The Manuscript Academy

We are so happy to welcome author Lindsay Maple, who generously offered to fill a last-minute opening in our first pages podcast (we love the last-minute stepping up!). Today, we’re going over her romantic comedy first page, talking about her process, her research, and the things she’s learned along the way. You can learn more about Lindsay on Twitter (@LindsayRaeWrit1) and on her website, https://lindsaymaple.com/. Here’s her page: CHAPTER ONE  I always had a plan. Always. The empty seat next to me was definitely not in the plan. Even worse, it was a painful reminder of the emptiness I was about to face for the entirety of my Mexican vacation weekend. Not that it was really a vacation. If it were possible to cancel, I would have.   Ah, who was I kidding. I’d take any excuse to get out of work for a few extra days and trade Vancouver’s incessant winter rain for some sun.   I fidgeted with my unclasped seatbelt. Travel anxiety. I’m usually more relaxed by the time I’ve boarded. I did, after all, get there an hour early and have a beer (or two) at the airport lounge. My anxiety was still high because of the unknown factor: who would be sitting in the row with me. Knowing my luck, I’d be stuck sitting next to the chattiest person in British Columbia.   If only I had the window seat. It’s easy to ignore people from the window, watching the landscapes fly by. Unfortunately, I was stuck in the aisle as people stuffed their winter coats into the overhead compartments and jostled their luggage past.   Now began the tradition of guessing who would be sitting next to me.   An old lady approached with her ancient carpetbag, sun hat already on her head, fake pastel flowers along the brim matching her blouse. She smiled at me, and for a moment I resigned myself to having to talk about all ten of her cats for the entire five-and-a-half-hour flight ahead. She checked her printed ticket, squinted at the numbers above her head, and kept moving.   Next was a young mother traveling alone with a rambunctious little boy, who was already whining and fighting with her. As much as I love kids, I don’t love being confined in a tiny space with them for hours at a time. Sitting next to a toddler would also make my empty seat barrier moot, and zero defense against the screams of tiny ears popping or the smell of dirty diapers. A relieved sigh escaped my lips as the mom worked her way past. I hoped whoever she sat next to would be helpful.   Oh no. Worst case scenario. An older guy approached, coughing into his hands and sniffling through his red, runny nose. It was too early in the season for allergies. It would be just my luck to leave on vacation and return home with the flu. I had sanitizer in my bag, but there wasn’t enough sanitizer in the world to help me here. Luckily, he kept moving, his germs some other unfortunate person’s problem.  My breath caught in my throat at the next passenger. Tall. Dark. Handsome. All of the clichés. His black hair shined, perfectly combed atop his head. His beard faded into his sideburns and expertly trimmed along his jawline, as if it wasn’t angular enough already.  Time slowed as he checked his phone, and then looked up at me. His gorgeous, deep brown eyes were pools of hot, sweaty summers and mysterious backstory. The quirk of his mouth hinted at various talents other than just containing his perfectly straight teeth, their pristine whiteness a stark contrast against the warm color of his skin.  I couldn’t help but smile, warmth flushing my cheeks.   He said words.   “Hmm?”   He pointed past me. “That’s my seat.”   “Oh!”

We are so happy to welcome Julie Falatko, author of Snappsy The Alligator (Did Not Ask To Be In This Book) and all-around delightful human, to talk with us about her writing process, the transition from picture books to middle grade novels—and how to maintain your ability to concentrate and do “deep work,” even when living in a year that’s a dumpster fire. We also talk about preserving your emotional openness and sense of the world (so you can write works that appeal to young listeners), nurturing your creativity, and scheduling in purposeful analog time to keep you (and your projects) vivid in all the right ways. The wonderful post Julie references is Word Count Dracula by agent Jennifer Laughran: http://literaticat.blogspot.com/2011/05/wordcount-dracula.html Julie is the author of the picture books Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book) and Snappsy the Alligator and His Best Friend Forever (Probably) illustrated by Tim Miller, (Viking Children’s), and Two Dogs in a Trench Coat Go to School (Scholastic). More books are coming! Julie lives with her family in Maine, where she maintains the Little Free Library in front of their house. You can meet with Julie here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/julie-falatko

