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Writing Books/Questions Answered by Expert Cathy Clamp
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Book distribution for first-time authors | 1/11/2012 |
| Q: There is a lot of information about book publishing, finding and agent etc. However, the most ... A: Karen! I'm thinking you might be confused on the role of an agent. An agent doesn't market the book ... | |
| agent | 12/28/2011 |
| Q: Is there anything you should do if agent says they hope to get to their many queries in a certain ... A: If the agent has contacted you directly with this message, then no. Just sit tight. They'll get to ... | |
| A question about the publishers | 12/17/2011 |
| Q: My question is about publishing right. Let's say you manage to have a book published by a ... A: Kevin! The answer depends entirely on the contract you sign. Generally speaking, a publisher has ... | |
| help making my story flow easier | 12/5/2011 |
| Q: I have never been published, but am working on a book. I have been writing ever since I was eight ... A: Tara! Sorry for the delay in responding. I should have put myself on vacation here while I was ... | |
| Romance v Erotica | 11/14/2011 |
| Q: What makes romance strictly romance, and what makes erotica strictly erotica? What is "noir" ? A: Desi! Ah, you've chosen a bit of a tough question. But fortunately, there's a pretty simple answer ... | |
| Literary Agents | 10/24/2011 |
| Q: I've been submitting my query (suspense) to some agents, but am having trouble finding many that ... A: Carol! I've had good luck with two different websites. AgentQuery (http://www.agentquery.com) can ... | |
| Person to person perspective | 10/19/2011 |
| Q: Good day and thank you for reading this. I am writing a book( Coyote Wine) it is about some diaries ... A: again, Mark, What you've put here gives me some perspective. But I guess what I'm wondering is ... | |
| Person to person perspective | 10/16/2011 |
| Q: Good day and thank you for reading this. I am writing a book( Coyote Wine) it is about some diaries ... A: Mark! The trick with journal entries is how you're conveying them to the reader. You can approach ... | |
| Chapter length and pacing | 10/2/2011 |
| Q: I've been writing a book for about half year now first draft after planning and working on ideas ... A: Mark! When you say you've written 80K words, what does that mean as far as the plot? For a fantasy ... | |
| ebook | 9/13/2011 |
| Q: my new book is in pretty good shape. My writing coach has suggested a strategy for my novel. It ... A: Richard, Here's your problem: "Then, armed with the knowledge of what works and what doesn't work ... | |
| To exotic of a story idea? | 9/5/2011 |
| Q: I'm going to attempt to give you all the information you need to help me without overburdening you ... A: Ben! No, I don't think it's too exotic. I think it could be very interesting. But to say that the ... | |
| agents and publishers | 8/4/2011 |
| Q: What do i do next with my manuscript? Do i need an agent? How do i get an agent? A: David! An agent is the best way to get a great contract with one of the major publishers. There are ... | |
| Formatting | 8/2/2011 |
| Q: I am writing a fantasy novel and am having trouble with the font and size of font for my writing and ... A: Lee, Is this a publisher making this request? Because if you're talking about formatting a ... | |
| paragraph length | 7/27/2011 |
| Q: Of course there is no iron clad rule as to how long a paragraph should be. But looking over my work, ... A: David, I think you might be overthinking the construction. Generally speaking, a paragraph should ... | |
| Language in books | 7/22/2011 |
| Q: I'm writing a fiction fantasy book roughly based on an old Arabic society. In the book I have ... A: Benjamin, The best solution for unique words is to create a character who doesn't know the language ... | |
| unsolved disappearances | 7/19/2011 |
| Q: I have a question hopefully some of you can assist me with. I am trying to create a small character ... A: Scooter, The trick with writing about real people is whether you're going to use their name to earn ... | |
| The kernal of an idea | 7/5/2011 |
| Q: Cathy I have recently been considering writing a novel with a sort of steampunk/steampulp edge to ... A: Benjamin! The nice thing with ideas is that it's all in what you do with it that makes it original ... | |
| flash fiction | 6/27/2011 |
| Q: Since it is very short, I was wondering if you would comment on this flash fiction: Splashes of ... A: The concept might rely too much on the audience interpreting the piece and comparing it to a story ... | |
| use of news reports | 6/26/2011 |
| Q: You recently responded to a question on using factual institutions like FBI in a fictional work. ... A: John! Sorry for the delay in responding. I've been trying to think of the best way to answer your ... | |
| Making a Character Change Realistic | 6/26/2011 |
| Q: I am having trouble developing a character in a novel I have been working on for several years. It ... A: Glennis, Sorry for the delay in responding, but I've been trying to think of ways to help you ... | |
| starting a story | 5/30/2011 |
| Q: I'm starting my first story and I have read so many books. I have different ideas of what I want to ... A: Becky! If you've read a lot of books, then you have a pretty good idea of how to start your ... | |
| commercial fiction | 5/29/2011 |
| Q: What exactly is commercial fiction. Agent writes she doesn't handle it. ANSWER: Demetrius, ... A: Hmm... I haven't a clue, honestly. Sorry. As far as I know, the industry definition of commercial IS ... | |
| commercial fiction | 5/27/2011 |
| Q: What exactly is commercial fiction. Agent writes she doesn't handle it. A: Demetrius, "Commercial fiction" is generally considered to be mainstream fiction or genre ... | |
| Is there a limit to evil? | 5/21/2011 |
| Q: I have already started writing a story. My main problem is I want my bad guy to well basically be a ... A: Alex! You're allowed to be as evil in text as you want. The only question is what shelf the book ... | |
| Fiction book based on factual, known items | 5/20/2011 |
| Q: I humbly write to you for guidance. I am in the middle of writing what might be considered a Tom ... A: Brian, You're allowed a certain amount of "creative license" so long as it's not factually ... | |
| Semi fiction based upon my life | 5/10/2011 |
| Q: Good morning, I am now 63 years old and have recently retired. I now have the time required to put ... A: Rick, Basically, what you're looking at writing is a memoir or at least a series of interconnected ... | |
| re-use a character or make up a new one | 4/19/2011 |
| Q: Cathy, I have just finished my second Novel (96K words). I am just starting to send out query ... A: Marie! Sorry for the delay, but I've been out of town at multiple conferences over the past couple ... | |
| How do i become a good author? | 3/28/2011 |
| Q: I want to be an author when i graduate do you have any tips on how i could make that happen?? ... A: Hailey! Why wait? There's not a thing stopping you from learning the business right now. There have ... | |
| autheor profile | 3/25/2011 |
| Q: An agency states unpublished and published authors are to "tell us about yourself" in the query. ... A: Usually, what an agency is looking for in an unpublished author is just some basic information like ... | |
| my story plot | 3/7/2011 |
| Q: I am in the process of putting together a story based on a woman who is delusional, obsessive, and ... A: Cocoa! I've seen a few authors pull off this technique to good effect. One that you might try out ... | |
| timeline gap | 3/1/2011 |
| Q: First things first,thank you all for your volunteered time in helping those of us aspiring to write. ... A: Scooter! This is a tricky question. You'll find a lot of people who absolutely LOATHE prologues and ... | |
| Compilation Book | 2/12/2011 |
| Q: I have a great idea based on compiling stories from others. I am going into this blindly though. I ... A: Sandra, I saw your question in the pool and thought I'd try to help out. It sounds like you're ... | |
| Mystery | 1/20/2011 |
| Q: In my story a murder has occured; the protaganist is now a target. The reader thinks the murderer is ... A: MaryAnn! Sorry for the delay in responding. My email has been down for a few days. Actually, ... | |
| references | 1/19/2011 |
| Q: I am writing a non-fiction book that I will probably self-publish in a small quantity. If I put a ... A: The short answer is yes. The longer answer is that there's no specific length of quote that falls ... | |
| word length | 10/12/2010 |
| Q: Once you wrote "Literary works are more likely to be accepted short, but SF/F isn't." I had two ... A: "Short" for SF/F is probably in the less than 70K range. A vampire detective story could either be ... | |
| Baby Crying for help! | 10/9/2010 |
| Q: Hey, I am only but the young but somewhat old age 15 and have a passion for writing. I thank you in ... A: Sarah! Sorry for the delay in responding, but there were so many questions I needed to wait to ... | |
