT over-sell ... | |
| Authors | 1/24/2008 |
| Q: I had another question about agencies stating "obtains most new clients from recommendations from ... A: What happens is that if you send a book to an agent and it is seen as good but not in a genre they ... | |
| virtual or literal? | 1/19/2008 |
| Q: McCutcheon (Sandy?), It would seem there is no doubt. Every book on "how to write a query letter" ... A: Sorry about the delay in replying but I have just arrived home after being overseas. When an agent ... | |
| Non-fiction book | 12/8/2007 |
| Q: I recently wrote two books via Blurb.com and used their software. These were books for my family; ... A: Firstly, sorry for the delay in answering, but I have been travelling from France to Australia and ... | |
| Manuscript | 10/7/2007 |
| Q: I am currently writing a book using Microsoft Word. I know what the proper manuscript form is but, ... A: Sadly, I can't assist as I do not use Microsoft. However, I can say that the correct format is ... | |
| agents | 10/4/2007 |
| Q: Is it ever appropriate to ask an agent for feedback on a rejected book or why it was rejected? One ... A: Sorry about the delay in replying but I have been flying from France and Morocco for the last week. ... | |
| starting | 9/7/2007 |
| Q: My biggest problem is starting a book. I know EXACTLY what I want to happen. I'm starting a book ... A: A really interesting problem! Of course this is what happens to every writer - with every book. The ... | |
| Middle Grade Synopsis | 8/31/2007 |
| Q: My son and I have written the first book in a series for middle grade readers. I've tried various ... A: sorry about the delay in my reply but I am travelling in Morocco and not near many internet cafes! ... | |
| Copyright form TX | 8/15/2007 |
| Q: I've a problem with item #6 ("Derivative work or Compilation") on the copyright Office's Form ... A: Sorry I took so long to get back to you, but I am travelling in Morocco at the moment. Firstly I ... | |
| Agents and Contracts | 6/17/2007 |
| Q: If you bring a manuscript to an agent, can he or she sell your idea or an idea similar to yours? ... A: Sorry about the delay in responding, but I have been travelling from Morocco back to Australia. I ... | |
| Agents | 6/15/2007 |
| Q: Is this how it works: the publisher will send the check to the agent, and the agent takes his cut ... A: Yes, that is exactly how it works. To find out about contracts, ask your agent. The agent is the ... | |
| Proposal | 5/21/2007 |
| Q: Since you have written books, and you've had to write proposals to agents, so they will send it to a ... A: Sorry I did not get back to you straight away, but I am traveling in Morocco and have to find ... | |
| Agents | 5/14/2007 |
| Q: I'd like to know is there a way to find out which agents have made the best deals for new writers? A: Sorry for taking so long to reply. I am travelling and writing in Morocco at the moment. Sadly ... | |
| 1st person writing | 2/3/2007 |
| Q: I'm one of those people that start and stop fiction writing all the time. I think I have 3 stories ... A: You can turn around and tell anyone who says that they shouldn't write in the first person that they ... | |
| Need some advice on the writing biz. | 2/1/2007 |
| Q: McCutcheon: I'm presently working on a novel, my first. I have just finished the first chapter. ... A: You will certainly need an agent at some stage, as most publishers will not accept a manuscript ... | |
| motivation | 1/26/2007 |
| Q: I have come to realize that I only write when I am upset. I have enough experience in life to know ... A: You ask a series of questions that haunt almost every writer I know. Firstly, I don't think that ... | |
| Advances for first novels | 1/7/2007 |
| Q: I am writing my first novel, a supernatural horror and I have just signed a contract with an agency. ... A: First of all congratulations on getting so far down the way to having your book published. Many ... | |
| Book Presentations | 12/26/2006 |
| Q: I've just published two political thrillers (a third will be out in '07). I live in the U.S. ... A: Happy New Year! Over the last ten years I have done hundreds of these presentations and been a ... | |
| Author's Contract | 12/20/2006 |
| Q: I have written a book and, beyond reason, a publisher has expressed an interest in it. We've opened ... A: Firstly, congratulations! Finding a publisher is always very hard and to have done that says a lot ... | |