It’s easy to believe that you have to be perfect to get published. Today, we bring you proof—hilarious, painful, honest proof—that things can go horribly awry and then end up great. Whether it’s checking in too soon (and getting called out by an agent), writing a pitch without a conflict or stakes (and then booking back-to-back agent meetings) or having a typo create havoc in a room of 200 conference attendees, these writers have been through it all—and come out better for it. They’ve since signed with agents, received multi-book contracts—and one even went to her release party just hours after we recorded. 2:15: Sending out a book with seven points of view 7:50: Pitching a book without conflict or stakes 13:24: Checking in with an agent much too soon 19:27: Querying work to just after typing “the end” 23:06: Sending out work personalized--for another agent 27:09: Submitting work to a panel without careful proofreading Please welcome (in order of appearance): Suzy Vitello is the author of three YA books and an adult speculative novel, FAULTLAND. You can find her at Suzyvitello.com, @suzy_vitello on Twitter, and @suzyvitello on Instagram. Thalia Elie is the author of HAIR WE GO! : A Curly Girls’ Adventure series. As a multi-ethnic curly girl, she wanted to encourage readers’ curiosity about differing cultures. This book celebrates the curly girl!  It’s an animated escapade that travels around Africa to laugh and learn that curls color the world. Each excursion is an adventure in diversity. Learn more about Thalia’s FREE event, June 2 at 8pm ET, here: http://evt.to/ogiaoagw Rachel Remick has had several short stories published in literary magazines, including Rosebud, Bluestem and The First Line, as well as women's magazine Sasee. Her short story The Favorite was published in a recent edition of Chicken Soup for the Soul, Listen to Your Dreams. You can follow her on Twitter @tampawritergirl. Nicole Moleti resides in West Hartford, CT and is a co-author writing under the pen name Addison McKnight. Her debut domestic suspense comes out spring of 2022 with Lake Union Publishing. Follow her @nicoleandkrista on Twitter and @addisonmcknight on Facebook. Juliana Savia Clayton writes Young Adult novels and picture books. She’s a member of SCBWI and serves as the Volunteer Coordinator for the Indiana Chapter. When not refreshing her inbox, she enjoys reading and spending time with her husband and two cats. You can find her on Twitter @kidlit_writer Agentless in America is a soon-to-be veterinarian that is an editor for the Heroic Fantasy e-magazine. She often melds fantasy with reality and believes that there is always room for romance. She currently lives, eats and breathes veterinary medicine, but never fails to appreciate the little things--especially if those little things are semicolons. Twitter: http://twitter.com/thedragonvet

When blogger Jenny True wrote a post called F%^ Your Baby Advice, she never expected it would go viral. Soon the offers came in—including an advice columnist post and, then, a book deal. 
 Now, with You Look Tired: An Excruciatingly Honest Guide to New Parenthood coming out May 4, she’s a powerful new voice of humor, support, and parenting insights. We discuss how she wrote her book proposal, balancing real advice with really funny examples, and becoming a responsible voice in the parental community. 
 Order a copy of You Look Tired: An Excruciatingly Honest Guide to New Parenthood here: https://www.runningpress.com/titles/jenny-true/you-look-tired/9780762473472/
 Jenny is a longtime writer and editor and nationally recognized columnist for Romper. Her debut collection, At or Near the Surface (Fourteen Hills Press, 2008), won the Michael Rubin Book Award. She has published fiction in Boulevard, the Northwest Review, the Southwest Review, Salt Hill, and other journals and has written and reported for Guernica, Salon, and Bitch, among others. Her work has been anthologized and selected for publication by Steve Almond and Michelle Richmond, and she has been the recipient of fellowships from the Ragdale Foundation and the Tomales Bay Writing by Writers Workshop, a grant from San Francisco State University, and a scholarship from the Squaw Valley Community of Writers. Her story "Thieves" was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. 
 Jenny has a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and an M.F.A. in creative writing from San Francisco State University. She has taught creative writing at the Bay Area's Writing Salon since 2009 and at San Francisco State University and the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In a former life she was a fact-checker for Sunset and Dwell and an intern for Mother Jones and Ms. 
 As Jenny True, the voice of her blog and the “Dear Jenny” column, she has been recognized on the sidewalk by a mom driving by in a car, and a mom on a plane.

Julie asked our Facebook group (join here! 3,000+ nice writers to support you: https://manuscriptacademy.com/facebook) what they’d like to know about critique. We discuss critique partners with the right problem and wrong solution, the chain reaction when you change one element, how Jessica gives her agency clients feedback, and differentiating between opinions and critiques. Plus, we discuss best practices for communicating slippery concepts, replying to critiques you hate, and how to look for the patterns instead of the one frustrating edit.