| The Steps to writing a Novel...one by one. | 9/30/2010 |
| Q: I have been doing so much research into writing a novel and all of the different things that need to ... A: Adele! Sorry for the delay in responding. I'm deep in the middle of finishing up a book that's ... | |
| Swearing | 9/28/2010 |
| Q: Hey, Cathy! When it comes to using swear words in a young-adult novel, how many is TOO many? Any ... A: Mia! Okay, there are two different levels of YA. There are those that are in the bookstore for ... | |
| publishing | 9/27/2010 |
| Q: If i write a book about family members but change their names, am i allowed to publish without their ... A: Robyn! The short answer is no, and yes. You CAN publish, but you could be setting yourself up for ... | |
| another story | 9/24/2010 |
| Q: I have a two part question and I thank you in advance for listening to me. Question 1. I am slowly ... A: Times New Roman 12 is perfectly fine. There are a lot of publishers who specifically request Courier ... | |
| another story | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: I have a two part question and I thank you in advance for listening to me. Question 1. I am slowly ... A: L.Marie! While I understand tailoring the query to individual agents, I'm a little confused on what ... | |
| Getting published | 9/11/2010 |
| Q: I have written (completed -- not just a first draft)four novels and two novellas (in different ... A: Mike! Nah, I'm not the "keep trying" sort. If you've spent that much time and effort, then there's ... | |
| Can your character change the past? | 8/26/2010 |
| Q: I'm a college student with a minor in Creative Writing. I would like to ask this question regarding ... A: Lee! Ah, you have stumbled upon an issue that Science Fiction writers have struggled with for ... | |
| Literary Agents | 8/23/2010 |
| Q: .. I don't know if you can help me, but thank you for taking the time to read through this question. ... A: Tuesday! Well, the UK is a little different from the U.S. in terms of querying. Here in America, ... | |
| padding? | 8/18/2010 |
| Q: I ran across something that said padding doesn't help any novel. But what exactly is padding? Could ... A: There's a vast difference between padding and subplots. Subplots create depth of characters that the ... | |
| Genre | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: I have been working on a book about a dog that I owned for a few years. It covers time before and ... A: I'd probably make this "narrative non-fiction" when querying it. I might suggest you check at your ... | |
| POV Change | 8/14/2010 |
| Q: The prologue of my book begins with a single woman alone in a room, so the beginning of the scene is ... A: In that event, I wouldn't worry much about it. It should be fine to an editor. But rather than ... | |
| POV Change | 8/13/2010 |
| Q: The prologue of my book begins with a single woman alone in a room, so the beginning of the scene is ... A: John! I guess my first question is: What is the point of her death? Is it a murder mystery that ... | |
| Book feels like a movie | 8/7/2010 |
| Q: I've tried writing this novel around a dozen times. I have the characters, the plot, everything. ... A: Alex! Sorry for the delay in responding, but I've been trying to think of the best response for ... | |
| Collaborative writing platforms ? | 8/6/2010 |
| Q: I need multiple writers on a project. I want them all to be able to see the entire document - BUT ... A: Gareth, Boy, none that I know of. Sorry. What you might do is to send the entire document to people ... | |
| Word count | 8/4/2010 |
| Q: First let me say your advice is always so helpful, & you're always patient & kind. I've been ... A: Carol! 146K is pretty long. Some genres can handle that length (like fantasy) but most others ... | |
| Scared for my idea | 7/28/2010 |
| Q: I've been working on an idea about a book (or two) for a few years now. I've started the beginning ... A: Kelsey! What you've described here is what's known as a "poor man's copyright." Unfortunately, the ... | |
| mythology | 7/22/2010 |
| Q: I am writing a science fiction novel that takes place on other planets that I have made up. Can I ... A: Sure! You can use Greek mythology, but you'll want to put your own particular spin on it. Your ... | |
| flash fiction | 7/21/2010 |
| Q: Have you written any Flash Fiction? Could you tell me anything about how to add depth to it? Thanks. ... A: If the character has life, he has memories. We all deal with matters based on our attained knowledge ... | |
| flash fiction | 7/16/2010 |
| Q: Have you written any Flash Fiction? Could you tell me anything about how to add depth to it? Thanks. A: Demetrius! LOL! Adding depth to flash fiction requires that you plot it, which is counterintuitive ... | |
| Creating the big picture & the actual writing. | 7/14/2010 |
| Q: I saw your profile, I see that you are quite successful in your career! That is great. Writing ... A: Gabriel! I think what you've got here is a world similar to Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar reality. ... | |
| wait or move on | 7/10/2010 |
| Q: First, thank you Cathy for your help and I appreciate your guidance. From my last e-mail I have ... A: Actually, for a QUERY, feel free to send out as many as you want at once. It's not until an agent ... | |
| Font to be used in writing novels | 7/7/2010 |
| Q: Is Cambria a legit font for writing novels? A: Hans! Sorry for the delay. I was at a writing convention and forgot to put my account on ... | |
| legality | 6/29/2010 |
| Q: I've been a massage therapist for 22 years. Seven of those years were spent at a prestigious spa, ... A: Ivan, My best advice is NOT to accept advice from a stranger on the web who doesn't know the ... | |
| Setting | 6/28/2010 |
| Q: Cathy! Is it too risky for me to choose a real-life city or town for the setting of my story, ... A: Mia! You can do either one. If you're writing fantasy, you can change nearly anything in a town in ... | |
| character naming | 6/24/2010 |
| Q: I have finished writing my first book and am currently doing the re-edit my question is one of my ... A: Naomi! I think it depends on whose point of view you're in at the time. If it's a "new" friend (who ... | |
| Selecting a publisher | 6/23/2010 |
| Q: I have written a technical book on computer programming. I am now deliberating which publisher to ... A: Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Both Amazon and B&N.com have shut their doors to a lot of ... | |
| Selecting a publisher | 6/14/2010 |
| Q: I have written a technical book on computer programming. I am now deliberating which publisher to ... A: Yair, Sorry for the delay in responding. The biggest benefit of a well-known publisher is getting ... | |
| Sample chapter | 6/1/2010 |
| Q: One of the agents I'd like to query requests a sample chapter as well. My question is- should I send ... A: Carol! Sorry for the delay in responding. You should always send the first chapter because it's ... | |
| how to count my pages | 5/29/2010 |
| Q: I have reviewed and re-edited my book that I have been writing over the past year. I am all most ... A: L. Marie! (1) An agent or editor will ONLY want to know the word count, not the pages. So don't ... | |
| Can a fiction writer write a movie script easily? | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: My question is: Can a fiction writer write a movie script easily? From what I read, few ... A: Morgan! Easily? No. Like anything else, script writing is a learned skill. But the skills that ... | |
| General | 5/6/2010 |
| Q: .. I don't know if you can help me, but I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my ... A: Tuesday! First, you'll be happy to know that a literary agent shouldn't cost you a single pound! A ... | |
| writing my first book | 5/1/2010 |
| Q: ok, my friend and i have been kind of working on trying to write books so that we can share our ... A: Michelle! What I've always found has worked for me is to find a place in your story where a crisis ... | |
| submit a query or wait | 4/30/2010 |
| Q: I showed my query letter to two people who have different views as to my next step. The first person ... A: L. Marie! Okay, here's the scoop: You CAN register your copyright if you want. The fee is (I ... | |
| horror fiction | 4/18/2010 |
| Q: I'm writing a fictional novel. I would like to know if there would be any legal consequences to ... A: Danielle! Yes, there could possibly be legal consequences, so it's best to change the name of the ... | |
| How can I submit a series | 4/4/2010 |
| Q: I am a first time writer and I have written (so far), a 192 single space story which consist of ... A: L. Marie! Sorry for the delay in responding. I lost internet connection for a few days. The first ... | |
| viable plot | 2/24/2010 |
| Q: My question has to do with the viability of the ending of my novel. The gist of the ending is: a ... A: Charlotte! The problem I've got with the cougar issue is that a cougar wouldn't be out and hunting ... | |
| Book Idea | 2/19/2010 |
