-
Now booking coaching clients for July
I had a Publishing Plan coaching call with this writer who was feeling overwhelmed by their book idea and frustrated by their lack of “progress.” Here’s what they said about our session: “In our first hour of coaching, Amanda got right to the heart of the key issue that was holding me back, devised a […]
-
What to do when your intro just isn’t working
In the coming weeks, I’ll share tips for self-editing. To start us off, here are two ideas to consider when your introduction isn’t working. 1/ In medias res: In medias res means “in the middle of things.” An action scene or a scene that sparks curiosity can quickly pull the reader into the narrative. In […]
-
Support abortion rights
Typically on Friday, I post something that inspires me. This Friday Fave is a random assortment, but usually it’s a writer, a song, a book. Today, it’s these organizations that support abortion rights. I’m donating money to two of them. I live in Canada, but this SCOTUS decision transcends borders and genders. It’s about a right to choose. It’s […]
-
Dear Editors: Kilometrestones
Dear Editors, Book publishing moves so slowly, doesn’t it? There’s rarely an opportunity to yell “Stop the presses!” as we have plenty of lead time to update manuscripts and check proofs. Also, with the exception of some exceptional small presses (Coach House in Toronto, I’m looking at you), most publishing houses don’t have an actual […]
-
Creating the conditions for growth
We have a saying in Canada: Good weather, eh? We’ll pay for it later. Canadians have a lot of sayings about weather 😉 It has been a cold, wet spring in the Pacific Northwest. A lot of my veggies and herbs bolted early (went to seed). I’m now drying kale pods in my house so […]
-
Don’t play no game that I can’t win
I sometimes chat with folks who are overwhelmed by their writing hopes. They want to write the book, and they beat themselves up for not having done it by now. They can’t seem to find time to write. They wonder if they should even try. Why are they failing in this way, when they achieve […]
-
Write for one person
The Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist Carol Shields wrote, “A story is something moving to someone else. That is all.” A story has extra impact when you identify that “someone else.” Shields advised writing for someone in particular. She imagined herself whispering her story into her sister’s ear. When I wrote my first book, Tracking Giants (coming […]
-
Sebene Selassie
Editors have impeccable taste. We shape writing so it lands with its target audience, but before that, we spot talent. It’s the literary equivalent of digging down deep in the record bins. (We also know a little about a lot, so you absolutely want us on your trivia team.) Each Friday, I share a book, […]
-
What is a book proposal, and do you need one?
When an editor “acquires” a book, that means they buy it. An acquisitions editor usually works in house, for a traditional publisher. Penguin Random House, Milkweed Editions, and Scholastic are examples of traditional publishers. Generally, but not always, when they buy your book a publisher pays an advance against royalties, in several instalments tied to […]
-
Dear Editors: Big city hair
Dear Editors, I was 25 when I landed an editorial internship at Knopf Canada, an imprint of what is now Penguin Random House Canada. I had recently finished my master’s in literature, and was having the time of my life in Vancouver: working at a cafe, biking around the city at all hours, going to […]
-
Follow
Following
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Amanda Lewis 