The Personal to the Universal, and Other Priorities in Contemporary Memoir

Have you browsed the narrative nonfiction shelves lately and thought, “Oh man, I don’t have it in me to read another grief memoir”?

Here are a few thoughts on the memoir market as it stands, a few things you might prioritize inside and out of your own work. A note before we get started: This blog post should be seen as a primer. It contains observations I’ve made in the recent past, while working with memoirists who have attained agent interest, that I feel will help improve memoirists chances of trade publication, but it is certainly not the be all, end all of advice.

Read More

6 Tips for Finding and Using "Comp" Titles

If you've been querying agents for more than five minutes, you've likely heard of comps.

"Comp" or comparative titles are exactly that: books—and in some cases TV shows and movies!—that your book's plot, characters, and/or theme can draw a direct line of comparison to.

Read More

Publishing, Both Trade and Indie: An Interview with Award-Winning Author Amanda Radley

I am often asked how writers make the transition from indie publishing to trade publishing, and who better to answer these questions than someone who’s made the leap herself? I asked award-winning, bestselling author Amanda Radley to answer a few questions about her career journey, and she was gracious enough to do so. You may find our conversation and her insightful answers below.

Read More