| Q: I'm 12 and I'm thinking of writing a book.I've akways written short stories but no,300+ page ... A: Amber! I'm not really in a position to offer ideas to a story I know nothing about. There are a ... | |
| self publishing | 2/18/2010 |
| Q: I don't know if this question is in your field, but I was wondering if, when an author decides to ... A: Liz! Yes, if you're self-publishing, YOU'RE the publisher so you'd do all the planning for tours. ... | |
| books! | 2/18/2010 |
| Q: i would really like it if you could help me in my writers block. i have written in total around nine ... A: Billie, I think most writers suffer from this. It takes practice to get past what are known as ... | |
| General advice. | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: I've recently started writing my first book. it's about a guy and a girl who have a 20 year ... A: Tuesday! The answer to this is a really simple writing tool. It's called the "scene break." Writing ... | |
| Originality. | 2/15/2010 |
| Q: As you've probably heard, Percy Jackson is now a movie. My rough draft was supposed to be about ... A: Jake! I haven't read the Percy Jackson series but originality of idea is all in the DOING. If your ... | |
| Writing a book | 2/10/2010 |
| Q: Hey, how are you? So I am interesting in writing a book and have come up with an idea that I find ... A: John! Writing is never a waste of time. No matter whether another author has "done" an idea, they ... | |
| Literary Horror | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: I do not know if this is outside your realm of expertise; if so, merely your opinion would be of ... A: Never fear! There are plenty of horror writers who have qualified as "literary writers." H.P. ... | |
| Naming characters | 2/1/2010 |
| Q: I'm trying to come up with names for two female characters. They are sisters to each other and are ... A: Jp. Sorry for the delay in responding. Apparently, the email wound up in my bulk email folder. I ... | |
| querry letter requirements | 1/17/2010 |
| Q: I have finally finished my now, two book novel and am looking at several agencies to try to get ... A: They are seriously asking you to copy and paste the first ten pages into the body of the email. It ... | |
| Client Privacy | 1/15/2010 |
| Q: I am writing a book about my experiences as a beautician. Mostly about the gossip that my clients ... A: Kristen! Unfortunately, you're stepping into several areas of law here, and it's generally not wise ... | |
| Word Count | 1/15/2010 |
| Q: I'm wondering why I'm not coming up with 25 lines per page to get to the estimated 250 words per ... A: Carol, If you're using WP12, you'll be better served to simply use the software's word count. Very ... | |
| Novel Writing | 1/12/2010 |
| Q: Sorry, if my following questions seem very beginner and silly: 1- "show,don't tell," is a well-known ... A: Ali! Yes, you most certainly may have more than one protagonist. Thrillers especially use this ... | |
| WPL | 1/9/2010 |
| Q: My question might be crazy but I need to know! How many words per line per page are allotted for a ... A: Ron! I understand your frustration with WordPad. Have you considered downloading OpenOffice ... | |
| legal help | 1/6/2010 |
| Q: i was writing a book and it had some names such as Wii and Dodge. is it legal to do that without ... A: Chandler! It all depends on your use of the name. If your characters simply use public products, ... | |
| Can a letter stand for a country name? | 12/15/2009 |
| Q: Can a letter stand for a country name? I am writing my novel about a very sensitive topic in a ... A: Ali! The nice thing about novels is that you can pretty much do whatever you want. The only trick ... | |
| word count and book length | 12/10/2009 |
| Q: I am working on a novel and haven't really paid attention to word count until recently. Suddenly ... A: Here's how you change the line spacing. For NEW text (since Works is like MSWord in that commands ... | |
| 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: Luisa! I can answer a few of these questions, but some are legal questions that you wouldn't want ... | |
| word count and book length | 12/6/2009 |
| Q: I am working on a novel and haven't really paid attention to word count until recently. Suddenly ... A: again, Joy! Double spaced is the space between LINES, not words. What word processing program are ... | |
| word count and book length | 12/5/2009 |
| Q: I am working on a novel and haven't really paid attention to word count until recently. Suddenly ... A: Joy! First, if you have 152K words, and only 186 pages, you must be single-spacing your manuscript. ... | |
| Tribute Book | 11/28/2009 |
| Q: I am putting together a Tribute Book for a friend of mine. Is there a certan format I should ... A: again, Angie! I'd say that around 50-70 8-1/2" x 11" pages would be plenty. A lot depends on ... | |
| Tribute Book | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: I am putting together a Tribute Book for a friend of mine. Is there a certan format I should ... A: Angie! Unfortunately, I'm not certain what you mean by a "tribute" book. Do you mean a memoir ... | |
| publishing company salaries | 11/10/2009 |
| Q: I recently asked you a question about becoming a book editor and I have a couple of other questions. ... A: Danielle, I'm afraid I wouldn't have any idea about salaries in NY. Those are closely held secrets ... | |
| uneducated | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: i am writing a short story later to be turned into a movie script, and don't know the process of ... A: Darren! The process to protect your story is called "copyright." From the moment you put pen to ... | |
| 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: Tim! Well, a lot depends on where you're talking about the trademark existing as to what the law ... | |
| Is my book outline too similar to the Saga Twilight? | 10/5/2009 |
| Q: I noticed some similarities to the Saga Twilight, Below I've supplied the books' outline to my ... A: Jess! While I've read a couple of the Twilight books and am familiar with Wizards of Waverly Place, ... | |
| writing fiction using actual locations | 9/30/2009 |
| Q: I am attempting my first fiction novel. I am taking an online creative writing class and reading all ... A: Donna! You may certainly use real cities, counties and freeways. It's done every day. But the trick ... | |
| new author | 9/23/2009 |
| Q: Can you tell me what is considered successful for a book by a new author? Is 250,000 copies sold ... A: Danielle! Sorry for the delay in responding. I've been deep into edits on our next book and forgot ... | |
| liability | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: I am learning. You had a great response. Here's mine: at what point are you liable for a truth based ... A: There's a couple of companies out there that claim they offer "liability" insurance for authors. The ... | |
| liability | 9/11/2009 |
| Q: I am learning. You had a great response. Here's mine: at what point are you liable for a truth based ... A: Tom! Sorry for the delay in responding, but I had to decide how best to answer this. The truth is ... | |
| Thriller and Prose | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: I have just made a decision to try to write some books. I am an avid reader of the Thriller/Suspense ... A: Pretty much any book by Robert Ludlum or David Baldacci would suit your purposes. They both use ... | |
| wondering how to become published | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: Could you please tell me what, if any, are the simplest guidlines to becoming a published writer. I ... A: Tessa! Well, the "simplest" guidelines are: 1. Write a book that will fit easily on an existing ... | |
| writing books | 8/21/2009 |
| Q: Is it possible for a writer to unknowingly use someone else's idea when writing a book? For example, ... A: Danelle! Yes, it's absolutely possible. I've been a victim (of sorts) myself. But "first to shelf" ... | |
| role play | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: In writing in a role play i have found out that my writing ability is not at the same level as those ... A: JP! I'd suggest you spend some time reading the novelizations of the Dungeons & Dragons role games ... | |
| Query | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: I'm nearly finished with my novel, which contains a prologue set twenty years prior to the remainder ... A: I wouldn't worry too much about that method of word count. Most everybody uses the computer count ... | |
| View Points | 8/12/2009 |
| Q: How many view points is one authorized to include in a book? A: Berni! I saw your question in the question pool and thought I'd help. There's no particular ... | |
| writing courses | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: I would like to find out what sort of courses one should apply for when it comes to writing novels ... A: sumi! Frankly, I don't know of many popular fiction authors who have taken such courses. Most of us ... | |
| Important scene | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: I'm busy writing a scene in the beginning of my book that is very important to the growth of the ... A: Vernice! Sorry for the delay in responding. I'd thought I'd set my AllExperts page to vacation ... | |