We are so happy to welcome Laekan Zea Kemp to the podcast! We talk about how she got her agent (and made sure she was a true ally), her advice for writers (and how to keep your creative self safe), and how she came up with the idea for this gorgeous new story. Laekan Zea Kemp is a writer living in Austin, Texas. She’s also the creator and host of the Author Pep Talks podcast, as well as a contributor to the Las Musas podcast. She has three objectives when it comes to storytelling: to make people laugh, cry, and crave Mexican food. Her work celebrates Chicanx grit, resilience, creativity, and joy while exploring themes of identity and mental health. Her debut novel, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN BITTER & SWEET is coming from Little Brown April 6, 2021. You can find a link to the book’s recipes here: http://www.laekanzeakemp.com/books And you can find Laekan online here: http://www.laekanzeakemp.com/ https://twitter.com/LaekanZeaKemp

We are so happy to share this with you! This episode was live-recorded March 2021. Want to watch the free video version instead? Head to https://manuscriptacademy.com/anne-elliott. Want an email about upcoming free events? Head to https://manuscriptacademy.com/subscribe. Many of us learn fiction writing via short stories—and many of us fall in love with the form and stick with it. But how do we get our stories into the hands of readers, when agents aren’t interested in them? How do we know when a story is ready to send? And where to send it? What are realistic expectations with respect to response times, acceptance rates, payment, and editorial input? This class will go over the basic norms, procedures, and etiquette of being your own short story agent, review strategies for targeting markets and record keeping, and field questions. Your instructor has been finding readers via the slush pile for years—it can be done. Anne Elliott is the author of The Artstars: Stories (Indiana University Press) and The Beginning of the End of the Beginning (Ploughshares Solos). Her short fiction can be found in Story, A Public Space, Crab Orchard Review, Witness, Hobart, Bellevue Literary Review, Fifth Wednesday Journal, and elsewhere. Elliott is a veteran of the New York spoken word circuit, with stage credits including The Whitney Museum, Lincoln Center, PS122, and Woodstock '94. Her fiction has been awarded support from The Story Foundation, Vermont Studio Center, The Normal School, Table 4 Writer's Foundation, and The Bridport Prize. She holds an MFA in fiction writing from Warren Wilson College, and lives in Portland, Maine. Learn more at http://www.anneelliottstories.com.

High stakes in quiet stories, fresh takes on dead genres, and how agencies share manuscripts We talk with agent Shannon Snow about how she’d love to bring dystopias and other “dead” genres back (even if, according to Jessica, dystopia couldn’t die fast enough), how agencies decide to take on projects (and share genres between themselves), and how to make your “quiet” story appeal to agents and editors. Shannon Snow worked in finance and marketing for 18 years before turning to her childhood first love… books and writers.  She started her publishing career in 2018 and then joined Creative Media Agency, Inc. in 2020, first as an intern before moving up to an associate agent.  Shannon has a B.A. in English Language and Literature. Shannon manages the Audio rights for CMA. Shannon says: I have an eclectic reading taste. I look for books that have a unique angle, and authors that have a wonderful, engaging voice.  Characterization is a top draw for me, so I’m looking for vivid, well-developed characters.  I love when an author can make me laugh, make me cry, or just make me feel emotion in general.  Learn more about Shannon: http://cmalit.com/ https://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/shannon-snow Twitter: @SSnow_Lit_Agent

We are so happy to welcome agent Larissa Melo Pienkowski to the podcast! We loved having her as a guest, and think you'll love her, too. Larissa Melo Pienkowski is a literary agent at Jill Grinberg Literary Management, the assistant publisher of Dottir Press, and a freelance editor and sensitivity reader. As a Latinx, mixed-race bookworm, she’s passionate about #OwnVoices stories, uplifting marginalized voices, and reading voraciously across genres, with a soft spot for YA, MG, literary fiction, narrative nonfiction, and books that stretch the boundaries of genre altogether. A Massachusetts native, she earned her BSW from Simmons College and her MA in Publishing and Writing from Emerson College, and can be found in her ceramics studio in her free time (when she doesn’t have a book in hand). In this episode, we cover: What’s the best way to follow up with agents—and when? How do you deal with an exclusive submission—and advocate for yourself at the same time? What to do if you sent your manuscript...seven months ago? What makes publishing slow? How long do you have to send your work after receiving a full request? Do you have to send it right away? What if it needs edits? What’s the best way to include a second language in your book? Larissa’s thoughts on pitch contests (and your best practices). Does cold querying work? If you have a twitter pitch, do you add it to your query? Do agents drop clients if the first book doesn’t sell? Plus much more! You can meet with Larissa to go over your query here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/larissa-pienkowski The comp class we mentioned is here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/hannah