| Fantasy 'How to Make a Monster' | 1/29/2006 |
| Q: my name's Jake and I've been attempting to write a book for five years. Each time I attempt, I get ... A: You appear to be at the point that many people get to and then get stuck! No problem. You need to ... | |
| public speaking/reading | 1/28/2006 |
| Q: I have a few hobbies, one of which is creative writing. I have been pondering the idea of ... A: The answer is very simple! No, there is no compulsion to do reading or appear in public. It is an ... | |
| just a reply and a Thank you! | 1/23/2006 |
| Q: Sir; Thank you for replying to my question about my writing a book. I was a very active Gang Crime ... A: Although I am flattered by the offer of working with you, I must decline as I am involved in three ... | |
| attempted 17 times to write about my career as a Chicago Gang Crimes Detective | 1/22/2006 |
| Q: I wrote a short story to Readers Digest years ago, they denied publishing it because it was to ... A: You obviously have a wonderful story to tell, and probably a very important one. A memoir of your ... | |
| General | 1/15/2006 |
| Q: Hey there, i'm just a 16 year old, but i want to start writing a book to be constructive with my ... A: Sorry it took so long to reply, but I have been travelling and only just returned. My suggestion is ... | |
| spacing part 2 | 1/4/2006 |
| Q: ------------------------- sandy, thanks for your answer. but, if i send my manuscrpit through the ... A: It would probably be best to ask the publisher or agent you are sending the manuscript to about ... | |
| spacing | 1/2/2006 |
| Q: i have read that when i am sending my manuscrpits out, to be published, that i should double space ... A: In the old days of printed manuscripts it was true that publishers required double spacing. However, ... | |
| book cover | 12/19/2005 |
| Q: WOw impressive your profile is. Hi! I am in a creative writing class, and the whole class will have ... A: Best answer is for youo to visit a bookshop and check out the style of "blurb" writing, as it is ... | |
| literary agent | 12/16/2005 |
| Q: I have a manuscript and I would like to try and find a literary agent to represent me. My ... A: These days getting an agent is almost as hard as getting published. But my suggestion would be to ... | |
| Hints/tips on How to write a best seller | 12/14/2005 |
| Q: I studied literature at A levels and Journalism at College if I may use the American system. I have ... A: This is a frequently asked question, usually by younger writers. The skill in writing comes only ... | |
| book proposals | 11/14/2005 |
| Q: i'm confused. when you query a publisher, do yu have to have a book propals. i thought book propals ... A: It is normal, if a book is already completed to only hand in a synopsis (one page) and the completed ... | |
| an agent | 11/22/2004 |
| Q: as a followup question, I went to the library yesterday for a book on writing and picked up Dan ... A: Self publishing is known in the trade as "vanity publishing"... it serves only to allow you to see ... | |
| getting started on my first book | 11/21/2004 |
| Q: I just completed an around the world motorcycle tour in 60 days and I've started a book about ... A: It sounds like a fabulous project. First, forget about page numbers. The way to work is by word ... | |
| book title law | 11/13/2004 |
| Q: ..my book "Band-Aide" Survival Guide for Bands and Gigs, has a publication date of May 1, 2005 and ... A: Good question! You have no worries at all. Don't add the "E" Because the words "Band" and "AID" ... | |
Writing Books
Answers by Expert:
Sandy McCutcheon
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Author of 22 plays, 10 bestselling thrillers, a memoir and children's fiction.I can work with people on the process of writing, what to expect and ask for from an editor. How to work with the publisher`s marketing and publicity people. And how to survive book launches and publicity tours!
Experience
Sandy McCutcheon is a broadcaster and writer who has lived and worked in Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Austria and Morocco. He has travelled widely in Africa and Europe
Experience in the area
Published author of 22 plays, ten bestselling thrillers, a young adult and three non-fiction titles. Visit his website at http://www.sandy.mccutcheon.com for a look at his work.
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