| Do I need information release forms? | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: I am currently working on a non-fiction manuscript based on a triple homicide that occurred in my ... A: Lisa! I saw your question in the pool and thought I'd try to help. The answer is that you really ... | |
| Query | 8/3/2009 |
| Q: I'm nearly finished with my novel, which contains a prologue set twenty years prior to the remainder ... A: Carol! If an agent wants to see the first so many pages, and all that you could send is the ... | |
| One more issue | 7/31/2009 |
| Q: Clamp: Thanks for your timely response. Could you kindly tell me how a request for anonymity is ... A: Howie! Sorry for the delay, but my email ate the notice you were over here. Whether the U.S. ... | |
| Genre, illustrations and publishing process | 7/30/2009 |
| Q: Although I was slightly English-illiterate in my early years, I have been developing my writing ... A: Cassandra! The publisher absolutely chooses the illustrator, so you don't have to worry about that ... | |
| My First Novel | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: I am writing my first novel, and I'm nearly finished. I have about 45K and am probably looking at ... A: Chantal! First, congratulations on nearly finishing your novel! No, you don't need a single ... | |
| my book | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: I'll do my best to explain my problem and situation. My situation is i've just started a book (I'm ... A: Brayden, In Middle Grade (which is what this category is) killing is not okay. The hero/ine can win ... | |
| my book | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: I'll do my best to explain my problem and situation. My situation is i've just started a book (I'm ... A: Brayden! Your first problem is actually pretty easy to solve. Do you use a Thesaurus regularly? I ... | |
| genre | 7/21/2009 |
| Q: I'm a first person Private Investigator story, but contains vampires. Can I call it "commercial ... A: Not really. "Mystery" is a shelf in the bookstore. "Horror" is also a shelf. You'll have to pick ... | |
| Biggest Critic | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: Hey, first off thanks for taking the time to read this and help me. I'm very grateful. I've been a ... A: Cory! First, are you POSITIVE you're a novelist? Not everybody who writes is. Some authors have ... | |
| genre | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: I'm a first person Private Investigator story, but contains vampires. Can I call it "commercial ... A: Stick with the "root" element, which is the mystery. Then move outward because the criminals are ... | |
| genre | 7/13/2009 |
| Q: I'm a first person Private Investigator story, but contains vampires. Can I call it "commercial ... A: Well, that sort of depends. Does the investigator just "happen" to be a vampire and the mysteries ... | |
| Using quotes in books | 7/3/2009 |
| Q: I am writing a book that occasionally references scenes from movies - and I need to insert quotes. ... A: again, Larry! Sorry, I was under the impression you were writing a novel where quotes appeared. ... | |
| Using quotes in books | 7/2/2009 |
| Q: I am writing a book that occasionally references scenes from movies - and I need to insert quotes. ... A: Larry! Yes, this is a copyright issue, and yes, you would need permission to quote this the way you ... | |
| Question | 6/30/2009 |
| Q: I'm ariel, I'm curently writing a book and I have it all out in my head. It's about these teens who ... A: Actually, I think you misunderstood me. 1. Dead killer's spirit is killing people 2. First VICTIM's ... | |
| Question | 6/29/2009 |
| Q: I'm ariel, I'm curently writing a book and I have it all out in my head. It's about these teens who ... A: Ariel! Well, one thing I can think of is to make the spirit killing them the KILLER rather than the ... | |
| Help on Publishing | 6/24/2009 |
| Q: I am currently in the process of writing a young adult fiction book. My grandfather has connections ... A: Kaylee! I saw your question in the pool and thought I'd offer to help out. Your age really has ... | |
| grants | 6/14/2009 |
| Q: I am currently writing a science fiction book, I'm only sixteen and I do not have a job, and so I ... A: Abby! What are you trying to accomplish that you believe you'll need money for? Grants for writers ... | |
| Part of the Writing Process | 6/13/2009 |
| Q: I'm writing a novel right now. It's an adventure/horror/comedy/romance novel. The thing is when I ... A: Chelsie! I'm not sure who told you that there's a "proper process" for writing novels, but you'll ... | |
| synopsis | 6/12/2009 |
| Q: i have just finished writing my first book in what i think will be a trilogy, it will definitely be ... A: Naomi! First, congratulations on finishing your first book! That's a milestone all by itself. :) ... | |
| real life story not mine | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: How can I write a story about a real person, places, and events and have it be a work of fiction? A: Darlene! The only way to make real events into fiction is to fictionalize them. By that, I mean ... | |
| Using Mythology in fiction | 6/3/2009 |
| Q: I am currently working on a piece of writing - romance - and am using Greek mythology heavily in my ... A: Zoe! Stretch them as far as you like! Just make your *characters* aware of the current myth---then ... | |
| Permission To Write About A College In Your Story | 5/27/2009 |
| Q: I would like to use a real college and location as a backdrop to my story. While my characters and ... A: Joanie! It's quite possible that the college would want to give permission. But is there a reason ... | |
| writing help | 5/20/2009 |
| Q: Cathy, I am a teenage author who has recently published three books with Wordclay.com. I know that ... A: Thomas! Sorry for the delay in responding, but I've been doing a little reading up about Wordclay. ... | |
| My first novel | 4/13/2009 |
| Q: I am currently writing my first novel, and hopefully not my last. I would consider it to be a ... A: Justin! Well, your age isn't a problem. You're over 18, so I believe that even in Canada you'd be ... | |
| Need help to bring a writing project to life | 3/30/2009 |
| Q: writing is not my background. I have never written any books. But, about 3 years ago, The idea came ... A: melvin! Sorry for the delay in responding, but my ISP has been down for a couple of days. Yes, ... | |
| Biography | 3/15/2009 |
| Q: I have written a Biography on my Father-in-law whom passed 6-5-08. We have not published the book ... A: Crystal! I saw your question in the question pool, and thought I'd try to help out. Based on what ... | |
| throw-down.... | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: how are you? I've come across a passage and have problems with understanding it. Bono and Larry ... A: 1. A "throw-down" is shorthand for throwing down the gauntlet---a challenge. If you're going to make ... | |
| Disciplin | 2/18/2009 |
| Q: I have loads of ideas and I think they are good, at first. Then self doubt creeps in. How do you ... A: Sara! Sorry for the delay in responding. I'm at a book conference and wasn't able to get to a ... | |
| fiction-nonfiction libel concerns | 2/6/2009 |
| Q: My novel is based on a true story. Like many authors, I have extreme concerns with libel issues. I ... A: Sara! You're right to be concerned about this. It's very easy to get into trouble when you're ... | |
| Use of italics | 2/3/2009 |
| Q: My question is about someone speaking over a radio. The listener (where the scene is focused) is ... A: Scott! If it were my book, I would. It just makes it easier for the reader (including ... | |
| letters in literary works | 2/2/2009 |
| Q: I'm working on a fiction novel and I'm using pieces of letters my late friend sent to me when he was ... A: Andrea! Technically speaking, a writing is the property of the writer. If that person dies, then it ... | |
| Email Submissions: Formatting | 1/31/2009 |
| Q: I have a very basic question. As the publishing business continues to move from snail mail to ... A: Jim! It depends on whether the agent/editor has specifically requested a partial or synopsis be in ... | |
| A book idea | 12/6/2008 |
| Q: I have an idea for a book but I don't want to share my idea in fear of someone stealing it. How do ... A: Georgette! Unfortunately, an "idea" (such as a plot outline, characters, etc.) can't be ... | |
| Writing a Book | 12/1/2008 |
| Q: my name's Marion and I've been wanting to write a book for awhile. I'm 16 and I've been told from a ... A: Marion! Congrats for taking the first step to become a writer. Coming up with the subject is often ... | |
| Chapter numbers | 12/1/2008 |
| Q: Is it necessary to start each chapter on the next page with a page break? A: Donovan! I saw your question in the pool, and thought I'd try to help out. It's customary to start ... | |
| referencing magazines in email queries | 11/27/2008 |
