More sell, less tell.
Nine times out of ten, I see authors making one catastrophic error in their book proposals. After your cover page and list of contents,...
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Sally Collings
Jun 16, 2021
Stop Dreaming About Getting Your Memoir Published.
Just imagine it. You get to step away from your day-to-day grind—the tedious meetings, the ache in your lower back, your cousin's...
Sally Collings
Jun 14, 2021
How do you write a successful nonfiction book?
Wouldn’t it be great to feel confident in your ideas and your ability to reach your reader when you sit down to write? Wouldn’t you love...
Sally Collings
Jun 7, 2021
A Micro-Retreat for Memoir Writers
If you want to land a publishing deal for your memoir, there is one thing you need: a standout book proposal to submit to literary agents...
Sally Collings
Apr 1, 2021
An editor tells: these are the kinds of authors I want.
It’s not often the writing community gets to hear from a senior editor in one of the major New York publishing houses. We make a lot of...
Sally Collings
Mar 26, 2021
Some authors are landing big deals.
The talk soon leads to doom and gloom when authors discuss how hard it is to land a deal with a major publisher. Much of the doom talk is...
Sally Collings
Mar 17, 2021
Is self-publishing your fallback plan?
There’s an excellent guest post by novelist and editor Kim Catanzarite on Jane Friedman’s blog this month, titled 11 Signs You’re Ready...
Sally Collings
Mar 12, 2021
Should self-publishing be your Option A?
Dreaming of a book deal with Penguin Random House, Macmillan, or HarperCollins? You’re not alone. SO not alone. Before you join that long...
Sally Collings
Mar 5, 2021
Panic time. Who’s going to publish your book?
The word on the street is that in these pandemic times, literary agents have more time to consider new projects, so now is a great time...
Sally Collings
Feb 25, 2021
Check out the competition.
Elite athletes know all about their competition. They are acutely aware of the 800-meter runner who took out the last world championship...
Sally Collings
Feb 17, 2021
Let’s get real about dragons.
“It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.” —JRR Tolkien, The Hobbit Honestly? I’m not even...
Sally Collings
Feb 10, 2021
Publishers hate manuscripts.
As a rule, if there’s one thing most publishers and literary agents really hate to see, it’s a manuscript. You’re probably surprised by...
Sally Collings
Dec 20, 2020
I have the best clients.
I've been honored to work with some remarkable clients over the years: smart, driven, funny, passionate. I can't wait to work with more...
Sally Collings
Oct 5, 2020
Book proposals are simple to write. But never, ever easy.
I’m not really a step-by-step kinda person. I’m suspicious of any book, course, guru, or product that promises me any of the following:...
Sally Collings
Sep 16, 2020
Interview tip #7: Give people a magic wand
The last in a series of seven blog posts on #interviewing techniques for #nonfiction authors. Toward the end of every interview, I love...
Sally Collings
Sep 10, 2020
In search of the perfect book
Books are deceptively simple things. Front cover, back cover, pages in between. What can be so hard about making one? Turns out, plenty....
Sally Collings
Sep 1, 2020
Interview tip #6: Choose your words carefully
Sixth in a series of seven blog posts on interviewing techniques for nonfiction authors. Even the smallest words you choose in your...
Sally Collings
Aug 24, 2020
Interview tip #5: Why you should include a trust fall in every interview
Fifth in a series of seven blog posts on interviewing techniques for nonfiction authors. “[When a guest is hesitant], I say, hey, our...
Sally Collings
Aug 16, 2020
Land a Literary Agent in 2020 With Three Fundamental Attributes
In 2020, I’ve collaborated on three nonfiction book proposals. All three have been picked up by leading literary agents within one week...
Sally Collings
Aug 13, 2020
Interview tip #4: Ask all the stupid questions
Fourth in a series of seven blog posts on interviewing techniques for nonfiction authors. Maybe you are concerned that if you interview...
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