We are so happy to talk with four agented writers about what worked—and did NOT work—in the submission process. We talk about rejections, pivots, subjectivity, and finding the right agent for YOU. We attempt to reverse engineer their submission patterns just before an offer, so you can see what early signs mean you’re on the right path. We talk about their darkest moments, when they wanted to give up. And—more than anything—we talk about what they wish they knew, the things that could have saved months or years, when they were still querying agents. We hope you’ll leave this podcast feeling inspired, uplifted, and optimistic about your chances of finding the perfect fit for your work. Tabitha Bird lives with her family and chihuahua in Boonah, Australia. Her debut fiction, A LIFETIME OF IMPOSSIBLE DAYS (Penguin, 2019) was the 2020 winner of The Queensland Literary Award- People’s Choice Book of the Year. Her second book is THE EMPORIUM OF IMAGINATION (Penguin, March 30th 2021). http://tabithaannbird.com and (free shipping!) https://www.bookdepository.com/The-Emporium-of-Imagination/9781760895914 Elizabeth Holden writes light-hearted young adult fiction. Her queer roller derby novel, Mighty Millie Novak, is out on submission to publishers, and she is currently editing her YA spec fiction filled with girls in STEM, vintage clothes, time travel, and love triangles. She is represented by Emily Forney at BookEnd Literary Agency. She teaches physics at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, and, along with her husband, is the co-founder of a tour company, Leaping Hound Travel. An avid roller derby player, she's skated with Madison Roller Derby since 2015 and leads "physics of roller derby" workshops for schools and other community groups. elizabeth-holden.com email: elizabeth.holden.author@gmail.com Twitter: @ElizabethH_WI Molly McCaffrey is a former New Jersey native turned Kentucky Colonel, and the author of two small press books for adults. Now she writes young adult stories about strong young women who believe in the power of resistance. When Molly isn’t reading or writing, she’s on the move—biking, swimming, hiking, and kayaking—and loves to compete in local triathlons. She is represented by John Cusick of Folio Literary. MollyMcCaffrey.com https://twitter.com/MollyMcCaffrey https://www.instagram.com/mollymccaffrey/ https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMollyMcCaffrey/ Meghan Davis Hill has been a professional editor and writer of commercial nonfiction and fiction for many years. She has edited the memoirs of an author who appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, a Pulitzer Prize winner, and a celebrity chef. She’s also edited for children’s book authors, an award-winning film producer, and several novelists. Under her own name, Meghan writes middle grade and young adult fiction. She is represented by agent Karen Brailsford of Aevitas Creative Management, and her debut middle grade adventure is going out on submission this week. Meghan lives outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her husband and four children. When she’s not writing and editing, she’s usually in the woods – hiking and camping with her family every chance she gets. website: meghandavishill.com twitter: @meghanmhill fb: meghan davis hill writing & editing

We are so happy to welcome Haley Casey to the podcast! Haley Casey graduated from The University of Kansas in 2015 with a BA in creative writing, and that fall, she attended the Denver Publishing Institute. She began her full-time career at Ogden Publications, where she was an editor for four years. There she worked with a variety of authors across multiple magazines, wrote over a dozen articles, edited audio for podcasts, and even styled cover photos—anything to add some creativity to her days. In 2020, she interned at Metamorphosis Literary Agency and Creative Media Agency, Inc. before stepping into her role as a junior agent at CMA. She also manages the digital arm of the company. In this episode, we cover the following: 9:37 Haley’s MSWL, and what she hopes to see in her inbox 11:18 The memoir market from Haley’s perspective 12:39 How long can you wait to send an agent requested materials? 14:40 What does it mean if a work is called “upmarket”? 19:02 When do you expect to see the inciting incident? 20:53 How long does it take to hear back from an agent? 24:06 What if the only comp you can think of is a runaway bestseller? 26:33 How do you know if you’re starting in the right place in your story? 32:27 What if your work is between two genres? 35:50 What are your best tips for writers? 38:20 What do you do with an English degree? 46:42 What’s it like to work with a newer agent? Do they have mentorship? What ensures that it will go well? 51:54 What’s something you’ve changed your mind about in your time in the industry?