| Q: I understand that an email query should be plain text, but how then do I distinguish the ... A: Linda! You can do one of a couple of things. For example, My writing credits include: 1) "A Great ... | |
| Myth and Religion in fiction | 11/24/2008 |
| Q: I am plotting and developing a novel currently but have ran into a few problems about how to portray ... A: Ricky! The nice thing with fiction is you get a wide latitude to play with. Here's the trick I've ... | |
| 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: Jennifer! Well, the trick with this is that the more books you sell as self-published, the more ... | |
| Getting Started? | 10/26/2008 |
| Q: Clamp: Has anyone been successful at turning a journal into a novel? I'd like to give it a try. I ... A: Cherie! Sure, I don't see why you can't. I don't know personally of anyone who has, but that's not ... | |
| organization | 10/25/2008 |
| Q: I have read several of the queries to you and your answers. I feel you are an intelligent lady and ... A: Gabe! Congratulations on taking the next step toward writing. If you've got several notebooks full ... | |
| expert preface | 10/22/2008 |
| Q: I am writing a book and would like to ask an expert to write the preface. Should I ask the expert to ... A: Houda Araj! First you'll have to ask permission to send the manuscript. A simple letter of ... | |
| Ghostwriting a book proposal | 10/17/2008 |
| Q: I am ghostwriting a book for a friend. We are working on the proposal to send to a publisher. ... A: Chris! Yes, you should definitely list your contact information, as well as your own writing ... | |
| book writing | 10/11/2008 |
| Q: I am writing a chapter book. It's my first. I have a few problems. First, I think my book may end ... A: again! Setting it up for a sequel is fine. But it MUST stand alone. There's no guarantee (even for ... | |
| Writing my first novel | 10/10/2008 |
| Q: I am in the process of my first novel. It is about a distopian society where the government has ... A: Ryan! Sorry for the delay in responding, but my internet's been down, so I'm having to find public ... | |
| Writing a book | 10/9/2008 |
| Q: I am writing a true story of my experience,strength, and hope. I have searched for my biological ... A: Jessica! Sorry for the delay in responding. My internet's down at home, so I have to try to hit a ... | |
| book writing | 10/6/2008 |
| Q: I am writing a chapter book. It's my first. I have a few problems. First, I think my book may end ... A: Okay, so you're actually running a little LONG, instead of short. That's no problem, so long as you ... | |
| writing books | 9/30/2008 |
| Q: I've always wanted to be able to write books, especially fantasy, but I can never get any ideas. How ... A: Liz! Sorry for the delay in answering, but apparently I didn't get your question the first time. ... | |
| 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: Eileen! You're at an age where a lot of things are kicking in---physically and emotionally, so I'm ... | |
| book writing | 9/26/2008 |
| Q: I am writing a chapter book. It's my first. I have a few problems. First, I think my book may end ... A: Brayden! I saw your question in the question pool, so I thought I'd try to help. When you say ... | |
| Are my books tainted? | 9/25/2008 |
| Q: I wrote two children's sci fi adventure novels in 2001 that were picked up by a publisher in ... A: Kat! Well my best advice would be to contact the publisher and get your rights back. If the ... | |
| Feels like a dumb question at this point... | 9/23/2008 |
| Q: Clamp, I think you are the the right person to help me. I've written a manuscrpt. I use a ... A: JD! Actually, it's not a dumb question at all---and it's pretty easy to solve. An agent or editor ... | |
| copyrights & agents | 9/22/2008 |
| Q: I've checked literary sources and can't find it. I work under a 501(c)(3) and would like to sell my ... A: again, Jenny! Well, you probably don't want to fill out the copyright (rather than copywrite) ... | |
| online forums and future publications | 9/8/2008 |
| Q: I had a story idea come to me and I was not able to name my characters right away so I started using ... A: Jennifer! Well, first, there's no copyrighting of names, so if you want to use that character's ... | |
| tense | 8/26/2008 |
| Q: I do understand that no second person can tell one which writing style to exactly adopt but i just ... A: Nitasha! I saw your question in the pool, and thought I'd try to help you out. You can use either ... | |
| Character Reactions? | 8/23/2008 |
| Q: I'm currently working on a situation (which is what I write when I don't have a story to work on, it ... A: Joanne! Actually, I don't really see the problem. Cassie's unconscious. That's the PERFECT time for ... | |
| Headers | 8/21/2008 |
| Q: Okay, I have manually typed my headers on the top right corner of each page that say Holton/Behind ... A: Ahhh... You'll need to delete that header and put it on the page where you want it to start. Word ... | |
| Headers | 8/21/2008 |
| Q: Okay, I have manually typed my headers on the top right corner of each page that say Holton/Behind ... A: Here you go: 1. Click on View in the upper bar 2. Click on Header and Footers 3. A box will pop up ... | |
| writer's group | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: Can you give me some links to really good up to date writer's groups. where i can post some parts of ... A: Brandon! The two where I primarily hang out are very up to date, with daily activity. The biggest ... | |
| Time & Dedications | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: I have finished planning out my novel. I plan on starting the actual writing this week. But school ... A: John! Well, I tend to write in the mornings because I find that by the end of the work/school day ... | |
| writing | 8/17/2008 |
| Q: How do i go about getting my book published? A: Chris! I'll need a little more information before I can advise you. Tell me what you mean by ... | |
| "Headers: TITLE -AUTHOR-PAGE # | 8/15/2008 |
| Q: Cathy you gave me a link to AbsoluteWrite last week and it has proven invaluable - I'v distributed ... A: again, Jenny! I'm glad AW has been helpful to you and your group. Yes, the header (for a printed ... | |
| sase | 8/14/2008 |
| Q: Honestly, are sase's just a fast way to get a rejection, or has anyone actually gotten a return ... A: Actually, the acceptance for our first book to a small press WAS received in the SASE. Not every ... | |
| Book titles | 8/12/2008 |
| Q: I changed the title of my book twice. This time, when I saw that a title sold by the agency had a ... A: Titles don't matter at all, so it's not a good thing or a bad thing. About half the time what the ... | |
| photos in book | 8/12/2008 |
| Q: I am publishng my third book and this one is more intense than the others. This is a 98 pg+ coffee ... A: yvonne! I saw your question in the question pool and thought I'd offer to help. My first book was ... | |
| Speaking to writers' group | 7/30/2008 |
| Q: I co-chair a writer's group in the New Haven/ Hamden, CT area. I am looking for a published writer ... A: Jenny! Sorry for the delay in answering. My ISP provider decided to do an "upgrade" and I'm now ... | |
| hi | 7/24/2008 |
| Q: right now i'm writing a novel and i wanna be a poet how can i be? answer me please A: arein! Well, if you want to be a poet, why are you writing a novel? They're sort of different ... | |
| published/unpublished | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: Concerning the terms "unpublished" and "published" authors, by "unpublished" or "new" does this mean ... A: I think we discussed this before as part of a "platform." The author credentials have to do with any ... | |
| Novels | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: I wonder if you can help me. I am attempting to write a novel and am trying really hard to do my ... A: again, Michelle! Well, a lot is going to depend on your protagonist. There are different kinds of ... | |
| published/unpublished | 7/22/2008 |
| Q: Concerning the terms "unpublished" and "published" authors, by "unpublished" or "new" does this mean ... A: By and large, the term "author" refers to books and, occasionally, short stories. Magazine article ... | |
| Next step | 7/15/2008 |
| Q: I have just completed writing a book, and I've been reading, Writer's Market to learn what to do; ... A: Kerri! Lots of questions here, so let's go through them one at a time: 1. How do I write an ... | |
| Novels | 7/15/2008 |
| Q: I wonder if you can help me. I am attempting to write a novel and am trying really hard to do my ... A: Michelle! I'm not Catherine (well, actually, I am---just not the one you asked... LOL!) But I saw ... | |
| Chapter format | 7/13/2008 |
| Q: I just finished writing 320 page romance. I know the basics of to format a manuscript. I printed ... A: Sandy! I saw your question in the question pool and thought I'd try to help out since I publish ... | |
| synopsis of mystery novel | 7/8/2008 |
| Q: I've had one novel published. I've just written my first mystery and I've been asked for a two-page ... A: Sukey! Well, I have to admit that mysteries aren't my particular genre. But I have submitted ... | |
| memoir query | 7/2/2008 |
| Q: I've just finished my memoir about a time when I was heavily involved in drugs and basically ... A: Brandon! First, Congratulations on finishing your memoir, and for getting through a rough period in ... | |
| RE: Transplant Survivor | 7/1/2008 |
| Q: I am a liver transplant survivor. My intentions are to tell my story and open awareness of donating ... A: Quite possibly, but you'll need to decide where in a bookstore you'd want the book to be shelved. Do ... | |
| Market Assessment | 7/1/2008 |
| Q: An agent recently asked me to send them an assessment of my manuscript's market and its strengths in ... A: Carol! This seems like a VERY strange thing for an agent to be asking, if they already sell in the ... | |
| Book Legality Question | 6/20/2008 |
| Q: I'm getting ready to start a book about a whole bunch of experiences i've had with clients...I'm a ... A: Hy, Byron! Sorry for the delay in answering, but apparently I didn't get the question the first ... | |
| Novel Question.... | 6/19/2008 |
| Q: I have a great idea and a great structure for a science fiction novel. When I say structure, I am ... A: David! I'm not Tabitha, but I saw your question in the question pool, so I thought I'd offer some ... | |
| Novel writing | 6/17/2008 |
| Q: I live in Africa, but I've got an idea of a book I'm working on, which is based in a city in ... A: Kingsley! One the best things you can do is talk to people who actually live in Germany. ... | |
| publishing | 6/17/2008 |
| Q: i was just wondering if anyone can get a book published or do you need any speacial degrees and ... A: Chris! I saw your question in the question pool and thought I'd offer to help. Yes, anyone can get ... | |
| synopsis | 6/14/2008 |
| Q: The agency says it represents commercial/literary fiction. I've written a type of detective story ... A: At the top of the synopsis, you shouldn't put anything at all. It's only in the query or cover ... | |
| dialogue | 6/11/2008 |
| Q: i have difficulty with the correct use of written dialogue. i have checked several sites and books. ... A: Mike! I saw your question in the question pool and thought I'd offer to help out. But, I'm afraid ... | |
| commercial fiction? | 6/5/2008 |
| Q: An agency says that it handles "commercial fiction" How would you define that? I see that they have ... A: Once again, ALL genre fiction is commercial fiction. If they've represented a mystery, they might ... | |
| outline | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: An agent asked to see the first three chapters and an outline. How would I go about making an ... A: Well, first it depends on whether you're writing fiction or non-fiction. If fiction, you need to ... | |
| query or cover letter? | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: If it reads "query with 3-5 pages of first chapter and synopsis with SASE" Does this mean to submit ... A: Yes. Cover letter only goes with a manuscript. They'll be expecting a full query letter that "hooks" ... | |
| E-mail Queries | 5/28/2008 |
| Q: I was just wondering how the format for e-mail queries is different from mail queries, if there is ... A: Brandon! E-queries tend to be left justified---that is, there are no tabs at the beginning of ... | |
| marketing hook | 5/27/2008 |
| Q: One agency wanted a "marketing hook" (if you've been previously published, have a MFA,etc) If you ... A: A marketing hook is a one-line blurb that a marketing or sales person can use to sell the book to a ... | |
| Turning Ideas Into a Solid Plot | 5/27/2008 |
| Q: For the past year or so, I've been having random thoughts or so about this book that I'd like to ... A: Kevin! First, welcome to the world of writing! You'll be happy to know that you fall in one of the ... | |
| commercial fiction | 5/23/2008 |
| Q: That's another ambiguous term. One agency said they handle "commercial fiction." I am assuming that ... A: All genre fiction is commercial by its nature. But "commercial" is not a genre in its own right. The ... | |
| genre | 5/20/2008 |
| Q: Let's say a person writes a story about a Chinese American who starts a detective agency. Does he ... A: Demetrius! Sorry for the delay in responding, but didn't notice this question come through the loop. ... | |
| problems starting the story | 5/18/2008 |
| Q: All right, I love to write. I mean I absolutely love the freedom it allows me when I can create my ... A: Sam! I saw your question in the question pool and thought I'd try to take a stab at answering it. ... | |
| labels | 5/12/2008 |
| Q: There is a story about a game warden trying to find out who is killing hunters. One reviewer calls ... A: Correct. "Commercial fiction" is ALL fiction, because all fiction is commercial (versus niche, which ... | |
| Too young? | 5/9/2008 |
| Q: I am 13. Am I just too young to write a novella? It is YA historical fiction (Reconstruction era) ... A: Victoria! No, you're not too young to write a novella. In fact, another author your age, Amelia ... | |
| writers groups | 5/7/2008 |
| Q: I remember you once said something about writers groups to join. Could you give me a few good ones? ... A: Sure. That's okay, if you're happy with it. Actually, you didn't write it wrong. I understood what ... | |
| writers groups | 5/5/2008 |
| Q: I remember you once said something about writers groups to join. Could you give me a few good ones? ... A: There are a few good online groups I like. http://www.absolutewrite.com/forums ... | |
| sending in | 5/3/2008 |
| Q: Okay, some of these questions are going to make me sound really dumb. But here goes. I'm sending in ... A: Here are two threads on another site where I break down the specific elements of both a query and a ... | |
| Synopsis | 5/3/2008 |
| Q: I have written a two page synopsis, but at two pages, I could only focus on one part of the book. ... A: Unfortunately, the two page synopsis has to tell the ENTIRE story, not just on one part of the book. ... | |
| sending in | 4/30/2008 |
| Q: Okay, some of these questions are going to make me sound really dumb. But here goes. I'm sending in ... A: Brandon! Last question first: Yes, you'd do it the way you put here, and in the salutation, put: ... | |
| synopsis | 4/28/2008 |
| Q: Well, before I ask the question, yes, your last reply makes sense. (You asked me if I understood). ... A: There are two kinds of synopses. One is a "narrative synopsis." This sort of synopsis is like a ... | |
| Prologues | 4/23/2008 |
| Q: I have been researching every where on the net about prologues. The more I read about the more ... A: Rose Andre! Well, technically speaking, there's no "supposed to be" about a prologue. What's ... | |
| legal things. | 4/22/2008 |
| Q: Okay, so I know people write about murder and what not, but that's fiction. I know this is probaly ... A: Brandon! Well, it depends on what you mean by "trouble." Can you get in trouble with the law for ... | |
| that explains it | 4/21/2008 |
| Q: I see that an agent who sent me a rejection stated elsewhere "we wanted the agency to reflect our ... A: That means that 1) The agent thinks they could sell the book; but 2) they're trying (as a company) ... | |
| outline or synopsis? | 4/15/2008 |
| Q: You remember that I said someone listed that they want 2 or three page outlines, and you said I ... A: It's really hard for an agent to match up a query with an email question sometimes (because a ... | |
| bio? | 4/15/2008 |
| Q: One agency asks for query with author bio and I think two or three page outline. I thought I had ... A: I don't think they want an entire page. I'm thinking (and I could be wrong) that they want it on a ... | |
| bio? | 4/14/2008 |
| Q: One agency asks for query with author bio and I think two or three page outline. I thought I had ... A: In this case, I think they are using the term "outline" when they MEAN "synopsis." But that's a ... | |
| not sure | 4/14/2008 |
| Q: Hey, I'm not sure if you do this thing or not, but I was wondering if you would look at part of my ... A: Brandon! Unfortunately, I simply don't have time to look at all the samples people ask me to. My ... | |
| writing a book about my life | 4/6/2008 |
| Q: My sister and I are trying to write a book together. My question is how can we have two narrators ... A: Richard! Well, it's no particular problem to tell the story from two points of view (POVs.) The ... | |
| First Person POV | 4/5/2008 |
| Q: Yes, I know I ask a lot of questions. Sorry about that. But I was reading and I've noticed this in ... A: again, Brandon! Don't apologize about asking questions. :) It's why I'm here. Sure, for dialogue you ... | |
| agent | 4/5/2008 |
| Q: I asked an agent a question by email, and he replied. I asked if a certain type of genre would be ... A: It depends on whether the address and phone number appear at the bottom as part of what might be a ... | |
| word count | 4/5/2008 |
| Q: I know i've asked before, but then I read and keep getting different answers. So... I'm using ... A: Brandon! The simple answer is to use the word count feature. The "white space" method of 250 words ... | |