We are so happy to welcome agent Cecilia (CeCe) Lyra to the podcast! Cecilia will go through her inbox, #TenQueries style, giving us in-the-moment reactions to her queries. Ever wondered what agents think when they read your submissions? Now you know. Cecilia Lyra is an agent at P.S. Literary actively acquiring adult fiction and nonfiction. She is particularly drawn to stories centered around dysfunctional families, ethical or moral dilemmas, and taboo subjects. She adores reading about protagonists who grew up straddling two opposing worlds and appreciates subtle storytelling, with characters who are nuanced and flawed, as opposed to overwritten and nice. Cecilia enjoys writing that is thoughtful on a line level with a strong, almost hypnotic voice. Some of her recent favorite novels include WHITE IVY by Susie Yang, THE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett, and EXCITING TIMES by Naoise Dolan. In terms of nonfiction, Cecilia is seeking books about popular subjects written by experts in their field examined through original angles, particularly ones that deal with psychology and social behavior. Cecilia also loves memoirs, and strongly believes that a good memoir reads like a novel. Favorite nonfiction titles include TRICK MIRROR by Jia Tolentino, MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK TO SOMEONE by Lori Gottlieb, and IN THE DREAM HOUSE by Carmen Maria Machado. No matter the category or genre, stories centered around feminist issues have a special place in Cecilia’s heart, particularly those that explore intersectionality: race, sexual orientation, national identity, economic privilege and class. As a mixed race Latinx immigrant, Cecilia is passionate about representing under or misrepresented voices that contribute to a larger cultural conversation. She believes in editing with compassion, and that words of affirmation can make all the difference in a writer’s life. Cecilia began her bookish career through the Centennial College Book, Magazine, and Electronic program and The Rights Factory. Before working in publishing, Cecilia was a lawyer, and now reserves her litigious energy for rants against the patriarchy.

Welcome to our live-recorded event with agent Lizzie Poteet! *****Please note that there are some adult topics mentioned in this episode. We aren't the MPAA, but we'd rate it PG-13.***** Originally from Nashville, TN, Lizzie Poteet is an agent at The Seymour Agency after several years at St Martin’s Press/Macmillan. A hopeless romantic, she’s eternally grateful she found a way to channel her immense feelings about feelings into a legitimate job where swooning is considered a job skill. A spitfire from an early age, she once tried to write a series of book reports in high school on Nora Roberts, Linda Howard, and Julie Garwood. It did not go over well. Lizzie’s addiction to romance only grew from there, which explains why she decided to study abroad at the University of St. Andrews in college. Just on the off chance she would fall back in time and meet her own warrior soul mate. Sadly, she didn’t and now lives in New York with her dog, Mr. Darcy, where she watches a lot of TV. Lizzie is looking for Romance, Women’s Fiction, New Adult, Religious, Romantic Suspense, Historical Romance, and Inspirational Romance. You can follow her on Twitter @lizziepoteet. Learn more about these events here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/member-lounge * * * The questions: 11:00: What are some word count trends in romance and YA contemporary, and does an agent reject based off of low word count? 13:02: Can you talk about how agents edit with their authors? 16:29: What jumps out at you in the first few pages, structure wise, that makes you want to keep reading? 18:06: Are you looking for a one book or career long relationship? 20:50: How do agents feel about writers who’ve had a full editorial edit before submitting? Is it necessary? How much editing should you do before you submit your work? 23:46: What prompts you to ask for a partial, and what prompts you to ask for a full? What are you NOT looking for? 26:05: Do you ever take on an offer and realize that it’s just not working? 29:10: How to prevent that from happening? 31:30: What reader expectations have changed with romance in recent years? When can romance explore deeper issues? 35:19: How do you include heavy topics in your work, and know your agent will accept it? When do you need to include a trigger warning? 41:27: Can you talk about LGBT romance novels? 43:55: Should you write what you love or what’s marketable? How do you balance that? What if you’re writing more than one book at a time? 48:32: How is New Adult doing? Why is it mostly romance? And is there room for New Adult sci fi? 54:36: What tips do you have for writers?

In this episode, Julie meets with her former teaching partner, Mary Murchie, to discuss two first pages, the role of detail from a reader's perspective, and what they’ll cover in their new Facebook Live series. Want to join a few thousand supportive writers in our free Facebook group? Head to https://manuscriptacademy.com/Facebook.

Happy 2021! We have a brand new year with a ton of new projects designed to keep you creative, happy, and optimistic. We have: A new first-page podcast (in the feed now!) with Mary Murchie, our newest Facebook Live host. If you’d like to join our free Facebook group, head to https://manuscriptacademy.com/facebook. This month, we also have: *A success story Q&A panel with Academy alums who’ve gotten agents (January 12) *A live Q&A with agent Larissa Melo Pienkowski (January 21) *Accountability and goal coaching with Valentina (Ongoing) *Three-Day Revision Workshop (January 26-28) All events, except the accountability coaching, are included with membership. Learn more here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/member-lounge And here: https://manuscriptacademy.com/2021-goals If you’d like to join the revision workshop a la carte, head to https://manuscriptacademy.com/revision. Happy New Year!