| topic | 4/2/2008 |
| Q: "Hi, I feel kind of embarrassed as I write this. See, I am a 10 year old, but I do want to start ... A: Eileen! First, congratulations for writing stories that have won awards. That's terrific! I think ... | |
| new authors | 3/30/2008 |
| Q: The site you told me about was very helpful. I was wondering, however, if there is a way to locate ... A: Unfortunately, I can't recommend a book to my agent that I haven't read, and I'm so tied up right ... | |
| new authors | 3/29/2008 |
| Q: The site you told me about was very helpful. I was wondering, however, if there is a way to locate ... A: Demetrius, ALL agencies work with new and unpublished authors. If you hear otherwise, the person who ... | |
| Method for including background info | 3/28/2008 |
| Q: Currently, I am working on my first novel. It is fantasy, and my plans consist of starting the ... A: Melissa! This is a tricky question but it's good you're asking it, because too many books start out ... | |
| referrals | 3/27/2008 |
| Q: Everything looked good at first. And agency asked for only a query letter. Then researching, I ... A: No, not necessarily. It just means MOST. Not ALL. If they're willing to accept queries, they're ... | |
| submissions | 3/25/2008 |
| Q: One agency lists this: "Snail Mail/fiction: query with two sample chapters, resume, and SASE Snail ... A: Not necessarily. They may be using the word "resume" in place of "bio." Same meaning in the trade. ... | |
| Where to start? | 3/25/2008 |
| Q: I already have an outline and a plot, but i don't know how to start the first sentence! how do I do ... A: again, Matt! Sure, to the extent that nobody can copyright an "idea" or plot concept, you're fine. ... | |
| manuscript | 3/24/2008 |
| Q: At the top of the page is the title name, page number, two inches from that is "Chapter One" and two ... A: It's perfectly acceptable to do the first page of a sample as follows: 1. Start with a 1" top ... | |
| Where to start? | 3/22/2008 |
| Q: I already have an outline and a plot, but i don't know how to start the first sentence! how do I do ... A: Matt! This is something that every writer struggles with. Where to start a book is something that ... | |
| agency info | 3/20/2008 |
| Q: The agency info is "submit query letter with bio and one page writing sample of project, fiction or ... A: They CAN mean publishing history. But if you don't have one, then a "bio" should just mention things ... | |
| searching for help | 3/17/2008 |
| Q: Well, my name is cerelle an i want so bad to write a autobiograohy but i just don't no how to start ... A: Cerelle! I saw your question in the pool and thought I'd offer to help. I don't write memoirs (the ... | |
| numbers | 3/17/2008 |
| Q: I've heard that in a manuscript you should write all numbers out. Like instead of June 23 you'd put ... A: Brandon! Actually, dates are the exception to this rule. According to the Chicago Manual of Style ... | |
| Finding my own voice and research. | 3/17/2008 |
| Q: The question that I have been meaning to ask all along was how do I find my own voice in terms of ... A: Sure! Lots of ways. The first thing you should invest in is a book called "Writers Market" This is ... | |
| agency | 3/16/2008 |
| Q: The agency writes on website to send cover letter and 10 pages. So in the cover letter, I am not to ... A: Ah! Slightly different situation. In this case, I think they're using the term "cover letter" when ... | |
| Me yet again... | 3/16/2008 |
| Q: I hope you don't mind. I haven't been able to find an answer for this one. If, in my novel, I have ... A: again, Amber! No, I don't mind at all. :) It depends on what you mean by "several characters ... | |
| AAR | 3/15/2008 |
| Q: One agency is not a AAR member. Should I query them? A: Sure. Not every selling agent out there is a member. But if you get to a stage where they're talking ... | |
| Cover | 3/15/2008 |
| Q: How is a cover letter with sample pages different from a query letter? My cover letter says that I ... A: A cover letter is a simple business letter, rather than a "selling" letter. All it really says is ... | |
| Finding my own voice and research. | 3/15/2008 |
| Q: The question that I have been meaning to ask all along was how do I find my own voice in terms of ... A: P.J. I don't know that there's a good answer for this. "Voice" is thrown about like it has a ... | |
| Query | 3/12/2008 |
| Q: Is it okay to write "This is like blah, blah, that you represented"? Or mention other books the ... A: The trick with this is to make sure you ENHANCE the agent's list. If you write exactly like Clive ... | |
| Agency | 3/12/2008 |
| Q: Another agency I wonder about. It is listed as wanting "mystery, ethnic, chicklit," and other works ... A: Then you'll have to play it by ear. Give her a chance if you feel that you "click" when you talk ... | |
| Agency | 3/12/2008 |
| Q: Another agency I wonder about. It is listed as wanting "mystery, ethnic, chicklit," and other works ... A: Well, there are two sides to this. While she might not have sold anything in her CURRENT position, ... | |
| Agent | 3/10/2008 |
| Q: I discovered a more about the agent. It's " No unsoc. manuscript. query first with sase" Does this ... A: Correct. No sample chapters. No synopsis. Just a single page letter with a self-addressed, stamped ... | |
| Will my readers have sympathy for this character? | 3/9/2008 |
| Q: I'm not good with psychology. This question is for a story I'm writing. Let's say there's this ... A: again, Cindy! Sure. She could go the "Dexter" route---become someone who CATCHES killers because ... | |
| Will my readers have sympathy for this character? | 3/9/2008 |
| Q: I'm not good with psychology. This question is for a story I'm writing. Let's say there's this ... A: Cindy! Well, you've got two issues at play here. First you've got a young girl that kills for ... | |
| submissions | 3/8/2008 |
| Q: I spotted one agency that seems to handle the type of book I have written, but on the website it ... A: Okay, it does appear they want an exclusive query. But they're also giving a time limit of one ... | |
| names | 3/7/2008 |
| Q: I was just wondering, i know people say names can't be copyrighted and I'm sure it's okay since I've ... A: Brandon! Nope. You should be fine. The only trick is you don't want to use a real person's FULL ... | |
| submissions | 3/6/2008 |
| Q: I spotted one agency that seems to handle the type of book I have written, but on the website it ... A: Demetrius! Frankly, in your place, I'd query all the agents who allow simultaneous submissions ... | |
| obtaining copyright permission | 3/2/2008 |
| Q: Cathy, I have written a book that has been accepted for publication. The problem I'm having is in ... A: Photographs are trickier to find out the status of than articles themselves. If the photos are ... | |
| matching agents to material | 2/22/2008 |
| Q: Do you have any tips that would help me to match agents to my book, to find agents that handle ... A: "Multi-cultural" really doesn't exist as a proper genre. Some of the larger bookstores will carry an ... | |
| matching agents to material | 2/21/2008 |
| Q: Do you have any tips that would help me to match agents to my book, to find agents that handle ... A: I recommend either AgentQuery (http://www.agentquery.com) or the Association of Author ... | |
| cover art | 2/16/2008 |
| Q: I am in the final stages of getting my first novel published and the editor has begun bringing up ... A: Paul-Michael! No, I'm afraid an author really has very little say in the cover art. It takes years ... | |
| novel | 2/11/2008 |
| Q: I have one question. I have just finished writting my first novel and I want to know how do you have ... A: Sean! One little question--but it's a BIG answer. First you have to decide whether you want to have ... | |
| author bio | 1/28/2008 |
| Q: What should an unpublished writer put in the author bio? A: In the author bio of your first book? I'd put something like: Demetrius XXX lives and works in XXX ... | |
| query | 1/28/2008 |
| Q: One thing is bugging me, a bit, so I thought I'd write for confirmation. Writers Market and LMP ... A: Demetrius! A lot of agents have literary assistants. They act as both clerical staff and are often ... | |
| Putting my thoughts together | 1/20/2008 |
| Q: It would be very helpful if you could help me overcome this dilemma, I have a lot of ideas, ... A: Shamita! Hmm... I know a few other people with similar problems (all of them writers.) A couple of ... | |
| can a kid write a book? | 1/8/2008 |
| Q: do you think that a kid could actualy wright a book? A: Wesley! I saw your question in the question pool, so I figured I'd take it on. Can a kid write a ... | |
| My first novel as a young author | 1/8/2008 |
| Q: my name is Mackenzie Hash, I think that you might be able to help me out. You see, I am a young ... A: Mackenzie! Wow! Lots and lots of questions. LOL! But it's good that you're thinking hard about the ... | |
| query letter | 1/2/2008 |
| Q: In an agent-query letter, the title of the book in question is normally italicized. Mywould it be ... A: Well, you're welcome to send it along, but I'll have to warn you that I have very limited time right ... | |
| query letter | 1/2/2008 |
| Q: In an agent-query letter, the title of the book in question is normally italicized. Mywould it be ... A: Dan! No, not at all. You can italicize, bold or even put it in ALL CAPS. You just want the agent to ... | |
| Word Count | 1/2/2008 |
| Q: I've seen a number of different question and answers about word counts for different types of ... A: Scott! I saw your question in the question pool and thought I'd take a minute to answer. Sure, ... | |
| Point of View | 12/28/2007 |
| Q: As a writer yourself, how do you feel about books with mixed POVs? For example, Robert Crais--an ... A: Al! I'm tremendously impressed with those writers who can pull off mixed POVs. Another mystery ... | |
| Book and Movie | 12/24/2007 |
| Q: Cathy, I have come up with an idea for a horror movie that I feel would be great on the big screen. ... A: Well, ideas can't be protected by the copyright process. Only the actual text can be, and that ... | |
| Getting Published... | 12/22/2007 |
| Q: My friends and I are highschool students. We have something we call the RPG binder and it is a ... A: Okay, so the problem is going to come up during the submission process of WHO the agent or editor is ... | |
| I would love to write a book | 12/13/2007 |
| Q: i have just started writing today, the book is about dealing with death in a family with someone you ... A: Shannen! I saw your question show up in the question pool, so I thought I'd help you out with some ... | |
| book | 11/30/2007 |
| Q: I am writing my memoirs from the 60’s and want to understand a few things about writing a book ... A: Dick! Here you go: 1. 250 pages in trade paperback format (which is what memoirs usually are ... | |
| Music to write by | 11/22/2007 |
| Q: I mostly write fantasy, but I write a lot of genres, and I usually use music as my inspiration. I ... A: Katherine! Okay, I've asked some writers I know who both 1) write fantasy similar to yours; and 2) ... | |
| Music to write by | 11/21/2007 |
| Q: I've got a bit of writers-block at the moment and I usually write to music to inspire me and keep me ... A: Katherine! I saw your question in the pool, so I thought I'd try to answer you. You pose a pretty ... | |
| Putting things up on the internet and publishing | 11/20/2007 |
| Q: I'm not sure if I should've asked this in the publishing category, because it doesn't directly ... A: Karina! You're right to ask this question, because a lot of people don't. You're actually asking ... | |
| Category? | 11/16/2007 |
| Q: I am writing a book about mine and my husbands life. It centers around a serious incident that took ... A: again, Judy! Sorry for the delay in answering. I apparently didn't receive the question the first ... | |
| Category? | 11/16/2007 |
| Q: I am writing a book about mine and my husbands life. It centers around a serious incident that took ... A: Judy! Wow, you raise a really interesting question. I still think the book would fall in the ... | |
| Original ideas. | 11/9/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering, how is it possible to research the genre one is interested in without sounding like ... A: Ah, now you're into one of the biggest tricks of writing fiction, P.J. Answering the "why." This is ... | |
| hello | 11/8/2007 |
| Q: i have to write a report on a career that im intrested in witch mine is writting ive injoyed writtin ... A: Alicia! I saw your question in the question pool, and thought I'd give you a hand. I'm a full time ... | |
| Character Trouble | 11/7/2007 |
| Q: I write fantasy stories, and I have no trouble coming up with character descriptions and ... A: Tyler! I saw your question in the pool, and thought I'd try to give you some guidance. Okay, I ... | |
| Direct Quotations | 9/6/2007 |
| Q: If a story is written in the third person should the nouns or pronouns in the direct quotation also ... A: Oops! Sorry about that, Kenneth. POV is writer shorthand for "point of view." You named two of the ... | |
| Direct Quotations | 9/6/2007 |
| Q: If a story is written in the third person should the nouns or pronouns in the direct quotation also ... A: Kenneth! Both examples are correct as written. When in third person POV, you definitely want the ... | |
| I'm not sure if I'm asking the right person... | 8/24/2007 |
| Q: ...but I hope you can help me. I'm close to finishing my first novel, and I've begun each chapter ... A: Hy, Athlynne! This is a tricky question to answer, because the laws about using quotes are sort of ... | |
| starting | 8/15/2007 |
| Q: My name is Lisa and I'm 15 years old, and i have a problem. I have this story that i have been ... A: again! Glad my answer was some help. It might well be that the book/story requires 1st person. It's ... | |
| starting | 8/11/2007 |
| Q: My name is Lisa and I'm 15 years old, and i have a problem. I have this story that i have been ... A: Lisa-Marie! Sorry to be so long in responding, but apparently I didn't get the first email. ... | |
| getting a grant | 8/4/2007 |
| Q: Do you happen to know of any author grants for works in progress? I have a children's book nearly ... A: Yes, they should state the qualifications for each individual grant. You'll have to read whether you ... | |
| getting a grant | 8/2/2007 |
| Q: Do you happen to know of any author grants for works in progress? I have a children's book nearly ... A: Paula! Sorry for the delay in responding, but I was searching for a little information to answer ... | |
| A non-fiction based on my life. | 7/30/2007 |
| Q: My name is Liz and I'm recently 17, and I'm thinking about writing a book based on my every day ... A: Liz! First, congratulations on starting the writing process. You're right to start out asking ... | |
| Fiction Submittal | 7/29/2007 |
| Q: I am looking for a ghostwriter for an approximate 550 page book. How many pages of a detailed ... A: Yes and no. It sort of depends on the ghostwriter. Some prefer to interview you in person and take ... | |
| Fiction Submittal | 7/28/2007 |
| Q: I am looking for a ghostwriter for an approximate 550 page book. How many pages of a detailed ... A: Joe! Okay, the first thing you need to know is how ghostwriting works. There are a couple different ... | |
| Male/Female advancements | 7/20/2007 |
| Q: I have this question that I'm afraid I'll have to do some character background explaining. I'm ... A: Okay, then you have three options: 1. He's REALLY good at sex. Word about that gets around, and ... | |
| Male/Female advancements | 7/20/2007 |
| Q: I have this question that I'm afraid I'll have to do some character background explaining. I'm ... A: Okay, let's narrow this down a little and see if we can help you better. Maybe if you answer some ... | |
| Male/Female advancements | 7/20/2007 |
| Q: I have this question that I'm afraid I'll have to do some character background explaining. I'm ... A: again, Robert! Well, there really ARE plenty of men who manage to convince women to do things that ... | |
| "Non-standard question" | 3/24/2007 |
| Q: I consider myself as having a good command of English--which is why I pay scant attention to ... A: Dan! I'm not April, but I just started as an expert in this category and see that your question ... | |
Writing Books
Answers by Expert:
Cathy Clamp
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I'm happy to answer questions about any aspect of writing novels, from the beginning kernel of an idea through completion. I can help with writing a query letter and synopsis to an agent or editor. I can explain publishing terminology and acronyms. I can also assist with questions about verifying the credentials of agents/publishers and how to proceed once you've been accepted for publication. I can teach the rules of formatting a manuscript, creating viable plots, characterization and flow in the following genres: romance, science fiction, fantasy, thrillers, suspense, horror, women's fiction, mainstream and mystery.
Experience
I'm a USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy and paranormal romance for Tor/Forge Books. Along with a co-author, I've published fifteen novels (combination of mass market and trade softcover) since 2003, and have contracts for four more books through 2011.
Organizations
Romance Writers of America, Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Western Outdoor Writers, Horror Writers of America.
Publications
Tor/Forge Books, Western Reflections Publishing, BenBella Books, Running Press, Wild Child Publishing. Many others.
Education/Credentials
My educational background is limited to real life experience of publishing novels commercially for the past five years.
Awards and Honors
USA Today bestseller, Waldenbooks Mass Market Paperback Top 20 bestseller, Nielsen BookScan Top 20 bestseller, RT BOOKreviews Career Achievement Award winner, 2009, Book Buyers Best Award for Paranormal, Romantic Times Best Werewolf Novel, Write Touch Readers Award, EVVY Best Historical Chronicle Award, The Lories Best Paranormal. Many others.
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